PARTRIDGE, (JOHN).-The worthie Hystorie of the most noble and valiaunt Knight Plasidas, otherwise called Eustas, who was martyred for the profession of Jesus Christ. Gathered in English verse by Iohn Partridge, in the yere of our Lord 1566.

Imprinted at London by Henrye Denham, for Thomas Hacket and are to bee solde at his 8hoppe in Lumbarde streate. 8vo, pp. 70, blk. lett.

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This little work is one of those curious romance poems on religious subjects, of which we have several examples written or compiled about the middle of the sixteenth century, and not a few, perhaps, which would now be considered as, in some degree, approaching to profaneness. It is, however, by no means improbable that compositions like these had their use in times, when education had made so little progress with the mass of the people, that religion might require more outward attraction to draw attention to it than at the present day, and were at all events a harmless, if not a judicious, means of disseminating religious opinions among the people at that period.

The poem under our notice commences with a prose epistle, occupying four leaves, "To the worshipfull Arthur Dwalreue, Marchaunt venturer his seruante and dayly oratour John Partridge wisheth increase of worship, by his worthy trauayle," in which he says, that he has, "at the request of a special friend, drawen the same though rudely yet hoping not without some profite, eyther of hymself or of some other." Then a metrical address "To the Reader," one leaf; and "The Verdicte of the Booke," four sevenline stanzas, another leaf, followed by a blank one; and then "The noble History of Plasidas," commences on Sig. A i and extends to D iii, in eights. It is written in the common metre, in which the Psalms of David were versified, so prevalent in the latter half of the sixteenth century; and the whole story is dull and barren, and although the book is so rare, that not more than two other copies are known, yet a single specimen of its contents will amply suffice:

When Plasidas to Rome was come,

and did a time soiourne:

Then Adrian did him commaund,

his Idols to adourne.

For that the Romanes did possesse

so great a victorie:

But Plasidas would not so doe

he playnely did deny

That they were Gods, and unto him
they nought at all could giue:
He sayd by Christ, in Christ it was,

that he in world did liue.
Then Adrian commaunded that

deuoured they should be:
Of a Lion in Church, whereas

his Goddes the facte might see.
And so it was as he commaunde,
perfourmed eke and done :
The Lion he most ioyfully

unto their feete doth come.

And there doth lie much like a dogge,
cum caude that doth play :
And from their feete no man ywis
can get the beast away.

But there he lies and mery makes,
he doth no hurt at all:

Then Adrian doth strayght commaunde
his men them forth to call,

And doth commaund that they be put
in Ore of brasse to die :

But nought they care, in Jesus Christ
they had their trust wholly.

The Ore with flame is thorow hote,
and they are put therein :

And ioyfully in Christ they all

to sing do then beginne.

Thus ended they their mortall race

their file was at an ende:

That we may so indure, good Lorde,

to us thy mercy sende.

Finis. John Partridge.

John Partridge, the author of this dull and uninteresting work, wrote also among other things: (1) The notable Historie of two famous princes, Astianux and Polixena, Imprinted at London by Henry Denham for Thomas Hackett. 1566. 8vo, black letter. (2) The most famouse and worthie Historie of the worthy lady Pandanola, daughter to the mighty Paynim, the great Turke.

VOL. V. PART I.

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London, Printed by Thomas Purfoote. 1566. 8vo, black letter. (3) The End and Confession of John Felton the rank Traytor, who set up the traytorous Bull on the Bishop of London's Gate. Who suffered before the same Gate for High-Treason against the Queene's Maiestie, the 8 day of August 1579. With an Exhortation to the Papists to take heed of the like. By J. Partridge. London, Printed in 1570. 8vo, black letter. Reprinted in Morgan's Phoenix Britanicus, vol. i, p. 415. (4) The treasurie of commodious conceytes, and hidden secretes cōmonly called, The good Huswiues Closet of prouision for the health of her household. By John Partridge. London, Printed by Richard Jones. 1573. 8vo, black letter. And again reprinted by the same in 1580, and by R. Jones in 1591. On the back of the title are verses by "The Printer to all that couet the practise of good Huswiuery, as well Wiues as Maides," which were most probably written by Partridge himself. It is not unlikely that he may have also written other works, which are now lost. Nothing appears to be known of his personal history. Partridge's Plasidas is extremely rare. There is, however, a copy in Malone's collection in the Bodleian Library, and another in the Pepysian collection at Magdalen College, Cambridge, supposed by Mr. Hartshorne to be unique. There was also a copy in Dulwich College Library, as appears from the manuscript catalogue, but it is now wanting.

Fine copy of this very rare volume.

Bound by Hayday.

Dark Green Morocco. Gilt leaves.

