[Footnote 153:  The title of this collection is “THE WITS, or Sport upon Sport, in select pieces of Drollery, digested into scenes by way of Dialogue.  Together with variety of Humours of several nations, fitted for the pleasure and content of all persons, either in Court, City, Country, or Camp.  The like never before published.  Printed for H. Marsh, 1662:”  again printed for F. Kirkman, 1672.  To Kirkman’s edition is prefixed a curious print representing the inside of a Bartholomew-fair theatre (by some supposed to be the Red Bull Theatre in Clerkenwell).  Several characters are introduced.  In the middle of the stage, a figure peeps out of the curtain; on a label from his mouth is written “Tu quoque,” it represents Bubble, a silly person in a comedy, played so excellently by an actor named Green, that it was called “Green’s Tu-quoque.”  Then a changeling and a simpleton, from plays by Cox; a French dancing-master, from the Duke of Newcastle’s “Variety;” Clause, from Beaumont and Fletcher’s “Beggar’s Bush;” and Sir John Falstaff and hostess.  Our notion of Falstaff by this print seems very different from that of our ancestors:  their Falstaff is in extravaganza of obesity, not requiring so much “stuffing” as ours does.]

[Footnote 154:  PYM was then at the head of the Commons, and was usually deputed to address personally the motley petitioners.  We have a curious speech he made to the tradesmen’s wives in Echard’s “History of England,” vol. ii. 290.]

[Footnote 155:  Prynne’s tract entitled “Health’s Sicknesse” is full of curious allusions to the drinking-customs of the era of Charles the First.  His paradoxical title alludes to the sickness that results from too freely drinking “healths.”]

[Footnote 156:  Camden’s “History of Queen Elizabeth,” Book III.  Many statutes against drunkenness, by way of prevention, passed in the reign of James the First.  Our law looks on this vice as an aggravation of any offence committed, not as an excuse for criminal misbehaviour.  See “Blackstone,” book iv. c. 2, sec. 3.  In Mr. Gifford’s “Massinger,” vol. ii. 458, is a note to show that when we were young scholars, we soon equalled, if we did not surpass, our masters.  Mr. Gilchrist there furnishes an extract from Sir Richard Baker’s Chronicle, which traces the origin of this exotic custom to the source mentioned; but the whole passage from Baker is literally transcribed from Camden.]

[Footnote 157:  Nash’s “Pierce Pennilesse,” 1595, sig.  F 2.]

[Footnote 158:  These barbarous phrases are Dutch, Danish, or German.  The term skinker, a filler of wine, a butler or cup-bearer, according to Phillips; and in taverns, as appears by our dramatic poets, a drawer, is Dutch, or, according to Dr. Nott, purely Danish, from skenker.