_Clo._ Oh, he’s often forgotten, that’s no rule; but there is no _maid Marian_ nor _friar_ amongst them, which is the surer mark. _Coc._ Nor a _fool_ that I see.”—(_Tollet’s Memoir._) [96] Neither is any notice taken of them, where the characters of the morris-dance are mentioned, in _The Two Noble Kinsmen_, by Shakespeare and Fletcher. [97] This was a usual cry on occasions of mirth and jollity. Thus, in the celebration of St. Stephen’s day in the Inner-Temple hall, as we find it described in Dugdale’s Origines Juridiciales: “Supper ended, the constable-marshall ‘presenteth’ himself with drums afore him, mounted upon a scaffold, born by four men; and goeth three times round about the harthe, crying out aloud, A lord, a lord, &c. Then he descendeth and goeth to dance,” &c. (p. 156). [98] ――“’Tis meet we all go forth, To view the sick and feeble parts of France: And let us do it with no show of fear; No, with no more, that if we heard that England Were busied with a _Whitsun morris-dance_.” Shak. _K. Hen. V._, act ii. scene 4. [99] Perhaps also, Robin Hood and his party had never appeared in company with the morris-dancers but at one particular period, in the beginning of May, whereas we find that _Whitsuntide_ was no less devoted to the latter. [100] It must be confessed that no other direct authority has been met with for constituting _Robin Hood_ and _Little John_ integral characters of the morris-dance. That _Maid Marian_, however, and the _Frier_, were almost constantly such, is proved beyond the possibility of a doubt; and why or how they should become so, without Robin Hood, at least, is unaccountable. [101] This county would seem to have been famous for their exertions a couple of centuries ago. Will Kemp the player was a celebrated morris-dancer; and in the Bodleian Library is the following scarce and curious tract by him: “Kemp’s nine daies wonder performed in a daunce from London to Norwich. Containing the pleasure, paines and kind entertainment of William Kemp between London and that city in his late morrice. Wherein is somewhat set downe worth note; to reproove the slaunders spred of him, many things merry, nothing hurtfull. Written by himself to satisfie his friends. London, printed by E. A. for Nicholas Ling, 1600” 4to, b. l. On the title-page is a woodcut figure of Kemp as a morrice-dancer, preceded by a fellow with a pipe and drum, whom he, in the book, calls Thomas Slye his taberer.—See, in Richard Brathwayte’s Remains after Death, 1618, some lines “upon Kempe and his morice, with his epitaph.” [102] “On Monday [July 30] the morris-dancers of Pendleton paid their annual visit in Salford. They were adorned with all the variety of colours that a profusion of ribbons could give them, and had a very showy garland.”—_Star_, Aug. 9, 1792. [103] “Council Register, v. 1, p. 30.”