XVII. The Frolicksome Duke, or the Tinker's Good Fortune....................................
The following ballad is upon the same subject as the Induction to Shakspeare's
Taming of the Shrew:whether it may be thought to have suggested the hint to the
dramatic poet, or is not rather of later date, the reader must determine.
The story is told of Philip the Good,[1] Duke of Burgundy; and is thus related
by an old English writer: "The said Duke, at the marriage of Eleonora, sister to the
King of Portugall, at Bruges in Flanders, which was solemnised in the deepe of
winter; when as by reason of unseasonable weather he could neither hawke nor hunt,
and was now tired with cards, dice, &c. and such other domestick sports, or to see
ladies dance; with some of his courtiers, he would in the evening walke disguised all
about the towne. It so fortuned, as he was walking late one night, he found a countrey
fellow dead drunke, snorting on a bulke; he caused his followers to bring him to his
palace, and there stripping him of his clothes, and attyring him after the court fashion,
when he awakened, he and they were all ready to attend upon his excellency, and
persuade him that he was some great Duke. The poor fellow admiring how he came
there, was served in state all day long: after supper he saw them dance, heard
musicke, and all the rest of those court-like pleasures: but late at night, when he was
well tipled, and again fast asleepe, they put on his old rodes, and so conveyed him to
the place where they first found hin. Now the fellow had not made them so good sport
the day before as he did now, when he returned to himself: all the jest was to see how
he looked upon it. In conclusion, after some little admiration, the poore man told his
friends he had seen a vision; constantly believed it; would not otherwise be persuaded,
and so the jest ended."-- Burton'sAnat. of Melancholy, pt. ii. sec. 2. memb. 4. 2d ed.
1624, fol.
This ballad is given from a black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection, which is
intitled as above. "To the tune ofFond Boy."
Now as fame does report a young duke keeps a court,
One that pleases his fancy with frolicksome sport:
But amongst all the rest, here is one I protest,
Which will make you to smile when you hear the true jest:
A poor tinker he found, lying drunk on the ground,
As secure in a sleep as if laid in a swound.
The Duke said to his men, "William, Richard, and Ben,
Take him home to my palace, we'll sport with him then."
O'er a horse he was laid, and with care soon convey'd
To the palace, altho' he was poorly arrai'd:
Then they stript off his cloaths, both his shirt, shoes and hose,
And they put him to bed for to take his repose.
Having pull'd off his shirt, which was all over durt,
They did give him clean holland, this was no great hurt:
On a bed of soft down, like a lord of renown,
They did lay him to sleep the drink out of his crown.
In the morning when day, then admiring he lay,
For to see the rich chamber both gaudy and gay.
Now he lay something late, in his rich bed of state,
Till at last knights and squires they on him did wait;