  [1] The "Interlude of Youth." From the rare black-letter edition, printed by Waley about the year 1554. Edited by James Orchard Halliwell, Esq. … Brixton Hill, 1849, 4to. 75 copies privately printed. [2] Apparently of an otherwise undescribed edition. See Hazlitt's "Handbook," p. 464. [3] Part asunder. [4] hearte, Waley's ed. [5] [Waley's and Copland's eds., fair.] [6] Hinder. [7] Regret. [8] A line, rhyming with this, seems to have dropped out. [9] Solve. [10] [Old copies, Sir.] [11] [Old copies, i-wis.] [12] See Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," iv., 239. [13] Found. [14] [Vele's ed. nilet.] [15] [Intended as a sneer at Charity's pious sentiments. Sir John is the common term in old plays, and literature generally, for a parson.] [16] Cool. [17] [Trumpington is in Essex, a county proverbial, rightly or wrongly, for the stupidity of its inhabitants.] [18] [Equivalent to calling him a churl. See Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, pp. 315-316 and 489; and Halliwell's "Dictionary," v. Hogsnorton. But in none of the instances cited there do we find Trumpington mentioned.] [19] See "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," ii. 286. [20] "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," ii. 315. [21] Should we not read Hey-go-bet? [22] See Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," iii. 73-4. [23] Post and pair. [24] [We do not find this mentioned elsewhere. The same remark applies to aums-ace.] [25] [Halliwell, in his "Dict." v. Pink, says:—"A game, the same as post and pair." Surely this is not so. It seems rather to be used, here at least, in the sense of gamble. But pink, after all, may signify something very different, viz., lechery.] [26] The target or butts. [27] [Copland's ed. books.] [28] [This line is omitted in Waley's ed.] [29] [The colophon of Waley's ed. is: Imprinted at London by John Waley, dwellyng in foster lane.] [30] [The colophon of Vele's ed. is at the end infrÂ.] [31] [Afterwards parted with to Dr Dibdin. A second copy is in the Bodleian.] [32] [An error. No edition by Pinson is known, or is likely to have ever existed. The impression referred to is Copland's. See Hazlitt's "Handbook," p. 649-50.] [33] Gen. viii.; Jer. xvii.; Eccles. xxx. [34] And, Copland's edition. [35] Forsakyn, Copland's edition. [36] Consolaion, Vele's edition. [37] Arbour, Copland's edition. [38] Aslope, Copland's edition. [39] Surel i-pight, Copland's edition. [40] Care. [41] Brake, Copland's edition. [42] Touch. [43] Ye, Copland's edition. [44] Appetyte, Vele's edition. [45] The word fitte sometimes signified a part or division of a song; but in its original acceptation a poetic strain, verse, or poem: from being applied to music, the word was easily transferred to dancing, as in the above passages. See Dr. Percy's "Relics of Anc. Eng. Poetry," vol. ii., p. 297 [edit. 1765].—Hawkins. [46] Compacions, Copland's edition. [47] My, Copland's edition. [48] Thus. [49] Wyse, Vele's edition. [50] For infecte, Copland's edition. [51] Teachings. [52] That, omitted in Copland's edition. [53] You, omitted in Copland's edition. [54] Infinitie, Vele's edition. [55] The, Copland's edition. [56] Way, Copland's edition. [57] Both the copies read God. [58] New, Copland's edition. [59] Thus, Copland's edition; but the sense is the same. [60] Accorde, Copland's edition. [61] The, Copland's edition. [62] Be, Copland's edition. [63] The which, omitted in Copland's edition. [64] Is, omitted, Copland's edition. [65] God, Vele's edition. [66] Pervarce, Copland's edition. [67] One, Copland's edition. [68] They, Copland's edition. [69] To, Copland's edition. [70] Chap. Math., Copland's edition. [71] Which, Vele's edition. [72] Not, omitted in Vele's edition. [73] To reward, Vele's edition. [74] Leadete, Copland's edition. [75] Borught, Copland's edition. [76] His, Copland's edition. [77] Exit, omitted in