562 MINOR CORRESPONDENCE. MR. URBAN,-Your correspondent A. B. (in page 472,) derives the English word ember in ember days from the latter part of the German word quatember, meaning the same as the quatre temps of the French, and the quattro tempi of the Italians. The conjecture is ingenious, but undoubtedly incorrect. Our word ember is evidently the ymb-rene of the Anglo-Saxons, composed of ymb round about, and rene a course, and meaning a cycle or circuit, or starting from a point and coming round to the same. In this sense it accurately describes the procession made on each of the ember days, when the clergy and their attendants issued from the church chaunting the Litany, and, making a circuit, returned to it again. Hence that particular service obtained the name of the ymbrene, and the days and weeks on which it occurred, were called the ymbrene dayas, and the ymbrene wucas. That such was the case is plain from several passages, especially from the rubrics of the Anglo-Saxon gospels, in which we find the gospel "On Saturday in Pentecost week for the ymbrene," Matt. xx. 29. "For the ymbrene in harvest (September) on Wednesday,' Mark ix. 17. "On Wednesday for the ymbrene ere midwinter (December)," Luke i. 26. "For the ymbrene in harvest on Friday," Luke vii. 36. On Friday in Pentecost week for the ymbrene," Luke viii. 40, and so forth.-I may take this opportunity of informing CYDWELI (p. 450) that or ever is the same as aer or ere ever, as ere is used above in "ere midwinter;" and that the verbal meaning of world without end is ages without end. Weoruld is a thing whirled, a period, a revolution of time, an age. We have constantly in the Anglo-Saxon worlds of worlds for ages of ages. C. D. A correspondent says, "Can any of your readers, who are acquainted with Spanish literature, tell me in what year Calderon's Origen, perdida, y restauracion de la Virgen del Sagrario, was written? The English of this title is, "The Origin, Loss, and Restoration of the Virgin of the Sanctuary,' (i. e.) an image preserved in the cathedral of Toledo. Sismondi, who has given an analysis of the piece, omits to mention its date, which I should feel obliged to any of your readers to supply. As Calderon became an ecclesiastic in 1652, it is possible that the piece was written after that year, since he did not renounce the stage, but confined himself chiefly to religious subjects." In answer to E. F. A.'s queries respecting the Vernon family, we have only to observe that a laboured pedigree of the Vernons of Staffordshire will be found in Shaw's History of that county under Harlaston, in which the descent of the various branches from a common ancestor is sought to be established. The evidence is, however, as yet very defective, and much remains to be done in the way of proof. Edmondson is not to be relied upon; and we apprehend that the embranchment of the line from which Secretary Vernon and Admiral Vernon are reputed to have derived their surname, (see p. 385 of our last number,) is but conjectural. Mr. E. PRETTY fully concurs in the recommendation of Mr. CARLOS, that a low pyramidal roof should be adopted in the restoration of the church at Shoreham, instead of an embattled parapet. In addition to the authority of the Bayeux Tapestry, proof that the former was the original finish to the Norman towers was recently to be found in the Cathedral at Rochester before the alterations; and at the present day in Guestling Church, near Hastings, and many others of undoubted Norman and early English character, both in Kent and Sussex. L. R. refers our correspondent ALFRED J. KEMPE (p. 144) for the word manrent, (not manred) to Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language, where he will possibly meet with the information which he requests. S. will be thankful for any genealogical or heraldic notices of the family of Swetman, who were deprived at the Conquest of their lordships and lands in Norfolk, and one of whom appears to have become a Baron by writ of Ireland in the year 1374. AN OLD FRIEND AND READER is informed that the "Journal of Elizabeth Woodvile" is a palpable though oft-repeated fabrication. The Rev. Mr. HUTCHINSON asks for information respecting the Hospital of St. Leonard's, East Stoke, near Newark. Has he consulted the Valor Ecclesiasticus? A LOVER OF ANTIQUITY may find something to his purpose in Mr. Britton's History of Cashiobury. ERRATA.-P. 425. Lord Henley's successor as a Master in Chancery is Sir George Rose, knt. not the Right Hon. Sir George Rose, Bart; P. 485, 1. 24, for Norwich read Dunwich; P. 486, lines 30 and 31, for Wavent read Bavent; P. 503, the author of the Narrative of a Three Months' March in India, is Mrs. Ashman, not Ashmore. THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. WORKS PUBLISHED BY THE PERCY SOCIETY. 