I have a cotemporaneous MS. of this wonderfully-fine poem, that came into
my possession with a certain rare bunch of black-letter ballads, printed
between the years 1559 and 1597, and all of them unique (of the said bunch,
Mr. Editor, more hereafter), which contains two additional verses not to be
found in _A Poetical Rhapsodie_, compiled by Francis Davison, and "printed
by William Stansby for Roger Jackson, dwelling in Fleet Street, neere the
great Conduit, 1611;" nor in _Poems by Sir Henry Wotton, Sir Walter
Raleigh, and others_, carefully edited by the Rev. John Hannah, M.A., and
published by my friend William Pickering in 1845. They are prefaced by the
word "Additions." They are written on the same leaf, and in the same quaint
hand, and are as follow:
Tell London of their stewes,
Tell marchants of their usury;
And, though it be no newes,
Tell courtyers of theyr lechery;
And if they will reply,
They best deserve the lye.
Let cuckolds be remembred,
I will not dye theyr debtor;
Theire heads beying armed,
Theyl beare the brunt the better;
And if they chaunce reply,
Theyr wives know best they lye.
Having compared this MS. with the poem as it is printed in the
above-mentioned volumes (both of which are in my library), I find it
contains several variations, not however very important. Though these
"Additions," in good taste, expression, and power, do not equal the noble
verses that precede them, they are interesting and curious, and well worthy
of preservation. After much inspection and inquiry, I have not discovered
that they have ever yet appeared in print. The cabinet in which they slept,
and the company they kept (undisturbed, it would appear) for more than two
centuries, assure me that they have not been published.
If you, Mr. Editor, or any of your many friends desire to see this MS., say
so, and you and they shall be welcome. It has been in my possession
(unseen) twenty years.