LXXXVIII. Our Bonny-boots could toot it, yea and foot it; In all works illustrative of antiquity, I have a great aversion to conjectures and guesses upon any subject; for this reason, that, owing to the indisposition of most people to use their own judgment and examine the matter for themselves, much comes in the course of time to be considered as fact which in reality is mere assertion, unsupported by proof. As, however, everything seems to be conjecture with regard to Bonny-boots, I suppose I must hazard one like the rest. Well, as you guess? Why, I guess with every one else that Bonny-boots was a nickname of some gallant high in favour with the lady Oriana (Queen Elizabeth), and if I understand the two foregoing Madrigals rightly, that he had recently died. If this inference be granted, the conjecture that the Earl of Essex was the individual, falls at once to the ground, for he was not beheaded till 1601, and the title page of Morley's work bears date 1597. The name occurs twice in The Triumphs of Oriana: "Thus Bonny-boots the birth-day celebrated "Of her his lady dearest, "Fair Oriana, which to his heart was nearest." And again, "For Bonny-boots, that so aloft could fetch it, This affords good circumstantial proof that some of the * Vide No. CVI. Madrigals in the above-named collection were written at periods considerably antecedent to their publication in 1601; but more of this in the proper place. 66 It has frequently struck me with reference to the line, Say, lusty lads, who now shall bonny-boot it?" that the term in question might have been the customary appellation of the foreman or principal dancer in the Morisco, but I find nothing in any of the descriptions of that dance to bear me out in the supposition. That there was a leader who was a greater man than his comrades appears from the old play of the "Blind Beggar of Bethnal-green;" wherein it is said of some one "that he hath a cloak laid "on with gold lace, and an embroidered jerkin, and thus "he is marching hither like the Foreman of a Morrice." As for Sir J. Hawkins's notion that this personage might have been one Mr. Hale, a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, who sang before the Queen at a solemn tilt in 1591, it is too absurd to be for a moment entertained. My own opinion is that the real Simon Pure is likely to remain for ever undiscovered; and so he may for me! Before quitting this subject, I will venture to throw out a random suggestion for a derivation of the word Bonnyboots. In Spenser's Shepherd's Calendar is the following Bellibone and Bonnibel signify a pretty young damsel, from the French belle et bonne. May not the words bon et beau have been corrupted into Bonny-boots, as a term for a handsome fellow? This idea may seem too far-fetched, but still it is worth noticing. F 66 LXXXIX. Love's folk in green arraying, And said, good mistress, sith you Will needs thither, have with you. "The Commentators on the word Barley-break" (says Gifford in a note on Massinger, vol. i. 104.) "pile parallel passages one upon another, without explaining what the pastime was." I cannot, however, say that his own explanation is much more luminous than that of the parallel passages. The most minute description is in The Arcadia of Sir P. Sidney, Book I. from which it appears to have been a game played by three couples appointed by lot to three stations: those in the middle station, called Hell, had to catch the others in their passage across the infernal region. A short extract will serve to show how the sport commenced : "Then couples three be straight allotted there; They of both ends the middle two do fly : “The two that in mid place (Hell called) are, "That they as well as them Hell may supply: 66 (Like some which seek to salve their blotted name "With others blot, till all do taste of shame.) "There may you see, soon as the middle two "Do coupled towards either couple make, * In modern copies Love's folk has been altered to The Nymphs. 66 They false and fearful, do their hands undo: 66 If I understand rightly the remainder of Sir P. Sidney's description, which is rather confused; the couple pursued having, as stated in the above lines, loosed their hands in order to provide for their individual safety, endeavoured to make for the opposite couple, the lady to the gentleman, and the gentleman to the lady. If either were caught in the interim, he or she and the individual of the other couple who ought to have rendered assistance, were condemned to Hell in the next Barley-break. There are many varieties and modifications of the game in different parts of the country. In Scotland it is still called "Barla-bracks about the stacks," and played by young people in a corn-yard. A stack is fixed upon as the Dule, or goal, and one person is appointed to catch the rest of the company, who run out therefrom. He does not leave it till they are all out of sight; then he sets off to catch them. Any one who is taken cannot run again with his former associates (being accounted a prisoner), but is obliged to assist his captor in pursuing the rest. When all are taken the game is finished; and he who is first taken is bound to act as catcher in the next game. Vide Jamieson's Etym. Dict. In Sir J. Suckling's poems is an allegorical game at Barley-break, played by Love, Reason, and Hate, with Folly, Fancy, and Pride for mates. "Love, Reason, Hate did once bespeak "And Hate consorts with Pride; so dance they. "Love coupled last, and so it fell, "That Love and Folly were in Hell." The writer of the Annalia Dubrensia, A.D. 1636, seems to have had a bad opinion of such like country sports, for dancing is a Jezabel "And Barley-break the ready way to Hell." The etymology of the word is nowhere attempted; it may very possibly be a corruption. XC. Love took his bow and arrow, And then his mother cried: Oh! how am I appayed! My bird is dead; and now my boy is strayed! I do not quite understand the meaning of this practical joke of Mr. Cupid. XCI. Lo! where with flow'ry head, Ev'n weeping lightsome, * Venus is sometimes represented drawn by a team of sparrows. |