CLUB LAW 
 
 ACTED IN 
 CLARE HALL 
 CAMBRIDGE 
 
 1599 1600
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 SCHOOL OF LAW 
 LIBRARY
 
 CLUB LAW
 
 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, 
 
 C. F. CLAY, MANAGER. 
 
 llontom: FETTER LANE, B.C. 
 
 (Blassflofo: 50, WELLINGTON STREET. 
 
 ILetpjtfl : F. A. BROCKHAUS. 
 rto gorfe: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, 
 anto Calcutta: MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD. 
 
 [All Rights reserved}
 
 CLUB LAW 
 
 A COMEDY 
 
 ACTED IN CLARE HALL, CAMBRIDGE 
 ABOUT 15991600 
 
 NOW PRINTED FOR THE FIRST TIME 
 
 FROM A MS. IN THE LIBRARY OF ST JOHN'S COLLEGE 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
 
 BY 
 
 G. C. MOORE SMITH, Lrrr.D. 
 
 PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD 
 
 Cambridge : 
 
 at the University Press 
 1907
 
 C62.73 
 
 Camtm&gr : 
 
 PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M.A. 
 AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.
 
 * 
 I 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 e 
 
 I TAKE this opportunity of thanking the Registrary 
 of the University of Cambridge for giving me 
 facilities to copy the Acta Curi<e and other documents 
 preserved in the Registry : the Town Clerk of Cam- 
 bridge for giving me similar facilities in regard to 
 documents now in his charge : the Librarian and Sub- 
 librarian of St John's College for the kind arrangements 
 made for me in their Library : and Dr J. R. Green, 
 Librarian of Downing College, for putting the Bowtell 
 MSS. at my disposal at some inconvenience to himself. 
 
 I have to thank Mr J. R. Wardale and Mr H. M. 
 Chadwick, of Clare College, for their kind readiness to 
 help me and for their interest in my work. It is, how- 
 ever, a matter of regret to me that I have not had the 
 opportunity of seeing the Bursarial Accounts of Clare 
 College for the period in which Club Law was produced. 
 Whether they contain any clue to the date of the play is 
 very doubtful, but, at least, possible. 
 
 As my Notes show, I owe many hints and illustra- 
 tions of the language of the play to the ever ready 
 kindness and minute knowledge of my friend Mr R. B. 
 M c Kerrow, the editor of Nashe, and I return him my 
 warmest thanks. 
 
 G. C. M. S. 
 
 SHEFFIELD, 
 
 32 June. 1907. 
 
 779727
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 I. The Manuscript of Club Law ix 
 
 II. Town and Gown at Cambridge at the end of the i6th 
 
 Centuiy xii 
 
 Appendix xxx i 
 
 III. Synopsis of the Contents of the Play .... xxxv 
 
 IV. Club Law in its Setting of Time and Place . . . xxxix 
 
 V. Authorship of the Play lv 
 
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE Ivii 
 
 TEXT ! 
 
 CHANGES OF PUNCTUATION 106 
 
 NOTES I09 
 
 INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES 140
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I. THE MANUSCRIPT OF CLUB LAW. 
 
 I. FULLER in his History of the University of Cambridge (1655) 
 gives an amusing account of the production of a play called 
 Club Law at Clare Hall in one of the last years of the i6th 
 century. The play, we are told, which was written in English, 
 was ' merry (but abusive),' being intended by the young scholars 
 who composed it as a piece of revenge on the townsmen of 
 Cambridge by whom they considered themselves wronged. In- 
 dividual members of the corporation were personated to the life 
 with their characteristic gestures and expressions, and, though 
 many of the incidents of the play were imaginary, some came 
 ' too near to truth ' to be pleasant to the persons travestied, who 
 had been invited to the performance and were constrained by 
 their hosts to see it out 1 . 
 
 It is not clear that Fuller had ever read the play, and 
 I am not aware of any other reference to it in the ijth century. 
 
 In the 1 8th century we hear of a supposed manuscript of the 
 play (without a title) which was in the possession of Dr Richard 
 Farmer, Master of Emmanuel. In the Catalogue of Dr Farmer's 
 library, issued previous to its sale in May, 1798, we have the 
 following entries: 
 
 '7441 The famous Tragedie of King Charles I. imperfect. 
 
 Ditto 1649. 
 
 *744i Club-Law, a merry but abusive Comedy, MS. Acted 
 
 at Clare-Hall 15978.' 
 
 The two items, according to two priced catalogues which 
 I have seen, were sold together for five shillings. 
 1 See the passage quoted pp. xxxix xli.
 
 x Club Law 
 
 Although rather strangely printed, I understand the word 
 'Ditto' to mean that the MS. of Club Law, like the printed 
 Tragedy, was ' imperfect.' 
 
 This MS. of Dr Farmer's had been referred to by J. S. Hawkins 
 in 1787 in his edition of Ignoramus, p. Ixxii, as follows: 'Dr 
 Farmer is in possession of a manuscript play, without a title, 
 which from its tendency to expose the Mayor and Corporation of 
 Cambridge, has been supposed to be Club Law : but as it is wholly 
 founded on the expectation of a visit from King James, and 
 refers to events which happened in his reign, it does not seem 
 probable that it can be the Club Law which was performed in the 
 reign of his predecessor.' 
 
 If the facts mentioned by Hawkins were correct, one might 
 well accept his conclusion. It is clear, however, that the MS. 
 after Dr Farmer's death was still considered to be a copy of the 
 play mentioned by Fuller, and I am inclined to dismiss as 
 erroneous all that Hawkins says on the Jacobean character of 
 Dr Farmer's manuscript play. 
 
 After Dr Farmer's sale, his supposed manuscript of Club Law 
 disappeared from view, and the play for more than a century was 
 practically lost. 
 
 2. In June, 1906, when examining manuscripts of Latin 
 academic plays in the Library of St John's College, Cambridge, 
 I asked to see one which had been described by the late Dean 
 Cowie in his Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the College, 
 printed about 60 years ago, in the following terms: 'S. 62. 
 Translation of some Latin Play (I conjecture). MS. Folio paper. 
 The beginning is wanting.' 
 
 On examination it seemed clear that the play before me was 
 not a translation from the Latin, but an original English play, 
 and one that dealt with the relations of University men to the 
 corporation of a town. For the moment I had to leave the 
 matter there, but on reading soon afterwards Fuller's account of 
 the play Club Law it occurred to me that the Cambridge 
 manuscript was probably that comedy. In August, 1906, I
 
 Introduction xi 
 
 transcribed the manuscript, and it became at once clear that the 
 lost Club Law had come to light. 
 
 The Cambridge MS. like that which belonged to Dr Farmer 
 is unfortunately imperfect. It has no title, four or five leaves 
 are torn away at the beginning, so that we have nothing before 
 the concluding sentence of Act i. Sc. 3, and one leaf is torn out 
 in Act iv. containing all Sc. 3 and parts of Sc. 2 and Sc. 4 of that 
 act. The MS. is clearly written, in a hand which may be con- 
 temporary with the play, but contains careless repetitions, omissions 
 and distortions of words, so that in various places its interpretation 
 presents great difficulty. 
 
 It appears from an earlier hand-written catalogue of the 
 MSS. of St John's College that this MS. did not come into 
 the possession of the College before the latter part of the i8th 
 century. I am, therefore, inclined to think that it is the identical 
 manuscript which belonged to Dr Farmer, and that Hawkins' 
 account of the contents of the latter was incorrect. 
 
 It does not seem likely that St John's College purchased 
 the MS. at Dr Farmer's sale, as otherwise the College would 
 have probably been in possession of the printed ' Tragedie of King 
 Charles I ' which was sold with it, and this seems not to be 
 the case. But the College may well have bought the MS. from 
 a bookseller soon after the sale. 
 
 In the text of the play here given, the letters 's,' *j ' and 'v' 
 have been substituted for c f,' * i ' and ' u ' of the MS. in accordance 
 with modern usage, and contracted words expanded, including 
 4 Mr ' in some cases (' master '). The symbol at the end of 
 words, which may be read as l s ' or * es,' has been printed ' s ' 
 (e.g. ' vassalls,' * lodgings,' * maks,' ' magistrals,' ' thats,' * letts '), 
 except in the case of * priviledges ' (1. 2776), where it makes a 
 syllable. All words inserted in the text have been enclosed in square 
 brackets, and all words omitted or altered have been mentioned in 
 footnotes. 
 
 All deviations from the punctuation of the MS. have been 
 mentioned in a list appended to the text. 
 
 s. b
 
 xii Club Law 
 
 II. TOWN AND GOWN AT CAMBRIDGE AT THE END OF 
 THE ibTH CENTURY. 
 
 i. Our play Club Law owed its origin to a long-standing feud 
 between the University and the town of Cambridge, which at 
 the close of the i6th century had become specially acute. Before 
 we can place it, we must therefore understand the circumstances 
 out of which it arose. The ground of the quarrels which so often 
 occurred between the two bodies was the possession by the Uni- 
 versity of extraordinary privileges which had descended to it from 
 the Middle Ages. 
 
 The first of such privileges was the power to regulate the 
 supply and price of provisions in Cambridge by exercising its own 
 jurisdiction over c Regraters, Forestallers and Ingrossers 1 .' This 
 power was derived from a charter granted to the University by 
 Henry III (22nd February, I26f) 2 , of which the third article ran 
 as follows : * quod nullus Regratarius emat victualia in villa 
 Cantabrig. vel extra versus villam venientia, nee aliquid emat 
 vt iterum vendat ante horam tertiam, et si fecerit, amercietur 
 secundum quantitatem et qualitatem delicti.' 
 
 By a charter of King Edward II dated I4th February, 13 if, 
 previous grants to the University were confirmed, and the following 
 privilege added. We quote Cooper's translation 3 : 
 
 'VII. That whenever the mayor and bailiffs should take 
 their oath of fealty in their Common Hall, the Corporation 
 should forewarn the Chancellor of the day in order that he (by 
 himself or by some other person) might be present if he would, 
 (which oath as far as regards the scholars should be that they, the 
 said mayor and bailiffs will maintain to the best of their power 
 
 1 Strictly, a ' regrater ' was one who bought to sell again, a ' forestaller ' one 
 who bought goods before they came into the market, an ' ingrosser ' one who 
 bought up goods with the view of getting practically a monopoly. But the terms 
 are often used with little distinction of meaning. 
 
 2 Cooper's Annals, \. 50. 
 
 3 Cooper, I. 75.
 
 Introduction xiii 
 
 the liberties and customs of the University as concerning the 
 keeping of the King's peace and the assise of bread and beer and 
 other victuals, and that they will not wilfully or maliciously 
 impugn the other liberties and lawful customs of the University) 
 and that otherwise the oath of fealty should be of no avail : but 
 if the Chancellor after being forewarned would not be present by 
 himself or his Proctor, the said oath should nevertheless be taken.' 
 
 This provision was confirmed by charter of King Edward III 
 dated 2Oth March, 133! J . 
 
 A new charter, still more comprehensive and explicit, was 
 granted by Richard II, I7th February, I38| 2 . 
 
 This provided that the University authorities should have * the 
 custody of the assize of bread wine and beer and the punishment 
 of the same 3 ', and should 'have power to inquire and take conusance 
 of forestallers and regrators, and of putrid... flesh and fish, in the 
 town and suburbs, and to make due punishment thereupon.' 
 
 A further charter, granted by the same King on loth December, 
 1383*, provided that the Chancellor for the time being and his 
 vice-gerent ' should for ever have before their conusance of all and 
 all manner of personal pleas as well of debts, accounts and all other 
 contracts and injuries, as of trespasses against the peace and mis- 
 prisions whatsoever done within the town of Cambridge or the 
 suburbs (mayhem 5 and felony only excepted) where a Master, 
 scholar or scholar's servant or a common minister of the University 
 should be a party.' (Hence arose the troublesome class of l privi- 
 leged persons' against whom action in most cases could only be 
 taken in the Vice-Chancellor's court.) 'That no justice, judge, 
 sheriff, mayor, bailiff or any other minister, should interfere in the 
 pleas aforesaid, or put any party to answer before them, unless 
 
 1 Cooper, i. 88. 2 Cooper, I. 124. 
 
 8 i.e. the power of fixing by proclamation from time to time the price at which 
 bread, wine and beer should be sold, and of punishing those who demanded more 
 than the price permitted. 
 
 4 Cooper, I. 127. 
 
 6 ' Mayhem ' (or ' maim ') means an injury causing privation of some essential 
 part.
 
 xiv Club Law 
 
 the Chancellor or his vice-gerent should be found defective 
 
 in administering justice ' 'That the Chancellor and his 
 
 successors or their vice-gerents might imprison all persons 
 convicted before them in the Castle of Cambridge, or else- 
 where in the town, at their discretion.' 
 
 Under 1386 Cooper tells us 1 that the Chancellor claimed to 
 have the correction and punishment of those who sold candles 
 and fuel, under the grant conferring on him the government of 
 victuals, and the King declared by letters patent that chandlers 
 and hostellers should in future be reputed victuallers and should be 
 subject to the Chancellor's correction. 
 
 In consequence of frequent disputes between the town and 
 University both parties in 1502 besought the amicable interference 
 of Margaret, Countess of Richmond and Derby, the King's 
 mother. She advised them to appoint arbitrators to determine 
 their respective claims. The award made under their seals and 
 the seal of the Countess was, in 1503, reduced to the form of an 
 indenture of covenant between the two corporations 2 . But 
 Cooper adds * the disputes between the two bodies were renewed, 
 even during the life of the Countess of Richmond.' 
 
 The privileges of the University were confirmed by a new 
 charter granted by Queen Elizabeth, 26th April, 1561 3 , one 
 clause of which provided that the authorities of the University 
 'as well by day as by night, at their pleasure, might make 
 scrutiny, search, and inquisition, in the town and suburbs, and 
 in Barnwell and Sturbridge, for all common women, bawds, 
 vagabonds, and other suspected persons... and punish all whom on 
 such scrutiny, search, and inquisition, they should find guilty or 
 suspected of evil, by imprisonment of their bodies, banishment, 
 or otherwise as the Chancellor or his vice-gerent should deem fit.' 
 The Mayor and other officers of the town were commanded not to 
 impede such search, but on request of the Chancellor or his 
 vice-gerent to aid and assist therein. 
 
 1 Cooper, I. 131. 2 Cooper, i. 258, 260, etc. 
 
 3 Cooper, II. 165168.
 
 Introduction xv 
 
 The privileges given by the various royal charters were con- 
 firmed to the University by Act of Parliament in I57I 1 . 
 
 Under these charters the University had great powers of 
 interference with the trade of the town and of entrance into 
 the houses of the townsmen : it could summon offenders before 
 its own courts and commit them to prison, whereas members of 
 the University and their servants could not be brought before the 
 courts of the town except for the sole crimes of mayhem and 
 felony: it had the further right of exacting an oath from every 
 incoming Mayor of Cambridge that he would preserve the Uni- 
 versity's privileges. 
 
 2. Every occasion was thus given for disputes between the two 
 bodies. The townsmen feeling themselves not to be masters in 
 their own house were apt to rebel against the restrictions laid on 
 them: and members of the University were equally ready to 
 resent the least infringement of the rights they had enjoyed for 
 so many centuries. 
 
 We need not go back to an earlier point than the year 
 1586 7, a year marked by events which anticipated those of 
 1596 and the years following with which we are more immediately 
 concerned. 
 
 The Mayor, John Edmunds although the son of a previous 
 Vice-Chancellor on his entering on office at Michaelmas, 1586, 
 contrived that scarcely anyone should be present when he took 
 the oath to the University except himself and the Town Clerk. 
 Six months later the Mayor impounded some hogs belonging to 
 one Hammond, bailiff and brewer of Jesus College : and in con- 
 sequence on 2yth May, 1587, the Vice-Chancellor and the major 
 part of the Heads of Colleges and other Doctors then in the 
 University, made a decree prohibiting, under a penalty of 
 100 shillings, any scholar or person having scholar's privilege to 
 buy, sell, contract or communicate with the Mayor on account 
 
 1 Cooper, II. 274.
 
 xvi Club Law 
 
 of his ingratitude to the University. Such a decree was and is 
 called one of 'discommoning 1 .' 
 
 Meanwhile, the V ice-Chancellor having arrested two persons 
 for impounding the hogs, and having kept one in prison, had been 
 served at the Mayor's instigation in a very offensive manner 
 with two writs of habeas corpus to remove the delinquents and 
 their causes to the Court of Queen's Bench. 
 
 It was alleged by the Mayor that the pound had been twice 
 sawn asunder by multitudes of riotous persons with clubs and the 
 hogs delivered, and that the rioters threatened with clubs to beat 
 into their doors all such persons as came out to see who they 
 were 2 . 
 
 1 After the discommoning the following Grace was submitted (British Museum 
 Additional MSS. 5852, fo. 82, etc. Cole's copy of a MS. lent him by 
 Dr Farmer) : 
 
 ' Junii 12, 1587. Oppidani suspensi in gratiam non nisi a senatu recipiendi. 
 
 ' Cum superioribus hisce Diebus quidam Oppidani propter Demerita sua et 
 intollerabilem adversus Academiam et Academicos Ingratitudinem a Contubernio 
 Scholarium sunt suspensi, et Scholares et eorum Famuli cum eisdem quovis 
 modo contrahere aut negotiari stricte et sub gravi mulcta sunt interdicti, Placet 
 vobis ut hujusmodi antedicta Decreta et in inposterum decernenda vestra auc- 
 toritate rata et firma teneantur et inposterum non rescindantur sine consensu 
 et assensu totius Senatus, etc.' 
 
 The University based its right to ' discommon ' on its possession of ecclesiastical 
 jurisdiction. Cp. a passage in ' A Projecte conteyninge the state, order, and 
 manner of Governemente of the University of Cambridge' [in 1601], printed by 
 Cooper (Annals, II. 602 611): 
 
 (p. 609) 'The University is authorized to use or exercise jurisdiction ecclesias- 
 tical, as appeareth by the grant of King Richard the Second, in the 7th yeare of 
 his raigne, and by his writts of prohibition... sent to the Courte of the Arches, 
 and... to the Official, or Commissary unto John Bishop of Ely... prohibiting those 
 Courtes from the sending forth of any inhibitions or citations to the Chanceller of 
 the University of Cambridge ; which is also confirmed by the continual practice 
 of the University ever since the said time, as may be shewed by the probate of the 
 Wills or Testaments of priviledged persons dyinge within that Body: By the 
 excommunicating of divers Maiors of the Towne of Cambridge for impugning 
 the kncnune priviledges of the University, contrary to their othe ; and by the 
 ordinary censuringe of Incontinencye...the party there offending being of the 
 priviledge of the University.' 
 
 2 Cooper, II. 437 441. MS. in Registry, 37. 2. 62.
 
 Introduction xvii 
 
 On 4th September Henry Clarke, an Alderman, was also 
 discommoned for having withdrawn his custom from Hammond, 
 and John Jenkynson, late bailiff of the town, for having tried to 
 dissuade others from dealing with Hammond. Alderman Clarke 
 subsequently submitted himself and was forgiven. 
 
 On 5th July all persons enjoying University privileges were 
 forbidden to sell or give to the town lands or houses belonging to 
 the University or Colleges this being done in retaliation for an 
 ordinance of the Corporation prohibiting the transference of 
 property of that body to others than burgesses, and on 1 3th October 
 a Grace was passed that all privileged persons who had taken the 
 oath to the University and had afterwards become members of 
 the Corporation of the town should be ipso facto separated from 
 communion with the scholars for ever 1 . 
 
 In 1589, after many years of fruitless negotiation, the University 
 and the town came to an agreement as to the terms of their 
 respective charters in regard to Sturbridge Fair. But the con- 
 cordat did not give complete satisfaction to the townspeople, and 
 the Mayor, Nicholas Gaunt, who had assented to the University's 
 charter, was considered to have betrayed the town. In consequence 
 he was 'shortlie after putt of his Aldermanshipp and lived the 
 remaynder of his life in great want and miserie and hatefull to all 
 the townesmenV 
 
 In I5ff letters were received by Mayors of towns from the 
 Privy Council concerning the killing of flesh in Lent, and the 
 Mayor of Cambridge took upon him to take bond for the due 
 observing of the order from certain butchers and victuallers. 
 As the University claimed that any such proceeding was entirely 
 in its own province, it sent a protest to Lord Burghley. It com- 
 plained especially against Lord North (Lord Lieutenant of the 
 county and High Steward of the town) for supporting the town 
 in thus infringing University privileges 3 . 
 
 In September, 1591, one Richard Parish of Chesterton attacked 
 
 1 Cooper, ii. 448. 2 Cooper, II. 466 475. 
 
 3 Cooper, ii. 481483.
 
 xviii Club Law 
 
 and wounded some scholars. A complaint having been made, the 
 Vice-Chancellor issued a decree for the man's arrest, which was 
 executed as he was in attendance on Lord North and other justices 
 returning from the sessions. He was rescued by Lord North's 
 retinue, but * the scholars raised the cry of clubs which was 
 promptly responded to and an affray took place in which Lord 
 North appears to have been placed in some little peril.' He pre- 
 ferred a complaint to the Privy Council. The matter was 
 investigated by the Privy Council on 23rd November, but it 
 does not appear how it ended 1 . 
 
 About the year 1596 the townsmen drew up articles of 
 complaint against the University. In these were recited various 
 acts of oppression committed within 15 or 20 years preceding, 
 generally by the Taxors or Proctors in the exercise of their right 
 to enter houses in search of criminals or loose women or to stop 
 the conveyance out of Cambridge of candles or corn or the selling 
 of wine without a licence. They also included charges against 
 the University officials of accepting money for permission to do 
 things otherwise forbidden. Article 31 runs as follows: 'They 
 have brought back againe with force divers vessells laden with 
 corne of sondrie persons lawfullie licenced by the Justices, 
 mysseusinge the Corne with wetinge yt and dasshinge yt, and 
 thrustinge a greate deale thereof into the River, and without 
 money will not suffer it to passe 2 .' We shall find a similar 
 occurrence in our play. 
 
 This year the University took great offence at the issuing of 
 a commission of the peace in which the name of the Mayor, who 
 was appointed Gustos Rotulorum y was placed before that of the 
 Vice-Chancellor 8 . 
 
 The Mayor elected at Michaelmas of this year, Robert Wallis, 
 refused to take the oath for the conservation of the University's 
 privileges. Complaint having been made, the matter was referred 
 on the part of the two Corporations to Lord Keeper Egerton as 
 
 1 Cooper, ii. 493508. 2 Cooper, n. 548 556. 
 
 3 Cooper, II. 557.
 
 Introduction xix 
 
 Recorder of the town and Lord Burghley as Chancellor of the 
 University, who made an order on I2th November directing that 
 notice should be given to the Vice-Chancellor two days before the 
 Mayor and bailiffs took the oath of fidelity and that the oath 
 should thereafter be taken in the presence of the Vice-Chancellor 1 . 
 On the 1 3th December at a meeting of the two bodies in 
 St Mary's the Mayor again refused to take the oath, alleging that 
 the order made was prospective only and charging Lord Burghley 
 with overruling the matter against all law and right. On which 
 the University again complained to the Chancellor 2 . 
 
 1 Camb. Univ. MSS. Mm. i. 35. 2. 
 'November 12. 1596 
 
 ' The ordre for the Mayors oath. 
 
 'Whereas by the Charter graunted to the Universitie by Kinge Edward the 
 second, & divers tymes since confirmed, It doth appeare that the Comminalty 
 of the Towne of Cambr: should premonere Cancellarium vel per se vel per certas 
 aliquas personas, intersit prestationi Juramenti fidelitatis Majoris et Ballivorum as 
 by the sd. Charter more at large appeareth. And whereas the Vicechan: of the 
 Universitie for the tyme being hath been accustomed by himselfe or such as he 
 hath assigned, to minister an oath to the sd Mayor & Bayliffs for the tyme being, 
 according to the sd Charter, viz: quod ipsi Major et Ballivi libertates et consue- 
 tudines universitatis predicte quoad conservationem pacis nostre et assise panis 
 et cervisie ac victualium pro viribus conservabunt et quod alias libertates et 
 consuetud: eiusdem Universitatis debitas, quatenus sibi de eisdem constiterit 
 indebite seu malitiose non impugnabunt. And yet notwithstandinge of late the 
 Mayor & Bayliffs of Cambr. have moved some question, as well concerning the 
 sd premonition, as also concerninge the ministring of y e sd. oath, we therefore the 
 L. Keeper of the great Scale of Englande now Recorder of ye Towne of Cambr, 
 & the L High Tre r of England, being the Chancellour of the Universitie of 
 Cambr: respecting the good and quiet both of y e Universitie & Towne... do ordre 
 and determine, that from hence forth premonition shall be given to the Vicechan: 
 or his Deputie for the tyme beinge, by the Comminalty of the Towne of Cambr: 
 two dayes before the Mayor and Bayliffs shall take y r oath of fidelity: and that 
 the Mayor & Bayliffs for the tyme being, & all y r successors shall for ever 
 herafter take the sd oath (accordinge to the sd. Charter as is before expressed) 
 beinge reade by the Proctors of the Universitie or y r Deputies, as heretofore hath 
 bene accustomed, in the presence of the Vice Chan: for the tyme beinge; or in the 
 presence of two Doctors, or two Heades of Colledges in the sd. Universitie, 
 to be specially in y r behalfe appoynted. 
 
 Tho: Egerton C.S. W. Burghley.' 
 
 2 Cooper, II. 558.
 
 xx Club Law 
 
 Meanwhile on the I3th November the townsmen send to 
 the Lord Keeper and Lord Burghley fresh articles against the 
 University. Among other things they complain of discommoning, 
 they say the Court of the Consistory of the University is rightly 
 called by the University-men the townsmen's scourge and they 
 make a statement of ill-usage suffered by the Mayor, to which we 
 shall have occasion to refer later 1 . 
 
 On the igth January Dr Jegon the V ice-Chancellor com- 
 plained to Archbishop Whitgift that the Mayor and his brethren 
 had taken occasion of the receipt of letters from the Privy Council 
 concerning the assising of the price of grain in markets and the 
 correction of victuallers, to interfere in matters which were the 
 prerogative of the University 2 . 
 
 On the preceding 28th September two maltsters named 
 Nicholson and Rose had been fined in the University leet for 
 ingrossing corn. We shall hear more of this case later 3 . 
 
 At the town sessions held on 24th May, 1597, a dispute 
 took place between Dr Jegon, the V ice-Chancellor, and the Mayor 
 and other Justices with regard to the jurisdiction of the University 
 over townsmen accused of forestalling and ingrossing and its sole 
 jurisdiction over its own members and 'privileged persons.' In 
 consequence the townsmen preferred a complaint to Lord Burghley 
 the Chancellor, and the Vice-Chancellor submitted a reply to it 
 on 23rd June. 
 
 In his letter to Lord Burghley enclosing the reply, Dr Jegon 
 speaks of 'the quarrelous disposition and insolent behavior of 
 our neighbours of the Towne, beinge (as is observed by the 
 ancyentest and gravest amongst us) more factious and stirringe 
 now of late then in former tymes, making choise of suche to be 
 governoures amongest them, as are most boulde and forward in 
 attemptes against this University.' On the same day the Vice- 
 Chancellor and the Heads officially frame a complaint against 
 ' the mayor and townsmen of Cambridge ' : ' They summon our 
 
 1 Cooper, ii. 559 561. * Cooper, n. 565. 
 
 3 Cooper, n. 566, 567.
 
 Introduction xxi 
 
 known privileged persons to their town sessions ; they award 
 process against them ; they daily commit them ; they openly 
 discharge victuallers ; they take scholars' horses to serve post 
 upon ordinary commission ; and generally they adventure to do 
 any thing against our charters with such unwonted boldness and 
 violence, that we shall be driven of necessity to seek relief extra- 
 ordinary.' 
 
 Some of the townsmen having on their part complained to 
 Lord Chief Justice Popham of high-handed and irregular pro- 
 ceedings on the part of the University, he wrote a severe letter 
 to the Vice-Chancellor on 4th July. It was one element in the 
 situation that in resisting the privileges conferred on the University 
 by charter the townsmen generally had the sympathy of those who 
 administered the common law of the land 1 . Lord Burghley also 
 advised the V ice-Chancellor to ' carry himself in temperate sorte 
 towards the mayor and his company.' In return however the 
 V ice-Chancellor on 26th July sent to Lord Burghley a series 
 of 'articles of grievances done by Mr Maior of Cambridge 
 against the Universitie.' The last article is of special interest 
 to us. 
 
 * ii. Hughe Jones, sometimes servaunt to the Taxer of the 
 Universitie, discharged that Universitie service, and banished that 
 bodie for his corrupt dealinge and other misdemeanour in his 
 service, att the suite and petition of Mr Clarke Alderman, is now 
 by this Maior preferred to be Sergeant unto the towne, being a 
 man manie wayes infamous, as being a fitt instrument to deale (as 
 he notoriouslie doth) against the Universitie.' 
 
 In a new complaint against the Mayor and townsmen made 
 
 1 Thus the solicitor for the University, Mr Philip Stringer, writes to Dr Jegon 
 from London on 3rd November, 1597 : 
 
 ' My Lord Cheife Justice... is peremptorie in this, that our Charter doth not give 
 us cognisance of any thinge w h is not triable at the Common Lawe of England, or 
 that it can be an offence in Cambridge betwixt subjecte & subjecte & there 
 punishable, eyther by lawe or custome, w ch is not an offence & so unpunishable 
 in other partes of the Lande : & must therefore be (as he sayth) a meere 
 usurpac'on & not a right use of our Charter.' (Baker MSS.)
 
 xxii Club Law 
 
 to Lord Burghley on 2Jth September the following article perhaps 
 refers to the same action : 
 
 '3. Notoriouse lewde persons by consent of the Vice- 
 Chancellor and heades thrust out from serving the Universitie 
 officers, for abusinge some cheife men of the towne, and for 
 corrupt dealinge under their maisters, are made officers and free 
 burgesses of their bodie, to nourishe (as we suppose) occasion of 
 dislike and contention betwene us.' 
 
 Another clause runs as follows : 
 
 * Lastlie whereas we have received diverse lettres from...hir 
 Majesties privie Counsell for reformation of Ingrossers of Corne, 
 and thereupon have bine very carefull to enquire and amercie in 
 our Leete or Laweday such offenders accordinge to our Charter 
 and auncient Custome, the Townesmen (offendors in that behalf) 
 are so farr from reforminge themselves, as that not onlie they doe 
 soe still : but alsoe take exceptiones against our proceedinges, 
 Xhreateninge Indictmentes of premunire &C. 1 ' 
 
 Robert Wallis was re-elected Mayor for 1597 8 and took 
 his oath on Michaelmas Day for the conservation of University 
 privileges but in an irreverent manner, keeping his head covered. 
 Fresh complaints to Lord Burghley followed 2 . 
 
 Dr Jegon, who was re-elected V ice-Chancellor, having com- 
 mitted to prison William Nicholson for refusing to pay his debt to 
 the Proctors and three other persons for other reasons, writs of 
 habeas corpus were sued out of the Court of King's Bench, and on 
 the last day of Michaelmas term the Court adjudged the Vice- 
 Chancellor's returns bad, and in spite of his humble submission by 
 the mouth of his counsel amerced him in 20 for his returns and 
 in a further sum of .20 for the false imprisonment of the parties 3 . 
 
 This was a triumph for the town, as we see from a letter 
 written by the Vice-Chancellor and Heads to Lord Chief Justice 
 Popham apparently on 1st January, 159^, 'our Adversaries so 
 greatly triumphe in that displeasure which (they give out) they 
 
 1 Cooper, ii. 572 579. 2 Cooper, n. 582. 
 
 3 Cooper, n. 585.
 
 Introduction xxiii 
 
 have wrought us with your Lordship, that the meanest people 
 here (by their Encouragement) doe beginne to resist us in all our 
 courses of goverment.' They protest against having to plead 
 their charters in court and ask that the Lord Chief Justice would 
 hear their cause in private. 
 
 Their position was more clearly expressed in a letter to Lord 
 Burghley of 1 5th March, in which they write : ' the wordes of 
 our Charter, as we take it, doe utterly free us from those Courtes, 
 neither are we to aunswere our proceedinges before any Judge or 
 Justice but yourselfe our Chancellour (except for maheme and 
 fellonie) 1 .' 
 
 From a letter of Dr Jegon's of 8th May it would seem that 
 he thought that he had satisfied the Court of King's Bench of 
 the validity of his proceedings against Nicholson and the others 
 who had sued out writs of habeas corpus*. The result however 
 seems to show that he was under some error. 
 
 Lord Burghley having died on 4th August, the University on 
 the loth elected the Earl of Essex to the Chancellorship, and 
 during the following months made efforts to enlist him actively 
 in its cause. He satisfied it in one respect, as the following 
 shows : 
 
 ' I do set down this judgment as earl marshall of England and 
 judge by my office of all places and precedencies that the vice 
 chancellor of Cambridge is to be in commission before the mayor. 
 
 * ESSEX 3 .' 
 
 Soon after Lord Essex became Chancellor he visited Cambridge. 
 The Attorney General Coke seems to have been there at the 
 same time and to have allowed himself to be convinced of the 
 justice of the University's pretensions 4 . 
 
 About this time the University again formulated complaints 
 
 1 Cooper, II. 589, 590. 2 Cooper, n. 590, 591. 
 
 3 Cooper, ii. 594. 
 
 4 Letter of Dr Jegon and the Heads to Lord Essex, 28th October, 1598: 
 'our knowne priviledges, (so deemed vppon a deliberate Hearinge in y r owne 
 presence by M r Atturney General).' (Baker MSS. xxiv. 378.)
 
 xxiv Club Law 
 
 against the town and Robert Wallis the Mayor. Those against 
 Wallis were as follows : 
 
 *i. who set at libertie Jo. Tiddiswell, Geor. Pretty and Edw. 
 Hurste being in execucion upon the Vicechancellours sentence. 
 
 ' 2. who imprisoned Jo. Longworth the late Proctors man for 
 misdemeanoure in his behaviour towards the said Wallis. 
 
 ' 3. who called together a company of his owne spirit and 
 faction for ye disfranchisinge of the burgesses aboue mencioned \jc. 
 in the earlier part of the complaints] & did effect it accordingly. 
 
 ' 4. who hath attempted in open sessions with ye assistance of 
 M r Francis Brakin their deputie Recorder and a towne-borne 
 man to infringe ye knowne priviledges of the universitie by 
 summoning of victuallers thether. 
 
 '5. who beinge app d . a commissioner for the subsidie did 
 purposely forbeare to appointe any scholler &c to haue the truste 
 of a sessor. 
 
 * 6. and lastly who not longe since in thende of his Maioralty 
 hath most ambitiously procured himselfe and one Jo: Yaxley a 
 yonge Bencher 1 as they call him, and a man of his owne humor 
 and discretion to be put into the commission of ye peace, y e so 
 howsoeuer any other of the Towne stand affected, they may still 
 take occasion to disturbe the quiet of that place ; and to hinder any 
 thinge well intended there as was very apparent in the first Sessions 
 after thei were placed in y fc commission, at which meetinge ye said 
 Yaxley most insolently affirmed y fc vpon his owne knowledge he 
 durst undertake to say y fc it was intended by ye last Statute de anno 
 39 Eliz, concerning the releife of ye pore that none should haue to 
 doe therein but the Mayor of the Towne 2 , and y fc he would not 
 for his owne parte be ordered by any other notwithstanding yt the 
 whole company (except his fellowe Wallis) thought otherwise 
 of it 3 .' 
 
 1 That is, Alderman. Cp. Cooper, in. 47 ' the bench and the form.' 
 
 2 Yaxley with Wallis had represented Cambridge in the Parliament summoned 
 on the 24th October, 1597, and dissolved on the gih February, 159^. 
 
 3 'Letter?,,, in the tyme of D r Jegon' in the University Registry.
 
 Introduction xxv 
 
 The last clause introduces us to a character who was perhaps 
 a more violent opponent of the University than Wallis had 
 been. 
 
 James Robson was elected Mayor for 1598 9 and Dr Jegon 
 re-elected Vice-Chancellor. From the following document 1 , which 
 is probably to be dated December, 1598, we see the anxiety of the 
 University to have Wallis and Yaxley removed from the Com- 
 mission of the Peace. 
 
 * Directions for the renuinge of the Commission of the Peace 
 for the Universitie & Towne of Cambridge. 
 
 'First that my L. the Earle of Essex be placed in the 
 Commission... who was not in the last Commission procured 
 in June last by Wallys and Yaxley. 
 
 '...That special suite be made with the privity of our Ho: 
 Chan : & by his Lps direction for the removinge of Wallis & 
 Yaxley out of the commission, for that they were put into it by y r 
 owne ambitions, seeking thereof to disquiet the goverment of the 
 universitie & of the Towne also, as we have found to our great 
 charge, & would be found also by the best sorte of the Towne, if 
 they were therin examined : both the Universitie & Towne having 
 cause so to thinke, by such conference as the goverment of those 
 Bodyes have had for the good of the Towne since Wallys left to 
 be Mayor there; & are of opinion, that if it should be thought 
 meete to have more of the Townsmen in Commission, that 
 other amongst them might be found farr meeter for that purpose 
 then eyther Wallys or Yaxley, as namely the Mayor for the tyme 
 beinge whose name is James Robson, & one M r Medcalfe, who 
 hath bene mayor long since, who are knowne to be men of 
 quieter spirits, & every waye more meete then the other for that 
 service.' 
 
 In Trinity term, 1599, judgment was given in the Court of 
 Common Pleas in an action for assault and false imprisonment on 
 7-3rd September, 1597, brought by William Nicholson, maltster, 
 
 1 Cambridge University Library, MS. Mm. i. 35 (xxx) fo. 386.
 
 xxvi Club Law 
 
 against the late Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jegon, and Benjamin Pryme, 
 the inferior bedell of the University. 
 
 'The defendants. . .alleged that the University was a Corporation 
 by prescription, and had a Court of Record at which the inhabitants 
 ought to enquire of forestallers, regrators and engrossers,... and that 
 they had a right to imprison on non-payment of fines and forfeitures 
 imposed in such Court. They then set out the Queen's charter of 
 26 th April 1561 and the confirmation thereof by parliament, and 
 averred that on I st Aug*. 1596 the plaintiff engrossed three quarters 
 of barley, buying it out of the market of divers persons with intent 
 to sell it again, and that at the Leet held on 28 th Sept. following, 
 before Lionel Duckett and Thomas Cooke, proctors, the plaintiff 
 was fined 20*. for that offence, and refusing to pay was imprisoned. 
 To this plea the plaintiff demurred, and the Court gave judgment 
 in his favour.' The damages were assessed at 40 and the costs 
 taxed at ^y 1 . 
 
 In a paper in the Record Office 2 called 'A breife of articles 
 [against the town] answeres [by the town] and replies [by the 
 University] examined at Lambeth A dni 1599 Eliz. 41. (i.e. before 
 November 2Oth),' one grievance of the University is summarised 
 4 Resistance of search by Wallis and Slegge ' (Slegge was the Town 
 Clerk). This was justified by the town * i because no tippling 
 howse, 2 because no suspected persons,' to which the University 
 replied by a reference to the Act of Parliament of 1561 which gave 
 the Chancellor a right of search 'per se per suos etc quandocunque 
 atque ubicunque infra villam etc visum fuerit.' 
 
 In the autumn of this year John Yaxley became Mayor for 
 1599 1600, and Dr Soame of Peterhouse Vice-Chancellor. We 
 have a fairly complete list of the Mayor, Aldermen and ' Four and 
 Twenty ' or ' Brethren ' at this time as we find that on the 4th 
 December, 1599, John Yaxley, Mayor, John Edmonds, William 
 Wulfe, Thomas Metcalfe, Robert Wallis, John Norkot, James 
 
 1 Cooper, II. 596. 
 
 2 State Papers, Domestic Series, Elizabeth, vol. 273.
 
 Introduction xxvii 
 
 Robson, Jeremy Chace, John Jenkinson, William Nicholson, and 
 Edward Potto, Aldermen, chose the following into the number of 
 the Four and Twenty : 
 
 John Tiddeswell, Miles Goldsborow, John Andrewes, 
 
 Thomas Manninge, Richard Bembridge, Hugh Rose, 
 
 Thomas Emons, John Hawkins, Godfrey Twelves, 
 
 Richard Jones, John Fidlinge, William Archer, 
 
 John Holmes, John Haselopp, John Dawson, 
 
 William Andrewes, Thomas Tomson, John Wickstedd, 
 
 Martyn Wharton, Thomas Smart, John Durant, 
 
 John Goodwyn, Peter Whaley, Thomas Frenche 1 . 
 
 Yaxley as Mayor seems to have made himself very obnoxious 
 to the University. 
 
 A contemporary writes 2 : 
 
 c 1600. This year first were most of our Boddy cessed by the 
 meanes of M r Yaxley, being Maior, at Lands, for the Subsidy, 
 hoping therby to make us Contributors. This year did the same 
 man M r Yaxley proclame hymself sole Governer in Sturbrydg 
 Fayre, & tooke away the Scalles one Honny Hill [in the fair], 
 wich afterward he was glad to set them 3 agayne 4 .' 
 
 And a year later Chief Justice Popham, writing to the then 
 Mayor of Cambridge, Mr Chase, on the subject of a joint contri- 
 bution from the Town and University to the poor of three 
 parishes 5 , remarks: 
 
 1 1 did well like that the Towne & Vniversitie did ioyne 
 togither in these... services. But must needes myslyke with the 
 course held by your predecessour M r Yaxley who did impugne a 
 good & neccessarie ordre continued afore by his predecessours for the 
 relefe of the poore and am very sory that you will followe his pre- 
 
 1 Cooper, ii. 597 (from Metcalfe MS. in Downing Coll.). 
 
 2 British Museum Add. MSS. 5852, fo. 89 (a transcript by Cole of papers lent 
 him by Dr Farmer). 
 
 3 ?' there.' 
 
 4 See the Queen's letter of 2;th August, 1601 (Cooper, II. 6n). 
 
 5 Cp. Cooper, n. 594 top. 
 
 S. C
 
 xxviii Club Law 
 
 sident M r Yaxley did other wise then was warrantable by la we 
 & withall is suspected to haue bene a meane to nourish vnkindenes 
 betwene the Towne & the Vniversitie which for my owne parte I 
 would be glad to be at vnitie that the publique service be not, be 
 the crosse humours of some, neglected. 
 4 Bury, 3 Ap. I6OI 1 .' 
 
 The Ada Curia of the University show that on one occasion 
 at least the hostile feeling provoked by Mr Yaxley as Mayor took 
 an overt form. On the I4th December George Bubworth, brewer, 
 and two of his servants was sued 'for certaine misdemeanours and 
 outerages by them done last nighte, especially against M r Maior of 
 Cambridge.' The Vice-Chancellor committed Bubworth to the 
 Tolbooth to remain there during his good pleasure. However, on 
 nth January the Mayor signified to the V ice-Chancellor that 
 Bubworth had been with him that morning and had made his 
 submission, and that he was now satisfied; and on the 25th the 
 V ice-Chancellor, after enjoining Bubworth to pay 6s. $d. for the 
 use of the poor of St Michael's parish (in which Mr Yaxley lived), 
 and seeing the money paid, terminated the proceedings. 
 
 In the autumn of 1600 Mr Yaxley was succeeded in the 
 mayoralty by Mr Jeremy Chace and Dr Soame by Dr Jegon, 
 who was now Vice-Chancellor for the fourth time. 
 
 Things had not improved during the year of his interregnum. 
 Within a few days of his entering on office he writes that Bedell 
 Pryme has been imprisoned 'per grassantem oppidanorum injuriam' : 
 complains of ' the greate insolencie of our Townesmen,' and says, 
 * They now adventure to break our Charters in all thynges and 
 proclayme themselves sole governors in this place, whereupon 
 execucion of Justice, releefe of y e poore and all good discipline 
 is so much neglected that I fearfully forethinke what is likely to 
 followe, the multitudes of both bodies being so much intemperate 2 .' 
 
 On loth February, 160^, a statement of grievances was sent to 
 
 1 'Copies of diverse letters...' vol. II., in the University Registry. 
 
 2 Letters of Dr Jegon of 7th, 8th and iQth November, 1600, in the University 
 Registry.
 
 Introduction xxix 
 
 Sir Robert Cecil and other persons of influence. It was in these 
 terms : 
 
 ' i. Subsidiorum imposicionibus inauditis onerant quos muni- 
 ficentissima princeps semper et ubique liberos esse voluit. 
 
 * 2. Scholares cui usque ordinis procancellarium ipsum indebite 
 ad forinseca tribunalia trahunt [&] acerrime persequuntur. 
 
 ' 3. Pupillos nostros ad clandestinos contractus et dispar con- 
 jugium in aedibus suis pelliciunt nee officiarios nostros per solitum 
 scrutinium ibidem investigare sinunt. 
 
 '4. Servos nostros ante lares, ad ipsas collegiorum portas 
 adoriuntur, gladiis vulnerant. 
 
 ' 5. Juramentum pro conservacione pacis perpetuis temporibus 
 elapsis admissum omnino respuunt. 
 
 4 6. Maiorem suum quem vocant unicum huius municipii 
 magistratum esse publico prasconio clamitant 1 .' 
 
 On the 1 4th February, 160^, on the eve of Lord Essex's 
 conviction for high treason, Sir Robert Cecil was elected Chan- 
 cellor of the University. In a paper dated I4th July following, in 
 which he requests some gentlemen resident near Cambridge to 
 investigate the matters in dispute between the Town and the 
 University, he writes: 'I must confess it greeves me not a litle 
 to finde so greate opposition between the two Bodies... for first that 
 excellent nursery of Learning is dayly vexed with matter of con- 
 tention and quarrell from the Town Secondly the Town... like 
 
 to be impoverished by maintaining of suites.' In some particulars 
 he admits that he has found 'over sights on the part of some... 
 rash-headed Schollers in the University,' but he says that, in the 
 efforts he has made for peace, he has seen that the Town 'sought 
 to raise new doubts even so far as tended to the prejudice and 
 annihilating of the... Charter ' (which the Queen would not 
 hear of) 2 . 
 
 Drs Jegon, Goade, and Tyndall at this time sent some 
 suggestions to the Chancellor for settling the disputes. In them 
 
 1 Letters... in the University Registry. 
 
 2 State Papers, Domestic Series, Elizabeth, vol. 281 (14). 
 
 c2
 
 xxx Club Law 
 
 we see some indications that the proceedings of the University 
 were felt to have been open to some exception. The suggestions 
 are thus summarised in the Calendar of State Papers 1 '. 
 
 1 1 . Alehouses if the number be found excessive, to endeavour 
 to suppress the over number. 
 
 ' 2. For the mittimus we are ready to yield, in case of 
 execution, to any course according to the proceedings of 
 civil law. 
 
 * 3. For avoiding abuses in nightly searches by young deputy 
 proctors, we agree to order that none be appointed deputy proctors 
 in that case but masters of arts of three years standing, and such as 
 the Vicechancellor shall allow: and for avoiding counterfeit 
 proctors, they shall carry in all searches the proctor's staff, being 
 the ensign appointed for that purpose. 
 
 ' 4. We are willing to effect a meet contribution to the poor 
 either to the use of the inhabitants of the town, if the townsmen 
 will accept it as of free benevolence and not as compelled by law, 
 or else to relieve the poor of our own body, and the town the poor 
 of theirs. 
 
 ' 5. That the officers of the University shall not hold plea of 
 any penal law but such as concern victuals and victuallers, fore- 
 stallers and regrators, and such as are granted to them by the laws 
 and statutes of the realm.' 
 
 This document is accompanied by a l Petition for orders to 
 prevent future disquiet,' of which the purport is as follows: 
 
 4 1. Order in complaining That they break not the order of 
 the Lady Margaret's composition. 
 
