Notes
to the poems collected by
The Right Honourable Lady Aston.
It is remarkable, that the first poem in this Third Division, like that in the First, is on the sorrows of Mary Magdalen.
Mrs Catherine Gage, to whom it is addressed, was the daughter of Sir Thomas Gage, Bart, of Firle, co. Suff., and second wife to Walter, third Lord Aston. At this time, young unmarried ladies of quality were always stiled Mrs; when that was disused, and they came to be called Miss, I do not know.—In the 'Guardian,' published 1713, the young ladies of the Lizard family are stiled Mrs Jane, Mrs Mary, Mrs Betty.
P. 112. I have found this song, in a curious little miscellany, entitled, "Westminster Drollery, or a choice collection of the newest songs and poems, both at court, and the theatres. By a person of quality. London 1671:" but it is very different from the copy in this collection, and much inferior to it. In the next page of the same miscellany are the following charming lines:
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