The Works of John Hall-Stevenson ... Corrected and Enlarged. With Several Original Poems, Now First Printed, and Explanatory Notes. In Three Volumes |
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| V. | THE PRIVY-COUNSELLOR'S TALE.
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 | The Works of John Hall-Stevenson |  |
99
THE PRIVY-COUNSELLOR'S TALE.
TALE V.
Reignid in Yorkshire one of mity fame,
Clepid king Grig, as Kronikels proclaim;
Thilk Prince delighted ay in mirth and sport,
Japis and jollitries of yvery sort;
And now when pepil lough, and rage , and play,
Folk name them merry Grigs until this day.—
This King, I undirstond, hath venimid his blud ,
Whereby he hath lost his corage and his rud ;
Sore shent is he by Cupid and his mother,
And woe-begone far more than any other.—
The Kingis mother dere, Queen Whity
hight
,
Because her heer , allso her skin is white,
Is Queen of Cortesy, and Beautis Pride,
Gentil and modest as a maidin bride.
She sends to Potikers and Leeches grave,
Prays them to spare his life, and membris save;
Ne drogue ne instroment mote him avail;
His joints are losen'd, and his cheekis pale;
And he that erst would sing, and laugh, and jeer,
Hath not he smilid once in haf a year.
Clepid king Grig, as Kronikels proclaim;
Thilk Prince delighted ay in mirth and sport,
Japis and jollitries of yvery sort;
And now when pepil lough, and rage , and play,
Folk name them merry Grigs until this day.—
This King, I undirstond, hath venimid his blud ,
Whereby he hath lost his corage and his rud ;
Sore shent is he by Cupid and his mother,
And woe-begone far more than any other.—
100
Because her heer , allso her skin is white,
Is Queen of Cortesy, and Beautis Pride,
Gentil and modest as a maidin bride.
She sends to Potikers and Leeches grave,
Prays them to spare his life, and membris save;
Ne drogue ne instroment mote him avail;
His joints are losen'd, and his cheekis pale;
And he that erst would sing, and laugh, and jeer,
Hath not he smilid once in haf a year.
There is a Conjorer, a sottil Wight
;
This Conjorer the Queen consults by night.
The Neekromanzir, according to his guise,
Casteth his figures, poreth on the skies,
And redith how to cure the Kingis woe;
His Grace until an heling-well shall go,
And bath his lims for sivin nights therein;
And sivin maidins, strippid to the skin,
Shall frote his body, till one, by her devise
And cunning touching, hele him in a trice.
This Conjorer the Queen consults by night.
The Neekromanzir, according to his guise,
Casteth his figures, poreth on the skies,
And redith how to cure the Kingis woe;
His Grace until an heling-well shall go,
And bath his lims for sivin nights therein;
And sivin maidins, strippid to the skin,
Shall frote his body, till one, by her devise
And cunning touching, hele him in a trice.
101
Both King and Queen, you may be very sure,
Are in great haste to set about the cure.
Now is she setten forth in brave array,
And with the sely King upon her way;
Yccompany'd with Minstrels and japers ,
Jugglirs and Morrice-dancers, cutting capers;
One time that thing which Ministers delite
Shall, in another season, breed dispite;
For when the King is sad, it is ungracious thing
If everich-one is merrier than the King.
In this sort journeying, they come at last
Unto the well, wherein the King him cast;
His body chafid is, with special care,
By sivin naked damsills passing fair.
Are in great haste to set about the cure.
Now is she setten forth in brave array,
And with the sely King upon her way;
Yccompany'd with Minstrels and japers ,
Jugglirs and Morrice-dancers, cutting capers;
One time that thing which Ministers delite
Shall, in another season, breed dispite;
For when the King is sad, it is ungracious thing
If everich-one is merrier than the King.
In this sort journeying, they come at last
Unto the well, wherein the King him cast;
His body chafid is, with special care,
By sivin naked damsills passing fair.
The King hath view'd them well in every piece
,
Withouten splint, or malanders, or grease;
Hard are their breastis, skin as smothe as glass;
Plomp be their bottoks, and as tight as brass;
Smale are their feet; each feature, every limb,
Lies in the fairest form, and sweetest trim.—
The Queen examinid hath craftily
For Maidins of the best virginity;
None of these sivin hath spilt her maidins-hede,
As in these days moch reson was to drede.
