Merrie England, Volume II: In the Olden Time - Tapa blanda

Sinopsis

Extract: CHAPTER I. My friends,”—continued Mr. Bosky, after an approving smack of the lips, and “Thanks, my kind mistress! many happy returns of St. Bartlemy!” had testified the ballad-singer’s hearty relish and gratitude for the refreshing draught over which he had just suspended his well-seasoned nose, *—“never may the mouths be stopped—      * “Thom: Brewer, my Mus: Servant, through his proneness to      good fellowshippe, having attained to a very rich and      rubicund nose, being reproved by a friend for his too      frequent use of strong drinkes and sacke, as very pernicious      to that distemper and inflammation in his nose. ‘Nay,      faith,’ says he, ‘if it will not endure sacke, it is no      nose for me.’”—L’ Estrange, No. 578. Mr. Jenkins. —(except with a cup of good liquor) of these musical itinerants, from whose doggrel a curious history of men and manners might be gleaned, to humour the anti-social disciples of those pious publicans who substituted their nasal twang for the solemn harmony of cathedral music; who altered St. Peter’s phrase, ‘the Bishop of your souls,’ into ‘the Elder (!!) of your souls;’ for ‘thy kingdom come,’ brayed ‘thy Commonwealth come!’ and smuggled the water into their rum-puncheons, which they called wrestling with the spirit, and making the enemy weaker! ‘Show me the popular ballads of the time, and I will show you the temper and taste of the people.’ *

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