Copland's edition. [78] Copland's edit, taste. [79] A, Copland's edition. [80] Abstinate, Copland's edition. [81] Hole, Copland's edition. [82] Begone, Copland's edition. [83] That, Copland's edition. [84] Craft, Vele's edition. [85] My, Copland's edition. [86] Exit omitted in Copland's edition. [87] Abhominable. So the word is constantly spelt. It is worth remarking, in order to fix the adjustment of a passage in Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost," A. 4, S. I: This is abhominable which he would call abominable. Capell's edition, nearly agreeable to the quartos, or, this is abominable which we would call abhominable. So Theobald and Hanmer, according to the folios. The two great and learned editors, Warburton and Johnson, read vice versa: This is abominable which he would call abhominable, which destroys the poet's humour, such as it is, who is laughing at such fanatical phantasms and rackers of orthography as affect to speak fine.—Hawkins. [88] Thus. [89] Called, Copland's edition. [90] Here in this tide omitted, Copland's edition. [91] Some, Copland's edition. [92] Canseth, Copland's edition. [93] Thus. [94] You, omitted in Copland's edition. [95] Greatly. [96] As for al those fylthe doinges, Copland's edition. [97] Shakespeare puts these words, with great humour, into the mouth of Dogberry, in "Much Ado about Nothing," A. 3, S. 8. Though the quartos and folios concur in this reading, the moderns uniformly read, He's a good man. N.B.—The old reading is restored by Mr Capell. The author seems here to ridicule the blasphemous questions discussed by the schoolmen among the Papists in his time, as, Whether the Pope be God or man, or a mean betwixt both? &c. See Archbishop Whitgift's "Sermon before Queen Elizabeth." 1574. Sig. B 2.—Hawkins. [In Germany they have a similar saying at present, and it seems to be used in this sense: God is a good person, he lets things take their course.] [98] Portous, the ancient name for a Breviary. Blount. Here it signifies the Bible.—Hawkins. [99] You omitted, Copland's edition. [100] Thynge, Copland's edition. [101] Thought, Copland's edition. [102] Where, Vele's edition. [103] Wil, Copland's edition. [104] The foole presumptious, Copland's edition. [105] I wote wote where, Copland's edition. [106] Would, Copland's edition. [107] Fare, Copland's edition. [108] Beare, Copland's edition. [109] Jybben, Vele's edition. [110] This passage will receive illustration from the following quotation out of Bishop Latimer's Sermon, preached before King Edward the Sixth, about the year 1550: "A good fellow on a tyme bad another of hys frendes to a breakefast, and sayed, Yf you wyl come, you shal be welcome; but I tell you afore hande, you shal haue but sclender fare, one dysh and that is al. What is that, said he? A puddynge and nothynge els. Mary, sayed he, you cannot please me better; of all meates that is for myne owne toth: you may draw me round about the town with a pudding." Sig. G. vii.—Hawkins. [111] Thys, Copland's edition. [112] Wylt, Vele's edition. [113] Dogs, Copland's edition. [114] This mode of expression occurs in Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream," A. 3, S. 3, needlessly altered by some to, I shall desire of you more acquaintance.—Hawkins. [115] Original, wyl. [116] Query, defines. [117] Wer ysought, Copland's edition. [118] To omitted. Copland's edition. [119] A, Copland's edition. [120] A omitted, Copland's edition. [121] For us omitted, Copland's edition. [122] She thinketh danger, Copland's edition. [123] These two lines I have given to Juventus against the authority of the copies.—Hawkins. [124] The entrance of Abhominable Living is not marked in the copies.— Hawkins. [125] Opned, Copland's edition. [126] [This is not marked in the copies.] [127] Thyng, Copland's edition. [128] Iou, Copland's edition. [129] Both the copies concur in this reading.