Handlid and chafid with sick daintyness ,
Wexid the King to gather lustyness ;
And notabul it is to everich eye,
How he is rais'd and cherished thereby.
The sivinth day they all are out of pain;
Symptome of helth appearid very plain;
Whereat the Queen rejoices as is need,
Honoring the Maidin who hath done the deid;
And yet when he returnid hath to Court,
The King mote not be pleas'd in any sort;
And all that Lords and Ladys can invent,
Shall but encrease the Kingis discontent;
Wherfor the dutyfull Queen hieth her,
And counselleth again the Conjorer.
Withouten splint, or malanders, or grease;
Hard are their breastis, skin as smothe as glass;
Plomp be their bottoks, and as tight as brass;
Smale are their feet; each feature, every limb,
Lies in the fairest form, and sweetest trim.—
102
For Maidins of the best virginity;
None of these sivin hath spilt her maidins-hede,
As in these days moch reson was to drede.
Handlid and chafid with sick daintyness ,
Wexid the King to gather lustyness ;
And notabul it is to everich eye,
How he is rais'd and cherished thereby.
The sivinth day they all are out of pain;
Symptome of helth appearid very plain;
Whereat the Queen rejoices as is need,
Honoring the Maidin who hath done the deid;
And yet when he returnid hath to Court,
The King mote not be pleas'd in any sort;
And all that Lords and Ladys can invent,
Shall but encrease the Kingis discontent;
Wherfor the dutyfull Queen hieth her,
And counselleth again the Conjorer.
He spieth, in his secret Boke of Magie
,
How the same Maidins mote him rectifie ;
And yvery buxom Maid shall speke a tale,
And yvery Maid to make him lough assail;
And she that makes him lough shall thence be led,
And have the Kingis company in bed;
In bed, or any other pleasant place,
Wherever it shall please the Kingis Grace.
And lo the Queen these joyful tidings bears
To Chappil, where the Maidins are at prayers.—
Away the Maidins hurry them from Matins,
Apparrelling themselves in silks and sattins;
And all the sivin Damzils, out of hand,
Are set before the King at his command.—
He doth ordain each Maid to speke by lot;
Allso, because ne word shall be forgot,
A Scribe is there to notice all they say.—
And now six Maids have talk'd for haf a day;
And yet, for all the talking they can make,
They scarce can keep the Kingis Grace awake.
Then came the sivinth Maidin in degree,
But cannot speke her tale for modesty.
How the same Maidins mote him rectifie ;
103
And yvery Maid to make him lough assail;
And she that makes him lough shall thence be led,
And have the Kingis company in bed;
In bed, or any other pleasant place,
Wherever it shall please the Kingis Grace.
And lo the Queen these joyful tidings bears
To Chappil, where the Maidins are at prayers.—
Away the Maidins hurry them from Matins,
Apparrelling themselves in silks and sattins;
And all the sivin Damzils, out of hand,
Are set before the King at his command.—
He doth ordain each Maid to speke by lot;
Allso, because ne word shall be forgot,
A Scribe is there to notice all they say.—
And now six Maids have talk'd for haf a day;
And yet, for all the talking they can make,
They scarce can keep the Kingis Grace awake.
Then came the sivinth Maidin in degree,
But cannot speke her tale for modesty.
My tale, saies she, I wold begin, but fear
A word unseemly to a modest ear;
My tale without this word cannot be told,
And to deliver it I am not bold.—
What means the Maidin? quoth the King in ire ,
You may gloze any word, if you enquire .
I am no Clerk , saies she, her Grace well knows,
Pleasith you, Sir, may teach me how to gloze ;
Bot I will trie to do the best I may,
That you may better frame what I would say.—
Of all God's creatures its the choicest fare,
Yet he that has the least, has the best share.
I shall not graunt your prayer, the King reply'd,
Riddils are derk; and Paraphrase is wide:
Bot well I know the Latin and the Dutch,
Of Fraunce and Toscany I have a touch:
Now, any of these tongues, if you're inclin'd,
Fair Maid, may seem to shape what you would find.
Dutch, quoth the Queen, my son, the maid demands,
It is a tongue no Christian undirstands.
Well, quoth the King, fair Maid, this dredefull name,
That werkith in you so much strife and shame,
Pronounce they Fotz throughout all Germany;
Now you may speke your story hardily .—
A word unseemly to a modest ear;
104
And to deliver it I am not bold.—
What means the Maidin? quoth the King in ire ,
You may gloze any word, if you enquire .