 1 2. Penalty for not proving. That when they shall com- 
 plain... and thereby draw privileged persons to charge and fail in 
 proofs, then they shall bear the charges of the defendants 
 molested 
 
 1 3. That we maye have o r wonted neighborlie meetinge by 
 publique & mutuall conferrence to compounde grevaunces in 
 
 1 State Papers, Domestic Series, Elizabeth, vol. 281 (15, 16).
 
 Introduction xxxi 
 
 tyme, w ch meetinges (tendered by vs vnto them) have bene of 
 late yeares by ye insolente frowardnes of M r Wallis maior for 
 two yeares together & M r Yaxly for one yeare broken of and 
 discontinued. 
 
 '5. . . .we wishe a speedy renewinge of the Comission. In w h 
 Comission yf M r Wallis and M r Yaxly the cheife disturbers of 
 comon quiet were lefte out,... it would be a meanes expediente & 
 effectuall for the quiet of both Bodyes. 
 
 1 John Jegon.vican: 
 
 1 Roger Goad 
 
 1 Humph. Tyndall.' 
 
 Robert Wallis and John Yaxley represented Cambridge in the 
 two last Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth (24th October, 1597 
 9th February, 159^, and 2yth October, 1601 I9th December, 
 1601) and in the first Parliament of James I (igth March, 
 i6of gth February, i6{). 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 It may be interesting to append to the above history a paper of 
 unknown authorship dating from the latter half of the i8th century 1 
 and showing the view taken by a townsman of University privileges 
 at that date. The paper is preserved in the office of the Town 
 Clerk of Cambridge, who kindly allowed me to copy it. 
 
 4 It is a fact that formerly the Mayor and Corporation, attended 
 by two inhabitants of each parish in the town, were required by 
 the Univ y to meet the V. C. in the vestry room of S. Mary the 
 Great on the first Sunday after his initiation into office, there to be 
 sworn by or before him to be at all times ready to aid and assist 
 him and the other officers of the Univ y in preserving the peace 
 and good order of the town and univ y . Nearly two centuries 
 past a gentleman, who was Mayor of the Corporation, did 
 
 1 The reference to the suspension of Habeas Corpus (see p. xxxiv) suggests 
 that the date was either 1777 9 or 1794, but I know nothing of any aggressive 
 action of a Vice-Chancellor at either of these dates. If by the Mayor of ' nearly 
 two centuries ago" Edmunds is meant (see p. xv), the date must be the earlier one.
 
 xxxii Club Law 
 
 refuse to perform this act of humiliation and for this he and 
 the whole corporation were discommuned. By the act, statute, or 
 decree of discommuning every member of the Univ y is forbidden 
 under the pains and penalties of heavy fine and expulsion from the 
 Univ y to have any sort of dealing with any one so discommuned. 
 This discommuning continued some weeks, when so considerable 
 was the injury sustained by the members of the corporation, that 
 the Mayor was intreated and induced to offer a most humble and 
 earnest petition to the V. C. praying that the corporation might be 
 re-admitted to favour, and promising never more to offend in the 
 premises. On this the discommuning was taken of, and the 
 amende honorable was made in the vestry of S l Mary's Church. 
 This homage it seems has been discontinued for a very long 
 period. The present V. C. demands the renewal of it, and hold- 
 ing as he does the keys of the Univ y treasury in his hands he 
 refuses to pay to the Overseers of the poor the dues or allowances, 
 which the Univ y have been accustomed from time immemorial to 
 pay them towards the maintenance of the poor of the town. 
 This is the pretext, which the V. C. sets forth, but that it has 
 nothing to do with the case must it is presumed be clear to every 
 one. The parochial dues or allowances referred to are either a 
 free-gift of the University, or a composition in lieu of poor rates. 
 If the former we have nothing to say to it only that it is a 
 disgrace to the inhabitants of the town of Cambridge to accept 
 alms in any form or from any body of men whatever. If the 
 latter (a compromise in lieu of poor rates) then it bears no pro- 
 portion at all to the sum due and owing by the Univ y to the 
 town. 
 
 ' It is, doubtless, very true that in their first institution most 
 of our colleges were eleemosynary foundations. They were 
 founded long before the poor laws were in existence, at the 
 time when the necessitous poor were almost entirely supported 
 by the contributions of ecclesiastick and monastick incorporations. 
 They (the colleges) were neither subject to tonnage, poundage, 
 tenths, fifteenths or other taxes to the state. They were a sort
 
 Introduction xxxiii 
 
 of alms-houses, into which idle necessitous and cunning people 
 for the most part obtained admittance or were placed to learn the 
 art of supporting by an appearance of piety and science the popular 
 and reigning superstitions and impositions of the age. But 
 "Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis." The Univ y 
 along with everything else has undergone a complete change 
 within the last 250 years. It is now become a grand literary 
 market, in which the booths and stalls are let at a very high price, 
 even those of the smallest size bringing in a considerable revenue. 
 Here are places of great emolument as well as honour. Large 
 fortunes too are made by the most skilful dealers, and very sub- 
 stantial incomes are acquired by those who continue but a very 
 few years at the mart. The Noblemen and Gentlemen of the 
 Kingdom send their sons here for education, and immense sums 
 of money are obtained by the proprietors of the said booths, not 
 merely for their education, but for their personal accommodation. 
 In fact, the colleges are now subject to the window tax. Every 
 member of the Univ y whether in statu pupillari or other wise pays 
 this tax, as well as a high price or rent for the apartment or 
 apartments, which he chances to occupy. The servants of 
 Masters and Fellows of colleges gain settlements by service and 
 become parishioners of the parish in which the college is situated, 
 of which they happen to be members. The question therefore is 
 this, are not the owners or occupiers of the colleges liable to be 
 assessed for the property they hold in the Town of Cambridge as 
 well as the rest of the Inhabitants, seeing that they make a profit 
 or advantage of it for their own use & emolument? They 
 have certainly long ceased to be almshouses. If there be a doubt 
 remaining on the subject, let it at once be fairly solved by the 
 Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench and an English jury. 
 The " honourable men " of the Univ y cannot object to this. But 
 I hear some one exclaim, "We are governed by laws of our own. 
 We claim cognizance in our own courts of every thing relating 
 to the Univ y except mayhem and treason. Bring the matter 
 before us." This I fear is but too true, and how the Cam-
 
 xxxiv Club Law 
 
 bridge men will get out of the dilemma I know not. To be 
 judge in one's own cause is such a delightful advantage that no 
 one would give up if he could preserve that and his character 
 at the same time, unless he were a very disinterested sort of a 
 body. 
 
 'And here, by the by, good people of England, you need 
 not, indeed you need not, be in the least alarmed at the suspension 
 of the Habeas Corpus act, of which so much has been said. We 
 in Cambridge live and have lived under the suspension of it all our 
 lives. Our houses may be entered at any hour in the day or night 
 without a search warrant by the Univ y Proctors. We may be 
 sent to the castle, our wives and daughters to the prison, where 
 the common women of the town are confined, we may be dis- 
 communed for " shewing any disrespect " not only to " a member 
 of the univ y " but even to " his servant 1 ." 
 
 'If we are innkeepers or publicans our licences may at any 
 time be stopped or taken away without assigning any cause. But 
 what then ? We are as happy as a litter of pigs in a stye. Is one 
 of our brother pigs destroyed ? We make no outcry about it, 
 there is the more milk for those that remain. Were the V. C. to 
 order the house of any one of us to be razed from [sic] the ground, 
 we could seek a remedy in no other place than his own court. 
 It is not frequently that these extremes are resorted to. Acts of 
 the species above described have been performed, and we are liable 
 to the repetition every day, but we are Cambridge men, living in 
 the place, and were any one in company to complain of these 
 laws some slave, who battens on the vices of the place, would 
 give you for a toast, " Come here's Cambridge ! and they that 
 don't like it, damn 'em, let 'em leave it." 
 
 ' Observe the time in which these parochial allowances are 
 withdrawn. When the amount of the poor rate and the increase 
 of pauperism is becoming truly alarming. When family after 
 
 1 Note appended to the paper. ' See the Art. Discommuning in Miller, p. 63. 
 This word is not to be found either in Bailey or Johnson's Diet. Miller calls it 
 discommoning?
 
 Introduction xxxv 
 
 family is obliged to apply to the parish for relief, and those too 
 who a very few years ago never had such a circumstance in con- 
 templation. The tendency of this measure is to add to the sum 
 of both these evils, and that by those who possess immense riches 
 and from whom other and better things might have been fairly 
 expected.' 
 
 III. SYNOPSIS OF THE CONTENTS OF THE PLAY. 
 
 The play of Club Law in the imperfect state in which we 
 have it opens with a scene in which Niphill or Niphle, a pros- 
 pective Burgomaster of Athens (sc. Mayor of Cambridge), makes 
 a compact with a Welchman called Tavie, that for an immoral 
 consideration if Niphle becomes Burgomaster, Tavie shall be 
 made Chief Sergeant. Tavie is at the moment one of three 
 sergeants attending on the Burgomaster, Mr Brecknocke. 
 
 Mr Brecknocke comes on the scene and soon after has an 
 apple thrown at his head by a young student named Cricket. The 
 Town Clerk, Spruce, remarks on this, ' By our Ladie but wee must 
 have some remedie against this Club law.' Cricket, who has been 
 chased by the sergeants, in a soliloquy regrets that 'the Welch rogue' 
 had not followed him into the hall (sc. College) ' that wee might but 
 had the villaine to the pumpe.' Two older men (whom we may 
 regard as young graduates) Philenius and Musonius come on the 
 scene, and Cricket tells them of his adventure with the Burgomaster. 
 Philenius and Musonius discuss the situation: those who should 
 be their servants 4 seeme to be our masters.' Musonius thinks the 
 only remedy is to * renewe the ancient Club-lawe.' Philenius 
 proposes that they should learn their enemies' secrets by humouring 
 their wives. The next scene shows us the election of a Burgo- 
 master. The outgoing Burgomaster has the names of the 24 
 electors called over by the Town Clerk. The Town Clerk and the 
 Burgomaster make some diverting speeches and the electors are 
 dismissed to their duties. The result is clear when a cry is heard 
 from within, ' A Niphill ! A Niphill ! ' Niphle is informed of
 
 xxxvi Club Law 
 
 the electors' choice and makes a speech in which he calls on the 
 citizens to help him in punishing * those stifnecked students.' 
 According to his promise he gives Tavie the place next his person 
 and invites the company to the mayoral feast. 
 
 Cricket, determined to deprive Tavie of any share in this 
 entertainment, goes to his house, and by telling him that a 
 countryman of his, one Mr Morgan, wishes to see him, lures 
 him into 'our lodging' (i.e. College) where he is locked up and 
 beaten. Another of the sergeants, Puff, invites a Frenchman of 
 the 4 Miles Gloriosus ' type, Mounsier Grand Combatant, to the 
 Burgomaster's feast, but the Frenchman comes out disgusted with 
 the fare and the company. He prefers c the Accademick's.' 
 After the feast is over and the electors have left, the Burgo- 
 master and others (sc. the Mayor and Aldermen) hold a council 
 to consider the course they are to pursue towards the ' gentle 
 Athenians ' (sc. members of the University). It is decided that 
 Mr Colby shall forestall the market and carry away their corn 
 (' for you have obteyned your suite '), Mr Rumford shall arrange 
 *k f r tnem to be well beaten, to c have their owne Club-lawe,' and 
 Mr Spruce with the assistance of all shall draw up articles 
 embodying their grievances, and a supplication for remedy. 
 
 The wives of Colby and Niphle are now made to disclose 
 
 their discontent with their husbands and their sympathy with 
 
 the c gentle Athenians.' They tell Philenius and Musonius 
 
 that on the following day at a cudgel-play the young lads of 
 
 *. the town intend to ' make them feel Club la we.' 
 
 Cricket after playing his trick on Tavie has overheard that 
 Mr Colby is to carry away corn under a load of coals that night. 
 He tells Philenius and Musonius, who, armed with a writ of 
 attachment from Mr Rector (sc. the Vice-Chancellor), wait to 
 intercept the operation. Cricket himself fills up time by tying 
 a rope to Mr Burgomaster's door, calling c murder,' and beating the 
 Burgomaster and his three sergeants when they hurry out and 
 tumble over the rope. He then overhears a private arrangement 
 between Niphle and Tavie that Niphle would visit Tavie's house
 
 Introduction xxxvii 
 
 for an immoral purpose at 12 that night, and would use as a pass- 
 word ' I burn.' 
 
 Colby and his colliers are shipping their corn when they are 
 surprised by Musonius, Philenius, Cricket and company. Colby 
 is told of the Rector's writ and is led off to jail, after which 
 Cricket informs Musonius of Niphle's appointment with Tavie. 
 When Musonius goes off to the Rector's to get another 
 writ, Cricket plays another trick on Tavie. By help of 
 Niphle's pass-word ' 1 burn ' he induces Tavie to open his 
 door, and then fells him. Accordingly when Niphle appears 
 himself, he has some difficulty before he is admitted. Musonius 
 has now returned with a writ of search from the Rector, and 
 Philenius from escorting Mr Colby to jail, and they join in 
 demanding admission into Tavie's house. Tavie gives the alarm 
 4 Ho, Mr Nifle, the Rector's search is come, what will you doe ? ' 
 Niphle manages to escape and hide himself in a tub, in which 
 a poor beggar wench, as it happens, has already taken shelter. 
 He is seen by Cricket who undertakes to produce him if he is 
 made Captain of the Search. Niphle when found with the beggar 
 woman takes a lofty tone. ' I hope you found me doeinge no ill, 
 but executing my office. Are we not straightly charged to looke 
 to vagabonds and beggars ? ' However, his remonstrances are 
 disregarded, and he and the woman are carried in their tub to jail. 
 
 The inferior members of the search-party are seen in Tavie's 
 house keeping up conversation somewhat unequally with Luce, 
 the supposed sister of Tavie, for whose sake Niphle had visited 
 the house. She is also carried off as a prisoner to the law. 
 
 It is nearly morning, and the academics go off to bed. 
 
 Rumford in readiness for the attack which is to be made 
 on the ' gentle Athenians ' has had staves laid up in Colby's 
 storehouse. Mrs Colby informs Musonius of this, and tells him 
 that he can get them away while the townsmen are drinking. 
 Meanwhile Philenius, who has been to see the Rector, returns 
 with the news that the latter has let Colby out of prison, but 
 has issued bills of discommoning against the leaders of the town.
 
 xxxviii Club Law 
 
 [At this point there is a gap in the 
 
 Tavie has been made Captain of the attacking force, and 
 issues his commands to his natural superiors. Mounsier, though 
 his courage is distrusted by Cricket, joins himself to the other side, 
 who secure the staves from Colby's storehouse. 
 
 By way of preparing for the attack, the townsmen arrange 
 fencing-matches between the boys who are with them. Cricket, 
 as directed by his leaders, makes himself offensive and is 
 struck. A general affray then begins. The gentle Athenians 
 bring up their reserve forces, and the townsmen find that their 
 armoury has been rifled. The fight naturally goes against them, 
 Tavie runs away, and the rest beg for forgiveness. Mounsier, 
 however, who has been hiding under a stall, seeing Puff hors 
 de combat, attacks him fiercely in revenge for the bad dinner to 
 which Puff had invited him. Cricket who has seen all denounces 
 his cowardice, and the gentle Athenians go to their lodgings 
 (sc. College) for the night. 
 
 The 5th act shows us the straits to which the townspeople have 
 been reduced by being discommoned. Colby and Rumford have 
 agreed to leave the town and petition the Duke (sc. the Queen). 
 Niphle who is now released from jail sees that there is no course 
 open but to submit, but will not be the first to propose it, and 
 suggests that they should complain to the Duke. Brecknocke 
 refuses to carry on the feud any longer, and as the burgesses are 
 clamouring for peace, Colby too gives in. Niphle now proposes 
 a feigned submission and even Rumford, the most fiery spirit, 
 acquiesces. A supplication to the Rector is drawn up by Niphle, 
 on the receipt of which the Rector sends Musonius and Philenius to 
 receive the act of submission. The two emissaries adopt a haughty 
 tone, but promise that if their opponents swear true obedience 
 and service, they shall recover the privileges lost by the discommon- 
 ing. With the taking of the oath the war is at an end, and Tavie 
 asks Cricket to take him as his true man and servant. Cricket 
 promises to have him made underskinker in the buttery, and then 
 delivers the epilogue.
 
 Introduction xxxix 
 
 IV. CLUB LAW IN ITS SETTING OF TIME AND PLACE. 
 
 i. We have now to discuss the relation in which our play 
 stands to the course of events sketched in Section II. It will 
 be well first to give in full the passage of Fuller's History of the 
 University of Cambridge ', to which reference was made earlier. 
 
 Fuller prefixes to his remarks the following table : 
 
 '59? 
 
 159! 
 
 39 
 
 4 o 
 
 lohn legon 
 Vice can. 
 
 lohn legon 
 Vice can. 
 
 William Moon ) 
 
 Richard Sutton f rroct< 
 
 Nathaniel Cole 1 
 
 J-lldlUdlllCl ^OlC I p . 
 
 William Rich J r 
 
 Robert Wallis 
 Mayor. 
 
 James Robson 
 Mayor. 
 
 On this it may be remarked that the years denoted 
 159!, mean the academical years 1596 7 and 1597 8, the 
 term of office of the Vice-Chancellor beginning in November, 
 that of the Mayor at Michaelmas. The numbers 39, 40 repre- 
 sent the regnal years, the academical year 1596 7 practically 
 coinciding with the 39th and the following year with the 4Oth 
 year of the reign of Elizabeth. In each of these academical years 
 Dr John Jegon, of Corpus Christi, was V ice-Chancellor, and 
 Robert Wallis was Mayor. James Robson became Mayor at 
 Michaelmas, 1598, and was succeeded at Michaelmas, 1599, by 
 John Yaxley. Fuller errs in putting Robson's mayoralty a year 
 too early 1 , and we may well suppose that, as he himself says, he 
 was not specially well acquainted with the municipal history of 
 Cambridge at this period. 
 
 Fuller then tells his tale : 
 
 '31. The young Schollars conceiving themselves somewhat 
 wronged by the Townsmen (the particulars whereof I know not) 
 betook them for revenge to their wits, as the weapon wherein lay 
 their best advantage. These having gotten a discovery of some 
 
 1 Fuller's mistake is reproduced by his editors, though Wright claims to have 
 corrected Fuller's catalogue of mayors by the books of the Corporation. See 
 list of mayors, etc. in Camb. Univ. Library MS. Ff. ill. 33 (17), the accuracy of 
 which is abundantly confirmed.
 
 xl Club Law 
 
 Town privacies, from Miles Goldsborrough 1 (one of their own 
 Corporation) composed a merry (but abusive) Comedy (which they 
 call'd CLUB-LAW) in English, as calculated for the capacities of 
 such, whom they intended spectatours thereof. Clare-Hall was 
 the place wherein it was acted, and the Major, with his Brethren, 
 and their Wives, were invited to behold it, or rather themselves 
 abused therein. A convenient place was assigned to the Towns- 
 folk (rivetted in with Schollars on all sides) where they might see 
 and be seen. Here they did behold themselves in their own best 
 cloathes (which the Schollars had borrowed) so livelily personated, 
 their habits, gestures, language, lieger-jests, and expressions, that it 
 was hard to decide, which was the true Townsman, whether he 
 that sat by, or he who acted on the Stage. Sit still they could not 
 for chafing, go out they could not for crowding, but impatiently 
 patient were fain to attend till dismissed at the end of the Comedy. 
 1 32. The Major and his Brethren soon after complain of 
 this libellous Play to the Lords of the Privie Councell, and truly 
 aggravate the S collars offence, as if the Majors Mace could not be 
 played with, but that the Scepter it selfe is touched therein. 
 Now, though such the gravity of the Lords, as they must maintain 
 Magistracy, and not behold it abused: yet such their goodness, they 
 would not with too much severity punish Wit, though waggishly 
 
 1 Miles Goldesborough, whose name appears among the ' Four and Twenty ' 
 chosen on 4th December, 1599 (see p. xxvii), was a baker. The Acta Curia of the 
 University show that on ;th April, 1598, the University taxers accused 'Milonem 
 Gouldesboroughe,' Baker, of giving short weight. He confessed and was con- 
 demned in iii* iv d and ' one great Browne loaf for the poore prisoners in the 
 castle & Tolboothe' and in costs. From evidence given before the Vice- 
 Chancellor in the case of William Nicholson on i4th October, 1597, and now 
 preserved in MS. 37. 2 (53 f.) in the University Registry, it would seem that 
 Goldesborough held another office as well. Collinson the jailer deposed ' Prettie 
 and Hurst were delivered to prison this day fortnight upon an execution and the 
 same night lett oute againe, for the same night they sent a caution, viz. a silver 
 cuppe, to M r Miles Gouldesboroughe, Bailiff of the Tolbooth [the town jail on 
 the south side of the Market-place, see Atkinson and Clark, Cambridge Described, 
 pp. g^ 95], for his indemnitie and to dischardge that for which they were laid 
 in in execution, and the said M r Miles Gouldesboroughe did saie to me "You may 
 inlardge them." '
 
 Introduction xli 
 
 imp/oyed; and therefore only sent some slight and private check to 
 the principall Actors therein. 
 
 ' 33. There goeth a tradition, many earnestly engaging for 
 the truth thereof, that the Townsmen not contented herewith, 
 importunately pressed, That some more severe and publick punish- 
 ment might be inflicted upon them. Hereupon, the Lords promised 
 in short time to come to Cambridge, and (because the life in such 
 things is lacking when onely read] they themselves would see the 
 same Comedy, with all the properties thereof, acted over again, (the 
 Townsmen as formerly, being enjoyned to be present thereat] that 
 so they might the better proportion the punishment to the fault, if 
 any appeared. But rather than the Townsmen would be witnesses 
 again to their own abusing, (wherein many things were too far re 
 from, and some things too near to truth] they fairly fell off from any 
 farther prosecution of the matter.' 
 
 2. Was Fuller right in assigning the play of Club Law either 
 to the year 1597 8 or to the mayoralty of Robson 1598 9 ? 
 
 Hawkins, in his edition of Ignoramus (1787), p. xvi, says that 
 Club Law was acted 4 in 1597 8 as Fuller affirms, but according 
 to other authorities in 1599.' Who the 'other authorities' were, 
 I do not know. Possibly Hawkins is giving the view of Dr Farmer, 
 who, as we have argued, had a manuscript of our play. At any 
 rate someone or other in the i8th century suspected an error in 
 the date given by Fuller and I believe with good reason. 
 
 In my view the performance of the play Club Law took place 
 in the mayoralty of John Yaxley, that is, in the year 1599 1600, 
 and, perhaps probably, at the beginning of that mayoral year. 
 
 I come to this conclusion because I believe Niphle to represent 
 Yaxley ; Brecknocke, Wallis ; Tavie, Hugh Jones ; and Colby, 
 William Nicholson. 
 
 3. Of Niphle, we are told * his father was Baker, he brought 
 him up pretelie to his booke, hee is a pretie petifogging Lawyer, a 
 kinde of Attorney, hel'e drawe bloud of theise gentle Athenians ' 
 (1. 462). He enters on office with a determination to outdo his 
 predecessors in hostility towards the academics.
 
 xlii Club Law 
 
 John Yaxley, whose hostility to the University we have seen, 
 was a lawyer and very probably the son of a baker. At any rate 
 there was a baker of the same name in Cambridge at this time 1 . 
 
 As to John Yaxley, the Mayor, Bowtell in his MS. History of 
 Cambridge preserved at Downing College, mentions John Yaxley 
 in connexion with St Edward's parish, but adds : ' Yaxley lived 
 sometime in St Michael's parish and kept the Rose-tavern which 
 he quitted in 1609 for a residence at Waterbeach, where being a 
 lawyer, he became steward to the Prince's court. He founded an 
 almshouse at Waterbeach for six poor widows... as it appeareth by 
 his will, proved in the Commons, A.D. 1628.' 
 
 A contemporary document lent by Dr Farmer to Cole and 
 transcribed in Cole MSS. vol. 51 (Add. MSS. 5852, fo. 89) has 
 the following : 
 
 'Camb. Maij 22, 1598. Names of such Persons dwellinge in 
 St Michaells Parish as are able to give Relieffe to the Poore of the 
 same parishe weekly M r Yaxley vi d ' [no one else above iiij d ]. 
 
 Further in the State Papers, Domestic Series, James I, 
 vol. LVII., we have some light thrown on Yaxley's later pro- 
 ceedings : 
 
 'Sep. 3 [1610]. Examinations of Roger Woodall, Mark 
 Charlton and Richard Bankes concerning misdemeanours of John 
 Yaxley, steward of the manor of Waterbeach. 
 
 4 Sep. ii. [Earl of Salisbury] to Sir Hen. Fanshaw to draw 
 a commission for examination of the misdemeanours of John 
 Yaxley, and of Rob. Spicer [his son-in-law] deputy steward.' 
 
 1 On 1 5th December, 1598, the Inferior Bedell, Ben. Pryme, accused 'Joh. 
 Yaxley de Cant. Pistorem ' of giving short weight. A similar charge was made 
 against him on /th December, 1599, and it was affirmed 'that ye said Yaxley had 
 and hath so offended in ffive severall batches.' He was condemned in xii 8 vi d . 
 Like charges were made against him on i4th March, if^^, and on 23rd May, 
 1600. (Acta Curia.} The Corporation Accounts, 'Libri rationales in.' (pre- 
 served at Downing College) have under 1597 the following note of money 
 received : 
 
 ' it : of M r Yaxley for the farme of Sturbridge land liii' iiii d .' 
 This is probably the baker. Cp. Cooper, n. 563 bot.
 
 Introduction xliii 
 
 On the evidence of Mark Charlton, Yaxley was charged inter 
 alia with appropriating to his own use town lands of Waterbeach, 
 and afterwards compounding with the churchwardens to receive 
 ^40 for them ; also with compounding with one Edward Banks 
 for 10 not to join with the tenants in claiming the lands. It was 
 stated that 'one John Haselop of Trumpington friend to M r Yaxley 
 beareth the name of Bayley to the Kings Manor of Waterbeach, 
 but M r Yaxley and Rob. Spicer his son in law do jointlie execute 
 the office.' Reference is made to Mr Yaxley's 'owne house in 
 Cambridge.' 
 
 One incident in the play Niphle's detection by members of 
 the University when visiting a house late at night for an immoral 
 purpose, and his plea that he was ' executing his office ' (Act in. 
 Sc. 8,11. 1522 etc.) might, taken alone, make us disposed to identify 
 Niphle with Wallis rather than with Yaxley. At any rate it 
 seems to have been suggested by something that occurred in the 
 early days of Wallis' mayoralty and that is related in the articles 
 of complaint against the University of I3th November, 1596: 
 
 'Item, the Maior going out to represse misdemeanors offered 
 by divers younge men of the Universitye and to see the Quenes 
 peace keptt was assalted and evel intreated by three or fower 
 Schollers, and his gowne rent and spoiled, and some used lewde 
 speeches to the Maior and he putt in danger of his lyf.' 
 
 But it would be natural for the University satirists to attach to 
 the Mayor of the time being any scandalous story told of a former 
 Mayor, and it is possible that something similar had occurred to 
 Yaxley himself. 
 
 Yaxley is said by Cole to have died about 1628. 
 
 4. Of Brecknocke, we hear that he has been Burgomaster two 
 years (1. 2441), that unlike Niphle he lives by his merchandize 
 (1. 2456), is a chandler (1. 146), that though Niphle now finds him 
 backward in resisting the foes of the town, he has been forward in 
 times past (1. 2453). 
 
 The only man in these years who had been Mayor of 
 Cambridge twice was Robert Wallis, who had been elected in 
 s. d
 
 xliv Club Law 
 
 1596 and 1597, and had been a determined opponent of University 
 privileges 1 . It would be natural however in a play written against 
 Yaxley, to represent Yaxley as intending to eclipse his predecessor 
 Wallis. 
 
 One may perhaps find an additional piece of evidence for 
 identifying Brecknocke with Wallis, in Brecknocke's words 
 (1. 2658), 'We must [stand bareheaded] being in petition, doe 
 you not knowe last yeare when I was Burgomaster Sir Obedus 
 Tuck stood bare headed to mee ? Much more must wee.' 
 I suggest that by 4 Sir Obedus Tuck ' is meant no less a person 
 than Sir Thomas North, the translator of Plutarch, and refer to the 
 accounts of the town, presented at Michaelmas, 1598, for the year 
 then ending, i.e. the second year of Wallis' mayoralty, 'Item, paid to 
 Sir Thomas Northe Knight for a benevolence from ye towne xx U2 .' 
 
 If, however, Wallis is meant by Brecknocke (whose name may 
 well have been suggested by ' Wallis ' or * Wales '), there is a 
 departure from historical accuracy when Niphle (= Yaxley) is 
 made Brecknocke's immediate successor in the mayoralty. No 
 mention is made of James Robson, who was Mayor between 
 Wallis and Yaxley. This may be accounted for on the ground 
 that Robson, as we have seen 3 , was less hostile to the University 
 than his predecessor and his successor, and was therefore spared 
 the castigation which they received. It is possible that he is 
 <M r Shavett' (1. 458). 
 
 There is a further difficulty in that while Robson was a 
 chandler 4 , Wallis does not appear to have been one. In a 
 
 1 He had been chosen an Alderman on 4th October, 1594 (Metcalfe MS. 
 Downing Coll.). 
 
 2 Cooper, ii. 593. Sir Thos. North was a brother of Roger Lord North and 
 according to the D.N.B. was always in reduced circumstances. His translation 
 of Plutarch's Lives appeared in 1579. He is thought to have been educated at 
 Peterhouse, was knighted about 1591, and was in the commission of the peace for 
 the County of Cambridge in 1592 and 1597. In 1601 he received a pension of 
 ^40 per annum from the Queen, and appears to have died soon after. 
 
 p. xxv. 
 
 4 A Covenant Bond, in the office of the Town Clerk, Cambridge, of 6th 
 January, 25 Eliz. (158!), is signed 'Jas. Robson burg, et chandeler.'
 
 Introduction xlv 
 
 document published by Cooper (n. pp. 595, 596) he is seen 
 dealing in coal and rye. We also find him in 1600 paying rent 
 to the Corporation for ' Nevenham [Newnham] Mills and the 
 close and meadow thereunto belonging l lu .' 
 
 On the whole however I believe that in Brecknocke the 
 author of the play intended to satirize Wallis. 
 
 Wallis was again elected to the mayoralty in 1606 at the end 
 of the year of office of John Edmonds deceased. He is said by 
 Bowtell 2 to have died about 1624. 
 
 5. Tavie is one of the three sergeants in attendance on the 
 Burgomaster Brecknocke when the play opens (11. 30 36). He 
 is especially obnoxious to the gentle Athenians (11. 114 116). 
 He is an inn-keeper at whose house one may play * tables ' (11. 580, 
 1992 2OOI, 2806 7) and his house has a bad repute (1. 21, etc.). 
 He condemns himself in the end for having forsaken 'his old 
 master,' and declares on being promised by Cricket the place of 
 1 under skinker in the buttery ' that he will not do so again 
 (1. 2836). 
 
 Hugh Jones, as we have seen 3 , though a dismissed servant of 
 the University and a person very obnoxious to that body, had 
 been made one of the sergeants by Wallis. We learn the fol- 
 lowing further particulars about him from the Acta Curies of the 
 University. 
 
 On the 4th and nth March, 159^, a suit was brought by 
 Thos. Turner, M.A., St John's College, against Hugh Jones. 
 It was decreed that Jones should be arrested and kept in safe 
 custody. 
 
 1 27 May, 1597. Hilliard and Bowlton Proctors... con Hug. 
 Joanes. It was alleged that " Joanes did lodge or suffered to be 
 lodged in his howse certaine Schollers and suffered them to playe 
 at the tables cardes and dyce in his howse." [Joanes denied the 
 offence but it was found " omnia esse vera."] " quia sufficienter 
 sibi constabat of the greate and continuall disorder that hathe bene 
 
 1 Libri Rationales, III. (Downing College). 
 
 2 MS. Hist, of Cambridge (Downing College). 
 
 3 p. xxi.
 
 xlvi Club Law 
 
 and ys daielye vsed and kepte in his howse decrevit dictum Joanes 
 sub salva custodia custodiri donee [he found security] to keepe good 
 order and vsage in his howse, [and in default of security] that the 
 saide Joanes shalbe dischardged from keepeing of an Inne and from 
 victuallinge likewise. Et paulo post Dno adhuc pro tribunal! seden. 
 Dni procuratores pred. allegaverunt that they even nowe doe 
 come from the saide Hughe Joanes his howse, and when they 
 were there, they fownde some playeinge at the tables there, and 
 have broughte from thence the tables they played withall and 
 shewed them in open Courte and alledged that one John Banbridge 
 a Cook did playe at the tables there with another et...intro- 
 duxerunt pd. Johnem Banbridge et Georgium Bubworthe qui 
 affirmaverunt allegata pd. esse vera, sayeinge that the said John 
 Banbridge and one Richard Oilman servaunte to M r Milner of 
 Trinitye Colledge did playe there at the tables even righte nowe 
 for beere breade and cheese. 
 
 * Dnus...condemnavit pr. Joanes in xl$ ' 
 
 On 8th July, 1597, the Proctors brought a suit against Hugh 
 Jones, of Cambridge, ' Inhoulder,' alleging that ' he keepeth an 
 Inne in Cambridge and did dresse fleshe uppon a fastinge daye, 
 viz. Midsomer even last past.' It was ordered that 'the said 
 Joanes hereafter shall keepe good rule in his howse,' etc. 
 
 On 7th October, 1597, the Proctors sue Hugh Jones and 
 others, alleging 'that they... have dressed fleshe upon dayes pro- 
 hibited.' 
 
 On 7th April, 1598, it is ordered that 'Hugonem Joanes 
 arestari et secure custodiri ' in the matter of a debt of 7 55. 
 
 On I5th February, if, 'Hughe Joanes' of 'the George' is 
 included in a list of the ' Hostellarii and Vitellarii ' of the town. 
 
 On 1 8th July, 1600, George Scarlette, Bachelor in Arts, 
 sued Hugh Jones. On the igth Jones said 'Scarlette first 
 callinge him knave, he the said Joanes said to this viz. " he is a 
 knave that calls me knave." The Vice-Chancellor decreed 
 that Jones 'secure custodiri in carcere vocat. Cambridge Castle 
 et non alibi donee solverit seu satisfecerit prarfato Scarletto...tam 
 quoad summam xx s ...quam quoad summam xv s . ..in toto xxxv 8 .'
 
 Introduction xlvii 
 
 On 24th July, 1600, George Scarlet of St John's College 
 sued Thomas Creame. Scarlet stated that after the preceding 
 case Jones was committed to Thomas Creame to be kept in 
 custody and that he was then liberated 'iniuria et negligentia 
 imprimis Thomae Creame,' who * did leave the said Hugh Joanes 
 at the said Castle and tooke no further care to advise to M r Vichan- 
 cellar what further course he would take for the due execution to 
 be made againste the saide Hughe Joanes for the paymente of the 
 saide xxxv 8 eaque ratione Joanes liberatus fuit et est.' Creame 
 confessed the allegations to be true and was condemned to Scarlet 
 for the sum of xxxv 8 aforesaid. 
 
 Jones is also mentioned in the case of W. Nicholson tried 
 before the Vice-Chancellor on 14th October, I597 1 : 
 
 ' Then M r Vicechancellor being desirous to knowe howe the 
 said Prettie and Hurst came to prison againe of themselves or 
 by themselves, W. Nicholson answeared, He that had them oute 
 of prison at the ffirste broughte them to prison againe this daie, 
 and that was Hugge Joanes the Sargeante.' 
 
 6. Of Colby we are told in the play, ' You M r Colebie shall 
 forestall the market and carrie away their Corne for you have 
 obteyned your suite' (11. 718 720). He is detected by the 
 University authorities in carrying away corn, is imprisoned, but 
 is released quickly by the Rector < upon small consideration ' 
 (1. 1925), or according to Colby's account, 'it cost my purse 
 soundly' (1. 1988). In Colby we can hardly fail to see William 
 Nicholson 2 , who had been fined in 1596 for ingrossing corn, had 
 been imprisoned in the Castle, but shortly escaped, had had a writ 
 of habeas corpus served on the Vice-Chancellor, and had finally 
 won a suit for false imprisonment in Trinity term i599> which 
 involved the Vice-Chancellor and the Inferior Bedell, Pryme, in 
 heavy money loss and had consigned the latter to prison for inability 
 to pay. He had been chosen Alderman on I2th April, 1597*. 
 
 1 MS. in the University Registry, 37. 2 (53 f.). 
 
 2 Colby is addressed by Rumford as 'billie Coleby' (1. 2493), but it is possible 
 that 'billie' is the Scotch or Northern word =' fellow,' 'comrade,' and not the 
 familiar form of the Christian name. 
 
 3 Metcalfe MS. (Downing Coll.).
 
 xlviii Club Law 
 
 7. If these identifications be accepted, it is natural to suppose 
 that Club Law was acted soon after Yaxley had become Mayor, 
 and when the violence of his proceedings against the University led 
 certain students to think that the proper way of dealing with him 
 and his fellows was to discommon them. There is no evidence 
 that Yaxley was discommoned, as a matter of fact, though 
 Edmonds had been discommoned in his mayoralty thirteen years 
 before, and other Mayors were to be discommoned in later times. 
 The play was a suggestion to the authorities, but the suggestion 
 was not acted on. 
 
 Another argument for our dating of the play may be found in 
 the fact that we hear of no complaint made on the part of the town 
 against University plays until we come to a document of which 
 we have a copy in Baker's hand in MS. Harl. 7047, fol. 83. It is 
 headed : ' An abstract of some town complaints, with the University 
 answeres. Anno 1601.' Here the complaint runs : c The scholers 
 of the University, being in taverns, alehouses and diverse publick 
 places, do grievously and very disorderly misuse in generall all free 
 burgesses, and in particular the magistrates of the town. And also 
 in the Plays in colleges and publick sermons, whereby great occasion 
 of grudge is offered.' 
 
 8. To turn from the special evidence of date to more general 
 points. 
 
 Henry Spruce is no doubt a portrait of the Town Clerk, Henry 
 Slegge (elected about I5Q6 1 ), and possibly the speech put in Spruce's 
 mouth (1. 329, etc.) is a parody of Mr Slegge's oratory. There 
 seems to be a reference to the same gentleman in the character of 
 orator in the Returne from Parnassus, Part I. (1600), 1. 497, where 
 the Tailor is speaking of students : ' They shoulde shewe good 
 examples to others, as our towne clarke shewed verie learnedly 
 in an oration he made.' It is clear that Rum ford and Cipher 
 and the sergeants Puff and Catch are portraits of actual persons; but 
 I do not find it possible to identify them 2 . Cipher had once been 
 
 1 Cooper, in. 41. 
 
 2 'Thomas Knevett the Sargeante' is mentioned as 'coming in M r Maiors 
 name' in the case of W. Nicholson, i4th October, 1597 (MS. in University 
 Registry, 37. i (53 f.)).
 
 Introduction xlix 
 
 Burgomaster(l. 2669), and may be John Edmunds (Mayor 1 586 7) 
 or Thomas Metcalfe (Mayor 1592)'. Rumford was a headsman 2 
 and a butcher (11. 2548, 2596) who spoke a north-country dialect, 
 and who would seem to have had a grievance against the University 
 in connexion with the prohibition of dressing flesh in Lent (1. 2077, 
 which is however very obscure). Alderman William Wulfe was 
 a butcher 3 , but there were other Wulfes in Cambridge, and this 
 makes it improbable that he was a north-countryman. He had 
 been Mayor in 1589 and died in 160^, being buried in the chapel 
 of Trinity Hall on 5th March 4 . He was probably therefore not 
 so young or vigorous a man as Rumford is represented to have been. 
 Mr 'Thirtens' (1. 261), one of the Four and Twenty, is clearly 
 Godfrey Twelves 5 , who is in the list of the Four and Twenty 
 chosen in 1599, and similarly Mr 'Silverburrowe' is l Miles 
 Goldsborow,' of whom we have heard. Mr c Westcocks ' would 
 seem to be John Norkot, but the latter was an Alderman and ex- 
 Mayor, not a member of the Four and Twenty. 
 
 Probably Mrs Niphle and Mrs Colby had some prototypes in 
 the Cambridge of three hundred years ago; and the rather colour- 
 less but well-meaning Musonius and Philenius may be typical of 
 many young dons of the day. 
 
 9. The picture of life and manners given in Club Law is a 
 highly-coloured one, and one must not treat it too seriously. One 
 feels however that it does give us something of the spirit of the 
 stirring days in which it was written. 
 
 One of the most lively incidents is the election of a Burgomaster. 
 It is worth while therefore to give a document which shows us the 
 
 1 See p. xxv. 
 
 2 i.e. a member of the Corporation. 
 
 3 A Covenant Bond, preserved in the office of the Town Clerk, Cambridge, of 
 list September, 25 Eliz. (1583), is signed 'Willm. Wulfe, burg, et butcher,' and 
 the Ada Curice of nth November, 1597, include a suit brought by the Proctors 
 against 'Willm. Wolfe Lanium Aldermannum.' 
 
 4 Registers of St Edward's parish, quoted by Cole. 
 
 5 He was an apothecary (Cooper, III. 42). His burial is given in St Peter's 
 Register under i4th November, 1626 (Cole). The name 'Twelves' in the next 
 generation became 'Twells.'
 
 1 Club Law 
 
 very curious manner in which a Mayor of Cambridge was elected 
 at this time. The document, which dates probably from 1592, is 
 contained in Metcalfe's Thesaurus preserved at Downing College. 
 
 4 An order made by the lord North high Steward of the Towne 
 of Cambridge for electinge the mayo r balives and other officers 
 within the same Towne. 
 
 ' This daie & Yere by a common assent & by thadvice of the 
 right honorable the lord north high steward of the Towne of 
 Cambridge is an order made for the electinge of the mayo r baylives 
 & other officers yeerly vsed to bee choosen within this Towne the 
 tenor of w oh order followethe in theise wordes viz 
 
 4 Imprimis that euerie of the xxiiii tie or so many of them as shall 
 be presente in the hall shall write his name in a litle peace of 
 paper and the same shall laye downe upon the table before the 
 mayo r & aldermen w ch names so written shalbee enclosed in 
 seuerall balls of wax of one color & like quantity by such two 
 aldermen as the mayor shall appointe and the same so enclosed in 
 wax shalbee put into a box by the said two aldermen and that 
 done the mayo r and aldermen then present or the more parte of 
 them shall appointe one alderman to take out one ball for the 
 bench and the comons shall appoint one comoner to take forth 
 another ball for them & those ij persones whose names are in the 
 said ii balls shall chose xii persones parcell of thelleccon that 
 is to saie iii persones in euerie warde And if one of the xxiiii tte 
 be absent then hee or they so absent to beare no office for the yere 
 to come. 
 
 'Itm. the said ii persones so chosen & sworne shall goe together 
 into some place w th in the house & shall choose xii persones to bee 
 of theleccon of w ch two and twelve persones none shall bee eligible 
 to beare anie office of baylive for the yere to come And yf the 
 two cannot agree of the choosinge of the said Twelve then eyther 
 partie to choose six. And this to bee done w th in one houre next 
 after there goeinge togeather the same houre to bee tryed by an 
 houre glasse vpon payne of forfeyture euery man makinge default 
 iii 11 vi 8 viii d to bee levied to thuse of the Towne. 
 
 'Itm. that the said Twelve thus gathered together & sworne or
 
 Introduction li 
 
 the more parte of them shall chuse unto them six more persones to 
 make up the number of eighteene persones whereof none shall bee 
 eligible to beare anie office of baylif for the yere to come w th in one 
 hour next after ther goeinge together upon payne of forfeyture 
 every man making defalt xx s And if the said xii persones cannot 
 agree w th in the said Houre to bee tryed as afforesaid then the more 
 parte of the said persones to name the same six euerie of them to 
 give his voice vpon payne of xx 8 And yf equality of voices doe 
 chaunce then the said xii persones shall write the names of those 
 six persones whome they would haue & laye them downe vpon the 
 table before the mayo r and then the mayo r to have the castinge 
 voice 
 
 1 And if those eighteene men so choosen sworne and gathered 
 together cannot agree w th in one houre next after meeting then the 
 more parte them to take place 1 And if equallity of voices doe 
 chaunce then the mayo r likwise to haue the castinge voice in 
 manner and forme as ys afforesaid 
 
 4 The oth of the sworne electors 
 
 *Yee shall swere that since thestablishinge of this order for 
 eleccon of officers you haue not labored nor bene labored vnto 
 directly or indirectly to bringe anie man to office for this yere to 
 come or to lett or hinder anie man from anie office for this yere to 
 come vnto w ch labo r you haue directly or indirectlie given your 
 assent consent or promise so help you god, etc.' 
 
 After the election the Burgomaster invited the Aldermen and 
 Four and Twenty to a feast. This was in accordance with 
 Cambridge custom. Who paid for the. feast when Yaxley was 
 elected in 1599 is not clear, but a minute of the Corporation 
 made on iyth July, 1600, runs as follows: 'It is agreed by a 
 comon assent that the supper vsually to bee kept hereafter on the 
 daie of eleccon of the maior and Baylives shalbee borne by the 
 maior and baylives that shall be then elected 2 .' Possibly till then 
 it had been borne by the Mayor solely. 
 
 We are told that Niphle, expecting to be made Mayor, ' hath 
 
 1 There is some corruption here. 
 
 a Metcalfe's Thesaurus (Downing College).
 
 lii Club Law 
 
 bought him a satten sute all readie.' A minute of I3th January, 
 1559, runs > ' a ll chosen to the benche shall have and weare 
 murreye gownes and tippetts'; one of yth October, 1560, 'every 
 maior. ..to buy for his wife one scarlett gowne'; and one of 
 I5th December, 1575, 'the maior to wear his scarlet gowne [on 
 fixed days] 1 .' 
 
 The three sergeants who attend on the Mayor are true to fact. 
 A paper in the Baker MSS. 2 shows us their duties : 
 
 4 The oathe of the sarieante. 
 
 ' Ye shall sweare that you shall geve diligent attendaunce upon 
 M r Maior of this towne duringe the tyme of yo r office and true 
 execution make of all writts warrants and precepts to you directed 
 by M r Maior or any of the Quenes Justice of her peace w th in this 
 Towne of Camebridge and the libertyes of the same And true 
 retorne of the same make and delyver And of all the Custome 
 and towle that ye shall take or Receave by the Reason of yo r said 
 offices And shall make a trew accompt to the said Maior and 
 Bayliffs And all other thinges that be apperteining to yo r office you 
 shall well and trewly do and execute duringe this year to come. 
 So help, etc.' 
 
 From the history given earlier we can see that the author of 
 the play is drawing no fancy picture when he shows the Rector or 
 Vice-Chancellor issuing one writ for arresting a forestaller or in- 
 grosser of corn and another for searching a house of ill- repute. 
 The drawing up of articles of complaint against the University 
 (11. 728 775, 2383, 2415, 2437) had been a common incident 
 in the wars of town and gown, and the oath taken by the Mayor 
 to preserve the University's privileges (11. 2599 2603, 2771 
 2798) a chief bone of contention. And we have seen cases before 
 in which students met their opponents with the 'argumentum 
 baculinum' or club-law. 
 
