Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

4.34—:NOTES.—;12. The prouerbe. I reo;ret to say that I do not know the pro verl^.It appears to run ' I am sad, because I cannot be had.'14. This geare, this matter, this business. He means'this aflair turn out ? 'Howwill17. Obser\-e how Merygreeke takes a notable opportunity to call hispatron names.20. Mastership. Printed maship by way of abbreviation, here andelsewhere.21. If Bawatve is not a misprint, it must be an imitation of the contemptuoustone which Mengreeke wishes it to be supposed that he.idopted.A'o, colloquial for qjtod or quoth.32. Onely sight, sight alone, mere appearance.33. Vet nofie, i. e. yet there are none.36. 'Better not, quoth I; I wish not to meddle with daws.' Thejackdaw was a proverbially foolish bird with our forefathers.37. Happy, lucky, ' It 's lucky for you you 're a woman.'49 Toll the bell, i.e. for your funeral. Here Merygreeke begins toj)rctend that Ralph is dead, and goes on to sing a dirge, &c.51. I suppose this to refer to the custom of offering something todrink to a criminal on his way to execution. Hence ' will you drink?'i" equivalent to saying ' you are on your way to death.' Criminals ontheir way from Newgate to Tyburn, were presented atthe hospital of.St. Giles with a large bowl of ale, as their last refreshment. See('liambcrs' Book of Days, ii. 558.53. Placebo; dilexi ; words from the Burial Service, The Placebowas the office for the dead at Vespers, which began—' Placebo dominoin rcgione uiuentium;' Psalm cxvi. 9 (called cxv. 9 in the Vulgate).Skelton's Lament upon Phyllyp Sparowe begins with similar allusions'Placebo"Who is there, who ?Dilexi,Dame Margerj',' &c.At the end of the play of Roister Doister there are some songs andadditional lines that may be introduced if desired. At this point thelines cnti'led 'The Psalmodie,' may be sung :'Placebo : dilexiMaister Roister Doister wil streight go home and die;Our Lorde lesus Christ his soule haue mercie vponThus you see to-day a man, to-morrow John,Vet, sauing for a womans extreeme cmeltie,