369) called it
'the most romantic hamlet in the parish of Pancras.
'the most romantic hamlet in the parish of Pancras.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
This is Gifford's explanation.
The word occurs again
in Skelton's _Elynour Rummyng_, l. 492, and in Chaucer, _The
Freres Tale_, l. 1377: 'a widwe, an old ribybe. ' Skeat offers
the following explanation: 'I suspect that this old joke, for
such it clearly is, arose in a very different way [from that
suggested by Gifford], viz. from a pun upon _rebekke_, a fiddle,
and _Rebekke_, a married woman, from the mention of Rebecca in
the marriage-service. Chaucer himself notices the latter in E. 1704. '
=1. 1. 16 Kentish Towne. = Kentish Town, Cantelows, or Cantelupe
town is the most ancient district in the parish of Pancras. It was
originally a small village, and as late as the eighteenth century a
lonely and somewhat dangerous spot. In later years it became noted
for its Assembly Rooms. In 1809 Hughson (_London_ 6.
369) called it
'the most romantic hamlet in the parish of Pancras. ' It is now a part
of the metropolis. See Samuel Palmer's _St. Pancras_, London, 1870.
=1. 1. 17 Hogsden. = Stow (_Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 158) describes
Hogsden as a 'large street with houses on both sides. ' It was a
prebend belonging to St. Paul's. In Hogsden fields Jonson killed
Gabriel Spenser in a duel in 1598. These fields were a great
resort for the citizens on a holiday. The eating of cream there is
frequently mentioned. See the quotation from Wither under note 1.
in Skelton's _Elynour Rummyng_, l. 492, and in Chaucer, _The
Freres Tale_, l. 1377: 'a widwe, an old ribybe. ' Skeat offers
the following explanation: 'I suspect that this old joke, for
such it clearly is, arose in a very different way [from that
suggested by Gifford], viz. from a pun upon _rebekke_, a fiddle,
and _Rebekke_, a married woman, from the mention of Rebecca in
the marriage-service. Chaucer himself notices the latter in E. 1704. '
=1. 1. 16 Kentish Towne. = Kentish Town, Cantelows, or Cantelupe
town is the most ancient district in the parish of Pancras. It was
originally a small village, and as late as the eighteenth century a
lonely and somewhat dangerous spot. In later years it became noted
for its Assembly Rooms. In 1809 Hughson (_London_ 6.
369) called it
'the most romantic hamlet in the parish of Pancras. ' It is now a part
of the metropolis. See Samuel Palmer's _St. Pancras_, London, 1870.
=1. 1. 17 Hogsden. = Stow (_Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 158) describes
Hogsden as a 'large street with houses on both sides. ' It was a
prebend belonging to St. Paul's. In Hogsden fields Jonson killed
Gabriel Spenser in a duel in 1598. These fields were a great
resort for the citizens on a holiday. The eating of cream there is
frequently mentioned. See the quotation from Wither under note 1.