 Municipal oratory is a stock-subject for academic wit, and the 
 speeches pronounced by Brecknocke (11. 362 etc.) and Niphle 
 (11. 482 etc., 2568 etc., 2711 etc.) have their analogues in the 
 
 1 Metcalfe's Thesaurus (Downing College). 
 
 2 Camb. Univ. Lib. MS. Ff. in. 33.
 
 Introduction liii 
 
 Returne from Parnassus^ Part n., where we have the speech of a 
 Mayor (11. 1849 etc> ) an ^ one f a Burgess (11. 528 etc.). Breck- 
 nocke's proposal that the l gentle Athenians ' shall be brought to 
 marry the daughters of townsmen (1. 68 1) reminds us that the 
 University had complained of the townsmen for drawing students 
 into clandestine marriages 1 . We get further glimpses into the life 
 of Cambridge at this time when we see a tutor wearing a dagger 
 (11. 1369 etc.), members of the University as in Pedantius and 
 the Parnassus Plays heavily in debt to Cambridge tradesmen 
 (1. 2597), townsmen at a cudgel-play (11. 2093 etc.), the duties of 
 a college servant (1. 2828), and the subjection of young students 
 to the punishment of * breeching' (1. 136). There is even a 
 modern ring about Cricket's cry, 'Theise Tutors are such trouble- 
 some things' (1. 122). In the references to 'an iniquitie' (1. 1916), 
 to Orlando Furioso and Lais (11. 1662, 1663), we see the interest 
 which was taken in contemporary drama within the little world 
 of the University. 
 
 10. On the other hand there are certain characters in the play 
 whose prototypes we shall seek rather in the world at large than in 
 the little world of town and gown. 
 
 Mounsier Grand Combatant belongs to the genus ' Miles 
 Gloriosus' which is so frequently represented in comedy from 
 Plautus downwards. Luce is the typical courtesan, drawn with 
 more than ordinary verve. The boy-undergraduate Cricket has 
 something of the character of the Vice in the Moralities. 'Spoiling' 
 for a fight, chafing at being treated as a boy, equal to all occasions, 
 good-natured when approached with sufficient humility, he gives 
 life to the whole play 2 . 
 
 The various perversions of the Queen's English indulged in 
 by the Frenchman, Mounsier, the Welchman, Tavie, and the 
 Northerner, Rumford, are part of the stock-in-trade of English 
 comic writers. The French-English dialect appears in the Returne 
 from Parnassus, Part n., in the mouth of Theodore, in Three Ladies 
 of London (1584), Three Lords and Three Ladies of London (1590) 
 
 1 Cp. p. xxix. 
 
 2 A merry fellow bears the name 'Will Crickett' in Wily BeguiVd.
 
 liv Club Law 
 
 and Triumphs of Love and Fortune (1589), all in Hazlitt-Dodsley, 
 vol. vi., in Shakespeare's Henry V (1599) (Queen Katharine and 
 Alice) and in Dekker's Old Fortunatus (1600), Wonder of a 
 Kingdom (1636), etc. The Welch-English combination appears 
 in A Hundred Mery Tales (1526), LXI., in Shakespeare's Merry 
 Wives (1597 8) (Sir Hugh Evans) and Henry ^(1599) (Fluellen), 
 and in Dekker's Satiro-mastix (1602) (Sir Vaughan). Northern- 
 English is exemplified in R. Greene's James the Fourth (before 
 1592) (Bohan), The Pleasant Historie of Thomas of Reading (before 
 1600) (Hodgekins of Halifax, etc.) and in Conflict of Conscience 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, vi.) (Caconos). 
 
 As will be seen by the Notes, the language of the ordinary 
 speakers in the play contains many expressions which are either 
 not found in the New English Dictionary or not attested for so 
 early a date. The very word 'Club-law' seems to make its first 
 appearance in this play. 
 
 II. Whether Club Law had any important consequences, 
 beyond providing an evening's entertainment, I am doubtful. 
 Fuller's story taken as a story is all that one could wish, but I am 
 not sure that he would wish us to treat it as history. It seems to 
 me very improbable that the actors should have been able to borrow 
 the clothes of the townspeople whom they were caricaturing ; and a 
 little unlikely that they should have induced them to come to Clare 
 Hall to see the play 1 . As to the complaints to the Privy Council 
 and the Privy Council's humorous reply, one can only say that the 
 Acts of the Privy Council as published make no mention of Club 
 
 1 The fact that Club Law is in English may be thought to support the theory 
 that it was written to be understood by townspeople. Certainly the great majority 
 of plays acted in colleges were in Latin, and in 1592 the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Still, 
 and the Heads wrote to Lord Burleigh, 'Englishe Comedies, for that we never 
 used any, wee presentlie have none,' and accordingly asked leave to present a play 
 before the Queen in Latin. But the English comedy, Gammer Gurion's Needle, 
 had been performed probably in 1566, two English plays were produced at 
 Trinity in 1559 (Bursar's Book), another, Ezechias, had been acted before the 
 Queen at King's in 1564, and the Pilgrimage to Parnassus had been given at 
 St John's at Christmas 1598, to be followed by the two parts of The Retumefrom 
 Parnassus in 1600 and 1602. And Lingua had perhaps been acted before the 
 date of Club Law.
 
 Introduction Iv 
 
 Law . Mr Mullinger indeed, in his History of the University of 
 Cambridge, treats the play as a causa mali 1 -, to me, it seems 
 that it was only an incident in a contest in which very serious 
 matters were at stake. It is remarkable that when the town, 
 as we have seen 2 , did complain in 1601 that 'the scholers of 
 the university... misuse in generall all free burgesses and in 
 particular the magistrates of the town, And also in the plays in 
 colleges and publick sermons,' the heads of the University stoutly 
 denied the fact. 'Whereas it is alledged that the scholers in the 
 playes and sermons misuse the burgesses and magistrates of the 
 town, they affirm the same to be most untrue, malitious and 
 slanderous ; neither do they know any abuse offered, except on the 
 23 rd of April, certain young gentlemen and scholers, being in a 
 tavern, did misbehave themselves in speeches towards the maior 
 and his brethren passing by the said tavern ; for which offence they 
 were punished and censured by the vice-chancellor and M r D r 
 Nevill, dean of Canterbury.' Could such a denial have been made 
 if the writers had ever heard of the performance of Club Law ? or, 
 at any rate, if the performance had created anything like a public 
 scandal ? 
 
 V. AUTHORSHIP OF THE PLAY. 
 
 The play of Club Law may well be considered anonymous. 
 
 It has been ascribed however to George Ruggle, who in 1598 
 removed from Trinity College to Clare Hall, was elected to a 
 Fellowship, and in 1615 made himself famous as the author of the 
 Latin comedy Ignoramus. In his edition of Ignoramus (1787), 
 
 1 'The unfortunate burgesses, full of sullen resentment, would seem, for a long 
 time afterwards, to have eagerly seized on every opportunity that presented itself 
 for alleging some wrong, real or imaginary, suffered at the hands of the University. 
 There is still extant a formal statement of these grievances which they caused to 
 be drawn up in the year 1601 ' (II. p. 442). 
 
 ' Dr J. Jegon...was vice-chancellor in the year when Club Law was acted, 
 and was again elected, for the third 'time, two years later.... It is not improbable 
 that the townsmen may have been resolved to make him sensible of their dis- 
 pleasure at the special affront to which they had been subjected during his tenure 
 of office ' (p. 443). 
 
 2 p. xlviii.
 
 Ivi Club Law 
 
 p. Ixxi, Mr J. S. Hawkins tells us that in a copy of Ignoramus 
 which in 1741 belonged to Mr John Hayward, a Master of Arts 
 in Clare Hall, he had read the following note in Mr Hayward's 
 hand : 'N.B. Mr. Geo. Ruggle wrote besides two other comedies, 
 Revera or Verily, and Club Law, to expose the puritans, not yet 
 printed. MS.' Mr Hawkins continues very sensibly: l By the 
 letters " MS." at the end, it is imagined Mr. Hayward intended to 
 express that he derived this intelligence from some manuscript autho- 
 rity: but, as he has not mentioned where it was to be then found, 
 there does not seem sufficient evidence to support his assertion.' 
 
 As to Mr Hayward's statement, the play Revera or Eerily (the 
 only one of the two which could have been written ' to expose the 
 Puritans ') is lost. It is not clear whether it was in Latin or 
 English, probably in Latin. It does not seem to me impossible 
 that Club Law should have been written by Ruggle, especially if it 
 is to be dated in 1599 or 1600, after Ruggle had become domiciled 
 at Clare. But it is impossible to use internal evidence to prove 
 the common authorship of two works so utterly different as Club 
 Law and Ignoramus; and we are left to the authority of Mr 
 Hayward's MS., which may be valuable or may not. 
 
 In his preface to the Parnassus Plays^ the Rev. W. D. Macray 
 states that Francis Brakyn, the Deputy Recorder (afterwards 
 Recorder) of Cambridge who is supposed to have been Ruggle's 
 butt in Ignoramus 'had already been satirized in Club Law. 9 If it 
 were so, it might be taken as some slight evidence of common 
 authorship. There is, however, no ground for this statement, so 
 far as I can see, and it is unfortunate that it has been perpetuated 
 in the New English Dictionary (s.v. 'Club law'). 
 
 Other evidence of common authorship might be found in the 
 fact that the author of Club Law (according to Fuller) and the 
 author of Ignoramus (according to Hawkins 1 ) alike derived some of 
 their information from Mr Miles Goldesborough, one of the Four 
 and Twenty. Hawkins gives no authority, however, for his state- 
 ment, and it may be due to some vague recollection on his part, or 
 someone else's, of what Fuller had said in regard to Club Law. 
 
 1 p. xv.
 
 CLUB LAW. 
 
 DRAMATIS PERSONS. 
 
 Mr BRECKNOCKE, Burgomaster of Athens. 
 
 PETER BRECKNOCKE, his son. 
 
 Mr NICHOLAS NIPHLE, Brecknocke's successor as Burgomaster. 
 
 Mris NIPHLE. 
 
 Mr HENRY SPRUCE, Town Clerk. 
 
 Mr COLBY \ 
 
 Mr RUMFORD I l Headsmen ' or members of the Corporation. 
 
 Mr CIPHER J 
 
 Mris COLBY. 
 
 JOCKY RUMFORD, Rumford's son. 
 
 Electors for the Burgomastership : 
 
 Mr SIXPENNY Mr MALLICE 
 
 Mr LITTLEWORTH Goodman HORNESBIE 
 
 Mr HALFECAKE Mr WESTCOCKS 
 
 Goodman COWBY Goodman OLIVER GOOSTURD 
 
 Mr ASSELEY Mr JONAS 
 
 Mr LOBSON Goodman NIXON 
 
 Goodman KETLEBASEN Goodman COOPERBURNE 
 
 Mr THIRTENS Goodman ROGER COWPER 
 
 Mr MOONE the elder Mr ANDERTON 
 
 Mr SILVERBURROWE Mr SLUGG 
 
 Mr ESDRAS Goodman GALLANT 
 
 Mr FFESCU Goodman TONGUE IT.
 
 Iviii Club Law 
 
 TAVIE 1 
 
 PUFF > Sergeants in attendance on the Burgomaster. 
 
 TOM CATCH J 
 
 PHILENIUS ) . . , .. 
 
 } 'Academics of standing. 
 MUSONIUS J 
 
 NICHOLAS CRICKET, a young student. 
 PURCUS i 
 
 BROMLY f , _, 
 
 _ _, > Searchers in the service of the Rector. 
 
 ROGER TROTT 
 
 SPONER J 
 
 Mounsier GRAND COMBATANT, a Frenchman. 
 
 LUCE, a courtesan. 
 
 A beggar-wench. 
 
 Three colliers or porters (i.e. c coalheavers '). 
 
 FFOOTS ) 
 
 A t townsmen. 
 
 ADAM j 
 
 Students, townspeople &c.
 
 [CLUB LAW] 
 
 (The fragments give the beginnings of lines on the recto sides, and the 
 ends of lines on the verso sides of the leaves.) 
 
 Cover 
 leaf 2 
 
 leaf 3 
 
 recto 
 
 (page i) 
 
 leaf 4 
 
 recto 
 (page 3) 
 
 Phere 
 the play 
 
 begins 
 
 blank ? 
 blank ? 
 
 d 
 
 He 
 
 r 
 
 K 
 
 I 
 
 b 
 
 Bre 
 
 Spe 
 Ad 
 wh 
 
 rward 
 
 Huff 
 
 leaf 3 
 verso 
 (page 2) 
 
 leaf 4 
 verso 
 (page 4) 
 
 t 
 
 u 
 
 mt 
 
 ome 
 
 or- 
 
 se, but 
 would 
 
 bu 
 Co 
 
 wh 
 sn 
 
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 er 
 
 s.
 
 2 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 you t 
 
 ha u 
 son 
 
 I CO I 
 
 work ^ I 
 
 Burg h 
 
 I stay for the 
 
 be good y, He 
 
 Peter would 
 
 serve 
 
 leaf 5 leaf 5 
 
 recto verso 
 
 (pages) P (page 6) 
 
 at bottom th e 
 
 w 
 
 for our may day, that ever you heard, but I must p. 7 
 about my busines, I must tell my master, the Serjeants 
 will come, and the brome man will be here on Sater- 
 daye, they that are bound must obey. 
 
 ACTUS i us . SCENA 4 a . 
 Nipbill. Tavie. 
 
 Nip. Before god Tavie, wellfare thy good heart, 
 I had not thought Welshmen had byn so honest, shee 
 was a bounching wench, a smoker effaith. 
 
 Tavie. her ferie glad her arships turne her as
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 3 
 
 never taught no forsooth, may her arships tell her as 
 her holesome ? 
 
 Nip. ffaith as sweete as a nutt, a good naturd girle 
 I tell thee Tavie, I had as leve as an lool. my wife 
 were of as good constitution. 15 
 
 Tav. Her hope her arships as tinke ferie well of 
 her. and her shance to be Mr Burgomaster, an pies 
 cod her will, will let her be shefe Shergeant ? 
 
 Nip. Tush make no question of it. but sirra, if 
 I need I must have one readie at call and commaund. 20 
 
 Ta . Call and Commaund ? her may be assured hee 
 shall not find her unprovided of a prance gallant wench, 
 cod be plesed and praysed for it. 
 
 Nip. well hereafter wee will consider of it. here 
 comes your old Master Brecknock. (Enter Brecknocke.} 25 
 
 Breck. Oh is hee gone, in good sooth, I was afraid 
 hartely of this gentle Athenian, surely wee will take 
 some course for this Clubb lawe. 6 Mr Niphell god 
 morrow to you, you are welcome. Tavie wee have 
 stayed from 'the Court hall this houre for the Ser- 30 
 geants. Is it not a shame Mr Niphell that knaves, 
 that are maineteined by our table shall give noe better 
 attendance ? 
 
 I'avy. Her as come as soone as her can. 
 
 Ere. No, I am now goeing out of my office, you 35 
 never regard mee. but 1'le speake a good word for you. 
 
 Nip. Nea, good Mr Burgomaster, be not offended 
 with him, lay the blame upon mee, I had some reason 
 to imploy him. 
 
 ii may MS. 'nay' 25 Master MS. 'M r ' 
 
 I 2
 
 4 Club Law [Acr i 
 
 40 Brec. Nea, Mr Niphill, the matter is not great 
 betwixt you and mee. goe sirra, runne for the rest of 
 your fellowes. 
 
 Tav. Nay, her as fetch her with a poxe. 
 Ere. I am now rendring up of my office. I pray 
 45 god hee that comes after mee, may performe the duetie 
 no better then I have done, | god send you good p- 8 
 shipping this yeare. I thanke god I have passed the 
 billowes of the sea, I leave my office. 
 
 Nip. I hope sir if it be bestowed upon mee ; 
 5 so to carry my selfe, that I will not onely follow your 
 good proceedings, but also if it may be, goe before 
 you in government. 
 
 Ere. I, I doubt not but you will, but how doe 
 your good bedfellowe ? 
 
 55 Nip. By my troth sir shee is troubled with the 
 trembling of the tongue. 
 
 Brec. It pleaseth you to saye so sir. but I 
 wonder theise knaves sargeants come not away, wee 
 must be their men, and waite upon their honours, 
 60 oh here they come, your worships be welcome. 
 Bar. Small worships sir. 
 
 Brec. Come, come, where be the rest of our 
 societie ? mee thinks it is the finest sight to see us 
 goe cheeke by gole togither. but Tavy, runne to 
 65 Mr Spruce our Towne Clarke, stay here hee comes. 
 Puffe presently Puffe fetch Mr Romford, tell me of 
 such a dwarfe, I never sawe such a long fellow. God 
 morrow Mr Spruce. 
 
 51 you MS. 'your' 66 me MS. 'him'
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 
 
 Spruce. Good morrow Gentlemen, when shall this 
 our duety be performed to putt offe the pristine head ? 70 
 
 Nipp. Putt offe, t'is pittie such a pretie head 
 should off. 
 
 Spru. Tush, you misconceive mee. 
 
 Nip. No, no, my wife never mist conceyving in 
 her life. (Enter Cricket.) 75 
 
 Cricket. And effaith, Loggerhead are you there, 
 I would theise aples were balls of lead, that they might 
 but brayne one of you. but take this as it is. 
 
 (Cricket bitts Mr Burgomasters head with an aple.) 
 
 Nip. H6 is there no officers ? such wrong ? some 80 
 gentle Athenian, after him Sargeants, after him. (The 
 Sargeants runne after him, a noyse within, hold, keepe, 
 stopp.) 
 
 Nip. This is strange they will offer us this 
 indignitie being in this showe. 85 
 
 Spr. They dare doe any thing they thinke to 
 offer us any ronge. 
 
 Ere. I even now a litle Ape, as bigg as my boy 
 Jacke strocke at mee with his Club, and I could not 
 come within him for feare of his knife. 90 
 
 Spr. By our Ladie but wee must have some 
 remedie against this Club law, but who was it ? 
 
 Puffe. A litle Ape, I thinke as hie as my knee, hee 
 tooke mee such a riprapp on the head and told mee 
 t'was Club law, and away hee gott betwene my leggs, 95 
 and gave mee such a pestilent fall. 
 
 Nip. Why, what a company of bobies were yee ? 
 could you not catch him ?
 
 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 Tavy. As take her lodging | and teare the gentle P- 9 
 ioo Athenians keepe her there till her as not have 
 her. 
 
 Brec. well let us away unles wee be troubled with 
 more of them, why Puffe hast thou forgott thy selfe ? 
 call Mr Rumford (Puffe goes.] Mee thinks this 
 105 Burgomastershipp sitts heavier upon mee then my 
 head upon my shoulders. Come letts begone, and 
 fetch Mr Colbie and returne presently. 
 
 Puff. Mr Rumford comes sir, he'le meete you at 
 Mr Colbies house, 
 no Breck. well. 
 
 ACTUS i us . SCENA 5 a . 
 
 Enter Cricket. 
 
 Crick. Are yee gone ? god speed you well, oh 
 [if] the welsh Rogue would have but followed mee into 
 
 115 the hall, that wee might but had the villaine to the 
 pumpe, wee would have given him skulls punishment 
 effaith. 6 Lord that I could but save mee as much 
 money, as would buy mee a Scottish dagger to pricke 
 the villaines. I have a huge great Dictionarie as bigg 
 
 120 as my selfe almost, Il'e sell that, and buy mee a dagger. 
 It shall be even so. I would I durst I faith, I could 
 find in my heart but for my Tutor. Theise Tutors 
 are such troublesome things. By the masse, hee hath 
 
 117 as much MS. 'as' ('much' written in the margin).
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 7 
 
 one, He steale that and save the money. But here 
 comes gravities, I'le give them the cringe. (Enter 125 
 Philenius and Musonius.) 
 
 Phi. But Musonius didst thou heare it of a 
 certeintie ? 
 
 Muso. make no question of it. see this litle vil- 
 laine ; twentie to one, but hee hath committed some 130 
 good jeast or other. 
 
 Cric. O Mr Philenius how doe you, Mr Musonius 
 how fares your bodie ? 
 
 Phi. you litle Rakehell, how chanceth it you are 
 not at your study ? *35 
 
 Muso. Thou wantest but a litle brechinge. 
 
 Cric. Good Lord breeching, nothing but breching 
 and studie. why they are the two worst things in 
 the world, meethinks it is the Childest thinge to be 
 breched, so schooleboylike, as for the other, it is not 140 
 so good as they saye it is. 
 
 Muso. well Sirra, what busines have you heere ? 
 
 Phi. Some Rakelly tricke or other. 
 
 Cric. 6 Lord Sir no, but a litle mirth with the sir 
 reverence of the towne. I'le tell you Sirs Mr Breck- 145 
 nock the Chandler, the Burgomaster I meane, and I 
 have had a full meete, but I got the wall of him, and 
 hee came to catch mee, but I was for him, but even 
 now if you had scene what a race wee had. 
 
 Phi. A race, may I entreate you upon what oc- 150 
 casion ? 
 
 Cric. 6 Lord Sir, the Aplewench used mee very 
 138 the MS. 'the the'
 
 8 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 hardly, and I in a choller (as | men are subject unto p. 10 
 passions) hurld them away and by good fortune hitt 
 155 Mr Burgomaster on the head, after came the Sergeants, 
 away goe I, there was hold, stopp, keepe, here, there, 
 but I out ran the fatt Sargeant at a playne race, and 
 turned short againe and gave him such a knocke, that 
 I brake his head the dayntelest, that you could not 
 160 chowse but laugh. 
 
 Muso. well sirra you are a wagg. 
 Phi. you must come over. 
 
 Cric. Come over againe, 6 god that I were but as 
 you are, I would have it better with theise Clownes. 
 X 65 Mm. Clownes sir boy. 
 
 Crick. I, Clownes, nea if wee have breching, studye, 
 
 comming over againe, Sir boy, He leave you. the world 
 
 will never be better, so long as such stayed gravities 
 
 have any thing to doe, wee can doe nothing for them, 
 
 170 but Il'e about more knaveries, Il'e persecute them. 
 
 (Exit Cricket.} 
 
 Phi. ffaith musonius this boy hath a good nimble 
 
 witt, do'st thou not see how hee is moved with 
 
 theise things, whereof wee seeme carelesse. why 
 
 175 could a man behould such a rable of Loggerheads 
 
 with patience ? 
 
 Mus. Why Philenius theise are fitter to move pittie 
 then procure patience, to see a heard of Asses, thinking 
 themselves a troupe of sages, I would never wish a 
 180 better object to my sences then theise. 
 
 Phi. why, but canst thou be well pleased to see 
 
 170 persecute See note on 2382.
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 9 
 
 such sepulchers the Image of divine authoritie, and 
 them governe others which can scarcely mannage their 
 owne affaires ? 
 
 Muso. As well as see Venus shrine presented with 185 
 base mould, when there is sufficient matter wanting, 
 you must accept that which is most proporcionable to 
 perfeccion. 
 
 Phi. I durst have sworne that this place where the 
 muses be so conversant and the good Arts so nourished 190 
 could not have byn so voyd of humanitie. I thought 
 it unpossible that ignorance should have nestled where 
 knowledg is so powerfull. but now I see my conjecture 
 falsified, for if I should point out the true visage of 
 Clownerie, 1 would accept of this for a true Idea. 195 
 
 Muso. ffaith to speake truely thou maist goe further 
 and speed worse. Minerva our foundresse in my con- 
 ceit was very provident in adjoyning herselfe to such 
 druggs, how else should wee have them serviceable ? 
 p. ii Phi. Thou seest experience hath shewed the con- 200 
 trarie, in stead of our servants they seeme to be our 
 masters, their power is too absolute, they muddy slaves 
 [thinke them selves] to good to be our servants. 
 
 Muso. I, and will retaine that thought, except some 
 true spirited Gent[lemen] make them feele our stripes 205 
 for their disobedience, and renewe the ancient Club- 
 lawe. had I but authoritie, I would curbe their foming 
 mouthes, and shewe them by nature to be mere 
 drudges. 
 
 Phi. Alas poore yonge brayne what couldest thou 210 
 
 208 mere MS. 'more'
 
 io Club Law [ACT i 
 
 effect more then those who have managed their actions 
 by experience, and have had wisdome written in the 
 furrowes of their face ? 
 
 Muso. Experience hath made them too wise, but 
 
 215 sirra shall wee bestowe some time to bringe them to 
 their ancient duetie ? I durst presume to effect it. 
 
 Phi. I, you may presume, yet you will hardly 
 assume any thing by this presumption. But Musonius, 
 I will follow thee, I am at thy service. 
 
 220 Muso. Now is the time of their Eleccion, when 
 they will be plotting some villanie against us. I durst 
 lay my head, the Bakerlie, lecherous, petifogging Niphle 
 will be chosen Burgomaster, hee hath bought him a 
 satten sute all readie, hee must have a fling at us, now 
 
 225 if wee could but be partakers of their Counsell they 
 were our owne. 
 
 Phi. why, that is easie, if wee could but humore 
 their wives, they are such good kind loving gossips, 
 that all theirs is ours, I knowe they will not conceale 
 
 230 their owne thoughts much lesse their husbands seecrets, 
 either this way wee must worke, or else be ignorant. 
 
 Muso. ffaith Philenius thy Counsell is allowable, 
 but mens Censurs will passe hardly upon us for con- 
 versing with such unconstant gossips. 
 
 235 Phi. Never regard their Conjectures, but our owne 
 intents. . Lead on, He followe you. 
 
 ffinis Act i. Seen. 5. 
 217 hardly MS. 'harly'
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law n 
 
 ACT i us . SCENA 6 ta . 
 
 Enter Brecknock, Romford, Colbie, Spruce ; Tavie bringing 
 out Cushions, and a table, Puffe, Catch, Nipble, the 240 
 Electors, and Cipher. 
 
 Catch. Prethee Puffe keepe thy rancke. 
 
 Puff, you will teach mee will you ? By my ffathers 
 soull bell... 
 
 Breck. why how sauce boxes ? If you be not more 245 
 orderly Fie send you where you shall. Come, come 
 my bretheren, letts about this geare, that I may be 
 unloaded of this burthen. Mr Towne Clarke see that 
 12 all | the Electors be present, call their names. 
 
 Spruce. Mr Sixpenny, Mr Littleworth. 250 
 
 Breck. fryne them. 
 
 Spr. Mr Halfecake, Goodman Cowby. 
 
 Cow. Here sir. 
 
 Spru. Mr Assely. 
 
 Cow. Ant please your worships my Landlord is 255 
 gone to see his willowes lopt, h'ele be here by and by. 
 
 Brec. The Court must not stay for him, fine him, 
 fine him, call the rest. 
 
 Spruce. Mr Lobson, Goodman Ketlebasen. 
 
 Ketl. Here sir. 260 
 
 Spru. Mr Thirtens. 
 
 Ketl. Ant please your worships, my gossip Thirtens 
 went on Wednesday to Thebes to buy some ffells at the 
 
 leather fayre. 
 
 242 Prethee MS. 'Prether'
 
 12 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 265 Brec. marry even fine Mr Thirtenes, a marke, 
 that is, a groate more then his name. (*Tbe Electors 
 laugh at Mr Burgomasters jest.} 
 
 Spruce. Mr Moone the elder. 
 Moone. I thought within this fouytenenight I 
 270 should never have scene your worships againe, a 
 scurvie Jade gave mee such a fall. (Mr Moone is sicke 
 and hath a kercher.} 
 
 Spruce. Mr Silverburrowe. 
 
 Brec. Is hee not here ? w'ele make him borrow 
 275 silver or gold to pay his mercement. (They laugh.} 
 
 Spru. Mr Esdras, Mr ffescu, Mr Mallice. 
 Brec. Lett them be well fined, it is a shame for 
 them. 
 
 Spru. Goodman Hornesbie. 
 280 Horn. Here sir. (Brecknock neeseth.} 
 
 (Goosturd. Munne. Hornesby. God blesse your wor- 
 ship.) 
 
 Spru. Mr South Cocks. 
 Ketl. There is none such sir. 
 285 Brec. It's Mr Westcocks, goodman Woodcocke. 
 
 (They laugh.} 
 Spru. Mr Westcocks. 
 Ciph. it is so indeed. 
 
 Ketle. Hee keepes house in the Countrie, for I 
 290 thinke hee hath left the Towne. 
 
 Brec. Hee was never otherwiselike. 
 Spru. Goodman Goosturde. 
 Goose. Here sir.
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 13 
 
 Brec. well said Oliver Goosturd, faith thou art a 
 true-penny ever. 295 
 
 Goost. And please god sir Il'e performe my Christian 
 duety, as long as I live. 
 
 Spru. Mr Jonas. 
 
 Cow. He was here even now. Goodman Tavie, 
 is he not att your house ? 300 
 
 favie. Her as truncke tere in te morning, he said 
 ant please cod, her would call you goodman Cowper. 
 
 Spru. Goodman Nixon. 
 
 Breck. Nicke him oth' score. (They laugh?) 
 
 Spru. Goodman Cooperburne. 3 o S 
 
 Cost. I sawe him hereabout, goodman Cowper, did 
 you not see goodman Cooperburne ? 
 
 Coop. Here sir. 
 
 Goost. Come, come, you have byn thrice called 
 here, heres goodman Cooperburne sir. 3IO 
 
 Coop. Here sir, my wife was sicke and sent for 
 mee sir. 
 
 Breck. The Court must neither staye for you nor 
 your wife, the Duke must be served, well take off his 
 fine, if hee were fined, for this once. 315 
 
 Spru. Mr Anderton. 
 p. 13 And. Here sir. 
 
 Spruce. Mr Slugg. 
 
 Ander. Mr Slugg why doe you [not] answere when 
 you are called ? 320 
 
 Slug. Here sir. 
 
 Breck. you have not your name for nothing, mee 
 thinks you are very slowe. (They laugh.)
 
 14 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 Spruce. Goodman Gallant, Goodman Tongue it. 
 325 Breck. This is gallant, that no man will tongue 
 it, but wee cannot staye all the day on them. (They 
 laugh.} Let us goe to it with those that wee have. 
 Now Mr Towne Clarke certie the cause. 
 
 Spruce. I will declare it presently. In the antient 
 
 330 Persian Common-wealth, you shall finde very often, that 
 
 the weale publike flourished in the time of the monarchy : 
 
 Even so I say here, if I may be so bold to compare, 
 
 comparisons being so odious, bringing in dissentions, 
 
 hatred and mallice being so great enemies to a Com- 
 
 335 mon-wealth, and also 
 
 Rumf. Nea, Mr Spruce leave theise circumprances, 
 and come to the prologue of the matter. 
 
 Spruce. But I will hasten, for time hath winges. 
 
 I cannot deny, but wee admired, that theise gentle 
 
 340 Athenians dare compare, with us polititians, Machi- 
 
 villians ; good St Mary what have they but wee have ; 
 
 they their Rector wee our Burgomaster, they their 
 
 nurceries wee our fraternities, they their Philarches, 
 
 wee our Bayliffs, they their anteambulers, we our 
 
 345 Sargeants, they their nomenclators, wee our Cryers, 
 
 they their Orator, et vos habetis me Henricum 
 
 Spruce. 
 
 Brec. Truely Mr Spruce, you have parbraked your 
 minde very well, now sir, for the cause of this zem- 
 35 blance. 
 
 Spruce. I will dispatch. The anchestors of this 
 towne very well seeing the disconveniences which 
 341 Rector MS. 'Rectors' 343 Philarches MS. 'Philarche'
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 15 
 
 might arise by the continuance of magistrats, enacted 
 and ordeyned, that our Burgomastership should be 
 annuall, either thereby to pull downe them, that grewe 355 
 prowd, or to ease them that laboured for the mayn- 
 tenance of our estate ; And to unload Mr Brecknock 
 of his great paynes, which hee hath undergone for the 
 common good, wee must discharge him of his office, 
 and chuse some other of an upright conversation and 360 
 integritie to be head over this our body. 
 
 Breck. I pray you doe, Il'e but speak a word or 
 two, and discharg you of your dueties. you knowe 
 it is an old adverb, so many men, so many meanings ; 
 p. 14 how then should I being but a | man please all, no 365 
 indeed, I have not sought to please all, but in my 
 Conscience to performe the duetie of a good magistrate, 
 and though I say it that should not saye it, seldome 
 comes the better. As every paire of stocks hath his 
 appointed holes, some for great knaves, some for lesse ; 370 
 so is it in our Burgomastership : a man must have 
 holes, that is, eares to heare their suites, some bigg 
 eares, some great eares for great matters, some small 
 eares for litle matters. Now seeing it is so (good 
 fellowes of our incorporacion) if at any time my eare 375 
 hath byn stopped, (as I am sure it hath not byn, but 
 upon some great neede) I aske forgivnes, and crave 
 pardon. If the gridiron be not scoured, the fish boyling 
 thereon will sticke on, and so be broken into mam- 
 mocks : so if the Governour be not scoured with the 380 
 sand of sinceritie, the fish, that is to say, the Common- 
 wealth will sticke unto it, and be utterly confiscated.
 
 1 6 Club Law [Aer i 
 
 I hope there is not any can or will say, that I have 
 consumed or broken any thing, god is my Judge, I 
 385 have not (bee is non plus). 
 
 Cipher, no truely. 
 
 Breck. neither would I, that worthy man (non 
 plus againe). (Goo s turd laugheth?) 
 
 Breck. How now Goosturd ? you goosecape you. 
 390 why sirra not know hoe I am ? 
 
 Goost. In truth sir, I did not laugh. 
 
 Brec. I will make you knowe, that I represent the 
 person of the Duke. 
 
 Goost. Truly, sir I did not laugh. 
 
 395 Breck. No, no, goe you and stand here a while, 
 come hether, I meane you Mr Moone, did you not 
 heare him laugh ? 
 
 Moone. Ant please your worship by Cocke, I did 
 not heare him laugh. 
 
 400 Breck. Stand you by there ; come hither goodman 
 Cowper, I am sure, you will tell mee truth, goe too 
 and saye 
 
 Cowp. Indeed sir, I can say no 
 
 Breck. Goe to, to it. 
 405 Cowp. I can say nothing to it. 
 
 Brec. Can you not so sirra ? well, sett ffive pounds 
 on his head. 
 
 Spru. Is your name Thomas Cowper ? 
 
 Cowp. I am not ashamed of my name, my name 
 410 is Roger Cowper. 
 
 Breck. Are yee all of a packe ? Il'e take a round 
 Course with you all.
 
 SCENE 6] -Club Law 17 
 
 Cowp. Nea, I pray you sir, I thinke 
 
 Breck. Goe to. 
 
 Cowp. I thinke [he] did smile, but I know not well. 415 
 
 Breck. well then stand you there, come hither 
 p. 15 sirra, goodman Cowper is an | honest man, hee hath 
 told mee the truth, goe to confesse if you will have 
 any favour. 
 
 Rumf. Ay, Ay, dea, dea, Oliver Goosturd it will 420 
 make the matter better for you effaith. 
 
 Goost. Indeed Mr Rumford to tell your worships 
 true, seeing I must needes tell, I did laugh, but sir 
 reverence to you and to the bench, it was because 
 goodman Cowper made a scape. 425 
 
 Ciph. Nea, you must not thinke you could scape 
 Mr Burgomasters hands, I tell you hee is the wisest 
 governour in his goverment that came this 20. yeares, 
 hee will ferrit you the truth. 
 
 Breck. Nea, I thanke god Mr Cipher, I have 430 
 examined harder matters then theise, and have found 
 out the truth. Go your wayes now, and behave your 
 selves better hereafter, take off their ffines, but now to 
 proceed Over and besides there be some evill dis- 
 posed persons who have called mee cruell man. Indeede, 43S 
 I must confesse I am something angry by nature and 
 once I made a foule fault by fettering a wench to keepe 
 her from her bawderie ; besides that I knowe nothinge, 
 whereby I may be blamed. Now therfore it [is] your 
 dueties (to you Mr Electors I speake it) to chuse some 440 
 man like unto mee, who may followe my stepps and 
 with a good courage preserve our ancient liberties,
 
 1 8 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 which hoping you will doe, as I received this dignitie 
 at your hands : so I render it againe into your fingers. 
 445 Now therfore Mr Electors you were best about your 
 dueties. This therefore is the cause of our dissemblance, 
 and the whole feet of the matter. 
 
 Spru. fFor your care and studie of the publike good 
 wee are much bound to you good Mr Brecknocke and 
 450 suppose your carriage to be soe good, that no man 
 justly can finde fault with it. 
 
 Rumf. And you are of my mynd, for you have 
 performed your duetie verie deftlye. 
 
 Colby. I, I, He warrant you, he that sayes hee will 
 455 doe better, may doe worse. 
 
 Breck. ffaith Mr Rumford, who shall be Mr Burgo- 
 master now ? 
 
 Rumf. By my soule, Mr Shavett, hee is a very 
 honest man, hee is worth twa hundred poundes. 
 460 Colble. And hee will undoe us all as a man should 
 undoe an Oyster, hee loves the gentle Athenians too 
 well, the other you know | his father was Baker, hee p. 16 
 brought him up pretelie to his booke, hee is a pretie 
 pettifogging Lawyer a kinde of Attorney, hel'e drawe 
 465 bloud of theise gentle Athenians, he'le tickle them 
 effaith. (The Electors me within A Niphill, A Niphill.) 
 Sprtcce. God hath blessed us in giving us such a 
 Burgomaster. 
 
 'Tavy. Cots plude her ferry clad her arships Burgo- 
 470 master. 
 
 Breck. yea, I told you it would be hee. effaith, hee 
 is worthy of it, is hee gone for ?
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 19 
 
 Tavy. Her will come pie and pie. 
 
 Rumf. Nea, I doubt not, but he'le dea very well. 
 
 Breck. Loe here hee comes. Mr Towne Clarke 475 
 certifie, informe. 
 
 Spru. Renowned Mr Niphle, knowing by the good 
 carriage of your selfe in sundrie affaires, that you are 
 man fitt to beare rule, wee have errected and constituted 
 you the pilott of this our shipp, which you must not 480 
 refuse, but receive with great alacritie and courage. 
 
 Nipble. Although my sondry imployments in 
 greater aifayres, and my late sicknes might sufficiently 
 excuse mee ; yet pittying this ruinous estate, I will not 
 refuse it, but receive it, that I may renue it, and make 485 
 it, a flourishing Cittie. 
 
 Colbye. It were great pittie you should. 
 
 Rumf. marry the towne wade have micke want of 
 you. 
 
 Nipb. Now therfore being your Governour, marke 490 
 how I informe you the waye of obedience. Marcus 
 Aurelius that famous Roman English Orator saith, old 
 men for witt, and yong men for wisedome, I would 
 say yong men for old men and old men for yonge 
 men, but I will assure you that it is a wise speech ; 495 
 The same Aurelius thinketh it impossible for a man to 
 be a Bayliffe, Headsman, Constable or muchomar, that 
 is timbersome or afraid, which being true, as it is no 
 lye, let us fetch an example from our selves ; to what 
 a lowe estate have wee byn brought by too much 500 
 
 477 Niphle MS. 'Niple' 482 Niphle MS. 'Niphe' 
 
 497 muchomar Query 'wacheman' 
 
 2 2
 
 2O Club Law [ACT i 
 
 timerousnes of former magistrats so that wee have 
 byn made servants of Rulers, I could not but admire 
 that men in | authoritie should be so base minded. P- 
 Did wee not see a snipp snapp Barber give the most 
 
 505 worshippfull of our societie (the Bakerly knave) ? I, and 
 had not a yonge lustie ladd taken it in hand it had byn 
 pocketted up to our great discredit. I say and will 
 stand to it wee have had but meane Rulers of our 
 Cittie very fooles. 
 
 510 Cip. Doe you meane mee Sir ? 
 
 Niph. Peace Cipher peace, they were not able to 
 governe their owne private families, but now I hope 
 you have chosen one, that shall renewe the ancient 
 credit and make them stoupe, that spurne at our 
 
 515 Authoritie, neither will cut the throate of iniquitie like 
 a Calfe, nor knocke downe sinne like a bullocke, but 
 I will so boult the meale of this Cittie, that I will 
 make it all fyne flower, and the rest I will make into 
 horsbreade, and turne it into the manger of distruccion ; 
 
 520 and as for theise gentle Athenians, I will rout out the 
 whole generacion of them, and make the vagabonds 
 seeke their dwellings, they shall not nestle with us in 
 our streets, nor out brave us in our owne dunghills, 
 they shall trudg, they shall trudge, if Nicholas Niphle 
 
 525 be head of this Citie, they shall packe with bag and 
 baggage. But impaciencie maks mee forgett my selfe. 
 Now therfore seeing I am your governour you shall 
 
 505 knave) ? Is the sentence incomplete or do the bracketed words 
 form the object to 'give' ? 
 
 515 will Query 'will I' s^4 Niphle MS. 'Niple'
 
 SCENE 7] Club Law 21 
 
 be obedient servants, and assist mee with life and goods 
 to be at my commaundement, else I will not manure 
 theise affaires, sai, will yee ? 53 
 
 All. wee will, wee will. 
 
 Nipbl. If you will not, I my selfe now I have 
 power will punish those stifnecked students, and shewe 
 that I have to commaund, therfore yee performe your 
 duetie. 535 
 
 Spruce, you may presume upon the good endevours 
 of theCittisens. else sir, you may use your owne discretion. 
 
 Rumf. you may put them to micke swinke else. 
 
 Breck. Hy, hy, it is hy noone. 
 
 Cipb. It is indeede. 54 
 
 Colby. Truly my stomake tell mee so. 
 
 Nipb. Now sirs seeing you have performed your 
 duetie, I indite you to a feast ; now then lett goe in, 
 p. 18 followe mee till the feast bee | solempnized, which being 
 finished wee must bee here againe presently to consult 545 
 about sundry affaires. Tavie, take thy place next my 
 person. 
 
 All. God give you joye Mr Burgomaster, god 
 give you joye. 
 
 Nipb. I thanke you good subjects all, god blesse 55 
 you good subjects all. I thanke you good subjects all. 
 
 ACTUS i us . SCENA 7 a . 
 Enter Cricket. Catch. Tavie. 
 
 Cric. Subjects, this arrogant asse thinks himselfe 
 some litle king, hee carries his nose up in the winde 555 
 
 532 Nipbl. MS. 'Nipl.' 543 indite Query < invite ' lett Query 'letts'
 
 22 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 and doth snuffe it like some Brewers horse, the asse 
 must needes imitate absurditie ; you would not thinke 
 how it greeves mee, that theise blocks should feast it 
 so quietly, and yet the spite is, I cannot invent how to 
 560 disturbe them, but that welsh Rogue troubles mee for 
 following mee so hard, well He cousen him of his 
 dinner, if I helpe him to something else : He goe to 
 him boldly, for I am sure hee knowes mee [not], hee 
 inquired my name, but nobody would tell it him ; and 
 565 besides I have disguised my selfe a litle, faith whither 
 hee knowes mee or not He venture it, thats certeine. 
 but I wonder how a murren a Welshman should come 
 to Athens, but I thinke in my conscience, there came 
 but one in a shipp, and he was the one came hither. 
 570 well now He about my trickes, tic, tac, toe. I pray 
 sir is not Tavie within ? 
 
 Catch. I, hee is within. 
 
 Crick, may a man speake with him ? 
 
 Catch. I cannot tell, hee is busie, but He see ; ho 
 575 Tavie. 
 
 Tavie. Ho call her. 
 
 Catch. Here is one would speake with you. 
 
 Tavy. what a poxe is her, can her tell ? 
 
 Catch. A gentle Athenian. 
 
 580 Tavy. what will her have some fittle ? Cot be 
 thanked here is some good pastie and pie. 
 
 Catch. Come see. 
 
 Tavy. God morrow to her, will her speake with mee ? 
 
 Crick. I good Mr Tavie, I am so bold as to trouble 
 585 you honest Mr Tavie.
 
 SCENE 7] Club Law 23 
 
 Tavy. will her tell mee why ? 
 
 Crick, marry sir, a Gentleman one Mr Morgan, 
 that is new come to towne is very desirous to speake 
 with you a worde or two, good Mr Tavie, honest 
 Mr Tavie. 590 
 
 'Tavie. Nea, cover her head man, Cods plud man 
 cover her head, why the pox is that arships Gent[leman] 
 come to towne to speake to her ? fere shall her speake | 
 P- 19 with her arships ? 
 
 Crick. Att our lodging, followe mee and He bring 595 
 you to him instantlie. 
 
 Tavy. nea her must serve Mr Burgomaster arship 
 first, tell her, her will come anone. 
 
 Crick. Nea, if you come not presently her must 
 take horse, and begone, her stay upon you, therfore 600 
 honest Mr Tavie, if you will follow mee doe, if not I 
 have done my Arrand. 
 
 Tavie. Holt what saucie Jacke prat a pox on her, 
 her will goe, but her will come home againe presently. 
 
 Crick. As you will for that, I pray you letts make 605 
 hast. 
 
 Tavie. will her trincke man ? 
 
 Crick. No, no, tis too, too grosse, letts be gone. 
 
 Tavie. I, I, leade the way, tell her how her wellcome. 
 
 Crick. He lead you where you shall be safe theise 610 
 two houres. 
 
 finis Act i. Seen. 7 mx . 
 
 612 7 mae MS. <7 mi '
 
 24 Club Law [ACT i 
 
 ACTUS i us . SCENA 8 va . 
 Emer Puff. Mounsier. 
 
 615 Puff. Theise sweating are halfe drunken al- 
 
 readie, He goe see if I can meete with any boone 
 Companions, that I may shewe them what good cheere 
 our towne makes, me thinks our new Burgomaster 
 begins to laye it on lustely. 6 that I could meete with 
 
 620 any of my fellowe Puffers. Let mee see, there is a 
 certeine ffrenchman called Mounsier grand Combatant. 
 I was in his company the other day, it would make a 
 horse laugh to heare him talke. If I can mete him He 
 carrie him to the feast, as rounde as a Julers boxe, he 
 
 625 is as good as a foole to make us sport : gods daggers, 
 here he is, he shall goe with mee thats certeine. 
 
 Mourn. By cod me cannot stay in de house, me 
 cannot tell de reason, all de good fellowes be gone, I se 
 come in de towne verie be merie. 
 
 630 Puff. O Mounsier, I am verie glad I have mett 
 with you, effaith you shall stay. 
 
 Mouns. 6 Mr Puff in trot, me verie clad to see 
 your worship, come sail wee goe trincke a quart of 
 wyne at de cape ? 
 
 635 Puff. Staye you shall goe with mee. 
 
 Mouns. Sail wee goe prede weder ? in de 
 Cape ? 
 
 Puffe. No, here. Mr Burgomaster makes a great 
 feast, you shall goe with mee to dinner. | 
 
 629 verie Query ' vill ', the error being due to ' verie ' below.
 
 ACT 2] Club Law 25 
 
 p. 20 Mouns. To dinner ? Mr Burgomaster make good 640 
 shere, is good wine ? 
 
 Puff. I, come letts goe. 
 
 Mouns. 6 Lord sir, tis no madder for dat, mee 
 taunke you for your courtesie. I intrant I will 
 follow you. 645 
 
 Puff. You shall be verie welcome. 
 
 Mouns. me taunke you. 
 
 ACTUS 2 dus . SCENA i a . 
 Mounsier solus. 
 
 Mouns. Intraunt, Intraunt is no good shere, de 650 
 scurvy fleshmakers, feefe, all te flesh, all ale, all Beere, 
 is scurvie dinner, ne vine, de scurvie Rogue PufFe 
 make good Cordileere, abuse mee, he spake ffrench, de 
 great clowne so laugh, abuse, all so full Cowe, mutton, 
 velt, porridg, is not tart, not custart, ne vine ne tinge 655 
 Cavelero intraunt, wee will goe the Accademick's, wee 
 will be merry, is better goods fellowes there. 
 
 ACTUS 2 US . SCENA 2 a . 
 
 Nipbi/, Colbie, Rumford, Cipher, Brecknock, Sargeants, 
 Electors doe their dueties to Master Burgomaster, and 660 
 goe out. 
 
 Niph. Surely it could not be but avayleable, if you 
 durst undertake it Mr Colbie. 
 
