FOOTNOTES:
[1] He is mentioned by Webbe, in his "Discourse of English Poetrie," 1586, Sign. C 4, with other poets of that time, as Whetstone, Munday, Grange, Knight, Wilmot, Darrell, F.C. F.K., G.B., and others, whose names he could not remember.
[2] Robert Wilmot, A.M., was presented to the rectory of North Okenham, in Essex, the 28th of November 1582, by Gabriel Poyntz: and to the vicarage of Horndon on the Hill, in the same county, the 2d December 1585, by the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's.—Newcourt's "Repertorium." —Steevens.
[3] The same person, who was the author of "A Discourse of English Poetrie: together with the Authors judgment, touching the reformation of our English Verse." B.L. 4to, 1586. [This "Discourse" is reprinted in Haslewood'a "Ancient Critical Essays," 1811-15.]
[4] [An English translation was published in 1577.]
[5] These three sonnets following occur both in Lansdowne MS. (786) and Hargrave MS. (205), but the first was not included in the printed copy of 1591.
[6] Pheer signifies a husband, a friend, or a companion, and in all these senses it is used in our ancient writers. It here means a husband. So in Lyly's "Euphues," 1581, p. 29: "If he be young, he is the more fitter to be thy pheere. If he bee olde, the lyker to thine aged father." It occurs again in act ii. sc. 3, and act iv. sc. 3.
[7] Prevent, or forbid. So in "Euphues and his England," 1582, p. 40: "For never shall it be said that Iffida was false to Thirsus, though Thirsus be faithlesse (which the gods forefend) unto Iffida."
[8] Command. So in Lyly's "Euphues and his England," p. 78: "For this I sweare by her whose lightes canne never die, Vesta, and by her whose heasts are not to be broken, Diana," &c.
Again, in Shakespeare's "Tempest," act iii. sc. 1—
"O my father,
I have broke your hest to say so!"
And in the prologue to [Peele's] "Araygnement of Paris," 1584—
"Done by the pleasure of the powers above,
Whose hestes men must obey."
The word occurs again in act iv. sc. 2, act iv. sc. 4, and act v. sc. 1.
[9] The second and third sonnets are now given (verbatim et literatim) in a note, as they stand in Lansdowne MS. 786. They will serve to show how slight were Wilmot's improvements, and will leave it perhaps open to doubt whether the changes made in 1591 were always changes for the better.
An other to the same.
Flowers of prime, pearles couched in gold, sonne of our day that gladdeneth the hart of them that shall yo'r shining beames behold, salue of eche sore, recure of euery smart, in whome vertue and beautie striueth soe that neither yeldes: loe here for you againe Gismondes vnlucky loue, her fault, her woe, and death at last, here fére and father slayen through her missehap. And though ye could not see, yet rede and rue their woefull destinie. So Joue, as your hye vertues doen deserue, geue you such féres as may yo'r vertues serue w'th like vertues: and blissfull Venus send Vnto your happy loue an happy end.
An other to the same.
Gismond, that whilom liued her fathers ioy, and dyed his death, now dead doeth (as she may) by vs pray you to pitie her anoye; and, to reacquite the same, doeth humbly pray Joue shield yo'r vertuous loues from like decay. The faithfull earle, byside the like request, doeth wish those wealfull wightes, whom ye embrace. the constant truthe that liued within his brest; his hearty loue, not his unhappy case to fall to such as standen in your grace. The king, prayes pardon of his cruel hest: and for amendes desireth it may suffise, that w'th his blood he teacheth now the rest of fond fathers, that they in kinder wise entreat the iewelles where their comfort lyes. And we their messagers beseche ye all on their behalfes, to pitie all their smartes: and on our own, although the worth be small, we pray ye to accept our simple hartes auowed to serue, w'th prayer and w'th praise your honors, as vnable otherwayes.
[10] The play, as written in 1568, and as altered by Wilmot in 1591, differs so much throughout, that it has been found impracticable, without giving the earlier production entire, to notice all the changes. Certain of the variations, however, and specialities in the Lansdowne MS., as far as the first and second scenes of the first act, will be printed (as a specimen) in the notes.
[11] In the Lansdowne MS. another person of the drama is mentioned: "Claudia, a woman of Gismunda's privie chamber;" and for Choruses we have: "Chorus, four gentlewomen of Salerne."
[12] Not in the MSS.
[13] The County Palurin, a few lines lower, is called Earl. Mr Tyrwhitt says that County signified noblemen in general; and the examples which might be quoted from this play would sufficiently prove the truth of the observation. See "Shakespeare," vol. x., p. 39. [County for Count is not very unusual; but it may be doubted if, as Tyrwhitt thought, County signified noblemen in general.]
[14] This is in the two MSS., but varies in many verbal particulars.
[15] Not in the copy of 1591.
[16] Presented to Gismond. She filled up the cup wherein the heart was brought with her tears and with certain poisonous water, by her distilled for that purpose, and drank out this deadly drink. —Copy of 1568.
[17] The story of this tragedy is taken from Boccaccio's "Decameron," day 4th, novel first. [It was turned into verse] by William Walter, a retainer to Sir Henry Marney, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, [and printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1532. A different version appeared in] 1597, under the title of "The Statly Tragedy of Guistard and Sismond, in two Bookes," in a volume entitled, "Certaine Worthye Manuscript Poems of great Antiquitie, reserved long in the Studie of a Northfolke Gent., and now first published by J.S." Mr Dryden also versified it a second time. See his works, vol. iii., 8vo edition, p. 245. Oldys, in his MSS. Notes on Langbaine, says the same story is in Painter's Palace of Pleasure, vol. i., and a French novel called "Guiscard et Sigismonde fille de Tancredus Prince de Salerne mis en Latin. Par Leon Arretin, et traduit in vers François, par Jean Fleury." [See Brunet, dern. edit. v. Aretinus, Hazlitt's edit. of Warton, 1871, and "Popular Poetry," ii. 66.]
[18] [This line is not in the MSS.]
[19] [Lo I in shape that seem unto your sight.—Lansdowme MS.]
[20] [Do rule the world, and every living thing.—Ibid.]
[21] This word seems anciently to have been pronounced as two syllables. See "Cornelia," act iv., Chorus.
[22] [And eat the living heart.—Lansdowne MS.]
[23] An epithet adopted from Virgil's "Aeneid," lib. vi, line 729—
"Et quae marmoreo fert monstra sub aequore pontus."
Ibid. lib. vii. v. 28—
"Lento luctantur marmore tonsae."
Again, "Georg. I.," v. 254—
"Infidum remis impellere marmor."
—Steevens.
[24] [What secret hollow doth the huge seas hide, When blasting fame mine acts hath not forth blown.] —Lansdowne MS.
[25] Io.
[26] [Grazing in.—Lansdowne MS.]
[27] Like to Amphitrio [when he presented himself] to Alcmena.
[28] [Me.—Lansdowne MS.]
[29] [The bloody Mars hath felt my.—Do.]
[30] [Evened.—Do.]
[31] Hercules.
[32] Alexander.
[33] [Won the famous golden fleece.—M.S.]
[34] [What nature's bond or law's restraint avails, To conquer and deface me every hour.—MS.]
[35] Myrrha.
[36] i.e., For pity. So, act ii. sc. 2—
"As easily befalls that age which asketh ruth."
Act v. sc. 1—
"That hath the tyrant king
Withouten ruth commanded us to do."
Again, in Milton's "Lycidas," i. 163—
"Look homeward, angel, now and melt with ruth,
And, O ye Dolphins, waft the helpless youth."
And in Churchyard's "Worthiness of Wales," 1587—
"Great ruth, to let so trim a seate goe downe,
The countries strength, and beautie of the towne."
[37] [Mine almighty.—MS.]
[38] [This, and the three following lines, are not in the MSS.]
