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quarto*, without date or name of the printer, but probably from the press of Berthelette or Rastell. The PLAY of Love. The PLAY of the WEATHER, or a new and a very mery ENTERLUDE of all maner of WEATHERS, printed in quarto by William Rastell, 1533, and again by Robert Wyer. A mery PLAY betweene the PARDONER and the FRERE, the CURATE, and neybour PRATTE, in quarto, by William Rastell, dated the fifth day of April, 1533. The PLAY of Genteelnes and Nobilitie, in two parts, at London, without date. The PINNER of Wakefield, a COMEDIE. Philotas Scotch, a COMEDIE. A mery PLAY betweene JOHAN the husband, TYB the wife, and syr JOHAN the preeste, by William Rastell, in quarto, 1533.

His EPIGRAMS, six hundred in number, are probably some of his jokes versified‡; and perhaps were often extemporaneous sallies, made and repeated in company. Wit and humour are ever found in proportion to the progress of politeness. The miserable drolleries and the contemptible quibbles, with which these little pieces are pointed, indicate the great want of refinements; not only in the composition but in the conversation of

[* Reprinted in Dodsley's collection of Old Plays, from an edition sine anno vel loco. Herbert says it was printed by J. Alde in 1569, and by W. Middleton without date. Typog. Ant. p. 576. -PARK.]

b In duodecimo. No date. Pr. "Jupiter ryght far so far longe as now were to recyte."

[Langbaine expressed a confident belief that Philotas and the Pindar of Wakefield were not Heywood's compositions, and Mr. Reed fully coincided in the same belief.-PARK.]

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See three hundred Epigrammes on three hundred Proverbes. Pr. "If every man mend one," London, without date, but certainly before 1553. Again, 1577. -1587.-1598. The first hundred Epigrammes. Pr. "Ryme without reason. Lond. 1566.-1577.-1587. 4to. The fourth hundred of Epigrammes, Lond. without date. Again, 1577.-1587.1597. 4to. Pr. PROL. "Ryme without reason, and reason.' The fifth and sixth hundredth of Epigrammes. Pr. "Were

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it as perillous to deal cards as play." Lond. 1566.-1577.-1587.-1597.4to. See JOHN HEYWOODES WOORKES, Anno domini 1576. Imprinted at London in Fleete-streate, etc. by Thomas Marshe. In quarto. The colophon has 1577. This edition is not mentioned by Ames. [The earliest edition I have seen was dated 1562, and this included the six centuries of Epigrammes, and both parts of the dialogue on proverbs,-PARK.]

[Gabriel Harvey in a note on Speght's Chaucer, (penes Bp. Percy) says that some of Heywood's epigrams are supposed to be conceits and devices of pleasant Sir Thomas More.-PARK.]

[Heath well observed in his first Century of Epigrams, 1610, that Heywood the old English epigrammatist

Had wit at will, and art was all he mist: But now adaies we of the modern frie Have art and labour with wits penurie. Puttenham had some time before remarked with critical discrimination, that "Heywood came to be well benefited for

our ancestors.

This is a specimen, on a piece of humour of

Wolsey's Fool, A saying of PATCH my lord Cardinal's FOOLE*.

Maister Sexton, a person of unknowen witte,
As he at my lord Cardinal's boord did sitte,
Greedily raught at a goblet of wine:

Drinke none, sayd my lord, for that sore leg of thyne:
I warrant your Grace, quoth Sexton, I provide

For my leg: for I drinke on the tother side. f

The following is rather a humorous tale than an epigram, yet with an epigrammatic turn.

Although that Foxes have been seene there seelde, Yet was there lately in Finsbery Feelde

A Foxe sate in sight of certaine people,

Nodding, and blissing, staring on Poules steeple.
A Maide toward market with hens in a band
Came by, and with the Foxe she fell in hand.
"What thing is it, Rainard, in your braine plodding,
That bringeth this busy blissing, and nodding?
I nother nod for sleepe sweete hart, the Foxe saide,
Nor blisse for spiritesTM, except the divell be a maide :
My nodding and blissing breedth of wonder
Of the witte of Poules Weathercoke yonder.
There is more witte in that cocks onely head
Than hath bene in all mens heds that be dead.
As thus-by common report we finde,
All that be dead, did die for lacke of winde:

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But the Weathercocks wit is not so weake

To lacke winde-the winde is ever in his beake.
So that, while any winde blowth in the skie,

For lacke of winde that Weathercocke will not die."
She cast downe hir hennes, and now did she blis",
"Jesu," quod she, "in nomine patris!

Who hath ever heard, at any season,
Of a Foxes forgeing so feat a reason?"

And while she preysed the Foxes wit so,
He gat her hennes on his necke, and to go.
"Whither away with my hennes, Foxe?" quoth she.
"To Poules pig' as fast as I can," quoth he.
Betweene these Hennes and yonder Weathercocke,
I will assaie to have chickens a flocke;

Which if I may get, this tale is made goode,
In all christendome not so Wise a broode !" $.
Another is on the phrase, wagging beards.

