"of wit and mirth by scholars and gentlemen'." This piece, which probably was not without its temporary ridicule, and which yet mantains a popularity in the nursery, was, I think, first printed by Wynkyn de Worde. Hearne was of opinion, that these idle pranks of the men of Gotham, a town in Lincolnshire, bore a reference to some customary law-tenures belonging to that place or its neighbourhood, now grown obfolete; and that Blount might have enriched his book on ANTIENT TENURES with these ludicrous stories. He is speaking of the political defign of REYNARD THE Fox, printed by Caxton. "It was an admi"rable Thing. And the defign, being political, and to reprefent "a wife government, was equally good. So little reafon is there "to look upon this as a poor defpicable book. Nor is there more " reason to esteem THE MERRY TALES OF THE MAD MEN "OF GOTHAM (which was much valued and cried up in Henry "the eighth's time tho now fold at ballad-fingers stalls) as altogether a romance: a certain skillfull perfon having told me "more than once, that he was assured by one of Gotham, that they " formerly held lands there, by fuch Sports and Customs as are "touched upon in this book. For which reason, I think par"ticular notice should have been taken of it in Blount's TE"NURES, as I do not doubt but there would, had that otherwife curious author been apprifed of the matter. But 'tis ftrange to see the changes that have been made in the book of "REYNARD THE Fox, from the original editions !" 66 Borde's chief poetical work is entitled, "The first Boke of "the INTRODUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE, the which doth teach a man to speake parte of al maner of languages, and to knowe "the ufage and fashion of al maner of countryes and for to "knowe the most parte of al maner of coynes of money, the whych is currant in every region. Made by Andrew Borde "of phisyk doctor." It was printed by the Coplands, and is dedicated to the king's daughter the princefs Mary. The dedi-. cation is dated from Montpelier, in the year 1542. The book, containing thirty-nine chapters, is partly in verfe and partly in profe; with wooden cuts prefixed to each chapter. The first is a fatire, as it appears, on the fickle nature of an Englishman : the fymbolical print prefixed to this chapter, exhibiting a naked man, with a pair of fheers in one hand and a roll of cloth in the other, not determined what fort of a coat he fhall order to be made, has more humour, than any of the verfes which follow". Nor is the poetry deftitute of humour only; but of every embellishment, both of metrical arrangement and of expreffion. Borde has all the baldness of allufion, and barbarity of verfification, belonging to Skelton, without his ftrokes of fatire and severity. The following lines, part of the Englishman's speech, will not prejudice the reader in his favour. What do I care, if all the world me faile? I will have a garment reach to my taile. Then am I a minion, for I weare the new guife, The next yeare after I hope to be wise, Not only in wearing my gorgeous aray, For I will go to learning a whole fummers day. In the feventh chapter, be gives a fantastic account of his travels', and owns, that his metre deserves no higher appellation than ryme dogrell. But this delineation of the fickle Englishman is perhaps to be reftricted to the circumstances of the author's 66 Harrison, in his DESCRIPTION OF ENGLAND, having mentioned this work by Borde, adds, "Suche is our mutabilitie, that to daie there is none [equal] "to the Spanish guife, to morrow the "French toies are most fine and delectable, "yer [ere] long no fuch apparel as that "which is after the Almaine fashion: by "and by the Turkish maner otherwise the 66 Morifco gowns, the Barbarian fleves, the "mandilion worne to Collie Weston ward, "and the shorte French breeches, &c." B. ii. ch. 9. p. 172. i Prefixed to which, is a wooden cut of the author Borde, ftanding in a fort of pew or stall, under a canopy, habited in an academical gown, a laurel-crown on his head, with a book before him on a desk. age, age, without a refpect to the national character: and, as Borde was a rigid catholic, there is a probability, notwithstanding in other places he treats of natural difpofitions, that a fatire is defigned on the laxity of principle, and revolutions of opinion, which prevailed at the reformation, and the eafy compliance of many of his changeable countrymen with a new religion for lucrative purposes. I transcribe the character