[39] [In creeping thorough all her veins within, That she thereby shall raise much ruth and woe.—MS.]
[40] [This, and the five preceding lines, are not in the MSS.]
[41] [Lo, this before your eyes so will I show,
That ye shall justly say with one accord
We must relent and yield; for now we know
Love rules the world, love only is the lord.—MS.]
[42] [Hath taught me plain to know our state's unrest.—MS.]
[43] [O mighty Jove, O heavens and heavenly powers.—MS.]
[44] [This, and the next line, do not occur in the MSS.]
[45] [Thy sprite, I know, doth linger hereabout
And looks that I, poor wretch, should after come;
I would, God wot, my lord, if so I mought:
But yet abide, I may perhaps devise
Some way to be unburdened of my life,
And with my ghost approach thee in some wise
To do therein the duty of a wife.—MS.]
[46] These omissions are frequent in our old plays. See note on "Love's Labour Lost," edit. of Shakspeare, 1778, vol. ii. p. 410.—Steevens.
[47] In this manner the word was formerly accented. See Dr Farmer's "Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare."
[48] Go. So in Epilogue—
"With violent hands he that his life doth end,
His damned soul to endless night doth wend."
Again, in the "Return from Parnassus," 1600, act v. sc. 4—
"These my companions still with me must wend."
In "George a Green Pinner of Wakefield," [Dyce's "Greene and Peele," 1861, p. 259, &c.]—
"Wilt thou leave Wakefield and wend with me …
So will I wend with Robin all along …
For you are wrong, and may not wend this way."
And in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," Prologue, line 19—
"Byfel, that, on that sesoun on a day,
In Southwerk at the Tabbard as I lay,
Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage,
To Canturbury with ful devout corage."
[49] Alexander.
[50] Hector.
[51] Euripus Euboicus, or Chalcidicus, is a narrow passage of sea dividing Attica and the Island of Euboea, now called the Gulf of Negropont. It ebbs and flows seven times every day: the reason of which, it is said, when Aristotle could not find, he threw himself into the sea with these words: Quia ego non capio te, tu capias me. Sir Thomas Brown, in his "Enquiries into Vulgar Errors," b. vii. c. 14, appears to have been not satisfied with this account of Aristotle's death, which he has taken some pains to render doubtful.
[52] [Go]. So act ii. sc. 3—
"Therefore my counsel is you shall not stir,
Nor farther wade in such a case as this,"
And in Turbervile's "Tragical Tales," 1587—
"Eare thou doe wade so farre, revoke to minde the bedlam boy.
That in his forged wings of waxe reposed too great a joy."
[53] Sadly, in most of our ancient writers, is used as here for seriously. So in Nash's "Lenten Stuff," 1599: "Nay, I will lay no wagers, for, now I perponder more sadly upon it, I think I am out indeed."
Again, in Hall's "Chronicle," 1550, fo. 2: "His cosyn germaine was nowe brought to that trade of livynge, that he litle or nothynge regarded the counsaill of his uncles, nor of other grave and sadde persones, but did all thynge at his pleasure."
In Ascham's "Toxophilus," 1571: "And when I sawe not you amonges them, but at the last espyed you lookinge on your booke here so sadlye, I thought to come and hold you with some communication."
And in Warton's "Life of Sir Thomas Pope," p. 30: "Wherein is an abbes namyd Dame Alice Fitzherbert, of the age LX yeares, a very sadde, discreate, and relegyous woman."
[54] Formerly this diversion was as much followed in the evening, as it was at an earlier hour in the day. In "Laneham's Account of the Entertainment at Kenelworth Castle," we find that Queen Elizabeth always, while there, hunted in the afternoon. "Monday was hot, and therefore her highness kept in till _five a clok in the eeveing; what time it pleaz'd to ryde forth into the chase too hunt the hart of fors: which found anon, and after sore chased," &c. Again, "Munday the 18 of this July, the weather being hot, her highness kept the castle for coolness, till about five a clok, her majesty in the chase, hunted the hart (as before) of forz" &c.
[55] That is, proceed no further.
[56] i.e., Of nature.
[57] Acquaint her with my resolution. To resolve, however, was sometimes used for convince, or satisfy. It may therefore mean, convince her of the propriety of my command. So in Middleton's "More Dissemblers besides Women," act i. sc. 3—
"The blessing of perfection to your thoughts, lady,
For I'm resolv'd they are good ones."
Reed is right in his first explanation; it is so used in Chapman's
"May Day," act i. sc. 1.
"Tell her such a man will resolve her naming me."
—"Anc. Dram.," vol. vi. p. 6.—Gilchrist.
[A few lines further on in the text, however,] resolve has the same meaning as dissolve; and so in Lyly's "Euphues and his England," p. 38: "I could be content to resolve myselfe into teares to rid thee of trouble."
Marlowe, as quoted in "England's Parnassus," 1600, p. 480 [see Dyce's
"Marlowe," iii., 301], uses it in the same way—
"No molten Christall but a Richer mine,
Euen natures rarest alchumie ran there,
Diamonds resolu'd, and substance more diuine.
Through whose bright gliding current might appeare
A thousand naked Nymphes, whose yuorie shine,
Enameling the bankes, made them more deare
Then euer was that glorious Pallas gate.
Where the day-shining sunne in triumph sate."
See also Shakespeare's "Hamlet," act i. sc. 2, and Mr Steevens's note on it.
[58] To quail, is to languish, to sink into dejection. So in Churchyard's "Challenge," 24—
"Where malice sowes, the seedes of wicked waies,
Both honor quailes, and credit crackes with all:
Of noblest men, and such as fears no fall."
See also Mr Steevens's notes on the "First Part of Henry IV.," act iv. sc. 2, and "Cymbeline," act v. sc. 5.
[Had the writer this passage in his mind when he wrote the well-known lines on Shakespeare, "What need my Shakespeare," &c., which occur in the folio of 1632?]
[59] [The second Chorus to leave off abruptly with this word, the third Chorus taking up the narrative.]
[60] A compliment to Queen Elizabeth.—S.P.
It was, as Mr Steevens observes, no uncommon thing to introduce a compliment to Queen Elizabeth in the body of a play. See "Midsummer's Night's Dream," act ii. sc. 2. See also "Locrine," act v. sc. last.
[61] Probably Henry Noel, younger brother to Sir Andrew Noel, and one of the gentlemen pensioners to Queen Elizabeth; a man, says Wood, of excellent parts, and well skilled in music. See "Fasti," p. 145. A poem, entitled, "Of disdainful Daphne," by M[aster] H. Nowell, is printed in "England's Helicon," 1600, 4to. The name of Mr Henry Nowell also appears in the list of those lords and gentlemen that ran at a tilting before Queen Elizabeth. See Peele's "Polyhymnia," 1590.
"I cannot here let pass unremembered a worthy gentleman, Master Henry Noel, brother to the said Sir Andrew Noel, one of the gentlemen pensioners [see Peck's "Life of Milton," p. 225, for the Gentlemen Pensioners.] to Queen Elizabeth; a man for personage, parentage, grace, gesture, valour, and many excellent parts, inferior to none of his rank in the court; who, though his lands and livelihoods were but small, having nothing known certain but his annuity and his pension, yet in state, pomp, magnificence and expenses, did equalise barons of great worth. If any shall demand whence this proceeded, I must make answer with that Spanish proverb—
'Aquello qual vienne de arriba ninguno lo pregunta.' 'That which cometh from above let no one question.'
"This is the man of whom Queen Elizabeth made this enigmatical distich—
'The word of denial, and letter of fifty,
Is that gentleman's name that will never be thrifty.'
He, being challenged (as I have heard) by an Italian gentleman at the baloune (a kind of play with a great ball tossed with wooden braces upon the arm), used therein such violent motion, and did so overheat his blood, that he fell into a calenture, or burning fever, and thereof died, Feb. 26, 1596, and was by her majesty's appointment buried in the abbey church of Westminster, in the chapel of St Andrew."—Benton in Nichols's "Leicestershire," vol. iii. p. 249.
