Notes and Queries, Number 62, January 4, 1851

Оглавление

Various. Notes and Queries, Number 62, January 4, 1851

OUR THIRD VOLUME

NOTES

OLD BALLAD UPON THE "WINTER'S TALE."

CROSSING RIVERS ON SKINS

FOLK LORE OF SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, NO. 3

MINOR NOTES

QUERIES

HISTORIE DES SÉVARAMBES

ORIGINS OF PRESENT PENNY POSTAGE

RED BOOK OF THE IRISH EXCHEQUER

MINOR QUERIES

REPLIES

"GOD SPEED THE PLOUGH."

"DEFENDER OF THE FAITH."

BEATRIX LADY TALBOT

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES

MISCELLANEOUS

NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES WANTED TO PURCHASE

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS

Отрывок из книги

Some of your correspondents may be able to give me information respecting an old ballad that has very recently fallen in my way, on a story similar to that of Shakspeare's Winter's Tale, and in some particulars still more like Greene's novel of Pandosto, upon which the Winter's Tale was founded. You are aware that the earliest known edition of Greene's novel is dated 1588, although there is room to suspect that it had been originally printed before that year: the first we hear of the Winter's Tale is in 1611, when it was acted at court, and it was not printed until it appeared in the folio of 1623.

The ballad to which I refer has for title The Royal Courtly Garland, or Joy after Sorrow: it is in ordinary type, and was "Printed and sold in Aldermary Churchyard, London." It has no date, and in appearance does not look older than from perhaps, 1690 to 1720; it may even be more recent, as at that period it is not easy to form a correct opinion either from typography or orthography: black-letter has a distinguishing character at various periods, so as to enable a judgment to be formed within, perhaps, ten years, as regards an undated production: but such is not the case with Roman type, or white-letter. What I suspect, however, is that this ballad is considerably older, and that my copy is only a comparatively modern reprint with some alterations; it requires no proof, at this time of day, to show that it was the constant habit of our old publishers of ephemeral literature to reprint ballads without the slightest notice that they had ever appeared before. This, in fact, is the point on which I want information, as to The Royal Courtly Garland, or Joy after Sorrow. Can any of your correspondents refer me to an older copy, or do they know of the existence of one which belongs to a later period? I cannot be ignorant of DR. RIMBAULT'S learning on such matters, and I make my appeal especially to him.

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Hares.—Besides the ancient superstition attached to the crossing of the path by one of these animals, there is also a belief that the running of one along the street or mainway of a village, portends fire to some house in the immediate vicinity.

Toads.—Belief in their venomous nature is yet far from being extinct. This, added to the ill-defined species of fascination which they are supposed to exercise, has caused them here, as elsewhere, to be held in great abhorrence. I have heard persons who ought to have known better, exclaim on the danger of gazing upon one of the harmless reptiles. The idea respecting the fascinating powers of the toad, is by no means confined to our district. Witness the learned Cardan:

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