Mar. 22. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



219 



to the ditferent objects enumerated. A cloud may 

 be a dt object for comparison, but it is utterly 

 inconsequential ; while the sense required can 

 pnly be expressed by a general term, such as re- 

 mains, a vestige, or a trace. 



I beg now to transcribe a note of Mr. Collier's 

 on this passage : — 



"'Rauk' is vapour, from reck, as Home Tooke 

 showed ; and the light clouds on the face ot heaven are 

 the 'rack,' or vapour from the eartli. The word 'rack' 

 was often used in this way." — Coll. Skaksp., vol. i. 

 p. 70. 



Mr. Knight appears to incline to the same 

 view ; and regarding these as the two latest 

 ■authorities, and linding in neither of them any 

 reference to the question of construction, I natu- 

 rally concluded that, the point had been over- 

 looked by the commentators. On leference, how- 

 ever, I ibund to my suri)rise, that Malone, for the 

 ■very same reasons, had come to the same conclu- 

 sion. Ilad ilalone's argument been briefly stated 

 by the " two latest and best editors," I shtmld, of 

 .course, h.ive had no occasion to trouble you with 

 this note : and this instance, it appears to me, fur- 

 nislies additional reasons foi' entbrcing the prin- 

 ciple for which I am contending ; the neglect of it 

 affecting, in however slight a degree, the sense or 

 correctness of so important and frequently quoted 

 a passage. For my own part, I should have 

 "thought that the commonest faith in Shakspeare 

 woulil have protected any editor, wliose avowed 

 object it was to restore the text, from preferring 

 in this instance, to the plain common sense of i^Ia- 

 4one, the more showy authority of Home Tooke. 



In my last paper I wrote, — "So far as quantity 

 is concerned, to eat a crocodile would be 7to more 

 than to eat an ox." You have omitted the 

 negative. Samuel Hickson. 



ANCIENT INEDITBD POEMS, NO. III. 



In my last communication on this subject, I 

 forgot to remark on the strange title given to the 

 monody on Mr. Browne. j\Iay I ask if the name 

 of " Chorus" was thus indiscriminately applied at 

 the .time when llie poem was composed ? 



The next poem that I shall give is copied from 

 Ilarleian MSS., 307., art. 60., fbl. 158. It is 

 entitled — 



" A VERTUOUS WO.MAN. 



" Wlieii painted vice fil.s iipp ihe rimes 

 Oflhese our Xnsi depraued times: 

 And soe much lust by wanton layes 

 Dispersed is ; that beautic straycs 

 Into darke corners wheero vnseen, 5 



Too many sadd berei'ts haue Ijeeii. 

 Aduance uiy muse to blaze' that face 

 Whecre beau tie sits entbroand in grace- 



* Dlason, describe. 



The eye though bright, and quicke to moue, 



Daignes not a cast to wanton lone. 10 



A comely ffront not husht in hayrc, 



Nor face be-patcht to make it fayre. 



The lipps and cheekcs though seeniely redd, 



Doe l)lush afresh if by them ledd. 



Some wanton youthes doe ;;aze too much 15 



Though naked breasts are hidd from touch. 



When due salutes are ])ast, they shnnn 



A seconde kisse : yea, half viidoue 



Shee thinke>i herselfe, whou wantons praise 



Her hande or face with such loose phraise 20 



As they haue learnt at acts and scenes, 



Noe hand in hand with thein sliee meenes, 



Shall giue them boldnes to eiubalme, 



Tlier iilthie fist in her chast palme. 



Her pretious lionners overlookos, 25 



At her retires the best of bookes. 



Whatsoeuer else shee do-th forget 



Noe busiiies shall her prayers' let. 



Tliose that bee good, shee prizes most, 



Noe time with them shee counteth lost. 30 



Her cliait delights, her mind, aduance 



Above Lot-games or mixed dance. 



Shee cares c&t for au interlude. 



Or idly will one day conclude. 



The looser toungs that (ilth disclose 35 



Are graueoleneie to her nose. 



But when a vertuous man shall court 



Her virgin thoughts in nuptlall sort : 



Her fai^re depor[t]ment, neyther coy 



Nor yet too forward, fits his ioy, 40 



.ind giues his kisses leaue to seale 



On her fayre hand his faythfuU zeale. 



Blest is bis conquest in her loue. 



With her alone deatli eann reoioue. 



And if before shoe did adorne 45 



Her parents' howse, tlie cheerefuU morne 



Ileioyceth now at this blest payre. 



To see a wife soe chast soe fay;e. 



They happy liue ; and know noe smart 



Of base suspects or iealous heart ; 50 



And if the publike bredd noe feare. 



Nor sadd alarms did fill tlier care, 



From goodnes Howes ther ioy soe cleere 



As grace begiinues ther lieauen heere." 



The poem has no subscription, nor, from the 

 appearance of the paper, sliould I say there had 

 been one. The comparatively modern phrase- 

 ology points to a late era. The poem is bound up 

 with a quantity of John Stowe's papers, and I 

 think is in his handwriting, upon comparing it 

 with other papers known to be liis in the same 

 boot. As it is my chief object (ne.xt to conti-i- 

 buting to the ])reservati(m and publication of 

 tliese ancient bidlads) to obtain data regarding 

 the imonymous jn-oiluctions of the earlier days of 

 England's literature, any lemaiks, allow me to 

 say, that other contributors will favour our me- 



' Wo have here an Instance of the use of the word 

 prayers as a dissyllable. 



