of Huarte's Trial of Wits, 1594, there is a curious chapter concerning the three souls, “vegetative, sensitive, and reasonable." FARMER. 160. They sing a catch.] This catch is lost. JOHNSON. A catch is a species of vocal harmony to be sung by three or more persons; and is so contrived, that tho' each sings precisely the same notes as his fellows, yet, by beginning at stated periods of time from each other, there results from the performance a harmony of as many parts as there are singers. Compositions of this kind are, in strictness, called Canons in the unison ; and as properly, Catches, when the words in the different parts are made to catch, or answer each other. One of the most remarkable examples of a true catch is that of Purcel, Let's live good honest lives, in which immediately after one person has uttered these words, "What need we fear the Pope?" another in the course of his singing fills up a rest which the first makes with the words, "The Devil." The catch above-mentioned to be sung by Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and the Clown, from the hints given of it, appears to be so contrived as that each of the singers calls the other knave in turn; and for this the clown does not mean to apologize to the knight, when he says, that he shall be constrained to called him knave. I have here subjoined the very catch, with the musical notes to which it was sung in the time of Shakspere, and at the original performance of this comedy. A 3 voc. ? Hold thy peace and I pree thee hold thy peace Thouknave, thou knave: hold thy peace thou knave. The evidence of its authenticity is as follows: There is extant a book entituled " PAMMELIA, Musick, Miscellanie, or mixed varietie of pleasant Roundelays and delightful catches of 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. parts in one.” Of this book there are at least two editions, the second printed in 1618. In 1609 a second part of this book was published with the title of DEUTROME'LIA, and in this book is contained the catch above given. SIR J. HAWKINS. -a Cataian, -] It is in vain to seek 164. the precise meaning of this term of reproach. I have attempted already to explain it in a note on the. Merry Wives of Windsor. I find it used again in Love and Honour, by Sir W. Davenant, 1649: "Hang him, bold Cataian." STEEVENS. 165.-Peg-a-Ramsey,-] I do not understand. Tilly vally was an interjection of contempt, which Sir Thomas More's lady is recorded to have had very often in her mouth. JOHNSON. "Of her also he meant it when in his bookes of comfort-in Tribulation he telleth of one who would rate her husband, because he had no mind to set himself forward in the world, saying unto him, Tillie vallie, Tillie vallie: will you sit and make goslings in the ashes; my mother hath often say'd unto me, it is better to rule than to be ruled. Now in truth, answered Sir Thomas, that is truly said, good for I never yet found you willing to be ruled.". Life of Sir Thomas More, by T. M. HENLEY. wife; In Durfey's Pills to purge Melancholy, is a very obscene old song, entitled Peg-a-Ramsay. See also Ward's Lives of the Professors of Gresham College, p. 207. PERCY. Tilly valley is used as an interjection of contempt in the old play of Sir John Oldcastle; and is likewise a character in a comedy intituled Lady Alimony. Nash mentions Peg of Ramsay among several other ballads, viz. Rogero, Basilino, Turkelony, All the flow ers ers of the Broom, Pepper is black, Green Sleeves, Peggie Ramsie. It appears from the same author, that it was likewise a dance performed to the musick of a song of that name. STEEVENS. Peg-a-Ramsey] Or Peggy Ramsey, is the name of some old song; the following is the tune to it: Peggy Ramsey. SIR J. HAWKINS. 365. Three merry men we be.] Is likewise a fragment of some old song, which I find repeated in Westward Hoe, by Decker and Webster, 1607; and by Beaumont and Fletcher in The Knight of the Burning Pestle : "Three merry men "And three merry men "And three merry men be we.” Again, in The Bloody Brother, of the same authors: "As ever did sing, three parts in a string, Again in Ram-alley, or Merry Tricks, 1611 :. STEEVENS. -three merry men we be.] This is a conclusion common to many old songs. One of the most humorous that I can recollect is the following: "The wise men were but seaven, nor more shall "The muses were but nine, the worthies three times three; "And three merry boyes, and three merry boyes, and three merry boyes are wee. "The vertues they were seven, and three the greater bee; "The Cæsars they were twelve, and the fatall sisters three, "And three merry girles, and three merry girles, and three merry girles are wee." There are alehouses in some of the villages in this kingdom, that have the sign of the Three Merry Boys: there was one at Highgate in my memory. SIR J. HAWKINS. -three merry men be we.] May, perhaps, have been taken originally from the song of Robin Hood and the Tanner, Old Ballads, vol. I. p. 89. "Then |