THE DOWNES: SHEPHERDS, PASTOBALS. 109 



a very deep cape, which comes halfway down their backs, made of the locks of the sheep. There 

 was a sheep-crooke (vide Virgil's Eclogues, and Theocritus,) a sling, a scrip, their tar-box, a pipe or 

 flute, and their dog. But since 1671, they are grown so luxurious as to neglect their ancient warme 

 and useful fashion, and goe a la mode. T. Randolph in a Pastoral sayes ; 



" What clod-pates, Thenot, are our British swaines, 

 How lubber-like they loll upon the plaines." * 



Before the civill warres I remember many of them made straw hatts, which I thinke is now left off, 

 and our shepherdesses of late yeares (1680) doe begin to worke point, whereas before they did only 

 knitt coarse stockings. (Instead of the sling they have now a hollow iron or piece of home, not 

 unlike a shoeing home, fastned to the other end of the crosier, by w ch they take up stones and sling, 

 and keep their flocks in order. The French sheperdesses spin with a rocque. J. EVELYN.) 



Mr. Ferraby, the minister of Bishop's Cannings, was an ingenious man, and an excellent musician, 

 and made severall of his parishioners good musicians, both for vocall and instrumentall musick ; they 

 sung the Psalmes in consort to the organ, which Mr. Ferraby procured to be erected. 



When King James the First was in these parts he lay at Sir Edw. Baynton's at Bromham. Mr. 

 Ferraby then entertained his Majesty at the Bush, in Cotefield, with bucoliques of his own making 

 and composing, of four parts; which were sung by his parishioners, who wore frocks and whippes 

 like carters. Whilst his majesty was thus diverted, the eight bells (of wliich he was the cause) did 

 ring, and the organ was played on for state ; and after this musicall entertainment he entertained his 

 Majesty with a foot-ball match of his own parishioners. This parish in those dayes would have 

 challenged all England for musique, foot-ball, and ringing. For this entertainment liis Majesty made 

 him one of his chaplains in ordinary. 



When Queen Annef returned from Bathe, he made an entertainment for her Majesty on Can- 

 ning's-down, sc. at Shepherds-shard,! at Wensditch, with a pastorall performed by himself and his 

 parishioners In shepherds' weeds. A copie of his song was printed within a compartment excellently 

 well engraved and designed, with goates, pipes, sheep hooks, cornucopias, &c. [Aubrey has 

 transcribed it into his manuscript. It appears that it was sung as above mentioned on the llth of 

 June 1613 ; being "voyc't in four parts compleatly musicall;" and we are told that "it was by 

 her Highnesse not only most gratiously accepted and approved, but also bounteously rewarded ; 

 and by the right honourable, worshipfull, and the rest of the general! hearers and beholders, worthily 

 applauded." See this also noticed in Wood's Fasti Oxonienses, under " Ferebe," and in Nichols's 

 Progresses, &c. of King James the First, ii. 668. In this curious chapter, Aubrey has further 

 transcribed " A Dialogue between two Shepherds uttered in a Pastorall shew at Wilton," and written 

 by Sir Philip Sidney. See the Life of Sidney, prefixed to an edition of his Works in three volumes, 

 8vo, 1725. J. B.] 



* [See " Plays and Poems, by Thomas Randolph, M.A." 12mo. 1664, p. 90. The lines quoted are at the commencement of a 

 dialogue between Collen and Thenot; which is described as "an Eglogue on the noble assemblies revived on Cotswold Hills by Mr. 

 Robert Dover." An able criticism of Randolph's works, with extracts, will be found in the sixth volume of the " Retrospective 

 Review." J. B.] 



t [Anne of Denmark, Queen of James I. was married to that monarch in 1589, and died in 1619. J. B.] 



I [Shard is a word used in Wiltshire to indicate a gap in a hedge. Ponshard signifies a broken piece of earthenware. J. B.] 