I am no Clerk , saies she, her Grace well knows,
Pleasith you, Sir, may teach me how to gloze ;
Bot I will trie to do the best I may,
That you may better frame what I would say.—
Of all God's creatures its the choicest fare,
Yet he that has the least, has the best share.
I shall not graunt your prayer, the King reply'd,
Riddils are derk; and Paraphrase is wide:
Bot well I know the Latin and the Dutch,
Of Fraunce and Toscany I have a touch:
Now, any of these tongues, if you're inclin'd,
Fair Maid, may seem to shape what you would find.
Dutch, quoth the Queen, my son, the maid demands,
It is a tongue no Christian undirstands.
Well, quoth the King, fair Maid, this dredefull name,
That werkith in you so much strife and shame,
105
Now you may speke your story hardily .—
Sir, quoth the buxom Maid, upon a time,
A jolly Knight there was in all his prime,
Soot were his eyes, and manly was his face,
Lusty his limbs, his body in good case;
A piercing and a pleasant wit withall,
Ne vice had he, but that his means were small:
Here the king turning, doth the Scribe beseech,
To lose no word, nor sentence of her speech.
A jolly Knight there was in all his prime,
Soot were his eyes, and manly was his face,
Lusty his limbs, his body in good case;
A piercing and a pleasant wit withall,
Ne vice had he, but that his means were small:
Here the king turning, doth the Scribe beseech,
To lose no word, nor sentence of her speech.
Upon a joyful tide
, the King of Kent
Proclamid hath a noble turnament,
There yvery Knight enforced is to be;
Unless he will be held of villanie ;
Our Knight, Sir Amador the debonaire,
Mote thither with his Squire and steed repair:
And having traveled five days anend ,
The Knight and Squire unto a meadow wend ,
Ynamilid with pinks and cowslips gay,
Thro' which a rivir glides as bright as summir-day.
Upon the banks grows many a beachin tree,
And many a spreding oak most fair to see;
There they espied in the cristal lake,
Three nakid damzills of an hevenly make;
Their wimples and their gowns of broudid silk,
Ywrought with gold, their smokkis white as milk,
And all their costly garments were display'd
Undir an aged oak's ynticing shade.
Proclamid hath a noble turnament,
There yvery Knight enforced is to be;
Unless he will be held of villanie ;
Our Knight, Sir Amador the debonaire,
Mote thither with his Squire and steed repair:
And having traveled five days anend ,
The Knight and Squire unto a meadow wend ,
Ynamilid with pinks and cowslips gay,
Thro' which a rivir glides as bright as summir-day.
106
And many a spreding oak most fair to see;
There they espied in the cristal lake,
Three nakid damzills of an hevenly make;
Their wimples and their gowns of broudid silk,
Ywrought with gold, their smokkis white as milk,
And all their costly garments were display'd
Undir an aged oak's ynticing shade.
Behold the Knightis color changeth hue,
At sight so unexpected and so new;
Not that Acteon's hap ydraddid he,
Worried belike for sik audacity.
The Knight he blosh'd, because he thote within,
Such nakidness shall make a saint to sin.—
Gazeth Sir Amador with all his mite,
Tasteth thereof the 'Squire but brief delite,
For being more ynclined unto prey,
Stealid their smokkis and their robes away.
The Maidins noted the unworthy Swain,
And calling to the Knight, declare their pain;
Soon the ynragid Knight arrests the Squire,
And turnith to the Maids with their attire,
Making excuses, he could do no less,
For his intrusion on their nakidness,
And with profound respect and reverence,
Saluting each by turns he bears him hence.
At sight so unexpected and so new;
Not that Acteon's hap ydraddid he,
Worried belike for sik audacity.
The Knight he blosh'd, because he thote within,
Such nakidness shall make a saint to sin.—
Gazeth Sir Amador with all his mite,
Tasteth thereof the 'Squire but brief delite,
For being more ynclined unto prey,
Stealid their smokkis and their robes away.
The Maidins noted the unworthy Swain,
And calling to the Knight, declare their pain;
107
And turnith to the Maids with their attire,
Making excuses, he could do no less,
For his intrusion on their nakidness,
And with profound respect and reverence,
Saluting each by turns he bears him hence.
