wishes of the nation for issue on the marriage of their favourite King Charles II., on
his marriage with the Infanta of Portugal. I think it is not found in the Pepys
Collection.
(FF)Historical song, or ballad.] The English wordballadis evidently from the
French,balade, as the latter is from the Italianballata; which the Crusca Dictionary
defines,canzone, che si canto ballando,"A song which is sung during a dance." So
Dr. Burney [ii. 342], who refers to a collection ofBallettepublished by Gastaldi, and
printed at Antwerp in 1596 [iii. 226].
But the word appears to have had an earlier origin, for in the decline of the
Roman empire these trivial songs were calledbalisteaandsaltatiunculæ.Ballisteum,
Salmasius says, is properlyballistium. Gr.βαλλιστειον,[Ballisteion] "αρο τον βαλλιζω
... βαλλιστια [apo ton ballizo... ballistia] Saltatio... Ballistium igitur est quod
vulgo vocamusballet; nam inde deducta vox nostra."-- Salmas. Not. in Hist. Ang.
Scriptores, vi, p. 349.
In the Life of the Emperor Aurelian by Fl. Vopiscus may be seen two of these
ballistea, as slang by the boys skipping and dancing, on account of a great slaughter
made by the emperor with his own hand in the Sarmatic war. The first is,
"Mille, mille, mille decollavimus,
Unus homo mille decollavimus,
Mille vivat, qui mille occidit.
Tantum vini habet nemo
Quantum fudit sanguinis."The other was
"Mille Sarmatas, mille Francos
Selem et semel occidimus,
Mille Persas quærimus."
Salmasius (in loc.) shows that the trivial poets of that time were wont to form
their metre of Trochaic Tetrametre Catalectics, divided into distichs. [Ibid. p. 350.]
This becoming the metre of the hymns in the church service, to which the monks at
length superadded rhyming terminations, was the origin of the common trochaic
metre in the modern languages. This observation I owe to the learned author ofIrish
Antiquities, 4to.
(FF2)Little Miscellanies named Garlands, &c.] In the Pepysian and other libraries are
preserved a great number of these in black-letter, 12mo, under the following quaint
and affected titles, viz.,
- A Crowne Garland of Goulden Roses gathered out of England's Royal
Garden, &c., by Richard Johnson, 1512. [In the Bodleian Library.] 2. The Golden
Garland of Princely Delight.-- 3. The Garland of Good-will, by T. D. 1631.-- 4. The
Royal Garland of Love and Delight, by T. D.-- 5. The Garland of Delight, &c., by
Tho. Delone.-- 6. The Garland of Love and Mirth, by Thomas Lanfier.-- 7. Cupid's
Garland set round with Guilded Roses.-- 8. The Garland of Withered Roses, by
Martin Parker, 1656.-- 9. The Shepherd's Garland of Love, Loyalty, &c.-- 10. The
Country Garland.-- 11. The Golden Garland of Mirth and Merriment.-- 12. The
Lover's Garland.-- 13. Neptune's fair Garland.-- 14. England's fair Garland.-- 15.
Robin Hood's Garland.--16. The Maiden's Garland.-- 17. A Loyal Garland of Mirth
and Pastime.-- 18. A Royal Garland of New Songs.-- 19. The Jovial Garland, 8th edit. - --&c., &c., &c.