of the Welshman, chiefly because he speaks of his harp. I am a Welshman, and do dwel in Wales, I have loved to ferche budgets, and looke in males: He that doth not love her, I beshrewe his chynne. For my harpe is made of a good mare's skyn, The ftrynges be of horse heare, it maketh a good dyn. Yet in my country I do make pastyme In tellyng of prophyces which be not in ryme '. * That is, toafted cheefe, next mentioned. Ch. ii. In the profe defcription of Wales he fays, there are many beautiful and ftrong caftles ftanding yet. "The "caftels I have before mentioned "A ryght pleasant and merry History "of the MYLNER OF ABINGTON ", with his wife and his "faire, daughter and of two poor scholars of Cambridge," a meagre epitome of Chaucer's MILLER'S TALE. In a blank leaf of the Bodleian copy, this tale is faid by Thomas Newton of Cheshire, an elegant Latin epigrammatift of the reign of queen Elifabeth, to have been written by Borde ". He is also supposed to have published a collection of filly stories called SCOGIN'S JESTS, fixty in number. Perhaps Shakespeare took his idea from this jeft-book, that Scogan was a mere buffoon, where he fays that Falstaffe, as a juvenile exploit, "broke Sco"gan's head at the court-gate." Nor have we any better authority, than this publication by Borde, that Scogan was a graduate in the university, and a jester to a king. Hearne, at the end of Benedictus Abbas, has printed Borde's ITINERARY, as it may be called; which is little more than a ftring of names, but is quoted by Norden in his SPECULUM BRITANNIÆ o. Borde's circulatory peregrinations, in the quality of a quack-doctor, might have furnished more ample materials for an English topo "caftels and the countre of Wales, and the people of Wales, be much lyke to the "caftels and the country of the people of "Caftyle and Bifcayn." In defcribing Gafcony, he says, that at Bordeaux, "in "the cathedrall church of Saint Andrews, is the fairest and the greateft payre of "orgyns [organs] in al Chryftendome, in "the which orgins be many inftrumentes "and vyces [devices] as gians [giants] "heads and ftarres, the which doth move "and wagge with their jawes and eis "[eyes] as faft as the player playeth." ch. xxiii. m A village near Cambridge. See fupr. vol. i. p. 432. Sec. P. Hen. iv. Act. iii. Sc. ii. It is hard to fay whence Jonfon got his account of Scogan, MASQUE OF THE FORTUNATE ISLES, vol. iv. p. 192. Merefool. Skogan? What was he? graphy. Befide the BREVIARY OF HEALTH, mentioned above, and which was approved by the univerfity of Oxford, Borde has left the DIETARIE OF HEALTH, reprinted in 1576, the PROMPTUARIE OF MEDICINE, the DOCTRINE OF URINES, and the PRINCIPLES OF ASTRONOMICAL PROGNOSTICATIONS: which are proofs of attention to his profeffion, and fhew that he could fometimes be ferious". But Borde's name would not have been now remembered, had he wrote only profound fyftems in medicine and aftronomy. He is known to pofterity as a buffoon, not as a philofopher. Yet, I think, fome of his astronomical tracts have been epitomised and bound up with Erra Pater's Almanacs. Of Borde's numerous books, the only one that can afford any degree of entertainment to the modern reader, is the DIETARIE OF HELTHE: where, giving directions as a phyfician, concerning the choice of houfes, diet, and apparel, and not fufpecting how little he should instruct, and how much he might amuse, a curious pofterity, he has preserved many anecdotes of the private life, customs, and arts, of our ancestors. This work is dedicated to Thomas duke of Norfolk, lord treasurer under Henry the eighth. In the dedication, he speaks of his -The Princyples of Aftronamye the whiche diligently perferutyd is in a maner a prognofticacyon to the worldes ende. In thirteen chapters. For R. Copland, without date, 12mo. It is among bishop More's collection at Cambridge, with fome other of Borde's books. s See Ames, HIST. PRINT. p. 152. Pitf. p. 735. In his rules for building or planning a Houfe, he supposes a quadrangle. The Gate-house, or Tower, to be exactly oppofite to the Portico of the Hall. The Privy Chamber to be annexed to the Chamber of State. A Parlour joining to the Buttery and Pantry at the lower end of the Hall. The Paftry-house and Larder annexed to the Kitchen. Many of the chambers to have a view into the Chapel. In the outer quadrangle to be a ftable, but "A an aly, when al this is finished, and the "manfyon replenished with implements." Ch. iv. Sign. C. ii. Dedication dated 1542. duke |