News from Bartholomew Fair.  

THose that will hear any London news,  
Where some be merry and some do muse:  
And who hath been at Bartholomew Fair.  
And what good stirring hath been there.  
Come but to me and you shall hear,  
For among the thickest I have been there.  
There double beer and bottle ale,  
In every corner had good sale.  
Many a pig and many a Sow,  
Many a jade and many a Cow,  
Canole rushes, Cloth, and leather,  
And many things came in together.  
Many a pound and penny told,  
Many a bargain bought and sold,  
And Taverns full in every place.  
And yet they say wine willbe scarce:  
And this was all the heavy news.  
That made the copper noses muse.  
For nose qui vivimus being there,  
Drank Rosa solis in the fair.  
And Libera nose called for Sack,  
For every nose was loath to lack.  
And when the cheer was at the best,  
And welcome given to every guest:  
Suddenly there came a Post,  
With weeping tears and told mine host:  
Be it known to all noses red,  
Nos maximus omnium is gone and dead.  
This is strange and this is true,  
Therefore mine host it belongs to you:  
And all that sell good Beer and Ale.  
To have regard unto my tale.  
And send unto the Vintners hall,  
Present word to warn them all.  
To make ready to his funeral.  
And bury him in a malmsey tun,  
For the good deeds that he hath done:  
For he was free of the old haunce,  
And much good wine procured from France,  
With Sack and sugar out of Spain,  
Whereby he did more noses gain,  
Under his banner for to be,  
Then all the noses that be free,  
and a very commodious nose had he,  
A long nose like a mazer,  
Of murrey colour in steed of azure.  
And he had a ripe and ready head  
And yet his nose was never red.  
But he bore such a majesty.  
To the copper noses company,  
He sent to Turkey and Candie,  
For Muscadel and good malmsey:  
And all in a ship called the Minion.  
Which did more good in my opinion,  
With many voyage that she made,  
For sack and sugar to the trade.  
That ship and the julian did more good  
To copper noses by the rood:  
Then all the ships that went abroad,  
And wheresoever they lay at road:  
There should you see red noses swarm,  
Like honey bees in a charm.  
But hearing of these tidings sad,  
The Can maker cried, as if he had been mad,  
O slicks and stones, briebats and bones,  
briars and brambles,  
Cooks shops and shambles,  
O fishers of Kent,  
Heycockes and bent,  
O cockatrices & herneshawes that in woods do dwell,  
O colliers of Croyden;  
O rustics of Roydon,  
O Devils of hell,  
O Pewterers and Tinkers,  
O Swearers and swinkers:  
O good ale drinkers,  
O honest Wooers,  
O painted whores,  
O Gravesend Barge,  
O honest George:  
O rhymers and ridlers,  
O Fencers and Fiddlers:  
O Tailors and tumblers,  
O joiners and jumblers,  
Whores and whoremongers:  
No● Maximus is dead,  
Yet we will have an Epitaph shall be read:  
Where many a thousand weeping eyes,  
Shall tipple for sorrow if they be wise.  
Let all that are free of coppersmiths hall,  
Make ready to his burial,  
And summon first, all good ale Drapers,  
To make them ready to carry tapers:  
And all noses that look black,  
Shall come mourning after with cups of sack  
Noses beaten black and blue.  
Shall drink claret wine, to change their hue  
Noses that be tawny like Tanners,  
Shall ring the bells, and carry the banners.  
Noses full of precious stones  
Shall coffin up his body and bones,  
Sencer noses all full of crags,  
Shall carry cakes in empty bags.  
Nose Scabiosus now and then,  
Shall carry sheep heads to spittlemen,  
And all noses that look pale,  
Shall serve poor folks with bottle ale.  
Nose Matrialis pray for those,  
That fain would have a better nose.  
Ne nose that hath no Nose at all,  
Shall broach the hogshead next the wall,  
Letifica nose the dirige shall sing,  
Laudate nose the books must bring:  
Beatus nose, shall make his grave,  
Because nose maximus the worms must have  
At his head shall lie a tun of Sack,  
Within his life he would not lack.  
And a butt of Malmsey at his feet,  
And a sugar loaf in his winding sheet:  
And three cups of bottle-ale standing by,  
To tipple for ever when he is dry.  
And to his burial there shall go,  
All manner of noses that can make any show,  
The Goldsmith's first and chief,  
The Copper-smiths next to give relief.  
The blacksmiths with their hammering trade.  
To see the tomb sufficiently made.  
The silversmiths if any will be,  
To give money to the poverty.  
And noses rich shall stand by his hearse.  
With this most lamentable verse.  
Here lieth nose maximus god of faces,  
That maintained noses in all places,  
With pearl, stones and rubies,  
Too good to give loobies:  
But such as love napping.  
While the good ale is tapping:  
Hang him at Wapping.  
That will not tipple and be merry,  
With a Nose red as a cherry:  
hay over the ferry,  
Into Bucklers berry,  
Where good men be dwelling,  
That have sugar selling:  
To make Claret wine,  
In the goblet to shine,  
And make noses fine,  
like thy nose and mine.  
But Nose abrannucio:  
To this burial shall not go.  
Nor Nose nihil valet,  
But Noses like Scarlet,  
And full of bay berries,  
And red cheeks as cherries.  
Let M. Sexton prepare to ring,  
And all our holy brothers sing.   