Henry Noel was the second son of Sir Edward Noel, of Dalby, by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of William Hopton, of ——, Shropshire, relict of Sir John Peryent, Knt.—Ibid. 254.—Gilchrist.
[62] In the former edition, the word denay'd was altered to the more modern one of deny'd. Denay'd, however, was the ancient manner of spelling it. So in the "Second Part of Henry VI.," act i. sc. 3—
"Then let him be denay'd the regentship."
Again, in the "First Part of Jeronimo," 1605—
"And let not wonted fealty be denayed."
And in "Gammer Gurton's Needle"—
"Loke, as I have promised, I will not denay it."
—Collier.
[63] Prease signifies a crowd or multitude, or any assemblage of a number of persons. So in "Damon and Pithias," vol. iv., pp. 49, 53—
"The King is at hand, stand close in the prease, beware," &c.
And ibid.—
"Away from the prisoner, what a prease have we here!"
Again, in the "History of Euordanus Prince of Denmark," 1605, sig. H: "The Prince passing forwards sorely shaken, having lost both his stirrups: at length recovering himselfe, entred the prease, where on all sides he beate downe knights, and unbarred helms."
[It must be repeated, once for all, that such totally unnecessary notes as this have been retained only from a reluctance to impart to these volumes the character of an abridged or mutilated republication.]
[64] [Draweth.]
[65] Raught is the ancient preterite of the word reach. It is frequently used by Spenser, Shakespeare, and other ancient writers.
[66] [Old copy, where her.]
[67] [Reward.]
[68] Alluding to the vulture that gnawed the liver of Titius. In "Ferrex and Porrex," act ii. sc. 1, is this line—
"Or cruell gripe to gnaw my groaning hart."
—Reed. The allusion is rather to the vulture of Prometheus. —Steevens.
[69] Vipeream inspirans animam. The image is from Virgil. Rowe likewise adopts it in his "Ambitious Stepmother"—
"And send a snake to every vulgar breast."—Steevens.
[70] i.e., The wretch. The word miser was anciently used without comprehending any idea of avarice. See note on "King Henry VI, Part I.," edit. of Shakespeare, 1778, vol. vi. p. 279.—Steevens.
[71] "A stoop, or stowp; a post fastened in the earth, from the Latin stupa."—Ray's "North Country Words," p. 58, edit. 1742.
[72] Not that she is careful or anxious about, or regrets the loss of this life. So in Milton's "Paradise Lost," Bk. ix. line 171—
"Revenge at first though sweet,
Bitter ere long back on itself recoils;
Let it; I reck not, so it light well aim'd."
And again, in the "History of Sir John Oldcastle," 1600—
"I reck of death the less in that I die,
Not by the sentence of that envious priest."
[73] Petrarch and Laura.
[74] These initials were almost unquestionably intended for Christopher Hatton, afterwards knighted and created Lord Chancellor of England. In the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth, 1562, about six years before this play is supposed to have been written, we learn from Dugdale's "Origines Juridiciales," p. 150, a magnificent Christmas was kept in the Inner Temple, at which her majesty was present, and Mr Hatton was appointed Master of the Game. Historians say he owed his rise, not so much to his mental abilities, as to the graces of his person and his excellence in dancing, which captivated the Queen to such a degree, that he arose gradually from one of her Gentlemen Pensioners to the highest employment in the law, which he, however, filled without censure, supplying his own defects by the assistance of the ablest men in the profession. The grave Lord Keeper, after his promotion, still retained his fondness for that accomplishment to which he was indebted for his rise, and led the Brawls almost until his death. In 1589, on the marriage of his heir with Judge Gawdy's daughter, "the Lord Chancellor danced the measures at the solemnity, and left his gown on the chair, saying Lie there, Chancellor." His death, which happened two years after, was hastened by an unexpected demand of money from the Queen, urged in so severe a manner, that all the kindness she afterwards showed to him was insufficient to remove the impression it had made on him. See Birch's "Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth." vol. i. pp. 8, 56, [and Nicolas's "Life of Hatton," p. 478.]
[75] Dryden's translation of Boccaccio's "Description of the Cave" is as follows:—
"Next the proud palace of Salerno stood
A Mount of rough ascent, and thick with wood.
Through this a cave was dug with vast expence:
The work it seem'd of some suspicious prince,
Who, when abusing power with lawless might,
From public justice would secure his flight.
The passage made by many a winding way,
Reach'd even the room in which the tyrant lay.
Fit for his purpose on a lower floor,
He lodged, whose issue was an iron door;
From whence by stairs descending to the ground.
In the blind grot a safe retreat he found.
Its outlet ended in a brake o'ergrown
With brambles, choak'd by time, and now unknown.
A rift there was, which from the mountain's height
Convey'd a glimm'ring and malignant light,
A breathing place to draw the damps away,
A twilight of an intercepted day."
—"Sigismonda and Guiscardo." Dryden's Works, vol. iii. p. 251.
[76] See Milton's "Paradise Lost," Bk. i. l. 60.
[77] Fetters or chains. So in Beaumont and Fletcher's "Beggar's Bush," act iii. sc. 4—
"Gyves I must wear, and cold must be my comfort."
Marston's "What You Will," act ii. sc. 1—
"Think'st thou a libertine, an ungiv'd beast,
Scornes not the shackles of thy envious clogs?"
Milton's "Samson Agonistes," l. 1092—
"Dost thou already single me? I thought
Gyves and the mill had tam'd thee."
See Dr Newton's note on the last passage; and Mr Steevens's note on
"First Part of Henry IV.," act iv. sc. 3.
[78] Amate is to daunt or confound. Skinner, in his "Etymologicon," explains it thus: "Perterrefacere, Attonitum reddere, Obstupefacere, mente consternare, Consilii inopem reddere." So in "Thule or Vertue's Historic," by Francis Rous, 1598, sig. B—
"At last with violence and open force.
They brake the posternes of the Castle gate,
And entred spoyling all without remorce,
Nor could old Sobrin now resist his fate,
But stiffe with feare ev'n like a senceles corse
Whom grisly terror doth so much amate,
He lyes supine upon his fatall bed.
Expecting ev'ry minute to be dead."
Again, Ibid., sig. D—
"He would forsake his choyse, and change his fate,
And leave her quite, and so procure her woe,
Faines that a sudden grief doth her amate,
Wounded with piercing sicknes' Ebon bow."
[79] Astonished. So in "Euphues and his England," p. 102—"Philautus, astonied at this speech," &c. And again, in the "Fable of Jeronimi," by G. Gascoigne, p. 209: "When Ferdinando (somewhat astonied with hir strange speech) thus answered." And in "Thieves Falling Out," &c., 1615, by Rob. Greene: "The gentleman, astonied at this strange metamorphosis of his mistress."
[80] Sprent is sprinkled. So in Spenser's "Shepherd's Calendar," December—
"My head besprent with hoary frost I find."
And Fairfax's "Tasso," cant. xii. st. 101—
"His silver locks with dust he foul besprent."
Again in Milton's "Comus," l. 542—
"Of knot grass dew besprent."
[81] Harbour.
[82] Old copy, hasteth.
[83] Habiliments, S.P.
[84] Unrevenged. [The more correct form would be unwroken.] So in Ben Jonson's "Every Man out of his Humour," act ii. sc. 4—
"Would to heaven,
In wreak of my misfortunes, I were turn'd
To some fair water nymph."
In "Sejanus his Fall," act iv.—
"Made to speak
What they will have to fit their tyrannous wreak."
In Massinger's "Fatal Dowry," act iv. sc. 4—
"But there's a heaven above, from whose just wreak
No mists of policy can hide offenders."
In his "Very Woman," act i.
"And our just wreak, by force or cunning practice
With scorn prevented."