He is hardly gone, before they all agree,
They should have done the Knight some cortesy;
And call him back; the eldest Suster spoke,
Sir, we be Fairys living by this broke ,
And sikirly unfit it is for us,
That have such power, to be discourteous;
Wherfore some tokins at our hands receive,
And for myself, this tokin will I leave:
Wymen to pleasure you shall ever strive
In any land, so long as you're alive;
And you shall nivir fail in wymen's pleasure,
And when you please, shall please them without measure.
They should have done the Knight some cortesy;
And call him back; the eldest Suster spoke,
Sir, we be Fairys living by this broke ,
And sikirly unfit it is for us,
That have such power, to be discourteous;
Wherfore some tokins at our hands receive,
And for myself, this tokin will I leave:
Wymen to pleasure you shall ever strive
In any land, so long as you're alive;
And you shall nivir fail in wymen's pleasure,
And when you please, shall please them without measure.
The second Fairy saith, Sir Knight, my tokin
Is of a nature wondros to be spokin.—
And now the Damzill's tale cannot proceed;
Her face, as any burning coal, is rede.
Quoth then the King, divining sottely,
The word you seek is Fotz, assuredly:
True, saies the Maid; and so the Fairy saith,
That whosoever Fotz he questioneth,
Shall make an answer, or if none she gives,
The Fotz shall fare the worse for't whilst she lives.
Is of a nature wondros to be spokin.—
108
Her face, as any burning coal, is rede.
Quoth then the King, divining sottely,
The word you seek is Fotz, assuredly:
True, saies the Maid; and so the Fairy saith,
That whosoever Fotz he questioneth,
Shall make an answer, or if none she gives,
The Fotz shall fare the worse for't whilst she lives.
My Suster, quoth the third, under correction,
Your tokin's good, but lacketh of perfection,
The Fotz may be, by accidental cause,
So busy that she cannot move her jaws;
Whenever this doth happen, I intend
Her next door neighbour answer for her friend.—
The King no longer can refrain from laughter,
Also the Queen herself him follows after.
I will reward you well for this anon;
Mean time, quoth he, my pritty Maid, go on.
The Knight ne yvir having seen a fay ,
Thinketh they japen him in that they say—
He overtakes the Squire, and on they ride,
Discoursing on the Fairys, side by side;
Happened a Freer of a neighboring abbey,
Rideth abroad in gallant pomp that day,
Mounted he is upon a dapple mare,
And looketh altogether void of care;
Rosy his cheeks, a twinkling hazle eye,
He seemid Patriarke of Venerie;
Or Pontif of renowned Baal-Peor ;
Certes you shall not oft meet such a Freer.
The Knight accosteth him, noteth the beast,
The dapple mare that bears the stately priest;
Fotz, saies the Knight, I question thee to say,
Whither thy master hieth him this way?
Finding she needs must answer him par force,
Distinctly answers Fotz, tho' somewhat hoarse,
What you require I will deliver brief:
My master is avowterer and thief;
He hath robb'd the sacresty of churches plate,
And to his lemman beareth it in state.—
The Priest, astony'd such a voice to find,
Believeth Sathanas is there behind;
Descendeth from the mare, voweth repentaunce,
Leaving the Knight talking with new acquaintance;
The Priest is lame, and no great haste can make;
He waddles like a duck eftir a drake.
Your tokin's good, but lacketh of perfection,
The Fotz may be, by accidental cause,
So busy that she cannot move her jaws;
Whenever this doth happen, I intend
Her next door neighbour answer for her friend.—
The King no longer can refrain from laughter,
Also the Queen herself him follows after.
I will reward you well for this anon;
Mean time, quoth he, my pritty Maid, go on.
The Knight ne yvir having seen a fay ,
Thinketh they japen him in that they say—
109
Discoursing on the Fairys, side by side;
Happened a Freer of a neighboring abbey,
Rideth abroad in gallant pomp that day,
Mounted he is upon a dapple mare,
And looketh altogether void of care;
Rosy his cheeks, a twinkling hazle eye,
He seemid Patriarke of Venerie;
Or Pontif of renowned Baal-Peor ;
Certes you shall not oft meet such a Freer.
110
The dapple mare that bears the stately priest;
Fotz, saies the Knight, I question thee to say,
Whither thy master hieth him this way?