PASQUIL'S Palinodia, and his progresse to the Tauerne, Where after the suruey of the Sellar, you are presented with a pleasant pynte of Poeticall Sherry.

Nulla placere diu, nec vivere carmina possunt

Quæ scribuntur aquæ potoribus.

Horac. ad Mecanatem.

London: Printed by Thomas Snodham 1619. 4to, pp. 32.

The following is the description of the woodcut on the title-page of this scarce poetical volume as given in the Bibl. Ang. Poet., p. 533: "On the title to this poem is a woodcut, representing a Bacchante holding a Goblet in one hand, with the inscription Quem non; she is advancing in high glee

towards a hogshead inscribed Castalius or Vinum Hispanense, out of which a man is filling a jug, and exclaiming to the Bacchante, Huc, huc pierides.” On the reverse of the title is the following "Approbatio":

Innocuos censura potest permittere lusus,
Lasciua est nobis pagina, vita proba est.
Sic censeo

M. Valerius Martialis.

This is succeeded by a prose address from "The Printer to the Reader," two pages; after which is an address of eight Latin verses, inscribed "Libellus ad Lectorem ex Martiale." The poem then commences, which consists of eighty-nine stanzas of eight-lines each, and at the end are twelve stanzas of twelve-lines each, in praise of Sack.

Lecdes.

The author of this poetical tract was a native of Leeds, see Sig. B 4.
And thou my natiue towne, which was of old
(When as thy Bon-fiers burn'd, and May-poles stood,
And when thy Wassall-cups were uncontrol'd,)
The sommer-Bower of peace and neighberhood,
Although since these went down, thou ly'st forlorn
By factious schismes, and humors over-borne,
Some abler hand I hope thy rod will raise

That thou maist see once more thy happy daies.

His name is at present unknown, but might, perhaps, be discovered from a few of the first stanzas, in which he makes allusion to a former work of his Muse. It appears from the address of the Printer that the present work was published without the author's consent, and that he was ignorant of his

name.

I understand that the Author is so farre out of patience to heare that this Pasquill is prest for the publicke view which was entended onely for the priuate satisfaction of his peculiar friends, that he will not greet the Reader so much as with a Letter of Commendations, yet considering that in these dayes we are altogether carryed away with Fashions, and that it is quite beside the custome to put forth a Poem, without a Dedicatorie preamble, let mee I pray you make bold, for want of a better scholler, to salute the courteous Reader with a few words of Complement. Who the Author is I know not, and therefore on his behalfe I will be silent; yet I heare that hee is of the minde of that merry Huntsman, which would neither give nor sell his Hare, but when he saw the Travailer, gallop away with her, and that hee was out of hope to have her againe, he cryed out, Take her, Gentleman, I will bestow her on you.

The author was a warm advocate for the ancient games and sports of his country, and laments the interference of the Puritans and Fanatics with the rights of the ancient May-day festival.

Happy the age, and harmlesse were the dayes,
(For then true love and amity was found,)
When every village did a May-pole raise,
And Whitson-ales, and May-games did abound:
And all the lusty Yonkers in a rout

With merry Lasses daunc'd the rod about,
Then friendship to their banquets bid the guests,
And poore men far'd the better for their feasts.
Then raign'd plaine honest meaning, and good will,
And neighbours tooke vp points of difference,
In Common lawes the Commons had no skill,
And publique feasts were Courts of Conscience.
Then one grave Seriant at the Common Pleas
Might well dispatch the Motions at his ease,
And in his owne hands though he had the Law,
Yet hardly had a Clyent worth a straw.
Then Lords of Castles, Manors, Townes, and Towers
Reioye'd when they beheld the Farmers flourish,
And would come downe vnto the Sommer-Bowers
To see the Country gallants dance the Morris,

And som times with his tennants handsome daughter
Would fall in linking, and espouse her after
Unto his Seruing-man, and for her portion
Bestow on him some Farme, without extortion.

But since the Sommer-poles were ouerthrowne,
And all good sports and merryments decay'd,
How times and men are chang'd, so well is knowne
It were but labour lost if more were said:

And therefore I'le be silent, for I hold,
They will not mend although their faults be told,
Nor is it safe the spur-gal'd world to pricke,
For shee's a lusty Iade, and Iades will kicke.

Alas! poore May-poles, What should be the cause
That you were almost banish't from the earth?
You never were rebellious to the lawes,
Your greatest crime was harmelesse honest mirth;
What fell malignant spirit was there found,
To cast your tall Piramides to ground?
To be some enuious nature it appeares,
That men might fall together by the eares.
Some fierie Zealous Brother full of spleene,
That all the world in his deepe wisdome scornes,