292 SHAKESPEARE’S [SPARROW. 
Sparrow. 
Troitus anp CressiDa, il. I, 77. 
Kine Joun, 1. 1, 231. 
Tue Sparrow is an unsteadfast bird with voice and 
jangling, and is a full hot bird and lecherous, and the flesh 
of them oft taken in meat exciteth to carnal lust. Sparrows 
lay many eggs, and are full busy to bring up their birds, 
and to feed them. And she keepeth her nest clean with- 
out dirt, and therefore she throweth the dirt of her birds 
out of the nest, and compelleth her birds to throw their 
dirt out of the nest ; and they feed their birds with atter- 
cops, worms and flies; and they eat venomous seeds, as of 
henbane without hurt; and they have sometime leprosy 
and the falling-evil. And the Sparrow dreadeth the weasel, 
and hateth her, and crieth and warneth if the weasel 
cometh, And waileth, and biteth, and billeth for to have 
the nests of swallows. And birds [7.e., young birds], that 
other Sparrows leave by some hap, they gather and feed 
and nourish, as they were their own. And if it happeth 
that one of them is taken in a gin, or in other manner 
of wise, she crieth for help—and a multitude of Sparrows 
be gathered together to deliver that that is taken, and 
speed and haste with all their might. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xii. § 32. 
Merchant's Wife: \What’s your cock-sparrows a dozen? 
Seller: A penny, mistress. 
“‘ Histriomastrix,” ii, I, 77. 
[But this was during the reign of Plenty, when corn was. 
2s. Od. a quarter. 
Sparrows, especially cock-sparrows, as aphrodisiacs were a 
constant ingredient of cullises; so were Sparrows’ eggs.] 
Ir any will make their hands white, let them mix the 
dung of Sparrows in warm water, and wash them there- 
with; or let them seethe the roots of nettles in that water, 
and therewith wash their hands. 
Lupton, “ Notable Things,” bk. ii, § 69. 
