They buckled then together so, Like unto wild boares rashing;* 110 And with their swords and shields they ran At one another slashing: The ground besprinkled was with blood: Tarquin began to yield; For he gave backe for wearinesse, And lowe did beare his shield. This soone Sir Lancelot espyde, He pull'd him downe upon his knee, And rushing off his helm, 115 ' 120 Forthwith he strucke his necke in two, And, when he had soe done, From prison threescore knights and four 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 something similar. See Mr. STEEVEN'S Note on K. 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 K. Richard III. act iii. sc. 2. (vol. x. p. 567, 583.) "He dreamt "To night the Boar had RASED off his helm." 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, 406;] 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; He took to wife a faire woman, Susanna she was callde by name : A woman fair and vertuous; Lady, lady: Why should we not of her learn thus To live godly? If this song of Corydon, &c. has not more merit, it is at least an evil of less magnitude. 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, Farewell, farewell; since this I find is true, I will not spend more time in wooing you : 5 But I will seek elsewhere, if I may find love there : Shall I bid her goe? what and if I doe? Shall I bid her goe and spare not? O no, no, no, I dare not. 10 Ten thousand times farewell;-yet stay a while :- Once more adieu, I see loath to depart Bids oft adieu to her, that holds my heart. 20 But seeing I must lose thy love, which I did choose, Goe thy way for me, since that may not be. Goe thy ways for me. But whither? Goe, oh, but where I may come thither. What shall I doe? my love is now departed. She is as fair, as she is cruel-hearted. 25 She would not be intreated, with prayers oft re peated, 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! 30 XI. GERNUTUS THE JEW OF VENICE. 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: "Ir was reported in Rome, that Drake had taken "and plundered St. Domingo in Hispaniola, and car"ried 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 flesh it is alye. 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 66 "he pleased. The truth of the account was soon "confirmed; and the Jew was almost distracted, "when he was informed, that Secchi had solemnly "swore he would compel him to an exact perform"ance 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, Sec"chi, 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." 66 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. page 128," has referred it to the following ballad. Wr. 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 ballad-maker 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 playhouse called the Bull before the year 1579, being |