A new fairing for the merrily disposed:, or, The comical history of the famous Merry Andrew.: W. Phill---. ; Giving an account of his pleasant humours, various adventures, cheats, frolicks, & cunning designs both in city and country.
About this Item
- Title
- A new fairing for the merrily disposed:, or, The comical history of the famous Merry Andrew.: W. Phill---. ; Giving an account of his pleasant humours, various adventures, cheats, frolicks, & cunning designs both in city and country.
- Author
- Phillips, William.
- Publication
- London :: Printed by J. Wallis, and sold by most book-sellers,
- 1688.
- Rights/Permissions
-
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- Subject terms
- Quacks and quackery -- England
- Fairs -- England
- England -- Social life and customs
- Cite this Item
-
"A new fairing for the merrily disposed:, or, The comical history of the famous Merry Andrew.: W. Phill---. ; Giving an account of his pleasant humours, various adventures, cheats, frolicks, & cunning designs both in city and country." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A90667.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 21, 2024.
Pages
Page 1
THE INTRODUCTION TO THE READER.
IF Merriment and Good Humour have their share in thy Composition, I here present thee with an Entertainment whol••y J••cose, which will tickle thy Spleen, yet raise no rebellious Passions with the most passionate Expressions; but lest the biting of this Tarantula should make thee Dye with Laughter, I have introduced a Crowder whose Harmonious Phancies are able to allay thy most Ex∣travegant Mirth. The Subject of this Discourse was a Person who had Mercury for his Ascendant in Conjunction with Venus, which render'd him Witty and Amorous, whose Power influenc'd his whole Life with the constant Intrigues of Love and Design.
Page 2
He was the famous DROLL of his Time, whose Reputation since has given Name to all his Successors, and will Flourish in the World till Shows are out of date, and Bartholomew-Fair it self swallowed up in Oblivion. His part was to Act, whilst they who thought themselves wiser Men, only played the Fool. His Name is called Merry Andrew, I here give no Account of his Genealogy ••…••…r do I know what Relation he had to a Saint of that Name, more than that as you find in the following Account, he never quitted a Place but he left a Cross behind him.
As to the other Excellencies of his parts, besides his Wit, I can say little to 'em, though I believe him not unskilful in Politicks, by the several Doubles he makes through the whole Course of his Adventures; and had he Liv'd in the Age when Caligula made bis Horse a Consul, he could not have missed of Secretary of State.
I must Confess here are no eminent displayes of bis Courage, though I believe it was keen as Mustard, of which we should not have wanted some proofs, had he lived in a Country as fertile in Giants as other Re∣gions are faim'd: For he was a Tarlton upon the Stage, Roscius in his Mimicks, in his plots a Guz∣man, and if the first Inventor of a Rat-Trap by the Cathinthians, had an Obelesk erected to his memory, his great Efforts of Wit deserved a Pyramid for his Monument. In short, he was a Person of 〈…〉〈…〉
Page 3
those prodigious Parts that I question whether the Wit of Ten Men could compose a Foole like him.
I shall be no longer thy Remora from Enjoying this great Cargoe of Wit and Humour, but take Leave in his Common Phrase of Invitation:
Pray Gentlemen walk in, for now we are ready to begin.