1), Bianca, speaking of Desdemona's handkerchief, says
to Cassio: "This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work!
There, give it your hobby-horse." It seems also to have denoted a silly
fellow, as in "Much Ado About Nothing" (iii. 2), where it is so used by
Benedick.

Another character was Friar Tuck, the chaplain of Robin Hood, and as
such is noticed in the "Two Gentlemen of Verona" (iv. 1), where one of
the outlaws swears:

"By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar."

He is also represented by Tollet as a Franciscan friar in the full
clerical tonsure, for, as he adds, "When the parish priests were
inhibited by the diocesan to assist in the May games, the Franciscans
might give attendance, as being exempted from episcopal
jurisdiction."[660]

[660] See Drake's "Shakespeare and his Times," 1817, vol. i. p. 163.

It was no uncommon occurrence for metrical interludes of a comic
species, and founded on the achievements of the outlaw Robin Hood, to be
performed after the morris, on the May-pole green. Mr. Drake thinks that
these interludes are alluded to in "Twelfth Night" (iii. 4), where
Fabian exclaims, on the approach of Sir Andrew Aguecheek with his
challenge, "More matter for a May morning."

_Whitsuntide._ Apart from its observance as a religious festival,
Whitsuntide was, in times past, celebrated with much ceremony. In the
Catholic times of England it was usual to dramatize the descent of the
Holy Ghost, which this festival commemorates--a custom which we find
alluded to in Barnaby Googe's translation of _Naogeorgus_:

"On Whit-Sunday white pigeons tame in strings from heaven flie,
And one that framed is of wood still hangeth in the skie,
Thou seest how they with idols play, and teach the people too:
None otherwise than little girls with puppets used to do."

This custom appears to have been carried to an extravagant height in
Spain, for Mr. Fosbroke[661] tells us that the gift of the Holy Ghost
was represented by "thunder from engines which did much damage." Water,
oak leaves, burning torches, wafers, and cakes were thrown down from the
church roof; pigeons and small birds, with cakes tied to their legs,
were let loose; and a long censer was swung up and down. In our own
country, many costly pageants were exhibited at this season. Thus, at
Chester, the Whitsun Mysteries were acted during the Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday in Whitsun week. The performers were carried fr