—Hawkins. [A common corruption of the Divine name.] [130] Horson, Copland's edition. [131] Lile, Vele's edition. [132] Take, Copland's edition. [133] Thou, Copland's edition. [134] Afsleight, Copland's edition. [135] This and the following line is given to Juventus in Copland's edition.—Hawkins. [136] It were no daly, Copland's edition. [137] Badi, Copland's edition. [138] Mouth, Copland's edition. [139] Of omitted, Copland's edition. [140] Thys, Copland's edition. [141] And testament omitted, Copland's edition. [142] Profession, Copland's edition. [143] Now omitted, Copland's edition. [144] Both the copies read professour.—Hawkins. [145] Congregation omitted, Copland's edition. [146] Abhord utterly, Copland's edition. [147] Wicked, Copland's edition. [148] Juventus, coming in and hearing imperfectly the words sin and vice, very naturally mistakes them for terms used at dice: we may presume, therefore, that the genuine reading should be cinque and sice.—Hawkins. [149] Cyce, Copland's edition. [150] Not omitted, Copland's edition. [151] [An indelicate figure, which occurs in jest-books and other early literature.] [152] Shyfe, Copland's edition. [153] Trape, Copland's edition. [154] Thus. [155] Complaye, Copland's edition. [156] Our, Copland's edition. [157] Veter, Copland's edition. [158] Plasphemyng, Copland's edition. [159] Trrible, Copland's edition. [160] His, Vele's edition. [161] Fair, Copland's ed. [162] This, Vele's edition. [163] Austine, Copland's edition. [164] As, Copland's edition. [165] Returned, Vele's edition. [166] Borde, Vele's edition. [167] Mr Garrick's copy is imperfect, and ends at this mark.—Hawkins. [168] Mot, Vele's edition. [169] The following lines being torn are filled up by conjecture with the words printed in italics.—Hawkins. [170] Square. [171] Edward VI. [172] Is, Vele's edition. [173] [The colophon of Vele's edition is: "Finis, quod R. Wever. Imprinted at London in Paules churche yeard, by Abraham Vele, at the sygne of the Lambe." Of Copland's edition, besides the Garrick copy, there is a second, formerly Heber's, in the Devonshire collection.] [174] "Four Old Plays," 1848, 9-12. [175] [Mr Child printed moull.] [176] A fanciful name. See Halliwell's Dict., v. Bonegrace. [177] Old copy, bysye. [178] Disconcerted, put out in my plans. See Halliwell, v. aray. [179] Original reads that. [180] Original has swet lookes. Compare the "Pardoner and the Friar" (i. 281)— "Or by Jis I'sh lug thee by the sweet ears," and a passage in the present piece— "I have forgotten with tousing by the hair." [181] Original reads yet. [182] Original has boons. The sense appears to be that "Jack Juggler" will, by killing Careaway, leave him to the mercy of the Virgin. [183] i.e., Nearer. [184] Finger-bones. [185] i.e., On. [186] Blow. [187] Should do better. [188] i.e., Noddy. [189] Original reads, vpo=n cai. [190] Original reads, I thou hast. [191] Original reads, pilorye peepours. [192] [A common abbreviation, leaving its substantive to be supplied at pleasure.] [193] [Perhaps in our modern sense of to walk into.] [194] Prove. [195] [Orig. kyrie.] [196] Nearer. [197] Original reads, beat me. [198] [A term of contempt, perhaps of no very definite or clear signification; but it does not seem to be glossed.] [199] Original has haue. [200] Thus. [201] i.e., JACK JUGGLER. [202] Move. [203] [A line seems to have dropped out here.] [204] [Original reads have by therefore.] [205] [Beat his head against a post.] [206] Verily. [207] Spring. [208] Calicow or Calicut, i.e., Calcutta. [209] Shut. [210] Original has I. [211] [The colophon is: Imprinted at London in Lothbury by me Wyllyam Copland. The only copy known, formerly Inglis's and Heber's, is now in the Devonshire collection. The piece is undated, but it was licensed for the press in 1562-3.] [212] Nursled. [213] [Pets. See Halliwell's "Dictionary," v. Tiddle.] [214] [I do not find this word in any other glossaries; but