In 1589 was published a tract with the following curious title-- "A Skeltonical salutation, Or condigne gratulation, And just vexation Of the Spanish nation; That in bravado Spent many a crusado In setting forth an Armado England to invado." The whole piece is in this kind of verse. A copy of it is in the British Museum. Puttenham, speaking of poetry of this sort, says: "Such were the rimes of Skelton (usurping the name of Poet Laureat), being in deede but a rude, rayling rimer, and all his doings ridiculous; he used both short distances and short measures, pleasing onely to the popular eare; in our courtly maker we banish them utterly."--_Arte of English Poesie_, 1589, p. 69. [163] Matilda is here, and elsewhere, called Marian, before in fact she takes that name; and after she has assumed it, in the course of the play she is frequently called Matilda. [164] [Old copy, _Into_.] [165] Jest is used in the same sense in "The Spanish Tragedy," act i., where the king exclaims-- "But where is old Hieronimo, our marshal? He promis'd us, in honour of our guest, To grace our banquet with some pompous _jest_." Dr Farmer, in reference to the line in "Richard II., act i. sc. 3-- "As gentle and as jocund as to _jest_," quotes the above passage from "The Spanish Tragedy" to show that to _jest_, "in old language, means _to play a part in a mask_." [166] [Old copy, _my_.] [167] [Old copy, _place_.] [168] Ritson has the following note upon this sign: "That is, the inn so called, upon Ludgate Hill. The modern sign, which, however, seems to have been the same 200 years ago, is _a bell_ and _a wild man_; but the original is supposed to have been _a beautiful Indian_, and the inscription, _La belle Sauvage_. Some, indeed, assert that the inn once belonged to a Lady _Arabella Sauvage_; and others that its name originally, the _belle_ and _Sauvage_, arose (like the _George and Blue Boar_) from the junction of two inns with those respective signs. _Non nostrum est tantas componere lites_." "Robin Hood," I. p. liv. [169] [Old copy, _meant_.] [170] Little John's _exit_ is marked here in the old copy, but it does not take place till afterwards: he first whispers Marian, as we are told immediately, _John_ in the original standing for Little John. [171] i.e., A collection or company, and not, as we now use the word, a _kind_ "of fawning sycophants." [172] i.e., Made a Justice of Peace of him, entitling him to the style of _Worship_. [173] [Old copy, _ran_.] [174] i.e., "I shall _be even_ with you." So Pisaro in Haughton's "Englishmen for my Money," says of his three daughters-- "Well, I shall find a tune _to meet_ with them."--Sig. E 2. [175] Alluding to the challenges of the officers who are aiding and assisting the Sheriff.