MORE DISSEMBLERS BESIDES WOMEN.

[In 1623 this comedy was entered by Sir Henry Herbert as an old play.' It was first printed in 1657.]

SONG OF THE GIPSIES.

COME, my dainty doxies,

My dells,* my dells most dear;
We have neither house nor land,
Yet never want good cheer.
We never want good cheer.

We take no care for candle rents,
We lie, we snort, we sport in tents,
Then rouse betimes and steal our dinners.
Our store is never taken
Without pigs, hens, or bacon,
And that's good meat for sinners:
At wakes and fairs we cozen
Poor country folk by dozen;
If one have money, he disburses;

Whilst some tell fortunes, some pick purses;
Rather than be out of use,

We'll steal garters, hose, or shoes,
Boots, or spurs with gingling rowels,
Shirts or napkins, smocks or towels.
Come live with us, come live with us,

produced first is an open question. Steevens and Gifford assign the priority to Middleton, Malone to Shakespeare. Mr. Dyce objects to Mr. Gifford that he adduces no evidence to show that the Witch was anterior to Macbeth; but, so far as his own opinion is concerned, leaves the question where he found it. Lamb, in a subtle and discriminating criticism, says that the coincidence does not detract much from the originality of Shakespeare (supposing Middleton to have preceded him), because his witches are distinguished from those of Middleton by essential differences. This is quite true. But it should be observed that it is not in these essential differences, which lie in the elements of character, and not in forms of expression, that the resemblance consists; and that the fact of direct imitation in the conception and poetical treatment of the Charms and Incantations remains unaffected.

* A cant term for an undefiled girl.

At any

hour he pleases.

We laugh, we quaff, we roar, we scuffle;
We cheat, we drab, we filch, we shuffle.

A CHASTE MAID IN

CHEAP SIDE.

[First printed in 1630.]

THE PARTING OF LOVERS.

WEEP eyes, break heart!

My love and I must part.

Cruel fates true love do soonest sever;
O, I shall see thee never, never, never!

O, happy is the maid whose life takes end
Ere it knows parent's frown or loss of friend!
Weep eyes, break heart!

My love and I must part.

THOMAS MIDDLETON AND WILLIAM ROWLEY.

[WILLIAM ROWLEY was an actor in the Prince of Wales's company in the reign of James I. In addition to some plays of which he was the sole author, his name appears attached to several others, in conjunction with those of Middleton, Webster, Massinger, Thomas Heywood, Day, Wilkins, Ford, and Fletcher; and in one instance Shakespeare is said to have assisted him.]

[This piece was played at court about 1623 or 1624, but the date of its first production in the theatre is not known. It was first printed in 1653.]

TRIP

GIPSIES.

RIP it, gipsies, trip it fine,
Show tricks and lofty capers;

At threading-needles* we repine,
And leaping over rapiers:
Pindy pandy rascal toys!

We scorn cutting purses;

Though we live by making noise,
For cheating none can curse us.

Over high ways, over low,

And over stones and gravel,
Though we trip it on the toe,
And thus for silver travel;
Though our dances waste our backs,
At night fat capons mend them,
Eggs well brewed in buttered sack,
Our wenches say befriend them.

Oh that all the world were mad!
Then should we have fine dancing;
Hobby-horses would be had,

And brave girls keep a-prancing;
Beggars would on cock-horse ride,
And boobies fall a-roaring;

And cuckolds, though no horns be spied,
Be one another goring.

Welcome, poet to our ging !†

Make rhymes, we'll give thee reason,
Canary bees thy brains shall sting,
Mull-sack did ne'er speak treason;
Peter-see-me shall wash thy nowl,
And Malaga glasses fox thee;
If, poet, thou toss not bowl for bowl,
Thou shalt not kiss a doxy.

* An old pastime.

+ Gang.

See Note, p. 144.

THE GIPSY ROUT.

COME, follow your leader, follow,

Our convoy be Mars and Apollo ;
The van comes brave up here;
As hotly comes the rear.

Our knackers are the fifes and drums,
Sa, sa, the gipsies' army comes !

Horsemen we need not fear,
There's none but footmen here;

The horse sure charge without;
Or if they wheel about,

Our knackers are the shot that fly,
Pit-a-pat rattling in the sky.

If once the great ordnance play,
That's laughing, yet run not away,
But stand the push of pike,
Scorn can but basely strike;

Then let our armies join and sing,

And pit-a-pat make our knackers ring.

Arm, arm! what bands are those?
They cannot be sure our foes;
We'll not draw up our force,
Nor muster any horse;

For since they pleased to view our sight,
Let's this way, this way, give delight.

A council of war let's call,
Look either to stand or fall;
If our weak army stands,
Thank all these noble hands;

Whose gates of love being open thrown,
We enter, and then the town's our own.

THE DRAMATISTS.

12

THY

THE GIPSY'S OATH.

HY best hand lay on this turf of grass, There thy heart lies, vow not to pass From us two years for sun nor snow, For hill nor dale, howe'er winds blow; Vow the hard earth to be thy bed, With her green cushions under thy head; Flower-banks or moss to be thy board, Water thy wine—and drink like a lord. Kings can have but coronations; We are as proud of gipsy fashions; Dance, sing, and in a well-mixed border, Close this new brother of our order.

What we get with us come share,
You to get must vow to care;
Nor strike gipsy, nor stand by
When strangers strike, but fight or die;
Our gipsy-wenches are not common,
You must not kiss a fellow's leman;
Nor to your own, for one you must,
In songs send errands of base lust.

Dance, sing, and in a well-mixed border
Close this new brother of our order.

Set foot to foot; those garlands hold,
Now mark [well] what more is told;
By cross arms, the lover's sign,

Vow as these flowers themselves entwine,
Of April's wealth building a throne
Round, so your love to one or none;
By those touches of your feet,

You must each night embracing meet,
Chaste, howe'er disjoined by day;
You the sun with her must play,
She to you the marigold,

To none but you her leaves unfold;