[112] orig. reads vocacyon.
[113] The same story is to be found in Scogin's Jests, with a trifling variation. Scogin's Jests were published before 1565. Several of the anecdotes, here narrated, were re-produced in that and other collections. See also Joake upon Joake, 1721, where the present story is told of King Charles the Second, Nell Gwynne, and the Duchess of Portsmouth. In this version the Duchess is the sufferer.
[114] This story, as already mentioned in the Introduction, is taken from the tale of the "Vickar of Bergamo" in Tarlton's Newes out of Purgatorie (1590). See Halliwell's ed. of Tarlton's Jests, &c. p. 82. (Shakesp. Sec.).
[115] Early.
[116] Homily.
[117] Satisfy, a very rare word.
[118] Ham.
[119] The blackness of colliers was employed of course from a very early period as a ground for satirical insinuations as to their connection with the Evil One. In 1568, Ulpian Fulwell, a distinguished writer of the Elizabethan era, published A Pleasant Interlude intituled Like will to Like quoth the Devil to the Collier; and in the old play of Grim the Collier of Croydon, the epithet grim was intended to convey a similar idea. In Robin Goodfellow His Mad Pranks and Merry Jests, 1628, however, Grim is the name of a Fairy.
[120] Shoemaker or Cobbler. Lat. Sutor.
[121] It is not very usual to find this word in its jocular sense spelled in this manner. It continued to be used in its original signification (action or exploit) even to the Restoration, perhaps later. The most recent example of this employment with which the Editor has happened to meet is at p. 29 of Mauley's Iter Carolinum, 1660, where the writer speaks of "His Majesties Gests from Newcastle to Holdenby in Feb. 1646." These gests were certainly no jests. Since the former part of this note was written a more recent instance of the use of gest in the sense in question has occurred to the Editor in the Life and Gests of S. Thomas Cantilupe, Gant, 1674. 8vo.