It is mery in hall, when beardes wagge all.
Husband, for this these woordes to mynd I call;
This is ment by men in their merie eating,
Not to wag their beardes in brauling or threating:
Wyfe, the meaning hereof differth not two pinnes,
Between wagginge of mens beards and womens chins. *
On the fashion of wearing Verdingales, or farthingales.

Alas! poore verdingales must lie in the street,
To house them no dore in the citee made meete.
Synce at our narrow doores they in cannot win",
Sende them to Oxforde, at brodegates to get in. w

t

Our author was educated at Broadgate-hall in Oxford, so called from an uncommonly wide gate or entrance, and since

P cross herself.

१ began to steal off.

r pike, i.e. spire, or steeple.

The FIRST HUNDRED. Epigr. 10. There are six more lines, which are superfluous.

* EPIGRAMMES on PROVERBES. Epigram 2.

u enter in. WIN is probably a contraction for go in. But see Tyrwhitt's GLOSS. Ch. See vol. i. p. 168. noteq.] FIFTE HUNDRED. Epigr. 55.

converted into Pembroke college. These EPIGRAMS are mentioned in Wilson's RHETORIKE, published in 1553*.

Another of Heywood's works, is a poem in long verse, entitled, A DIALOGUE contayning in effect the number of al the PROVERBES in the English tongue compact in a matter concerning two marriagest. The first edition I have seen, is dated 1547*. All the proverbs of the English language are here interwoven into a very silly comic tale.

The lady of the story, an old widow now going to be married again, is thus described, with some degree of drollery, on the bridal day.

In this late olde widow, and then olde newe wife,
Age and Appetite fell at a strong strife.

Her lust was as yong, as her lims were olde. The day of her wedding, like one to be solde, *["The English proverbes gathered by Thon Heiwoode helpe well in this behaulfe (allegory), the whiche commonlie are nothyng els but allegories and darke devised sentences," fol. 90. a. Again, "for furnishing similitudes the proverbes of Heiwoode helpe wonderfull wele for thys purpose," fol. 96. b.--1562.—1566.-1576.-1587.-1598. PARK.]

[The following anecdote relating to this work has been transmitted among some "witty aunsweres and saiengs of Englishmen" in Cotton MS. Jul. F. x. "William Paulett, Marques of Wynchester and highe treasurer of Engelande, being presented by John Heywoode with a booke, asked him what yt conteyned? and when Heywoode told him All the proverbes in Englishe '— What, all?' quoth my Lorde; 'No, Bate me an ace, 'quoth Bolton,' is that in youre booke?' No, by my faith, my Lorde, I thinke not,' aunswered Heywoode." But the neatest replication of this professed court-wit seems to be recorded in Camden's Remaines, 1605, p. 234. Heywood being asked by Queen Mary "What wind blew him to the court?" He answered, "Two specially: the one to see your Majestie." thank you for that," said the Queen; "but, I pray you, what is the other?"

"We

"That your Grace," said he, "might see me. Sir John Harrington has an Epigram on a witty speech of Heywood to the Queene, another on young Heywood's answer to Lord Warwick, and a third on old Heywood's sons.-PARK.] * In quarto. Others followed, 1549.

4to.

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She set out herself in fyne apparell:

She was made like a beere-pot, or a barrell.

A crooked hooked nose, beetle browde, blere eyde,
Many men wisht for beautifying that bryde.

Her waste to be gyrde in, and for a boone grace,
Some well favoured visor on her ill favourd face;
But with visorlike visage, such as it was,

She smirkt and she smilde, but so lisped this las,
That folke might have thought it done onely alone
Of wantonnesse, had not her teeth been gone.
Upright as a candel standeth in a socket,
Stoode she that day, so simpre de cocket.
Of auncient fathers she tooke no cure nor care,
She was to them as koy as a Crokers mare.
She tooke the'ntertainment of the yong men,
All in daliaunce, as nice as a nuns hen2.
I suppose, That day her eares might well glow,

For all the town talkt of her hie and low.
One sayd a wel favourd olde woman shee is:
The devill shee is, saide another: and to this
In came the third with his five egges, and sayd,
Fifty yere agoe I knew her a trim mayde.
Whatever she were then, sayde one, she is nowe,
To become a bryde, as meete as a sowe,
To beare a saddle. She is in this mariage,
As comely as a cowe in a cage.

Gup with a gald back, Gill, come up to supper,
What mine old mare would have a newe crupper,

And now mine olde hat must have a new band, &c. a

The work has its value and curiosity as a repertory of proverbs made at so early a period.

y I do not understand this, which is marked for a proverb. [The phrase occurs in Skelton's Punnyng of Elynour Rummin :

And gray russet rocket

With symper the cocket.-PARK.]
An admirable proverbial simile. It

Nor was the plan totally void

is used in Wilson's ARTE OF RHETORIKE, "I knewe a priest that was as nice as a Nunnes Hen, when he would say masse he would never saie DoMINUS VOBISCUM, but Dominus Vobicum." fol. 112. a. edit. 1567. 4to.

a SECOND PART. ch. i.

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