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"Christmas," says Blount, "was called the Feast of Lights in the Western or Latin Church, because they used many lights or candles at the feast, or rather because Christ, the light of all lights, that true light, then came into the world. Hence the Christmas candle, and what was, perhaps, only a succedaneum, the yule block, or clog, before candles were in general use."--Brand's Popular Antiquities, i. 471, edit. 1849. "Christmas candles" are still presented by the chandlers and grocers to their customers, the origin of which may, perhaps, be traced to the Feast of Lights.

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Page 153, line 23; his pocket combe]. Combing the peruke at the time when men of fashion wore large wigs, was even at public places an act of gallantry. The combs for this purpose were of a very large size, of ivory or tortoise-shell, curiously chased and ornamented, and were carried in the pocket as constantly as the snuff-box. At court, on the Mall, and in the boxes, gentlemen conversed and combed their perukes."--Hawkins's History of Music, vol iv. p. 447.

Page 153, line 25; muchato]. i. e. moustachio.

Page 154, line 11; If he have but twelve-pence in's purse, he will give it for the best room in a playhouse]. Dekker, in his Gull's Horn-book, 1609, also thus directs his hero:-" At a new play you take up the twelve-penny room next the stage, because the lords and you may seem to be hail fellow well met.' Collier's Annals of the Stage, iii. 348.

See

Page 155, line 6; Lord have mercy upon us]. “When a house became infected, the officers impowered for that purpose immediately placed a guard before it, which continued there night and day, to prevent any person going from thence, untill the expiration of forty days. At the same time red crosses of a foot long were painted upon the doors and windows, with the words, LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US! in great letters written over them, to caution all passengers to avoid infected

places."-Dodsley's Old Plays, by Collier, vol. xi.

p. 544.

Page 155, line 8; the walks in Moore-fields]. Moorfields was a general promenade for the citizens of London during the summer months. Richard Johnson, the well-known ballad writer, published in 1607, The Pleasant Walkes of Moorfields; being the guift of two Sisters, now beautified, to the continuing fame of this worthy Citty, 4to. "Bedlam" was only separated from these "pleasant walks" by a deep ditch. Hence the allusion in the text to the "madmen" being so near.

Page 155, line 25; Lachrymæ]. This tune is very frequently mentioned by the dramatists of James's reign. It was composed by John Dowland, the celebrated lutanist, and printed in his work called Lachrymæ ; or Seven Teares figured in seaven passionate Pavans, &c. An interesting copy of the air, arranged for four voices, is given in D. R. Camphuysens Sticktelycke Rymen, 4to. Amsterdam, 1647.

Page 158, line 26; statute lace]; i. e. lace prescribed by the statute or "Act of Apparel," before mentioned. Page 158, line 27; durance]. A kind of durable stuff, made with thread or silk, so called. It is frequently alluded to, often with a play upon the word, as in the text.

Page 158, line 27; full of long paines]. Breeches formed of stripes, with small panes or squares of silk or velvet.

Page 159, line 24; Hec that walkes from six to six in Pauls]. "It was the fashion of those times [James I.] and did so continue till these [the interregnum], for the principal gentry, lords, courtiers, and men of all professions, not merely mechanicks, to meet in St. Paul's church by eleven, and walk in the middle isle till twelve, and after dinner from three to six; during which time some discoursed of business, others of news."-Osborne's Traditional Memoires, &c. 12mo.

1658.

Page 159, line 25; but a quoites cast, &e.] The game of quoits seems to have derived its origin from the ancient discus. See a description of it in Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, p. 76, ed. Hone.

Page 161, line 9; he sits up a tenters]. A Tenter is "a stretcher or trier of cloth used by dyers and clothiers, &c."-JACOB.

Page 161, line 19; like Tamberlaine, with his blacke and bloudy flag]. An allusion to the cruel and bombastical character of the hero of Marlow's play of Tamburlaine the Greate, printed in 1590, but acted anterior to 1587. Middleton alludes to this character in Father Hubburds Tales, 1604, "the ordnance playing like so many Tamburlaines."-Dyce's Middleton, v. 588.

