Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-20
THE OLD FALCON TAVERN.
a ConyiviaI Evening with Shakespeare
aud Ben. Johnson.

~ doubt not, :" said Stow. that we have
I here-'tis the Falcon Tayern-a company
of wits and poets and players. Let US tarry
but the drinking of a single flask. IL may
be, unless their tongues are more free
than IS seemingly, that We shall be re-
warded."
The Falcon Inn stood at the western end
of Bank Side, at the head of the Falcon
stairs In front a small garden stretched
out toward the river Part of the garden
was an arbOr, formed 10y vine raised on
poles, so as TO form a roof Of leaves. Here
was a table placed, and round the table q
| company Of ten or dozen. At the head
of the table was young gentleman richly
dressed. Behind him stood two servants.
At his right sat man Of about thirty, of
large frame and already corpulent, his
brown hair short and curly, his beard cut
short, his eyes sinCularly bright.
Its Ben. JonsOn,' whispered STOW.
Let us sit here. without the arbor, so
| that We can drink and listen. Ben. IS but
lately out of prison, where he was cast for
writing reflections on the Scottish nation.
Twas said that he would lose his ears and
have his nose slit, but the King showed
mercy. He at the head of the
table is some young nObleman, patron OF
poets. but alas, / live now so retired that
| | know not his name. On the left OF HIM
is William Shakespeare, whom some think
a better poet than Ben.-a quiet man, who
saws little. ] have seen him here before.
Twas he wrote the piece we have seen
tins day. He has a share IN the Theatre
of B.ackfriars. Burbage, the actor, sits
next 10 Shakespeare, and then Alleyn and
| Hemvng opposite, and Henslowe. And
there Is john MarstOn, another poet"
Alleyn it was who held the guitar. At
this time he was in the prime OF ire, not
vet FORTY his face full of mobility and
D 81. 10
over the notes, and then began TO sing IN
clear, high voice:
"'Twas that paid for all things;
Twas others drank the vine.
j cannot now recall thlng5i
Live but q fool 10 pine.
Twas that beat the bush;
The bird 10 others heg!
For she, alas! for she, alas hath left me.
talerO-lerO-lO0!
.,If ever that Dame Nature
(FOr this false lovers sake)
Another pleasant creature
Like unto her would make,
Let her remember this:
10 make the other twice.
For this, alas for this, alas hath left me
falerJ-lero-loO!
"No riches now can raise me,
No want make me despair;
No misery amaze nae,
Nor yet for want care.
have lost Il world itself;
Ny earthly heaven, adieul
Since she, alas since she, alas hath left me.
FaerO--lerO-loOl
"Sir.p said the young gentleman, otis
an excellent song, well sung. l drink your
health"
This he did, rising, and very courteous
Now in the talk that followed observed
that while the players amused by relating
anecdotes, Ben. JonsOn made laughter
by what ho said, speaking IN language
which belongs 10 scholars and 70 books,
and that Shakespeare sat Tor the most
part in silence, yet not IN the silence OF
blockhead IN the presence OF wits, ana
when he spoke II WAS TO the purpose. Also,
| remarked that the guitar passed from
hand TO hand, and that every body could
play and sing and that the boldness OF the
talk showed the freedom of Their minds.
Who can repeat the uurestralned CONVEX
sation Of tavern companyl Nay, since
some OF them were more than merry with
the wine, il would be an i'll turn 10 set
down what they said. We drank our cups
and listened 20 the talk.
Presently Ben. JonsOn himself sang one
of his own songs, IN rough but not IN
melodious voice:
ssFolow q shadow, Il still flies you;
Seem 20 fly It, Il will pursue.
So co art mistress, she denies you;
Let her aione she viii court you.
say, are not women truly, tben,
styled but the shadows Of US men?
CAT morn or even shades are longest:
At noon hey are or short or homo.
SO men az weakest, they are strongest;
Bat grant perfect, they're not known.
Saw are not women truly, then,
styled but the shadows OF the menu
We came away about sunset. or near
half.past 8 in the evening. Some of the
company were by this time merry with
their wine. and as we rose one began TO
bawl an old tavern dirty, drumming on
the wood OF the guitar with his knuckles:
"There was a owe had throo lambs,
And one OF them was blncke;
There was q man had three sons,
Jefirey, james, and JACK.
"Tho one WAS hanged, the other drown'd:
The third Was lost and never found;
Tho ola man he fell IN q SQUAD
Come ali US q cup Of secke.'
Hickok's No 1. III. ID. O., Fig, and Caro-