Jasp. By my troth, sir, I ne'er came there; 'tis too hot for me, sir. Mer. A merry ghost, a very merry ghost! [Sings. And where is your true love? Oh, where is yours? Jasp. Marry, look you, sir! [Opens the Coffin. With hey tricksy terlerie-whiskin,5 The world it runs on wheels. When the young man's Up goes the maiden's heels. Mrs MERRYTHOUGHT and MICHAEL within. Mrs Mer. What, master Merrythought! will you not let's in! What do you think shall become of us? Mer. What voice is that that calleth at our door? Mrs Mer. You know me well enough; I am sure I have not been such a stranger to you. Mer. [Sings.] And some they whistled, and some they sung, Hey down, down! And some did loudly say, Ever as the lord Barnet's horn blew, 5 Terlerie-whiskin.] This was a cant-phrase of the time. In the Lady's Trial by Ford, we have terlery-pufkins. Whiskin occurs twice with no very determinate meaning in the same author's Fancies Chaste and Noble. The vacancy in the third line of this stanza may be supplied but too easily. • And some they whistled, &c.] This stanza is taken from the Mrs Mer. You will not have us starve here, will you, master Merrythought? Jasp. Nay, good sir, be persuaded; she's my mother: If her offences have been great against you, Luce. Good master Merrythought, Let me entreat you; I will not be denied. Mrs Mer. Why, master Merrythought, will you be a vex'd thing still? Mer. Woman, I take you to my love again; but you shall sing before you enter; therefore dispatch your song, and so come in. Mrs Mer. Well, you must have your will, when all's done :-Micke, what song canst thou sing, boy? Mich. I can sing none forsooth, but A Lady's Daughter of Paris,' properly. It was a lady's daughter, &c. [Sings within. ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard, printed in Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry, vol. iii. p. 64, where it runs thus: "Then some they whistled, and some they sung, And some did loudlye saye, Whenever lord Barnardes horne it blewe, Away, Musgrave, away." "If her offences have been great against you, Let your own love remember she is yours, "Let your self-loye tell you that she is a part of yourself, and so forgive her." Yet I think it probable that we ought to read-" Let your old love”that is, your former affection.-Mason. Enter Mrs MERRY THOUGHT and MICHAEL. Mer. Come, you're welcome home again. If such danger be in playing, And jest must to earnest turn, Vent. [Within.] Are you within, sir? master Merrythought! Jasp. It is my master's voice; good sir, go hold him In talk whilst we convey ourselves into [Exit with LUCE. Some inward room. You must be very merry, if you enter. Vent. I am, sir. Mer. Sing then. Vent. Nay, good sir, open to me. Mer. Sing, I say, Or, by the merry heart, you come not in! Vent. Well, sir, I'll sing. [Sings. Fortune my foe, &c. Enter VENTERWELS. Mer. You're welcome, sir, you're welcome! You see your entertainment; pray you be merry. Vent. Oh, master Merrythought, I'm come to ask you • Fortune my foe.] See The Custom of the Country, vol. II. p. 279, where the first stanza of this highly popular song will be found. It is also alluded to in Brome's Antipodes, and in The Two Merry Milkmaids, by J. C. Forgiveness for the wrongs I offer'd you, Or in the grave, 'tis yet uncertain to me. Mer. Why, sir, I do forgive you; and be merry! And if the wag in's lifetime play'd the knave, Can you forgive him too? Vent. With all my heart, sir. Mer. Speak it again, and heartily. Now, by my soul, I do. Mer. [Sings.] With that came out his paramour; She was as white as the lily flower. Hey troul, troly, loly! Enter LUCE and JASPER. With that came out her own dear knight, Sir, if you will forgive 'em, clap their hands together; there's no more to be said i' th' matter. Vent. I do, I do. "Cit. I do not like this: Peace, boys! Hear me, one of you! every body's part is come to an end but Ralph's, and he's left out. "Boy. "Tis long of yourself, sir; we have nothing to do with his part. "Cit. Ralph, come away! Make [an end] on him, as you have done of the rest, boys; come! "Wife. Now, good husband, let him come out and die. "Cit. He shall, Nell.-Ralph, come away quickly, and die, boy. "Boy. Twill be very unfit he should die, sir, upon no occasion; and in a comedy too. "Cit. Take you no care of that, Sir Boy; is not his part at an end, think you, when he's dead?Come away, Ralph!" Enter RALPH, with a forked Arrow through his Head. Ralph. When I was mortal,' this my costive corps Did lap up figs and raisins in the Strand; 9 Make on him.] The two words which we have added seem absolutely necessary to the completion of the sense.-Ed. 1778. ▾ When I was mortal, &c.] This speech is a parody on that of the Ghost of Andrea, at the beginning of the famous play of Jeronimo: "When this eternal substance of my soul Did live imprison'd in my wanton flesh," &c.-Reed. This speech is ridiculed in several old plays; among others in Albumazar. 2 Lingell.] A thread of hemp rubbed with rosin, &c. used by rustics for mending their shoes.-Percy. |