102
NOTES AND QUEEIES. [io s. v. FEB. 10,
reputation of being one of the ablest
preachers of his time. He died in 1612.
Besides the work now under consideration,
Moreri mentions that Fonseca wrote a * Life
of Christ' and a treatise on 'The Love of
God,' and suggests that he wrote others
which are not specified. As stated above,
he also produced a work on ' The Parables.'
The treatise on 'The Love of God' was
translated into English by Sir George Strode,
and published in 1652. It may be noted that
John Spencer, in his excellent collection of
4 Things New and Old,' 1658, frequently quotes
from these ' Devout Contemplations.'
James Mabbe, the translator, is now gene- rally accepted as having been the author of the commendatory lines in the Shakespeare Folio, 1623, subscribed "I. M." He was born in 1572, and matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford, taking his M.A. degree on 17 October, 1598. He accompanied Sir John Digby when he went as ambassador to Madrid in 1611, and on his return in 1613 was made one of the lay prebendaries of Wells. It will have been noticed, in the dedication quoted above, that he subscribes himself "Don Diego Pvede Ser." This was a pseudonym for "James May-be" ; and in his translation of Cervantes's ' Exemplarie Novells,' 1640, he subscribes himself in the same way. I may further state that Mabbe was also the translator of * The Rogue ; or, the Life of Guzman de^Alfarache,' 1622. He died about 1642.
It would be out of place to say anything here regarding the author's religious opinions and beliefs. I may, however, remark that the discourses are all eminently practical, and give the impression that the preacher must have been a man of a somewhat austere temperament. One of his epigrammatic sayings is and if this were the place a goodly number might be quoted "Salt in a Preacher is more necessary than Sugar," and of the former commodity he seems to have had more than enough in his mental consti- tution. Let me also say that, saving for a chance reference here and there, we might take Fonseca to have been one of those de- vout spirits who belonged to that great com- munion of which John Donne, George Her- bert, and Richard Hooker were members.
In the following passage we have a refer- ence to the fine old comedy entitled Slack Drums Entertainment' (not "Tom" as in the text), first published in 1601. The text of 1616 will be found reprinted in the excel- lent collection formed by the late Mr. Richard Simpson, and known as 'The School of Shakespeare' (vol. ii. p. 125):
"Martial said of Homer That if he brought
nothing along with him but the Muses, hee should
haue Tom Drummes' entertainment, and be shut
out of doores." P. 277.
Here is one of those touches which make the whole world kin (p. 39) :
"But the impatient man when the coller fits closer to his neck than he would haue it, thrusts m his fingers betweene, to stretch it wider and make it more easie."
A disciple of Walton will appreciate this illustration (p. 109) :
" Theirs are like fishing rods, which when the fish bite not, continue strait right, but if they nibble neuer so little at the bait, presently bow and bend.
Perhaps it is not a new point in Scriptural exegesis, but our author does not hesitate to hint that the Patriarch Job was afflicted with the gout (p. 168): "lob calleth the Gout, a paire of Stockes."
The following collection of quaint and pro- verbial phrases I noted in reading the book, and I trust they may prove of interest :
"He made another statue of gold from top to toe. P. 2.
"The Lyon preyes not vpon children and women, nor the Eagle vpon the lesser birds, nor your Irish Greyhounds vpon Shepheards curs nor foisting hounds. P. 6.
"That they that were publike & scandalous burners did present themselues in a kind of soutage or coarse Sacke-cloath before the Bishop." P. 9.
"Nazareth (which was the place where our bauiour had beene bred vp) tooke it in such dudgeon." P. 23.
" But when the enemie comes vpon them, more fearful than hares, and betake them to their heeles." P. 25.
"lob complaineth,That his seruants would haue eaten him piecemeale." P. 25.
" There is no Colliriuni that so opens the eyes of the soule, as miserie and trouble." P. 27.
"Not like the Archisynagoguian, who desired him, That he would lay his hand vpon his daughter." P. 37.
'The Ribond or bend of Saluation, wherewith the bloud is stanched." P. 39.
"As a Lieger-booke of Laws and Statutes."
"Dauids souldiers fingers itcht, and would faine haue set vpon Saul, when they had him cub'd vp in the caue." P. 46.
"Your Bookes of Duell haue their eccho ; the lye must be returned with a boxe on the eare ; a boxe on the eare will require a bastonadoing ; a bastonadoing the vnsheathing of the Sword, and the Sword death." P. 50.
"But because their end was not to play bo-peepe with the Deuill, and to goe about to mocke him, but to serue their God, and to enjoy his favour, they did not care a fig for all his temptations."
'The Deuill now thought himselfe cocke-sure." P. 80. " And therefore, bee it by hooke or by crooke."