 644 you MS. 'your'
 
 26 Club Law [ACT 2 
 
 Colby. Before god sir, it would make them disburse 
 
 665 their Coine, and wee might be honest savers by it, but 
 let every man give me his Counsell. 
 
 Nipb. You say well. Mr Brecknock, I commaund 
 you to mount your judgment how wee might bring 
 under theise, as wee call them, gentle Athenians, who 
 
 670 being proud in regard of a Goddish called Mineva call 
 us falsly hoyden Athenians, whereas indeed they them- 
 selves are but our vassalls, are they not called Ragge 
 tayles, longe tayles, tatter tayles, wee Burgomaster, 
 Hedsmen, which signifieth no lesse then [our] worthi- 
 
 675 nesse and theire basenes, which shewes us to be the 
 head, they the tayles, I say, how wee might make them 
 yeld true allegiance to their sovereigne, whereas now 
 they seeke to bring us under them, or at the j least to p. 21 
 make us one with them and so be our servants. 
 
 680 Breck. By my tricks in my foolish opinion, He 
 tell you what ; wee have a great many of prettie 
 smugg girles in the towne, they shall gett the gentle 
 Athenians in, and they shall gett them with child, and 
 all the gentle Athenians shall have basterds and then 
 
 685 the gentle Athenians shall be married and so wee shall 
 be ridd of them. 
 
 Cipb. This cannot but be availeable. 
 Rumf. The poore snakes are not able to keepe 
 theire barnes, what a. deale shall wee doe with them ? 
 
 690 Breck. ffoh, wele make them our bondslaves or 
 any thinge. 
 
 Cipb. I, any thing, any thinge. 
 
 678 they MS. 'the' 681 prettie MS. 'pettie'
 
 SCENE 2] Club Law 27 
 
 Nipb. I wonder men of your place will bringe forth 
 such reasons, what say you Mr Colbye ? 
 
 Colby, ffaith, if wee could but gett away theire 695 
 gilded staves they would not jett it as they doe, He 
 tell you, wele say they be full of rich pearles, and soe 
 they shall be broken for the Duke and wee will feast 
 upon them. 
 
 Niph. Ha, ha, ha, to to bad, so wee shall be found 700 
 lyers, and repaire them againe. what say you Mr Rum- 
 ford ? 
 
 Rumf. Mary sir twere very good to twacke their 
 Crags and make their bones sore. 
 
 Cipb. I could saye some thinge, but it is no matter, 705 
 I know what I know. 
 
 Spruce. I thinke it were verie good to putt up a 
 supplicacion togither with the informacions of the injurie 
 they have offered us and so to crave constraint of their 
 liberties. 710 
 
 Nipb. what say you to fire their lodging ? 
 
 Breck. nea, good sir take heed what you doe, 
 my house is not farre of, I had rather spend 20. and 
 10. nobles, two. 
 
 Nipb. I tell you in a common good the firing of 715 
 one private house is not to be respected, but I will not 
 doe it. now every man marke my charge and take 
 my commaundement, you Mr Colebie shall forestall 
 the markett and carrie away their Corne for you have 
 obteyned your suite. 720 
 
 Rumf. what the deale shall I doe ? 
 
 713 20. Query '20. pounds'
 
 28 Club Law [ACT 2 
 
 Niph. you Mr Rumford shall see them receive 
 their reward, I say by some manner of meanes to have 
 them well beaten. 
 
 725 Rumf. IfFaith, He lay on their sides, they shall have 
 their owne Clublawe. 
 
 Niph. Mr Brecknock Mr Cipher and the rest shall 
 be my assistants, and you Mr Spruce shall drawe the 
 Articles, doe it presently, doe it I saye, tis your duetie. 
 73 Spruce. 1 pray you sir, let every one give his 
 Article and He forme | them. p. 22 
 
 Nipb. They shall : beginne Mr Brecknocke. 
 Breck. what if I put up this, that the gentle 
 Athenians spend more upon ffidlers under the colour 
 735 of musitions in rowing downe the river then would 
 mainteine Mr Burgomasters house and the 3. Sargeants 
 very sufficiently. 
 
 Nipb. Hold your hand Mr Spruce, hold, me thinke 
 you might have more witt, then to write such a foolish 
 74 Article, they would say wee were very fooles, if they 
 sawe this. Mr Rumford yours. 
 
 Rumf. That the lads spend more in shoetyings 
 then 60. headsmen doe in scarlet, why wadd not an 
 end of a point, or a pece of a glove serve but they 
 745 must spend a tester, I say sixe pence, upon Ribans ? 
 
 Nipb. note downe that, it will informe their pro- 
 digalitie, I thanke you good Mr Rumford. 
 
 Rumf. Nea faith, it is not so mickle worth. 
 Nipb. Mr Colby yours. 
 
 750 Colby. That whereas it is enacted and ordeyned, 
 736 Burgomasters MS. 'Burgomaster'
 
 SCENE 2] Club Law 29 
 
 good Mr Spruce, write in the yeare 1400. they con- 
 trarie to the same act, have violentlie carried away and 
 them used sending them home diseased with tympanies, 
 so that they and theirs lye upon our hand to our great 
 charge and impovishment. 755 
 
 Nipb. This will serve, Mr Cipher yours. 
 
 Cipb. what you please, Sir, that shall be, god hath 
 given you the gift of speaking. 
 
 Nipb. And you of silence. Now Masters letts 
 heare the supplication. 760 
 
 Spruce. The worthy Burgomaster, and injured men 
 of this incorporacion being overladen with the burthen 
 of injuries doe prostrate themselves at your feete, craving 
 your aide and assistance against the unsupportable 
 ronges of the gentle Athenians. And least that you 765 
 should thinke, that causlesse wee complaine, wee have 
 here sett downe the causes of our griefe, which hoping 
 you will redresse, thus wee article. 
 
 Nipb. what is the first ? 
 
 Spruce. The worthy Burgomaster &c. 770 
 
 Nipb. Sett it downe the thrice worthy Burgomaster, 
 the rightworshippfull Mr Nicholas Niphle. it may be 
 they will heare it the sooner for my sake. So Mr Spruce 
 see theise dispatched, well wele come on them everie waie, 
 by force, by complaint, if my conjecture faile me not, wee 775 
 shall have the day. My Masters looke to your charges, 
 and performe the duetie of good subjects, wee must 
 now depart for I have detayned you somewhat longe. 
 
 751 carried away Query 'carried away the daughters of our townsmen' 
 755 impovishment Query 'impoverishment'
 
 30 Club Law [ACT 2 
 
 Rumf. lie bange them ; and I doe not, the deale 
 780 on my cragge. 
 
 Ciph. And whatsoever youle say or doe Mr Burgo- 
 master He say it is well done. | 
 
 Niph. And in so doeing you shall shewe your selves p. 23 
 good townsemen, but lett us be gone, where are Sear- 
 785 geants ? wheres Tavie ? fore god I wonder I sawe him 
 not at the feast, doth he waite on him selfe ? let us 
 be gone. 
 
 ACTUS 2 US . SCENA 3 a . 
 'Tavie solus. 
 
 790 Tavy. All the deeles in hell take her, what the 
 poxe is her all gone ? plutter her nayles, her was never 
 served such a pranke in all her life. A litle knave 
 made her loose her dynner, and her packe peaten, and 
 her bellie is emptie. Cotts plutt, her was not care two 
 
 795 rushes for the Clerigalls, as for her pastie, oh her 
 pastie and her pye, and pest tart. But marke her now, 
 shall tell her tale, a ferry satt tale, which makes her 
 eyes to water, and her heart to weepe. Tavy a shiefe 
 Sergeant, dell in the mountaines, spend all her dayes, 
 
 800 was goe see Mr Morgan her Countryman, in the Ac- 
 cademie, ant Tavie was followe a litle knave, up his 
 Chamber, when Tavye was tere, Tavie was locked up, 
 was not lett out, Tavie staied tere all tynner and was 
 verie cold, but a litle knave was steale, so gallant Tavie 
 
 805 was wipped ant abusd ant loose her tynner, tell her 
 was not [tat] a ferie coode sat tale, was verie true, and
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 31 
 
 now loose all cood shere and loose Mr Burgomasters 
 cood will, her will have some of her plute and revenge. 
 But now her will goe to Mr Burgomaster and tell her 
 tale, and please cod, and scuse her selfe. Exit. 810 
 
 ACTUS 2. SCENA 4*. 
 Mistrisse Colbie sola. 
 
 Mris Colbie. Jesus blesse me, what doe our men 
 meane to abuse such proper Gentlemen, such learned 
 men, that conjure the devill into a Circle and put him 815 
 againe in hell, and doe such strang things as they be ? 
 In faith they themselves are such hoydens, that they 
 cannot endure such muske companions. In good truth 
 there was one at our house the other daye, neere trust 
 mee, if he did me not good at the heart to looke upon 820 
 him, I offered him but a cup of beere, and god is my 
 Judge, my husband told mee I would bestowe all that 
 p- 24 1 had upon him, He lay my life J the Cuckold is 
 jealous, but He cry quit with him. Good Lord that 
 I could meete with that same good Gentleman Mr 825 
 Musonius, if I would not tell him all my husbands 
 knaveries I pray god I never have good of him, but 
 good lord, here comes Mris Nifle harken what shee 
 sayes. (Enter Mris Nifle.'] 
 
 Mris Nifle. I faith, I faith, is it even so ? I dare 830 
 pawne my maidenhead hee is goeing about to cut 
 queane me, he hath had so much private conference 
 with Tavie. all must be gone forsooth, great matters
 
 32 Club Law [ACT 2 
 
 no doubt with that welsh raskall. Good lord, I cannot 
 
 835 but wonder, why other women should please him better 
 then my selfe. I am sure I am not so foule, I confesse 
 I am none of the fairest, and yet effaith some have 
 counted me none of the brownest, if I were it were 
 something, but I thanke god I am as proper as some 
 
 840 of them, it is a marvell he is so lustie abroade and 
 quiet at home. But goe you abroad, and if I be not 
 quit with you, never let me be Mris Nifle more, He 
 make the gentle Athenians, whom yee hate so much, as 
 far in as your selfe, if they [be] not too modest. He have 
 
 845 a sonne this yeare a Gentleman, effaith, I will, but yonder 
 is Mris Coleby, He see if shee be not in my taking. 
 
 Mris Colby. He goe to her, deaven Mris Nifle, how 
 doth Mr Burgomaster, and all at home forsooth ? all 
 well forsooth I hope. 
 
 850 Mris Nifle. God lord, what doe you meane to in- 
 quire after Mr Burgomaster? twentie to one, it is you 
 that doth cut-queane mee. 
 
 Mris Col. ffaith so merily disposd, marie you are 
 happy, that can be cuckqueand, He warrant you, I shall 
 
 855 never take myne in that fault. 
 
 Mris Nifle. By my maidenhead you'r in a miser- 
 able case. But whether are you walking ? 
 
 Mris Colby, nay, mistrisse Nifle thats counsell. 
 Mris Nifle. Good Lord ladie, are you so squeamish 
 
 860 as though I know you not, indeede you are a wanton, 
 nere trust me, if you be not, but if it be so as you 
 saye, I cannot blame you. 
 
 840 a MS. 'no'
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 33 
 
 Mris Colbie. It is even as I tell you, but how should 
 I helpe my selfe now ? 
 
 Mris Nifle. why let others ; among such a companie 865 
 of Gallants, I would nere want one. 
 
 Mris Col. why, but theise gentle Athenians are 
 such maiden fac't fellowes, ne're credit me, if I did not 
 p. 25 carrie Mr Musonius up into my bedchamber | and 
 shewed him my bed and arras hanging, and shutt the 870 
 doore, and asked him if it were not a faire and soft 
 bed and yet the foole understood mee not, and ther- 
 upon I fell of talking of fyne lynnen, and therupon I 
 had him see if my smocke was not fyne holland, and 
 yet the foole understood mee not. what could have 875 
 a woman done more ? Unlesse 
 
 Mris Nifle. And so I warrent you hele be bold 
 enough, if you serve him such an other tricke. 
 
 Mris Col. But here hee comes and Mr Philenius 
 with him, they two are great and why not wee two ? 880 
 
 ACTUS 2 s . SCENA 5 a . 
 Musonius, Pbilenius, Mistris Colbie Mris Nifle. 
 
 Muso. See, Philenius, here are our gossips, now 
 wee have good opportunitie to worke them. 
 
 Phi. I, I, good warrent you, let us give them the 885 
 unset, Gentlewomen god save you. 
 
 Mris Nifle. Mr Philenius how does your bodie ? 
 
 Mris Col. Good lord Mr Musonius, what a stranger 
 
 88z Musonius MS. 'Musunius' 
 
 s. 3
 
 34 Club Law [ACT 2 
 
 are you at our house ? doe you thinke that there are 
 890 beares at our house ? 
 
 Muso. No, Mris Colbie, but fearefull least in this 
 suspitious age I should give any occasion of scandall 
 to theise quick tongues. 
 
 Mris Nifle. Good Lord Mr Philenius how cold you 
 895 are ! you spoile your selfe with too many bookes, why 
 myne eyes would out if I should read halfe so 
 much. 
 
 Phile. I, your eies are ordeyned for other uses, my 
 Eies have vowed themselves to theise studies. 1 but 
 900 why were you two togither ? 
 
 Mris Niph. marry we were talking of your un- 
 kindnesses. 
 
 Mris Colbie. By my honestie, we said you were 
 verie Churles. 
 
 905 Muso. why doe you impose such a hard sentence 
 upon us ? 
 
 Phile. Our natures are opposite to such. 
 
 Mris Niph. I know not, but I wonder you are so 
 squeamish, that upon great curtesies and proffers, you 
 910 give not the common curtesie, so much as a kisse. 
 
 Phile. A kisse. why theise are the common cur- 
 tesies of sleight lovers, we deeme kisses but trifles, our 
 loves are placed in our inward hart. 
 
 Mris Col. I pray you lett mee | have a trifle. p. 26 
 
 915 Muso. This is too sleight a demaund fitting thy 
 conceit, but how can wee affect you, when those that 
 are neere unto [you] prosecute us with such [unkind- 
 ness] ? I meane your husbands.
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 35 
 
 Mm Niph. By my troth you say true, but god 
 knowes it is not our faults, wee wish it otherwise. 920 
 
 Mris Colbie. yea and you would but looke on us 
 and like us and love us now and then, that ther might 
 be some familiaritie betwene us, I knowe what I would 
 doe. 
 
 Musonius. As farre as any Civilitie will permitt, 925 
 wee are att your service, but what would you doe ? 
 
 Mris Colby. Marrie any whatsoever. 
 
 Pbile. (Aside.} The more unconstant gill thou. 
 but doe you assent unto her ? 
 
 Mris Nipbte. I beshrewe my hart els. 930 
 
 Muso. why then you knowe how irksome wee are 
 to your husbands, and upon that they are alwayes plot- 
 ting some villany against us. would you but informe 
 us of their pretences, that wee might prevent them, you 
 might gaine to yourselves eternall lovers. 935 
 
 Mris Nifle. wee will doe it, so you be men of 
 your words. 
 
 Mris Colbie. In faith wee will doe it. but we must 
 not have you to modest, and to beginne to shewe you 
 how we will keepe our promise, I tell you I heard all 94 
 the men in our towne crying out against Clublawe, 
 and said you had marred them, and they would be 
 avenged of you and in the end determined to beate you 
 with your owne weapons, and make you feele Clublawe. 
 
 931 upon that In the MS. a cross (+) is written over 'that' 
 Query ' how that ' 
 
 941 in our towne MS. 'in our towne (in our towne)' 
 944 your MS. 'you' 
 
 32
 
 36 Club Law [AcT 2 
 
 945 Muso. But when shall this be ? 
 
 Mris Colbie. To morrow at a Cudgill play, all the 
 yong lads in the towne will be upon you, therefore 
 looke to your selves, I am sure I can doe no more. 
 
 Mris Nifle. Will you being Gentlemen be beaten 
 950 downe by a company of Hoydens ? 
 
 Pbile. you cannot carry such a base conceit of us. 
 
 Muso. But as you have begune, so good mistris 
 Colbie let us have further intelligence of it to morrow. 
 
 Mris Colbie. Tush Mris Colbie, I had rather you 
 955 would call mee Besse Colbie, come you must leave this 
 Mris and Mr, if you meane to be true friends. 
 
 Mris Niph. In troth Mris Colbie, it were enough 
 to make our husbands jealous, | if they should see us p. 27 
 here, therefore Gentlemen we must crave pardon, if 
 960 we can doe you no service. 
 
 Mris Colby. Gods bodikens you say true, my 
 suger cakes will be over baked, Mr Musonius, you 
 will looke to your promise, we will keepe ours. 
 
 Muson. Presume upon us. 
 
 965 Mris Nifle. I pray you Mris Colby let us tast of 
 your sugar cakes. 
 
 Mris Colby. I pray you come good Mris Nifle, 
 forsooth they be homely ones I warrant you. Exeunt. 
 
 Muson. Sirra Philenius, what an inticement were 
 970 here to incontinencye, inough to corrupt the chastest 
 thoughts, but let us not be carefull of our credits to 
 neglect the common good. If we passe in some small 
 actions, I hope welldisposed Judgments will ponder 
 our intents.
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 37 
 
 Pbile. ffirst for their husbands, lett us followe that, 975 
 which they have begune, and use but their owne weapons, 
 and turne them against themselves, but as for them 
 lett us feede them with vaine delayes, least the Muses 
 be not propitious unto us in our studies, being such 
 profest enemies to Venus. 980 
 
 Muson. I assent to thee ; and for mine owne parte, 
 I hope my thoughts are of a higher pitch then to enter 
 into such kennell thoughts, and dare almost promise 
 for thee*, but sirra, lett us goe certifie theise things to 
 our freinds and see the performance of Clublawe. 985 
 
 Pbile. Content, He busie my thoughts upon this 
 Clownish subject, to bring it to effect. Exeunt. 
 
 ACTUS 2 US . SCENA 6 a . 
 Cricket solus. 
 
 Crickett. Never trust mee, if I be not overjoyed to 990 
 thinke how I fitted Mr friend Tavie, how finely he 
 was last, what sweet red lashes he had on his shoulders. 
 I never sawe a vilkine take it more patiently, He warrent 
 you, the villaine hath byn in as many Clerigalls in his 
 life as I have gathered phrases, this is worth some mirth, 995 
 p. 28 but I must be the man that must | make the Clownes 
 yeald when all is done. I have it that will make them 
 pay for it, but you thinke I am no man of my word, 
 
 980 profest In the MS. though the word is written in full, the <p' 
 has the turn which indicates 'pro'.
 
 38 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 well be it so, but yet if you knewe all you would honour 
 
 1000 mee presently. I following the villaines and dogging 
 them up and downe as it is a part of my study to play 
 the Eivesdroper (as I can doe it pretily) at Mr Colebies 
 parlour windowe there I heard such a sackfull of greasie 
 consultations offensive to any good witt, there to be 
 
 1005 short I heard that Mr Colbie the Collier should convey 
 away Corne under his coles to night. I away presently 
 came hither consulting upon it how I might worke upon 
 this villaine. what if I goe nowe in the dearth, and 
 tell the poore people, that they plucke out the villaines 
 
 ioio eyes ; no hange them, our authority shall make them 
 stoupe. He even goe and tell Mr Musonius and Phi- 
 lenius of it, I am sure it is imprisoning at the least, 
 they will hamper him in a paire of shackles or some 
 thinge or other from our Rector, faith shall be even 
 
 1015 so. but what if they will not medle with it ? why 
 then He search them out some waye or other thats 
 certeine, He about it. Exit. 
 
 finis Actus 2 di . 
 
 1020 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA i a . 
 
 Crickett solus. 
 
 Crick. Ah you rascall Coleby you, if I be not on 
 
 your skirts, if all hold, lett mee be putt into the 
 
 blacke bill. By great chaunce I had noe sooner gone 
 
 hence, but I presently mett with the two Gentlemen 
 
 1014 shall Query 'it shall'
 
 SCENE i] Club Law 39 
 
 who after I had certified them of it, you would not 1025 
 thinke what a company of good [fellows] they gave 
 mee and presently they gott a writt (to attach him) 
 from Mr Rector. Now sir, they them selves are 
 watching in a friends house, and I am here verie well 
 imployed, a scout to espy his comming and then certifie 1030 
 them of it and call them out ; so that they are but my 
 p. 29 adjuvants, I am the cheife agent in this | matter. You 
 shall see how gallantly we'le performe it. But let mee 
 see, what time of night is it ? Yet it is not much 
 past tenne of the clocke, and I warrent you it will be 1035 
 eleaven ere this Collierly Cornemonger come, what 
 shall I stand here all this while like John Drome ? 
 ffaith I shall sleepe, well I cannot, I must about some 
 tricke or other, what let mee [see] my instruments. 
 What a plague how came I by this rope ? 6 now I 1040 
 knowe. surely, I will use this, but how ? what if 
 I strangle the next fellowe that comes and gett on his 
 backe and hange upon the rope ? I can doe it in a 
 trice aswell as the best hangeman of them all. No 
 I will not least I should crie guiltie before Mr Burgo- i45 
 master, and he shall say, here I indite you by the 
 name of Nic. Crickett. nowe I have founde it. so 
 here He tye my rope and see what fortune will befall 
 mee. 6h god could I but breake one of their necks 
 I were a most happie man, let mee see, is my voice 1050 
 cleare ? hem, it will serve, murder, murder*, I am 
 slaine, helpe, helpe Mr Burgomaster, helpe, murder, 
 murder. * A rope was tied at Mr Burgomasters dore. 
 
 1026 good [fellows] In the MS. there is a gap after 'good'.
 
 40 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 2 a . 
 
 1055 Nipbill. Tavy. Puff. Catch. 
 
 As they came out of the dore he tripps up tbeire beeles with 
 a rope, and beates them with the Clubb. 
 
 Puff. 6 good Lord, will yee murder mee ? 
 
 Crick, no Il'e not stay, (he stepps aside.} 
 1060 Tavie. A poxe on her, Puff great knave almost 
 breck her packe. 
 
 Catch. Nea, I am cleane spoiled, good Mr Burgo- 
 master rise. 
 
 Niphle. This is strange, before god, a rope before 
 1065 my dore ? what a peece of knaverie is this ? looke 
 about if you can see any of theise crackropes. 
 
 Tavie. A poxe on her, was take her heels. 
 
 Puff. He warrent you he is gone a good [mile] 
 by this time. 
 1070 Crick, not so farre but hee sees you. 
 
 Catch. I have hurt my legg shrodly. 
 
 Crick. I would thou | hadst broke thy necke. p. 30 
 
 Nifle. This is some tattertaild Athenian, but if I 
 live He make them keepe their lodgings, they shall 
 1075 not goe about our streets at this time of the night. 
 
 Sargeant. Shall wee be gone sir, tis something late. 
 
 Niph. you may be gone, but Tavie stay. 
 
 Crick, nea, then He come a stepp neerer. 
 
 Sergeants. God give your worships good night. 
 
 1072 necke MS. 'necke necke'
 
 SCENE 2] Club Law 41 
 
 Nifle. Now thou and I am here alone I neede not 1080 
 stand upon points. 
 
 Tavie. Na, ant her arship tell her of points and 
 knacks and knaveries, ant her knowe her love flesh, 
 but what is her will and desire ? 
 
 Cricket. In faith Mr Burgomaster are you a 1085 
 muttonmonger ? one stepp nyer. 
 
 Nipb. ffaith Tavy, I was at thy house to day, and 
 there I sawe the pretie wench, which thou toldst mee 
 of before, I like her well, shee looks like a good 
 holsome wench, and to be short, we magistrats are 1090 
 but men, and therefore followe Venerie, therefore Tavy 
 I must use her, I tell thee in plaine termes, I must 
 quench this naturall heate. 
 
 Crick. I would I had the quenching of it. 
 
 Tavie. But when will her come ? her shall what her 1095 
 will. 
 
 Niph. fFaith honest Tavie, I cannot hold out long, 
 lust grows on, therefore I prethe, see shee be readie 
 against 12. of the Clocke, and then He come, but 
 Tavie, be secrett, for if you lett a ragtaild Athenian noo 
 knowe of it, you undoe us all. 
 
 Crick, ffie, no lett not them know it. 
 
 'Tavy. Nea, and Tavie prate take her necke of, give 
 her a wort, but how shall her knowe her from a knave. 
 
 Crick. I marrie, there is no such word in all the 1105 
 dictionarie. 
 
 1083 ant There seems to be some corruption here. Perhaps 'ant' 
 has crept in from the line above. 
 
 1104 but Should 'but' be omitted or should it be made to precede 
 'give' above?
 
 42 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 Nipb. marrie well remembred, thus it shall be, 
 He knocke thrice, and call Tavie, and then if I be 
 hee, He say I burne. 
 
 n 10 Tavie. well then if her doe not say I purne, her 
 must not lett her in. 
 
 Nipb. no, in any case, He warrent thee lie say soe. 
 Tavie. well her goe ant have her prideled and 
 sadled against her arships come. 
 
 1115 Nipb. I doe, this lust torments mee, He goe in 
 and disguise my selfe and come to the good girle 
 presently. Exit. 
 
 Crick. O fortune thou favourest us, whatsomever 
 wee doe some happie event or other presently ensues. 
 
 1 120 And [is] it not you | mecanick slaves, who crie out p. 31 
 upon us for wenches and your selves such bawdie 
 knaves ? how I triumph in this, that wee may cry out 
 of this lecherous villaine, and tell him of his holesome 
 girle and of his burnings. If we can doe nothing els, 
 
 iiaswele fill all the Towne full of Rimes of him. wele 
 paint all the Boggards with papers and so disgrace him, 
 that wele make him hange him selfe. He goe tell 
 Musonius of it presently, but stay, I beleive there 
 comes my marke. I stand aside and heare my loger- 
 
 1130 pate. 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 3 a . 
 Enter Colbie prying about. 
 
 Cole. I thanke my starres heres all fallen out as 
 I would have. 
 1135 Crick. I, and as I would to.
 
 SCENE 3] Club Law 4.3 
 
 Cole. And here is no creature stirring. 
 
 Crick, yet blinde Bayard, heres a beare will bite 
 you. 
 
 Cole. Come, come on, good fellowes, all is passing 
 well. (the Collars enter?) 1140 
 
 Crick. lie goe to the Gentlemen presently to come 
 and take them. (Exit.") 
 
 Colbie. Now afore god I cannot but laugh at theise 
 vild Athenians, they count us simple, when they them- 
 selves are most foolish, here is a simple tricke I "45 
 promise you. fill my sacks mouthes full of Coles, 
 whereas theire bellies be stuft with corne. I marvell 
 which of them could have invented such a thing. 
 
 1 Colier. Nea, if it come to invention, god helpe 
 them, what have they in their lodgings that is good "5 
 and necessarie but they have it from us ? their larder 
 house, their bakehouse, their kitchen, no not so much 
 
 as their house of office in theire backsides, only they 
 make theirs to differ from ours in name and in 
 bignes. "55 
 
 2 Collier, well said fellow John, I perceive thou 
 cariest some thing els besids burthens, I would have 
 bene hanged, if any one of theise corner capp slaves in 
 the towne could have made such a speech to so good 
 purpose in a whole daye. "60 
 
 3 Collier, what a wondring keepes thou at him, 
 as if his witt were not common to all of us. why I 
 tell thee, the very name Porter signifies no lesse then 
 
 u6z common MS. 'com-' at end of line. The word is not 
 completed.
 
 44 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 wittie, doth any man | send a foole with a burthen, or p- 3 2 
 "65 an asse with an errand ? 
 
 1 Collier. If hee doe lett him be sure to send the 
 Cryer after him, or els goe seeke himselfe like a foole 
 when he hath done. 
 
 2 Coll. Nea, I thanke god, I was never sent of an 
 iiroarrand. But I could doe it well enough, and returne 
 
 home with out sending for. 
 
 3 Collier. Yett once fellow Dicke, doe not you 
 remember how you accused a stone instead of a gentle 
 Athenian, for tripping up your heeles and biting you 
 
 1175 by the buttockes when he had done ? 
 
 Colbie. Marry you make my worship merrie, here 
 be merrie fellowes indeede. how can a man chuse, but 
 have his worke done, when he hath such a company of 
 wittie fellowes about it ? hold heres one groat more to 
 
 1180 Dicke fort, when he comes home for this, but I feare 
 mee wee staie to long, the bargmen thinke wele never 
 come, away take up the sackes and letts be gone. 
 
 Colliers, when you please sir, lead you the way 
 and wele followe. 
 
 "85 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 4 a . 
 
 Musonius. Philenius. Cricket and his company. 
 
 Crick. Here they be, make hast quickly, or els 
 they will be gone. 
 
 Colbie. Alas wee are betrayed, make hast and shift 
 "90 for your selves. 
 
 Crick. Nea, help, help, I have one of them.
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 45 
 
 Muso. If that they will not yeild, downe with 
 them. 
 
 Pbile. Hoe Mr Colbie well mett, what busines 
 have you to be abrode now ? "95 
 
 Cole, why sir, about my busines to send a fewe 
 coles downe by water, I hope sir, you can take no 
 offence at it. 
 
 2 Port, neither can you, if you search out the 
 truth. 1200 
 
 Cricket. Nea, you neede not, wee knowe it, wee 
 know it. 
 
 Phile. Peace boye. 
 
 Crick. I am kild with this word boye. 
 
 Muso. Sirra search you them Crickett. 1205 
 
 Crick. Nea, if I search not every hole hange me, 
 and saye I am an Onion. Come sirra you porter letts 
 see your sacke, open it you knave. 
 
 1 Porter. Knave, how many such knaves doe your 
 ffather keepe ? 1210 
 
 Crick. Open it or &c. 
 
 2 Porter. Open it, I will open it. 
 
 i Port. I sir, you shall have it opened. 
 
 Crick, what shall I give a bushell for theise coles ? 
 
 3 Port. They be sold already. 1215 
 Crick, whats here ? your markett is spoyled, Coles 
 
 turned into Corne. 
 
 Phile. A strange metamorphosis. | 
 
 33 Muso. So strange that it will turne him into the 
 Jayle. 1220 
 
 Cole. By what authoritie ?
 
 46 Club Law [Acr 3 
 
 Pbile. By a writt from Mr Rector. 
 Crick. I, come Mr Coleby, you must be my 
 prisoner. 
 1225 Cole. Nea, good Gentlemen. 
 
 Pbile. How now, who hath the witt now ? alas 
 we are simple fellowes, wee can doe nothing but that 
 wee see done before, it is a marvell you did not teach 
 us this ? Come bringe them away, He teach you a 
 1230 tricke ere wee part with you, as shall cost you the 
 setting on. 
 
 2 Coll. Nea, good Gentleman let mee goe, He 
 doe any thing for you. 
 
 Crick. Come, come you Rogue followe us. 
 1235 i Porter. Nea, I beseech you, pardon us, we did 
 but jest. 
 
 Muso. -It is but a folly to intreate, we are inexor- 
 able, had I not heard it with my eares, I could scarcely 
 have believed you could have invented [it], and shall I 
 1240 then pockett up theise cosonages for a fewe relentinge 
 speeches ? no, no, but what punishment the lawe will 
 afford, be yee sure ye shall have it, carrie them away, 
 I say. 
 
 2 Port. Good sweete fast Gentleman speake for us. 
 1245 Crick. Downe, downe on your knees there good 
 fellowes pray hartiely. 
 
 Phile. It is in vaine, I cannot neither will I pardon 
 you. 
 
 Coleby. Alas, alas, that ever I was borne, what will 
 1250 become of my poore wife ? 
 
 1444 fast MS. 'fact' altered to 'fast'
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 47 
 
 i Cole. I care not. I hope my Master will beare 
 my charges. 
 
 (Exeunt omnes. Cricket & Musonius manent.} 
 
 Crick. Nea Mr Musonius you must needes stay 
 with mee, you shall not goe. 1255 
 
 Muso. And I prethie good wagg, why must I 
 beare the companie ? 
 
 Crick. Nea, He have you intreate mee, I have it, 
 I have it will pepper them. 
 
 Muso. Prethe good now impart it unto us. 1260 
 
 Crick, well sir, first knowe, that I durst not stay 
 you, but upon some extraordinarie occasions. 
 
 Muso. well sir, what ensues ? 
 
 Crick, marrie sir, there is a good lustie arrant 
 whore att this welsh Rogues house, and to be short, 1265 
 Mr Nifle meanes to coole his lust, and to doe some 
 thing, within this houre he will come, I heard Tavy say, 
 her was ferric cood wench, cod be praysed and plessed 
 for it. 
 
 Muso. Away you Rascall, it is impossible. 1270 
 
 Crick. I cannot tell, but I am sure as I was 
 watching for Mr Coleby, I heard a right downe match 
 betwene Nifle and Tavy, this is it a man shall gett for 
 doeing his endevour. 
 
 p. 34 Muso. Nea. I | prethe good man be not so Choi- 1275 
 lerike, I believe thee well, He watch this night. O 
 that I had but a writt now. I goe presently and raise 
 Mr Rector, and fetch one, thou good lad shalt be 
 lingering hereabout to stea Philenius and his company 
 if they come, doe good Crickett I pray thee. 1280
 
 48 Club Law [AcT 3 
 
 Crick. 6 god Mr Musonius make hast, I play my 
 part, 6 Musonius, god send thee good fortune to send 
 the Lord Governour of the gaile into the jayle. (Exit 
 Musonius.') mee thinks I see the villaine how pitti- 
 1285 fully he looks when he is taken in his lechery, but 
 how shall I passe away this night ? it is very cold, ffaith 
 He goe and gett mee a heate, lett mee see, what is the 
 watchword ? knocke thrice, call Tavy, and I burne. 
 Tavy, Tavy. 
 
 1290 Tavy. Howe is here keepe such a rip rap at her 
 doore ? 
 
 Crick. I burne, open the dore. 
 Tavy. nea, her arship shall quench her pye and 
 pye, her will putt her fire out, come in, come in. 
 1295 Crick. I, I, lie sett you in with a powder. 
 
 (hee fells him.'] 
 
 Tavy. Scald peggerly knave lett her purne, and 
 her serve her such an other pranke, her will never 
 serve cod more, well her will in and shutt her tore, 
 1300 her shall not purne here. (Exit.} 
 
 Crick. God graunt, that my knavery keepe not 
 
 Nifle out of dores, I would not for a world of treasures 
 
 it should fall out so, but I knowe the lecherous knave 
 
 will rangle hard before he will be denied, here he 
 
 1305 comes, He away and hasten the company. (Exit.} 
 
 1282 Musonius MS. 'Musonias'
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 49 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 5 a . 
 Niphle solus. 
 
 Nifle. mee thinks men in authoritie should not 
 be moved with love as I am. I cannot tell the reason, 
 but my wife pleaseth me not, I must naturallye goe 1310 
 abroad, of my Conscience, I thinke all magistrats are 
 of my mynde, or else I am sure my mynde would not 
 be so moved with it. but now what doe I meane to 
 indanger my selfe ? what if the gentle Athenians 
 should knowe of it ? were it not much to loose my 1315 
 good name ? Stay Nifle stay, temper thy selfe Nifle, 
 p. 35 temper thy selfe, | with chastitie, 6 Nifle cannot, 
 Niphle must needes to this geare, I and Nifle shall, 
 why but Niphle thou must provide for the worst, I 
 thou shalt, thou shalt, thou didst performe thy office 1320 
 and then they that dare lett them but touch Nifle, if 
 they doe upon their owne perill be it. But why doe 
 I stay from my delight ? this [is] Tavies house, He 
 knocke, here is all very closse, I must knocke thrice, 
 Tavy, Tavy. 1325 
 
 Tavy. who knockes att her dore ? 
 
 Nipble. I burne, I burne. 
 
 'Tavy. Lett her purne ant poxe and plague, and 
 all te tevills in hell on her, ant her will, her shall 
 fetch no fire here, water here. 1330 
 
 Nifle. what a knave is this ? I tell thee knave, 
 tis I the head of this Cittie. 
 
 1321 touch MS. 'tough' 
 
 1330 fire here Should these words be omitted? 
 
 s. 4
 
 50 Club Law [Acx 3 
 
 Tavy. why shittie knave, her will knocke her on 
 the head, coson her so againe, and say Tavy was a ferie 
 1335 foole, lett her pip pap where her list for Tavie. 
 
 Niphle. what a knave is this to speake so lowd ? 
 why Tafy it is Nifle. 
 
 Tavy. I, tell her a tale of a tubb, so her was even 
 now, was her not trow ? yet get her packing or her 
 1340 will sett her packing with a poxe. 
 
 Nipbell. This it is to trust welsh vagabonds, lust 
 pricks on sore, I must intreat. nea Tavy, what meanest 
 thou to use mee so ? I am thy friend Nifle. 
 
 Tavy. I her goot friend, preck her pate, ferie cot 
 1345 friend, her vill gett her downe, her vill take her velch 
 sword, her vill have her ploode. 
 
 Nifle. what a Rogue is this ? preethe doe but 
 looke out and see. 
 
 Tavy. See, I and so putt out her eyes, her vill 
 1350 take her sweard, putt on her puff shirken, on her 
 skull, not take her heeles, her vill have her plud. 
 
 Nifle. why what ayles thou to be so scrupulous ? 
 come prethee letts come in. 
 
 Tavy. Hoe is here ? ho keepe her out ; lett her 
 1355 looke upon her. 
 
 Nifle. why Tavy what meanest thou to use mee 
 thus ? 
 
 Tavy. Marrie come in ant follow her, ant her can 
 tell her, her was abust before, but come ant her will 
 1360 make her quiett. 
 
 Nifle. Is shee there ? 
 
 Tavy. I, I, follow her, her shall finde her.
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 51 
 
 Nifle. This is somewhat, yett make all sure I 
 prethe. (Exeunt.} 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 6 a . 1365 
 
 Musonius. Cricket, with others. Purcus. Trot. 
 Spooner. Searchers. 
 
 Cricket. See now how I am for theise hoyden 
 Athenians iffaith, now I have the same Scottish dagger, 
 p- 36 I nimbd | it the fineliest you would not thinke, I cutt 1370 
 it from my Tutors side as he was leaning on his 
 window lookinge on a booke, and he never perceived 
 mee. Now have at you, you slaves you, heigh brave 
 lads heigh. 
 
 Muso. I had no sooner gott to Mr Rectors 1375 
 lodging, but presently he gave it mee in his bed, 
 and greatly commended our studies, lett us see what 
 company wee have here ; what shall wee doe with this 
 little Ape amonge us ? 
 
 Crickett. ffoh Mr Musonius ther's a question ! 1380 
 why He doe more att the hoisting of a Clowne, then 
 the greatest looby of them all. 
 
 Muson. I but you must trudg homeward, why 
 they will say wee are all boyes, if they should see you, 
 come you must be gone. 1385 
 
 Crick. I must be gone, and here is a great stocke, 
 that hath no more mettall in him then your whelpe, 
 and hee must goe, because he is a litle bigger then I, 
 and I must be gone. 
 
 1366 Purcus MS. 'Parcus' Cp. 1600, i6oa, 1606, etc. 
 1383 Muson. MS. ' Moson.' 
 
 42
 
 52 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 1390 Muso. How this boy prates, you will play the 
 Rakehell. 
 
 Crick. Nea, if you thinke not well of my company, 
 I will not trouble you. this is all that I have for 
 helping to this oportunitie, He make a shewe, but I 
 1395 will not leave you so. (Hee goes by a little.'} 
 
 Muso. Are you gone ? fare you well. I wonder 
 why Philenius stayes so longe. 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 7 a . 
 Philenius and his company. 
 
 1400 Pbile. ffaith, Mr Coleby hath but cold lodging, 
 but mee thinks, I see some Companie before us, my 
 Masters you must stand to it, here is some false 
 knaves abrode. Hoe is there ? 
 
 Muso. A friend. 
 1405 Pbile. The word, downe with him. 
 
 Muso. Nay Philenius, hold, hold, it is Musonius. 
 Pbile. Musonius, if thou hadst not spake, wee had 
 made you tast of Clublawe, but why are you here ? 
 I wonder thou didst not followe us. 
 1410 Muso. Thou maist presume some urgent occasion 
 hath detayned mee. 
 
 Pbile. I prethee lett us knowe. 
 Muso. To make any discourse would be too 
 tedious, only marke the event and follow mee. I 
 1415 tell the I am the Officer, this is the house, who is 
 within here, open the dore. 
 
 1399 Philenius MS. 'Phileius'
 
 SCENE 7] Club Law 53 
 
 'Tavy. what will her peate downe her toore ? who 
 is here ? 
 
 Muso. Marry wee come from Mr Rectors with 
 authoritie to search your house for certeine suspitious 1420 
 persons. 
 
 'Tavy. Ho, Mr Nifle, oh the search, the Rectors 
 search is come, what will you doe ? 
 
 Nifle. Search ? Alas what shall I doe ? keepe 
 them out. 1425 
 
 Tavy. Catts plood can. her tell how ? away. 
 37 Pbile. what | shall wee attende all this night upon 
 this Rogues pleasure ? burst ope the dore. 
 
 Tavie. Nea, her shall not need, be not over hasty, 
 what will her needs search, py codd her skorne to 1430 
 keepe pip pap in her house. 
 
 Muso. Come letts in. 
 
 'Tavie. nay Shentlemen let her crave lett not 
 above 2. or 3. in. 
 
 Muso. Prethee keepe the dore, lett none come in. 1435 
 
 'Tavie. Marry her doe so had need, her was loose 
 a Coverlett and napkins. 
 
 Muso. Come letts see what strangers you have 
 here, open that doore. how now, what wench is this ? 
 
 'Tavie. Is her sister. 1440 
 
 Pbile. nay if shee be his sister lett us in to. (They 
 enter in.} 
 
 'Tavie. what a poxe will her lett all the towne in ? 
 
 Muso. Rise huswife, and make your selfe readie. 
 
 Luce, ffor your pleasure sir ? 1445 
 
 Muso. This is strange he should escape us.
 
 54 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 Pbile. Nea, we must finde him out. 
 Nifle. O god how am I persecuted by a company 
 of gentle Athenians ! 6 would to god I had kept my 
 H5 selfe with the good man. I had never byn so troubled. 
 6 lust, lust, what danger am I come into by thy pro- 
 curing, but what shall I doe, whither shall I goe, that 
 I may hide my selfe ? 6 that men in authoritie should 
 be in such adversitie, lett mee see, heeres a tubb. He 
 *455 creepe in here, they will never suspect it. 
 
 ffinis Act. 3. Seen* f ] mx . 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 8". 
 Cricket. 
 
 Cricket, whats there creeping into a tubb ? I hold 
 1460 my life Mr Burgomaster hath scapt the search, I am 
 glad I came backe againe, He stande by and say 
 nothing. 
 
 A wench in the tubb. Nea good gaffer, doe not hurt 
 mee, I am a poore beggar wench, for the passion of 
 1465 god doe not beate mee, I did not knowe it was your 
 tubb. 
 
 Nifle. Hold thy peace good wench, I doe not 
 meane to hurt thee. 
 
 Wench. Oh you will, you will, good God what 
 1470 shall become of mee ? 
 
 1454 adversitie MS. 'distresse' (underlined) and 'adversitie' written 
 in the same hand in the margin. 
 
 1456 7 mje MS. '7' 1461 and say MS. 'and say and say'
 
 SCENE 8] Club Law 55 
 
 Nifle. I tell thee I will not, lye still, and I will 
 give thee two pence, for Gods sake lye still. 
 
 Muso. You had as good certifie us where hee is, 
 youle injurie your selfe more then you thinke of. 
 
 Tavy. As cod shall helpe her soule, her vas runne 1475 
 away. 
 
 Pbile. Come letts after him, wee may overtake 
 him ere hee come att his house. 
 
 Muso. Content. Why you litle villaine, what 
 make you here ? 1480 
 
 Cric. ffaith I could not loose your company, for 
 I came backe againe presently, but where is hee ? 
 where is hee ? 
 
 Muso. you [are] a fine boy, I durst venture my 
 p. 38 life hee was | never here. 1485 
 
 Crick. Come, come, he'res a jeast, my credite was 
 never cract yet, and must it now be called into question ? 
 It stands upon my good name fame and reputacion. 
 I cannot indure it, well will you lett mee be the 
 Capteine of the search ? 1490 
 
 Phile. Away, away, dost deride us ? 
 
 Cric. Nea, by this good candle light, I meane 
 plaine honestie. turne it unto mee and He find him 
 out He warrant you. 
 
 Muso. Nea, then good boy to it, letts see thy 1495 
 skill. 
 
 Crick. Hold Chopper, there Lockwood, a plage 
 on that Curre, hee lyes out villonestly, breake his 
 legges : here, here, here, Daynty the dogg trayled him 
 out, there hee goes, a start, a start, helpe, helpe. 1500
 
 56 Club Law [Aer 3 
 
 Phile. How now, whats here ? 
 
 Crick. Heres the game, but it will not rise. 
 
 Muso. weele offer it faire playe, out with it. 
 
 Nifle. Hold your hands for Gods sake, two wofull 
 iSS wretches nere starved for cold. 
 
 Crick. The game is turned into 2. Oh Mr Burgo- 
 master, God give you joy of your bedfellowe. 
 
 Phile. Nea good sir, goe not away, w'ele beare you 
 company, now I assure you, I am very sorrie twas our 
 1510 fortunes to trouble you, neverthelesse He make you 
 amends, ere I part with you. 
 
 Crick, nea, I'le keepe thee. 
 
 Wench, nea, good Gentlemen, lett mee goe, I had 
 beene gone long a goe, if it had not byn for him, hee 
 15*5 kept mee in so hee did. 
 
 Crick, what did hee to thee ? 
 
 Phile. nea, if hee like so well of your companie, 
 I will not offer him that injurie to part you so soone, 
 you shall goe togither, wee will leave you as wee 
 1520 founde you. 
 
 Crick. In a tub, heres a tale of a tubb indeede. 
 
 Nifle. why, I hope you found mee doeinge no 
 ill, but executing my Office. Are wee not straightly 
 charged to looke to vagabonds and beggars ? and shall 
 1525 I then be taunted and mocked, for creeping into a tubb 
 to pull out a beggar wench, that hath offended the 
 lawe ? 
 
 Wench. Truely gaffer, hee meant no such thinge, 
 hee bad mee ly still, and hee would give mee two 
 1530 pence.
 
 SCENE 8] Club Law 57 
 
 Crick, what a two peny queane ? 
 
 Muso. How say you Mr Burgomaster, is this the 
 executing of your office ? is this the cause you walke 
 the streets so late att night ? 
 
 Nifle. well goe to, mocke on, and see what will 1535 
 come of it, it is not the wordes of a raskallie wench 
 can justifie that which you have done, He make you 
 repent, that ever you did injurie mee in this sort. 
 
 Pbile. It may be so, if you could finde the meanes 
 P- 39 how. but not withstanding whatsoever | happen unto 1540 
 us wee be not dismayed, nea looke upp, looke upp, 
 wee have cause to sorrow not you. Now on my credit, 
 it was a deede of great pollicie, better in a tubb man, 
 then in a Churchyard as some of you have done. 
 
 Muso. yet best of all in the Jayle. will it please 1545 
 you to see your chamber sir ? it is readie. 
 
 Nifle. what I to the Jaile ? Am not I Mr Nicholas 
 Nifle that can commaund both Jaile and Jayler ? And 
 shall I then be led as prisoner to the Jayle. 6 that 
 I had but my men att my heeles, I would trye who 1550 
 should goe to the Jayle. 
 
 Crick, you to the Jayle, as though men in your 
 place have not byn in the Jayle, for some suchlike 
 knavery. 
 
