[p. 302] rubbing off. Very common slang still in use for ‘making off’, ‘clearing out’, cf. Shadwell’s The Virtuoso (1676), Act v, sc. III, the Masquerade, where Sir Samuel Harty says: ‘Who held my sword while I danc’d? ... A curse on him! he’s rubb’d off with it!’
[p. 303] Dullman and Timorous. No entrance has been marked for these two characters, and I have not ventured to insert one owing to the fact that this fifth Act has been so cut (e.g. the omission of the Indian King’s ghost, as noted by Jenkins in the Dedication) and mutilated that it would be perilous to make any insertion or alteration here as the copy now stands. We may suppose these two coward justices to have rushed on in one of the many mêlées.
Act V: Scene iv
[p. 304] Hannibal. Hannibal, when betrayed by Prusias, King of Bithynia, at whose court he had taken refuge, poisoned himself rather than fall into the hands of the Romans.
Epilogue
[p. 309] Epilogue. This Epilogue is, it will be noted, almost precisely the same as the Prologue to Abdelazer. In line 32 we have ‘Basset’ in place of the obsolescent game, ‘Beasts’ (damn’d Beasts). Basset, which resembled Faro, was first played at Venice. cf. Evelyn’s Diary, 1645 (Ascension Week at Venice): ‘We went to the Chetto de San Felice, to see the noblemen and their ladies at basset, a game at cards which is much used.’ It became immensely popular in England. Evelyn, in his famous description of ‘the inexpressible luxury and profaneness, gaming, and all dissoluteness’ on the Sunday se’nnight before the death of Charles II, specially noted that ‘about twenty of the great courtiers and other dissolute persons were at Basset round a large table, a bank of at least 2000 in gold before them.’ [Text note]
Cross-References
[Note to p. 261]: a Bob.
False Count text:
—who will desert me,