THE PREFACE TO THE READER. Ir will not, I hope, be thought unnecessary, if I lay before the reader my reason for republishing this facetious little book, after a delitescency of near a hundred years. Being desired by a gentlewoman to look over a parcel of old books, among 'em I chanced upon Drunken Barnaby, which reading gave me satisfaction for my trouble; whereupon I took a resolution to publish it, that others might therewith be pleased as well as myself. What I can gather of the author is chiefly from himself; for he says, coming to a place called Harrington, he was well pleased with the omen, and spent some money there for namesake, so that I conclude his name was Barnaby Harrington. He further says, that after a tedious journey of about six miles a day, and some Rech sex A 3 times three or four, (very weary, and heavy laden) he at last arrived at Appleby, in Westmoreland, where he was born, and where, if I mistake not, there are some remains of the family still living. That he was a graduate in Queen's College, Oxon, is plain, but I have not had an opportunity of knowing what degrees he took. "Tis the man, no doubt, of whom the song says, Hey, Barnaby! take't for a warning, &c. He says, he afterwards (after four journeys backward and forward) married in the country, turned farmer, and frequented the horse fairs all round the country, buying horses when cheap, and (like a true jockey) selling them when dear, upon which he is very pleasant. I thought fit to say thus much, and more I have not, only wish the reader pleased, as I was. EDITOR LECTORI. QUUM primum reperi libellum hunc lepidissimum legendo gaudebam, quod et tu facies cum legeris nullus dubito. Editum inveni absq; æra, absq; nominè vel Authoris, vel Bibliopolæ, vel Typographi, aut ullo alio indicio possessorem ullum indicante, ergo statui mei juris esse, inq; lucem emisi. De Authore quod certum est subjiciam: ab amico meo doctissimo nunc præsule intellexi authorem Barnabam Harrington fuisse ante multos annos (forte nonaginta aut centum) vel socium, vel artium magistrum, aut saltem membrum Collegii Reginensis apud Oxonienses, quod innuit etiam authore sæpius. Natus erat, ut ait ipse, Aballaba Westmarorum inter 3 septentriones ex antiqua stirpe, prole ibi adhuc manente. Hic est famosissimus ille de quo decantatum illud et tritum apud vulgus cantillatur, Hey, Barnaby! take't for a warning, De libro nulla est necessitas addendi quidquam, facile perleges, et perlecto judicabis. De versu, de metro, de erroribus neq; est quod addam, ipse enim autor satis ludicre in errata libro præfixa seipsum vindicavit, quum ait, Quid si sedem muto sede? Vale et ride affatim, lector, |