Again, in Ascham's "Toxophilus," p. 15: "And therefore agaynst a desperate evill began to seeke for a desperate remedie, which was fet from Rome, a shop alwayes open to any mischief, as you shall perceive in these few leaves, if you marke them well."
Again, in Lyly's "Euphues," p. 33: "That far fet and deere bought, is good for ladies."
[273] A proverbial expression used by Ben Jonson in his "Magnetic Lady," and by Shakspeare in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona." See Mr Steevens's Note on the latter, and [Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 127.] It is also to be found in Nash's "Lenten Stuff," 1599.
[274] In Shakspeare's "Hamlet," Ophelia sings a song, in which this adjuration is used—
"By gys and by Saint Charity."
And it is also to be found in Gascoigne's Poems, in Preston's "Cambyses," and in the comedy of "See me and see me not," 1618—
"By gisse I swear, were I so fairly wed," &c.
Mr Steevens's note on "Hamlet," in which Mr Steevens observes, that Saint Charity is a known saint among the Roman Catholics. Spenser mentions her ("Eclog," v., 255):—
"Ah dear Lord and sweet Saint Charity!"
Again, in "The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntington," 1601—