A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 87

308. [In the former edition of this work there was a note stating that he had been preceded by Palsgrave in his "Acolastus." But "Acolastus" was merely a translation by Palsgrave from the Latin of Fullonius, performed in 1529 in Holland. The English was not printed till 1540.]

309. _MSS. Notes on Langbaine_.

310. [Here followed, in the former editions, an elaborate list, full of errors, of Heywood's writings, for which see Hazlitt's "Handbook," in v.

Dyce (Middleton's Works, ii., 277) thought there was no ground for a.s.signing to him No. 4 of Hazlitt.]

311. [They appear to have been first published in 1546.]

312. "Worthies," p. 221.

313. [Hazlitt's "Handbook," 1867, p. 269.]

314. Although more pains than usual were bestowed on the collation of this piece, yet, as it was printed originally by Dodsley from the most corrupt of the old copies, many of the errors and a few interpolations were allowed by the subsequent editor to remain. The orthography also, professed to be observed, was very frequently abandoned.--_Collier_.

315. "The difference between a pilgrim and a palmer was thus: The pilgrim had some home or dwelling-place; but the palmer had none. The pilgrim travelled to some certain designed place or places; but the palmer to all. The pilgrim went at his own charges; but the palmer professed wilful poverty, and went upon alms. The pilgrim might give over his profession and return home; but the palmer must be constant till he had obtained the palm, that is, victory over all spiritual enemies, and life by death, and thence his name _Palmer_, or else from a staff, or boughs of palm, which he always carried along with him" (Staveley's "Romish Horseleech," 1769, p. 93).

316. The first edition gives this line:

"My rewdnes sheweth me _no_ so homely,"

and that of 1569 has it:

"My rudenes sheweth me _not_ so homely."

The negative certainly seems to have been inserted by mistake.-- _Collier_.

317. _Sue now_, edition 1569.

318. _You_, edit. 1569.

319. _Hath_, 1st edit.

320. _Far and faire_, edit. 1569.

321. _Jerusalem_, edit. 1569.

322. _I have_, edit. 1569.

323. Mandevile thus mentions these places:--"And toward the Est syde, with oute the walles of the cytee (i.e., Jerusalem) is the vale of Josaphathe, that touchethe to the walles, as thoughe it were a large Dyche. And anen that vale of Josaphathe out of the cytee, is the Chirche of Seynt Stevene, where he was stoned to dethe" ["Voiage and Travaile,"

8vo, 1839, p. 80.] "And above the Vale is the Mount of _Olyvete_, and it is cleped so; for the plentee of Olyves, that growen there. That mount is more highe than the Cytee of Jerusalem is; and therfore may men upon that mount, see manye of the Stretes of the Cytee. And betwene that Mount and the Cytee, is not but the vale of _Josaphathe_, that is not fulle large.

And fro that Mount, steighe oure Lord Jesu Crist to Hevene, upon Ascencioun-day: and it there schewethe the schapp of his left Foot in the Ston" (_Ibid_. p. 96).

In Borde's "Introduction of Knowledge," 1542, Sign. N 3, that writer, who had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, says:--"And that there is a great confluence of pylgrims to the holy Sepulchre, and to many holy places, I will _wyshe_ somewhat that I doo know, and haue sene in the place. Who so ever that dothe pretende to go to Jerusalem, let him prepare himselfe to set forth of England after Ester vii. or viii. dayes," &c. He then directs the route a traveller ought to take, and adds, "when you come to Ierusalem, the friers which be called cordaline, they be of saynct Fraunces order, they wyl receaue you with devocion & brynge you to the sepulcre: the holy sepulcre is wythin the church, and so is the mount of Calvery, where Iesu Chryst did suffer his pa.s.sions. The churche is round lyke a temple, it is more larger than anye temple that I haue sene amonges the Iues. The sepulcre is grated rounde about wyth yrone, that no man shall graet or pycke out any stones. The sepulcre is lyke a lytle house, the which by masons was dydged out of a rocke of stone. There maye stonde wythin the sepulcre a x. or a xii. parsons, but few or none dothe go into the sepulcre, except they be singulerly beloued, & than they go in by night wyth great feare and reuerence." [Furnivall's edit. pp. 219, 220.]

