INTRODUCTION. THE following curious satirical poem is reprinted from an unique copy in black-letter, but unfortunately imperfect at the beginning, in the Garrick Collection, British Museum. It was printed by Wynkyn de Worde without date, but in all probability soon after the accession of Henry the Eighth, and presents a curious and graphic picture of the habits and morals of the lower classes of society in the latter part of the reign of the preceding monarch. The idea of summoning together persons of all trades and callings to join the "Bote" under the guidance of Cock Lorell, was probably suggested by Sebastian Brandt's "Shyp of Folys," which was then becoming popular in England, having been translated by Alexander Barclay, and printed by Richard Pynson, at the beginning of the sixteenth century. In selecting the hero of his tale, the author has chosen a well-known character living at the vi time of its publication, and whose name alone was sufficient to insure its success. Cock Lorell appears to have been a notorious vagabond, and the head of a gang of thieves which infested London and its vicinity during the period above alluded to. In Samuel Rowlands' "Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell, his Defence and Answere to the Belman of London," 4to. 1610, he is enumerated second in a list of rogues by profession, and is thus described :-" After him, succeeded by general councell, one Cocke Lorrell, the most notorious knave that ever lived: by trade he was a tinker, often carrying a panne and a hammer for show: but when he came to a good booty, he would cast his profession in a ditch, and play the padder, and then would alway, and as hee past through the towne, crie 'Ha you any worke for a tinker?' To write of his knaveries it would aske a long time: I referre you to the old manuscript remayning on record in Maunders' Hall. This was he that reduced and brought in forme the Catalogue of Vagabonds, or Quarterne of Knaves, called the five and twentie Orders of Knaves: but because it is extant, and in every mans shop, I passe them over. ***This Cocke Lorrell continued among them longer than any of his predecessours before him, or after him, for he ruled almost two and twentie yeares, until the yeare An. Dom. 1533, and about the five and twenty yeare of K. Henry the Eight." Rowlands, in naming our hero as the compiler of "the Catalogue of Vagabondes," alludes to a tract printed, (and probably written), by John Awdely in 1565 and again in 1575. The title as it appears in the second edition, preserved in the Bodleian Library, is so curious that we quote it entire: "The Fraternitye of Vacabondes; as wel of ruflyng Vacabondes, as of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their proper names and qualities. With a description of the crafty company of Cousoners and Shifters. Whereunto also is adioyned the xxv Orders of Knaues, otherwyse called a Quartern of Knaues Confirmed for euer by Cocke Lorell. The Vprightman speaketh. "Our Brotherhood of Vacabondes, If you would know where dwell; In graues end Barge which seldome standes, Cocke Lorell aunswereth. Some orders of my Knaues also In that Barge shall ye fynde; Imprinted at London by John Awdely, dwellynge in little Britayne Streete withoute Aldersgate, 1575. viii A particular description of this tract, by the Rev. Dr. Bliss, may be seen in Sir Egerton Brydges' "British Bibliographer," vol. ii. p. 12, and a further notice in the Appendix to the Doctor's excellent edition of Bishop Earle's "Microcosmography," 8vo. 1811. It was reprinted in 1813 by Mr. Machell Stace. Cock Lorell is again mentioned in a satirical poem in black letter, without date or printer's name, in the Bodleian Library, called "Doctour Double Ale.” "I hold you a grota In cocke lorels bota." The Rev. Mr. Hartshorne (Ancient Metrical Tales, p. 243), not being aware perhaps of the allusion, misprinted it cocke losels bota. Mr. Collier, who pointed out the above mistake, says "the only other mention of Cock Lorels Bote, that I remember, is in John Heywood's "Epigrams upon three hundred proverbs," 1566. 66 A BUSY BODY. He will have an ore in every man's barge. The name of this distinguished rogue appears to have been well known at a much later period. |