 Pbile. Nea, good Mr Nifle, doe not refuse our 1555 
 kindnes, what wee doe is for your good ; He' assure 
 you the prisoners cannot chuse but thinke well of you. 
 what is a groat for a garnish ? Upon my life, if you 
 thinke much att it your sweete heart will paye halfe of it. 
 1535 what MS. 'what what' 1559 your MS. 'you'
 
 58 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 1560 Muso. Come, come, you shall goe. 
 
 Wench. And shall I too ? 
 
 Crick. I marrie Master Burgomaster and you shall 
 have both one chamber. 
 
 Pbile. I marrie shall you. this tis to trust to a 
 1565 welsh Raskall, that for any light gaine will sell his 
 owne father, is it possible hee should reveale your 
 secretts ? 
 
 Nifle. Is it even so ? If I be not even with him, 
 lett Nifle be no more himselfe. Never trust mee, I 
 1570 scorne you and all such villaines, I will not goe, I will 
 answere you by the lawe. 
 
 Muso. Nea, you shall answere it. youle goe ? 
 
 Ntfle. No. 
 
 Muso. will you be carried then sir ? I, I, because 
 
 1575 hee is a man of state it shall be so, take him my 
 
 masters and putt him into his tubb of state and bravely 
 
 on your shoulders carrye him with triumph thorough 
 
 the streets. 
 
 Nifle. Help Cittisens, help, helpe. (bee is put in 
 1580 the tubbed) 
 
 Crick, would you have more help sir ? I warrant 
 you theis will carry you well enough. 
 
 Pbile. lett him have his mistris with him for com- 
 pany, (the wench is [/>#/] in the tubb.} 
 1585 Crick. Come Masters, come you great asse to hoist 
 her up. 
 
 Wench. Lord, shall I be kild ? shall I be kild ? 
 
 Nifle. Shall shee be carried with mee to disgrace 
 mee too ?
 
 SCENE 9] Club Law 59 
 
 p. 4 Muso. To disgrace you no, but least | you should 1590 
 be proud of this great Triumph, after the ancient 
 manner, you shall have this poore servant to be carried 
 with you, that you may be humbled att the sight of 
 her, well now you may marche awaye. 
 
 Crick. 6 most stately, most fine, gallant, witty Burgo- 1595 
 master, brave Diogenes in a tubb, this is the dayntiest 
 sport, this doth mee good at the verye harte. 
 
 Muso. my masters, goe to Tavies house and bringe 
 the queane after us, He goe see Mr Burgomaster fast 
 layd upp, Purcus looke to it, shee shall be your charge. 1600 
 
 (Exeunt.) 
 
 Purcus. wele' bring her sir. what ho youle come 
 there ? 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SCENA 9 a . 
 
 Enter Searchers, Tavie^ Luce. 1605 
 
 Tame. I pray let her stay a litle, the candle is out. 
 
 Pun. Come away I say. 
 
 Luce, youle give me leave I hope, to make mee 
 readie ; brother I did not thinke I should have byn 
 disquieted in your house thus. 1610 
 
 Bromly. How the pox came you to be of kindred ? 
 shee speakes not in the throat as you doe. 
 
 Tavie. Her was petter prought up, thanke her 
 cood uncle Morgan. 
 
 Pur. what must wee stay all night ? 1615 
 
 Tavie. I pray her arships be not angrie, her vas 
 come py and py. 
 
 1616 not Inserted over the line in the MS.
 
 60 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 Pure. Bring her out as shee is. 
 
 Tavie. Come sister Luce, her make the Shentlemen 
 1620 angree, vill doe her no harme I warrant her. 
 
 Luce. Lett the proudest of them all doe mee any 
 
 harme if they dare, I pray you bid your companie 
 
 come out, there are some of them have filched my 
 
 gloves there and my buske point, I hope you will see 
 
 1625 mee have them againe. 
 
 Tavie. yes vas warrant her selfe. 
 
 Luce. I doe but jeast, I want nothing but a litle 
 sleepe, faith Gentlemen you doe mee ronge, you awaked 
 mee out of the finest dreame I had this twelve 
 1630 moneths. 
 
 Bromly. ffaith Luce, what was thy dreame ? | 
 
 Luce. fFaith lad, that my Ringe was drawne on thy p- 4 1 
 finger, but thou shalt never have my maidenhead. 
 
 Brom. I thinke so indeed. 
 
 1635 'Trott. I faith, I warrant thee, shee is one of those 
 huswives. 
 
 Luce. True Roger, your shinns burne. 
 
 Span. Luce, Luce, thou knowest Bridget Boulton. 
 
 Luce. Jesus, sweete heart art thou there ? I did 
 1640 not see the before. I hope thou wilt not carrie mee to 
 prison. (Sbee kisses him.} 
 
 Trot. Sponer, art thou not ashamed ? Truely I 
 would not for loo 11 shee should knowe mee so. 
 
 Luce. Knowe thee ? Didst not come to mee once, 
 1645 when thou hadst a single groat in thy purse, and I 
 would not, and thou offeredst to pawne mee thy hatt- 
 bond ?
 
 SCENE 9] Club Law 61 
 
 Trott. ffie on thee, fie on thee, but thy tongue is 
 no slander. 
 
 Spon. Bromly, kill her with a j east, putt her downe 1650 
 in her owne kind. 
 
 Brom. He have a flinge at her. 
 
 Luce. A flinge at mee gods body, I see your hart 
 out first. 
 
 Brom. My meaning is not so. 1655 
 
 Luce. Is it so bobie ? Then keepe your winde to 
 coole your pottage ; but what would it saye, if it could 
 speake now ? lett us heare it rufHe in Rhetorke. 
 
 Brom. I saye, I account it none of my meanest 
 misfortunes to have mett with the in regard 1660 
 
 Luce, ffaith, this fellow hath studied playes. well, 
 well, didst ever see Orlando furioso sirra ? 
 
 Brom. No, but I have scene Layis now I see thee. 
 
 Luce, what is shee ? 
 
 Brom. a whore. 1665 
 
 Luce. Gods nayles a whore, take that Raskall (shee 
 strickes him]. 
 
 Pur. nea if you cannot hold your hands, come 
 alonge. 
 
 Luce. I come alonge, you are all Raskalls. 1670 
 
 Tavy. Pray Shentlemen, hurt her not, come, come, 
 her cannot keepe her tongue, cannot kive good wordes 
 to them ? 
 
 Pure. Nay, lett her alone, wee will Charme her 
 tongue well enough, Drab as shee is. 1675 
 
 Favy. ant please her arship, no drab her hope. 
 
 1658 Rhetorke Query 'Rhetorike'
 
 62 Club Law [Acr 3 
 
 Luce. Goe seeke you drabs with a vengance, you 
 knowe them well enough. 
 
 Tavy. Peace ; what hast tou to doe to metle with 
 1680 other folkes houses ? 
 
 Luce. I care for none of them all, and if they doe 
 they may goe to the next house and may have a noble 
 wench, a Royall one in a silke gowne, come downe in 
 a wagon, they can lett her see, I warrant you. 
 1685 Brom. Come, come, away then, and shee shall 
 followe. because you saye I have studied playes, I 
 apoint you torch bearer to the Devill. 
 
 Sponer. \ Luce, shall I speake for thee ? p. 42 
 
 Luce. I thanke god I neede none of you to speake 
 1690 for mee, its knowne well enough what I am, but that 
 there is none of my friends here, I should not be used 
 thus ; if Mr Musonius were here himselfe, I knowe hee 
 is a kinde Gentleman. (Sbee weepes.) 
 
 Brom. Sirra, observe a good humor, even now 
 i695Jeastinge, then scolding, now crying, you shall see her 
 change, 20. to one, you shall see her sicke or with 
 childe. 
 
 'Trot. Oh is your stomacke come downe ? 
 Tavy. Alas her was ever a ferie kinde honest wench, 
 1700 doe na cry so Luce, her was not use to rise so soone. 
 
 Luce, ffaith, I am but a foole to crye, it is nothing 
 but my kinde hart that doth mee harme, but ant please 
 god He' never doe as I have done. 
 
 Spoon, what wilt thou then leave being in so good 
 1705 doeinges ? 
 
 1699 was ever MS. 'was ever was ever'
 
 SCENE 9] Club Law 63 
 
 Luce. Thou art a wagg efaith, I cannot chuse but 
 laugh att you. 
 
 Brom. Now exit laughing, what rules next ? 
 
 Pure. Come, now you have had sport enough, alonge 
 with us. 1710 
 
 Luce. I faith, I could make better sport in bed, I 
 praye thee lett mee goe. 
 
 Pure. Then wee shall never have done, come away 
 come. 
 
 Luce. Nea, I pray the sweete hart, faith I am sicke, 1715 
 I had such a suddaine qualme come over my stomacke, 
 6, I praye thee good brother give mee some Aquavitae. 
 
 Brom. I told you, shee would be sicke. 
 
 Pure, you shall not neede Aquavitas, you shall be 
 quickned with a whipp. 1720 
 
 Luce, with a ffoxe taile, will you not ? but you 
 may save that labour, my husband hath done it before. 
 I am quicke already efaith. 
 
 Spoon, what hast thou gott a husband now ? 
 
 Luce. I have one, if he were here, hee would not 1725 
 turne his head from the prowdest of you all. 
 
 Spoon, why where is hee ? 
 
 Luce. It is well knowne where hee is. Mr Tooky 
 knowes he went the voyage with Captaine Carifeild, 
 but the worst lucke myne, I have not scene him this 1730 
 3. yeares daye. 
 
 Brom. How camst thou to be with child by him 
 then ? 
 
 Luce, well enough, he came in one night when 
 the shipp stayed for him, and was gone ere morning. 1735
 
 64 Club Law [ACT 3 
 
 I never sawe him, god is my Judge, you shall not take 
 mee in a lye, I warrant you. 
 
 Brom. what a brasen fac't whore is this, 6 damnd 
 lye. 
 
 1740 Luce. Dost call mee whore that have | a husband ? p. 43 
 I tell thee, I am as honest as thy mother (thou bastard 
 thou) or any of thy kindred, goe thy waye. 
 
 Tavie. nay cods plude be to playne nowe. cannot 
 keepe her tongue a litle ? I hope her arships will peare 
 1745 with a foolish wench, speake in her anger her cannot 
 tell what. 
 
 Spon. Lett us please her againe. 
 
 Trott. Content. 
 
 Spon. Luce. 
 1750 Luce, what sayst thou love ? 
 
 Spon. Thou couldst be content not to goe. 
 
 Luce. I faith I care not whether I went or no, so 
 my brothers 2. barrells of stronge beere were drawne 
 I have under my hand. 
 
 1755 Brom. why thou [hast] drawne 2. barrells to night 
 for him, hast thou not ? 
 
 Luce. Hoe told you so ? 
 
 Brom. Mr Nifle. 
 
 Luce. Kisse Mr Nifle behind, I defie thee and all 
 1760 thy company, saye your worst you can by mee. 
 
 Trott. wee may as well forbare truely, for wee 
 shall never make thee better. 
 
 Luce, why what is shee milkesop what is shee ? 
 
 1744 peare MS. 'peace' 
 1753 brothers MS. 'bothers'
 
 SCENE 10] Club Law 65 
 
 Brom. why thou art a Camero, a punck, in plaine 
 termes a mercenarie whore. 1765 
 
 Luce. Thou saist like an arrant arrant Rogue, 
 didst thou ever knicke knocke with mee ? 
 
 Tavy. ffor the love of cod Luce hold thy tongue, 
 her cannot tell what her doe tincke. 
 
 Luce, who should make mee hold my [tongue] 1770 
 they ? 
 
 Pure, not wee, but the Clericals shall, come Helpe 
 masters. 
 
 Luce. 6h my sides, gods death, if my child mis- 
 carry, He make the proudest of you looke through a i77S 
 hemping windowe. 
 
 ACTUS 3 US . SC^ENA io a . 
 Enter Musonius. Philenius. 
 
 Muso. what a noise is here ? whats the matter 
 with her ? why stand you longe with her ? 1780 
 
 Luce. 6 Mr Musonius, they will kill, they will kill 
 mee. 
 
 Muso. Nea, I warrant thee, thou plaiest thy prises 
 now, carry her awaye I saye. 
 
 Luce, you Gentlemen, you dogges, you tatterd 1785 
 ragtailes, you are all knaves, rogues, basterdly raskalls, 
 and all the fathers, granfathers, great grandfathers, 
 great great grandfathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, 
 cosens, unckles, aunts were all hanged, and so will you 
 
 1778 Musonius MS. 'Mosonius' 
 
 s. 5
 
 Club Law [AcT 4 
 
 1790 be, like dambd villaines as you are, and besides Exit. 
 Muso. Come you awaye to, Sirra. 
 Tavy. Ant please her arship, there is none to keepe 
 her house. 
 
 Muso. well sirra w'ele talke with you | to morrow, p. 44 
 1795 then you shall knowe your punishment. 
 Tavye. Thanke your arship. 
 
 Muso. This night is almost spent, wee will take 
 2. houres sleepe upon our bedds, then wee will goe 
 to Mr Rector to knowe his pleasure, for the dis- 
 1800 mounting of those repining drudges. 
 
 Pbile. Il'e to him as soone as he is up, I dare pre- 
 sume he will doe it, he is inclined to it already, but 
 now letts awaye. (Exeunt.) 
 
 ACTUS 4 US . 
 1805 Enter Rumford. Catch. 
 
 Rumf. By the messe, I have byn with my good 
 billie Colbie, hee sweares hee will not putt it up, and 
 told mee, believe mee, hee would goe out prison. So 
 faith, wee have laid our poles in Colbies storehouse and 
 
 1810 believe [mee,] wees thwake their Jackes. See here is 
 Catch, marrie hee's a good strammell lad, Il'e lett him 
 know all. hearst Tom. Catch ? whither gangst Tom. 
 now ? 
 
 Catch. I must goe fetch a cleane shirt for Mr Bur- 
 
 1815 gomaster in prison.
 
 SCENE i] Club Law 67 
 
 Rumf. Nea, faith wees send some other, thous staye 
 with mee. 
 
 Catch, why I praye you ? 
 
 Rumf. Because I take thee to be a bonny lad 
 and a good honest fellowe, as any of our towne, and 1820 
 because I thinke th'oule tell no living creature, He tell 
 thee. 
 
 Catch, ffaith, for my honesty, I am as honest as 
 any man of my office can bee, I thinke I am no blab 
 of my tongue, but sir, whats the matter ? 1825 
 
 Rumf. Thou canst tell how theis Jackes, gentle 
 Athenians misused us and imprisoned Mr Burgomaster 
 and Mr Colbie, the scrubbes are so perke now, if wee 
 doe not take them downe a hole lower, the slaves will 
 crowe over us. 1830 
 
 Catch. Take heed what you doe, they are scene 
 in the blacke art, they will make us all daunce naked. 
 
 Rumf. The dele they will, and thou'le take my 
 counsaile, wees goe thacke them, wees make their coats 
 yelpe. 1835 
 
 Catch. So wee may pull downe houses on our 
 heades, and be well lamb'd our selves, but I am but 
 one, and He helpe you in any thinge. 
 
 Rumf. thou sayes well, thou hast true bloud in 
 thee, thou knawest to night is holy daye, and there 1840 
 will be waster play, and theres not a gentle Athenian 
 but will gange thether, and when they are there, wees 
 so clapper clawe them, that wees make their sides warke. 
 
 Catch. But they have pestilent things called Clubbes. 
 
 Rumf. Poe, poe, wee have the same too, and mickle 1845 
 
 5 2
 
 68 Club Law [Acx 4 
 
 longe staves, and all the ladds in the towne shall be 
 
 mustered, and faith wees pay them | backe and side. p. 45 
 Catch, well sir wee must not spare, but lett the 
 
 towne knowe of it 
 1850 Rumf. ffaith, He gange and tell our ladds of it, 
 
 and thous gett thy companions and tell them of it, 
 
 harke thou mee. 
 
 Catch, well you were best to be gone quickly and 
 
 make hast, but where are your weapons ? 
 1855 Rumf. why here in Colebies store house, gang thou 
 
 that way, and He gang this and meete here againe. 
 
 Catch. lie goe first to my fellowe Tavie, and tell 
 
 him of it, and then He provide all the youthes on this 
 
 side of the towne, and bring them to his house. 
 1860 Rumf. I doe, doe my bonny lad. 
 
 ACTUS 4 US . SCENA 2 a . 
 Enter Musonius. Mistrisse Colbie. 
 
 Mris Colbie. The filthy Runt can scarce reach upp 
 to one of their heads with his staffe, and yett he must 
 
 1865 [be] Captaine of this enterprise, yet I am sory for 
 nothing but that my husband (as Romford sayes) must 
 come out of prison soone. and now forsooth wee have the 
 staves laid up in his storehouse to beate the Gentlemen. 
 I faith, I love them too well to suffer them to take any 
 
 1870 harme, and ifaith, lie prevent them of their purpose, if 
 I can but meete with Mr Musonius. and yonder he is, 
 He harken what he sayes. 
 
 Muso. As soone as I awaked I sent Philenius to
 
 SCENE 2] Club Law 69 
 
 Mr Rector for to informe him of our successe, and 
 withall to procure the mechanicks might [be] dis- 1875 
 mounted and oftentymes our worthy Rector mencioned 
 it unto mee, but thy fortunes Philenius answere my 
 thoughts, and wee shall oppose to our gratious aspect 
 the Image of true humilitie. but now as I suppose this 
 is the daye wee should be clubd, I am come to heare 1880 
 the certeinty of my gossip Colbye, twenty to one, shee 
 will tell all in a passion, but yonder shee is, god save 
 you Mistresse Coleby. 
 
 Mris Col. Mr Musonius, you come as just as Jer- 
 myns lippe, 6 if yee had not come I had sent for you, 1885 
 come letts have a loving kisse. 
 
 Muso. must you needes have one ? He never deny 
 such a reasonable request. 
 
 Mris Col. Good lord reasonable, iffaith you are to 
 reasonable, but why did yee [not] come the last night ? 1890 
 effaith you are to blame, but I am as good as my word, 
 I have learned out all their knaveries, 
 p. 46 Muso. and what must wee be cudgeld ? 
 
 Mris Col. I needes, for they are all preparing staves, 
 and all are gone to gett the yonge youths of the towne 1895 
 to helpe, I warrant you they beginne the sport anone, 
 if I were a man, I would take your part, never credit 
 mee if I would not. 
 
 Muso. If thou wert a woman thou shouldest have 
 more modestie, but sweete hart thou shouldest not. 1900 
 but I pray you, where doe they laye their staves ? 
 
 1890 but why MS. 'by why' 
 
 1900 shouldest Query 'art' (the corruption being due to 
 'shouldest' above).
 
 70 Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 Mris Col. Rumford by my husbands apointment 
 hath laid them up in my husbands store house. 
 
 Muso. Couldest thou but helpe us to them thou 
 1905 shouldest gaine unto thy selfe an asternall lover. 
 
 Mris -Col. Should I indeed? ffaith it shall goe hard 
 but I will. 
 
 Muso. If thou doest thou gaynest mee for ever. 
 Mris Col. well, IFe doe it, never trust mee, if I 
 1910 doe it not, He see one of theis dayes what you will 
 doe, but now I goe to my witts to performe my promise, 
 within this houre come or send for them, all of our 
 men will be a drinking, and so you may gett them away. 
 Muso. I pray you remember. Exit [Mris C.]. 
 
 1915 Muso. I, I this kindnes ever, who could want such 
 an iniquitie for an instrument att such a tyme ? att 
 [such] an enterprise ? inconstant flurts, that seeke to 
 injurie their husbands beds in disclosing of secretts. 
 but this is straunge Philenius meets mee not. I hope 
 1920 the Rector will not deny his suite, tending to the refor- 
 mation of such Crymes as doth both prejudice both him 
 and us. had it byn effected sooner, ere this they had 
 byn made stoope, and with bending knees to shewe 
 their submission. 
 
 1925 Phi. Mr Rector hath dismist Colbie upon small 
 consideracion, like enough that he might feele the 
 greater smart, that he might procure, but Nifle is fast 
 for a while ; how now Musonius, what growne male- 
 content ? 
 1930 Muso. Ruminating of the successe. 
 
 1919 straunge MS. 'staunge' 1921 doth both Query omit ' both ' 
 1927 procure Something is omitted perhaps.
 
 SCENE 2] Club Law 71 
 
 Phile. Bury theis thoughts, our wills shall be 
 accomplished, our Rector with unexpected willingnes 
 effected speedily what I desired, hee gave mee his 
 counsell and therewithall provided, that by his bills 
 dispersed in every place intelligence might be had of 1935 
 his decrees, to testifie what I avouch to bee true, see 
 heres one of them, read it I pray you. 
 
 (bee gives him the bill.} 
 
 Muso. To the Governors and Rulers of severall 
 p. 47 societies 194 
 
 [pp. 47 and 48 wanting (one leaf torn out).]
 
 72 Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 feare. p. 49 
 
 Tavie. Puff, foule knave, and you saucie Jacke 
 doe not her knowe hoe her is, Catch ? 
 
 Catch, why are you not my fellow Serjeant ? 
 1945 Tavie. Tell not vat her vas, but vat her es, her be 
 now gallant Capten Tavie to knocke downe the shentle 
 Athenians, make her give creat knocke rippe rappe 
 rippe rappe, heigh Saint Tavie is a welsh man borne. 
 
 Catch. I hope youle lett mee be your Lefetenant. 
 195 Tavie. Lieutenant ? pegerly knave ! vas keepe her 
 old office, pull of her cap, make rome with her masse, 
 her will make her knowe herselfe. 
 
 Catch. Naye I hope you will not use mee so 
 hardly. 
 1955 Tavie. And her be humble, shalbe nere the worse. 
 
 Breck. Sure except there be great neede I will not 
 strike one blowe, but if wee could but recover our sale 
 againe, wee were happy men, for wee are halfe undone 
 by this discomininge. 
 
 1960 Spruce. But that I am a man of peace, 6h how 1 
 could Captaine it. But I thinke Tavie hath byn in 
 the warres, he may serve it sufficienly. 
 
 Breck. ffaith Tavie you are brave. 
 
 Tavie. what a poxe call her Tavie, her is petter 
 1965 man then her. doe her know not Captaine ? Rumford 
 made her leader. 
 
 Spruce, well see you performe your office. 
 
 Tavie. Pough, leave her prittle prattle. Captaine 
 
 1960 man of peace MS. 'man in peace' 
 1968 prittle MS. 'puttie'
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 73 
 
 Tavie knowe militarie discipline and service, ranke 
 Puffe scald knave ranke, for cods, her will breake her 1970 
 pate else. 
 
 Rumf. Gods blessing of thy saule bonny ladd, faith 
 I be thy Corporall. 
 
 'Tavie. Nea, her shall be her Lieutenant, come 
 Mr Brecknock and Mr Spruce must ranke and obey 1975 
 her Captaine. Catch shitten knave, goe in her place. 
 Puffe here there was for you sawcie Jacke. 
 
 Puff. You are very lustie, youl doe little enough 
 anone. 
 
 Tavie. Leave her pratling, come followe her, hight 1980 
 St Tavie St Tavie. follow her alonge, first lett her call 
 Mr Colby, is Mr Coleby within ? 
 
 Colbie. yea marie is hee. 
 
 Tavie. what are the staves readie ? 
 
 Coleby. All in a readynesse. 1985 
 
 Rumford. By my troth, Ise very glad you are 
 p. 50 come out of prison, I thought | you had byn in still. 
 
 Colbie. I thanke god, I gatt out presently, but it 
 cost my purse soundly; and I live, He be even with 
 them. 1990 
 
 Rumf. I marry doe, if you be wise. 
 
 Tavie. Veil her all goe now to her house, and 
 staye their a while in readinesse till the Athenians 
 come abroad? 
 
 Rumf. I, I lett us gange crush a pott or two of 1995 
 Ale att thy house, there is as good as ever was turne 
 over the tongue. 
 
 1996 turne Query 'turned'
 
 74 Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 Cole. Doe, He have a game att Tables with you in 
 the meanetime. 
 
 2000 Tavie. Come, and her shall drinke a Cuppe of 
 good Methiglen and her please toe. 
 
 ACTUS 4 US . SCENA 5 a . 
 Enter Musonius and his Company. 
 
 Muso. Sirs, I praye you be in a readines. 
 2005 All. I warrant you. 
 
 Pbile. The case stands even so, make your selves 
 readie to take our parts against so base raskalls. 
 
 (Mounsier the ffrenchman speakes.} 
 Muso. wee knowe great affeccion towards us, else 
 2010 wee would not move you, in a matter of such im- 
 portance. 
 
 Crickett. Have him ? what should wee doe with 
 him ? heele runne awaye presently. 
 
 Mounsier. Dost thou saye so litle wagpastie ? Cod 
 
 2015 me tanke you alwaye for your curtesie, your name is 
 
 written in my hart, mee will so strike de scurvie rogues 
 
 in de face, when mee was in ffrance me kill 2. or 3. 
 
 men tere abuse mee, mee will cutt their throats. 
 
 Crickett. Durst thou so ? that was well done. 
 2020 Mouns. I pie my traunt, mee will trawe my tagger 
 for your sake, mee love you verie well, scurvie rogue 
 to sell Aquavitae, shoes, breeches and dublett, and base 
 knaves, shentle Athenians love vench, and take To- 
 baccoe ferie well, scurvie Rogues, Clownes. 
 
 2014 Mounsier MS. 'Mousier' 3023 take MS. 'take take'
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 75 
 
 Muso. Nea, Mounsier you shall see verye good 2025 
 knocking. 
 
 Crick. Iff hele come among the knocks, He be 
 knocked for him. 
 
 Mounsier. Its [no] madder for datt, is a Child, be 
 Cot, I tinke, no better cuffer in de world, de gentle 2030 
 Athenians stricke ferric creat plow, is good fassion, 
 mee tell you see a scholler de Paris beate verie prave 
 Shentleman, so silke and velvett. 
 
 Pbile. They be true harted fellowes. 
 
 Mouns. In truth, its fewe good fellowes, but tell so 2035 
 ven dis bee. 
 
 Muso. Presentlie. 
 
 Mouns. Twickly, twicklie, twicklie. 
 
 51 Crick, well ffrenchman, you make hast, but tell 
 mee true, will not you be the first will runne awaye ? 2040 
 
 Mouns. Tell, vill not tine Tutor brich tine heash ? 
 
 Muso. what Mris Coleby are you within ? 
 
 Mris Coleby. I, I am as good as my word every 
 whitt, make hast, praye have them awaye quicklie, for 
 our men will come from tiplinge by and by. He goe 2045 
 in and give you them out. 
 
 Muson. Come, come, come, make hast. 
 
 Mris Colbye. Here, here, here, make hast (they take 
 them and carry them crosse over the stage). 
 
 Mouns. Harke, what vench is dis ? not drunke ? 2050 
 
 Crick. No, no, shee is one that loves a proper 
 Gentleman, but nowe Musonius I would the sport 
 would begin. 
 
 1031 is Query 'in' 4033 so Query 'in' 
 
 3037 Presentlie MS. ' Prensentlie ' 2041 heash Clearly corrupt.
 
 76 Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 Muso. They will not staye longe, but hearest thou 
 2055 lad ? thou must use thy witt and take occasion to 
 beginne the fraye. 
 
 Cricke. Lett mee alone, He prove an excellent 
 swaggerer. 
 
 Pbile. why, but Musonius this will be counted a 
 2060 kinde of cosening policie. 
 
 Muso. Noe, thou art deceived, for either it will 
 shewe their sottishnes, and in us it will be deemed 
 folly not to accept such an occasion, whereby wee may 
 with ease overcome them, neither is the matter of so 
 2065 small importance : they surpassing us in number and 
 thou mayst be sure they will [not] be altogither un- 
 provided. 
 
 Phile. In the meane time while they come, wele 
 stand by, as spectators of their sport. 
 
 2070 ACTUS 4 US . SCENA 6 a . 
 
 Enter Tavie^ Rumford, Brecknock, Colbye with others. 
 
 Tavie. Now is tyme to goe, come lett her all stand 
 here about till the shenerall behiett. 
 
 Colebie. Goe then, if all hold, He be even with them 
 2075 for imprisoning the bad utterance of my Coles. 
 
 2071 Brecknock MS. 'Brecknocky' others MS. 'other others' 
 2073 till the shenerall behiett MS. 'till the she ner all be hiett' 
 
 See Note. 
 
 2075 imprisoning the bad utterance Query ' imprisoning [me for] 
 
 the bad utterance'
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 77 
 
 Rumford. And I for my cause, that the strange 
 theeves did hericke from mee in Lent. 
 
 Brek. I beseech god wee have good fortune, for I 
 drempt of water last night. 
 
 Crick. Thou alwaies dreames. 2080 
 
 Rumf. That's [as] if wee should over whelme, but 
 thats the spite, our Master Nifle is fast, 
 p. 52 Crick. You would wish that you were there too. 
 
 Cole, ffoe, foe, he must not be scene in this enter- 
 prise, but lett us be gone Mr Rumford. how this 2085 
 Tavie is changed ! all this mirth is gone on a hily day 
 night, and how whist the towne is ! 
 
 Muso. Thou liest, it roareth with fooleries. 
 
 Rumf. why I have scene in my dayes sicke plaie, 
 that all the gentle Athenians ha come and looked on 2090 
 our ladds. 
 
 Breck. I, I, there was some good fellowship then ; 
 but shall wee have noe sport ? my Peter is a pretie 
 boy, he will play with any boy of his bignes in the 
 towne. 2095 
 
 Crick. And thou the foole with any of thy bignes. 
 
 Muso. Lett us goe about them that they take 
 occasion to rangle. 
 
 Rumf. Nea, my lad will twacke his side, He hold 
 a pott of Ale, my ladd will give him the first thwacke. 2100 
 
 Mouns. Sir de rogue drinke all. 
 
 Cole. He lay a pint of wine on Brecknocks lad. 
 
 Rumf. He take it, call him forth. 
 
 4077 hericke I can make nothing of this word. 
 
 2086 Tavie Query 'towne' hily day Query 'holy day'
 
 Club Law 
 
 CT 4 
 
 'Tavie. 
 
 2105 Breck. 
 there. 
 
 Crick. 
 
 Peter. 
 
 Muso. 
 21 10 Rumf. 
 
 Jockie. 
 
 Lett her prepare her place. 
 
 Peter, Peter I saye, bring out the Cudgells 
 
 what will Peter doe ? 
 
 Here they be Sir, no body will play Sir. 
 
 Yes more then thou expectest. 
 
 Yes lad, your playfellowe Jockie. 
 
 I Master, He twacke his side. 
 
 (Spectators enter in.} 
 Come shake hands first. 
 I thats gamester like, rome, make rome 
 
 Nea, spare not. 
 
 well done Jockie, that was a good thwacke. 
 
 Nea, he got nothing by that, to him againe 
 
 Breck. 
 
 Rumf. 
 2115 Gentlemen. 
 
 Peter. Have att you. 
 
 Jockie. 
 
 Rumf. 
 
 Breck. 
 2120 Peter. 
 
 Colebie. Before god, you are the unruliest fellowes 
 that ever I see, you must doe what you list. 
 
 Crick. This fellow is a pretie magistrate. 
 
 Cole. In faith, tho be prettie boyes. 
 
 2125 Muso. Dost not see how artificially they begin to 
 picke the quarrell ? 
 
 Pbile. I wonder the Gentlemen have deferd it so 
 longe. 
 
 Breck. To him Peter my lad, 6 my lad Peter had 
 2130 the best. 
 
 Rumf. well done bonny lads. 
 
 Breck. I come, come be friends, letts have some 
 other.
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 79 
 
 Peter. He carrie the Cudgells, none will playe. 
 
 foots. He plaie about, which waye must I hold 2135 
 the Cudgells ? 
 
 Crick. Doe you marke the concert ? 
 
 Cole. Thou knowest well enough. (They p/ay.) 
 53 Jackie, what a great bobie is this to plaie | with 
 such a litle lad ! 2140 
 
 Cole, what, will no bodie take up against him ? 
 
 Adam. See, see what I can doe. 
 
 Coleby. Keepe out there, keepe out, those Athenians 
 spoyle all you that are plaiers, make rome with Cud- 
 gells. 2I4S 
 
 Cricket. It were best for you to take your shakles 
 or Mr Burgomasters club. 
 
 Muso. Or your welsh breath. 
 
 Tavie. Make rome pie Cod her will sett her out 
 with a pox. 2ISO 
 
 Rumf. Make rome Gentlemen, you gamesters what 
 bobies you be. 
 
 Adam, wee doe what wee can. (one making rome 
 strikes Cricket?) 
 
 Cricket. You will logger head, dare you stricke 2155 
 mee ? 
 
 ffotts. And if thou wert ten times better. 
 
 Muso. what will you offer us this violence ? 
 
 Tavie. her will leave prating, will her not ? 
 
 Pbile. They shewe themselves to be barbarous. 2160 
 
 Rumf. Nea, but thous best gett thee packinge. 
 
 Crick. Mr Musonius, can you abide theis oppro- 
 brious termes ? lett mee Combatt that Northen tieke. 
 
 1147 club Query 'tub'
 
 8o Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 Romf. Heres thou mee Jacke, He make my litle 
 2165 boy whip thee for all thy title tatle, but you lads gett 
 you gone. 
 
 Pbile. Awaye base drudges, threaten us ? 
 Muso. wee scorne your words and doe esteeme 
 them as basely as your selves. 
 2170 Rumf. wees garre you tast our Clubbes. 
 
 Tavie. Goots plude, scorne her upon her vilde 
 pride. 
 
 Colebie. you shall not thinke to crowe over us as 
 you have done. 
 2175 Mounsier. In traunt is not good boxe. 
 
 Breck. you had as good a kept your lodginge. 
 Muso. Alas poore men I pittie you. 
 Pbile. They have no cause of envie. 
 Tavie. Cots plude must her tongue walke ? goe 
 2180 fetch her wepon. 
 
 Rumf. I, by the messe, wees garr them loape. 
 Cole, will you goe with us ? wees fetch that will 
 garr them stand further. (Exeunt.'} 
 
 Muso. Now thou seest in what gallant humor theis 
 2185 base Companions are, how in their owne thoughts they 
 triumph. 
 
 Pbile. They litle knowe in what readines wee 
 are to receive them, but Crickett, call out our com- 
 pany. 
 
 2190 Cricket, youle give mee leave to fight too ? 
 Muso. I my boye. 
 
 2171 Tavie MS. 'Davie' 
 
 n8z wees fetch etc. Colby is probably speaking Rumford's dialect 
 in joke, as Cricket speaks Tavie's, 11. 599, 600.
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 81 
 
 Crick. Come, come my masters, Clubs for theis 
 Clounes here, Clubs. (Enter with a companie of clubs.'} 
 
 Muso. My masters, wee must stande to it and spare 
 none of them. 2195 
 
 Pbile. Lett your handes walke as freely as your 
 tongues. 
 
 Mourn. See is my Club stronge ? 
 
 Crick. It is too stronge for thy usage. 
 
 p. 54 Tavie. Cotts plude was her not in a fyne | taking ? 2200 
 not a Club left, plude knaves, her vill gett her some in 
 her house. 
 
 Rumf. Nea, is no matter, lett noe scrubbes scape. 
 
 Colebie. Oh what an arrant drab is my wife, shee 
 hath made awaye all our weapons. 2205 
 
 Muso. Come sirs, on theis, that meane to be on us. 
 
 Cole, wele but defend our selves. 
 
 Pbile. Nea, is your heart soe quickly cold ? 
 
 Rumf. what lads are you so pert ? wele have att you. 
 
 Muso. you shall not neede, downe with them. 2210 
 
 Rumf. Bonny lads take that. (they fight all.) 
 
 Muso. upon them follow. 
 (Exeunt omnes, save Mounsier, whom Rumford catches?) 
 
 Rumf. Away ffrench Curre, Ile.hange thee. 
 
 Mouns. I say nothing to you, lett mee alone, be 2215 
 quiett, is not so well jeast. 
 
 Rumf. Nea, He paye thee good faith. (Exeunt.) 
 
 Tavie. Lett her goe, lett her goe, her will fore- 
 sweare armes. 
 
 Catch. To it Tavie. 2220 
 
 azi 3 Exeunt MS. 'Exunt' 
 s. 6
 
 82 Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 Tavie. Cots plud, looke to your selfe. 
 
 (bee runnes awaye.~) 
 
 Rumf. wayes mee, Ise braind 6 well a day. 
 {Musonius striks downe Brecknock and Coleby and they 
 2225 crie Wee are slayne, some pittie on us for gods sake.) 
 
 Phile. ffie, pitty, you have no need of pittie, beate 
 them well, what corps here ? see authoritie in so lowe 
 estate. 
 
 Coleby. 6 Lord Gentlemen, wee beseech you to 
 2230 pardon us, wee have offended. 
 
 Muso. Away you villains, pardon ? doe you seek 
 to rule over us ? 
 
 Breck. Sweet lads forgive us, you shall never take 
 us in the like offence. 
 
 2235 Phile. Gett you gone you drudges, must you be 
 swagerers ? 
 
 Catch. Jesus, how my head akes. 
 Rumf. 6h, howe sore my braines are. 
 Puffe. Thanke you good Gentlemen, that you lett 
 2240 mee goe awaye alive, I am so bruised, that I cannot 
 rise, if I might have a hundred pounds. But He creepe 
 home as well as I can. 
 
 Crick. Be gone, you false Rogue. Ho Mr Mu- 
 sonius, did you ever see a man of better resolution then 
 2245 I am ? 
 
 Musonius. you are a gallant indeed, but where is 
 Mounsier ? 
 
 ^^^^ see Query 'did you ever see' 
 
 1231 pardon? do you seek to rule over us? (Or one might read 
 'pardon do you seek? to rule over us?') MS. 'pardon, do you see 
 to rule over us?'
 
 SCENE 6] Club Law 83 
 
 Crick, why, sir, hee is lying under a stall, for gods 
 stand by, here he comes. 
 
 Mouns. In varte, mee glad all de Clownes be beate, 2250 
 come Puffe, come Rogue. 
 
 Puff. Nea, good Mounsier. 
 
 Crick. See how the villaine dominers over the 
 drybeaten slave, that can neither stirre hand nor 
 foote. 2255 
 
 Mouns. Come Rouge de Scurvie Clowne, call me 
 ffrench dog, make loose dynner, laugh att mee speake, 
 give no vine, sett mee among te scubbes. 
 
 Puff. Nea, good Mounsier, I was halfe slayne 
 before, 6 lord I bestowed the best I had on you. 2260 
 
 Mouns. Thou liest rouge, scurvie rascall, abuse 
 brave Cavelers, gentle Athenians, take Tobaccoe very 
 p. 55 well, come | roug, para te ad supplicium. 
 
 Puff. Nea, good Mounsier hold your hands, I have 
 wife and children. 2265 
 
 Mouns. Lett mee rid tine wife, and make litle 
 children : mee so scorne tine wife, is no good kisse, no 
 good face, is blacke as Inke, abuse mee scurvie Puff, 
 fatt rouge, impudent rouge. 
 
 Puff. Nea, for saint Dennis good ffrench man. 2270 
 
 Mouns. Goe, goe, mee vill ripe tine horse, tit no 
 matter for tut Marcus Tullio Ricero non facit lectio 
 hodie, profecto ego volo te vapulabor. 
 
 Puff. This is to fall into a ffrenchmans hands, I 
 prethee lett mee goe. 2275 
 
 2271 ripe Query 'ride' 
 
 2271-2 tit no matter for tut Query 'tis no matter for tat' Cp. 643. 
 
 62
 
 84 Club Law [ACT 4 
 
 Mouns. Scurvy Clowne me stricke de in de face. 
 
 Muso. How now Mounsier, how have you sped ? 
 
 Mounsier. By god brave, is gallant, mee have kild 
 2. 3. 4. 5. it myne Club looke. 
 
 2280 Musonius. you have done couragiously. Mounsier, 
 lett him goe, I preethee. 
 
 Mouns. ffor your sake, goe rouge, villaine. 
 
 Crick. 6 monstrous ! what a lye is that ! as soone 
 as ever the fraye began, hee gott and hidd himselfe in 
 2285 a Coblers stall, if a gentle Athenian came, he was a 
 gentle Athenian, if any hoydon Athenian came, pre- 
 sently hee was hoyden Athenian, till all was done, and 
 then hee mett Puff and came thus dominering over 
 him. 
 
 2290 Mounsi. Goe you lye, dis not true, de little scurvy 
 knave abuse mee. 
 
 Muso. you see hee is a Child you must pardon him. 
 
 Pbile. But Musonius what blowes hast thou had 
 in the scirmige ? 
 
 2295 Muso. ffaith none, but a Butcher lent mee a fillip 
 over the shoulders with a Cleaver, but I mett him, I 
 owe him nothinge. 
 
 Pbile. ffore god, I am weary with beating of Breck- 
 nocke, the asse cried out and said hee was an old man, 
 2300 and cald mee sweete facet Gentleman, that I could not 
 for pittie cudgell him. 
 
 Muso. I warrant thee, they will not be so ready 
 to meete Club lawe, but I wonder they yield no more 
 att their discommininge, I thought it would have dasht 
 2305 this enterprise.
 
 ACT 5] Club Law 85 
 
 Pbile. why, would you have it worke in an instant ? 
 they quake already, thou shalt see how they will stoope, 
 when tyme hath shewed how powerfull it is. But why 
 stand wee here ? lett us to our lodgings, and joye of the 
 event. 2310 
 
 Crickett. lie doe nothing all this night, but singe 
 songes and Catches. 
 
 Muso. So it is good. 
 
 ffinis Actus 4 li . Seen* 5 tz . | 
 
 p. 56 ACTUS 5 US . SCENA i a . 2315 
 
 Enter Puff solus. 
 
 Puff, well, my masters, is this the fruits of an 
 office ? Serjeant quoth you, I would I had byn a Sur- 
 geon, I had got more by this fray, then I shall gett by 
 Arrests this 9. moneths. This is a company of haire- 2320 
 braynd fellowes, that cannot live quietly themselves, 
 nor yet lett others. Before, I could have gone into 
 lodgings, and fetcht as much beere as could have 
 sufficed my whole house almost. Now, if I looke but 
 in their lodgings, they presently crye out of mee, and 2325 
 are readye to laugh mee out of my clothes, and when 
 I come home, my wife hath never a penny, and shee 
 sware shee would not take any. 6 horrible ! what will 
 become of us ? the poore Coblers and Taylers are 
 almost starved, and doe so crye out of the Burgesses of 2330 
 the [town], well, He be so bold as to tell Mr Burgo- 
 master of it. Now they shall be dismissed, my fellow 
 2343 fetcht MS. 'fetch'
 
 86 Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 Catch is gone before. But Tavie the welsh Rogue is 
 turned Cogging for his knaverie, They say, hee be- 
 
 2335 trayed Mr Burgomaster, but I am glad of it as if one 
 had given mee ioo u , the rascall will gett more by Cog- 
 ging then halfe a hundred of us. well, He followe Catch 
 and I find not Mr Burgomaster more reasonable, He 
 make suite to be an under Butler in some of their 
 
 2340 lodgings thats certeine, He end my dayes in a Cellar. 
 
 ACTUS 5 US . SCENA 2 a . 
 Rumford solus. 
 
 Rumf. Gods death, what a dele ? be mockt after 
 this sort, and saye never a bitt to them : ha bonne 
 
 2345 whiniard Iffaith, if thou hadst beene by my side, and 
 then the lurdains had so thwact mee as they did, Ise 
 given them leave to take my head from my Cragg. 
 Must sicke to steale all our poles away and then thwacke 
 us when they had done, Nea, then the deale take mee, 
 
 2350 and they goe scotfree. effaith, He laye my legges on 
 my bonny gray nagge and ride as longe as ere he is 
 able to stand, He try all my good friends and spen all 
 my goods to a gray groat, except I make them in a 
 make taking. Ise gange my one selfe and kneele before 
 
 2355 the Duke, and Ise warrant you Ise tell him a tale, I p. 57 
 make him heare ; but the ganbelly Coleby told mee 
 hee would gange with mee, Ise see, what hoe Coleby 
 art thou within ? 
 
 2348 then MS. 'they' 
 
 2354 make Query 'new' (the corruption being due to 'make' 
 before or 'taking' following). The 'm' in the MS. is altered from l n.' 
 a 356 ganbelly Query 'gorbelly'
 
 SCENE 3] Club Law 87 
 
 Coleby. I, I, what sayst thou ? 
 
 Rumf. make thee ready man, make thee ready, 2360 
 putt on thy best boots, and thy Cranckling spurrs. 
 I pray thee make hast as fine as thou canst. 
 
 Coleby. I pray you come in and stay a lite, I am 
 almost readie. 
 
 Rumf. mary and I will, make hast, make hast, gods 2365 
 sides man, what a dele is thy shone on and thou bound 
 to ride ? 
 
 Cole. Tush, thou shalt not staye for mee. 
 
 Rumford. weele, weele, weele. 
 
 ACTUS 5 US . SCENA 3 a . 2370 
 
 Enter Nifle, Spruce, Catch, Puff. 
 
 They cry within, what shall wee be starved ? you 
 undoe us all, I pray take some order. 
 
 Nifle. Keepe them backe there Serjeants, a poxe 
 upon you all that I be thus bald upon still. I came 2375 
 but newly out of the Jaile, and now I am ready to be 
 puld out of my clothes. Is it not a shame Mr Spruce, 
 is it not a shame, that men in Authority should be 
 cried out upon, by a company of vagabonds and slaves ? 
 I see, I see, that in the end wee .must yeild, if it be 2380 
 by theise meanes, confusion light upon them all, but 
 heare you mee Mr Spruce, how shall wee persecute 
 theis suits ? Shall wee complaine to the Duke of theis 
 wronges ? 
 
 2381 light MS. 'ligh' 
 
 2382 persecute In the MS. 'persecute' is written with the con- 
 traction for 'per.' Perhaps a mistake for 'prosecute.' Cp. 2589.
 
 88 Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 2385 Spruce, ffor myne owne part I knowe not, but it 
 may be good and necessarie. 
 
 Nifle. I, I, if all were on my mynde, wee should 
 spoyle their triumph, but doe you thinke it availeable ? 
 Spruce. Certaynly Sir, necessity makes it availeable, 
 2390 but I pray you Sir, take some other opinion. 
 
 Nifle. It is my meaning. Puff call forth Mr Breck- 
 nocke. 
 
 Puff. Ho Mr Brecknocke are you within ? 
 Breck. I, I, what would you ? 
 
 2395 Puff. Mr Burgomasters worshipp would speake 
 with your worship. 
 
 Breck. 6 Sir, you be wellcome home. 
 Nifle. Nea Sir, I am come home, to find every 
 thinge in such case tis in, but I praye you Sir, letts 
 2400 take our places to consult about theis affaires. 
 
 Breck. Nea Sir, I would I had byn with you, I 
 had saved some of my bloud, which now I have lost. 
 
 Nifle. Thinke that the bloud is holy, that is spent 
 in so good a cause. I my selfe | beeing as I am I have p. 58 
 2405 ventred some thinge, and indeed no small crosses, but 
 this may incourage us the more to reveng theis ranges, 
 seeing wee have suffered such unsupportable spight. 
 
 Breck. They say I must not speake my mynd, and 
 if I had spake it sooner, I had not byn in this case. 
 2410 you talke of Revenge, and I knowe not what, wee had 
 more neede thinke how wee should mende what is 
 amisse, and if you should have done, as I would have 
 had you, wee should never have come to this. 
 
 2387 on Query 'of 2408 not Query 'now'
 
 SCENE 3] Club Law 89 
 
 Nifle. what Mr Brecknock, doe you begin to 
 yeild ? this is it they expect ; no, no, followe our 2415 
 proceedings in Complayning to the Duke, and 
 though in the beginning wee indure some smart, 
 yet you shall see what profitt it will bringe us in the 
 end. 
 
 Breck. I, I great proffit indeed to undoe us all and 2420 
 emptie our Gofers in our Chambers, great proffit I 
 promise you. 
 
