ITS FIVE WITS. 95 
“ Parsone’s Tale,” says Certes delites been after the 
appetites of the ‘ five wittes as sight, hereing, smelling, 
savouring, and touching.” But it is not clear how this 
proverbial phrase became connected with the owl, nor 
what is the origin of “ warming ” the wits. 
“ Petruchio. Am I not wise? 
Katharine . Yes, keep you warm." 
Taming of the Shrew, Act ii. Sc. i. 
“ If he have wit enough to keep himself warm!' 
Much Ado , Act i. Sc. i. 
“ Bless thy five wits!' 
King Lear, Act iii. Sc. 4, and Act iii. Sc. 6. 
The allusion above made to Tennyson’s well-known 
poem, reminds us of the quaint and characteristic song in 
the last scene of Love s Labour's Lost y 
III. 
“ When icicles hang by the wall, 
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, 
And Tom bears logs into the hall, 
And milk comes frozen home in pail ; 
When blood is nipp’d, and ways be foul, 
Then nightly sings the staring owl, 
To-who ; 
Tu-whit, to-who, a merry note, 
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. 
