Of Words the Monopoly

When thou wast borne, some say, & all do thinke,
The urine that thou mad’st, was perfect inke.

Better than Rhubarbe purging melancholy
One that hath got of words the monopoly
That evesdrops a phrase, and like a spie
Watcheth each bombast word, as it doth flie.

His presence is more grateful unto all
Than a new play, or on some festivall
Strange squibs and fire-works, which do clime the skies
And with their glaring sparkes mate vulgar eyes

He knew and felt the Boores, yet was not boorish
He new and felt the whores, yet was not whorish

Laurence Emley on Tom.




Extracts from Northern France

…The fairest cage of birds that I saw in al France, was at the signe of the Ave Maria in Amiens, the workmanship whereof was very curious with gilt wyers. In the same were four Turtle Doves, and many gold Finches, with other birds which are such as our hempseede birds in England.

The first Pilgrime that ever I saw was in Amiens, a very simple fellow, who spake so bad Latin that a country Scholler in England should be whipped for speaking the like. He told me he had lived two yeares at Compostella, a city and University of Gallicia in Spaine, where Saint James is much worshipped, wherehence he then came, and was upon going to Rome. He had a long staffe in his hand with a nobbe in the middle, according to the fashion of those Pilgrims staffes, a chaine about his necke full of extraordinary great beades, and a box by his side, wherein was the picture of our Lady and Christ in her armes.

…

This Clermont is a meane and ignoble place, having no memorable thing therein worthy the observation. Only I talked with a certaine Franciscan Frier there, borne in Ireland, who seemed to be a pretty Schollar and a man of good parts. He was travelling to Abbeville to preach there, I observed this in him, that he was as well able to discourse of al particular politique and state matters of England, as any man in our company: and hee spake passing good English.

This also I observed in Clermont, in the middest of the streete there was erected a gibbet with the picture of a certaine fellow called Anthony Peel, who was painted hanging on the gallowes in the same picture. Under the which his offence was mentioned by way of a proclamation for apprehending of him. The reason why his picture was set forth in that manner, was this: that as his picture was there hanged, so should he also if he might be apprehended. This custome is observed in many places in France…




The next morning being Trinity Sunday about foure of the clocke, I was transported over a river called the Oyse, which did part Picardie from the Ile of France. That day I dinned at a Parish called Saint Brixe, which was twelve miles beyond Saint Liew. Betwixt Saint Liew and Saint Brixe I observed these things. An exceeding rich and fertile country, full of corne, especially rie, meadows, pastures, wooddes, many sweete rivers, a great multitude of goodly and sumptuous houses on both sides as we rod, most whereof were said to be the Advocates of Paris. Also many goodly rowes of wall-nutte trees, about three of foure miles after we were entered into the Isle, the fairest that ever I saw till then, about two hundred at the least in a row. About two miles on this side Saint Brixe, there is a most magnificent Palace built of faire white free stone with many lofty turrets on the toppe of a hill, in a beautiful parke. This place is called Escovan. This place belongeth to Monsieur Montmorencie the high constable of France, who hath seaventeene Townes and Parishes in the country belonging to it, which are very neare bordering about it.

I went from St Brixe about one of the clocke in the afternoone and came to Paris, which was eight miles therehence, about sixe of the clocke that day: the things that I observed betwixt St Brixe and Paris were these: seven faire pillars of fee stone erected by an equall distance from each other, between St Denis and Paris….

A little on this side Paris, even at the townes end, there is the fairest Gallowes that ever I saw, built upon a little hillocke called Mount Falcon, which consisteth of fourteene fair pillars of free-stone: this gallowes was made in the time of the Guisian massacre, to hang the admiral of France Chatillion, who was a Protestant, Anno Dom. 1572.