See also Mr Steevens's note on "Coriolanus," act iv. sc. 5. "Moriamur in ultae?"—Virgil's "Aeneid," lib. iv.—Steevens.
[85] Sorrow. Again, act v. sc. 3—
"His death, her woe, and her avenging teen."
And in Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis"—
"More I could tell, but more I dare not say,
The text is old, the orator too green.
Therefore in sadness now I will away,
My face is full of shame, my heart of teen."
[86] Old copy, but hell.
[87] Untrimmed locks are locks dishevelled or undressed. Trim, in the language of the times, was frequently used for dress. So in Massinger's "Emperor of the East," act ii. sc. 1—
"Our Eastern queens, at their full height bow to thee,
And are, in their best trim, thy foils and shadows."
See also Mr Steevens's note on "King John," act iii. sc. 3.
[88] Alluding to a custom of which mention is made in Genesis, chap. xxiv. 9—"And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter." The same form was likewise observed by Jacob and Joseph when they were dying. Some mystery is supposed to be couched under this practice. The most probable, at least the most decent, supposition is, that it was a token of subjection or homage from a servant to his lord, when the former solemnly promised to perform whatever should be commanded by the latter.—Steevens.
[89] The following account of Lodge and his works is very imperfect. See the Shakespeare Society volume, 1853, containing much fuller particulars.
[90] In the "Epistle of England to her Three Daughters," in Clarke's "Polimanteia," 1595, Lodge is spoken of as belonging to Oxford. —Collier.
[91] Mr Malone ("Shakespeare," by Boswell, iii. 40, note 9) says that it was printed about 1580; but Lodge himself, writing in 1584, speaks of Gosson's "Plays Confuted," as written "about two years since."
[92] "Scilla's Metamorphosis," 1589; "Diogenes in his Singularity," 1591; and "A Fig for Momus," 1595, are all stated to be by T.L., or Thomas Lodge, of Lincoln's Inn, Gentleman.
[93] A French sonnet by Thomas Lodge is prefixed to Robert Greene's "Spanish Masquerado." He has also some French verses in "Rosalynde."
[94] The lines upon Lodge in "The Return from Parnassus," 1606, would show that it did occur:—
"He that turns over Galen every day,
To sit and simper 'Euphues' Legacy,'" &c.
—Collier.
[95] Afterwards purchased by Mr Collier.
[96] [This does not appear quite to follow. In a poem, "Upon London Physicians," written about 1620, and quoted in "Inedited Poetical Miscellanies," edit. Hazlitt, 1870, sig. Ff 5, he is mentioned in the same way, without any reference to his literary repute or performances.] It is to be observed in the list of Lodge's productions, that there is an interval between 1596, when "Wit's Misery and the World's Madness" appeared, and 1603, when the "Treatise of the Plague" was published.
[97] Others have been attributed to him in conjunction with Greene, but on no sufficient evidence—viz., "Lady Alimony," not printed until 1659; "The Laws of Nature," and "The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality," 1602.
[98] [Reprinted in Mr Dyce's editions of Greene's Works, 1831 and 1861.] Henslowe probably alludes to this play in his MSS., and if so, it was acted as early as 1591. The following is the entry: "R. (i.e., received) at the Looking Glasse, the 8th of Marche, 1591, vij s." [See Mr Collier's edit. 1845, pp. 23-8.]
[99] [Here follows in the former edition a list of Lodge's works, which will be found more fully and correctly given in Hazlitt's "Handbook," in v.]
[100] In the course of the incidents of this historical tragedy, Lodge has very much followed the lives of Marius and Sylla, as given by Plutarch: he was a scholar, and it was not necessary therefore for him to resort to Sir Thomaa North's translation from the French, of which Shakespeare availed himself, and of which there were many editions subsequent to its first appearance in 1579. It is pretty evident, however, from a comparison of a few passages quoted in the notes in the progress of the play, that Lodge did employ this popular work, although he has varied some of the events, and especially the death of Sylla.
It is not, perhaps, possible now to settle the point when this tragedy was first represented on the stage, but it was most likely some time before its publication in 1594. We know that Lodge had written in defence of the stage before 1582, and it is not unlikely that he did so, because he had already written for it. Robert Greene, in his "Groat's worth of Wit," speaks of Lodge as a dramatic poet in 1592; and the comedy which they wrote together, it is ascertained, was acted in March 1591, if not earlier, although it was not printed until three years afterwards. The versification of "The Wounds of Civil War" certainly affords evidence that it was penned even before Marlowe had improved the measure of dramatic blank verse, which Shakespeare perfected: it is heavy, monotonous, and without the pauses subsequently introduced; if therefore Lodge produced it after Marlowe's "Edward II." was brought out, he did not at least profit by the example. All the unities are set at defiance.
[101] The "consul's pall" is the consul's robe. Thus Milton in "Il Penseroso"—
"Let gorgeous Tragedy
In scepter'd pall come sweeping by."
Purple pall is very commonly met with in our old writers.
[102] "Sylla nill brook" is "Sylla ne will, or will not brook." Shakespeare uses the word. See Mr Steevens's note, "Taming of the Shrew," act ii. sc. 1.
[103] "But specially one day above the rest, having made him sup with him at his table, some one after supper falling in talke of Captaines that were in Rome at that time, one that stood by Scipio asked him (either because he stood in doubt, or else for that he would curry favour with Scipio), what other Captaine the Romanes should have after his death, like unto him? Scipio having Marius by him, gently clapped him upon the shoulders and said, Peradventure this shall be he." —North's Plutarch, "Life of Caius Marius."
[104] [Old copy, into.]
[105] [Old copy, shall, and so in the next line.]
[106] It is doubtful whether we ought to read impale or impall. If the latter, it means to enfold with a pall; but Cleveland uses impale in the same sense—
"I now impale her in my arms."
This, however, is rather a forced construction.
[107] [Old copy, spence.] This may mean "the expense of years that Marius hath o'erpast," or it may be an easy misprint for "space of years." Either may be right.
[108] [Old copy, mate.]
[109] [Old copy, conservatives.]
[110] "To bandy a ball" Coles defines clava pilam torquere; "to bandy at tennis," "Dict." 1679. See Mr Malone's note on "Lear," act i. sc. 4.
[111] Prest for Asia, is ready for Asia. It is almost unnecessary to multiply instances, but the following is very apposite:—
"Dispisde, disdainde, starvde, whipt and scornd,
Prest through dispaire myself to quell."
—R. Wilson's "Cobbler's Prophecy," 1594, sig. C4.
[112] Lodge and other writers not unfrequently use the adjective for the substantive: thus, in "The Discontented Satyre:"—
"Blush, daies eternal lampe, to see thy lot,
Since that thy cleere with cloudy darkes is scar'd."
[113] The quarto has the passage thus—
"These peers of Rome have mark'd
A rash revenging hammer in thy brain;"
which seemed so decidedly wrong as to warrant the change that, without much violence, has been made.
[114] Guerdon is synonymous with reward. It is scarcely yet obsolete.
[115] Old copy, hammer.
[116] Vengeance.
[117] Scarce. It is found in Spenser. Robert Greene also uses it—
"It was frosty winter season,
And fair Flora's wealth was geason."
—"Philomela," 1592. Again, we find it in the tragical comedy of "Appius and Virginia," 1575—"Let my counsel at no time lie with you geason," sig. D. [vol. iv. p. 138].
[118] Open them.
[119] Old copy, what.
[120] The meaning of "would amate me so," is, would daunt or confound me so. See note to "Tancred and Gismunda" [suprâ, p. 79], where instances are given.
[121] Mr Steevens, in a note on the "Comedy of Errors," act ii. sc. 1, has collected a number of quotations to show the meaning of the word stale, and to them the reader is referred. In this place it signifies a false allurement, bait, or deception on the part of fortune.
