[356] This was one of the names by which women of ill-fame were usually distinguished. So in Ben Jonson's "Every Man out of his Humour" "His chief exercises are taking the whiff, squiring a _cockatrice_, and making privy searches for imparters." In "Cynthia's Revels," act ii. sc. 4: "--Marry, to _his cockatrice, or punquetto_, half a dozen taffata gowns, or sattin kirtles, in a pair or two of months; why, they are nothing." And in his "Poetaster," act iii. sc. 4: "--I would fain come with my _cockatrice_, one day, and see a play, if I knew when there were a good bawdy one." Again in Massinger's "City Madam," act ii. sc. 1: "----My fidlers playing all night The shaking of the sheets, which I have danced Again and again with _my cockatrice_." And in Dekker's "Belman of London," sign. B.: "Shee feedes uppon gold as the estredge doth upon iron, and drinks silver faster downe her crane-like throat, than an _English cockatrice_ doth Hiphocras." See also an extract from the "Gull's Horn Book," 1609, in Shakespeare, p. 83, edit. 1778. [357] Rustic meetings of festivity, at particular seasons, were formerly called _ales_; as Church-ale, Whitsun-ale, Bride-ale, Midsummer-ale, &c. Carew, in his "Survey of Cornwall," edition 1769, p. 68, gives the following account of the Church-ale; with which, it is most likely, the others agreed:--"For the church-ale, two young men of the parish are yerely chosen by their last foregoers, to be wardens; who, dividing the task, make collection among the parishioners, of whatsoever provision it pleaseth them voluntarily to bestow. This they imploy in brewing, baking, and other acates, against Whitsontide; upon which holydayes the neighbours meet at the church-house, and there merily feede on their owne victuals, contributing some petty portion to the stock; which by many smalls, groweth to a meetly greatnes; for there is entertayned a kinde of emulation betweene these wardens, who by his graciousnes in gathering, and good husbandry in expending, can best advance the churches profit. Besides, the neighbour parishes at those times lovingly visit one another, and this way frankely spend their money together. The afternoones are consumed in such exercises as olde and yong folke (having leysure) doe accustomably weare out the time withall."----In the subsequent pages, Carew enters into a defence of these meetings, which in his time had become productive of riot and disorder, and were among the subjects of complaint by the more rigid puritans. For an account of _Maid Marian_, see Mr Tollet's Dissertation at the end of the "First Part of Henry IV." [But see both subjects copiously illustrated in "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," i. 156, _et seq._] ACT V., SCENE I. _Enter +Lorenzo+, +Mocinigo+, +Æmilia+, and +Lucretia+._ +Lor.+ Now, Signor Mocinigo, what haste requires your presence?