 Nifle. How now are you so lustie, doe you not 
 consider hoe I am ? 
 
 Brek. yes, yes, I doe consider what I was. 2425 
 
 Nifle. I, I, the Towne gat much by you. 
 
 Breck. Nea, if you urge mee so farre ; I say, I am 
 sure All good men will saye, I have Carried my selfe 
 better in my Burgomastershipp then you for all your 
 great braggs ; I left the Chist full, which you will bring 2430 
 to a lowe ebbe, and you must be laid in the Jaile for 
 I knowe not what, and there spend what you list, and 
 the Towne must beare your charges. 
 
 Nifle. I say unto thee, thou art an Asse, an a ffoole 
 to use no better termes to him, that is your soveraine ; 2435 
 I saye unto thee, thou art a very knowne Asse, therefore 
 be silent and followe our proceedings in Complayning 
 to the Duke. 
 
 Breck. ffollow you, alas I cannot, such a foole as I 
 must have nothing to doe with wise men, hee that hath 2440 
 byn Mr Burgomaster twise before you hee is an Asse 
 with you. god [keepe] me such an Asse still; I have 
 
 2437 Complayning MS. ' Complaying'
 
 go Club Law [Acr 5 
 
 byn Called many a bad name but never asse before in 
 all my life. 
 
 2445 Nifle. Come, The foole runnes rashly on, then you 
 will not assist us ? 
 
 Breck. No, no, when I ride or goe a foote further 
 
 to spend one penny more in this enterprise, He give 
 
 you leave to hange mee. take an Asses counsell 
 
 2450 and lett us recover our old estate and never seeke 
 
 further. 
 
 Nifle. This is strange, that you should be so back- 
 ward which have byn so forward in tymes past. 
 
 Breck. It is | strange to you that many ritchwedowes P- 59 
 2455 to become Gentlewomen, but it is not so with us that 
 live by our marchandice, being such as cheifely belong 
 unto them. I tell you in playne termes, I must either 
 gett my estate againe, or I cannot live here. 
 
 Nifle. well, well Brecknocke such fearefull fellowes 
 2460 as you are, will be the overthrow of our estate. 
 
 Breck. No, no, I will render up my freedome, for 
 unlesse you will yeild unto it, I am gone, I cannot 
 staye here, doe as you will, I am gone, I am gone. 
 
 Nifle. Doe you not see Mr Spruce what a teephe 
 2465 Asse this is ? This is good that a must use such Cowardlie 
 Companions, what thinke you ? 
 
 Spruce. I am no body, but for myne owne part sir, 
 you may use your discretion. 
 
 Nifle. Here comes 2. I hope will be in a better 
 
 2470 mynde. (Enter Rumford and Coleby.) 
 
 Rumf. what is thy horse well shod ? will hee runne 
 
 2455 to Query 'do' unless 'to' as in 1. 203 = 'too.' 
 2464 teephe Query 'touphe' (tough)
 
 SCENE 3] Club Law 91 
 
 vary well ? ffaith Ise try what myne can doe, Ise putt 
 him tote. 
 
 Cole. If you will lead the waye, myne will followe, 
 but here is Mr Burgomaster, wee must speake with him. 2475 
 
 Rumf. what a deele man, shall wee staye so longe ? 
 Come Mr Burgomaster wee be goeing to the Duke to 
 complayne, faith lett us knowe your mynde quickly. 
 
 Cole. I hope wee shall spoyle the sport shortly. 
 
 Nifle. I am glad some of you have the courage. 2480 
 I have spoken with Brecknocke, and the Asse tells mee 
 hee will not medle, and that hee hath medled too much 
 alreadye. praye you Sir, take your places, that wee may 
 the better Consult of this matter. 
 
 Rumf. Gods nayles what a foule is that, the de'ele 2485 
 take mee, if I did not thinke hee would alwayes prove 
 a cowardly Lurdaine, hee did so wake when hee went 
 to cuffing. 
 
 Coleby. 6h that every man were of my mynde, wee 
 would hold it out. 2490 
 
 Rumf. what a plague doe wee staye ? By my saule 
 I longe to be on my bonny naggs backe, for he is 
 bridled and sadled all this tyme. Come billie Coleby. 
 
 Colebye. Nea, first lett us consult with Mr Burgo- 
 master. 2495 
 
 Rumf. why what a deele makes matter ? praye the 
 come, letts gange. but here corns the foule cart with a 
 Lurdan like himselfe, He see and heele say so mickle 
 to my face. 
 
 (Enter Brecknock with 2. Burgesses.) 2500 
 
 2497 but here MS. 'be pere' cart Query 'cad' or 'carion' Cp. 2542.
 
 92 Club Law [Aer 5 
 
 Nifle. Hoe Mr Brecknocke is your mynde altered, 
 I hope you will not singe your old songe. 
 
 Breck. Alter mee no alters. I am settled downe, 
 and will not be removed, and so are all the towne un- 
 2505 lesse it be 2. or 3. madd headed fellowes, that care p. 60 
 [neither] for your good nor their owne. 
 
 Rumford. what a gods name must thou be showne ? 
 Coleby. I such fearefull fellowes will be the spoile 
 of us, and they crye out upon us, for the paynes wee 
 2510 take for the common good. 
 
 Burgesses. Nea, Mr Coleby, you goe not the right 
 waye to worke it ; if it be as Mr Brecknocke certifieth 
 mee, wee are not able to hold our estates, you that are 
 rich may, but wee cannot. 
 
 2515 Nifle. yett if wee joyne togither wee may and can 
 and shall. 
 
 Cipher. Nea, nea, I cannot tell. 
 Rumf. what man, what a deele shall wee doe with 
 sick fellowes as can doe us no good ? I tell thee I have 
 2520 2O M in my purse, I and faith He spend it to a grey 
 groate. but Coleby, why stand wee here so longe ? 
 
 Nifle. Ah, that all my subjects were of my 
 mynde, .but Mr Rumford, you had best stay to see, 
 if any of them can be drawne to backe our good 
 2525 motions. 
 
 Breck. Nea, nea, I have byn burnt already, He not 
 putt my finger into the fier againe. backe that backe 
 will, for Brecknocke. 
 
 Cipher. No, no, nor I. 
 2530 2 Burg. Noe, not wee alone, but all the Com-
 
 SCENE 3] Club Law 93 
 
 minaltie being pincht with the want of that wee had 
 before, doe vowe and protest, that unles some order 
 be taken, they will seeke by all meanes possible to be 
 their servants. 
 
 Coleby. why, what meane you to shewe your 2535 
 selves such Cowards ? why Rumford ? Noe body 
 else will, in my opinion, wee have small reason to 
 spend our tyme, when they shall reape the Commoditie 
 of it. 
 
 Rumf. what now Colebie ? will you turne Caponer 2540 
 too ? then the deele take you all for a Companie of 
 great foule Carions. iffaith, Ise gange alone, for iffaith, 
 Ise not be silke a gooscap. Ise tell sicke a tale, Ise 
 make the towne ringe all out. 
 
 Breck. I, you will doe much. 2545 
 
 Cipb. No, no, hee cannot. 
 
 ( 'They cry within Weele keepe you from undoeing 
 us all. it is pittie such a Butcher shoud be a 
 headsman.) 
 
 Rumf. By my saule, and if I drawe my whyniard 2550 
 out of my scabbard, Ise make some of you more 
 quiett. what a deele, will you breake my Cragg a 
 sunder ? 
 
 2 Burgesses. Nea, Mr Rumford, what doe you meane 
 to make your selfe so odious ? if you be not more 2555 
 p. 61 reasonable they will pull | out your throate. 
 
 Rumf. pull and hange and doe what a dare you 
 all can, all shall not helpe ; for Ise either spend all, or 
 else be revenged on their Jacks. 
 
 Nifle. Nea, Mr Rumford, doe but heare mee speake. 2560
 
 94 Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 Rumf. Nea, Jesus blesse mee, thouse for all thy 
 braggs turne Caponer now too. 
 
 Ntfle. Nea, Mr Rumford, you be too impatient, 
 doe but heare mee, I praye you my masters sitt downe. 
 
 2565 (They sitt downe). 
 
 Breck. Nea, I had as liefe stand unles you were 
 more reasonable. 
 
 Ntfle. Come, come, He please you all. you know 
 all of you, how fortunate and forward I have byn of 
 
 2570 the Comon benefite ; if I have not surpassed all, I am 
 sure I have gone as farre as any in good goverment, 
 and though I have byn Crost in my good proceedings, 
 yett towne in regard of my duetie, might have byn 
 bondslaves, the whole generacion of Nifles ; but seeing 
 
 2575 I have not beene fortunate, I must in regard of my 
 selfe, scorne such basenes, but for your sakes yeild my 
 selfe. Nifle I saye must yeild himselfe for the Common 
 good ; therefore lett this be spoken, and lett it be spoken 
 but once and without Contradiction, because I have 
 
 2580 spoke it. I thinke it good and necessary for the 
 Common good, that both I and also wee, though it be 
 somewhat repugnant to our estats, to myne especially 
 being as I am, to make shewe of submission to theis 
 gentle Athenians, shewe I saye, mistake mee not, I 
 
 2585 saye not indeed, but in shewe, so that wee may recover 
 our estate, and then staye and meditate upon revenge 
 untill wee may take some occasion to overthrowe them 
 horse and man, which if wee can but take, you shall 
 
 *573 yett e tc. The passage is difficult to emend.
 
 SCENE 3] Club Law 95 
 
 see with what resolution I will persecute it, how saye 
 you, my Masters ? how like you the words which I 2590 
 have spoken ? 
 
 Breck. I had rather present league were concluded, 
 but yet I hold to this, hoping it will drawe on a greater. 
 
 Nifle. How say you Mr Rumford ? 
 
 Rumf. Marry, I knowe not how to deale with lads, 2595 
 but He be no looser; I am sure some of them are in 
 books 200 **. for flesh. Marry then goe you out, yet, 
 doe what you will, He not see it. 
 
 2 Burg, what if they should putt us to our othes 
 to yeild true obedience ? 2600 
 
 Nifle. Oathes are but words, neither doe I thinke 
 it necessarie to stande upon strickt termes, being as it 
 p. 62 is, but a constrayned | oath, you therefore Masters 
 take the paynes to goe to Mr Rector, and certifie him 
 how lies you the Cause, it grieves mee to utter it, in 2605 
 the meane tyme, lett us heare the supplication drawne 
 against they come. Mr Spruce, lett us see your skill ? 
 
 (Exeunt Burgesses.'} 
 
 Spruce. As I am but one of you all, so I will not 
 be ofFencible to you all. 2610 
 
 Nifle. And so you are an Asse. Sir, art fitt to be 
 in such a place? but least you should saye it is my 
 doeing, you shall every one give his sentence. Begin 
 you Mr Brecknocke. 
 
 Breck. It may be I shall prove an Asse too, but 2615 
 
 11589 persecute Cp. note on 438*. aj96 in Query 'in my' 
 4605 lies MS. 'hee' 2606 heare Query 'have'
 
 96 Club Law [Aer 5 
 
 all is one ; if I should drawe it, thus it should be ; 
 Lamentable reverence of this societie. 
 
 Spruce, oh that is according to forme. 
 
 Rumf. fly Mr Brecknock, fy, thous alwayes absurd, 
 2620 come, come, Mr Spruce, sett it downe and wright ; wee 
 praye, not because wees poore, but because wees fayne 
 live in quietnesse, and be friends. 
 
 Colebye. Nea, if wee goe this waye to worke, wee 
 must come in more humble manner, therefore it may 
 2625 be thus ; though lamentably wee doe not complayne, 
 yet earnestly wee intreate. 
 
 Spruce. Lamentably and earnestly agree well to- 
 gither, it will be very well accepted. 
 
 Nipble. Thou alwayes bablest Spruce, hold thy peace, 
 2630 wilt thou give thy Judgment upon thyne owne head ? 
 I saye unto thee hould thy peace, He save your labour 
 in drawing it. He utter it in most ample forme. 
 
 ACTUS 5 US . SCENA 4 a . 
 Enter Musonius y Pbilenius, 2 Burgesses and the rest. 
 
 2635 Muson. Nowe Philenius, shall wee obtayne our 
 whole desires ? but my masters, certifye your followers, 
 that wee here staye for them, and will take the place. 
 
 Burgesses. Here are a couple of gentle Athenians, 
 that Mr Rector hath sent according to your direction, 
 
 2640 they have received from. 
 
 a6i8 is Query 'is not' 4629 Niphle MS. 'Niple' 
 
 2636 followers Query ' fellowes ' 
 
 2640 received from The sentence is incomplete.
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 97 
 
 Niphle. well. 
 
 Burgesses, wee staye upon your worships. 
 
 Rumford. Marry and hee sad staye, and hee be 
 ruld by mee. 
 
 Cipb. They should indeed. 2645 
 
 Ntfle. But against our wills wee must pretende 
 some shewe of submission. 
 
 Ciph. your worshipp saith well, wee must indeed. 
 
 Muso. Sirra Philenius, take as grave a Countenance 
 p. 63 as thou canst. Niphle | will hardly stoope to doe us 2650 
 reverence. 
 
 Pbile. He warrant thee for a Countenance, but thou 
 shalt be Chiefe speaker man, thou art the wisest. 
 
 Muso. He warrant thee, wee are both wise enough, 
 weele fitt them for a paire of 2655 
 
 Coleby. what must wee stande here bare headed ? 
 
 Cyph. No, no, by no meanes. 
 
 Breck. wee must being in petition, doe you not 
 knowe last yeare, when I was Burgomaster Sir Obedus 
 Tuck stood bare headed to mee ? much more must 2660 
 wee. 
 
 Cipher. Much more by all meanes. 
 
 Ntfle. Mr Cipher you speake contradictions. 
 
 Cipb. So belike sir. 
 
 Ntfle. you are an Asse sir, if wee had no wiser 2665 
 men then you, wee should make proper' meetings of 
 it, hold your peace, hinder not my meditations. 
 
 Cipher, you may say your pleasure now, but it is 
 
 2653 speaker MS. 'speakes' 
 
 s. 7
 
 98 Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 well knowne, that I was a worthy governour in my 
 2670 goverment, when you were a litle boye and carried 
 your mothers Tallies after her. 
 
 Nifle. well wee must give an Asse leave to speake, 
 but I injoyne you silence. 
 
 Muso. mee thinkes they are very longe. Nifle is 
 2675 meditatinge some ffustian speech. 
 
 Phile. Like enough, but I must saye or doe some- 
 thing, whereby I may shewe my selfe to be in some 
 authoritie. well He bid him put on his hatt. 
 
 Muso. Prethee doe, but doe [it] with a grace. 
 2680 Phile. with a better He warrant thee then Cipher 
 makes a legg. 
 
 Muso. 6h hee is a notable Asse, and hee will saye 
 nothing all the daye but, yea : indeed : it is even so : 
 by all meanes : or by no meanes : true : right : good : 
 2685 well. 
 
 Phile. And hot spurd Rumford, hee begins or 
 ends every speech, with well said : breake their cragg : 
 stricke their teeth into their throats : deele ha my saul : 
 wack her wele. 
 
 2690 Muso. And Nifle hele doe any thing as hee is 
 Nicolas Nifle ; and all his fellow bretheren are Asses ; 
 wee ragtailes. 
 
 Phile. There is a goodly rable of them, take them 
 up roundly. 
 2695 Nifle. Now, I am prepared for them. 
 
 Breck. But be not peremptory with them. 
 
 2673 well MS. 'week'
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 99 
 
 Nifle. you shall teach mee, shall you ? Come 
 letts goe, are thels they ? 
 
 2 Burg. I sir. 
 
 p. 64 Nifle. Gentlemen, | god save you, wee be come 2700 
 to acknowledg our errors and crave your favours. 
 
 Rumf. Gods sides hee beggs like a Coward. 
 
 Muso. nowe wee must froune on them Philenius. 
 How comes it, that you, who have vowed your selves 
 professed enemies against us should now in a sub- 2705 
 missive manner crave a parlee ? 
 
 Pbile. Be covered Mr Nifle. 
 
 Nifle. I being chiefe of the rest will speake for 
 the rest. 
 
 Muso. Notary, make an Act of that they 2710 
 saye. 
 
 Nifle. This is the thinge ; seeing some discon- 
 tentments, some dissentions, some warrs have passed 
 you and us, the reason I knowe not, but as farre as 
 I knowe, altogither from our selves. But you are 2715 
 termed gentle, therefore doe but consider, that it was 
 but superioritie, for which wee doe contend, the desire 
 whereof yee knowe (that be schollers) to be common 
 to all beasts, which seeing it is so, wee hope, that it is 
 pardonable, wee crave pardon, and craving pardon wee 2720 
 tender our supplication, that it may please you, to letts 
 live by you, and recover our old estats, that is, to 
 reape what benefits wee may by you, which if it please 
 you to graunt, I being the mouth of the rest doe 
 promise for the rest hereafter to be obedient to you in 2725 
 
 271* the MS. 'tha' 
 
 72
 
 ioo Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 any reasonable demaund. how saye you my masters, 
 have I not spoken according to your myndes ? 
 All. you have, you have. 
 
 Muso. what Mr Nifle, is it not high tyme nowe 
 2730 to leave this follye, this arrogant sottishnes, this 
 humerous surquedrye with which they use to affright 
 weake witts ? 
 
 Cipher, your worship saith true. 
 Muso. wee for our parts, as wee are impatient of 
 2735 injuries, so wee are apt to receive any submissive 
 duetie. 
 
 Phile. nea, they are not worthy of our favours, 
 
 who being in their greatest triumph, when to us they 
 
 are most serviceable, yett dares presume to violate 
 
 2740 Minervaes maidenhead, and tare from her head those 
 
 sacred headbands wherewith antiquitie hath honered her. 
 
 Breck. nea, good Gentlemen, pardon us, wee 
 
 knowe our selves to be faultie. 
 
 Rumf. Thou alwayes bablest Brecknocke, our 
 2745 Burgomaster will make his matter better then thee 
 effaith. 
 
 Nifle. I saye sir, what is past is past, and what 
 is to come I knowe | not. p. 65 
 
 Pbile. Take him downe. 
 
 2750 Muso. Know thy selfe what thou art, thinke thy 
 selfe no kinge because thou hast almost witt enough 
 to be Mr Burgomaster, this arrogant humor ill befitts 
 thy deserts, and learne to measure students, not by thy 
 puffie apprehension, but according to their owne 
 2755 excellency, and know that learning and the Arts are
 
 SCENE 4] Club Law 101 
 
 divine, they fetch their pedigree from the high heavens. 
 Jove himselfe had three of his ofspringe Schollers, and 
 great Monarchs have triumphed more in their knowledg, 
 then in their empire, and have thought them selves 
 happy in philosophers familiarity, And will you 2760 
 base drudges springing from dunghills contend for 
 superioritie ? 
 
 Pbile. I, I, what will they not have out of theis 
 forgeries of villanies ? 
 
 Breck. ffollowe it, follow it, they begin to fall off. 2765 
 
 Nipble. what hath byn I know not, but hereafter 
 I promise to be answerable to your desires, so you use 
 mee like a magistrate. 
 
 Muso. But trust you wee dare not, being of your 
 selves so variable, therefore how shall wee worke with 2770 
 you ? sweare true obedience and service. 
 
 All. wee will. 
 
 Pbile. notarie sett downe they will sweare. 
 
 Muso. If you doe performe it, though you have 
 deserved all rigour, yeft pittying your estats, wee will 2775 
 see you recover the priviledges you obtained before. 
 
 AIL wee be much bound unto you. 
 
 Muso. as you carry your selves, so shall you gaine 
 our favours ; now Philenius, seeing our successe hath 
 byn correspondent to our desires, I hope wee have 2780 
 performed our promises and [satisfied] our spectators. 
 
 Pbile. Lett us Musonius referre that to those that 
 
 2757 had three of his ofspringe Schollers, MS. 'had there of his 
 ofspringe. Schollers ' 
 
 1779 Philenius MS. 'Philenus'
 
 IO2 Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 come after, and lett us now goe in, to perfect our 
 obedience, then Gentlemen will favour us, if it be but 
 2785 for affection they beare Athens. 
 
 Muso. Come Sir follow us to take your oathes. 
 Nipble. wee follow, wee follow, Nifle must stoope, 
 must followe. 
 
 Muso. Sirra, have wee not conjured this matter 
 2790 well ? 
 
 Pbilenius. Yett passing well. 
 
 finis Act 5. Scena 4. 
 
 ACTUS 5 US . SCENA 5*. p. 66 
 
 Enter 'Tavie solus. 
 
 2795 'Tavie. Vas there ere a fine honest Shentleman vas 
 want a callant and proper man, can keepe a horse well, 
 a hound, or fare cood honest hore ? Tavie can too it 
 ferric well, cod be prassed and plessed for it. vas none 
 take her up, Cots plud vas her not in a fine taking ? 
 
 2800 vas no more shefe Sargeant. 2. Shentlmen her prave 
 lye and tale and saye Tavie was false knave and betraye 
 Mr Burgomaster, her arship was betwene her and take 
 her Mase from her, but marke her now, cood honest 
 kint sister Luce put in a Cart and make her shurney 
 
 2805 out towne, and so take her leave, so Tavie lost all her 
 custome, her fitteling put towne, no more coot Methig- 
 
 2800-1 her prave lye Query 'her make prave lye'
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 103 
 
 ling, vas become ferric poore pegger : put her shall tell 
 such a pawdy tale of Mr Burgomaster vas make her 
 heare rise of her head, as Christ shall helpe her, her 
 vas fery foole to forsake her old Master, but her 2810 
 comes a small Shentleman, will see and her arship will 
 entertaine her. (Enter Crickett.) 
 
 Crick. God and good fortune doth still favour us, 
 lett mee dye presently and be overwhelmed in this sea 
 of joyes. I sawe the swyny snowts sweare true service 2815 
 and obedience, who would ever have thought I should 
 have lived to see this golden Age ? And was not 
 Crickett a cheife Capteine in this action ? 
 
 Tavie. Cote plesse and keepe her arship, her vas 
 crave her cood will. 2820 
 
 Crick. Nea, you welsh rogue, are not you packt 
 out of the towne with kinde Luce ? But saye why 
 wouldst thou have my worships good will ? 
 
 Tavie. Her vad crave to be her arships true man 
 and servant. 2825 
 
 Crick. Hange thee villaine, what service canst 
 thou doe ? 
 
 Tavie. Make her shamber, vipe her bed, sweepe 
 her shoes, any thing what please. 
 
 Crick. I want no man, especially of thy making, 2830 
 but, vassall, thy case is pittifull, though thou deservest 
 no pittie, yet He vouchsafe to speake to the Butler to 
 make thee under skinker in the Buttery, how sayest 
 thou knave ? 
 
 p. 67 Tavy. Marry | cot be prassed and plessed for it, 2835 
 her vas thanke her arshipp ferie hartily, her vas never
 
 104 Club Law [ACT 5 
 
 forsake her old Master but her shall attende upon her 
 arship. 
 
 Crick. No sirra, goe before, and He come after. 
 
 2840 'Tavie. Now Shentlemen, cote be with you, and 
 
 forgive her, and I pray speake well of cood honest 
 
 Tavie, and honest Luce, and say Tavie was no pawde, 
 
 Luce no drab, this is all her crave. (Exit.) 
 
 Cricket. Be gone you slave. He doe nothing but 
 
 28 45 mocke him, He make him an arrant foole. 
 
 Now deere Gentlemen, I am sure you expect our 
 returne from Athens, weele make a short cutt and 
 satisfie your expectation, you have true Clemencie in 
 her diverse formes, you have scene what have hapned 
 
 2850 to the hobbenoles ; if you looke what is befalne to their 
 wives, wee for our parts are carelesse what betide 
 them. Lett them rangle with their heads, scratch out 
 their eyes, use all rayling termes with their husbands, 
 it shall be most acceptable newes unto us, for in their 
 
 28 55 discontent rest our contentment. But if there be any 
 such kind harted Gentlemen as are loth the poore 
 wenches should live in misery, for their sakes, lie 
 take upon mee to make the attonment, trust mee I can 
 doe it and within this halfe houre I make them friendes 
 
 2860 in a cupp of wine. As for Luce shee is gone, but I will 
 not tell you whether, least some wenching fellow sneake 
 after her. Now Gentlemen, I hope I have satisfied you 
 in theis things, yet I am most afraid least in Antiquity 
 you should seeke for our historic ; will you know where 
 
 286 5 it is ? Turne Herodotus, and one of his 9. Muses will 
 tell you strange newes of our Clubb lawe ; but as I
 
 SCENE 5] Club Law 105 
 
 remember, there is an old manuscript of Thucidides, 
 which I read but once, maks great mention of it ; but 
 to be short, you shall finde in Plato de legibus, where 
 Plato amonge other lawes repeateth, that the Athenian 2870 
 Comonwealth was alwayes best governed by Clubb lawe ; 
 as for other matters I hope you will not be so severe 
 Censurers, as to thinke in such a subject, wee can 
 observe Commike rules, neither was it our Authors 
 intent, flavour our silly stage fraught with well meaning 2875 
 and yong Actors, and let us not want your goodwills, 
 with having striven so much to sett out your excellency, 
 for your sakes kind Gentlemen some of our company 
 have shed their bloud and have thought it well shed 
 for your sakes. many crounes wee cract this day, many 2880 
 bruses, many wounds for you were given and taken, 
 which woundes no balme can salve, no cunning hands 
 
 can heale, 
 unlesse your gratious hands, send forth a merry peale. 
 
 (plaudite.) 2885 
 
 ffinis.
 
 CHANGES OF PUNCTUATION. 
 
 ('n.s.'=no stop.) 
 
 9 wench, MS. n.s. 
 
 ii holesome? MS. 'holesome.' 
 
 17 her. and MS. n.s. 
 Burgomaster, MS. n.s. 
 
 18 will, will MS. n.s. 
 Shergeant? MS. Shergeant. 
 
 21 Commaund? MS. n.s. 
 
 11 wench, MS. n.s. 
 
 44 office. MS. n.s. 
 
 86 thing MS. 'thing,' 
 
 108 sir, MS. n.s. 
 
 123 things. MS. n.s. 
 129-30 villaine ; MS. n.s. 
 
 140 breched, MS. n.s. 
 
 144 no, MS. n.s. 
 
 145 towne. MS. n.s. 
 154 away MS. 'away)' 
 164 are, MS. n.s. 
 
 169 doe, MS. n.s. 
 
 186 mould. MS. 'mould,' 
 
 221 us, MS. n.s. 
 
 223 Burgomaster. MS. n.s. 
 
 230 their owne MS. 'their, owne' 
 
 236 on, MS. n.s. 
 
 471 hee. MS. n.s. 
 
 505 knave), MS. n.s. 
 
 533 shewe MS. 'shewe,' 
 
 537 Cittisens. MS. n.s. 
 
 550 all, MS. n.s. 
 
 578 tell? MS. 'tell.' 
 
 580 fittle? MS. 'fittle,' 
 
 586 why? MS. 'why.' 
 
 589 two, MS. n.s. 
 
 592 pox MS. ' pox,' 
 
 593 to her? MS. 'to her,' 
 
 609 I, I, MS. I, I ' 
 
 way, MS. n.s. 
 
 631 with you, MS. n.s. 
 
 634 cape? MS. 'cape.' 
 
 637 Cape? MS. 'Cape.' 
 
 638 here. MS. n.s. 
 640 dinner? MS. n.s. 
 642 goe. MS. 'goe?' 
 650 shere, MS. n.s. 
 
 653 Cordileere, MS. n.s. 
 
 657 merry, MS. n.s. 
 
 714 two. MS. n.s. 
 
 719 Corne, MS. n.s. 
 
 745 tester, MS. n.s. 
 sixpence, MS. n.s. 
 Ribans? MS. ' Ribans.' 
 
 791 gone? MS. 'gone,' 
 
 797 her tale, MS. n.s. 
 
 802 Chamber. MS. n.s. 
 
 816 be? MS. 'be.' 
 
 830 so? MS. 'so,' 
 
 836 selfe. MS. n.s. 
 
 845 Gentleman, MS. n.s. 
 
 85 1 Burgomaster ? MS. ' Burgo- 
 master.' 
 
 880 wee two? MS. 'wee two.' 
 
 928 thou. MS. 'thou,' 
 
 933 us. MS. n.s. 
 
 970 incontinencye, MS. n.s. 
 
 992 shoulders. MS. n.s. 
 
 1002 pretily MS. 'pretily.' 
 
 1030 imployed, MS. n.s. 
 
 1037 Drome? MS. 'Drome.'
 
 Club Law 
 
 107 
 
 1038 cannot, MS. n.s. 
 
 1041 this, MS. n.s. 
 
 1046 say, MS. n.s. 
 
 1051 cleare? MS. 'cleare,' 
 
 1095 come? MS. n.s. 
 
 1 1 12 no, MS. n.s. 
 
 1139 fellowes, MS. n.s. 
 
 1170 arrand. MS. n.s. 
 
 1175 done? MS. 'done.' 
 
 1241 speeches? MS. 'speeches.' 
 
 1251 not. MS. n.s. 
 
 1267 thing, MS. n.s. 
 
 1282 part, MS. n.s. 
 
 1286 night? MS. 'night,' 
 
 1288 watchword? MS. 'watchword,' 
 
 bume. MS. ' burne,' 
 1334 head, MS. n.s. 
 
 1342 intreat. MS. 'intreat,' 
 
 1343 so? MS. 'so,' 
 
 1344 friend, MS. n.s. 
 pate, MS. n.s. 
 
 1352 scrupulous? MS. n.s. 
 
 1368 now MS. 'now.' 
 
 1388 I, MS. n.s. 
 
 1396 well. MS. n.s. 
 
 1493 honestie. MS. 'honestie,' 
 
 1535 to, MS. n.s. 
 
 1550 heeles, MS. n.s. 
 
 1568 him, MS. n.s. 
 
 1611 kindred? MS. 'kindred,' 
 
 1620 angree, MS. n.s. 
 
 1631 dreame, MS. 'dreame.' 
 
 1642 ashamed? MS. 'ashamed.' 
 
 1647 hattbond? MS. 'hattbond.' 
 
 1674 alone, MS. n.s. 
 
 1677 vengance, MS. n.s. 
 
 1680 houses? MS. 'houses.' 
 
 1686 followe. MS. 'followe,' 
 
 1791 to, MS. n.s. 
 
 1802 doe it, MS. n.s. 
 
 1816 other, MS. n.s. 
 
 1825 matter? MS. 'matter.' 
 
 1850 faith, MS. 'faith.' 
 
 1867 soone. MS. 'soone,' 
 
 1868 Gentlemen. MS. 'Gentlemen, 1 
 1871 Musonius. MS. ' Musonius,' 
 1879 humilitie. MS. n.s. 
 
 1882 passion. MS. ' passion,' 
 
 1887 one? MS. 'one,' 
 
 1890 night? MS. 'night:' 
 
 1906 indeed? MS. 'indeed,' 
 
 1909 it, MS. n.s. 
 
 1911 promise. MS. n.s. 
 
 1922 us. MS. 'us,' 
 
 1943 is, MS. n.s. 
 
 1947 Athenians, MS. n.s. 
 
 1950 Lieutenant? MS. n.s. 
 
 knave ! MS. n.s. 
 
 1955 humble, MS. n.s. 
 
 1978 lustie, MS. n.s. 
 
 1989 soundly; MS. 'soundly,' 
 
 1994 abroad? MS. 'abroad.' 
 
 1998 Doe, MS. n.s. 
 
 2009 us, MS. n.s. 
 
 2023 knaves. MS. n.s. 
 
 2024 well. MS. 'well,' 
 
 2027 knocks, MS. 'knocks?' 
 
 2050 vench? MS. n.s. 
 
 2052 Gentleman. MS. 'Gentleman,' 
 
 2088 liest, MS. n.s. 
 
 2137 concert? MS. 'concert.' 
 
 2190 too? MS. 'too.' 
 
 2198 stronge? MS. ' stronge.' 
 
 2200 taking? MS. 'taking,' 
 
 2201 knaves, MS. n.s. 
 
 2203 matter, MS. n.s. 
 
 2204 wife, MS. n.s. 
 
 2215 you, MS. n.s. 
 
 2216 quiett, MS. n.s. 
 2257 mee MS. 'mee,' 
 2309 here? MS. 'here,' 
 2394 you? MS. 'you.' 
 2404 cause. MS. 'cause,' 
 2449 mee. MS. 'mee,' 
 2457 them. MS. ' them,' 
 2466 you? MS. 'you.'
 
 io8 
 
 Club Law 
 
 2475 Burgomaster, MS. n.s. 
 
 2483 alreadye. MS. 'alreadye,' 
 
 2489 mynde, MS. n.s. 
 
 2496 matter? MS. 'matter,' 
 
 2497 gange. MS. n.s. 
 2519 good? MS. 'good.' 
 2521 groate. MS. 'groate,' 
 2550 saule, MS. n.s. 
 2552 quiett. MS. 'quiett,' 
 2558 can, MS. n.s. 
 
 2597 out, MS. n.s. 
 
 2630 Judgment MS. 'Judgment,' 
 
 head? MS. 'head,' 
 2634 Philenius, MS. n.s. 
 2653 man, MS. n.s. 
 2660 mee? MS. 'mee,' 
 2706 parlee? MS. 'parlee.' 
 
 2797 hore? MS. 'hore.' 
 
 2798 well, MS. n.s. 
 
 2799 up? MS. n.s. 
 taking? MS. 'taking,' 
 
 2880 day, MS. n.s.
 
 NOTES. 
 
 i 4. It is not clear who is the speaker of these lines, if it is not one 
 of the sergeants. The first words suggest that something perhaps an attack 
 with clubs on the University made by the town is to take place on May 
 Day. Scene 5, however, gives us the election of Burgomaster, and the 
 mayoral election at Cambridge took place at Michaelmas. Perhaps 'may 
 day' is used in the general sense of 'festivity,' 'jollification.' The allusion to 
 the coming of the broom-man is also obscure, as there is no further reference 
 to such a person in the play. 
 
 3. the brome man. The N.E.D, defines ' broom-man ' as ' one who uses 
 a broom, a street-sweeper,' and the later quotations there given clearly support 
 that sense. The word seems, however, to have also denoted 'a seller of 
 brooms.' Thus in The London Chaunticleers, London, 1659 (perhaps written 
 by 1636 or earlier printed in Hazlitt-Dodsley, xn.) one of the characters 
 is ' Heath, a broom-man ' who comes in crying ' Brooms ! maids, brooms ! 
 old boots or shoes ! come buy my brooms ! ' In Scene 4, when in disguise he 
 says: 'I am perfectly changed: I never knew Heath the broom- man or the 
 price of a besom, never traffick'd with maids o' th' kitchen or shopboys for 
 old boots and shoes.' Which meaning we are to give the word in other 
 cases is doubtful, for instance in Greene's Upstart Courtier (1592): 'Then 
 Conscience was not a broom-man in Kent Street but a Courtier ' ; and in 
 J. Cook's City-Gallant (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 335) : ' I should never be 
 ashamed to call thee sister, though thou shouldst marry a broom-man.' In 
 the passage before us the sense 'seller of brooms' seems more likely. Possibly 
 the broom-handles were to be used as clubs. 
 
 6. Niphill. The pronunciation is shown by the forms ' Niphle' (477 etc.), 
 'Nifle' (828 etc.). The word 'nyfles' in the sense 'mockeries, pretences, 
 literally, sniffings' (Skeat) is found in Chaucer's Somnours Tale, 1. 52: 'He 
 served hem with nyfles and with fables.' The Century Dictionary assigns to the 
 verb 'niffle' the senses (i) 'sniffle,' 'snivel,' (z) Provincial, 'to eat hastily,' 'to 
 steal,' 'pilfer.' 
 
 9. bouncbing, bouncing. Cp. Shaks. M.N.D. II. i. 70: 'the bouncing 
 Amazon'; Returnefrom Parnassus, Pt. II. 1. 1528: 'three bounsing wenches.' 
 For the form 'bounching,' cp. 'anchestors,' 1. 351 below and 'lanching' 
 Returnefrom Parnassus, II. 95 : 'where nought but lanching can the wound 
 auayle.'
 
 r 
 
 no Club Law 
 
 a smoker. The English Dialect Dictionary gives various quasi-slang 
 uses of 'smoker' from Lancashire, East Anglia and Devonshire, e.g. as 
 applied to a rain-storm, ' Here comes an old smoker,' or to the devil, 
 'The old smoker take the pig,' or to an improbable story, ' What a 
 smoker ! ' 
 
 10. turns. Perhaps for 'turned' (cp. 1. 1996), but the sense is not clear. 
 Cp. 1. 1087, etc. Possibly there should be a comma after 'her,' and the 
 next words mean ' [who] is never taught [to say] no forsooth.' Tavie uses 
 'as' to mean 'is' (1. 34). Cp. Shirley, Lady of Pleasure (1637), n. i: 'What 
 luck did I not send him into France! They would have. . .taught him... to 
 talk not modestly, Like "ay forsooth" and " no forsooth " ; to blush, And look 
 so like a chaplain ! ' 
 
 22. prance. This may be a variant form of the adj. 'prank' found in 
 Lingua, iv. 7. 94 : ' If I do not seem pranker now, then I did in those days.' 
 The verbal forms 'prance' and 'prank' are said by Skeat to be closely allied. 
 On the other hand, when we have corruptions in this text like 'intraunt' 
 for 'in trot' (1. 650, etc.), one may well take 'prance' here to be a mere 
 corruption of 'prave,' Tavie's form of 'brave.' 
 
 plesed, i.e. blessed. Cp. 1. 1268 'plessed.' 
 
 i kfVlf: The term 'club-law' ('the use of the club to enforce 
 obedience, physical force as contrasted with argument,' etc.) seems not to be 
 found before the date of this play. The N.E.D. has an example under 1612 
 from T. Taylor's Comm. Titus (ed. 1619), I. 7 : 'The castle is not wonne by 
 fists or club-law.' We hear earlier, however, of apprentices or students 
 raising their fellows to take their part in some commotion by the cry ' Clubs.' 
 Cp. Introduction, pp. xvi, xviii, and Three Lords and Three Ladies of London 
 (1590) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, VI. 459), l stage direction: Simplicity makes a great noise 
 within, and enter with three or four <weaponed. Simplicity : Clubs ! Clubs !... 
 I charge ye 'prehend them.' Cp. Addison, Spectator, ix. : ' When our 
 universities found there was no end of wrangling this way \i.e. by syllogism] 
 they invented a kind of argument which is not reducible to any mood or 
 figure in Aristotle. It was called the Argumentum Basilinum (others write 
 it Bacilinum or Baculinum) which is pretty well expressed in our English 
 word club-law. When they were not able to confute their antagonist they 
 knocked him down. It was their method in their polemical debates, first 
 to discharge their syllogisms, and afterwards to betake themselves to their 
 clubs, until such time as they had one way or other confounded their 
 gainsayers.' 
 
 46. god send you good shipping, God prosper you. Mr M c Kerrow refers 
 me to Kyd's Soliman and Perseda, iv. 2. 79 : ' Farewell, counterfeite foole, 
 God send him good shipping'; and Nashe's Unfortunate Traveller (Wks. ed. 
 MKerrow, II. 122. 26): 'Gone he is; God send him good shipping to 
 Wapping.' Mr M c Kerrow remarks that in both these cases the phrase
 
 Notes in 
 
 is used somewhat ironically, as one might say 'The devil go with him,' 
 and that in the second case the words ' to Wapping ' seem part of the fixed 
 phrase, as the person was not apparently going to Wapping, nor indeed to sea 
 at all. Whether in our play the phrase has an ironical colouring is an open 
 question. 
 
 66. Puffe. There is a character 'Captain Puff' in Ram Alley. 
 
 67. such a long fellow. Apparently Mr Rumford, as Puff is called 'the 
 fat sergeant.' Cp. 11. 94, 157, 158. 
 
 75. Cricket. The name perhaps suggested 'a merry fellow.' See 
 Introduction, p. liii, and cp. Ralph Roister Doister (Hazlitt-Dodsley, ill. 82) : 
 'He bet the King of Crickets (?=the Lord of Misrule) on Christmas Day 
 That he....' In the Prologue to the Returnefrom Parnassus, Pt. II. Momus 
 is addressed by the Defender of the play 'thou scurvie Jack,' 'you paultry 
 Crittick.' For the last word the MS. has 'crickhett.' Possibly the other 
 reading is to be preferred, but the corruption is suggestive. 
 
 94. riprapp, a rap, knock, continued knocking. Cp. 11. 1490, 1947. The 
 compound in this sense is not in the Century Dictionary. Cp. however Thersites 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, I. 428): 'She knappeth me in the nose With rip, rap, 
 Flip, flap.' 
 
 96. gave me such a. ..fall. Cp. 1. 271. Cp. Lusty Juventus : ' Hipocrisye. 
 I set up great ydolatry...To geve mankind a fall'; Hycke Scorner: ' Frewyll. 
 I have a noble here. Who lente it me ? By Cryste, a frere, And I gave hym 
 a fall'; New Custom (Hazlitt-Dodsley, ill. 38): 'First I would buffet him 
 thus, then give him a fall.' 
 
 97. babies, simpletons. Cp. 11. 1656, 2139, 2151. The earliest quotation 
 in the N.E.D. is from Patient Grissel (1599 1603). 
 
 99. As take her lodging, he has taken refuge in college. Cp. 11. 595, 2325. 
 
 102. M&j=lest. The Imperial Dictionary quotes R. Greene: 'Beware 
 you do not once the same gainsay, Unless with death he do your rashness 
 pay.' 
 
 115. the hall. Apparently this means 'the college,' which is generally 
 in the play called 'lodgings.' Cricket had been pursued by the Sergeants, 
 including of course Tavie. 
 
 that we might but had. For the omission of 'have' before the past 
 participle, cp. Kyd, Spanish Tragedy, ill. 3. 41 : 'Come sir you had been better 
 kept your bed Than have committed this misdeed so late.' 
 
 1 1 6. skulls punishment. I have found no other example of this phrase. 
 One might consider ' skulls' a corruption of ' raskalls, ' or a proper name : but 
 the phrase is intelligible as it stands. 
 
 1 18. buy. . .a Scottish dagger. Cp. 1. 1389. The dagger or dirk was a regular 
 part of a Highlander's equipment. John Major, writing in 1512, says that 
 the Highlanders carry a large dagger, sharpened on one side only, but very 
 sharp, under the belt (J. Anderson, Ancient Scottish Weapons, 1881, p. 21).
 
 ii2 Club Law 
 
 Scottish daggers or quhingars ' bravelie and maist artificiallie made and 
 embroiderit with gold' appear as gifts from Mary Queen of Scots and the 
 King, to the French Ambassador in 1566 (Fairholt, Costume in England, n. 
 
 144). 
 
 1*3. By the masse. Cp. 1. 1806: 'By the messe.' 
 
 125. gravities, persons of grave deportment, persons of consideration. 
 The N.E.D. quotes Barnevelts Apol. (1618): 'with... bending submission to 
 your gravitie'; Prynne (1629): ' It cannot be unknown to your gravities.' 
 
 give them the cringe, i.e. a 'deferential obeisance' (N.E.D.). Cp. Returne 
 from Parnassus, Pt. I. (1600), V. 3. 1562: 'Each tapster's cringe'; Lingua 
 (1607), v. 3 : 'with a Jowly Cringe presents the Wine.' 
 
 133. how fares your bodie? Cp. 1. 887: ' how does your bodief The 
 phrase is not in the N.E.D. Cp. T. Tomkin, Albumazar (1615), in. 7 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 368): 'How does your body, Ronca?' Wily Beguiled 
 (Hawkins' Ancient Drama, in. 355) : ' Gripe. What, master Churms?...how 
 fares your body ? ' 
 
 136. brechinge, flogging. Cp. 1. 2041. Cp. Lingua (1607), ill. I : 'I owe 
 Anamnestes a breeching ' ; and Two Angry Women of Abington (1599) (Hazlitt- 
 Dodsley, vil. 335) : 'this is your boy. ..you must breech him for it.' Students 
 at Cambridge were liable to corporal punishment, so long as they were 
 undergraduates. Cp. J. W. Clark, Riot, etc. (Camb. Ant. Soc. Publ. XLIII.), 
 p. 36: 'The stone casters to be suspended of degree yf graduates, yf noe 
 whipped' (i6if). 
 
 139. Childest, childishest. The form is not in the N.E.D. 
 
 144. the sir reverence of the towne. Cp. 1. 423. Shakspeare, Comedy of 
 Errors, in. a. 90 : ' What is she ? A very reverent body ; ay, such a one 
 as a man may not speak of without he say "Sir reverence."' The phrase 
 'sir reverence' is apparently a corruption of 'saving (or "save") your 
 reverence.' It is often introduced by way of apology for some later words. 
 Cp. New Custom (Hazlitt-Dodsley, in. 9) : 'It would almost for anger (sir 
 reverence !) make a man to piss.' 
 
 145. Mr Brecknock. ..and I have had a full meete. Cp. 1. 2296. Cp. Chettle 
 and Day, The Blind Beggar of Bednall-Green (Bang's Materialien), 1. 2138: 
 ' I had a full blow at his left leg.' Marston, Parasitaster, iv. : ' Stand ; Herod, 
 you are full met, Sir.' No example of 'meet' as a subs, is given in the N.E.D. 
 before the igth century. 
 
 147. got the wall of him, got the better of him. Cp. Rom. andJul. I. 1. 15 : 
 ' I will take the wall of any man or maid.' 
 
 148. / was for him, I was ready to meet him. Cp. 1. 1368, and 
 Shakspeare, T. of Shrew, iv. 3. 152: 'I am for thee' (i.e. ready to fight 
 thee). 
 
 159. the dayntelest. Cp. 1. 1370, 'the fineliest.' 
 
 162. come over. From what follows I take 'come over' to be the phrase
 
 Notes 113 
 
 used by a schoolmaster to a boy whom he desired to flog though I find 
 no authority for such a use given in the N.E.D. Cp. Lingua, HI. 3 ad Jin.: 
 ' I learnt a trick t' other day, to bring a Boy ore the thigh finely.' This suggests 
 that our phrase is an invitation to come 'ore the thigh.' Another line of the 
 same scene of Lingua carries the action to its goal : ' Untrusse thy points and 
 whip thee.' 
 
 167. Sir boy. Cricket's resentment at being called a boy is seen again 
 in 11. 1203 4. Cp. Marlowe, Faustus, IV. i : ' Wag. Sirrah boy, come hither. 
 Clown. How boy ! swowns, boy ! I hope you have seen many boys with 
 such pickadevaunts as I have : boy, quotha ! ' ; Marriage of Wit and Science 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, II. 347): 'Wit. O my sweet boy. ..Will. I pray you 
 Sir call me your man, and not your boy'; Three Lords and Three Ladies of 
 London (1590) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, VI. 387): 'good boys be not angry that 
 I call you boys, for ye are no men yet... and yet I have seen boys angry for 
 being called boys. Forsooth they would be called youths.' 
 
 191. humanity, refinement of manners, civility. Milton, Areopagitica, ad 
 in. : ' better to imitate the old and elegant humanity of Greece than the barbaric 
 pride of a Hunnish...stateliness.' 
 
 196. goe further and speed worse. The saying is given in J. Hey wood's 
 Proverbs (1546) : ' You. ..might haue gone further and haue faren wurs.' 
 
 199. druggs. The word in the MS. has the 's' which sometimes seems 
 to indicate 'es.' If the word should be transcribed 'drugges' it may be 
 merely a variant spelling of 'drudges,' the form found elsewhere in this play. ' 
 Cp. Returnefrom Parnassus, Pt. I. 1337 : 'shame to see thy sonns Made servile 
 druges to the female sex.' By 'drudge,' 'drug' is however found at this 
 period. The N.E.D. quotes Greene, Disput. (1592), 31 : 'so base a drug as his 
 mayd'; and Ttmon of Athens, iv. 3. 254. 
 
