Referring to Mrs. Cowden Clarke's admirable concordance of Shakspeare, it appears that the word "pensive" is used by Shakspeare in the text of his plays twice; namely, in Romeo and Juliet, Act IV. Sc. 1., where Friar Laurence addresses Juliet thus:
"My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now."
and again, in the Third Part of Henry VI., Act IV. Sc. 1., where Clarence is thus addressed by King Edward upon the subject of his marriage with the Lady Grey:
"Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice,
That you stand pensive, as half mal-content?"
I also find that, according to the stage directions (both ancient and modern) of Act II. Sc 2. of Henry VIII. (see Collier's Shakspeare, vol. v. p. 534., note), the king is described to be found "reading pensively," at a moment when he is meditating his divorce from Katharine of Arragon, not "because the marriage of his brother's wife had crept too near his conscience," but "because his conscience had crept too near another lady."
I might extend the argument by further observations upon the reference last cited, but not without risk of losing all chance of a place in "Notes and Queries."
Query, Whether pensive was ever written or printed penzive in Shakspeare's time? If so, that word would bear a still closer resemblance to "prenzie."
Leges.