“Shall he? O brave Arthur of Bradley, then?”
In Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair, 1614, (which covers the Puritans with ridicule, for the delight of James 1st.), Act ii. Scene 1, when Adam Overdo, the Sectary, is disguised in a “garded coat” as Arthur o’ Bradley, to gesticulate outside a booth, Mooncalf salutes him thus:—“O Lord! do you not know him, Mistress? ’tis mad Arthur of Bradley that makes the orations.—Brave master, old Arthur of Bradley, how do you do? Welcome to the Fair! When shall we hear you again, to handle your matters, with your back against a booth, ha?”
In Richard Brathwaite’s Strappado for the Diuell, 1615, p. 225 (in a long poem, containing notices of Wakefield, Bradford, and Kendall, addressed “to all true-bred Northerne Sparks, of the generous Society of the Cottoneers,” &c.) is the following reference to this tune, and to other two, viz. “Wilson’s Delight,” and “Mal Dixon’s Round:”
“So each (through peace of conscience) rapt with pleasure
Shall ioifully begin to dance his measure.
One footing actiuely Wilson’s delight, ...
The fourth is chanting of his Notes so gladly,
Keeping the tune for th’ honour of Arthura Bradly;
The 5[th] so pranke he scarce can stand on ground,
Asking who’le sing with him Mal Dixon’s round.”