Scottish taunts.
Long beardes hartles,
Painted hoodes wittles,
Gay coates graceles,
Makes England thriftles.143
5 February.Mr. Asheford told me these verses under written are upon a picture of the nowe Lord Keeper, Sir Thomas Egerton, in the Lord Chief Justice Pophams lodging:—
In vita gravitas, vultu constantia, fronte
Consilium, os purum, mens pia, munda manus.
A gentleman without monie is like a leane pudding without fatt. (J. Bramstone.)
Justice Glandville144 upon a tyme, when fidlers pressed to play before him, made them sing alsoe, and then askt them yf they could not cry too; they said his worship was a merry man; but he made them sad fellowes, for he caused them to be vsed like rogues as they were. (Ch. Dauers.)
There is best sport always when you put a woman in the case. (Greene.)
The Attorney Generall [Coke] put a case thus in the Kings benche;—"Yf I covenant to stand seised to the use of my bastard daughter—as I thanke God I have none"—and blusht.
fo. 91.
1 Feb. 1602.
[?]There were 11 Sergeants-at-lawe called this day; two of the Middle Temple, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Nicholes; five of the Inner Temple, Crooke the Recorder of London, Tanfeild, Coventry, Foster, and Barker; three of Lyncoln's Inn, Harris and Houghton; one of Grayes Inn, Mr. Altam.
When the Queene was moved to have called another to have made up twelve, she refused, saying she feared yf there were twelve there would be one false brother amongst them.
Sergeant Harris when he heard that Barker was called, "It is well," said he, "there should be one Barker amongst soe manie byters."
This day at dynner Mr. Sing tooke Mr. Nicholes by the hand and led him up from the lower end of the table, where his place was, and seated him on the benche highest at the upper end.
3.I heard by Mr. Hadsore the lawyers recusants are admitted to plead at the barr in Irland; that one Everard is preferred of late to be a Justice in the Kings Bench there, where there are but two, and yet he a recusant, but an honest man.
4.It is said Mr. Snig offers 800l. to be Sergeant, whereupon Mr. Sergeant Harris said that he doubted not but he should shortly salut his deare brother Mr. Snig.
Argent makes Sargent.
fo. 91b.
4 Feb. 1602.Out of a poeme intituled The Tragicall History of Mary Queen of Scotts and Dowager of Fraunce.145 Hir Ghost to Baldwyne.
[4.] In swiftest channell is the shallowest ground,
In common bruite a truth is seldome found.
[5.]A slight defence repells a weake assault.
[6.] But soe unhappy is a princes state
That scarce of thousands which on them depend
One shall be found, untill it be too late,
That solid truth shall in their counsell fend [lend],
But all theyre vainest humours will defend;
Till wee, alas! doe beare the guilt of all,
And they themselves doe save, what ere befall!
[12.] I will not shewe thee howe my body lyes,
A senceles corps by over hastned death.
[13.] I might bemoane the hap that fell to me
That yet in graue must still accused bee.
[14.] Lett the faults upon the guilty light.
[19.] But fatall was my Guyssian kin to mee;
Who built their hopes on hazard of my bloud,
Like iuy they did clyme up by my tree,
And skathed my growth in many a likely bud.
Theyre ouer kindenes did me little good,
Whose clyming steps of theyre unbridled mynde
Makes me, alas! to blame them as unkinde.
[20.] They gave us courage quarrels to pretend
Gainst neighbours, kings and friends, for whom of right
fo. 92.Our interest and bloud would wish us fight.
[21.] Soe did the wise obserue my tyme of birth
To be a day of mourning, not of mirth,
22. For death deprived two brothers that I had,
Both in a day, not long ere I was borne,
So that a mourning weede my cradle clad.
24. A greivous chaunce it is to meanest sort
To leaue a widdowe in a forrein land,
A child whose yeares cannot herselfe support,
A suckling babe which can ne speak nor stand
But must depend upon a tutors hand;
But greatest mischief is it to a king
Then which noe hap can greater hazard bring.
25. Ill to the prince, and to the people worse,
Which giveth meanes to the ambitious mynd
By rapine to enrich their greedy purse
By wreak [wrack] of commonweale, whilst that they blind
The peoples eyes and shewe themselves unkinde
To pupil princes, whom they doe accuse
As cause of such disorders they doe use.
33. Pride, wealth, and lust, and gredines of mynde
The finest witts we see doth often blynde.
The choise of the Regent was the beginning of their broyles. Duke Hamilton a worthie, wise prince, chosen Regent, purposed a marriag twixt Q. Mary and Ed. 6., interrupted by the Clergy, and matched with the Dauphine of Fraunce.146
41. fo. 92b.Thus to and fro, I, silly wretch, was tost,
And made the instrument of either side,
Turmoyled with stormes, with wilfull wynde and tyde.
47. The Cardinall of Lorraine bare the purse,
The Duke of Guyse the Civil Wars did nurse.