= This was an
occasion
of considerable
extravagance.
extravagance.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
'--G.
'In Richard Brome's _Covent Garden Weeded_ (circ. 1638), we
have: "Sure 'tis Fenner or his ghost. He was a riming souldier. "
(p. 42. )'--C.
The controversy referred to may be found in the Spenser Society's
reprint of the 1630 folio of Taylor's _Works_, 1869, pp. 304-325.
Here may be gathered a few more facts regarding the life of
Fenner (or Fennor as it should be spelled), among them that he
was apprenticed when a boy to a blind harper. In the quarrel, it
must be confessed, Fennor does not appear markedly inferior to his
derider either in powers of versification or in common decency. The
quarrel between the poets took place in October, 1614, and Fennor's
admittance to court seems to be referred to in the present passage.
=1. 1. 95 a Sheriffes dinner.
= This was an occasion of considerable
extravagance. Entick (_Survey_ 1. 499) tells us that in 1543 a
sumptuary law was passed 'to prevent luxurious eating or feasting
in a time of scarcity; whereby it was ordained, that the lord-mayor
should not have more than seven dishes at dinner or supper,' and 'an
alderman and sheriff no more than six. '
=1. 1. 96 Skip with a rime o' the Table, from New-nothing. = What is
meant by _New-nothing_ I do not know. From the construction it would
seem to indicate the place from which the fool was accustomed to take
his leap, but it is possible that the word should be connected with
_rime_, and may perhaps be the translation of a Greek or Latin title
for some book of _facetiae_ published about this time. Such wits as
Fennor and Taylor doubtless produced many pamphlets, the titles of
which have not been recorded. In 1622 Taylor brought out a collection
of verse called 'Sir Gregory Non-sense His Newes from no place,' and
it may have been this very book in manuscript that suggested Jonson's
title. In the play of _King Darius_, 1106, one of the actors says:
'I had rather then my new nothing, I were gon. '
=1. 1. 97 his Almaine-leape into a custard. = 'In the earlier days,
when the city kept a fool it was customary for him at public
entertainments, to leap into a large bowl of custard set on
purpose. '--W.
'In Richard Brome's _Covent Garden Weeded_ (circ. 1638), we
have: "Sure 'tis Fenner or his ghost. He was a riming souldier. "
(p. 42. )'--C.
The controversy referred to may be found in the Spenser Society's
reprint of the 1630 folio of Taylor's _Works_, 1869, pp. 304-325.
Here may be gathered a few more facts regarding the life of
Fenner (or Fennor as it should be spelled), among them that he
was apprenticed when a boy to a blind harper. In the quarrel, it
must be confessed, Fennor does not appear markedly inferior to his
derider either in powers of versification or in common decency. The
quarrel between the poets took place in October, 1614, and Fennor's
admittance to court seems to be referred to in the present passage.
=1. 1. 95 a Sheriffes dinner.
= This was an occasion of considerable
extravagance. Entick (_Survey_ 1. 499) tells us that in 1543 a
sumptuary law was passed 'to prevent luxurious eating or feasting
in a time of scarcity; whereby it was ordained, that the lord-mayor
should not have more than seven dishes at dinner or supper,' and 'an
alderman and sheriff no more than six. '
=1. 1. 96 Skip with a rime o' the Table, from New-nothing. = What is
meant by _New-nothing_ I do not know. From the construction it would
seem to indicate the place from which the fool was accustomed to take
his leap, but it is possible that the word should be connected with
_rime_, and may perhaps be the translation of a Greek or Latin title
for some book of _facetiae_ published about this time. Such wits as
Fennor and Taylor doubtless produced many pamphlets, the titles of
which have not been recorded. In 1622 Taylor brought out a collection
of verse called 'Sir Gregory Non-sense His Newes from no place,' and
it may have been this very book in manuscript that suggested Jonson's
title. In the play of _King Darius_, 1106, one of the actors says:
'I had rather then my new nothing, I were gon. '
=1. 1. 97 his Almaine-leape into a custard. = 'In the earlier days,
when the city kept a fool it was customary for him at public
entertainments, to leap into a large bowl of custard set on
purpose. '--W.