1840-1841. THE professed object of this Society is to illustrate our early literature by the publication of works from manuscripts, or from very rare printed copies; and either valuable intrinsically from the genius and learning displayed in them, or from the light which they reflect upon the works of the great writers of the same age, many passages of which have been partially obscured by time, and require illustration or amendment. When used for this latter purpose, it is clear that a poem, or a tract, in itself worthless, may acquire a great accidental value, if it should by some fortunate coincidence of allusion, clear up a passage in Shakspere, or Jonson, which had been hitherto unexplained, or erroneously understood; and thus dullness itself may assist to scour off the rust which had defaced the lustre of the brightest works of genius. In order, however, to preserve the name of the Percy Society in its due power and purity, and to maintain its utility to the cause of literature, it is necessary that two circumstances should be kept constantly in view; first, that the Council,* to whose discretion the subscribers have intrusted the selection of books to be printed, should exercise a due care and consideration in that respect, not lightly giving way to the favourite views or prejudices of an editor; and, secondly, that they should firmly and honestly exercise the power conveyed to them, in not permitting any work to be entrusted to incompetent editors, and in seeing that such works are brought out with a diligence and accuracy which the subscribers have a right to expect, and which it would be dishonourable in the editors, who have voluntarily undertaken their "pleasing task," not to give. In what is intended for common use we may forgive some coarseness in the fabrication; but the ornamental loses half its value if we detect any want of elegance and refinement in the manner in which it is finished. In this early stage of the Society's progress-primævo flore juventæ-we shall not express any sentiments on this branch of the subject, but shall now give our readers a short view of the different publications issued by it; by which they will be enabled to judge of the objects it has in view, and the manner in which it has endeavoured to attain them. It is, we trust, needless to add, that we have no views or feelings relative to the subject but such as are independent of all private interests; which are not connected with any jealousies or friendships; and which only look to the advancement and assistance that may be given to an interesting department of literature, if the Society fulfils the promises on which it was formed. * The Council of last year consisted of Messrs. J. A. Cahusac, W. Chappell, J. P. Collier, C. Croker, A. Dyce, R. Halliwell, J. O. Halliwell, W. Jerdan, S. Lover, C. Mackay, F. Rimbault, and T. Wright. Some alterations were made at the Anniversary meeting, which may be seen in the Literary Intelligence of our present number. It is not only necessary that the Council should consist of competent persons, but that these persons should attend to their duty. The Mad Pranks and Merry Jests of Robin Goodfellow, reprinted from the Edition of 1628, with an Introduction by J. P. Collier, Esq. 1841. This tract is printed from the oldest known edition, in the possession of Lord Francis Egerton. No other copy of the impression of 1628 is known, but one of the later date of 1639 was bought at Mr. Heber's sale for a sum very little short of 40l. The editor assures us that there is no doubt but that Robin Goodfellow, his mad pranks and merry jests, was printed before 1558, for reasons which he assigns. In the Foreign Quarterly Review, No. XXXI. Mr. Wright published an essay on Fairy Mythology, in which he traced Robin Goodfellow from the 13th century, if not earlier. His history seems to have been always popular, so as in later times to have been familiar to the commonalty not only in print but also on the stage. Shakspere's "Midsummer's Night's Dream," in which Robin figures under the name of Puck, was first printed in 1600, and the editor observes that he was acquainted with this tract, which contains some amusing illustrations of that drama. Two years after, namely in 1602, Chettle wrote a play upon the story of Robin Goodfellow, as appears by two hitherto unnoticed entries in Henslowe's Diary. There is a well-known ballad in Percy's Reliques (iii. 254, edit. 1812), entitled, "The merry Prankes of Robin Goodfellow;" but Mr. Collier reprinted some years ago another production of a similar description, being an unique black-letter history in verse, printed early in the 17th century as a chap book. It was originally illustrated by a woodcut on the title-page, repeated in the body of the ballad, not of the most decent description, and this circumstance led to the tearing away nearly the whole of it, and with the woodcut part of the letter-press also disappeared. It will be found in the introduction, of the present publication, p. ix-xx. Though we cannot afford room for extracts from the prose narrative of Robin's tricks and gambols, we shall give a few specimens of the verses from the second part. Robin, for to delight himself, sung this mad song. "And can the physitian make sicke men With sweet-bryer, And bon-fire, And straw-berry wyer, And collumbine. We now add one of his "Civil and vertuous songs," to the tune of Broome. Our latest specimen must be from Robin's Song to the Fairies, while he danced in the midst of them. 66 THE SONG. Round about, little ones, quick and nimble, That doe fillch, blacke, and pinch mayds of the dairyes; Pinch and Patch, Gull and Grim, Goe you together, For you can change your shapes Like to the weather. You all have trickes, too; Shall goe betwixt you. I will laugh, ho, ho, hoh! Tom shall play, I will sing For all your pleasures. The moone shines faire and bright, Upon their pillows: Make a ring on the grasse With your quicke measures: Tom shall play, I will sing A Search for Money: or the lamentable complaint for the loss of the wandering Knight, Monsieur L'Argent. From the original Edition of 1609. Written by William Rowley, Dramatist. This tract