[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.]