[122] The barbarous jargon put into the mouth of this Frenchman is given in the orthography of the old copy, since it was vain to attempt correction.
[123] "Now when they were agreed upon it, they could not find a man in the city that durst take upon him to kill him; but a man of armes of the Gaules, or one of the Cimbres (for we find both the one and the other in writing) that went thither with his sword drawn in his hand. Now that place of the chamber where Marius lay was very dark, and, as it is reported, the man of armes thought he saw two burning flames come out of Marius's eyes, and heard a voice out of that dark corner, saying unto him: O fellow, thou, darest thou come to kill Caius Marius? The barbarous Gaule, hearing these words, ran out of the chamber presently." —North's Plutarch, "Life of Caius Marius."
[124] "For when he was but very young, and dwelling in the country, he gathered up in the lap of his gowne the ayrie of an eagle, in the which were seven young eagles; whereat his father and mother much wondering, asked the soothsayers what that meant? They answered that their sonne should one day be one of the greatest men in the world, and that out of doubt he should obtain seven times in his life the chiefest office of dignity in his country."—North's Plutarch, "Life of Caius Marius."
[125] The old quarto divides the play very irregularly; for according to it there are two Acts iii. and two Acts iv. One of the Acts iii. was made to commence here.
[126] Necessarily or unavoidably.
[127] Old copy, Picaeo.
[128] Old copy, metals.
[129] An early instance of an echo of this kind upon the stage is to be found in Peele's "Arraignment of Paris," 1584. Mr D'Israeli has an entertaining essay upon them in his "Curiosities of Literature," second series. They were carried to a most ridiculous excess afterwards.
[130] The old spelling of than was then, and this must be observed here. The echo is supposed to encourage Marius again to take up arms—
"Nought better fits old Marius' mind than war."
And the reply of the echo is, "Then war," or then go to war.
[131] This passage is quoted by Mr Steevens in a note on "Hamlet," act v. sc. 1, to show that "the winter's flaw" there spoken of means "the winter's blast."
[132] Old copy, Distia.
[133] Dreariment is not so frequently met in any of our old writers as Spenser: I do not recollect it in any play before. It requires no explanation.
[134] Old copy, coffer.
[135] Old copy, Marius live.
[136] Lozel is always used as a term of contempt, and means a worthless fellow.
[137] Old copy, have.
[138] Old copy, And.
[139] Old copy, consist.
[140] We have before had Pedro the Frenchman, or rather the Gaul, according to Plutarch (though why he is called by the Spanish name of Pedro, we know not), employed to murder Marius, swearing Par le sang de Dieu, Notre Dame, and Jesu: and towards the close of the play, where a couple of ludicrous characters are introduced, "to mollify the vulgar," the "Paul's steeple of honour" is talked of. Such anachronisms, however gross, are common to all the dramatists of that day. Shakespeare is notoriously full of them; and all must remember the discussion between Hamlet and his friend regarding the children of Paul's and of the Queen's chapel.
[141] Shakespeare and many other writers of the time use this form of fetch: thus in "Henry V." act iii. sc. 1—
"On, on, you noble English,
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof."
[142] Glozing and flattering are synonymous: perhaps to gloze, or, as it is sometimes spelt, to glose, is the same word as to gloss. It is common in Milton in the sense that it bears in the text.
[143] [i.e., Pinky eyne or pink (small) eyes.] See Mr Steevens's note on the song in "Anthony and Cleopatra," beginning—
"Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eyne."
[144] This incident is founded upon a passage in Plutarch's "Life of Caius Marius," only in that author the man with the wine discloses where Anthony is concealed to the drawer, of whom he gets the wine, and not to the soldiers.
[145] The meaning of to assoil is to absolve (see note 4 to "The Adventurers of Five Hours"), from the Latin absolvere; but here it signifies to resolve or remove doubts. Thus in a passage quoted by Mr Todd—
"For the assoiling of this difficulty, I lay down these three propositions."—Mede, Rev. of God's House.
The word is frequently to be met with in Spenser in the sense of to discharge, or set free.
[146] In doly season is in melancholy or wintry season: an adjective formed from dole, and with the same meaning as doleful.
[147] The death of Anthony is thus related in North's Plutarch, "Life of Marius"—
"But he (Marius) sent Annius one of his captaines thither … and when they were come to the house which the drawer had brought them to, Annius taried beneath at the doore, and the souldiers went up the staiers into the chamber, and finding Anthonie there, they began to encourage one another to kill him, not one of them having the heart to lay hands upon him. For Anthonies tongue was as sweet as a Syrene, and had such an excellent grace in speaking, that when he began to speake unto the souldiers and to pray them to save his life, there was not one of them so hard-hearted as once to touch him, no not onely to looke him in the face, but looking downewards fell a weeping. Annius perceiving they taried long and came not downe, went himself up into the chamber and found Anthonie talking to his souldiers, and them weeping, his sweete eloquent tongue had so melted their hearts: but he, rating them, ran furiously upon him and strake off his head with his owne hands."
[148] Shakespeare's commentators might have added this passage to the long list of others they have brought forward (see note on "Othello," act i. sc. 3), to show that intention and attention, and intentive and attentive, were once, synonymous.
[149] This expression is also introduced by Lodge into his "Rosalynde," 1590, though probably this play was written first—
"With sad and sorry cheer
About her wond'ring stood
The citizens of the wood."
Shakespeare calls deer in "As You Like It" citizens, and elsewhere, "native burghers of this desert city."
The author of "Fuimus Troes" goes farther, and calls the blessed souls in heaven citizens—
"Then shall I
Envy no more those citizens above
The ambrosian juncates of the Olympian hall."
[150] Old copy, arm.
[151] The name of Carbo is accidently omitted before this reply in the quarto.
[152] Old copy misplaces the words break and bend; the alteration here made was suggested by Mr Collier.
[153] i.e., With a withy, or twig of willow.
[154] Old copy, the ravens.
[155] The quarto reads: "Enter Scipio and Norbanus, Publius Lentulus," but the latter has nothing to do with the scene, while Carinna is omitted.
[156] Old copy, heedless.
[157] It is very common for Shakespeare and his contemporaries to use the word pretend for intend. See notes to "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," act ii. sc. 6.
[158] In his "Life of Marius," Plutarch states that this event occurred at Perusia, and that Young Marius was besieged there by Sylla; but in his "Life of Sylla" he corrects the error, and informs us that Young Marius was besieged by Lucretius, and that he slew himself at Praeneste.
[159] Jest was used by our ancestors in various senses, but here it means a deed or action only; thus Sir T. Elyot, as Mr Todd notes, speaks of "the jests or acts of princes and captains." In fact, this is the general signification of the term, though it has sometimes a more particular application. Gest and jest are the same word, though now and then distinguished.
[160] Old copy, floats.
[161] Old copy, lo.
[162] Old copy, yea. By She Sylla must be understood to refer to Fate, whom he has just mentioned.
[163] [Old copy, while.]
[164] i.e., Verse.
[165] See vol. iv. p. 80, respecting the razors of Palermo.—Collier. [Mr Collier's suggested retention of shave, the reading of the old copy, I cannot support.]
[166] "Phlegon's hot breath" is mentioned in "Fuimus Troes;" one of the horses of the sun was so named.
[167] [Old copy, fairs.]
[168] From the edition of 1610. It is not in the first 4°.
[169] In the edition of 1610 the number of performers is raised to ten. The two additional characters are the King of Valentia and Anselmo.
[170] Perhaps the earliest instance of the use of this expression, as to which see "Old English Jest-Books," 1864, iii.; "Pleasant Conceits of Old Hobson," Introd.
[171] [The 4° of 1610 makes Tremelio enter here; but he does not appear to come on till afterwards.]
[172] [Old copies, Catalone, a.]
[173] [Old copies, Oh.]
[174] Old copies, hardly I did oft.
[175] Old copies, on.