324. _Would_, edit. 1569.

325. Answered to the stages between London and Rome, or Holy Land, of which there is a map in a MS. of Math. Paris Roy. Libr. 14 C. VII. and Benet. Coll. c. ix. and PI. VII. "Brit. Topog." vol. i. p. 85. G. [A poem, called "Stacyons of Rome," has been printed in the Early English Text, Society's Series, by Mr Furnivall.]

In Borde's "Introduction" (before quoted) it is said, "And forasmuch as ther be many that hath wrytten of the Holy Lande of the _stacyons_ & of the _Iurney_ or way, I doo pa.s.se ouer to speake forther of this matter,"

&c. [Edit, _ut supra_.]

326. _Rhodes_, an island to which the Knights Hospitallers, now Knights of Malta, retired, on being driven out of Jerusalem.

327. Probably Emaus, near Jerusalem.

328. [Respecting St Unc.u.mber, see "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," ii., 136.]

Mr Steevens, in a letter to the printer of the _Saint James's Chronicle_, points out the following mention of Saint Tronion, in Geffrey Fenton's "Tragical Discourses," 4to, 1567, fo. 114 b: "He returned in haste to his lodgynge, where he attended the approche of his hower of appointment wyth no lesse devocion than the Papistes in France performe their ydolatrous pilgrimage to the ydoll, _Saynt Tronyon_, upon the mount _Avyon_, besides _Roan_."--_Reed_.

This worthy is also noticed in the following terms in "Apius and Virginia," 1575, Sign. E 2:--

"Nay, softe, my maisters, by saincte _Thomas of Trunions_, I am not disposed to buy of your onions."--_Collier_.

329. Saint Botulph is said to have been born in Cornwall, and was eminent for working miracles about the time of Lucius. He was buried at Boston, in Lincolns.h.i.+re.

330. "Within the parish of Bacwell, in Derbyshyre, is _a Chappel (somtyme dedicated to St Anne)_, in a place called _Bucston_, wheare is a hoate Bathe, of suche like Qualitie as those mentioned in Bathe be. _Hyther they weare wont to run on pilgrimage_, ascribinge to St Anne miraculously, that Thinge which is in that and sondrye other Waters naturrally" ("Lambarde's Dictionarium," p. 48). Drayton says--

"I can again produce those wondrous wells Of _Bucston_, as I have, that most delicious fount Which men the second Bath of England do account, Which in the primer reigns, when first this well began To have her virtues known, unto the blest St Anne, Was consecrated then."

--_Poly-Olbion_, Song xxvi.

331. Saw, 2d edition.

332. "And so pa.s.se men be this _Ermonie_, and entren the see of _Persie_.

Fro that Cytee of _Artyroun_ go men to an Hille _Sabissocolle_. And there besyde is another Hille, that men clepen _Ararathe_: but the Jewes clepen it _Taneez_; where _Noes_ Schipp rested, and it is upon that Montayne: and men may seen it a ferr in cleer Wedre; and that montayne is wel a 7 Myle highe. And sum men seyn, that thei han seen and touched the Schipp; and put here fyngres in the parties, where the Feend went out, whan that _Noe_ seyde _Benedicite_. But they that seyn suche wordes, seyn here wille: fora man may not gon up the Montayne, for great plentee of Snow, that is alle weys on that Montayne: nouther Somer ne Wynter; so that no man may gon up there, ne nevere man dide, sithe the tyme of _Noe_, saf a Monk that, be the grace of G.o.d broughte on of the plankes doun; that it is in the Mynstre, at the foot of the Montayne" [Maundevile's "Voiage and Travaile," 1839, p. 148.]