The Mass for his soul.  

Bibite multum,  
Esse sepultum,  
Sub pede stultum,  
Asinum et multum,  
The Devil kiss his lultum, Amen  
With hay ho rumbulo,  
Horum populorum, per omnia secula seculorum Amen.,  
Sepultus est among the weeds,  
God forgive him his misdeeds.  
jam jacet hic stark dead,  
Never a good tooth left in his head.  
Then let us take an other bowl,  
And every man sing for his soul.  
with Candle book and bell,  
We curse the beadles of Bridewell,  
And wish them all at the infernal pit of hell.  
Te rogamus audi nose.  
Sancta tui Genetrix,  
With a pair of Fiddling sticks,  
An old capcase, a cushion,  
A capon, a leg of mutton,  
And a Codpiece, Ora pro nobis,  
Forma mirabilis facies immutabilis,  
lux incomparabilis— Never a nose Domine▪  
From wine not the Ritum,  
But somewhat to Whitum.  
And omne finitum.- Never a nose Domine.  
But while the Post thus tarried here;  
Still walking up and down the Fair.  
There came out every where,  
Galiant gay noses there,  
Some came out off the cloth fair,  
Some were sellers of other ware.  
Some came out off the fair of Leather,  
And tippling houses altogether:  
That all the Fair began to shine,  
With the beauty of noses fine.  
But still the news came more and more,  
Even as the Post had said before:  
Whereupon at last they all agreed,  
To sell away their ware with speed,  
Against the election day should be,  
Who should be master then to see.  
For he was chosen long ago,  
By God Bacchus, as all men know.  
And now that he is gone and dead,  
Such a Company without a head.  
Would fall to ruin and decay,  
Therefore let be autious noses pray:  
To glorious Bacchus once again,  
To comfort nose defunctus his men.  
Then the Vintners which had the first view  
Stepped to the Gods and began to show:  
That old father Blevin lieutenant might be  
Of all the vine presses, in every degree.  
That they being Vintners, and live by their wines,  
Might have this suit granted to them for their coins.  
And if any one, claimed any custom by right,  
Under father Blevins' banner they should fight.  
And further the Vintners made this supplication,  
As here you may hear the manner and fashion.    

The Supplication.  