[176] Edit. 1598, Therefore to. Edit. 1610, There for to.
[177] Edit. 1598 and 1610, hath forget.
[178] Edits, transpose the two commencing words of this line, and the first word of the preceding one.
[179] Edits., say.
[180] Anticipated. Old copies read we for me.
[181] Old copy, are
[182] Old copies, her.
[183] Edit. 1610, attend.
[184] Edit. 1610, axe.
[185] Old copies, his.
[186] Edit. 1598, Wily; edit. 1610, wilde.
[187] Old copies, his Bremo.
[188] Edits., ah, hermit!
[189] Edits., fair lady.
[190] Edits., this is.
[191] In the old copies there is here a direction, He disguiseth himself, which appears wrong, as Mucedorus is already disguised, and what he next does is, in fact, to discover himself.
[192] Edits., none, none, no.
[193] Edit. 1620, sacred.
[194] Old copies, look.
[195] Edit. 1598, paled; 1106, pallade.
[196] Edit. 1610, strike.
[197] After this line, in the edition of 1610, occurs the following substitution for the lines in edit. 1598, beginning "Ho, lords," and concluding with "Exeunt omnes:"—
Were but thy father, the Valentia lord,
Present in view of this combining knot.
A shout within. Enter a MESSENGER.
What shout was that?
MESSENGER. My lord, the great Valentia king,
Newly arrived, entreats your presence.
MUCEDORUS. My father?
KING OF ARRAGON. Prepared welcomes; give him entertainment.
A happier planet never reigned than that,
Which governs at this hour.
[Sound.
Enter the KING OF VALENTIA, ANSELMO, RODRIGO, BARCHEUS, with others; the KING runs and embraces his son.
KING OF VALENTIA. Rise, honour of my age, food to my rest:
Condemn not (mighty King of Arragon)
My rude behaviour, so compell'd by Nature,
That manner stood unknowledged.
KING OF ARRAGON. What we have to recite would tedious prove
By declaration; therefore in and feast.
To-morrow the performance shall explain,
What words conceal; till then, drums, speak, bells, ring:
Give plausive welcomes to our brother king.
[Sound drums and trumpets. Exeunt omnes.
[198] [In the edition of 1610, the conclusion, from this line, is so different, that the best mode appeared to be to give it at the foot of the page:—
COMEDY. Envy, spit thy gall;
Plot, work, contrive; create new fallacies;
Team from thy womb each minute a black traitor,
Whose blood and thoughts have twin conception:
Study to act deeds yet unchronicled;
Cast native monsters in the moulds of men;
Case vicious devils under sancted rochets;
Unhasp the wicket, where all perjureds roost,
And swarm this ball with treasons. Do thy worst;
Thou canst not (hell-hound) cross my star[A] to-night.
[A] [Old copy, steare.]
Nor blind that glory, where I wish delight.
ENVY. I can. I will.
COMEDY. Nefarious hag, begin;
And let us tug, till one the mast'ry win.
ENVY. Comedy, thou art a shallow goose;
I'll overthrow thee in thine own intent,
And make thy fall my comic merriment.
COMEDY. Thy policy wants gravity; thou art too weak.
Speak, fiend. As how?
ENVY. Why thus;
From my foul study will I hoist a wretch,
A lean and hungry negro [Old copy, neagre.] cannibal:
Whose jaws swell to his eyes with chawing malice,
And him I'll make a poet.
COMEDY. What's that to th'purpose?
ENVY. This scrambling raven, with his needy beard,
Will I whet on to write a comedy,
Wherein shall be compos'd dark sentences,
Pleasing to factious brains:
And every other where place me a jest.
Whose high abuse shall more torment than blows.
Then I myself (quicker than lightning),
Will fly me to a puissant magistrate,
And waiting with a trencher at his back,
In midst of jollity rehearse those galls [Old copy, gaules.]
(With some additions) so lately vented in your theatre:
He upon this cannot but make complaint,
To your great danger, or at least restraint.
COMEDY. Ha, ha, ha! I laugh to hear thy folly;
This is a trap for boys, not men, nor such,
Especially desertful in their doings,
Whose staid discretion rules their purposes.
I and my faction do eschew those vices.
But see, O see, the weary sun for rest
Hath lain his golden compass to the west,
Where he perpetual bide and ever shine,
As David's offspring in his happy clime.
Stoop, Envy, stoop, bow to the earth with me,
Let's beg our pardons on our bended knee. [They kneel.
ENVY. My power has lost her might; Envy's date's expired,
Yon splendant majesty hath fell'd my sting,
And I amazed am. [Fall down and quake.
COMEDY. Glorious and wise Arch-Caesar on this earth,
At whose appearance Envy's stroken dumb,
And all bad things cease operation,
Vouchsafe to pardon our unwilling error,
So late presented to your gracious view,
And we'll endeavour with excess of pain
To please your senses in a choicer strain,
Thus we commit you to the arms of night,
Whose spangled carcase would (for your delight)
Strive to excel the day. Be blessed then:
Who other wishes, let him never speak.
ENVY. Amen!
To Fame and Honour we commend your rest;
Live still more happy, every hour more blest.
FINIS.]
[199] To the edition printed in the Percy Society's Series.
[200] The old spelling has now been abandoned.
[201] For these I am indebted to the kindness of Mr J.P. Collier, who is now editing "Henslowe's Diary" for the Shakespeare Society. The portions of it which were published by Malone are very incorrectly given.
[202] Book in these entries means play.
[203] This entry is struck through, the money having been repaid.
[204] This entry is in Porter's own handwriting.
[205] "Spec. of Engl. Dram. Poets," ii. 185, edit. 1835.
[206] See Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," iv, 38-40.
[207] Second edit., Welcome then.
[208] From the second edit. Not in first edit.
[209] Prospects, views, scenes in sight; a meaning of the word which is found in much later writers.
[210] So second edit. First edit. he.
[211] Absolute, perfect, [or rather, perhaps, pure.]
[212] Read, for the metre, He will.
[213] So second edit. First edit., to.
[214] The audience were to suppose that the stage now represented an orchard; for be it remembered that there was no movable painted scenery in the theatres at the time when this play was produced.
[215] Second edit., rubber, but the other form is common in our old writers.
[216] [So second edit.] Equivalent to be hanged.
[217] Second edit., woman, which is probably right; see two passages farther on, in one of which both editions have woman.
[218] Gold coins. The words give occasion to innumerable puns in our early dramas.
[219] Read, for the metre, here is
[220] Second edit., woman: see note [217].
[221] A term of the game.
[222] Edits., better,—the eye of the original compositor having caught the word above.
[223] A term of the game.
[224] i.e. Hit.
[225] Here, probably, Mistress Goursey should make her exit.
[226] i.e., We cannot help it.
[227] So second edit. First edit., Afford.
[228] The author probably wrote, "I do impart:" compare the next line.
[229] [Old copies, tick.]
[230] i.e., Taught her to tread the ring,—to perform various movements in different directions within a ring marked out on a piece of ground: see Markham's "Cheap and Good Husbandry," &c. p. 18, sqq. edit. 1631.
[231] [Campagne.] A form of campaign common in our early writers.
[232] i.e., Wilt thou wear, &c.: point means one of the tagged laces which were used in dress to attach the hose or breeches to the doublet, &c.
[233] So second edit. First edit., th'art.
[234] [Old copies read when.]
[235] So second edit. First edit., in the.
[236] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[237] [Meaning a tavern of that name.]
[238] Sheathe your sword.
[239] Edits., me.
[240] [Old copy, He's.] Read, for the metre, He is.
[241] i.e., Quality, disposition.
[242] [Old copies, he'll.] Read, for the metre, he will.
[243] [Fine worsted.]
[244] [Old copies, his hat, and all green hat.]
[245] [Old copies, indirect.]
[246] Edits., vassailes.
[247] So second edit. First edit., women's.
