“There came a felowe “Ben Jonson, owing on a tyme in to a a landlord some money, tauerne, and called for kept away from his meate. So, whan he house. The vintner, had well dyned, the meeting him by chance, tauerner came to reken asked him for what and to haue his money, was owing to him; but to whom the felowe at the same time told sayde, he had no money, him, that if he would but I wyll, quod come to his house, and he, contente you with answer him four questions, songes. Naye, quod he would forgive the tauerner, I nede no him the debt. To this songes, I must haue proposal Ben very money. Whye, quod readily assented, and the felowe, if I synge at the time appointed a songe to your pleasure, waited upon the landlord, will ye nat than be who produced a bottle of contente? Yes, quod wine, and then put to him the tauerner. So he these questions: ‘First, began, and songe thre What pleases God? or foure balades, and Secondly, What pleases asked if he were the devil? Thirdly, pleased? No, sayde What best pleases the the tauerner. Than world? And lastly, he opened his pourse, What best pleases and beganne to synge me?’ ‘Well,’ says thus: Ben, directly: “‘Whan you haue dyned “‘God is best pleased make no delaye, when man forsakes his sin; But paye your oste, The devil’s best pleased and go your waye.’ when men persist therein; The world’s best pleased Dothe this songe please when you do draw good wine; you, quod he? Yes, And you’ll be best pleased marye, said the tauerner, when I pay for mine.’ this pleaseth me well. Than, as couenant “The vintner was so well was (quod the pleased with this impromptu felowe), ye be paide that he gave Ben a receipt for your vitaile. And in full for his debt, and so he departed, and treated him with a bottle wente his waye.” into the bargain.” The details, it will be at once observed, are slightly varied; but the germ is the same, and the truth appears to be, that a copy of the _Merry Tales_ had fallen in Jonson’s way, and that he wished to reproduce a drollery which tickled his fancy, and more or less suited his case. * * * * * To the same group may be thought to appertain Old Merrythought’s song in the _Knight of the Burning Pestle_:-- “For Jillian of Berry she dwells on a hill, And she hath good beer and ale to sell; And of good fellows she thinks no ill, And thither will we go now, now, now, And thither will we go now.