Finding she needs must answer him par force,
Distinctly answers Fotz, tho' somewhat hoarse,
What you require I will deliver brief:
My master is avowterer and thief;
He hath robb'd the sacresty of churches plate,
And to his lemman beareth it in state.—
111
Believeth Sathanas is there behind;
Descendeth from the mare, voweth repentaunce,
Leaving the Knight talking with new acquaintance;
The Priest is lame, and no great haste can make;
He waddles like a duck eftir a drake.
Fotz, quoth the Knight, pray tell me as we go,
What is it makes the Freer waddil so?
What is it makes the Freer waddil so?
Sir, quoth the Fotz, about a year agon,
Our Abbot and my Master, Freer John,
Discoursing, riding round the Abbot's Perk,
Of leachery and prankis in the derk;
The Abbot softly rounith brother John,
All fauncies have I proven everich one,
Whereby a man may find the greatest joy,
The pleasantest his talent to employ—
Yet thereto, though I oft have been inclin'd,
Have not I yvir practic'd out of kind .
Nor I, says Freer John, I do declare;
Trie we then, says the Abbot, with the mare:
But reason giveth property the place,
Wherfor thyself shalt have the first embrace.
Freer consents, and, for his evil deeds,
Ungirds the cords whereon he strings the beads;
Bindeth therewith mine hinder leggis twain,
Holdeth me fast the Abbot by the rein;
And letting go his steed, he praunceth by,
And with a kick lamid the Freer's thigh;
Else had I been, upon my corp'ral oath,
Ravyshed by a Freer and Abbot both.
Our Abbot and my Master, Freer John,
Discoursing, riding round the Abbot's Perk,
Of leachery and prankis in the derk;
The Abbot softly rounith brother John,
All fauncies have I proven everich one,
Whereby a man may find the greatest joy,
The pleasantest his talent to employ—
Yet thereto, though I oft have been inclin'd,
Have not I yvir practic'd out of kind .
Nor I, says Freer John, I do declare;
Trie we then, says the Abbot, with the mare:
112
Wherfor thyself shalt have the first embrace.
Freer consents, and, for his evil deeds,
Ungirds the cords whereon he strings the beads;
Bindeth therewith mine hinder leggis twain,
Holdeth me fast the Abbot by the rein;
And letting go his steed, he praunceth by,
And with a kick lamid the Freer's thigh;
Else had I been, upon my corp'ral oath,
Ravyshed by a Freer and Abbot both.
Now forward Knight and strange companion trots,
Laughing the Knight, and communing with Fotz:
Upon a hill not far they do descry
A cassil fair, with towris broad and high;
Shaped their course unto the cassil strait;
Opin'd the Porter hath the cassil-gate.
The Seneschal had led the Squire and Knight
Through goodly chambris curiosly bedight,
Unto an hall hung round with tapestry,
Of Pharoh's host, drenchid in the Rede Sea;
There at their supper sit the Gouvernante,
Or Lady of the Cassil, and her Ant;
This Lady is a Wedo fresh and young
And froliksome, and hath a merry tong —
And looks so kind, and sings such lovesome strains,
No marvel that her Lord hath brast his reins.
Welcome, Sir Knight, saies she, unto my board,
I have not seen a Nobler since my Lord.
The Knight and Squire sit them down to eat,
The board is cover'd with all kind of meat;
Rich wines the pages pour in chrystal glass,
And many a choice conceit and laugh doth pass.
The hour is late; tarrieth the Aunt for spite,
Riseth the Lady—wisheth a good night.
The Knight in bed ay thinketh on his host,
Sleep hath he none, for wantonness of ghost.
This bounteous Wedo gives her maids a call,
Chusing the best and fairest of them all;
Biddeth her go unto the Knight, and say,
She comes to solace him till it is day;
And that her Lady bids her say in bed,
How much she wishes she was in her stead:
Bot may not have the opportunity,
Because, for spite, the Aunt with her doth lie.
The maidin flies; her heart with gladness beats,
Strippith, and creepith in between the sheets.
Turnith the Knight unto the maidin gent,
And both do pass the time with moch content—
And aftir they have ragid to the full,
Strokid the Knight, and givith Fotz a pull,
And saieth, little Fotz, tellith me true,
Be you aggriev'd with that I have done at you.—
As I am a Christian Fotz, replied she,
I nivir pass'd a night with so much glee.—
Up sterts the Maidin, runnith in dismay
Into the room next that her Lady lay,
And finds her Lady up, and sitting there,
Musing and pond'ring in an elbow-chair.
