"the firft-born of the land of Egypt shall die, " from the firft-born of Pharaoh, that fitteth up on his throne, even unto the firft-born of the "maid fervant, that is behind the mill, and "all the first-born of beasts." Sc. 7. P. 324. Call me not fool, till heaven hath sent me fortune.] Alluding to the proverbial fentence. "Fortune favours fools," or fools have the best luck. Fortuna favet fatuis. See Ray's Proverbial sentences, p. 14T. Ben Johnson in Every man out of his bumour, act 1. fc. 2, calls the man whom fortune favours, the periphrafis of a fool. Sc. 8. p. 326. Enter Orlando, with his fword drawn, Orl. Forbear, and eat no more. Jaqu. Why, I bave eat none yet. Orl. Nor fhalt thou till neceffity be ferv'd.] "Nor fhalt not." Folio 1632, and Sir Tho. Hanmer. An allufion to the proverb, Neceffity has no Law. Ανάγκη ἐδὲ θεὸν μάχονται. La neceffita non ha legge. Ital. Ingens telum neceffitas. Cic. de amicitiâ. Erafmi Adag. chil. 2. cent. 3. prov. 40. Ray's Proverbs, p. 181. Gamelyn, and Adam le Spenfer were in great diftrefs, after they escaped from the malicious intentions of Gamelyn's eldest brother. Coke's Tale of Gamelyn, 1216, &c. "Lete we now this, false knight "Lie in his mochill care, "And tellè we of Gamelyn, "And lokè how he fare, "Game "Gamelyn into the wild wode, "Tho Adam fwore to Gamelyn "To ben a Difpencer: "That muchè levire me werin "The kayis for to bere, "Than walkin in this wildè wode, "My Clothis all to tere. "Adam feidè young Gamelyn "Dismayè the right noght, "For many a gode mann'is child "In carè is ybrought "And they thus in the wode ftodin "Ytalkin both in fere, "Adam herdè talking of men, "And nigh them thought they were. "Tho Gamelyn undir the wild "Wodè lokid aright, "Full fevin fcore of yongè men "He faw right wel ydight; "Allè were fattè at their mete "In a compas about "Adam, tho feidè Gamelyn, "Now havin ye no doute, "For aftir balè comith bote, [bale, forrow, bote, ease] "Thorough Godd'is grete might, "Adam le Difpencer lokid "Tho undir wodè bows "And whan that he the metè faugh "Tho he was glad enowe "For now he hopid unto God "For to havin his dele, “And he was full fore alongid "After a godè mele; "Anon, as he seidè that word, "Lo! yongè men, feide the maiftir "Arifith up quick yongè men ' Up they ftertin quik at that word "Sevin fro the dinnere, "And they mettin with Gamelyn, "And Adam Difpencere "Whan that they werin ney to them, “ Than seidè thus that one, “Yeldith up to us yongè men "Your bowis, and your stone. N [bade] "" Then "Then feidè to them Gamelyn "That yongè was of elde, "Full mochil forow mote they have, "That unto you shall yelde. Grete might was in his arme, 1 "And forthi there was none of them [forthi, "That wolde don him harme. [nowithstanding] "But feide unto Gamelyn 66 Right mildily and ftill, "Comith aforin our maiftir "And fay to him thy will. 66 Yonge man feidè Gamelyn Upon your leaute, [leaute, loyalty, truth] "Tellith what man your maistir is, "Which that ye with ybe. "Tho alle they answerid him "He woll geve us both mete and drink, "And doin us fome gode. "By "By Seintè Fame feide Adam tho, "What harme fo that I gete, "I will adventure me to the "Dore that I had mete. "Tho Gamelyn and Adam both "And they both grete the maiftir, "That may not walk in toune.. "Sire, we walkè not here in wodes "Non harme for to do, "But if peradventure we mete "A dere, to fhete thereto, "As meine that bin right-hungry, [meinè, men] "And now no metè find, "And very hardè ben bitad "Under the wode lynd: "Of Gamelyn'is wordis tho "The maiftir hadde routhe "And feide to them ye fhall have "Inow, have God my trouthe; "Anon he badde them fittin Downe, for to take rest, "And badde them etin and drink, "And that too of the best. |