586: 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



[No. 164. 



at least episcopal care, — " ne mirdma quidempar- 

 ticula mutata, addita, vel detracta" 



What, then, was the pretence by means of which 

 Pope Clement VIII. attempted to nullify such 

 plain lansjuage, and to evade the express sentence 

 of interdict and excommunication pronounced 

 against offending ecclesiastics by his predecessor ? 

 Evidently no better device could be invented than 

 to affirm that Sixtus V. had designed the execu- 

 tion of a new edition ; but that, his death having 

 intervened, his purpose had been frustrated. The 

 passage deserves transcription : — 



" Quod ciim jam esset excusum, et ut in lucem emit- 

 teretur, idem Pontifex operant daret, animadvertens non 

 pauca in sacra Biblia preelL vitio irrepsisse, quae iterata 

 diligentia indigere viderentur, totiim opus sub incudetn 

 revocandum censuit atque decrevit. Id vero cum 

 morte pr«ventus prasstare non potuisset," &c. — Presfat. 

 ad Led. 



The words which I have marked for Italics show 

 the deception ; for Sixtus had not sanctioned the 

 publication of the volume until he had personally 

 corrected the errors of the press, and then he im- 

 periously proscribed subsequent alterations. The 

 fact is, that his edition of the Scriptures encoun- 

 tered the identical fate to which his Index of pro- 

 hibited books was consigned. They were printed 

 in the same year, 1590 ; and were similarly with- 

 drawn fi-om circulation by Clement, and the plea 

 of Sixtus's premature decease was artfully em- 

 ployed in both cases. 



J. R, has made mention of the Bellum Papale ; 

 but I think that, if he had examined that very 

 decisive book, he could not have regarded this 

 question as one relating only to typography. If 

 he should wish to reconsider the subject, I would 

 recommend him also to read Dr. James's Defence 

 of the said Concordia Discors, together with his 

 treatise of The Varietie and Contrarietie of the 

 Vulgar Latine Bibles. He will then, I should 

 expect, assent to the truth of Dr. Donne's asser- 

 tion, that between the Sixtine and Clementine 

 editions of the Scriptures there are not simply 

 some unimportant differences, but even " absolute 

 and direct contradictions." (Pseudo-Martyr, p. 330., 

 Lend. 1610.) R. G. 



BASCING THE BBIDE TO BED. 



(Vol. ii., p. 442.) 



It is now two years ago since Mr. Chappell 

 asked, " Can any of your readers favour me with 

 notices of such a custom prevailing?" He has 

 not been answered ; and in noticing the subject, 

 I intend my communication more as an illustra- 

 tion of the manners of olden times, than as a direct 

 reply. 



A curious account of the merry makings at mar- 

 riages is given in Coverdale's Christian State of 



Matrimony, printed by Awdeley, in black letter, 

 A.D. 1575.* The passages are as follows : — 



" Early in the morning the wedding people begin to 

 exceede in superfluous eating and drinking, whereof 

 they spit, untill the half sermon be done. And when 

 they come to the preaching, they are halfe dronken ; 

 some altogether : therefore regard they not the preach- 

 ing, nor prayer, but stand there only because of the 

 custome. Such folkes also do come unto the church 

 with all maner of pompe and pride, and gorgeousness 

 of raiment and jewels. They come with a great noyse 

 of basens and drooms, wherewitli they trouble the 

 whole church. And even as they come to the church, 

 so go they from the church again ; light, nice, in shame- 

 full pompe and vaine wantonnes." — Fol.58. rev. 59. 



" After the banket and feast, there beginneth a vaine, 

 mad, and unmannerly fashion ; for the bride must be 

 brought into an open dauiicing place. Then is there 

 such a running, leaping, and flinging among them, 

 that a man might think all these dauncers had cast all 

 shame behinde them, and were become starke mad and 

 out of their wits, and that they were sworne to the 

 devil's daunce. Then must the poore bride keepe foote 

 with all dauncers, and refuse none, how scabbed, foule, 

 drunken, rude, and shameles soever he be ! Then must 

 she oft tymes heare and see much wickednes, and 

 many an uncomly word. And that noyse and rora- 

 blyng endureth even tyll supper. 



" As for supper, looke how much shameles and 

 dronken the evening is more than the morning, so 

 much the more vice, exces, and misnurture is used at 

 the supper. After supper must they begin to pipe and 

 daunce again of anew. And though the young per- 

 sons (being weary of the babbling noyse and incon- 

 venience) come once towards their rest, yet can they 

 have no quietnes ! For a man shall find unmanerly 

 and restles people that wyll first go to their chamber 

 doore, and there syng vicious and naughty balates — 

 that the devil may have his whole triumphe now to the 

 uttermost !" — Fol. 59. rev. 60. 



It was formerly the custom at weddings, both 

 of the rich as well as the poor, to dance after 

 dinner and after supper. In an old court masque 

 of James I.'s time, performed at the Marriage 

 Ceremony of Philip Herbert and Lady Susan (MS. 

 in the writer's possession), it is directed, that at 

 the conclusion of the performance " after supper," 

 the company " dance a round dance." This was 

 " dancing the bride to bed." 



Dancing was considered so essential at wed- 

 dings (according to Grose), that If In a family the 

 youngest daughter should chance to be married 

 before her elder sisters, they must all dance at her 

 wedding loithout shoes ; this would counteract 

 their ill-luck, and procure them husbands. 



Edward F. Rimbault. 



[* This work passed through five editions between 

 A.D. 1543 and 1575, and is said by J. Bale to be a 

 translation from the Latin of H. Bullinger. — Ed.] 