 222. Bakerlie. There is a special point in the application of this epithet 
 to Niphle, see 1. 462. In 1. 505 it seems to be a mere term of abuse, like 
 ' coal-carrierly ' in Wily Eeguifd (Hawkins' Ancient Drama, HI. 302) and 
 'souterly' in Like will to Like (Hazlitt-Dodsley, in. 321). The only example 
 of 'bakerly' in the N.E.D. is taken from Pass. Morrice (1593), 82: 'spindle 
 shankte or bakerly kneed.' 
 
 petifogging. Cp. 1. 464. The first example of the adj. in the N.E.D. dates 
 from 1603. 
 
 223. bee hath bought him a satten sute all readie. See Introduction, p. li, hot. 
 
 224. have a fling at. The phrase is used either in a hostile sense as here, 
 and in 1. 1652 (cp. Holland, Pliny, 1601, quoted in the N.E.D.: 'haue a fling 
 at magicians for their abhominable lies'); or in the sense 'try to obtain' 
 (implied in 1. 1653). Cp. Greene, Selimus (before 1592), 1. 2563 : ' We'll 
 haue a fling at the ^Egyptian crowne'; and Wily Beguifd (Hazlitt-Dodsley, 
 IX. 244) : ' If I had not a month's mind in another place, I would have a fling 
 at her.' 
 
 S. 8
 
 H4 Club Law 
 
 234. unconstant. The form occurs four times in Shakspeare. 
 
 239. Tavie bringing out Cushions. Cp. Coriolanus, II. 2, stage direction 
 'Enter t<wo Officers, to lay cushions [i.e. before the meeting of the Senate for 
 the choice of Consuls]'; Lingua, in. -z, stage direction: ' Mendacio with Cushions 
 under his arms," 1 and 1. 8 inf. : ' But Sirra whither with these Cushions ? Men. 
 To lay them here that the Judges may sit softly, lest my Lady Lingua's cause 
 go hard with her.' 
 
 244. soull bell, passing-bell. The Century Dictionary quotes Bishop Jos. 
 Hall, Apol. against ro<wnists, 43 : ' We call them soul-bells for that they 
 signify the departure of the soul, not for that they help the passage of the 
 soul.' 
 
 245. sauce boxes, impudent fellows. Cp. Englishmen for my Money, III. 
 2 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, x. 509): 'Why sauce-box? how now, you unreverent 
 minx ? ' 
 
 447. this geare, this business. Cp. 1. 1318. 
 
 261. Mr Thirtens. See Introduction, p. xlix. 
 
 263. to Thebes to buy some ff ells at the leather fayre. 'Thebes' stands 
 perhaps for London. 
 
 265. fine Mr Thirtens, a marke, that is, a groate more then his name 
 (since a groat is 4^. and a mark I3J. 4^.). Cp. a similar pun on 'noble' 
 ( = 6j. 8^.) in Look about you (1600) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, vn. 436): 'Thus jets 
 my noble skink along the street, And yet my noble humour is too light 
 By the six shillings. Here are two crack'd groats.' 
 
 271. Jade, a horse of a poor kind. 
 
 Mr Moone is sicke and hath a kercher, i.e. is unwell and hath his 
 head bound up. Cp. Wealth and Health (Malone Society), 781: 'Helth 
 commeth in with a kercher on his head.' 
 
 273. Mr Sifoerburroive. See Introduction, p. xlix. 
 
 275. mer cement, fine. 
 
 276. Mr jfescu. The name is taken from a fescu, a pointer used for 
 pointing out letters in teaching children to read. 
 
 Mr Mallice. Possibly this name was meant to suggest Wallis, though 
 Wallis was an Alderman and not one of the Four and Twenty. 
 
 279. Goodman Homesbie. ' Goodman ' was a title inferior to ' Master.' 
 Cp. Returnefrom Parnassus, Pt. I. 722: 'the ignorant people that before calde 
 mee Will nowe call mee William, and you of the finer sorte call mee good man 
 Percevall.' 1 
 
 280. (Brecknock neeseth.~) Goosturd. Munne. Hornesby. God blesse your 
 worship. (I suppose that ' Munne' is the same as ' Moone.' His name is not 
 called separately, and there are Four and Twenty without him.) On customs 
 connected with sneezing, see Tylor, Primitive Culture (4th ed.), I. pp. 97 
 104. Tylor quotes from Rules of Civility, 1685 (trans, from the French): 'If 
 his lordship chances to sneeze, you are not to bawl out "God bless you, sir."'
 
 Notes 115 
 
 Mr M c Kerrow refers me to a pseudo-historical account of the origin of the 
 custom in Polydore Vergil, De invent, rerum, VI. c. XI. (speaking of the 
 times of Pelagius) : ' Subijt aliud pestis genus, vt cum quis sternuisset aliquoties, 
 continuo occideret : vnde mos, sicut quidam tradunt, creuit, vt audientes 
 quempiam sternutantem illico dicerent, Te Deus adiuuet : quod hodie 
 seruatur.' 
 
 On the form neeseth, see Midsummer Night's Dream, II. I. 56 (Mr Aldis 
 Wright's note). 
 
 285. Mr Westcocks. See Introduction, p. xlix. 
 
 goodman Woodcocks. The use of 'woodcock' to signify 'dolt' was very 
 common. 
 
 291. otherwiselike. The compound is not in the N.E.D. 
 
 295. a true-penny, a good fellow. Cp. Shaks. Hamlet, I. 5. 150. 
 
 314. the Duke. By 'the Duke' in this play we must understand 'the 
 Queen.' In A Midsummer Night's Dream and in Chaucer's Knighfs Tale, 
 Theseus is 'Duke' of Athens. 
 
 318. Mr Slugg. This name again may have been suggested by that of 
 the Town Clerk, Henry Slegg, though he was not one of the Four and 
 Twenty. 
 
 327. with those that <wee have. Twenty-four names have been called. 
 This was the number of the Council or ' brethren ' at Cambridge, exclusive 
 of the Mayor and Aldermen. See Introduction, p. xxvii. 
 
 333. comparisons being so odious. The N.E.D. shows that this proverbial 
 saying is found in Lydgate, Hors, shefe <ty G. (1430), 204: 'Odyous of olde 
 been comparisons.' It occurs also in Lyly's Euphues (Arber), 68, in Lyly's 
 Midas, IV. i ad in., and in Shaks. Much Ado, III. 5. 18. 
 
 336. leave theise circumprances . The word 'circumprances,' which is not 
 found in the N.E.D., is a happy Malapropism of Mr Rumford's. He 
 similarly uses 'prologue' in the sense 'gist, conclusion.' Cp. Lingua, \. 8: 
 'I know no danger, leave these circumstances.' 
 
 338. time hath ivinges. Cp. Shirley, Cardinal, II. i: 'She will think 
 Time hath no wing, till I return'; Traitor, I. a: 'when the happier things 
 Call to enjoy, each saucy hour hath wings.' 
 
 340. Machivillians. The N.E.D. quotes from Satir. Poems Reform 
 (1568) : ' This false Machivilian ' ; and from Marston's Pygmalion (1598) : ' A 
 damn'd Macheuelian.' 
 
 341. good St Mary. The oath 'by saint Mary' is found in Hycke-Scorner, 
 Ne-w Custom and other plays. 
 
 342. Rector, i.e. Vice-chancellor. The word is probably adopted from 
 its use in German Universities. Cp. Marlowe, Faustus, II. 40 (of Wittenberg) : 
 ' let us go and inform the Rector.' 
 
 343. nurceries, I suppose, the colleges, fraternities, trade-guilds (?) 
 Philarches (MS. 'Philarche'). The plural seems necessary as 'Philarches' 
 
 82
 
 1 1 6 Club Law 
 
 in the University are stated to correspond to ' Bayliffs ' in the town. 
 Perhaps the Heads of Houses are meant. The word 'Phylarche' was used 
 by More in the Utopia. 
 
 344. anteambulers. I suppose that by these the Esquire Bedells are 
 meant. The N.E.D. does not give the word, though it has ' anteambulo ' 
 (1609) and ' anteambulate ' (1623). 
 
 345. nomenclators, perhaps the officials who called over the roll or marked 
 attendance at hall and chapel. 
 
 348. you have parbraked your minde "very well. Cp. Hall, Virgidemiarum, 
 I. 5. 9: 'when he hath parbrak'd his grieved mind.' 'Parbraked' means 
 properly 'vomited.' Cp. Spenser, F. Queene, I. i. 20: 'her filthy parbreake all 
 the place defiled has.' 
 
 349. zemblance, assemblance. 
 
 351. anchestors. See 1. 9 ' bounching,' n. 
 
 364. adverb. A Malapropism for 'proverb,' perhaps under the influence 
 of 'adage.' 
 
 so many men, so many meanings. In the Proverbs of J. Hey wood 
 (1546), ed. Sharman, p. 14, Terence's saying ' Quot homines tot sententiae' 
 takes the form 'so many heads, so many wits'; in the prologue to New 
 Custom (Hazlitt-Dodsley, ill. 6): 'many heads, many wits.' Gascoigne in 
 his Notes... concerning verse quotes it in Latin, but in his Glasse of Government 
 (1575) translates it by 'so many men, so many mindes.' 
 
 368. seldome comes the better. J. Hey wood in his Proverbs (1546), ed. 
 Sharman, p. 17, has 'seldome comth the better.' Cp. Chettle's Kind-hearts 
 Dream in the New Shakspere Society's Shakspere Allusion-Books, 68. 7: 'The 
 olde Proverbe is verefied, Seldome comes the better.' Two Angry Women of 
 Abington (Hazlitt-Dodsley, vil. 302): ' Nicholas [who speaks proverbs]: 
 I pray God save my master's life, for seldom comes the better.' T. Heywood, 
 Edward IF. Part I. I. a : ' For as one comes, another's ta'en away ; And 
 seldom comes the better, that's all we say.' 
 
 379. mammocks, fragments. 
 
 382. confiscated. Brecknock seems to use the word loosely in the sense 
 ' wasted,' ' ruined.' 
 
 385. bee is non plus. Cp. Pilgrimage to Parnassus, 684 : 'ether saie some- 
 what for thy selfe or hang and be non plus ' [with a pun on the words] ; 
 Returne from Parnassus, Pt. II. i: 'Boy. Spectators we will act a Comedy 
 (non plus}." 1 
 
 389. goosecape, booby, simpleton. Cp. 2543. For the spelling, cp. 
 1. 634 
 
 398. by Cocke, a corrupted form of 'by God.' So in Returne from 
 Parnassus, Pt. I. 1076. In The Divils Charter (Bang's Materialien), 1. 1668, 
 we have the oath ' Coxwounds.' 
 
 409. / am not ashamed of my name. So in T. Heywood, If you know
 
 Notes ii 7 
 
 not me, etc., Pt. ii. II. 2: 'What might we call your name? Why, my 
 name is John Goodfellow. I hope I am not ashamed of my name.' 
 
 410. dea, dea, supposed Northern English or Scotch for ' do, do.' Gp. 
 1. 474. 
 
 423. sir reverence. See 1. 145 n. Evidently an apology for the end of 
 his sentence. 
 
 4*5. made a scape, broke wind. I do not know of any other instance of 
 this use of the phrase. 'Scape' has often the general sense 'a fault, error': 
 cp. Shaks. Lucrece, 747. 
 
 428. goverment. This form is found also in 11. 2571, 4670, and else- 
 where. See Introduction, p. xxv, 11. 17, 21. 
 
 437- fettering a wench. I know nothing of the incident referred to. 
 
 445. Mr Electors you were best about your dueties. The electors apparently 
 here retire into the Court hall. Cp. 1. 466. 
 
 446. dissemblance, a Malapropism for ' assemblance.' Cp. 1. 349. 'Dis- 
 semblance' is used in the sense 'dispersion' by Heywood, Spider and F. n. 33 : 
 ' assemblaunce turneth to dissemblaunce,' and in the sense ' dissimulation ' 
 by Marston, What you will, II. ad Jin.: 'he that climbs a hill Must wheel 
 about, the ladder to account Is sly dissemblance.' 
 
 447. feet, an aphetic form of ' effect.' Cp. the form feckless = ' effectless' 
 (Shakspeare, Tit. in. i. 76, Per. v. i. 53). For similar aphetic forms, cp. 
 1. 810, l scuse'(=excuse) and Narcissus (ed. Lee), 152: 'tention' ( = attention) 
 and 425 : 'minitive' ( = diminutive). 
 
 458. Mr Shavett. See Introduction, p. xliv. 
 
 466. A Nipbill. The 'a' in such combinations is not the indefinite 
 article, but = ' ah,' ' ho.' The N.E.D. gives no example of the formula except 
 as used as a war-cry (e.g. in Merlin (c. 1450), 'than thei cried a Clarence 
 with a lowde voyse '). Cp. however Shirley, Hyde Park (1637), ill. i (during 
 a footrace) : ' Within. A Teague ! a Teague ! hey ! ' ; I v. 3 (after a horse- 
 race in which Jockey has won) : ' Enter a Bagpiper and Jockey in triumph. 
 All. A Jockey! a Jockey!' 
 
 472. is hee gone for? Mr Niphle was present at the opening of the scene, 
 and it is not clear at what point he departed. 
 
 487. should (i.e. refuse it). 
 
 492. old men for <witt, andyong men for ivisdome. As Niphle goes on to 
 say, the terms ' old men ' and ' young men ' should be inverted. The ascription 
 to Marcus Aurelius is probably made at random. 
 
 497. muchomar. I can make nothing of this word, and can only suggest 
 it may be a corruption of ' wacheman.' It is not necessary to quote examples 
 of the frequent collocation ' the constable and his watch.' 
 
 498. timber some, timorous. The Century Dictionary has the forms 
 'timersome,' ' timoursome,' but not ' timbersome.' For 'timersome' cp. 
 W. Scott, Pirate, XVIII.
 
 1 1 8 Club Law 
 
 501. <wee have byn made servants of Rulers, i.e. after having been 
 Rulers. 
 
 504. a snipp snapp Barber. Cp. Lyly, Afofa.r, III. 2 : ' Motto (a barber) : I 
 have taught thee the knacking of the hands.' On this Mr W. H. Williams 
 comments (Specimens of the Elizabethan Drama, p. 447): "To snap the fingers 
 and the scissors with great dexterity was considered a trait of an accomplished 
 barber. Cp. Stubbes, Anatomie of Abuses, 'Then snap go the fingers full 
 bravely, God wot' (F.). Greene, Quip for an Upstart Courtier, addressing the 
 barber, says ' at every word a snap with your scissors.' The barber in The 
 Silent Woman (i. i), ' has not the knack with his sheers or his fingers.' In 
 Cooke's Green's Tu Quoque, 1614, sig. D 3, the barber is to be 'one that can 
 snap his fingers with dexterity.' " Dekker and Pope use ' snip-snap ' in a 
 transferred sense. Cp. Dekker, Old Fortunatus, I. i: 'Fort. ...a pox on 
 thee for mocking me ! Echo. A pox on thee for mocking me ! Fort. Why 
 so, snip snap, this war is at an end ' ; Pope, Dunclad, 11. 240 : ' Dennis and 
 dissonance and captious art And snip-snap short and interruption smart.' 
 
 505. give him (the Baker ly Knave). If the sentence is not incomplete, 
 we may perhaps understand it to mean ' apply to him the insulting name of 
 " Bakerly Knave." ' ' Bakerly ' as applied to ' Brecknock ' or some other 
 Mayor of Cambridge was probably a general term of contempt (cp. 1. 222 .). 
 In Niphle's case, as he was the son of a baker (cp. 1. 462) it would have had 
 a particular reference, but Niphle cannot be here speaking of himself. A 
 bracket seems to have been occasionally used with words which together 
 constituted a single phrase. Cp. 'the other parte...to remayne in the keping 
 of (Gustos Rotulorum) ' (Boke of the justyce ofpaes, c. 1532, fo. Ixxxix.). 
 
 507. pocketted up. Cp. 1. 1240. In this transferred sense 'pocket up' 
 seems to occur earlier than ' pocket.' 
 517. boult, sift. 
 
 519. horsbreade. Cp. Hall, Virgidemiarum, V. 2. 97 : ' When their brasse 
 pans and winter couerled Haue wipt the maunger of the horses-bread ' (i.e. 
 when they are reduced to extreme poverty). 
 
 520. the 'whole generacion of them. Cp. T. Hey wood, If you know not 
 me, etc. II. 2: 'we are honest, all the generation of us.' 
 
 523. out brave us in our owne dunghills. J. Hey wood, Proverbs (ed. 
 J. Sharman, 1874, p. 53) : u Every cocke is proud on his owne dunghill.' The 
 editor quotes from the Ancren Riwle, 'ase me seith >et coc is kene on his 
 owne mixenne.' 
 
 525. with bag and baggage. The phrase is of military origin. Cp. As 
 you like it, ill. 2. 170: 'let us make an honourable retreat, though not with 
 bag and baggage.' 
 
 529. manure theise affaires, handle, take in hand, these affairs. None of 
 the examples of ' manure ' in the N.E.D. are exactly parallel to this. 
 
 558. blocks, senseless creatures.
 
 Notes 119 
 
 560. but (apparently superfluous). Cp. 1. 1104. 
 
 567. a murren. Cp. Di-vils Charter (1607) (Bang's Materialien), 2715 : 
 ' take a murren with thee so fare-well.' 
 
 570. tic, tac, toe (representing his knocks on the door). Cp. Albumazar 
 (1615), in. 8 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 375): 'Tick, tock, who is within here? 
 (Knocks on the tub.y 
 
 580. fttle. Tavie was a victualler. See Introduction, p. xlv. 
 
 581. pastie and pie. No special Welsh connotation for these words is 
 recognized in the N.E.D. 
 
 591. Nay, cover her head man. Cricket for purposes of his own was 
 obsequiously polite to Tavie. Cp. Returne from Parnassus, Pt. I. 500, where 
 the tailor recounts a similar case: 'They came to mee, and were as curteous 
 as passeth ; I doe not like they shoulde putt of theire hatts so much to mee : 
 well, they needs... woulde borowe 40^. for three dayes.' 
 
 595. our lodging, i.e. College. Cp. 11. 1074, 2325, etc. 
 
 603. saucie Jacke, impudent good-for-nothing, prat, prate (?). 
 
 608. Vw too, too grosse. Cp. 1. 700. Lingua, I. I ad Jin.: "tis too too 
 dangerous.' Hamlet, I. 2. 129: 'O that this too too solid flesh would melt.' 
 Returne from Parnassus, Pt. II. Prologue 86 : 'if you did not schollers blesse, 
 Their case... were too too pittilesse.' 
 
 621. Mounsier Grand Combatant. The phrase was perhaps a stock one 
 for a ' miles gloriosus.' Cp. Ralph Roister Doister (Hazlitt-Dodsley, in. 145) : 
 ' D. Doughty. Down with this little quean.... C. Custance. I myself will 
 mounsire grand captain undertake.' Returne from Parnassus, Pt. I. 352 : 
 ' Mounsier's Ajax vaine' (perhaps in allusion to this play). 
 
 622. it would make a horse laugh to heare him talke. Cp. Chettle and 
 Day, Blind Beggar of Bednall Green (Bang's Materialien}, 744: 'it would 
 make a Horse break his Bridle to see the humours of these fellows.' 
 
 623. He carrie him to the feast, as rounde as a Julers boxe. There is a 
 play on the word 'round' in its sense 'unceremoniously, promptly,' and its 
 original sense 'circular.' Cp. P. Stubbes, Anatomie of Abuses, 1585 (reprint 
 1836, p. 140) : 'to Bocardo goeth he as rounde as a ball'; and Misogonus, n. 
 4. 96 (Quellen und Forschungen, LXXX.) : 'heile come a [?as] round as a 
 purr' [where 'purr' probably means 'pig' as Mr M c Kerrow tells me]. 
 
 632. in trot. 644. intrant. 650. Intraunt. 2020. pie my traunt, etc. 
 The phrases ' in troth,' ' by my troth ' in the mouths of French and Italian 
 speakers appear regularly in the comedies as ' in trot,' ' by my trot.' Cp. 
 Triumphs of Love and Fortune (1589) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, VI. 202, etc.); 
 Three Ladies of London (1584) (ibid. VI. 273, etc.) ; Englishmen for my Money 
 (1616) (ibid. X. 525) ; Dekker, The Wonder of a Kingdom, Old Fortunatus, etc. 
 The forms 'intrant,' 'Intraunt' which occur here are perhaps corruptions due 
 to a scribe. 
 
 634. at de cape. 636. in de Cape. This probably means the tavern
 
 I2O Club Law 
 
 called the Cardinal's Cap, which stood on the site of the present Pitt Press. 
 For the spelling cp. 'goosecape,' 1. 389. 
 
 638. Mr Burgomaster makes a great feast. See Introduction, p. li. 
 
 643. tis no madder for dat. Cp. 1. 2029 ' Its [no] madder for datt,' 1. 3271 
 ' tit no matter for tut.' The sense of the three phrases is clearly the same. 
 
 651. fleshmakers. The word is probably meant to be bad English for 
 ' fleshers, butchers.' It does not occur in the N.E.D. 
 
 653. make good Cordileere. A Cordelier was a Franciscan friar of the 
 strict rule. Cp. Butler, Hudibras, I. i. 260: 'Of rule as sullen and severe 
 As that of rigid Cordeliere.' Mounsier probably means that Puff is so little 
 of an epicure that he would make a good Cordelier. 
 
 656. Cavelero, gentlemanlike, genteel. Dr Caius uses the word ( = Che- 
 valier) in Merry Wives, in. 3. 77 : 'Caveleiro Slender.' 
 
 664. it 'would make them disburse their Coine. If Colby carried corn 
 away from Cambridge, the price of that which remained would be raised and 
 the town thereby would ' save an honest penny.' Cp. 1. 1008. 
 
 668. mount your judgment. Does the word ' mount ' here mean ' elevate ' 
 as Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas, I. 7: 'that we... may mount our thoughts to 
 heav'nly meditations'; or 'make available for use, as one mounts a cannon,' 
 as Shaks. King John, 11. i. 381: 'Let France and England mount Their 
 battering cannon charged to the mouths'? 
 
 671. hoyden, rude, rustic. Cp. 1. 817, etc. Chettle and Day, Blind Beggar 
 of Bednall Green (Bang's Materialieri), 866 : a sort 'of Momes and Hoydons 
 that know not chalk from cheese, and can talk of nothing but how they sell a 
 score of Cow-hides at Lyn marte.' The earliest quotations for the word in 
 the N.E.D. have a Cambridge connotation; Nashe, 4 Lett, confut. (1593), 58: 
 'The hoyden and pointing stock of recreation of Trinitie Hall'; Returne from 
 Parnassus, Pt. I. (1600), II. i. 833. 
 
 672. Ragge tayles, longe tayles, tatter tayles. These soubriquets no doubt 
 refer to the wearing of gowns, often not in the best condition. ' Ragtail ' is 
 not in the N.E.D. nor ' longtail ' (in its University application). 
 
 680. By my tricks, by all I know, all the skill I have (?). 
 
 688. poor snakes, poor creatures. Cp. Sir John Oldcastle, IV. i (Hazlitt, 
 Doubtf. Plays of Sh., p. 139) (a parson is talking to Henry V. whom he 
 takes for a common soldier) : 'I'll tell thee, good fellow ; we have every day 
 tithes, offerings, christenings, weddings, burials; and you poor snakes come 
 seldom to a booty.' Massinger, Maid of Honour, .1. i (ed. H. Coleridge, 
 col. 191 b foot) : 'the late poor snakes our neighbours, warnvd in our bosoms.' 
 'Snakes' alone =' wretches,' 'poor creatures' in Fletcher and Massinger, 
 Spanish Curate, in. i. 23. (I am indebted for this note to Mr M c Kerrow.) 
 
 696. jett it, strut about, give themselves airs. Cp. Heywood, Four P. P. 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, I. 384) : ' should a beggar be a jetter ? ' ; Ralph Roister Doister 
 (ibid. in. 108) : 'Then must ye stately go, jetting up and down'; Look about
 
 Notes 
 
 121 
 
 you (1600) (ibid. VII. 436) : 'Thus jets my noble Skink along the streets To 
 whom each bonnet vails and all knees bend'; Shaks. Twelfth Night, n. 5. 36: 
 ' how he jets under his advanced plumes ! ' 
 
 703. twacke their Crags, thwack their necks, or shoulders. 
 
 714. nobles. A noble was a coin worth 6/. %d., minted by various kings 
 from Edward III. to Edward IV. 
 
 718. forestall the markett. See Introduction, p. xii, n. i. 
 
 719. you have obteyned your suit. See Introduction, p. xlvii. 
 
 742. more. ..then 60. headsmen \jpend~\ in scarlet. Cp. 11. 497, 674, 2548. 
 The first quotation for ' headsman ' in the N.E.D. has a Cambridge connota- 
 tion : Rjeturnefrom Parnassus, Pt. II. (1602), 1864 : 'The worshipful headsmen 
 of the towne.' The term probably covered the Mayor, Aldermen and 
 ' Brethren ' or Councillors. 
 
 shoetyings. The Century Dictionary (which does not give 'shoe-tying') 
 thus defines ' shoe-tie ' : 'A ribbon or silk braid for fastening the two 
 sides of a shoe together, usually more ornamental than a shoe-string, and 
 formerly very elaborate.' Cp. N. Field, A Woman is a Weathercock (i6ia) 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 30) : 'Out, green shoe-strings, out! Wither in pocket 
 since my Luce doth pout'; Jonson, E-very Man out of his Humour, Induction, 
 263 : 'a Rooke, in wearing... a yard of shoe-tie.' Since shoe-ties were intro- 
 duced into England from France (Nares) ' Master Shooty ' (Measure for 
 Measure, iv. 3. 18) is the name given to a 'great traveller.' 
 
 743. an end of a point, an end of a tag used to fasten one's clothes. 
 
 745. a tester, a name given to shillings coined by Henry VIII. and to 
 sixpences later. 
 
 746. informs their prodigality. Cp. Coriolanus, I. 6. 42: 'he did inform 
 the truth.' 
 
 753. tympanies. Tympany was a kind of dropsy in which the belly was 
 swelled out like a drum (Century Diet.}. The word lends itself to a double 
 entente. 
 
 779. the deale on my cragge. This is a northern form of the oath 'the 
 devil break my (thy, etc.) neck ' found in The World and the Child (Hazlitt- 
 Dodsley, I. 257), Jacob and Esau (ibid. II. 190), New Custom (ibid. III. 34). 
 
 791. plutte r her nayles. See next note. The phrase ' Gods blothernales ' 
 occurs in Misogonus, ill. i. 195 (Quellen und Forschungen, LXXX.). 
 
 794. Cotts plutt. In the Hundred Mery Talys (reprint, 1866), p. 56, a 
 Welshman swears 'by cottys plut and her nayle' and another by the same 
 oath, p. 150. 
 
 two rushes. Cp. Narcissus (ed. Lee), 488: 'here's no hunter woorth two 
 rushes.' 
 
 795. the Clerigalls. Cp. 1. 994 ' the villaine hath byn in as many Clerigalls 
 in his life as I have gathered phrases' and 1770 'who should make mee hold 
 my [tongue] they ? P. Not wee, but the Clericals shall.' Dr Murray in the
 
 122 Club Law 
 
 N.E.D. considers the word to be a corrupted form of ' clarichord ' = ' clavi- 
 chord,' a stringed musical instrument, and in its penal sense to mean a 
 constable, ' perhaps because their whips were stringed instruments,' herein 
 following Mr Macray, editor of the Parnassus Plays, and apparently only 
 knowing the word as it occurs in the Rfturne from Parnassus, Pt. I. It 
 there appears twice, first in IV. i. 1269, ' I bespoke you a pasport, least the 
 clarigols att some town's ende catche you,' and again in v. a. 1544, ' Let us 
 loiter noe longer, leaste the clarigoles catche us.' But if the word in these 
 two instances can bear the meaning ' constables,' it cannot do so in the second 
 example, at any rate, of its use in the present play. The only meaning which 
 seems to fit all cases is ' stocks.' And I believe that 'stocks' is what the word 
 does mean. Cooper in his Annals of Cambridge (in. 22) quotes from the 
 town-accounts under the year 1606 ' Item, for a payre of Claricalls at 
 Sturbridge fayre, \]s. iiijW.' Under 1564 (il. 208) Cooper quotes an entry 
 'Item, for ij lockes to hange upon the stocks ijj. viijV.' and under 1569 
 (il. 244) ' Item, for carrienge of the Pillorie to the faier & setting it up, 
 vj</.' 
 
 810. scuse, excuse. Cp. the form 'feet,' 1. 447. 
 
 813. Jesus blesse me. In Dekker's Satiromastix, Sir Vaughan uses the 
 oath ' Jesu pless us.' 
 
 814. such learned men, that conjure the de-vill into a circle and put him 
 againe in hell. Cp. 1. 1831. For the popular association of learning with 
 magic, cp. Merry Devil of Edmonton (Hazlitt-Dodsley, X. 257): 'I have 
 heard of one that is a great magician, But he's about the university ' ; Jonson, 
 Every Man in his Humour, IV. 4. 20 : ' Know. But how should he know thee 
 to be my man ? Brai. Nay, sir, I cannot tell ; unless it be by the black 
 art. Is not your son a scholar sir? Know. Yes, but I hope his soul is 
 not allied Unto such hellish practice.' 
 
 815. put [the deviir] againe in hell. This feat of sorcery is referred to in 
 one of the most indecent stories of the Decamerone of Boccaccio. 
 
 8 1 8. muske companions, fashionable gentlemen scented with musk. Cp. 
 Stubbes, Anatomie of Abuses (1585, reprint 1836), p. 73 : ' Is not this a sweet 
 pride, to haue ciuet, muske... and suche lyke, whereof the smell may bee felte 
 and perceaued, not onely all ouer the house or place where they bee present, 
 but also a stones cast off almost, yea, the bed wherein they haue layd their 
 delicate bodyes, the places where they haue sate, the clothes and thinges which 
 they haue touched, shall smelle a weeke, a moneth, and more, after they be 
 gone.' Soliman and Perseda (T. Hawkins, Ancient Drama, II. 213) : 'Piston. 
 ...he wears civet And when it was ask'd him where he had that musk, 
 He said, all his kindred smelt so.' Gascoigne, Steele Glas, Epilogus: 'They 
 [women] marre with muske the balme which nature made ' ; Returne from 
 Parnassus, Pt. I. 911 : 'I had a muske jerkin layde all with golde lace'; 
 Pt. il. 1406: 'one that dreams in a night of nothing but musk and civet';
 
 Notes 123 
 
 Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, u. i (Bang's Materialien , 1. 1015) : 
 'he sleepes with a musk-cat euery night, and walkes all day hang'd in pomander 
 chaines.' 
 
 824. cry quit <with him, be even with him. This is an earlier example 
 of the phrase than those given in the N.E.D. 
 
 830. / dare pawne my maidenhead. Cp. 1. 856. Cp. T. Cook, The City 
 Gallant (Hazlitt-Dodsley, XI. 203): 'Joyce. By my maidenhead, an oath 
 which I ne'er took in vain'; Wily Beguifd (Hazlitt-Dodsley, rx. 303): 
 'Peg. I durst ha' sworn by my maidenhead (God forgive me that I should 
 take such an oath)'. 
 
 831. cut queane me (cp. 1. 854 cuckqueand), make a cutquean, cuckquean 
 or female cuckold of me. The N.E.D. (which entirely dissociates 'cuck- 
 quean' from 'cot-quean,' 'a housewife, a scold') quotes for the verb Warner, 
 Alb. Eng. (1592), vin. 41 (1612), 199: 'Came I from France to be cuck- 
 quean'd here ? ' 
 
 838. brownest, ugliest. The use seems not recognized in the N.E.D. 
 Cp. the first words of a 'jig' quoted in a note in Old English Plays (1815), 
 vi. 331 :' Did you not say to me before That I was a jade and a common 
 whore? And swore that you would knock me down Because I ugly was 
 and brown ? ' 
 
 844. as far in, 'as much in my intimacy' (in a double sense). The 
 N.E.D. only recognizes this use when ' with ' follows as in Bunyan, Holy War 
 (1682) : 'they had been in with Diabolus.' 
 
 846. in my taking, in my case, in my state of mind. Cp. 11. 2200, 2354, 
 2799, and Marriage of Wit and Science (Hazlitt-Dodsley, II. 376) : ' AVe shall 
 leave the gentleman in a pretty taking ' ; Two Angry Women of Abington (ibid. 
 vil. 306) : ' He's in a fine taking ' ; (ibid. 351) : 'I would not... anybody should 
 see me in this taking.' 
 
 847. deaven, good even. Not in the N.E.D. C p. however Gammer Gurton's 
 Needle, IV. 2: 'God deven, dame Chat... God deven, my friend Diccon.' 
 
 858. thats counsell, that's a secret. See N.E.D. 
 
 880. great, very friendly to one another. Cp. J. Cook, The City Gallant 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 231): 'time must shake good-fortune by the hand 
 before you two must be great; 'specially you, sister' [with a double entente]; 
 Chapman, May Day, I. i : ' Francischina, with whom I hear thou art ready to 
 lie down, thou art so great with her. Ang. I am as great as a near kinsman 
 may be with her, sir, not otherwise.' 
 
 884. worke them, work upon them. Cp. Winter's Tale, V. 3. 58 : 'if I 
 had thought the sight of my poor image would thus have wrought you.' 
 
 885. give them the unset, give them the onset, make a start with them, 
 accost them. Cp. Marriage of Wit and Science (Hazlitt-Dodsley, II. p. 366) : 
 'This is the deadly den, as far as I perceive, Approach we near, and valiantly 
 let us the onset give.'
 
 124 Club Law 
 
 889. doe you thinke that there are beares at our house? Cp. 1. 1137 n. 
 
 9z8. gill, wench, lass (used contemptuously). Cp. Preston, Cambists, 
 ad fin. : ' King (to Queen). Thou cursed jil.' 
 
 946. a Cudgill play. The N.E.D. has no earlier quotation than 
 T. Randall, in Ann. Dubrensia (1636, ed. 1877), p. 19: 'What is the 
 Barriers but a Courtly way Of our more downe-right sport the Cudgell- 
 play?' 
 
 961. Gods bodikens. Cp. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, II. 3. 46: 'Body- 
 kins'; Hamlet, II. 2. 554: 'Gods bodykins.' 
 
 974. passe. The word apparently means 'pass or exceed the mark,' so 
 as to become liable to censure. I know no exact parallel. In Timon of 
 Athens, I. i. 12 ('he passes') the word is applied to merit transcending 
 expectation. 
 
 983. kennell thoughts. ' Kennel ' means the gutter or channel in the street 
 which received unclean refuse. The N.E.D. quotes a similar use of ' kennel ' 
 as an adjective =' low, coarse,' from E. Gilpin, Skial. (1598, ed. 1878), 5: 
 'That men should haue such kennel wits.' 
 
 991. foted, punished. The N.E.D. quotes Fletcher, Hum. Lieutenant 
 (before 1625), IV. i : 'If I do not fit ye let me frie for it.' 
 
 992. last, laced, beaten. Cp. 1. 1244, 'sweete fast' = 'sweetfaced.' Cp. 
 Two Angry Women of Abington (1599) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, VII. 359): 'Now 
 my back hath room to reach : I do not love to be lac'd in, when I go to lace 
 a rascal.' 
 
 995. gathered phrases. The culling of phrases from good authors was 
 an important part of the work of a young student of rhetoric at school 
 or at the University. Cp. Pedantius (Bang's Materialien, \. 1484, etc.) : 
 ' Ciceronianissimum puerum !...vides tu jam quid sit ex Epistolis Tullij 
 familiaribus colligere phrases plusquam familiares?' 
 
 996. / must be the man that must make the Clownes yeald when all is done. 
 Cp. Wily Eeguifd (1606) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, ix. 275): 'Churms. I see that 
 Churms must be the man must carry Lelia, when all's done.' 
 
 1003. greasie, filthy. Cp. Marston, Scourge of Fillainie (1598), I. 3. 79 : 
 'greasie Aretine.' 
 
 102 1. if I be not on your skirts. Mr M c Kerrow gives me the following 
 illustrations of this phrase: Puttenham, Arte of English Poesie, ed. Haslewood, 
 1811, pp. 252 3 : 'to speake faire to a mans face, and foule behinde his backe, 
 to set him at his trencher and yet sit on his skirts for so we vse to say by a 
 fayned friend'; Bernard's Terence, ed. 1607, p. 66, Andria, in. v. (last line): 
 "7> "vlciscar, I will be reuenged on thee: I will sit on thy skirts: I will be 
 vpon your iacke for it.' 
 
 1023. putt into the blacke bill. ' Black bill,' as Mr M c Kerrow suggests, 
 is probably equivalent to ' black book,' i.e. ' a book recording the names of 
 persons who have rendered themselves liable to censure or punishment'
 
 Notes 125 
 
 (N.E.D?). Such a book seems to have been kept at the Universities by the 
 Proctors. Cp. Spenser, Sonn. x. : ' All her faults in thy black booke enroll.' 
 
 1026. a company of good \_fello<ws~]. Cp. 1. 1186. 
 
 1032. adjuvants, helpers, assistants. The first quotation for the word 
 as a subs, in the N.E.D. is of the date 1609, viz. Yelverton in Archce. xv. 
 51 (T) : 'I have only been a careful Adjuvant, and was sorry I could not be 
 the efficient.' 
 
 1036. Collierly. See 1. ^^^ n. 
 
 1037. stand here,. .like John Drome, 'ue. like one turned out of a house. 
 The phrase 'Jack, John, or Tom Drum's entertainment' denoted, says the 
 N.E.D. , 'a rough reception, turning an unwelcome guest out of doors.' It 
 quotes Gosson, School of Abuse (1579): 'Plato. ..gaue them... Drummes enter- 
 tainment, not suffering them once to shew their faces in a reformed common 
 wealth'; and J. Taylor, in Coryats Crudities (1613): 'Not like the entertain- 
 ment of lacke Drum Who was best welcome when he went his way.' 
 
 1066. crackropes, rogues. Similar formations are ' waghalter,-' ' crack- 
 halter.' 
 
 1067. take her heels. Cp. 1. 1351. Mr MKerrow points out that the 
 common phrase at this date was 'take his heels,' not 'take to his heels.' 
 Thus we have in Puttenham, Arte of English Poeiie, ed. Haslewood (1811), 
 p. 3*9: 'if an Historiographer shal write of an Emperor... how... hee ioyned 
 battel...and...ranne out of the fielde, and tooke his heeles.' 
 
 1071. shrodly, shrewdly, exceedingly. Cp. Chettle and Day, The Blind 
 Beggar of Bednall Green (Bang's Materialien) , 1. 1887: 'Hee's shrowdly 
 frighted.' 
 
 1086. tnuttonmonger, lascivious person, whoremaster. Cp. Chapman, 
 May Day, n. : 'as if you were the only noted mutton-monger in all the city. 
 Lor. Well, Angelo, heaven forgive us the sins of our youth'; in. 'there shall 
 the old flesh-monger fast for his iniquity.' 
 
 1118. fwhatsomever we do. Whitney, Century Dictionary, quotes from 
 the Babees Book (E.E.T.S.), p. 45 : ' whatsumeuere thee betide.' 
 
 na6. Boggards, privies. 
 
 HZ9- my marke, the object I am about to attack. Cp. Shaks. Sonnet 
 70. a: 'slander's mark was ever yet the fair.' 
 
 logerpate, loggerhead. The word is not in the N.E.D. 
 
 1137. blinde Bayard, a phrase constantly used to denote blind reckless- 
 ness. The reference is to Bayard, the magic steed given by Charlemagne to 
 Rinaldo. Cp. Proverbs of J. Hey wood, ed. Sharman, p. 33 : 'who so bold 
 as blinde Bayard is ? ' 
 
 heres a beare will bite you. Mr M c Kerrow suggests that there may 
 be an allusion to the phrase ' Good bear, bite not ' used to an angry person. 
 Cp. Nashe, Strange Newes, H 3 (Wks. (ed. M c Kerrow), I. 307. 8 10) : 
 ' Euerie milke-maide can gird with, 1st true ? How saie you, lo ? who would
 
 126 Club Law 
 
 haue thought it ? Good Beare, bite not. A man is a man though hee hath 
 but a hose on his head'; Harvey, Wks. ed. Grosart, n. 244, and Nashe. ill. 
 125. 31; 126. 56. 
 
 1144. wild, common Elizabethan form of 'vile.' 
 
 1147. / marvell which of them could have invented such a thing, A 
 similar self-complacent attitude towards the abilities of University men is seen 
 in the remark of the tailor in Returns from Parnassus, Pt. I. 495 : ' if they had 
 our wisdome joyned to their learninge they woulde prove grave men ' ; and 
 that of Gullio, ibid. 1148: 'What man soever loves a crane The same he 
 thinkes to be Diane. A dull universitie's head would have bene a month 
 aboute thus muche ! ' 
 
 1153. house of office, perhaps here 'privy.' Cp. Chapman, May Day, IV. : 
 ' my wife's coal-house and her other house of office annex'd to it.' 
 
 backsides, rear part of the buildings. 
 
 1158. corner capp slaves. The square cap worn by divines and members 
 of the Universities was constantly called a 'corner cap.' Cp. Gascoigne, 
 Supposes, v. 4 : ' we will teach master doctor to wear a corner'd cap of a new 
 fashion'; Stow, Annals (1605), 1432: 'The heads of the University of 
 Cambridge all clad in Scarlet gownes and corner Caps' ; New Custom (Hazlitt- 
 Dodsley, in. u): 'He will have priests no corner-cap to wear, surplices 
 are superstition.' 
 
 1161. what a wondring keepes thou at him. Cp. Chaucer, Squires Tale, 
 300 : 'ne was ther swich a wondring as was tho.' 
 
 1 1 80. fort, 'for't,' 'fork.' If this is the meaning however, 'for this' 
 which follows becomes tautological. 
 
 1230. a tricke...as shall cost you the setting on. The meaning is not very 
 clear. Cp. 1295 . 
 
 1244. sweete fast, sweet faced. See 1. 992 n. 
 
 1259. pepper them, punish them severely. Cp. Romeo and Jul. ill. 
 
 I. 102. 
 
 1260. good, my good man. Cp. Shaks. Tempest, I. i. 16: 'nay, good, 
 be patient.' 
 
 1272. right downe (adj.). Cp. 'downe right ' in 1. 946 n. 
 
 1274. doeing his endevour. Cp. Robinson, trans, of Utopia (1551), I.: 
 'Doynge my endeuoure to ' 
 
 1295. sett you in with a powder (cp. 1. 2149, sett her out with a pox). 
 'Set' seems to be used in these phrases in the sense 'put,' 'thrust.' I have 
 not met with any parallel uses of ' set in,' ' set out.' ' With a powder ' like 
 'with a pox ' is an asseveration (= ' with a vengeance'). A powder was used 
 to cure the pox, and so had an unpleasant association attached to it. The 
 phrase is used in a punning sense in Shirley, Traitor, HI. i : 'he hath... walked 
 up and down... with a case of pistols charged, wherewith, as he partly con- 
 fessed, he intended to send the duke to Heaven with a powder ! '
 
 Notes 
 
 127 
 
 13x0. thou didst performe thy office. This is the explanation of his 
 conduct which Niphle has resolved on. He has recourse to it at 1. 15 a. 
 
 1335. let her pip pap (cp. 1. 1431, to keepe pip pap in her house). The 
 sense is clear, though the expression is not given in the N.E.D. Cp. ' knicke 
 knocke,' 1. 1767, and 'tick tack' in Lusty Juventus (to a whore): 'You will to 
 ticke tacke, I fere, If you had time'; in Lyly's Mother Bombie, v. 3 (in the 
 Song): 'Such tick-tack has held many a day,... Then let them alone, they know 
 what to do'; and in Measure for Measure, I. 2. 196. 
 
 1338. tell her a tale of a tubb. Cp. 1. 1521 and J. Heywood's Proverbs 
 (1546), ed. Sharman, p. 160; Marriage of Wit and Science (Hazlitt-Dodsley, 
 II. 335) : ' What should I make a broad tree of every little shrub, And keep 
 her a great while with a tale of a tub ?'; Misogonus, m. 2. 50 (in Quellen und 
 Forscbungen, LXXX.) : ' I hope its but a tale of a tubb ' ; J. Clarke, Parcemiologia 
 (1639), P- 8 : ' You tell us a tale of a Tub. Sine capite fabula.' 
 
 1339- trow, ' ! should like to ask.' Cp. Cymbeline, I. 6. 47 : ' What is the 
 matter, trow ? ' 
 
 1350. puff shirken. A buff jerkin was worn by fighting-men. Cp. 
 N. Field, A Woman is a Weathercock (1612) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 60): 
 'What art? A soldier; one that lives upon this buff jerkin,' and Dekker, 
 Satiromastix, I. a : ' scurvy limping-tongued captain, poor greasy buff-jerkin.' 
 
 1368. / am for theise ...Athenians. Cp. 1. 148 . 
 
 1370. nimbd, took, filched. The first example in the Century Dictionary 
 for this form of the pt. tense is Butler, Hudibras, I. i. 598: 'nimm'd a cloak.' 
 
 the Jineliest, in the finest manner. This form of the superl. adverb is not 
 given in the N.E.D. Cp. 1. 159 'the dayntelest.' 
 
 1377. studies, endeavours, aims. Cp. Shaks. As you like it, v. 2. 85: 'it 
 is my study To seem... ungentle to you.' 
 
 1381. hoisting of a clowne, punishing (?). Hoist seems to mean properly 
 'to lift on the back to receive a flogging.' 
 
 1382. looby, lout, clown. 
 
 1422. the search, the search-party. Cp. Hazlitt-Dodsley, vil. 433. 
 
 1426. Catts plood, God's blood. 
 
 1428. burst ope. Cp. Shaks. King John, ll. i. 449 : 'The mouth of 
 passage shall we fling wide ope.' 
 
 1449. & e P* m y se (f e 'with the good man. Cp. B. Jonson, Volpone, II. 5 : 
 'Get you a cittern, lady vanity, And be a dealer with the virtuous man'; 
 and the maxim ' Cum bonis ambula ' prefixed to Cato's Distycha (Lond. 
 1572) and ascribed in Fraunce's Victoria, 1. 2154, to Periander. 
 
 1486. credite...cract, i.e. impaired, destroyed. Cp. W. Rowley, A 
 Woman never -vext, III.: ' Old Post. Undone for ever! my credit I have 
 crack'd To buy a venture, which the sea has soak'd.' 
 
 1497. Chopper .. .Lockwood. Cricket pretends to be setting dogs on the 
 pursuit. The name 'Rocwood' is given to a dog in Lingua, v. 17.
 
 128 Club Law 
 
 1498. lyes out. I can find no instance of this phrase in the N.E.D. or 
 elsewhere. It apparently means ' holds aloof from the chase.' 
 
 villonestly, villainously. Cp. the vulgar pronunciation ' nice-tly ' for 
 'nicely.' 
 
 1499. trayled him out, got on his trail and drove him out. Cp. Shaks. 
 Hamlet iv. 5. 109 : ' How cheerfully on the false trail they cry ! ' 
 
 1500. a start, a start. Apparently the cry of onlookers when the hunted 
 animal breaks covert. Perhaps in Shaks. Henry V. in. i. 23 : 'like greyhounds 
 in the slips, straining upon the start,' 'the start' means also the breaking away 
 of the hare. Cp. /. Henry IF. I. 3. 198: 'to start a hare 5 ; and Twelfth 
 Night, iv. i. 63: 'he started one poor heart [play on "hart"] of mine in 
 thee.' 
 