[248] Qy. for an?
[249] [Old copies, She's.] Read, for the metre, She is.
[250] A corruption of God's.
[251] [Old copies, pale.]
[252] Edits., apprehend, but certainly Mall had spoken with sufficient plainness.
[253] i.e., Nature.
[254] So second edit. First edit., nay.
[255] The common dress of a serving-man.
[256] Edits., you, which, perhaps, is the right reading, some word having dropp'd out after it. Qy. thus—
'MRS BAR. Mistresse flurt, you mean,
Foule strumpet, light a loue, short heeles! Mistresse Goursey
Call her,' &c.
—Dyce. [But yea seems to be the more likely word.]
[257] So second edit. First edit., tell.
[258] i.e., Vile.
[259] Edits., forlorn.
[260] Qy., Mother, he loves?
[261] So second edit. First edit., the.
[262] So second edit. First edit., Thaust.
[263] i.e., Refuse.
[264] So second edit. First edit., Gads.
[265] Edits., His.
[266] Qy., Franke he is young? Compare the preceding line but one.
[267] i.e., By our lady.
[268] i.e., Miserly persons.
[269] The author probably wrote neuer was.
[270] i.e., Honest men.
[271] So second edit. First edit., ma.
[272] [See Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 128.]
[273] So second edit. First edit., faith in.
[274] Edits., some.
[275] Edits., treason.
[276] i.e., Vomits: a common pun in old dramas.
[277] i.e., Easily.
[278] Edits., But.
[279] So second edit., First edit., cehape.
[280] Read, for the metre, He is.
[281] Equivalent to—poor, contemptible fellow: but I must leave the reader to determine the exact meaning of this term of reproach. As pingle signifies a small croft, Nares (citing a passage from Lyly's "Euphues") says that pingler is "probably a labouring horse, kept by a farmer in his homestead." "Gloss." in v.—In Brockett's "Gloss, of North Country Words" is "Pingle, to work assiduously but inefficiently,—to labour until you are almost blind." In Forby's "Vocab. of East Anglia" we find, "Pingle, to pick one's food, to eat squeamishly:" and in Moor's "Suffolk Words" is a similar explanation. See also Jamieson's "Et. Dict. of Scott. Lang."
[282] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[283] So second edit. First edit., drinke.
[284] So second edit. First edit., Nich.
[285] [This is probably intended to run into verse—
"For when a man doth to Rome come,
He must do as there is done.">[
[286] [Old copies, crush.]
[287] A form of digest, common in our early writers.
[288] [This emendation was suggested by Dyce.]
[289] [Old copies, shape.]
[290] So second edit. First edit., fathers.
[291] So second edit. First edit., than.
[292] Edits., Franke.
[293] [Old copies, boye yee.]
[294] [Old copies, love capable to.]
[295] So second edit. First edit., Maister.
[296] Some word most probably has dropped out from the line. [Perhaps not.]
[297] So second edit. First edit., craft.
[298] A familiar term for the old English broadsword.
[299] The sharp point in the centre of the buckler.
[300] So second edit. First edit., and.
[301] [Dyce proposed to read ont.]
[302] i.e., Brave.
[303] [Old copies, strukst.]
[304] i.e., Manlike, masculine.
[305] See note [218].
[306] i.e., The parson: Sir was a title applied to clergymen.
[307] See note [255].
[308] [A line appears to be lost here, probably ending with selves, as the whole dialogue is in rhyme.]
[309] i.e., Forester.
[310] Seems to be used here for herd; an unusual meaning of the word. [See Halliwell's "Diet." v. Berry, No. 3.]
[311] So second edit. First edit. me.
[312] So second edit. First edit. th'.
[313] Edits. he.
[314] So second edit. First edit. thee.
[315] So second edit. First edit. thorowly.
[316] See note [218].
[317] Swoon.
[318] Read, for the metre, she is.
[319] Edits., wone.
[320] i.e., An I of the Christ-cross row or alphabet.
[321] A term of endearment, formed, perhaps, from pink, to wink, to contract the eyelids.
[322] Edits., sower.
[323] i.e., A good whip (whipstock is properly the stock or handle of a whip).
[324] A term of endearment, which often occurs in our early dramatists.
[325] Edits., patient.
[326] [Old copies, thy.]
[327] So second edit. First edit., cheesse.
[328] So second edit. First edit., to.
[329] Read, for the metre, Shee is.
[330] A recollection perhaps of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," act iii. sc. 5—
"If I would the fool were married to her grave!"
[331] i.e., Honest.
[332] i.e., Deny.
[333] Read, for the metre, is it.
[334] So second edit. First edit., mistrurst.
[335] Qy., now I swear:
[336] Edits., confederates.
[337] Occurs somewhat earlier in edits. (to warn the actors to be in readiness for coming on the stage).
[338] A well-known part of Oxford. "The principal street is the High Street, running from Magdalen Bridge to Carfax Church," &c —New Oxford Guide, p. 3, 8th edit.
[339] i.e., Fine.
[340] A common proverbial expression: "Beggars'-bush being a tree notoriously known, on the left-hand of the London road, from Huntingdon to Caxton." [Hazlitt'a "Proverbs," 1869, p. 401. See also pp. 82, 199.]
[341] i.e., Refuse.
[342] Is a common term for a small dagger, but here it seems to be used in contempt; see the next speech of Coomes.
[343] The origin of this corrupted oath is, I believe, unknown.
[344] i.e., Rabbit-burrow.
[345] i.e., Call me horse.
[346] A not uncommon proverbial expression. Nares ("Gloss." in v.) mentions three places which still retain the name—one between Oxford and Banbury, another close to Stafford, the third near Shrewsbury.
[347] i.e., Counsel, advice.
[348] i.e., Vile.
[349] So second edit. First edit., upon.
[350] i.e., Till.
[351] i.e., A kind of net for catching rabbits,—usually stretched before their holes.
[352] [The name of a popular game.]
[353] So second edit. First edit., do.
[354] i.e., A sucking, or young rabbit.
[355] Vile.
[356] So second edit. First edit., you'r.
[357] Second edit., wilt not.
[358] i.e., Honest.
[359] Edits. glimpes (the two last letters transposed by mistake.)
[360] i.e., Gave notice of, discovered.
[361] So second edit. First edit. metamorphesie.
[362] So second edit. First edit. these.
[363] So second edit. First edit. 'Sbloud.
[364] i.e., Nearer.
[365] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[366] Qy. "Sir Ralph Smith, I know."
[367] So second edit. These words are wanting in first edit.
[368] This stage direction occurs somewhat earlier in edits.
[369] I am not sure that this stage direction, which I have added, is the right one. It would seem, however, that Sir Ralph Smith remains on the stage, and is supposed not to overhear the dialogue which ensues between Francis and Will.
[370] Edits., Sbloud.
[371] So second edit. First edit., whench.
[372] Edits., ask't and aske.
[373] Read, for the metre, It is.
[374] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[375] Qy., order here?
[376] i.e., Nearer.
[377] Perhaps he ought only to retire.
[378] So second edit. First edit., asgoe.
[379] [Old copies, boye.]
[380] It would seem that something is wanting after this speech, unless we are to suppose that here the Boy lies down and falls asleep, and that he wakens on the second entrance of Hodge,—where, however, the edits. distinctly mark "Enter Hodge and Boy"; see later: Enter [severally] HODGE and BOY.
[381] i.e., Excels.
[382] So second edit. First edit. clowdes.
[383] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[384] Second edit. ye.
[385] Qy. Is this a stage direction crept into the text?
[386] Second edit. grope.
[387] Second edit. so.
[388] [Old copies, paint.]
[389] So second edit. First edit. buze.
[390] Second edit. lips.
[391] So second edit. First edit. I have had a Pumpe set up, as good.
[392] i.e., (Perhaps) swore by our Lady of Walsingham, in Norfolk.