In most humble wise we beseech you and show,  
Unto your Godheads all in a row,  
The Vintners remaining in all kind of places,  
That whereas by maintaining of noses and faces:  
There hath been great sale and utterance of wine,  
Besides beer and ale, and hippocras fine:  
In every country, region, and nation,  
Chiefly at Billingsgate at the salutation,  
At the Boar's head, near London stone.  
The Swan at Dowgate, a tavern well known.  
The Mitre in Cheap, and then the Bull head,  
And many like places, that make noses red.  
The Boar's head in old fishstréet, three crane's in the vintrée,  
And now of late S martin's in the Sentree.  
The windmill in Lothbury, the ship at th' Exchange,  
King's head in new fishstréete, where roisters do range  
The Mermaid in Cornhill, Red-lion in the Strand,  
Three tuns Newgate market, old fish-street at the swan.  
Of late (may it please you) for want of good order,  
The colours are decayed in every good border:  
By such as intrude and seem to oppress,  
Forestall country markets with wines that be less  
They are great dealers in utterance of wine,  
And are but ale stealers, and put water in their wine.  
May it therefore please your godheads we may be be friended  
To have this disorder among them amended  
And grant we beseech you of mercy and pity,  
Your licence to our new master nose of this city,  
To apprehend, arrest, and take in all places,  
All manner of men, having mettle in their faces.  
And that every one arrested in this manner,  
Shall carry a pot under the Vintners banner.  
That if any man denay,  
Your licence to obey:  
Then while his nose is hot,  
We may ply him with the pot:  
And banish him his ale,  
And set his coat to sale:  
Till he hath protested, Good fellowship with the rest.  
God Bacchus as soon as he understood,  
Their earnest request, and all for his good,  
He presently granted with princely discretion,  
To good father Blevin a general commission▪  
The teneur whereof you may understand,  
Given under God Bacchus own hand.    

The Commission.  

Bacchus' the God of wi●es,  
With the consent of his concubines.  
Incensing fiery faces,  
Sends geéeting even,  
To old father Blevin,  
From the Almighty graces.  
That whereas there doth remain,  
In England, France, and Spain,  
Italy, Barbary, Turkey, and Candy,  
As goodly red noses and faces as can be.  
With purple & pumple to furnish the place,  
To set out the glory of the nose or the face.  
With colours most lusty and lively of hue:  
Crimson, violet, purple, and blew▪  
Which are commodious many a way,  
To lighten the dark ways for men gone astray  
And also to enrich the jewellers shops,  
With amber & pearl stones, that grow on nose tops.  
We have thought good of our priucely grace,  
Above all other thou having the place.  
To give thee authority under our seal,  
For the general good of every weal:  
Superior power over faces,  
In cities, and towns, Corporations, and places.  
In this good cause whatsoever thou do.  
Of our princely grace we mean to allow,  
Giving thee power to search among guests,  
In every tavern, at every mess.  
That those that have the richest faces,  
May be set in the highest places.   
Given at Candy, Among the good malmsey  

Under the shadow and shape of the vines,  
And sealed with the signet of our copper coins  
The same being granted, the Gods did agree,  
Then home came the Vintners so frank and so free.  
Such pot sale, and hot sale was made in all places,  
That up start the good ale in their noses and faces.  
And they that went thither pale as a clout,  
Came livelier home hither, then ever they went out.  
Which made them appoint a parliament day,  
To set their decrees at an excellent stay.  
When all Vintners would come in,  
The Parliament should begin:  
For then comes home, of every trade,  
Enough to see these orders made.  
But chiefly those that came from Candy,  
And bring us in true hearted malmcsey.  
And other good company,  
That I dare warrant ye:  
As butchers and bakers,  
Brewers and tanner's,  
innkeepers and graziers.  
And the Cornhill braziers.  
And old Custom enterers,  
And old merchant Uenturers,  
That from the old hance,  
Have noses that will dance.    