 1523. executing my office. See 1. 1320 and Introduction, p. xliii. 
 
 1531. a t-wo peny queane. Cp. E. Sharpham, The Fleire (1607), 10 recto: 
 'they [i.e. "mercenarie women"] (like your common Players) let men come 
 in for twopence a peece, and yet themselves to haue but the tenth penny.' 
 
 1558. a garnish. By a ' garnish ' is meant ' money extorted from a new 
 prisoner, either as a jailers fee, or as drink-money for the other prisoners.' 
 The N.E.D. quotes Greene, Upstart Courtier (1592), D. ii. a: 'Let a poore 
 man be arrested... he shall be almost at an angels charge what with garnish... ,' 
 and Gay, Beggar's Opera, II. 7: ' Gaoler to a prisoner: You know the 
 custom sir. Garnish, Captain, Garnish.' Mr M c Kerrow refers me also to 
 Dekker's Seven Deadly Sins (Wks. ed. Grosart, 11. 46). It was provided by 
 article 13 of the Composition between the University and the town in 1503 
 (Cooper's Annals, I. 266) that in the case of prisoners committed by the 
 Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, or their ' Lefetenante ' 'the Keper of the said 
 Prisons shall not take eny fees of eny Scoller etc....& of all other persons 
 so corny tted to prison by the Chancellor etc. the Keper of the said Prison 
 shall have of eny suche other Person, for the first daie iiijV., and yf he tarry 
 there by one weke or longer, xijV., & no more.' So a groat was the 'garnish' 
 duly appointed. 
 
 1591. least you should be proud of this great Triumph, after the ancient 
 manner, you shall have this poor servant to be carried with you, that you may be 
 humbled at the sight of her. In a Roman triumph, in the same chariot with 
 the victorious general rode a public slave, holding a crown over the general's 
 head, and saying at intervals ' Look behind thee, remember that thou art a 
 man.' Cp. Juvenal, Sat. x. 41 : 'sibi consul Ne placeat, curru servus portatur 
 eodem ' ; and Mayor's note on the passage. 
 
 1621. the proudest of them all. Cp. 11. 1726, 1775. A popular expression 
 in such a connexion. Cp. Respublica, V. 8. 35 (Quellen und Forsc hungen, LXXX.) : 
 ' Not the prowdest of them all can hurte me with a heare.' 
 
 1624. buske point, 'the lace with its tag which secured the end of the 
 busk' (Nares, quoted by the N.E.D.). The busk was 'a strip of wood,
 
 Notes 
 
 129 
 
 whalebone, steel, etc. passed down the front of a corset to strengthen it.' 
 The first quotation given in the N.E.D. is from Marston, Scourge of V. 
 (1599): 'I saw him court his mistresse looking-glasse, worship a busk- 
 point.' 
 
 16.37. your shinns burne. I have not traced this phrase. Does it mean 
 'you have a guilty conscience of that'? Or is it a reference to a particular 
 symptom of a certain disease ? 
 
 1639 4i. Luce here reminds one of Carmen in Merimee's wonderful 
 story. 
 
 1646. hattbond. This form is not given in the N.E.D. 
 
 1649. *fy tongue is no slander. Probably Luce means 'slanderer,' as 
 Dogberry in Much Ado, v. i. 221: 'they [these men] are slanders.' 
 
 1658. ruffle in Rhetorke, bluster, swagger, or 'show off' in rhetoric. 
 Cp. Wily BeguiTd (T. Hawkins, Ancient Drama, III. 342) : ' Nurse. He does 
 so ruffle before my mistress with his barbarian eloquence, and strut before her 
 in a pair of Polonian legs.' If 'Rhetorke' is not a mere scribe's error, we 
 may parallel it by a similar distortion in R. W.'s Three Ladies of London 
 (Hazlitt-Dodsley, vi. 267): 'Thou art... full of thy rope-ripe I would say 
 rethoric.' 
 
 1662. Orlando furioso. R. Greene's play The Historic of Orlando Furioso, 
 played as early as 159^, was printed in 1594 and again in 1599. 
 
 1663. Layis. No play called Lais seems to be known. Lais is a 
 character in Gnapheus' Acolastus, which was translated by Palsgrave in 1540. 
 A play ' Acolastus,' probably Gnapheus' Latin original, was acted at Trinity 
 College, Cambridge, in 1560. 
 
 1687. torchbearer to the Devil. 'Plays' perhaps suggest ' torchbearer ' 
 because masquers were ushered in by torchbearers. 
 
 1698. your stomacke, your pride. 
 
 1705. being in so good doeinges, leading such a good life. 
 
 1708. what rules next? Luce's varying moods are thought of as planets 
 ruling men's actions in turn. Cp. 77. Henry VI. iv. 4. 16: 'hath this lovely 
 face Ruled, like a wandering planet, over me ? ' 
 
 1720. (quickned) with a ffoxe taile, will you not? The N.E.D. says 
 that a foxtail was formerly one of the badges of the fool or jester, and that 
 the phrase 'a flap with a foxtail' appears to mean 'a contemptuous dismissal.' 
 Perhaps Luce means, ' Instead of whipping me, you will let me go easily, 
 won't you?' She then plays on the phrase in another sense. Cp. Kyng 
 Daryus (Quellen und Forschungen, LXXX. 367): 'Iniquytie. Hee dyd here so 
 on me rayle. But I thynke, I gaue him a blowe with a foxe tayle. So he 
 was gone quycly from mee, He durst tarye no longer in my companie. 
 Importunytie. Thou didest serue him well'; 370: 'We will hym in our 
 snares trappe And hym with a Foxtayle wee wyll flappe.' 
 
 1723. quick, with child. Cp. Middleton and Rowley, The Spanish 
 
 S. Q
 
 130 Club Law 
 
 y- 
 
 Gipsy, iv. : ' Car. 'cause you are in haste, I am quick ; I am a maid 
 
 John (aside). So ! so ! a maid quick ? ' 
 
 1739. Captaine Carifeild. This may possibly be Ralph Garfeild citizen 
 of London and a member of the Dyers' Company or his son Benjamin 
 Garfeild. Ralph Garfeild's will was made in 1607. In it he speaks of his 
 interest in two ships 'The Fawlcon of Ipswich' and the ' Rose of Ipswich.' 
 When the will was proved 2 Nov. 1608, his son Benjamin was in parts 
 beyond the sea. Another son, Abraham Garfeild, was of Catharine Hall, 
 Cambridge. See W. P. W. Phillimore, The Garfield Family in England, 
 Boston, 1883. 
 
 1730. the worst lucke myne. One would expect 'the worse," 1 etc. Cp. 
 Milton, Areopagitica, ad in.: 'natural endowments haply not the worst for 
 two and fifty degrees of northern latitude.' 
 
 this 3. yeares daye, since this day three years ago. Cp. Impacyente 
 pouerte (pr. 1560), 11. 865 866 : ' Alas my men are from me elene I se them 
 not this seuen nyghtes daye'; II. Henry VI. n. i. 2 : 'I saw not better sport 
 these [ = this] seven years' day.' The N.E.D. quotes Tindal (1526), Acts 
 x. 30: 'this daye nowe iiij dayes I fasted'; but gives no example of the 
 phrase with the qualifying words preceding ' day.' 
 
 1759. Kisse Mr Nifle behind. Cp. J. Hey wood, Play of the Wether 
 (Quellen und Forschungen, Lxxx. 243): 'Af. I neuer desyred to kys you 
 before. L. Why haue ye alway kyst her behynde?' 
 
 1764. Camera. The sense is plain, but the word is not in the N.E.D. 
 'Camarero' in Spanish is a valet, and ' camarera' a waiting-maid. 
 
 punch, courtesan. 
 
 1767. knicke knocke. The word in the sense in which it seems to be used 
 here is not found in the N.E.D. See 1. 1335 n. 
 
 1775. looke through a hemping windowe. This humorous phrase for 'be 
 hanged' is not given in the N.E.D., which however gives a similar one from 
 Nashe, Unfort. Trav. (1594): 'I...scapde dauncing in a hempen circle.' For 
 the form 'hemping' for 'hempen,' cp. Phaer, JLneid, v. 552 (1558): 'the 
 hemping corde.' 
 
 1783. thou plaiest thy prises. 'To play prizes, to fight publicly for a 
 prize ; hence figuratively, to contend only for show ' (Century Dictionary). 
 Cp. J. Cook, The City Gallant (Hazlitt-Dodsley, XI. 249): 'Now dost thou 
 play thy prize;... if you can do any good. ..the silver game be yours'; and 
 Stillingfleet (quoted in the Century Dictionary) : ' By their endless disputes and 
 wranglings about words and terms of art, they [the philosophers] made the 
 people suspect they did but play prizes before them.' 
 
 1799. dismounting. Cp. 1. 1875. The N.E.D. gives dismount, 'to degrade, 
 depose,' and quotes one example of 1651, and N. Bacon, Disc. Go-vt. Eng. 
 II. xni. (1739), 69 : 'Dukes were dismounted without conviction.' 
 
 1807. billie Colbie. Colby represents as I believe (see Introduction, p. xlvii)
 
 Notes 131 
 
 William Nicholson. Probably however 'billie' here is the Northern word 
 ( = ' fellow,' 'friend'). 
 
 putt it up, put up with it. Cp. Returns from Parnassus, Pt. I. 633 : 'can 
 a man be galde by povertie...and put it up like a Stoick ?' 
 
 1808. goe out prison. Cp. 1. 2804 : 'make her shurney out towne'; and 
 Shaks. Coriol. v. 2. 41 : 'pushed out your gates the very defender of them.' 
 
 1 8 10. thwake their Jackes, belabour their jackets or jerkins. Cp. 11. 1834 
 and 1021 n. Cp. N. Field, Amends for Ladies (1618) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, xi. 
 138): 'they are... cowards... If I thought so, I would be upon the jack of 
 one of them instantly.' 
 
 1 8 1 1. strammell, lanky, overgrown (?). Cp. The English Dialect Dictionary : 
 'Strammel (Shropshire). A lean, gaunt, illfavoured person or animal. 
 "What a great strammel of a pig that is as John bought!" ' Possibly we 
 have the same word in Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, v. 5. 3761 : 
 ' fed with it, the whorson strummell patcht goggle-ey'd Grumbledories would 
 ha' Gigantomachized.' 
 
 1826. Jackes, contemptible fellows. 
 
 1828. scrubbes, drudges. 
 
 perke, pert, uppish. Cp. Spenser, Shepheards Calendar, February, 8 : 
 'perke as a peacock.' 
 
 1829. take them downe a hole lower. Cp. Lyly, Endymion (1591), 
 ill. 3: 'Epi. He hath taken his thoughts a hole lower'; and Shirley, 
 Triumph of Peace : l Tai. Knock down my wife!... I '11 bring him a button hole 
 lower.' 
 
 1830. the slaves will crowe over us. Cp. 1. 2173. The N.E.D. quotes 
 J. Udall, Demonst. Discip.: 'They crow ouer them as if they wer their 
 slaues.' 
 
 1831. they are seene in the blacke art, they will make us all daunce naked. 
 Cp. 1. 814. Cp. Marlowe, Faustus, Sc. vill. (ix.) : ' Robin. I ha' stolen one of 
 Doctor Faustus' conjuring books... Now will I make all the maidens in our 
 parish dance at my pleasure stark naked before me.' Reginald Scot in The 
 Discouerie of Witchcraft, Bk. XIII. Ch. XXX. shows how this supposed 
 achievement of magic can be simulated by jugglery: 'To make one danse 
 naked. Make a poore boie confederate with you. so as after charmes etc. 
 spoken by you, he uncloth himselfe, and stand naked, seeming (whilest he 
 undresseth him) to shake, stampe and crie, still hastening to be unclothed, 
 till he be starke naked : or if you can procure none to go so far, let him onelie 
 beginne to stampe and shake etc., and to uncloth him, and then you may (for 
 the reverence of the company) seeme to release him.' 
 
 1837. lamVd. The N.E.D. quotes Thomas' Dictionary (1596): < Defusto 
 to lamme or bumbast with strokes.' ' Belam ' is found a year earlier. 
 
 1841. waster play. ' Waster' is defined in the Century Dictionary as 'a 
 wooden sword formerly used for practice by the common people.' I am 
 
 92
 
 132 Club Law 
 
 inclined to think however that here ' waster play ' = ' cudgel-play.' Cp. 
 1. 946 and Chettle and Day, Blind Beggar of Bednall Green (Bang's 
 Materialien), 2460 : ' I can play at wasters as well as another man ; but all's 
 one for that, give me but an ashen Gibbet in my hand... an ashen Plant, a good 
 Cudgell.' 
 
 1843. clapper clawe, claw, beat. Cp. Merry Wives, III. 3. 67 : 'He will 
 clapper-claw thee tightly, bully.' 
 
 1847. P a y them backe and side. Cp. Narcissus (ed. Lee), 426: 'I'll pay 
 his breeche.' 
 
 backe and side. Cp. Candlemas Day (Hawkins, Ancient Drama, I. 7): 
 ' They shall suffre woo and peyne thrugh bak and syde ' ; and ibid. inf. : 
 ' Watkyn. I shud bete you bak and side tyll it were blewe.' 
 
 1863. Runt, young ox, a boor or hoiden. Cp. Fletcher, Wit without 
 Money, v. 2 : 'Before I buy a bargain of such runts I'll buy a college for bears 
 and live among 'em.' Mris Colbie is referring to Tavie. 
 
 J 877 9. 'if only thy success answers to my expectations, we shall 
 then have our enemies as humble suppliants for our favour.' 
 
 1884. you come as just as Jermyns lippe (i.e. very unpunctually). The 
 phrase is not in the N.E.D. Cp. J. Heywood's Pro-verbs, ed. Sharman, 
 p. 96 : ' When birds shall roost, (quoth he), at viii, ix, or ten, Who shall 
 appoynt their house, the cock or the hen ? The hen, (quoth shee) ; the 
 cocke, (quoth he) ; just, (quoth she), As Jermans lips.' The editor 
 quotes from Latimer's Remains : ' As just as German's lips, which 
 came not together by nine mile' and from Gosson's School of Abuse: 
 ' Agree like Dogge and Catte, and meete as just as Germans lippes.' Mr 
 M c Kerrow sends me the following additional examples. Harington, An 
 Apologie (1596), Cc 2-u. : 'Rara auis in terris nigroque similimo [sic] Cigno; 
 lust as lermins lippes, nowe you haue compared him well, as white as a 
 black swan.' Dekker, Batchelars Banquet (Wks. ed. Grosart, i. 206), side 
 note: 'Just as larmas lips.' 
 
 1911. / goe to my <witts to, I set myself thinking how to.... Cp. Shaks. 
 Measure for Measure, III. i. 171: 'tomorrow you must die; go to your knees 
 and make ready.' 
 
 1916. an iniquitie, a shameless character. A reference to the character 
 of Iniquity or the Vice in the Morality Plays. Cp. Richard III. in. i. 82 : 
 ' Like to the formal vice, Iniquity' ; and /. Henry W. n. 4. 449 : 'that reverend 
 vice, that grey iniquity' [applied to Falstaff]. 
 
 1917. Jlurtes, women of giddy, flighty character (N.E.D. }. 
 
 1934. bills, placards, notices. Cp. ' Articles against the Master of 
 St John's College Dec. 1565 ' (Eagle, xxvin. p. 150) : 'whereas our Statutes 
 dothe prescrybe...that the mastership after everie vacation should be vacante 
 xij daies and that the president shoulde sette upp a bille of the vacation 
 thereof.'
 
 Notes 
 
 1948. heigh Saint Tavie is a welsh man borne. Is this a scrap of a 
 song? 
 
 1951. masse, mace. 
 
 1952. knwwe her selfe, know her place and realize her situation, limitations. 
 Cp. Macbeth, IV. 2. 19 : 'But cruel are the times when we are traitors, 
 And do not know ourselves'; and II. a. 73: 'Lady M,...Be not lost so 
 poorly in your thoughts. Macb....To know my deed, 'twere best not know 
 myself.' This use of the reflexive verb does not seem to be very clearly 
 treated either by Schmidt or by the N.E.D. 
 
 1959. discomininge. The purport of the Rector's bills had been to 
 prohibit members of the University under heavy penalties from having any 
 dealings with some of the leaders of the town-party. Brecknocke being a 
 chandler had suffered severely in pocket by the prohibition. For the Uni- 
 versity's power of discommoning, see Introduction, pp. xv, xvi. 
 
 1968. prittle prattle . Cp. T. Hey wood, Royal King and Loyal subject, I.: 
 ' Welshman : Awe-man, you prittle and prattle nothing but leasings and 
 untruths.' 
 
 1969. ranke. Cp. 1. 242. 
 
 1970. for cods. Cp. 1. 2248 n. 
 
 1976. shitten knave. Cp. Gammer Gurton's Needle, V. 2 : 'Thou shitten 
 knave.' 
 
 1995. crush a pott... of Ale, i.e. drink, quaff, 'discuss' it. The N.E.D. 
 quotes Greene, Def. Conny Cat. (1592) (Wks. ed. Grosart, xi. 43): 'If euer 
 I brought my Conny but to crush a potte of ale with mee'; and Shaks. 
 Romeo and Juliet, I. 2. 86: 'come and crush a cup of wine.' 
 
 1996. Ale. ..as good as ever <was turne \\turned~\ over the tongue. Cp. 
 Returne from Parnassus, Pt. I. 584 : 'I have as good a cupp of ale as ere was 
 turnde over tonge, as they saye.' 
 
 1998. game at Tables, backgammon. 
 
 2001. Methiglen. Cp. 1. 2806. Metheglin was a kind of mead made in 
 Wales. Cp. Harrison's Desc. of Eng. in Holinshed (1587), p. i7ob: 'the 
 Welshmen make no lesse accompt [of metheglin] . . .then the Greekes did 
 of their Ambrosia or Nectar' ; T. Heywood, A Challenge for Beauty, v. (song) : 
 'The Brittaine he Metheglen quaffs, The Irish aqua-vitae.' In B. Barnes, Devil's 
 Charter, 1. 1522 (and elsewhere) we have the curious soubriquet for the drink, 
 'mathew Glynne.' In E. Sharpham, The Fleire, ill. ad fin., a Welshman 
 is named ' Maister Metheglins.' 
 
 2014. wagpastie, a term applied to a boy. Cp. Jack Juggler (Hazlitt- 
 Dodsley, II. 141) : 'this wage-pasty is either drunken or mad ' ; Ralph Roister 
 Doister, in. 2 (ibid. in. 97): 'Maid, with whom are ye so hasty? Tib. Not 
 with you, Sir, but with a little wage-pasty : A deceiver of folks by subtle 
 craft and guile.' Misogonus, n. 4. 190. The sense of the word is not clear, 
 especially as in two cases above it is spelt 'wage-pasty' (where 'wage-'
 
 134 Club Law 
 
 probably was taken to mean 'wager'). We have forms, however, which 
 may be analogous in 'wag-string' (Two Angry Women of Abington, Hazlitt- 
 Dodsley, vn. 279), 'wag-halter' and 'wagtail' (in which 'wag' has a transi- 
 tive force) and 'wagmoire' (Spenser, Sheph. Cal. Sept. 130), a dialectic form 
 of 'quagmire' or 'quake mire.' If 'wagpastie' is formed analogously to 
 'wagmoire' it may mean 'quivering pasty' (one still calls a boy 'a piece of 
 quicksilver'). If 'wag-' has a transitive force, the original meaning of the 
 word is obscure. The word 'wag,' a merry fellow, is conjectured by 
 Wedgwood to be short for 'waghalter.' 
 
 2020. pie my traunt. Cp. 1. 634 n. 
 
 2019. Its \no~\ madder for datt. Cp. 1. 643 . 
 
 3030. cuffer. The N.E.D. has no example of the word before 1662. 
 
 2041. heash. Perhaps a misreading of 'Arsh' ('arse'). 
 
 2049. crosse, across. The N.E.D. quotes an example of this aphetic 
 form of the adverb from B. Googe (1586): 'cast bowes of Willowe 
 crosse.' 
 
 2068. Awhile, until. 
 
 2073. //'// the shenerall behiett, till the general give command. This is 
 the best I can make of the reading of the MS. which suggests that the passage 
 was not understood by the scribe. I take 'behiett' as='behight,' which is 
 twice (incorrectly) used by Spenser in the sense 'command' (F. Queene, IV. 2. 
 39, and Muiopotmos, 241). One might also conjecture 'till the shenerall (the 
 populace) be mett.' 
 
 2075. bad utterance, wrongful disposal. The Century Dictionary quotes 
 Sandys. Travailes, p. 95 : ' the English have so ill utterance ( = bad sale) for 
 their warm clothes in these hot countries,' and Hakluyt, Voyages, I. 300 : ' what 
 of our comodities haue most vtterance there.' 
 
 2076. for my cause that the strange t beeves did her i eke from me in Lent. 
 I can make nothing of the word 'hericke.' Rumford is a butcher (cp. 1. 2596) 
 and the general reference is no doubt to the custom of prohibiting Cambridge 
 butchers from selling flesh in Lent unless specially licensed by the Vice- 
 Chancellor. It is not clear whether the word 'strange' means 'strange' or is 
 meant for ' strang,' nor whether Rumford's grievance is against the University 
 authorities directly, or against some butchers from outside Cambridge who, 
 under the protection of the University, took his custom. 
 
 2087. whist, hushed, still. 
 
 2094. play, fence, play with cudgels or wasters. 
 
 2099. hold, bet, stake. A frequent use in the i6th century. 
 
 2114. gamester like, 'sportsmanlike.' No example of this sense in the 
 N.E.D. 
 
 2125. artificially, skilfully. 
 
 2141. take up against him, take up the odds against (?). The compound 
 
 verb has a personal object in Shaks. II. Henry IV. I. 3. 73: 'One power
 
 Notes 135 
 
 against the French, And one against Glendower ; perforce a third must take 
 us up.' 
 
 2144. spoyle, disturb, interrupt, as in Lear, v. 3. 278: 'these same crosses 
 spoil me.' 
 
 2149. sett her out with a pox. See 1. 1295 n. 
 
 2151.. gamesters, players, fencers. 
 
 2163. northen tieke, northern cur. In its original sense 'tike' is found in 
 Lear, ill. 6. 73: 'bobtail tike or trundle-tail'; in its transferred sense in the 
 Pleasant Historie of Thomas of Reading (Thorns' Romances, I. 102) : ' the flirts 
 and fromps which that Northerne tike gave me' ; and in R. Anton, Philosophers 
 Satyrs (1617), p. 65: 'The Northerne Tike is faire, grosse, dull and hard, 
 The Southerne man more pliant.' For the form 'Northen,' cp. Returne from 
 Parnassus (edition A of 1606), 392: 'the Northen winde' [where the existing 
 MS. has 'Northern']. 
 
 2167. drudger. The first example of the word in the N.E.D. comes 
 from Johnson's Dictionary (1755). 
 
 2170. garre, Northern English for 'make.' Cp. 1. 2181 n. 
 
 2179. must her tongue walke. Cp. 1. 2196. Cp. Lingua, II. 5 ad Jin.: 
 ' Madam, I pray you let your Pages tongue walk with us a little, till you 
 return again'; Shirley, Hyde Park, n. 2: 'Bona. I am a stranger. Lacy. 
 Your tongue does walk our language.' 
 
 2181. loape, run. The word is again used in a passage of Northern dialect 
 in Greene, James IV. Induction: 'This whinyard has gard many better men to 
 lope then thou.' 
 
 2185. Companions, fellows. 
 
 2248. under a stall. Cp. 1. 2285. 
 
 for gods. For this form of oath in which the substantive following 
 the possessive is omitted, cp. 1. 1970 and Beaumont and Fletcher, Knight of the 
 burning Pestle, I. 4 ad Jin.: 'bid the players send Ralph, or by Gods an they 
 do not, I'll tear some of their perriwigs beside their heads.' Cp. also the 
 commoner phrases 'By god's precious,' 'Sprecious,' 'O dear,' and the modern 
 American 'O my.' 
 
 2250. varte, verity. 
 
 2254. dry beaten, soundly beaten. Cp. Chettle and Day, Blind Beggar 
 ofBednall Green (Bang's Materialien), 2235 : 'and I did not dry bang ye all one 
 after another, I'de eat no meat but Mustard.' So 1. 2461. Pleasant Historie of 
 Frier Rush (Thorns' Romances, I. 298): 'with his forke he gatte him three 
 or foure good dry stripes.' 
 
 2272. Marcus Tullio Ricero, Marcus Tullius Cicero. Mounsier's Latin is 
 beyond correction. 
 
 2284. bee gott and hidd himselfe. The use of 'get and...' meaning 'go 
 and...', 'set to work and...' is apparently not recognized in the N.E.D. 
 Wright's Dialect Dictionary gives some examples, e.g. ' Git an ' finish thee dinner.'
 
 136 
 
 Club Law 
 
 2294. scirmige, skirmish, ' scrimmage.' Gp. Peele, Battle of Alcazar 
 (Malone Society), 1336: 'A long Skirmidge.' 
 
 2295. lent me a fillip o-ver the shoulders. For this use of 'lent' the N.E.D. 
 quotes Greene, Art Coney Catch, n. : 'The women.. .among whom he leant 
 some lustie buffets.' 
 
 2296. mett. Cp. 1. 146 n. 
 
 2312. Catches, rounds. Cp. Twelfth Night, II. 3. 97. 
 
 2326. laugh mee out of my clothes. The phrase is not in the N.E.D. 
 
 2334- Cogging, cheating at dice. 
 
 2339. under Butler. Cp. 1. 2833. 
 
 *345- ivhiniard, a Northern English term for 'sword.' Cp. 1. 2181 n. 
 
 2346. lurdains, lubbers. Cp. 1. 2487. 
 
 *353- * a S ra y groat. Cp. 1. 2520. Cp. Chettle and Day, Blind 
 Beggar of Bednall Green (Bang's Materialien), 1748: 'I have spent many 
 a gray groat of honest swaggerers... and now I'll turn swaggerer my self; 
 Misogonus (Quellen und Forschungen, Lxxx.), II. 4. 202: 'He not leave, bith 
 fyue woundes, while I am worth a gree groat.' On this passage Brandl 
 has a note, '(de) gree groat = Preisgroschen.' It seems more probable that 
 the phrase is rightly written 'a grey groat' and means 'a silver groat.' Cp. 
 Respublica (ibid.), v. 7. 24 (in dialect): 'a zilver grote.' It is not noticed in 
 the N.E.D. 
 
 2356. ganbelly. I suppose this is a mistake for 'gorbelly,' which is 
 defined in the N.E.D. 'a protuberant belly, or a person with such.' 
 
 2361. Cranckling. One would expect the sense 'jingling,' but the only 
 meaning assigned to 'crankle' in the N.E.D. is 'bend in and out,' 
 ' zigzag.' 
 
 2362. make hast as fine as thou canst. The N.E.D. illustrates the use 
 of 'fine' as an adverb from Harding, Chron. C. v. (c. 1470): 'Ruling... 
 full fine.' 
 
 2366. shone, shoes. 
 
 bound. In the original sense, 'ready for a journey.' 
 
 2 375- bald, bawled. 
 
 2421. emptie our Gofers in our Chambers. It is clear that Cambridge 
 tradesmen did not put their money in a bank. Cp. Shirley, Witty Fair One 
 (1633), in. 5 : 'Bra. Oh, that I were a youth of one and twenty again. ..and 
 ten thousand pounds in a musty coffer.' 
 
 2430. Chist, chest. Cp. Hall, V~trgidemiarum, IV. i. 21, 22: 'when his 
 gout-swolne fist Gropes for his double ducates in his chist.' 
 
 2464. a teephe Asse. Is 'teephe' a corruption of 'tuphe' (toughe) = 
 'stubborn'? Or is it =' hee-haw'? The whinny of a colt is represented by 
 ' We-he-he' in Trial of Treasure (Hazlitt-Dodsley, ill. 278). 
 
 2473. tote, to it. 
 
 2487. wake, quake. This northern form is appropriately given to
 
 Notes 137 
 
 Rumford. The N.E.D. quotes the Towneley Mysteries (r. 1460) : ' Euery man 
 shall whake and gryse.' 
 
 2490. bold it out, keep it up. Cp. Shaks. Merry Wives, IV. a. 141 : 
 4 Well said, brazen-face ! hold it out.' 
 
 2503. Alter mee no alters. Cp. Two Angry Women of Abington (Hazlitt- 
 Dodsley, VH. 285): 'hear me no hears'; etc., etc. 
 
 2508. the spoile of us, the ruin of us. 
 
 2524. motions, proposals. 
 
 2527. backe that backe will. Cp. Respublica (1553), I. 3. 18 (Quellen und 
 Forschungtn, LXXX.) : 'catche that catche maye.' 
 
 2540. Caponer. Cp. 1. 2562. Perhaps, in a passive sense, 'an unsexed 
 coward.' The N.E.D. does not give the word, but quotes capon, to castrate, 
 from Massinger, Renegado (1624), I. i : 'Had it been discovered, I had been 
 caponed.' 
 
 2588. horse and man. Cp. Day, Laiv Tric&s, IV. i: 'I am undone, horse 
 and foot.' 
 
 2597. in books. Perhaps we should read 'in [my] books/ i.e. in my 
 debt. Cp. Returne from Parnassus, Pt. I. 519: ' Draper: as for those neat 
 youths they are out of my books [i.e. in no favour with me] ; and yet I lie, 
 for they are more in them than the[y]'le pay in haste.' 
 
 2610. / will not be of enable to you all. Perhaps, ' I will not expose myself 
 to the attacks of you all.' One might expect, ' I will not expose myself to be 
 attacked by the University on behalf of you all,' but it is not easy to get this 
 meaning out of the words. The N.E.D., which defines the word as 'hurtful,' 
 'offensive,' quotes Hellowes, Guevara Fam. Ep. (1574): 'any enterprise that 
 naturaly is seditious or offensible.' 
 
 2630. upon thyne owne bead, unsolicited ( = Latin ultra). The N.E.D. 
 quotes Tomson, Calvin's Serm. Tim. (1579): 'That he (S. Paul) thrust not 
 in himselfe, vppon his owne head, but that he was appointed of God.' 
 
 2655. weelejitt them for a paire of- [Clerigals ?]. 
 
 2666. proper meetings. 'Proper' is used ironically. 
 
 2670. carried your mothers Tallies after her. Cp. W. Rowley, A Woman 
 never Vext (1632) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, XII. 138): 'Lambskin. I have carried 
 the tallies at my girdle seven years together' [.'when he was an apprentice]. 
 Tallies were sticks on which notches were cut to keep accounts by. 
 
 2681. makes a legg. The N.E.D. defines 'a leg' as 'an obeisance made 
 by drawing back one leg and bending the other, a bow, scrape.' Cp. Triumphs 
 of Love and Fortune (1589) (Hazlitt-Dodsley, vi. 177): 'When I come to 
 a rich man's gate, I make a low leg, and then I knock there ' ; Returne from 
 Parnassus, Pt. II. 963 : 'let mee define a meere Scholler...He is one that cannot 
 make a good legge.' 
 
 2686. hot spurd, fiery, impetuous. The adj. is used by Nashe in his 
 Unfortunate Traveller (1594).
 
 138 
 
 Club Law 
 
 2688. deele ha my saul. Cp. Ram Alley (1611), V. (Hazlitt-Dodsley, 
 x - 373): ' Oliver. The devil take my soul, but I did love her. Taf. That 
 oath doth show you are a Northern knight And of all men alive, I'll never 
 trust A northern man in love. Oliver. And why ? Taf. Because the first 
 word he speaks is, the devil Take his soul....' 
 
 2713. some ivarrs have passed you and us. Perhaps ' passed' = ' befallen,' 
 or we should read ' between you and us.' 
 
 *7 r 5- from, apart from. 
 
 2716. it 'was but superioritie , for which luee doe contend. Cp. Lingua, II. I : 
 'they [the Senses] fight for... a thing called Superiority, of which the Crown is 
 but an Embleme.' 
 
 2731. surquedrye, over-confidence, arrogance. Cp. Chaucer, Persones 
 Tale, 402 : ' Presumpcion, is whan a man undertaketh an empryse, that him 
 oghte nat do, or elles that he may nat do; and that is called Surquidrie'; 
 Pilgrim, to Parnassus, 486 : 'in Venus' surque[d]rie.' (Mr Macray strangely 
 explains 'surquerie' as suquerie, 'sugariness.') Marston, Ant. and Mel. n. 3. 2. 
 
 2738. being in their greatest triumph, ivben to us they are most serviceable, 
 who have no greater cause for pride than when, etc. 
 
 2741. headbands, fillets. 
 
 2749. Take him downe, humble him. Cp. Romeo and Juliet, II. 4. 159: 
 'an a' speak any thing against me, I'll take him down.' 
 
 2757. three of his of springe, perhaps Apollo, Diana and Minerva. 
 
 2758. Monarchs ...happy in philosophers familiarity, e.g. Dionysius with 
 Plato, Alexander with Aristotle. 
 
 2783. to perfect our obedience, to finish the task enjoined upon us by the 
 Rector. 
 
 2798. vas none take her up, will no one take me into his service? Cp. 
 //. Henry IF. n. i. 199 : ' you are to take soldiers up in counties.' 
 
 4806. Jitteling, victualling. 
 
 2812. entertaine, take into service. Cp. Shirley, Witty Fair One (1633), 
 II. a : 'Treed. Vouchsafe to entertain a servant, that shall study to command... 
 his extremest possibilities in your business.' 
 
 2828. make her shamber, vipe her bed, sweepe her shoes. Tavie means, 
 'sweep your chamber, make your bed, wipe your shoes.' 
 
 2830. of thy making, of thy shape or kind. Cp. Midsummer Night's 
 Dream, n. i. 32: 'Either I mistake your shape and making quite.' 
 
 2833. under skinker in the Buttery. Prince Hal describes an underskinker 
 in /. Henry IF. II. 4. 26. 
 
 2846. In the Introduction, p. liv, I expressed my doubt of the truth 
 of Fuller's statement that townspeople were present at the original performance 
 of Club Law. It will be noticed that the Epilogue is addressed solely and 
 pointedly to members of the University, and gives no hint that other persons 
 were included in the audience.
 
 Notes 139 
 
 2850. hobbenoles, clowns, boors. The word is derived from Spenser's 
 Hobbinoll in the Shepheards Calendar. The earliest example in the N.E.D. 
 is from Heywood's Love's Mistris (1638), II. : 'This hobinall, this rusticke, 
 this base clowne.' 
 
 1858. attonment, reconciliation. 
 
 2865. Turne Herodotus, and one of his 9. Muses, i.e. one of the books 
 of his History, named severally after the Muses. Cp. Lingua, II. i : 'Mend. 
 I helped Herodotus to pen some part of his Muses.'
 
 INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES. 
 
 (Where the number of the line is printed in thick type, the expression is 
 commented on in the Notes.) 
 
 a Niphill (cry of victory) 466 
 
 adjuvants 1032 
 
 adverb ( = proverb, adage) 364 
 
 alter mee no alters 2503 
 
 anchestors 351 
 
 anteambulers 344 
 
 artificially 2125 
 
 as leve as an icol. 14 
 
 ashamed of my name 409 
 
 backe and side 1847 
 
 backe that backe will 2527 
 
 backsides 1153 
 
 bag and baggage 525 
 
 bakerlie 222, 505 
 
 bald ( = bawled) 2375 
 
 beare will bite you, heres a 1137 
 
 beares at our house 889 
 
 behiett (?) 2073 
 
 billie 1807, 2493 
 
 bills 1934 
 
 blacke bill, the 1023 
 
 blinde Bayard 1137 
 
 blocks 558 
 
 bobie 97, 1656, 2139, 2152 
 
 bodie. See 'how fares,' etc. 
 
 boggards 1126 
 
 books, in (?my) 2597 
 
 boult 517 
 
 bounching (bouncing) 9 
 
 bound (adj.) 2366 
 
 boy (resentment at being so called) 
 
 167, 1203 
 braggs (sb.) 2430 
 brechinge 136, 2041 
 brome man 3 
 brown ( = ugly) 838 
 buff jerkin 1350 
 buske point 1624 
 but (apparently superfluous) 560, 1 104 
 
 camera 1764 
 
 caponer 2540, 2562 
 
 Carifeild, Captaine 1729 
 
 carriage ( = conduct) 450, 478 
 
 catches (sb.) 2312 
 
 Catts plood 1426 
 
 cavelero (adj.) 656 
 
 cheeke by gole 64 
 
 childest (sup. adj.) 139 
 
 chist 2430 
 
 circumprances 336 
 
 clapper clawe 1843 
 
 clerigalls, clericals 795, 994, 1772 
 
 clownerie 195 
 
 Clubb Lawe 28, 92, 95, 206, 726, 941, 
 
 944,985, 1408, 2303 ,9tfU 
 Cocke, by 398 
 cogging 2334 
 collierly 1036 
 come over 162, 167 
 companions 2185, 2466 
 comparisons . . . odious 333 
 confiscated 382 
 Cordileere 653 
 cornemonger 1036 
 corner capp 1158 
 Cotts plutt 794 
 counsell ( = a secret) 858 
 crackropes 1066 
 crag ( = neck) 704, 799 
 cranckling 2361 
 credite cract 1486 
 Cricket 75 
 cringe, give the 125 
 crosse (adv.) 2049 
 crowe over 1830, 2173 
 crush a pott... of ale 1995 
 cry quit with 824 
 
 cuckquean, cut queane (vb.) 831, 854 
 cudgill play, a 946
 
 Index of Words and Phrases 141 
 
 cuffer 2030 
 
 cuflfer 2030 
 
 cushions (brought out before a meeting) 
 
 dagger, a Scottish 118, 1369 
 
 daunce naked, make 1831 
 
 dayntelest 159 
 
 deale on my cragge, the 779 
 
 deaven 847 
 
 deele ha my saul 2688 
 
 did me... good at the heart 820, 1597 
 
 discomininge 1959, 2305 
 
 disconveniences 352 
 
 dismount (trans. vb.) 1799, 1875 
 
 dissemblance 446 
 
 doeing his endevour 1274 
 
 dog's names 1497, 1499 
 
 Drome ( = Drum), John 1037 
 
 drudger 2167 
 
 druggs ( = drudges) 199 
 
 dry beaten 2254 
 
 dunghills, in our owne 523 
 
 entertaine 2812 
 
 fall, give a 96, 271 
 
 fearefull ( = timorous) 2459, 2508 
 
 feet ( = effect) 447 
 
 ferrit out 429 
 
 ffescu 276 
 
 fine (adv.) 2362 
 
 fineliest 1370 
 
 fitted (= punished) 991 
 
 fleshmakers 651 
 
 flinge at, have a 224, 1652 
 
 flurtes 1917 
 
 for him (= ready for him) 148, 1368 
 
 ffbxe taile, a 1720 
 
 fraternities 343 
 
 from ( = apart from) 2715 
 
 full meete, a 146 
 
 fustian speech, some 2675 
 
 gaffer 1528 
 gamester like 2114 
 gamesters 2151 
 ganbelly (Pgorbelly) 2356 
 garnish, a 1558 
 garre 2170 
 gathered phrases 995 
 geare 247, 1318 
 gill ( = wench) 928 
 
 God blesse your worship (said after a 
 sneeze) 280 
 
 gods, for 1970, 2248 
 
 Gods bodikens 961 
 
 gods daggers 625 
 
 gods death 1774, 2343 
 
 Gods nayles 2485 
 
 gods sides 2365, 2702 
 
 goe further and speed worse 196 
 
 goe to my witts to... 1911 
 
 good ( = my good man) 1260 
 
 goosecap 389, 2543 
 
 gott and hidd himselfe 2284 
 
 goverment 428, 2571, 2670 
 
 gravities 125, 168 
 
 gray groat, to a 2353, 2520 
 
 greasie 1003 
 
 great ( = very friendly) 880 
 
 hange me and saye I am an onion 1 206 
 
 hattbond 1646 
 
 have (omitted) 115 
 
 have att you 2116, 2209 
 
 head, upon thyne owne 2630 
 
 headbands 2741 
 
 headsman 497, 674, 743, 2548 
 
 heash(?) 2041 
 
 heigh Saint Tavie is a welsh man 
 
 borne 1948 
 
 hemping ( = hempen) 1775 
 hericke(?) 2077 
 Herodotus... his 9. Muses 2865 
 hobbenoles 2850 
 hoisting 1381 
 hold ( = stake) 2099 
 hold it out 2490 
 horse and man 2588 
 horsbreade 519 
 hot spurd 2686 
 house of office 1153 
 how fares (does) your bodie? 133, 887 
 hoyden 671, 817, 950, 1368, 2286 
 humanity 191 
 huswife (= hussy) 1444, 1636 
 
 impaciencie 526 
 
 in ( = intimate) 844 
 
 in trot, intraunt, etc. 632, 2175 
 
 informe their prodigality 746 
 
 iniquitie, an 1916 
 
 injurie (vb.) 1474, 1538, 1918 
 
 Jackes ( = good-for-nothings) 603, 1826 
 jackes (=jackets) 1810, 1834, 2559 
 Jesus blesse me 813, 2561 
 jett it 696
 
 142 
 
 Club Law 
 
 just as Jermyns lippe, as 1884 
 
 keepe your winde to coole your pottage 
 
 1656 
 
 kennell thoughts 983 
 kept my selfe with the good man 1449 
 kercher, hath a 271 
 kisse... behind 1759 
 knicke knocke 1767 
 knowe her selfe 1952, 2750 
 
 lamb'd 1837 
 
 last ( = laced, beaten) 992 
 
 laugh mee out of my clothes 2326 
 
 Layis 1663 
 
 learning and magic 814 
 
 legg, makes a 2681 
 
 lent me a fillip 2295 
 
 loape 2181 
 
 logerpate 1129 
 
 longe tayles 672 
 
 looby 1382 
 
 looke through a hemping windowe 
 
 1775 
 
 lurdains 2346, 2487, 2498 
 lyes out 1498 
 
 Machivillians 340 
 
 maidenhead, by my 830, 856 
 
 make a horse laugh 622 
 
 making, of thy 2830 
 
 mammocks (sb.) 379 
 
 manure (vb.) 529 
 
 masse ( = mace) 1951 
 
 masse (messe), by the 123, 1806 
 
 meet (vb.) 2296 
 
 meete, a full 146 
 
 mercement 271 
 
 metamorphosis 1218 
 
 methiglen 2001, 2806 
 
 motions 2524 
 
 mounsier grand combatant 621 
 
 mount your judgment 668 
 
 muchomar(?) 497 
 
 muddy slaves 202 
 
 murren, a 567 
 
 muske 818 
 
 muttonmonger 1086 
 
 neeseth 280 
 
 nimbd 1370 
 
 Niphill, Niphle, Nine 6 
 
 nomenclators 345 
 
 non plus 385, 387 
 
 northen tieke 2163 
 
 of ( = after being) 501 
 
 offencible 2610 
 
 onset (or 'unset'), give the 885 
 
 ope (adj.) 1428 
 
 Orlando furioso 1662 
 
 otherwise like 291 
 
 out ( = out of) 1808, 2804 
 
 pack, packing 1340, 2161 
 
 parbraked your minde 348 
 
 passe ( = exceed) 972 ( = befall?) 2713 
 
 pay ( = punish, beat) 1847, 22I 7 
 
 pepper (vb.) 1259 
 
 perke 1828 
 
 petifogging 222, 464 
 
 Philarches 343 
 
 pip pap (vb. and sb.) 1335, 1431 
 
 pitch, of a higher 982 
 
 place, will take the 2637 
 
 plaiest thy prises 1783 
 
 play (vb.) 2094 
 
 plutter her nayles 791 
 
 poor snakes 688 
 
 pocketted up 507, 1240 
 
 prance (adj.) (?) 22 
 
 prittle prattle 1968 
 
 proper (ironical) 2666 
 
 proudest of them all, the 1621, 1726, 
 
 1775 
 
 puffers 620 
 puffie 2754 
 punck 1764 
 
 put [the devill] againe in hell 815 
 putt it up 1807 
 
 quicke ( = with child) 1723 
 
 ragge tayles 672, 1785, 2692 
 ragtaild 1 100 
 right downe (adj. ) 1272 
 riprapp, 94, 1290, 1947 
 rounde as a Julers boxe, as 623 
 ruffle in Rhetorke 1658 
 rules (vb.) 1708 
 runt 1863 
 
 St Mary, good (oath) 341 
 sauce box 245 
 saucie Jacke 603, 1977 
 scape (sb.) 425 
 schooleboylike 1 40 
 scirmige 2294
 
 Index of Words and Phrases 143 
 
 scrubbes 1828, 2203, 2258 
 
 sense (vb.) 810 
 
 search, the 1422 
 
 seldome comes the better 368 
 
 sett you in, sett her out, 1295, 2149 
 
 setting on, the 1230 
 
 shinns burne, your 1637 
 
 shitten 1976 
 
 shittie 1333 
 
 shoetyings 742 
 
 shone (= shoes) 2366 
 
 short cutt, a 2847 
 
 shrodly 1071 
 
 sides warke, make their 1843 
 
 singe your old songe 2502 
 
 sir reverence 145, 423 
 
 skirts, on your 1021 
 
 skulls punishment 116 
 
 slander ( = slanderer) 1649 
 
 smoker 9 
 
 snipp snapp Barber 504 
 
 so many men, so many meanings 364 
 
 soull bell 244 
 
 spoile of us, the 2508 
 
 spoyle the sport 2479 
 
 stall, a 2248, 2285 
 
 start, a 1500 
 
 strammell 1811 
 
 studies 1377 
 
 suger cakes 962, 966 
 
 surquedrye 2731 
 
 swaggerer 2053, 2236 
 
 tables, game at 1998 
 
 take... a hole lower 1829 
 
 take her heels 1067, 1351 
 
 take him downe 2749 
 
 take up ( = take into his service) 2798 
 
 take up against... 2141 
 
 taking, in [such and such] a 846, 2200, 
 
 3354, 2799 
 
 tale of a tubb 1338, 1521 
 tallies, carried 2670 
 tatterd 1785 
 tatter taild 1073 
 tatter tayles 672 
 teephe(?) 2464 
 tester 745 
 
 thacke ( = thwacke) 1834 
 thanke my starres, I 1133 
 this 3. yeares day 1730 
 tho ( = those) 2124 
 
 tic, tac, toe 570 
 
 tieke 2163 
 
 timbersome 498 
 
 time hath winges 338 
 
 tiplinge 2045 
 
 title tatle (sb.) 2165 
 
 tongue walke 2179, 2196 
 
 too too 608, 700 
 
 torchbearer 1687 
 
 tote (=to it) 2473 
 
 traunt, pie my 2020 
 
 trayled him out 1499 
 
 trembling of the tongue 55 
 
 tricks, by my 680 
 
 trow 1339 
 
 true-penny, a 295 
 
 turne (? turned) over the tongue 1996 
 
 twacke ( = thwack) 703, 2099, 2111 
 
 two peny queane, a 1531 
 
 two rushes 794 
 
 tympanies 753 
 
 unconstant 234 
 under skinker 2833 
 unles ( = lest) 102 
 unsupportable 764 
 utterance 2075 
 
 varte (= verity) 2250 
 vild 1144 
 villonestly 1498 
 
 wack ( = thwack) 2689 
 
 wagpastie 2014 
 
 wake ( = quake) 2487 
 
 wall of him, got the 147 
 
 waster play 1841 
 
 what a dare you... can 2557 
 
 whatsomever 1118 
 
 when all is done 996 
 
 while ( = until) 2068 
 
 whiniard 2345 
 
 whist 2087 
 
 wondring (sb.) 1161. 
 
 woodcocke 285 
 
 work them ( = work upon them) 884 
 
 worst ( worse) 1730 
 
 young men for witt and old men for 
 wisdome 492 
 
 zemblance 349 
 
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