[393] [The name of a game, though here used as a bye-word. See "Popular Antiquities of Gr. Britain," ii. 341.]
[394] So second edit. First edit., Tripe-cheeke.
[395] i.e., Had I known the consequences; a common proverbial expression of repentance.
[396] See note [16].
[397] So second edit. First edit., his.
[398] [Edits., me.]
[399] Qy. a proverbial allusion to the famous Brazen-head?
[400] So second edit. First edit., breath.
[401] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[402] The hero of a popular German jest-book ("Eulenspiegel,") which was translated into English at a very early period: see Gifford's note on Jonson's "Works," iv. 60, and Nares' Gloss. in v.
[403] [First 4º, silly.]
[404] So second edit. First edit., shew.
[405] i.e., Bauble.
[406] Random.
[407] [i.e., Coomes and Nicholas both retire to the back of the stage.]
[408] Edits., hap.
[409] i.e., Ill-will.
[410] Second edit., he a; but a is a common contraction for he.
[411] So second edit. First edit., tell,
[412] i.e., Blind-man's-buff.
[413] So second edit. Not in first edit.
[414] [Old copy, thief.]
[415] i.e., (I suppose) Buoys.
[416] [Old copy, not envies fellon, not.]
[417] [Old copies, what.]
[418] i.e., A dear lean and out of season.
[419] i.e., The alphabet.
[420] So second edit. First edit. wandring.
[421] i.e., suffer, endure. Edits. stole.
[422] So second edit. First edit. Being.
[423] Read, for the metre, it is.
[424] So second edit. First edit. enforc'st.
[425] Read, for the metre, wife is.
[426] So second edit. First edit. same.
[427] Second edit. you.
[428] So second edit. First edit. weere.
[429] [Old edits., carerie.]
[430] So second edit. First edit., shrowdly.
[431] Second edit., me—wrongly, as appears from what follows.
[432] Edits., be.
[433] i.e., Ill-will.
[434] i.e., Satisfy, convince.
[435] Edits., mindes.
[436] Qy., you, mother?
[437] Read, for the metre, she is.
[438] Something has dropt out here.
[439] [Edits., A little.]
[440] i.e., Vile.
[441] i.e., The one.
[442] [Old copies, yond may help that come both together.]
[443] So second edit. First edit., fileds.
[444] A common, familiar contraction of mine uncle.
[445] Second edit., fie.
[446] So second edit. First edit., brings.
[447] i.e., Traitor or felon.
[448] i.e., Swoon.
[449] Second edit., fauours.
[450] So read for the metre. Old copies, here's.
[451] See also Collier's "Hist. of Eng. Dramatic Poetry," i. 3.
[452] See Dyce's "Shakespeare," 1868, ii. 2.
[453] Not in the old copy.
[454] [i.e., to Tyburn.]
[455] [Old copy, thee.]
[456] Old copy, well a neere. Well-a-year is an unusual phrase, well being corrupted from wail. "Well-a-day" in the same sense is common enough.
[457] Old copy, otimie, I conjecture otomy for anatomy, a common form of anatomy.
[458] Halliwell mentions the words pubble and puble in different senses, and the old copy reads puble; but here the context seems to require bubble. He has immediately before used the term froth.
[459] Fear.
[460] Divisions, conflicts.
[461] Old copy, Henry.
[462] Old copy, Aveney.
[463] But see Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 23.
[464] Old copy, where stands in.
[465] i.e., Mary, God's mother.
[466] See Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 289.
[467] Possibly in reference to a tract, so called, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, and (after him) by others.
[468] He means the stammer of Redcap, which he intends to imitate.
[469] Compare "Damon and Pithias," vol. iv., pp. 67-8.
[470] Old copy, excepts.
[471] He does not appear, however, to make himself visible, but stands aside, listening.
[472] Old copy, times. See Halliwell, v. tine, where the word is said to mean "the prong of a fork (second explanation)," thence, as in the text, a horn.
[473] [Old copy, attempt.]
[474] Block seems to refer jocularly to Sir Richard's long aside, under a sort of invisible cap.
[475] Old copy, solicitie.
[476] Old copy, say.
[477] Old copy, you.
[478] Old copy, Richard's.
[479] [Old copy, us.]
[480] Succeed.
[481] Perhaps the dance so called is meant.
[482] [Old copy, them.]
[483] [Old. copy, ye spoke.]
[484] Old copy, rove.
[485] i.e., From the time of the Confessor.
[486] i.e., Spain; old copy, Gads.
[487] A word or words left blank in the old copy.
[488] His gown.
[489] Old copy, Levarnian.
[490] Old copy, It.
[491] Old copy, ane.
[492] The word search is here, and again a little further on used in the sense of searchers.
[493] Old copy, another; but Redcap is evidently accompanied by two assistants.
[494] This appears to stand for officers of the peace, as the watch and the search.
[495] Old copy, King.
[496] A brothel.
[497] [Old copy, age.]
[498] [Old copy, Fau, for Fauconbridge.]
[499] [This might appear to be a corruption of go out, or of God's gut (God's guts is an ejaculation found elsewhere); but from a subsequent passage we can but conclude that the disease so called is intended.]
[500] Old copy, fill'd, the compositor's eye, perhaps, having strayed to the next line.
[501] Strong. See a long note in Nares, edit. 1859, p. 606.
[502] Old copy; here.
[503] A room in the Salutation so called.
[504] Guests.
[505] Old copy, at.
[506] Old copy, Raynald.
[507] [Old copy, me of.]
[508] i.e., Terms, as mentioned before. Old copy, then.
[509] To meet with is a very common phrase for to serve out, requite.
[510] Skink issues from the hermit's house in the disguise of the man whom he is supposed to have cured, and as he leaves, addresses parting words to the hermit within.
[511] Breviary.
[512] Old copy, them.
[513] Brand.
[514] Old copy, of.
[515] Old copy, Glo.
[516] [Old copy, last.]
[517] [Old copy, this.]
[518] Old copy, salutes he.
[519] Old copy, you for.
[520] Old copy, in.
[521] [Old copy, we.]
[522] [Old copy, we'll.]
[523] [Old copy, sighs and songs.]
[524] In this passage the phrase, to wear the yellow, seems hardly to bear the ordinary construction of, to be jealous.
[525] Old copy, pining.
[526] Old copy gives this line to the lady, i.e., the merchant's wife.
[527] This seems to be some popular and well-understood allusion—well understood then, but now obscure enough; nor does Steevens's explanation help us much. See "Pop. Antiq. of Gr. Britain," 1870, iii. 322.
[528] An allusion to an old proverb.
[529] Old copy gives this line to Gloster.
[530] Old copy, weak.
[531] Halliwell says, "a squall."
[532] Fear.
[533] Old copy, wray.
[534] Old copy, not thou art.
[535] i.e., Gloster, disguised also as a hermit.
[536] Old copy, he's.
[537] Old copy gives as the stage-direction here merely, Enter John.
[538] Old copy, Lan.
[539] Compare "First Part of Jeronimo," vol. iv., p. 349, and the note.
[540] [Old copy, breath.]
[541] [Compare Courthope's "Historic Peerage," 1857, v. Hereford.]
[542] [In allusion to the proverb, Threatened men live long.]
[543] [Old copy, William.]
[544] Old copy, them.
[545] Something seems to have dropped out of the text.
[546] I do not find this phrase anywhere.
[547] Old copy, may.
[548] i.e., Gloster.
[549] There is an evident corruption here. Query, Life kneels to thrones.
[550] Old copy, thy.
[551] Old copy, not.
[552] Old copy, is.
[553] Old copy, set.
[554] i.e., Mort de Dieu.
[555] Old copy, ye.
[556] Old copy, Sarasons.
[557] An exclamation of doubtful meaning and origin. See a long note in Nares, edit. 1859, v. Rivo.
[558] Old copy, for.