VVJTNEY WAKE:
VVItney is a towne neere Oxford whither divers Courtiers, and Officers of Oxford Gariſon went to the VVakes to bee merry, where they ſung and drank themſelves out of all their ſences, on the VVake day early in the morning, they went out of Oxford ſinging this ſong, taught them by Captaine Loyd their Poet as followeth.
At the meeting of the Courtiers and Cavaliers that had appointed to bee merry at VVitney Wake, Captaine LOYD ſung thus.
Then from Oxford ſinging this ſong, away they went over the Fields to VVitney to the Wakes.
Theſe Gallants being arived at VVitney; early in the morning, (with their traine from Oxford) where they had appointed certaine Morris-Dancers to meete them at the Wakes, as alſo ſeverall Muſitians with various ſorts of Muſicke, viz. the Country Fiders, a Taberer; a payre of bagge-Pipes, and an Harper, and being come to their quarters where they were reſolved to be merry, they firſt began to drink hard, but the Morris-Dancers,5 and the Muſick being ready to attend them, firſt of all began the Morris-Dancers to caper before them, with one who gave the Lords favour to divers Gentlemen that gave him ſome a ſhilling, ſome 6. ſome more, ſome leſſe, for the common ſtocke of the company, There were ſome 6. or 7. Country fellowes with Napkins, and Scarfes, and Ribons tyed about them, and bells at their knees, according to the manner of that ſport, and with them a Mayd-Marian, and two fooles, who fell a danſing and capering b•fore the Oxford blades, and made them ſport a good while.
The Song at the entry of the Morris-Dancers before them.
Then the Fool with his bawble fell to ſeverall ſports, and to tumbling, &c.
After that they had wearied both the Morris-Dancers, and themſelves too with this ſport, by which time they had well druke, they diſcharged them, and called for the Country Fidlers, and accordingly there entred foure Country fellows, with a Tenor a Meane, a Treble, and a Baſe, who having playd ſome time before them, and they having danced a while with ſome Country Laſſes, the Gallants called for dinner, and then called in an old Fidler and his boy to play to them, and ſing whilſt they were at dinner, after with Mr. Loyd, he acted his part as followeth.
The ſong upon the Fidler and his boy that plaid and ſung to them at Dinner at the VVakes.
This Song pleaſed them all well, and made them very merry.
In the middeſt of their Cups, they fell to very deboyſterous and profane diſcourſes, and in the Malignant oration of Heliconian liquer, they thought themſelves to be no ſmall fooles but after Dinner they being riſen, ſome of them tooke a nappe to recover a little of their ſences; but in the afternoone the reſt of the Maſque was ſhewne.
And accordingly there came in a poore fellow with his Taber and Pipe, and he fell to playing before them, and tells ſtrange ſtories in Rime-doggery, which made them to grinne a little one at another, for they were too much drunke to laugh hartily, and then Mr. Lloyd he acted his part and he falls to ſinging for he was ſtill to be the Poet and act his part as Jeſter upon them all.
The Song upon the man that plaid upon the Taber and Pipe.
But this ſport they are ſoone weary of, and therefore diſcharge him to be gone.
Then they called in the man with the Bagg-Pipes, who had a payre three times as big as thoſe which they uſe at Pallace Garden to play before the Beares with, for he had gotten a paire of Bag-pipes as bigge at thoſe that Arthur of Bradley uſed to play with in the North Country, when the young Fellowes and the Laſſes were wont to meet to dance to, under the green Trees, and then they cryed out oh brave Arthur of Bradley.
This man came in with his Bag-pipes, and there he went about his worke, and ſitting him downe upon a Stoole, to play he went, and pleaſed the Cavaliers and the Courtiers and the reſt that were at the Wakes wondrous well, and Mr. Lloyd ſung to them as followeth.
Mr. Loyds Song to the Bag-pipes.
They made ſport a long while with the Bag-pipes
Then there was a tall ſhag head Ruffen came in with a harpe to conclude the Muſique who plaid many ſeverall leſſons to them, both French, and Iriſh, as well as Engliſh, he plaid alſo a hone, a hone, and to him the Oxford Poet ſung this Leſſon.
After which the Harper, as the reſt were diſcharged, and the Maſque being ended, and the Oxford blades ſoundly fuddled, they fell to ſinging of Catches, and M. Lloid taught them a new Catch as followeth which they roared out to purpoſe.
EPILOGVE.
The VVitney Catch; or concluſion of the Maſque at Witney Wakes,
Some conſiderable addition all lines for concluſion.