Who would not rather suffer whipping, And spell names over, with beer glasses; 860 Love's sacrifice, and all a lie? And whining plays, lay baits for hearts? of hoops, and chalked upon one, Orbis Lunæ; upon another, Orbis Saturni; upon a third, Cœlum Chrystallinum; and so on to the largest, which he named Primum Mobile; and styling himself Atlas, he soon found custom in abundance: not a pipe, nor a hogshead, but he had an orb to fit it; and so proportionably for smaller vortexes, as firkins and kilderkins. Such a way could not fail of universal approbation; because every hostess in town cannot but know, that the weather has great influence on beer and ale, and therefore it is good to scrape acquaintance with Mars, Saturn, and their adherents." Dr. Plot (Oxfordshire, chap. 3. p. 168.) takes notice of an invention of barrels without hoops. v. 858. Than swallow toasts of bits of ribbin] The author of a tract, intitled, A Character of France, 1659. p. 12. observes of the French gallants, "That in their frolicks, they spare not the ornaments of their madams; who cannot wear a piece of ferret ribbon, but they will cut it in pieces, and swallow it in urine, to celebrate their better fortune." v. 863. With China-oranges, and tarts] Such little presents might then be thought instances of gallantry. It is observed of the Turks by Mr. Fenton, (Observations upon Waller, p. 38.) "That they thought sucar birparon, that is a bit of sugar, to be the most polite and endearing compliment they could use to the ladies, whence Mr. Waller probably celebrated his lady under the name of Saccharissa." v. 865. Bribe chamber-maids with love and money] Sed prius ancillam captandæ nosse puellæ Cura sit; accessus molliat illa tuos. Neve parum tacitis conscia fida jocis. Hanc tu pollicitis, hanc tu corrumpe rogando. Ovid. de Arte Amandi, lib. 1. 351, &c. vid. not. edit. varior. 1683. page 538. Bribe chamber-maids with love and money, 865 Which is no more than has been done 870 By knights for ladies long agone : Did not the great La Mancha do so 875 For the Infanta Del Toboso? First gain the maid: by her thou shalt be sure A free access, and easy to procure; Is in the secret, and can hold her tongue, Bribe her with gifts, with promises, and prayers; Mr. Dryden. v. 870. Do penance in a paper lanthorn] Alluding probably to the Penitentiaries in the Church of Rome, who do penance in white sheets, carrying wax tapers in their hands. (Lady's Travels into Spain, part 2. etter 9. p. 157.) Archbishop Arundel enjoined such as abjured the heresy of Wickliff, this penance: "That in the public prayers, and in the open market, they should go in procession only with their shirts on, carrying in one hand a burning taper, and in the other a crucifix; and that they should fall thrice on their knees, and every time devoutly kiss it." (Baker's History of the Inquisition, chap. 6. p. 33.) Ibid. Butler merely alludes to a method of cure for the venereal disease. See note, b. 2. c. 3. 1. 759. (ED.) v. 875. Did not the great La Mancha do so] Alluding to Don Quixote's intended penance on the mountain, in imitation of the Lovely Obscure, (see part 1. book 2. chap. 11.) v. 877. Did not th' Illustrious Bassa] Alluding to Monsieur Scudery's romance, (the translator of Monsieur Huet's Treatise of Romances, says, Did not th' Illustrious Bassa make His flame for Biancafiore) to school, 880 it was Madame de Scudery,) intitled, Ibrahim, the Illustrious Bassa, translated into English by Mr. Cogan, in folio, and published 1674: his being made a slave for Misse's sake, is a proof: for Justiniano, afterwards the Illustrious Bassa, hearing that Isabella his mistress, and Princess of Monaco, was married to the Prince of Masseron, (a groundless report,) he was determined to throw away his life in the wars; but was taken prisoner by Chairadin, King of Argiers; and by him presented to Sinan Bassa; by whose means, he became a slave to Solyman the Magnificent. See Cogan's Translat. book 2. p. 29. b.3. p. 67. v.880. Was taw'd as gentle as a glove] Alluding to the Emperor's ill usage of him, on account of his mistress, with whom he was enamoured; and his design of taking away his life; notwithstanding his promise, that he should never be cut off during his own life; and yet though the Mufti's interpretation at the instance of Roxolana his favourite Sultana, was, that as sleep was a resemblance of death, he might be safely put to death when the Emperor was asleep: yet Solyman (if we may credit Mons. Scudery) got the better of his inclination, saved his life, and dismissed him, and his mistress. As to the expression of being taw'd, &c. it is probable, that it was borrowed from Don Quixote, (part 