[83] See Steevens’s Shakespeare, 1793, x. 186. [84] Albion’s England, 1602, p. 121. It is part of the “Northerne man’s speech against the friers.” He adds: “At Baptis-day with ale and cakes bout bonfires neighbours stood, At Martle masse wa turnd a crabbe, thilke told of Roben Hood, Till after long time myrke, when blest were windowes, dares and lights, And pails were fild, and hathes were swept, gainst fairie elves and sprits: Rock and plow Mondaies gams . . . with saint-feasts and kirk-lights.” A very learned and ingenious gentleman conceives that the enumeration of characters in the passage quoted in the text belongs solely to the _May_, and has no relation whatever to the _morrise_. That the two games, however, though essentially distinct in their origin, got somehow or other blended together appears unquestionable. “As fit as a _morris_ for _May-day_” is one of the clown’s similes in _All’s well that ends well_ (act ii. scene 2). [85] “The word livery was formerly used to signify anything delivered; see the Northumberland Household Book, p. 60. If it ever bore such an acceptation at that time, one might be induced to suppose, from the following entries, that it here meant a badge, or something of that kind: 15 C. of leveres for Robin Hode 0 5 0 For leveres, paper and sateyn 0 0 20 For pynnes and leveres 0 6 5 For 13 C. of leverys 0 4 4 For 24 great lyvereys 0 0 4 We are told that formerly, in the celebration of May-games, the youth divided themselves into two troops, the one in winter livery, the other in the habit of the spring. See Brand’s Popular Antiquities, p. 261.” This quotation is misapplied. Liveries, in the present instance, are pieces of paper or sateyn with some device thereon, which were distributed for money among the spectators. So in a passage which will be shortly quoted from Jack Drum’s Entertainment: “Well said, my boyes, I must have my lord’s livory; what is’t? a May-pole?” See also Stubbs’s Anatomie of Abuses, 1583, sig. M. 2 _b_, and Skelton’s Don Quixote, part ii. chap. 22. [86] “Though it varies considerably from that word, this may be a corruption of orpiment, which was much in use for colouring the morris garments.” How orseden can be a corruption of orpiment is not very easy to conceive: it may as well be supposed to mean worsted or buckram. Mr. Steevens thinks that this _orseden_ is the _Arse-dine_ of old Joan Trash, in Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair, and means _flame-coloured paint_, used to _hobby-horses_. The four giants for the revived Midsummer shew at Chester, in 1668, were “to be cullered _tinsille arsedine_” (MSS. Har. 2150, fo. 373, b.) [87] “The friar’s coat was generally of russet, as it appears by the following extracts . . . .” The coat of this mock frier would, doubtless, be made of the same stuff as that of a real one.