and some of
our ancient domestic pastimes and amusements are recorded:--

"Then is it pleasure the yonge maydens amonge
To watche by the fire the winters nightes long:
At their fonde tales to laugh, or when they brall
Great fire and candell spending for laboure small,
And in the ashes some playes for to marke,
To couer wardens [pears] for fault of other warke:
To toste white sheuers, and to make prophitroles;
And after talking oft time to fill the bowles."

He mentions some musical instruments:

" . . . . Methinkes no mirth is scant,
Where no reioysing of minstrelcie doth want:
The bagpipe or fidle to vs is delectable."

And the mercantile commodities of different countries and cities:--

"Englande hath cloth, Burdeus hath store of wine,
Cornewall hath tinne, and Lymster wools fine.
London hath scarlet, and Bristowe pleasaunt red,
Fen lands hath fishes, in other place is lead."

Of songs at feasts:--

"When your fat dishes smoke hote vpon your table,
Then layde ye songes and balades magnifie,
If they be mery, or written craftely,
Ye clappe your handes and to the making harke,
And one say to other, lo here a proper warke."

He says that minstrels and singers are highly favoured at court, especially
those of the French gise. Also jugglers and pipers.

The personal references throughout the Eclogues, in addition to those
already mentioned, though not numerous, are of considerable interest. The
learned Alcock, Bishop of Ely (1486-1500), and the munificent founder of
Jesus College, Cambridge, stands deservedly high in the esteem of a poet
and priest, so zealous of good works as Barclay. The poet's humour thus
disguises him.--(Eclogue I., A iii., recto.):--

"Yes since his dayes a cocke was in the fen,
I knowe his voyce among a thousande men:
He taught, he preached, he mended euery wrong;
But, Coridon alas no good thing bideth long.
He all was a cocke, he wakened vs from slepe,
And while we slumbred, he did our foldes hepe.
No cur, no foxes, nor butchers dogges wood,
Coulde hurte our fouldes, his watching was so good.
The hungry wolues, which that time did abounde,
What time he crowed, abashed at the sounde.
This cocke was no more abashed of the foxe,
Than is a lion abashed of an oxe.
When he went, faded the floure of all the fen;
I boldly dare sweare this cocke neuer trode hen!
This was a father of thinges pastorall,
And that w