Fenner was so famed for his faculty of rhyming, that James, who, like Bartholomew Cokes, would willingly let no raree-show escape him, sent for him to court. Upon which Fenner added to his other titles that of his “Majesty’s Riming Poet.” This gave offense to Taylor, the Water poet, and helped to produce that miserable squabble printed among his works, and from which I have principally derived the substance of this note.’--G. ‘In Richard Brome’s _Covent Garden Weeded_ (circ. 1638), we have: “Sure ’tis Fenner or his ghost. He was a riming souldier.” (p. 42.)’--C. The controversy referred to may be found in the Spenser Society’s reprint of the 1630 folio of Taylor’s _Works_, 1869, pp. 304-325. Here may be gathered a few more facts regarding the life of Fenner (or Fennor as it should be spelled), among them that he was apprenticed when a boy to a blind harper. In the quarrel, it must be confessed, Fennor does not appear markedly inferior to his derider either in powers of versification or in common decency. The quarrel between the poets took place in October, 1614, and Fennor’s admittance to court seems to be referred to in the present passage. =1. 1. 95 a Sheriffes dinner.= This was an occasion of considerable extravagance. Entick (_Survey_ 1. 499) tells us that in 1543 a sumptuary law was passed ‘to prevent luxurious eating or feasting in a time of scarcity; whereby it was ordained, that the lord-mayor should not have more than seven dishes at dinner or supper,’ and ‘an alderman and sheriff no more than six.’ =1. 1. 96 Skip with a rime o’ the Table, from New-nothing.= What is meant by _New-nothing_ I do not know. From the construction it would seem to indicate the place from which the fool was accustomed to take his leap, but it is possible that the word should be connected with _rime_, and may perhaps be the translation of a Greek or Latin title for some book of _facetiae_ published about this time. Such wits as Fennor and Taylor doubtless produced many pamphlets, the titles of which have not been recorded. In 1622 Taylor brought out a collection of verse called ‘Sir Gregory Non-sense His Newes from no place,’ and it may have been this very book in manuscript that suggested Jonson’s title. In the play of _King Darius_, 1106, one of the actors says: ‘I had rather then my new nothing, I were gon.’ =1. 1. 97 his Almaine-leape into a custard.= ‘In the earlier days, when the city kept a fool it was customary for him at public entertainments, to leap into a large bowl of custard set on purpose.’--W. Whalley refers also to _All’s well that Ends Well_ 2. 5: ‘You have made a shift to run into it, boots and all, like him that leapt into the custard.’ Gifford quotes Glapthorne, _Wit in a Const._: The custard, with the four and twenty nooks At my lord Mayor’s feast.