But sure I think, that I can drink
With him that wears a hood.
Though I go bare, take ye no care,
I am nothing a cold,

I stuff my skin so full within,
Of jolly good ale and old.

I love noo roste but a browne toste
or a crabbe in the fyer

a lytyll breade shall do me steade
mooche breade I neuer desyer

nor froste nor snowe nor wynde I trow
canne hurte me yf hyt wolde

I am so wrapped within & lapped
with joly goode ale & olde.

backe & syde, &c.

I care ryte nowghte I take no thowte
for clothes to kepe me warme

have I goode dryncke I surely thyncke
nothynge canne do me harme

for trwly than I feare noman

be he neuer so bolde

when I am armed and throwly warmed

with joly goode ale & old.

backe & syde, &c.

but nowe & than I curse & banne

they make ther ale so small

god geve them care and evill to faare

they strye the malte and all

sooche pevisshe pewe I tell yowe trwe

not for a c[r]ovne of golde

ther commethe one syppe within my lyppe

whether hyt be newe or olde.

backe & syde, &c.

good ale & stronge makethe me amonge

full joconde & full lyte

that ofte I slepe & take no kepe

from mornynge vntyll nyte

then starte I vppe & fle to the cuppe

the ryte waye on I holde

my thurste to staunche I fyll my paynche

with joly goode ale & olde.

backe & syde, &c.

and kytte my wife that as her lyfe

lovethe well goode ale to seke

Back and side go bare, go bare,

Both foot and hand go cold:

But belly, God send thee good ale enough, Whether it be new or old.

I love no roast, but a nut-brown toast,
And a crab laid in the fire,

A little bread shall do me stead,
Much bread I not desire.

No frost nor snow, no wind, I trow,
Can hurt me if I wold,

I am so wrapt, and throwly* lapt,
Of jolly good ale and old.

Back and side go bare, &c.

And Tyb my wife, that as her life
Loveth well good ale to seek,
Full oft drinks she, till ye may see
The tears run down her cheeks;
Then doth she trowl to me the bowl,
Even as a malt worm should;
And saith, sweetheart, I took my part
Of this jolly good ale and old.

Back and side go bare, &c.

full ofte drynkythe she that ye maye se
the tears ronne downe her cheke

then doth she troule to me the bolle

as a goode malte worme sholde

& saye swete harte I have take my parte

of joly goode ale & olde.

backe & syde, &c.

they that do dryncke tyll they nodde & wyncke

even as goode fellowes shulde do

they shall notte mysse to have the blysse

that goode ale hathe browghte them to

& all poore soules that skowre blacke bolles
& them hathe lustely trowlde

god save the lyves of them & ther wyves
wether they be yonge or olde.

backe & syde, &c.

* Thoroughly.

Now let them drink, till they nod and wink,
Even as good fellows should do,
They shall not miss to have the bliss
Good ale doth bring men to:

And all poor souls that have scoured bowls,
Or have them lustily trowled,

God save the lives of them and their wives,
Whether they be young or old.

Back and side go bare, &c.

JOHN REDFORD.

15

[JOHN REDFORD was a contemporary of John Heywood's, a fact sufficiently shown by the MS. of Wit and Science, already referred to, which Mr. Halliwell thinks is probably contemporary with the author, and which includes several songs by Heywood. Of John Redford nothing more is known than is disclosed by the MS., which contains the moral play of Wit and Science, and a few lines of two other interludes by the same author. Mr. Collier conjectures that Redford was a professor of music, perhaps employed at court. Wit and Science, which is after the manner of Heywood's interludes, must have been written sometime in the reign of Henry VIII., probably towards its close. The characters, like those in Heywood's pieces, are pure abstractions, and their conversation throughout consists of the same sort of dreary discussion, mottled over with the species of wordcatching in vogue at that period. The dialogue,' says Mr. Halliwell, ‘is not in some respects without humour, but the poetry is too contemptible to be patiently endured.'

The song is curious as an illustration of the manner of these interludes. It is supposed to be sung by a character called Honest Recreation, coming in to the help of Wit, who has been overthrown in a contest with Tediousness, and who, according to the stage directions, 'falleth down and

dieth,' when he is recovered by Honest Recreation, with the assistance of his friends Comfort, Quickness, and Strength.]

THE PLAY OF WIT AND SCIENCE.

SONG OF HONEST RECREATION.

I

HEN travels grete* in matters thick

WHE

Have dulled your wits and made them sick,

What medicine, then, your wits to quick,
If ye will know, the best physic,

Is to give place to Honest Recreation :
Give place, we say now, for thy consolation.

2

Where is that Wit that we seek than?
Alas! he lyeth here pale and wan:
Help him at once now, if we can.

O, Wit! how doest thou? Look up, man.

O, Wit! give place to Honest Recreation-
Give place, we say now, for thy consolation.

3

After place given let ear obey:

Give an ear, O Wit! now we thee pray;
Give ear to what we sing and say;

Give an ear and help will come straightway:
Give an ear to Honest Recreation;

Give an ear now, for thy consolation.

4

After ear given, now give an eye:
Behold, thy friends about thee lie,
Recreation I, and Comfort I,

Quickness am I, and Strength here bye.

Give an eye to Honest Recreation:

Give an eye now,

for thy consolation.

* Become enlarged.

5

After an eye given, an hand give ye:
Give an hand O Wit! feel that ye see;
Recreation feel, feel Comfort free;

Feel Quickness here, feel Strength to thee.
Give an hand to Honest Recreation:

Give an hand now, for thy consolation.
6

Upon his feet, would God he were!
To raise him now we need not fear;
Stay you his hand, while we here bear:
Now, all at once upright him rear.

O Wit! give place to Honest Recreation :
Give place, we say now, for thy consolation.

THOMAS INGELEND.

15

[ALL the information that has come down to us respecting Thomas Ingelend is to be found on the title-page of the interlude of the Disobedient Child, where he is designated as late student in Cambridge.' It is the only literary record by which he is known. The original edition has no date, but Mr. Halliwell, who edited a reprint of it for the Percy Society, thinks it was published about 1560. Mr. Collier remarks that the Disobedient Child is less like a moral play than most others of the same class, the introduction of the Devil, in the usual manner, constituting its strongest resemblance to that species of dramatic representation. In other points of view it approaches more nearly to the realization of the actual characters of every-day life than the dramatic allegories of Heywood. The persons of the drama, instead of representing abstract qualities, indicate certain social conditions and relations that are brought into direct collision by the story. Thus we have the Rich Man,