, Oxon., in 1403.]
[Footnote 18: What is a 'woollen bagpipe'? See _Merchant_ IV, i, 55.]
The servant's second speech refers to the character of the words of
the popular ballads, which were too often coarse and even indecent.
'Love-songs' are quite a large class, frequently referred to. For
instance, _Two Gent._ II, i, 15.
_Val._ Why, how know you that I am in love?
_Speed._ Marry by these special marks.
First, you have learn'd ...
_To relish a love song_, like a robin-redbreast;
_Rom._ II, iv, 15.
_Mercutio._ 'Alas, poor Romeo! he is already dead;
... run thorough the ear _with a love-song_.'
besides the passage from _Twelfth Nt._ II, iii, quoted further on,
where Feste offers Sir Toby and Sir Andrew their choice between 'a
love-song, or a song of good life.'
The 'delicate burdens,' 'dildos and fadings,' 'jump her and thump
her,' are to be found in examples of the period. A Round of Matt.
White, 'The Courtier scorns the country clowns' (date about 1600) has
for its third and last line 'With a fading, fading, fading, fading,'
etc. 'Whoop, do me no harm' has already been spoken of.
In l. 214 of the _Winter's Tale_ passage, Perdita again takes
precaution against Autolycus using 'scurrilous words.'
From l. 285 to l. 327, the passage refers to a very interesting
department of 16th century singing--viz.
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