is extremely rare, and has been well and carefully edited. "It is," as the editor observes, a lively, fanciful, minute, and amusing picture of manners; and it includes some curious topographical details chiefly regarding London and its suburbs. The author supposes himself and some other disbanded soldiers to go in search of Money, personified under the figure of the wandering knight. This quest leads them through various parts of the metropolis and among different classes of society, which are described with humour, spirit, and fidelity." Of the author, William Rowley, little is known. He was an actor and writer of plays, sometimes solely, sometimes in conjunction with other playwrights. The Search for Money" is his only production, with a trifling exception,* not written for the stage. We first hear of him in the reign of James the First, and An Epitaph on Hugh Attwell, a fellow comedian, who died in 1621. Sec Collier's History of the Stage, vol. i. p. 423. he was probably living at the breaking out of the Civil Wars. In his preface, or prefatory address, he makes allusion to some circumstances of which no notice seems elsewhere preserved, though the playwrights of the day seldom missed anything which could give a point to their dialogue or please the taste of the groundlings. "I know the walkes in Paules are stale to yee; you could tell extemporally, I am sure, how many paces t'were betweene the quire and the west dore, or (like a Suffolke man) answere at the second question 'dead sure' there hath beene many of yee seene measuring the longitude and latitude of Morefields any time this two yeares and upwards (all but in the hard season of the great frost), and then yee slid away the time upon the Thames. Yee have been either eare-or-eye-witnesses, or both, to many madde voiages made of late yeares, both by sea and land—as the travell to Rome with the return in certain daies, the wild morrise to Norrige, the fellowes going back-ward to Barwick, another hopping from Yorke to London, and the transforming of the top of Paules into a stable."* We must give a short specimen of the style and manner of the writer. They go to Westminster Hall in search of Monsieur Money : "We have now with moderate paces attaind the entrance. Lets not be unmannerly; knocke first, or call him by his name; perhaps he will answer if he be there. Ho! Mounsieur Mony! me thinkes I here him answer like a sententious tapster, I cannot be here and there too. Here was a busie house the while; such canvasing of cases, that our case could not yet be heard: here were two brothers at buffets with angells in their fists about the thatch that blew off his house into the others garden, and so spoild a hartichoke here two neighbours together by the purses; the good man Nabuloes goose had laid an eg in good man Corridons barne, and he pleaded possession and the trespasse of the goose that had committed burglary to come in the wrong way: this had bin long in sute, and yet was no date to the end, onely it was thought the goose should die fort and be shar'd betweene them: then one knave was in sute for calling another by his owne name. So busie they were about these and many other such cases, that we could get ne're an atturny to deale for us, so that at length we concluded to be our own heralds, and proclaime our busines our selves. So choosing the strongest voyce amongst us, began our outcry-If any man (women there were none), child, towne or country of what degree, quality, discretion, either wise or ignorant, or howsoever, in this place could tell tidings of a wandring knight, cloth'd in armors of proofe of two especiall coates, either in totall Argent or totall Aurum, his horse trapt sometimes in leather, sometimes in velvet, and somtime embrodery, let him bring certaine notice where he lives, either at liberty or in prison, and he shal have for his paines a thousand duckegs. And this causd a general silence over all the house ther's never an one, either atturney or clyent, that could tell what to say till wee came to a more familiar examination. "And first we began with the clyents: they swore (as I thinke without perjury they might) that hee was gone from them. They came riding up with him at the beginning of the tearme, and that he did take the paines to accompany us to the Hall, and here hee was; but he is now gon, and be slipt away from us, we know not how. It may be he is yet amongst the crowd. If he think you inquire for him to his indammagement, perhaps hee will shroud himselfe from this discovery (and yee cannot blame him neither to seek his safety). If you could warily observe, I think you should find him hid hereabouts. This sufficeth for the poore clients answer: we now addres our selves to others where our message was stopt up in the mid-way, with non est nobis argentum. Wee have sent out executions for his body, but he is not yet come in: some fragments (wee must confesse) we have of his; marrie, for the substantiall, angelicall, and most dearely beloved Mounsieur him-selfe, they had no acquaintance with him, nor hee residence with them. This * The editor has observed that the transforming the top of St. Paul's into a stable alludes to the exploit of Banks, when he led his horse Morocco to the top of St. Paul's Church. Kemp's Morrice Daunce to Norwich has been edited by the Reverend Mr. Dyce, for the Camden Society; but this reverend gentleman was not aware that Kempe made a similar expedition into France. See p. v. of the Introduction. |