1. book 2. chap. 11. p. 278.) or from Ben Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, act 4. sc. 5. See Taw, Junii Etymologic. Anglican. Ibid. To taw, is a term used by leather-dressers, signifying to soften the leather, and make it pliable by frequently rubbing it. (ED.) v. 881, 882. Was not young Florio sent (to cool-His flame for Biancafiore) to school] The story of Florio and Biancafiore is published I am told in French, where I suppose this fact is represented, as literally true. Ibid. The adventures of Florio and Biancafiore form the subject of Boccaccio's Filocopo; the story is however much older than Boccaccio. (ED.) v. 883, 884. Where pedant, &c.] See the antiquity of whipping boys at school, with rods: Libanii Sophista, Orat. 12. ad Theodos. tom. 2. P. 400. Where pedant made his pathic bum Of late her husband's own lordship? 885 v. 885, 886. Did not a certain lady whip—Of late her husband's own lordship] Legislative blows in the two first editions of 1664. This was William Lord Munson who lived at Bury St. Edmonds; of whom my friend Mr. Smith of Harleston, had the following account from a gentleman of that place. That notwithstanding he sate as one of the King's Judges, (but did not sign the warrant for his execution) yet either by shewing favours, not allowable in those days of sanctity, to the unsanctified Cavaliers, or some other act which discovered an inclination to forsake the good old cause; he had so far lessened his credit with his brethren in iniquity, that they began to suspect, and to threaten, that they would use him as a Malignant; his lady, who was a woman of more refined politicks, and of the true disciplinarian spirit, to shew her disapprobation of her Lord's naughty actions, and to disperse the gathering storm; did, by the help of her maids, tye his Lordship stark naked to a bed-post, and with rods, made him so sensible of his fault, that he promised upon his honour, to behave well for the future, and to ask pardon of his superiors: for which salutary discipline she had thanks given her in open court. To this, or a whipping upon some other occasion, the old ballads allude; Lord M-n-n's next, the Bencher Who waited with a trencher, He there with the buffle head Is called Lord, and of the same house Who (as I have heard it said) Was chastised by his Lady Spouse: Because he run at sheep, She and her maids gave him the whip; And beat his head so addle, You'd think he had a knock in the cradle. Loyal Songs, reprinted 1731, vol. 2. num. 17, p. 68. see num. 14. st. 26. p. 58.) Of this stamp was Sir William Waller's Lady, (see Cleveland's Character of a Diurnal) Mrs. May, (see Butler's Spurious Remains, Ty'd him stark naked to a bed-post, And firk'd his hide, as if sh' had rid post: 890 Where whipping's judg'd, had honour for't? Quoth he,-I do profess and swear, And will perform what you enjoin, Or may I never see you mine. Amen, quoth she,-then turn'd about, 895 900 1727, p. 270.) and Sir Henry Mildmay's Lady, (Hist. of Independency, part 2. p. 257.) This, in the opinion of Barbara Crabtree, (see Spectator, No. 252.) was good doctrine; who put this query to the Spectator, "Whether in some cases a cudgel may not be allowed as a good figure of speech? and whether it may not be lawfully used by a female orator." So remarkable were those times for whipping, that Zachary Crofton, a famous puritan divine, whipped his maid for a fault, and was so bold as to print his defence. (See Bp. Kennet's Register and Chronicle, p. 797.) v. 894. I'll set you from th' inchanted den] In all editions to 1734 inclusive. I'll free you, in later editions. v. 896. Quoth he,—I do profess and swear] After all the fine encomiums bestowed on love, it must be mortifying to a man of sense, whether successful in it or not, to look back upon the infinite number of silly things, and servile compliances he has been guilty of, in the course of his amours. The Widow has very frankly told the Knight, (and in him all the world) what tortures, penances, and base condescensions, a lover must unavoidably undergo, and comply with; to all which, she artfully gives the preference to whipping, which was necessary for the designs she had in view; she cajoles the silly Knight with specious commendations of its practice, and alledges many instances of it; and particularly one, of which the Knight could not be ignorant: and on the other hand has made the slavish parts of love so formidable, that 'tis no wonder, that he was frightened into a whipping resolution: nothing can excuse him in this juncture, but the uneasiness in his present embarrassment, and an ardent desire of regaining that valuable blessing, liberty. (Mr. B.) |