ANd when S. Martin's day was come,  
The day appointed of all and some.  
Especially such as were:  
The highest in the livery there:  
The whole house did soon agree,  
That malmsey nose should speaker be,  
Because they did perceive and see:  
That he had more strength to tell his tale,  
Then scurvy double beer or ale.  
And being on this merry pin.  
The first statute that came in:  
Was An act of Conformity,  
For the Copper noses company.  
Which the speaker very wisely,  
Did argue there precisely:  
Then shaghaird ruffian he stepped up,  
For he came lately from the cup,  
And swore it were not out off square,  
That it might be enacted there,  
That all noses wan or pale,  
That loved wine, beer, and ale.  
With a constant mind; and a merry heart,  
They should stick to the pot, and never part.  
And be made Denizens,  
Amongst us Citizens.  
The younger warden than spoke he,  
But he that will a denizen be,  
Must first of all compound with me.  
For I have authority under seal,  
To amend their noses a great deal:  
God forbid quoth the speaker else,  
But that officers that carry seals,  
Should have their fees and duties paid,  
Ere any Patents should be made.  
Then came there a statute in,  
Whereof the title did begin:  
A Statute of pre-eminence,  
To give red noses reverence.  
Against Barber-surgeons & Pothecaries which  
Decay many noses rich,  
With Guaycum drink and lignum vitae,  
Qui habetis nasos huc venite.  
With purges drugs, and pains,  
To dry away red veins:  
Disordering so the head,  
Whereby the nose is fed:  
There can no red juice remain,  
Which ne nose did maintain.  
To be marvelous good and necessary▪  
Nay quoth the house, by S. Mary:  
Let it rather be enacted,  
That noses putrifacted.  
With muscadine they shall be mended,  
Whereof the rheum ascended:  
So the nose will soon renive,  
And so the Vintners may quickly thrive:  
And if any Apothecary,  
Say or do contrary.  
It shall be felony in the fool,  
And so his nose will cool.    

Then came for good rule.  

Whereas at divers and sundry meetings,  
Many men are scornesull in their greetings.  
To laugh, and mock, and scoff at noses,  
With many filthy strange purposes:  
As painters, Imbrotherers, & such occupations  
Which say red noses take up their fashions,  
Be it enacted now therefore,  
As many as laugh at noses any more,  
Shall pay the shot,  
And lose the pot:  
For hindering noses that would be hot.  
And whereas at the last session of Parliament,  
By the vintners own consent,  
There was an act made, yet to be read,  
For the maintaining of noses red:  
Crimson, purple, and all other,  
To salute them like a loving brother.  
With a cup of wine when they come by,  
which the vintners perform but slenderly,  
Be it therefore enacted and made,  
By the authority aforesaid:  
That such as do use the vintners trade,  
And shall hereafter see any one pass,  
Hard by his door with copper or brass,  
In any part of his nose or his face.  
He shall fill him a quart and hie him apace,  
Strait ways to greet him,  
Assoon as they meet him,  
With a cup of good wine,  
To keep his colour fine,  
Upon pain that he shall lose,  
The custom of a copper nose,  
Provided always, that none come in clear,  
But show a red nose, once a year.  
And if any one chance,  
To claim the freedom of the old hance.  
Let his nose be ragged like a rock,  
Full of blue veins of an ancient stock.  
Enacted further let it be,  
If any Vintners see:  
Any man that hath little mottle in his face,  
So he have a good will to tipple apace.  
That he give him a pot or twain,  
It will come home double again.  
For the more men drink the more they may  
And that will be the ready way.  
To make a good nose of a bad,  
Whereof diligence had need he had.  
For if need require,  
A good red nose will serve a dier.  
To die of a lively hue,  
A crimson in grain,  
That never will stain:  
A purple or a blue.  
These gifts and many more,  
The very truth is so.  
Are given to good faces,  
Besides a merry heart,  
And a truth that will not start,  
From friends in friendly places.  
Then came the ale-drapers bill,  
Saying their drink was brewed very ill,  
With bromestalkes & bayberryes, the Devil and all:    
FINIS