I never had the good fortune to see a copy of the book called An Admonition to the Parliament, but I find a full description of it in Herbert's Ames, iii. 1631., under the date of 1572, from which I gather that it had been printed four times anterior to that year. It was written by two puritanical divines, Field and Wilcox, and contained such an attack upon the bishops, that they did their utmost to suppress it; but Whitgift, nevertheless, gave it additional notoriety by publishing an answer to it, which came out originally in 1571, and was reprinted in 1572 and 1573 (Herbert's Ames, ii. 934.). I have not Strype at hand to see what he says about the Admonition, and the reply to it; but some time ago I met with a letter among the Lansdown MSS. (No. 27.) which relates to the Admonition, and shows that Thomas Woodcock, a well known stationer, had been confined in Newgate by the Bishop of London (Aylmer) for selling it. It is dated 9th Dec. 1578, and is subscribed by five of the most distinguished and respectable printers and publishers of that day, soliciting Lord Burghley (to whom it is addressed) to interfere on behalf of the poor prisoner. It runs precisely in the following form:
"Our humble duties unto your good L. premised. May it please the same to be advertised, that one Thomas Woodcock, an honest young man, and one of our Company, hathe bin imprisoned in Newgate by the L. Bishopp of London theis six dayes, for sellinge of certaine bookes called the Admonition to the Parliament. Dyvers of the poore mans frendes have bin earnest suitors unto the Bishopp of London for his libertie: his L. aunswere unto them is, that he neither can nor will do any thinge without your L. consent, signified by your letters or warrant. It may therfore please your honor, in consideration of the premisses and our humble request, either to direct your L. warrant for his enlargement, or els to signifie your pleasure unto the L. Bishopp of London to take order herein accordingly, the said poore man first puttinge in sufficient bond to appeare at all tymes when he shalbe called, and readdy to aunswere to any matters whatsoever shalbe objected against him. Thus prayinge, accordinge to our duties, for your good L. long and prosperous health with encrease of honor, we commyt the same for this tyme to the protection of the Almightie. At London, 9o Decemb. 1578.
"Your L. most humble at Command the Mr. and Wardens with others of the Company of Stationers,
"RYCHARDE TOTTYLL, JOHN HARYSON,
GEORGE BYSSHOP, WILLM. SERES,
JOHN DAYE."
From the above we may perhaps conclude, that an edition of the Admonition to Parliament had been printed not long before the date of Thomas Woodcock's imprisonment for selling it; but I do not find that any historian or bibliographer mentions such an edition. Excepting in the letter of the five stationers, Tottyll, Bysshop, Haryson, Seres, and Daye, there seems to be no authority for connecting Woodcock with the publication, and his confinement did not take place until Dec. 6, 1578; whereas Neal, in his History of the Puritans, as cited by Herbert, informs us that Field and Wilcox, on presenting the Admonition to the House of Commons in 1572, were immediately committed to Newgate.
Unless there were two puritanical ministers of the name of Field, he, who was imprisoned with Wilcox, was the John Field, who, I apprehend, was the father of Nathaniel Field, the actor in Shakspeare's plays, and the Theophilus Field, who (in spite of his father's hostility to the church and bishops, and in spite of his brother's devotion to the stage,) was afterwards Bishop of Llandaff from 1619 to 1627, Bishop of St. David's from 1627 to 1635, and Bishop of Hereford from 1635 to 1636, when he died.
J. PAYNE COLLIER.
FOLK LORE.
New Year's Rain—Saxon Spell.
—I have just read a good-natured notice[1] in The Athenæum of December 6th, in which your contemporary suggests that communications on the subject of Folk Lore should be addressed to you. The perusal of it has reminded me of two Queries upon the subject, which I had originally intended to address to the editor of that paper, as they refer to articles which appeared in his own pages. On his hint, however, I will transfer them to your columns; and avail myself of the opportunity of thanking the editor of The Athenæum for having for so long a period and so effectually directed the attention of the readers of that influential journal to a subject of great interest to many, and of considerable historical value. The first relates to a song sung by the children in South Wales on New Year's morning, when carrying a jug full of water newly drawn from the well. It is given in The Athenæum, No. 1058., for the 5th Feb., 1848, and there several references will be found to cognate superstitions. My object is to ask if the song is known elsewhere; and if so, whether with any such varieties of readings as would clear some of the obscurities of the present version:—