Yon Knight, quoth she, 's a witch or something badder,
He conjur'd hath the Devil in my bladder;
After he did me twenty times and more,
Oftner than ever I was done before,
He pulleth Fotz, and of its own accord
Spekid the mouth that nivir utters word.—
Child, quoth the Lady, set your mind at ease,
Most of us all have had the like disease,
Working anights at soch a grievous rate
Lozens the Fotz's tongue, and makes it prate.
The Lady thinks to humour her is best,
She deems her head is light for want of rest.—
Yes, saies the Maid, they have tongis without doubt,
I have seen Fotzes tongis hanging out.
Go get to rest, replies the Lady bright,
A little sleep will set your matters right.
The Maidin goes, the Lady at the dore
Harkneth, and stealeth to Sir Amadore;
Sir Knight, quoth she, it is not very civil,
To give my Maidin's Fotz unto the Devil:
Fotz is no chamber for so mean a groom,
He might have been content with a worse room.
I use no fiend, quoth he, but have a skill
To make what Fotz I please talk, when I will.—
Talk! saies the Lady, I engage this ring,
You neither make it talk, whyssel, nor sing.—
Out flew the Knight, most terribly array'd;
At sight whereof the Dame was nought afraid.—
Upon the bed the Lady hath he pitch'd,
And there she lay, as if she was bewitch'd:
And after many pleasaunt fauncies there,
Breethed the Knight awhile, to take the air;
And whispering the Fotz, holding his nose,
Biddith my Lady Fotz tell all she knows.
Gapid the Fotz, and gabbill'd far and wide,
Telling soch things, the Wedo swore she lied.
I yield, saies she—you are a skilful youth;
I yield, if you will stop that lyar's mouth.—
'Tis mighty well, saies he, we soon shall trie
Whether my Lady Fotz has learnt to lie—
And thrusting into Fotz's mouth a gag,
Her next door neighbour's tong began to wag.
Saies she, in a crack'd voice, like one you feign,
All that Fotz sayth I am ready to maintain.
Enough, the Lady saith, Sir Knight, have done,
Here, take the ring, I own 'tis fairly won;
And since you are a Knight of so great power,
Freely I offer both myself and dower;
And certes one was made for t'other's sake—
For you can give no more than I can take.
Laughing the Knight, and communing with Fotz:
Upon a hill not far they do descry
A cassil fair, with towris broad and high;
Shaped their course unto the cassil strait;
Opin'd the Porter hath the cassil-gate.
The Seneschal had led the Squire and Knight
Through goodly chambris curiosly bedight,
Unto an hall hung round with tapestry,
Of Pharoh's host, drenchid in the Rede Sea;
113
Or Lady of the Cassil, and her Ant;
This Lady is a Wedo fresh and young
And froliksome, and hath a merry tong —
And looks so kind, and sings such lovesome strains,
No marvel that her Lord hath brast his reins.
Welcome, Sir Knight, saies she, unto my board,
I have not seen a Nobler since my Lord.
The Knight and Squire sit them down to eat,
The board is cover'd with all kind of meat;
Rich wines the pages pour in chrystal glass,
And many a choice conceit and laugh doth pass.
The hour is late; tarrieth the Aunt for spite,
Riseth the Lady—wisheth a good night.
The Knight in bed ay thinketh on his host,
Sleep hath he none, for wantonness of ghost.
This bounteous Wedo gives her maids a call,
Chusing the best and fairest of them all;
Biddeth her go unto the Knight, and say,
She comes to solace him till it is day;
114
How much she wishes she was in her stead:
Bot may not have the opportunity,
Because, for spite, the Aunt with her doth lie.
The maidin flies; her heart with gladness beats,
Strippith, and creepith in between the sheets.
Turnith the Knight unto the maidin gent,
And both do pass the time with moch content—
And aftir they have ragid to the full,
Strokid the Knight, and givith Fotz a pull,
And saieth, little Fotz, tellith me true,
Be you aggriev'd with that I have done at you.—
As I am a Christian Fotz, replied she,
I nivir pass'd a night with so much glee.—
Up sterts the Maidin, runnith in dismay
Into the room next that her Lady lay,
And finds her Lady up, and sitting there,
Musing and pond'ring in an elbow-chair.