Page 162, line 6; a Psalme of Mercy]. It was formerly the practice to sing a psalm or hymn at the execution of criminals. Tom Brown, in "An Elegy on that most orthodox and Pains-täking Divine, Mr. Samuel Smith, Ordinary of Newgate, &c. 1698, has the following lines:

:-

"While Newgate is a mansion for good fellows, And Sternhold's rhimes are murder'd at the gallows."

Page 163, line 4; Paris Garden]. On Bankside, Southwark; commonly called the Bear Garden. It was originally the site of a house and grounds belonging to Robert de Paris, in the time of Richard II. This place of vulgar resort was of an hexagonal shape, built with stone and brick, and roofed with rushes; the locality is still pointed out by a court bearing the name of "Bear-Garden Court."

Page 163, line 21; up Holeborne and so to Tyburne]. Holborn was the old road from Newgate and the Tower to the gallows at Tyburn. See the curious quotations given in Mr. Cunningham's Hand-Book of London, p. 230, ed. 1850. Holeburne seems to have been the original name of this locality, and not

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"Oldborne," as generally stated. See an article upon this subject in the Gentleman's Magazine for May, 1856, p. 486.

Page 167, line 10; the lawes of the Duello]. An allusion to Selden's pamphlet, entitled The Duello, or Single Combat, &c., first printed in quarto, 1610; reprinted in his works.

Page 169, line 5; descant on any plaine song]. “To run division, or variety with the voice, upon a musical ground, [or plain song] in true measure. Transferred by metaphor to paraphrasing ingeniously upon any affective subject."-Blount's Glossographia.

Page 171, line 1; NEWES FROM ANY WHENCE]. The idea of these little sketches was taken from the "news pamphlets, "which were much in vogue before the establishment of regular newspapers. Thus we have Neues from the North, 1579; Newes from Spain and Holland, 1593; Newes from Gravesend, 1604; Newes out of Germany, 1612; Good Newes from Florence, 1614, &c.

Page 175, line 28; SIR T. R.] Sir Thomas Roe. He obtained great reputation as a traveller to Turkey, Persia, and other parts of the east, whither he had been sent in the capacity of Ambassador, and on his return published accounts of what he had observed. He represented Oxford in parliament in 1610, and Charles I. soon afterwards created him a privy councillor and Chancellor of the Order of the Garter. He died in 1614.

Page 176, line 20; Christmasse Lords]. The Lords of Misrule, or Masters of the revels at Christmas time. "These lordes, beginning their rule on Alhollen eve, continued the same till the morrow after the feast of the Purification, conunonly called Candlemas day. In all which space there were fine and subtile disguisings, maskes, and mummeries."-Stow's London.

Page 177, line 24; J. D.] These are the initials of

the celebrated Dr. John Donne. The "Newes from the verie countrie" is printed in his Poems, ed. 1669, p. 395.

Page 178, line 9; dance the matachine]. The ma tachin seems to be a remnant of the pyrrhica saltatio of the ancients. Douce says, "It was well known in France and Italy by the naine of the dance of fools or matachins, who were habited in short jackets, with gilt-paper helmets, long streamers tied to their shoul ders, and bells to their legs. They carried in their hands a sword and buckler, with which they made a clashing noise, and performed various quick and sprightly evolutions."--Illustrations of Shakespeare, ii. 435. See also Nares's Glossary. Jean Tabourot, in his curious work on dancing, entitled Orcheso graphie, 1589, 4to. p. 97, gives a description of the postures of this dance, and also a specimen of the music.

Page 182, line 11; W. S.] Wye Saltonstall?

Page 183, line 1; FORREN NEWES OF THE YEERE 1616]. This date is changed with each edition, but the news remains the same in all.

Page 188, line 2; a hang'd chamber]; i. e. a chamber hung with tapestry. In The Mirrour of Madnes, 1576, the house of the opulent man is described as "hanged wyth clothe of tyssue, arrace, and golde.” The reader will recollect the description of Imogen's chamber in Cymbeline :

"Her bed-chamber was hanged

With tapestry of silk and silver;

the story

Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman." Page 188, line 7; chambering]. Wantonness, intriguing.

Page 188, line 8; playing at tables]. "The old name for backgammon; so called also in French, and in Latin, tabularum lusus."--NARES.

Page 188, line 24; B. R.] Benjamin Rudyerd. He was of the Middle Temple, and probably well ac

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