ii s. xii. DEC. 11, 1915.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
453
LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1915.
CONTENTS. No. 311.
NOTES: 'The Vicar of Bray': 'The Turn-coat,' 453 Strolling Players in the Eighteenth Century, 454 Names of Mediaeval Tradesmen, 457 Francis Meres and John Florio German Libraries and the War" Yes, sir," 458 Rose Theatre Puritan Names in New England, 459.
QUERIES : Colton, 459-Hagiojjraphy of Cyprus Othello ' Loath to Depart 'Edward IV.'s Window, Canterbury, 460 Carol Wanted Folk-Lore : Dangers of Crossing Shorncliffe Commandants Blakesley Antonio de Gue- vara, Bishop of Mondofiedo, 461 Society of Constitutional Information Dr. Johnson on Fishing ' An Extraordinary Ode ' Daughters of Secretary Thurloe Author and Completion Wanted Letter-Books of Chester Portraits Wanted. 462 J. B. Braithwaite Ensigns in the Royal Navy, 463.
HEPLIES : Employment of Wild Beasts in Warfare, 463 Baron Westbury : Inscription ' The House that Jack Built,' 464 Authors Wanted Effect of Opening a Coffin John Vardy, Architect John Longman : Spinets, 465 Mrs. Samuel Foote Sisters of Bennet Langton Hebrew Dietetics Bows and Arrows in the Crimean War
- ' Sniffles" Essex Place-NameQuit-Rent of a Clove, 466
Mr. Rainey : Bible before 1611 Authorized Version of the Bible Theological Disputations by Signs Was St. Thomas of Canterbury a Monk? 467 "Rumbelow" Cat Queries Split Infinitive, 468 Swift's ' Conduct of the Allies ' Medallic Legends Nelson Memorial Rings, 469 Elder Folk-Lore Municipal Officers elected in Church French " of Stratford-atte-Bowe " Authors of French Quotations Wanted The Collie, 470.
NOTES ON BOOKS : Cathay and the Way Thither ' 'The Genealogist Surnames of the United Kingdom' 'The Burlington.'
Books on Religion and Philosophy.
Notices to Correspondents.
1 THE VICAR OF BRAY ' :
'THE TURN-COAT.'
ACCORDING to books of reference, e.g., W. A. Wheeler's 'Dictionary of Noted Names of Fiction,' new edition, 1870, p. 381, the song called ' The Vicar of Bray ' " is said (Nichol's " Select Poems,' 1782, vol. viii. p. 234) to have been written by an officer in Col. Fuller's regiment in the reign of George I."
It may have been founded on ' The Turn- coat ' and ' The Tale of the Cobler and the Vicar of Bray,' vols. i. and iii. of 'The Posthumous Works of Mr. Samuel Butler.' The former is headed, " By Mr. Samuel Butler, Author of Hudibras." The ' Post- humous Works ' are stated on the title- page to have been " Written in the Time of the Grand Rebellion, and in the Reign of King Charles II." See also the Preface "To the Reader."
In the British Museum, vol. i. is dated 1715, and vol. iii., 3rd ed., 1719. My copy, from which I take my extracts, is of the
4th ed., 1732, the three volumes in one,
paged consecutively. There are a few differ-
ences of stops, and one word differently
spelt.
THE TURX-COAT.
To the Tune of ' London is a fine Town.' By >Ir. Samuel Butler, Author of Hudibras.
I lov'd no King since Forty One.
When Prelacy went down, A Cloak and Band I then put on,
And preach'd against the Crown.
Chorus. A Turncoat is a cunning Man,
That cants to Admiration, And prays for any King, to gain
The People's Approbation.
II.
I shew'd the Paths to Heav'n untrod,
From Pop'ry to refine 'em, And taught the People to serve God,
As if the Devil were in 'em.
When Charles return'd into our Land,
The English Church Supporter,
I shifted off my Cloak and Band, And so became a Courtier.
IV.
The King's Religion I profest,
And found there Was no harm in't ;
I cogg'd and flatter'd, like the rest, 'Till I had got Preferment.
v.
I taught my Conscience how to cope
With Honesty, or Evil ; And when I rail'd against the Pope,
I sided with the Devil. (P. 106.)
The chorus follows each stanza.
' The Tale of the Cobler and the Vicar of Bray' (p. 285) is a long ballad (over 180 stanzas), about a quarrel and fight between the two, from which I take the following :
I dare be bold, you 're one of those
Have took the Covenant. With Cavaliers, are Cavalier,
And with the Saints, a Saint. (P. 288.;
Whatever I can say or do,
I 'm sure not much avails ; I shall still Vicar be of Bray,
Which ever Side prevails. (P. 291.)
...
I' ve took so many Oaths before,
That now, without Remorse, I take all Oaths the State can make,
As meerly Things of Course.
Go therefore, Dame, the Justice tell,
His Summons I '11 obey ; And farther you may let him know,
I Vicar am of Bray. (P. 292.)
