From a convenient place, the right duke his good grace Did obferve his behaviour in every cafe. To a garden of ftate, on the tinker they wait, Trumpets founding before him: thought he, this is great: Where an hour or two, pleasant walks he did view, 35 With commanders and squires in scarlet and blew. A fine dinner was dreft, both for him and his guests, As he fat at his meat, the mufick play'd sweet, 49 While the tinker did dine, he had plenty of wine, Then the duke did ordain, they should strip him amain, And restore him his old leather garments again : 50 'Twas a point next the worst, yet perform it they muft, And they carry'd him ftrait, where they found him at first; Then he slept all the night, as indeed well he might; But when he did waken, his joys took their flight. VOL. I. R For 55 For his glory to him' fo pleafant did feem, 60 Then his highnefs bespoke him a new fuit and cloak, Which he gave for the fake of this frolickfome joak; Nay, and five hundred pound, with ten acres of ground, Thou shalt nevër, faid he, range the counteries round, Crying old brafs to mend, for I'll be thy good friend, 65 Nay, and Joan thy fweet wife fhall my duchefs attend. Then the tinker reply'd, What! muft Joan my fweet bride Be a lady in chariots of pleasure to ride? Muft we have gold and land ev'ry day at command? Then I fhall be a fquire I well understand: 70 Well I thank your good grace, and your love I embrace, I was never before in fo happy a cafe. XVII. THE XVII. THE FRIAR OF ORDERS GRAY. Difperfed thro' Shakespeare's plays are innumerable little fragments of ancient ballads, the entire copies of which could not be recovered. Many of these being of the most beautiful and pathetic fimplicity, the Editor was tempted to felect fome of them, and with a few fupplemental ftanzas to connect them together, and form them into a little TALE, which is here fubmitted to the Reader's candour. One fmall fragment was taken from Beaumont and Fletcher. T was a friar of orders gray IT Walkt forth to tell his beades; And he met with a lady faire- Now Chrift thee fave, thou reverend friar, I pray thee tell to me, If ever at yon holy shrine My true love thou didst fee. R 2 And And how should I know your true love From many another one? O by his cockle hat, and staff, And by his fandal shoone ‡. But chiefly by his face and mien, That were fo fair to view; His flaxen locks that fweetly curl'd, 15 O lady, he is dead and gone! And at his head a green grass turfe, Within these holy cloyfters long He languifht, and he dyed, ΤΟ And 'playning of her pride. Here bore him barefac'd on his bier 25 Six proper youths and tall, And many a tear bedew'd his grave And Thefe are the diftinguishing marks of a Pilgrim. The chief places of devotion being beyond fea, the pilgrims were wont to put cockle-fells in their hats to denote the intention or performance of their devotion. Warb. Shakefp. Vol. 8. p. 224. |