333. Formerly belonging to the priory of Bermondsey. See Stow's "Survey."

334. The famous holy Cross of Waltham, which tradition says was discovered in the following manner: A carpenter, in the reign of Canute, living at Lutegaresbyry, had a vision in the night of Christ crucified, by whom he was commanded to go to the parish priest and direct him to walk, accompanied with his paris.h.i.+oners, in solemn procession to the top of an adjoining hill, where on digging they would find a cross, the very sign of Christ's pa.s.sion. The man neglecting to perform the orders of the image was visited by it a second time, and his hands were then griped in such a manner that the marks remained some time after. He then acquainted the priest, and, as they were ordered, they proceeded to the place pointed out, where they discovered a great marble, having in it of black flint the image of the crucifix. They then informed the lord of the manor of the transaction, and he immediately resolved to send the cross first to Canterbury, and afterwards to Reading; but on attempting to draw it to these places, although with the force of twelve red oxen, and as many white kine, it was found impracticable, and he was obliged to desist. He then determined to fix it at Waltham, and immediately the wain began to move thither of itself. In the way many persons were healed of disorders, and the relick soon became much resorted to by the pilgrims on account of the miracles performed by it (Lambarde's "Dictionarium," 1730, p. 431).

335. "Walsingham, in Norfolk, where was anciently an image of the Virgin Mary, famous over all Europe for the numerous pilgrimages made to it, and the great riches it possessed. Erasmus has given a very exact and humorous description of the superst.i.tions practised there in his time.

See his Account of the VIRGO PARATHALa.s.sIA, in his Colloquy ent.i.tled, 'PEREGRINATIO RELIGIONIS ERGO.' He tells us the rich offerings in silver, gold, and precious stones, that were there shown him, were incredible: there being scarce a person of any note in England, but what some time or other paid a visit, or sent a present, to our LADY OF WALSINGHAM. At the dissolution of the monasteries, in 1538, this splendid image, with another from Ipswich, was carried to Chelsea, and there burnt in the presence of commissioners." See Percy's "Relics of Ancient Poetry," vol.

ii. p. 79.

In his ["Vision concerning Pierce Plowman," W. Langland] says--

"Heremites on an heep, wyth hoked staues, Wenten to _Walsyngham_, and here wenches after.

Grete lobyes and longe, that loth were to swynke, Clotheden hem in copis to ben knowen from othere, And shopen hem heremites; here ese to haue."

Edit. [Skeat, 1869, p. 3.] See also Weever's "Funeral Monuments," p. 131.

336. Hearne, in his Glossary to "Peter Langtoft," p. 544, under the word _cross_ observes that, although _the cross_ and _the rood_ are commonly taken for the same, yet _the rood_ properly signified formerly the image of Christ on the cross, so as to represent both the cross and the figure of our blessed Saviour as he suffered upon it. The _roods_ that were in churches and chapels were placed in shrines, that were styled _Rood-lofts_. "_Rood-loft_ (saith Blount), a shrine, whereon was placed the cross of Christ. The _rood_ was an image of Christ on the cross, made generally of wood, and erected in a loft for that purpose, just over the pa.s.sage out of the church into the chancel." But _rood-loft_ sometimes also signifies a shrine, on which was placed the image or relics of a saint, because generally a crucifix, or a cross, used likewise to attend such image or relics.

337. Dagenham, in Ess.e.x.

338. Saint Cornelys, according to the "Legenda Aurea," succeeded Fabyan in the Papacy, and was beheaded in the reign of Decian, for refusing to sacrifice in the Temple of Mars. There was a fraternity in his honour at Westminster. See their pardon, "Brit. Top.," I. 772.

339. Weever, in his "Funeral Monuments," p. 172, observes that "the Italians, yea, those that dwell neare Rome, will mocke and scoffe at our English (and other) pilgrims that go to Rome to see the Pope's holinesse and St Peter's chaire, and yet they themselves will runne to _see the reliques of Saint Iames of Compostella in the kingdom of Galicia_ in Spaine, which is above twelve hundred English miles." See also Dr Geddes's "Tracts."

340. Saint Wenefrid's well, near Holywell, in the county of Flint, is a spring which rises at the foot of a steep hill out of a rock, and is formed into a beautiful polygonal well, covered with a rich arch supported by pillars; the roof exquisitely carved in stone; over the fountain is the legend of St Wenefrid on a pendent projection, with the arms of England at the bottom. Numbers of fine ribs secure the arch, whose intersections are coupled with some sculpture. To this place the resort of pilgrims was formerly very great; and, though considerably diminished, there are still to be seen in the summer a few in the water, in deep devotion, up to their chins for hours, sending up their prayers, or performing a number of evolutions round the polygonal well; or threading the arch between well and well a prescribed number of times.