Rosacea in Early English Ballads

William Elderton, “The Commission Sent to the Copper-Smiths.,” in A New Merry Newes as Merry as Can Bee (London: Hugh Jackson, 1606):

Be it therefore enacted and made,
That such as doe vse the Vintners trade,
And shall héereafter sée any one passe,
Hard by his doore with copper or brasse,
In any part of his nose or his face,
He shall fill a quart, and hie him apace,
Strait for to gréete him,
As soone as they méete him,
With a cup of good wine,
To kéepe his colour fine,
Vpon paine for to lose,
The custome of a copper nose.

 “A New Ballad,” in The Bloody Murther of Sir John Barley-Corne (London: H. G., 1625):

Mault gaue the Miller a copper nose.

Faire Fall All Good Tokens (London: H. Gosson, 1630):

Hee that hath a fiery nose,
which lookes like Claret red;
It's a token then he doth consume
in drinke more then in bread:
For if his nose be fiery hot,
it's a token that he loues the pot:
He hates small drinke and loues it not,
he hath not so béene fed.

Charles Records, A Mostpleasant Dialogue, or, A Merry Greeting Betweene Two Louers (London: H.G., 1632):

Thy iolly red nose doth well disclose,
and shew thée to be a man of mettle:
Thou'lt sit in a house, to drinke and carouse
till thy nose looke like a Copper-kettle.

Englands Triumph: Or The Subjects Joy (London: John Hose, 1675):

Let Merchants still for treasures run,
and cross the burning Line,
We have our Engins here at home,
in every glass of Wine.
Each Carbuncle upon my Nose,
better then Iems doth shine,
My cheeks are fresh like to a Rose,
my heart is merry with brisk Wine,
my heart is merry with brisk Wine