Yon Knight, quoth she, 's a witch or something badder,
He conjur'd hath the Devil in my bladder;
115
Oftner than ever I was done before,
He pulleth Fotz, and of its own accord
Spekid the mouth that nivir utters word.—
Child, quoth the Lady, set your mind at ease,
Most of us all have had the like disease,
Working anights at soch a grievous rate
Lozens the Fotz's tongue, and makes it prate.
The Lady thinks to humour her is best,
She deems her head is light for want of rest.—
Yes, saies the Maid, they have tongis without doubt,
I have seen Fotzes tongis hanging out.
Go get to rest, replies the Lady bright,
A little sleep will set your matters right.
The Maidin goes, the Lady at the dore
Harkneth, and stealeth to Sir Amadore;
Sir Knight, quoth she, it is not very civil,
To give my Maidin's Fotz unto the Devil:
Fotz is no chamber for so mean a groom,
He might have been content with a worse room.
I use no fiend, quoth he, but have a skill
To make what Fotz I please talk, when I will.—
116
You neither make it talk, whyssel, nor sing.—
Out flew the Knight, most terribly array'd;
At sight whereof the Dame was nought afraid.—
Upon the bed the Lady hath he pitch'd,
And there she lay, as if she was bewitch'd:
And after many pleasaunt fauncies there,
Breethed the Knight awhile, to take the air;
And whispering the Fotz, holding his nose,
Biddith my Lady Fotz tell all she knows.
Gapid the Fotz, and gabbill'd far and wide,
Telling soch things, the Wedo swore she lied.
I yield, saies she—you are a skilful youth;
I yield, if you will stop that lyar's mouth.—
'Tis mighty well, saies he, we soon shall trie
Whether my Lady Fotz has learnt to lie—
And thrusting into Fotz's mouth a gag,
Her next door neighbour's tong began to wag.
Saies she, in a crack'd voice, like one you feign,
All that Fotz sayth I am ready to maintain.
Enough, the Lady saith, Sir Knight, have done,
Here, take the ring, I own 'tis fairly won;
117
Freely I offer both myself and dower;
And certes one was made for t'other's sake—
For you can give no more than I can take.
The fabul's finished, the King is hele
,
The Damzill is contented yvery deal;
And Grig had sons, and they had many heirs,
And they were all like Grig, all free from cares;
Their hearts would nivir sink no more than cork,
And tho' no Kings, they still are Dukes of York.
The Damzill is contented yvery deal;
And Grig had sons, and they had many heirs,
And they were all like Grig, all free from cares;
Their hearts would nivir sink no more than cork,
And tho' no Kings, they still are Dukes of York.
Baal-Peor, or Baal-Phegor, from whence, perhaps, Pego, and the adjunct Βαλλοκ, whose priests are opprobricusly called Βαλλοκς, or Followers of Baal Beor; who, according to Dr. Middleton, was a god of the Moabites, the same with Priapus. (See Germana quædam monumenta, by Dr. Conyers Middleton, S. T. P. in quarto, page 65, with two monuments elegantly engraved of Βαλλοκ-πεγω.) The Doctor says, from the authority of the Fathers, that he was the hobby-horse of the women of Israel, page 69.—That the new-married women had an Idolum Tentiginis, which our language is incapable of rendering; and, that they not only took great delight in getting astride of this idol, but they were enjoined to do so as a religious ceremony. The Doctor has given a description of one of these idols, which he has had the good fortune to see at Rome. As our Ladies are not under any obligation to practise all the ceremonies of the Ladies of Israel, I am less concerned at my want of erudition to explain to them sufficiently the meaning of several of the Doctor's terms.
The idol's head is like the head of a cock, but instead of a beak, is a stupendous Fascinum: upon the base is inscribed, ΣΩΤΗΡ ΚΟΣΜΟΥ, the Saviour of the World.
I cannot believe (however respectable the authority) that the children of the Roman nobility wore the Fascinum about their necks: I do not mean that it is an unbecoming ornament; one may be easily convinced of the contrary, by casting an eye upon the two belonging to the Doctor and his friend Dr. Warren, with which, as I said before, he has obliged the Public, in his Genuine Antiquities; but, considering the ingenuity of the Romans, why might not their Fascinum be the same, and for the same purpose, as that of the Chinese!—If the Doctor had seen those of Mrs. Chenivix, he certainly would have been of another opinion. But what is the most remarkable of all is, that in the Chinese language Διλδω signifies a charm. A convincing argument of the weakness of an hypothesis, supported only by the etymology of words.
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