it occurs again below.] [215] Old copy, Kynge. [216] Trudging. [217] Thirst. [218] So in old copy, which is perhaps right. To-to, as an intensitive, is a common form. [219] Are jealous of them. [220] Barnabas. [221] Old copy, Gupliade. [222] This word, as a verb, has occurred above. It is evidently used in a bad sense, to signify an idle, loafing person. [223] Mistress. [224] Old copy, an. [225] Old copy, a leaven. [226] Altogether. [227] i.e., Do ye nick a cast! See Halliwell, v. Nick, No. 6. [228] i.e., By God's wounds, a common phrase. [229] Care. [230] A term of contempt. A skinflint, a curmudgeon. [231] Pet, spoil. [232] Old copy, no. [233] Old copy, your. [234] Old copy, you. [235] Old copy, siker, i.e., certainly, securely. [236] Old copy, whaler. [237] Old copy, or. [238] Jury. Compare Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," ii. 149. [239] Here probably the word means literally briber; but bribour also means a thief. See Way's edition of the "Promptorium," p. 50, and Halliwell in v. Brybe and brybour. [240] Old copy, intided. [241] In the old copy, this and the following line are transposed, and some of the speeches are wrongly addressed. [242] Old copy, in. [243] Old copy, none. [244] Old copy, hanged. [245] Old copy, neder. [246] Old copy, ever. [247] Swoon. [248] See Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," iv. 239. The term goldylocks, curiously enough, seems to have been in early use in a contemptuous or bad sense. [249] Old copy, bid. [250] Old copy, exhorting. [251] Old copy, yea. [252] Old copy, is. [253] Old copy, cam me mery? [254] This marginal note has partly been cut off by the binder:— resyng, [255] Reprove. [256] The colophon is: Imprinted at London, in Paules Churche yearde at the Sygne of the Swane by John Kyng. [257] From the time he calls. [258] A young deer. "Tegge or pricket, saillant"—Palsgrave's Eclaircissement, 1530 (edit. 1852, p. 279). [259] Jerks with the whip. [260] Old copy, wourne. [261] i.e., Mankind, masculine, furious. [262] Stranger. A more usual form is fremed. [263] The meaning seems to be obvious enough; but the word is not to be found in our glossaries. [264] Halliwell mentions this word; but none of his interpretations suits the present context. [265] Old copy, stomachere. [266] Defile. [267] Abided. [268] Old copy, even. [269] Old copy, as. [270] Old copy, once. [271] Referring to the speech below. In the old copy this direction is printed in the margin, and such is, no doubt, its most suitable position. [272] Old copy, once our. Perhaps we ought to read sour. [273] Staffing or forcing, the same kind of thing as we now know under the name of forced meat. [274] Old copy, Mido. [275] Servant. [276] Jolly, Fr. joli. [277] Forestalled. [278] Wretches. [279] Lose no time. [280] Late. [281] To have on the petticoat is a phrase of very unusual occurrence, of which the sense may, without much difficulty or risk of error, be collected from the context. [282] Ragan and the others must be supposed to be at the back of the stage, out of Esau's sight; but they come forward severally, and plead for themselves. [283] Run. [284] i.e., Old witch. But compare Halliwell, v. Mab. [285] Old copy, Rebecca. [286] A word of contempt often used in our old comedies, as we now employ chap. [287] In the old copy this line is improperly given to Isaac. [288] The new guise is a term often met with in old plays, but the application of it here is not very clear, although the meaning of the writer—in a way that he (Jacob) little expected—is sufficiently intelligible. [289] In the old copy this word is improperly placed opposite the line, That all quarrel, &c. [290] Understanding. [291] [The interlude of "The Disobedient Child," edited by J.O. Halliwell. Percy Society, 1848.] [292] [But see Cooper's "Cambridge Athenae," i., 554.] [293] [The Bridgewater copy of the original edition was most obligingly collated for the present writer by Mr Alexander Smith, of Glasgow. It affords numerous corrections of the Percy Society's text.] [294] [The full title is: A pretie and mery new Enterlude, called The Disobedient Child, compiled by Thomas Ingelend, late Student in Cambridge. Imprinted at London, in Flete strete, beneath the Conduit, by Thomas Colwell. 