1 Rashing seems to be the old hunting term to express the stroke made by the wild-boar with his fangs. To rase has apparently a meaning some thing similar. See Mr. Steevens's Note to King Lear, act iii. sc. 7, (ed. 1793, vol. xiv., p. 193,) where the quartos read, "Nor thy fierce sister In his anointed flesh rash boarish fangs." So in King Richard III., act iii. sc. 2, (vol. x., pp. 567, 583.) "He dreamt To night the boar had rased off his helm." Forthwith he strucke his necke in two, From prison threescore knights and four X. Corydon's Farewell to Phillis, Is an attempt to paint a lover's irresolution, but so poorly executed, that it would not have been admitted into this collection, if it had not been quoted in Shakspeare's Twelfth Night, act ii. sc. 3.-It is found in a little ancient miscellany, entitled The Golden Garland of Princely Delights, 12mo. bl. let. In the same scene of the Twelfth Night, Sir Toby sings a scrap of an old ballad, which is preserved in the Pepys Collection, (vol. i. pp. 33. 496,) but as it is not only a poor dull performance, but also very long, it will be sufficient here to give the first stanza: THE BALLAD OF CONSTANT SUSANNA. There dwelt a man in Babylon Of reputation great by fame; A woman fair and vertuous: Lady, lady: Why should we not of her learn thus If this song of Corydon, &c. least an evil of less magnitude. has not more merit, it is at FAREWELL, dear love; since thou wilt needs be gone, Mine eyes do shew, my life is almost done. Nay I will never die, so long as I can spie There be many mo, though that she doe goe, Why then let her goe, I care not. 5 Farewell, farewell; since this I find is true, I will not spend more time in wooing you: But I will seek elsewhere, if I may find love there: 10 Ten thousand times farewell;-yet stay a while:- I have no power to move. How now am I in love? 15 Wilt thou needs be gone? Go then, all is one. Once more adieu, I see loath to depart Bids oft adieu to her, that holds my heart. But seeing I must lose thy love, which I did choose, What shall I doe? my love is now departed. She would not be intreated, with prayers oft repeated, If she come no more, shall I die therefore? If she come no more, what care I? Faith, let her goe, or come, or tarry. XI. Gernutus the Jew of Menice. IN the Life of Pope Sixtus V., translated from the Italian of Greg. Leti, by the Rev. Mr. Farneworth, folio, is a remarkable passage to the following effect: "It was reported in Rome, that Drake had taken and plundered St. Domingo in Hispaniola, and carried off an immense booty. This account came in a private letter to Paul Secchi, a very considerable merchant in the city, who had large concerns in those parts, which he had insured. Upon receiving this news, he sent for the insurer, Sampson Ceneda, a Jew, and acquainted him with it. The Jew, whose interest it was to have such a report thought false, gave many reasons why it could not possibly be true, and at last worked himself into such a passion, that he said, I'll lay you a pound of my flesh it is a lye. Secchi, who was of a fiery hot temper, replied, I'll lay you a thousand crowns against a pound of your flesh that it is true. The Jew accepted the wager, and articles were immediately executed betwixt them, That if Secchi won, he should himself cut the flesh with a sharp knife from whatever part of the Jew's body he pleased. The truth of the account was soon confirmed; and the Jew was almost distracted, when he was informed that Secchi had solemnly sworn he would compel him to an exact performance of his contract. A report of this transaction was brought to the Pope, who sent for the parties, and being informed of the whole affair, said, When contracts are made, it is but just they should be fulfilled, as this shall: take a knife therefore, Secchi, and cut a pound of flesh from any part you please of the Jew's body. We advise you, however, to be very careful; for if you cut but a scruple more or less than your due, you shall certainly be hanged." The editor of that book is of opinion, that the scene between Shylock and Antonio in the Merchant of Venice, is taken from this incident. But Mr. Warton, in his ingenious Observations on the Faerie Queen, vol. i. p. 128, has referred it to the following ballad. Mr. Warton thinks this ballad was written before Shakspeare's play, as being not so circumstantial, and having more of the nakedness of an original. Besides, it differs from the play in many circumstances, which a mere copyist, such as we may suppose the balladmaker to be, would hardly have given himself the trouble to alter. Indeed he expressly informs us, that he had his story from the Italian writers. See the Connoisseur, vol. i. no. 16. After all, one would be glad to know what authority Leti had for the foregoing fact, or at least for connecting it with the taking of St. Domingo by Drake; for this expedition did not happen till 1585, and it is very certain that a play of the Jewe, "representing the greedinesse of worldly chusers, and bloody minds of usurers," had been exhibited at the play-house, called The Bull, before the year 1579, being mentioned in Steph. Gosson's Schoole of Abuse1, which was printed in that year. As for Shakspeare's Merchant of Venice, the earliest edition known of it is in quarto, 1600; though it had been exhibited before the year 1598, being mentioned, together with eleven other of his plays, in Mere's Wits Treasury, &c. 1598. 12mo. fol. 282. See Malone's Shakspeare. The following is printed from an ancient black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection2, entitled, "a new Song, shewing the crueltie of GERNUTUS, a JEWE, who lending to a merchant an hundred crowns, would have a pound of his fleshe, because he could not pay him at the time appointed. To the tune of Black and Yellow." THE FIRST PART. IN Venice towne not long agoe Gernutus called was the Jew, To them in streets that lie. His life was like a barrow hogge, Yet never once doth any good, Until men will him slay. 1 Warton, ubi supra. 2 Compared with the Ashmole copy. 5 10 |