4°.] [295] These first eight lines are also found in the interlude introduced into the play of Sir Thomas More, printed by the Shakespeare Society, p. 60.—Halliwell. [296] Without shame—shameless. [297] Immediately. See "Othello," Act. iv. sc. 3. [298] That is, according to my judgment. See "Lear," Act i. sc. 4.— Halliwell. [299] To split, or burst. Generally spelt rive. [300] Both tender and delicate. [Here, as pointed out in a note to Heywood's "Four P.P." supra, the word nice is to be pronounced nich.] [301] Beaten. [302] [Query same as spwyn, to burst or break out. See Way's edit, of the "Promptorium," v. Spwyn.] [303] Compare "Troilus and Cressida," i. 2. [304] Burial. From the Latin. [305] i.e., By. [306] [Original reads trembled.] [307] [This account, if founded on fact, is a curious illustration of the scholastic discipline of that period. We know that Udall the dramatist was remarkable for his severity to his pupils at Eton.] [308] Impress. Compare "Much Ado about Nothing," iv. 1.—Halliwell. [309] [Query, the schoolmaster, so called from inflicting on the pupil with a cane cuts on the hand.] [310] Bet. See "Taming of the Shrew"— "Now, by Saint Jamy, [311] Jakes. Compare "Lear," ii. 2.—Halliwell. [312] [Detail, or circumlocution.] [313] At once. [314] Compare "Comedy of Errors," Act ii, sc. 1.—Halliwell. [315] Blamed, scolded. See "Merry Wives of Windsor," i. 4. The older meaning of the term is ruined, but Elizabethan writers generally employ it in the sense here mentioned.—Halliwell. [I do not agree. The older sense is, I think, the only one admissible; yet, Nares cites a passage from Shakespeare which may shake this position. See v. Shend, No. 1, second quotation.] [316] Compare the "Midsummer Night's Dream," ii, 1.—Halliwell. [317] "Bring oil to fire" (King Lear, ii. 2). Compare also "All's Well that ends Well," v. 3.—Halliwell. [318] "My tricksy spirit" (Tempest, v. 1).—Halliwell. [319] "Smell of calumny" (Measure for Measure, ii. 4).—Halliwell. [320] Often used formerly for county.—Halliwell. [321] Voice. [322] In the daytime.—Halliwell. [Simply o' days, as printed here.] [323] The simpleton. See 1, "Henry VI."—Halliwell. [324] A common phrase, equivalent to, it were a good thing. See "Much Ado about Nothing," ii. 3.—Halliwell. [Not a good thing, but a charity.] [325] "What, sweeting, all amort" (Taming of the Shrew).—Halliwell. [326] Altogether, entirely. [327] Rabbit. A term of endearment. [328] My lady so fair in countenance. The expression is common in our early romances.—Halliwell. [329] If. [330] "Twelve years since" (Tempest).—Halliwell. [331] A provincialism.—Halliwell. [Rather, perhaps, a Cockneyism.] [332] A term of contempt for a fool. See "Much Ado about Nothing," iii. 3.—Halliwell. [333] "At a pin's fee" (Hamlet).—Halliwell. [334] Anger. "And that which spites me more than all these wants" (Taming of the Shrew).—Halliwell. [335] To look sad. This term is often incorrectly explained. "Fye, how impatience lowreth in your face" (Com. Err.), i.e., makes your face look sad, opposed to the "merry look."—Halliwell. [Lour is simply a contracted form of lower.] [336] Care. [337] Compare "Merchant of Venice," iii. 4.—Halliwell. [338] Not a term of reproach.—Compare "1 Henry VI."—Halliwell. [339] Compare "Taming of the Shrew," ii. 1.—Halliwell. [340] Never in the original copy.—Halliwell. [341] Compare "The Merchant of Venice," i. 3.—Halliwell. [342] Drunkards. [343] "Upstart unthrifts" (Richard II.)—Halliwell. [344] Compare "Taming of the Shrew," i. 2: "O this woodcock, what an ass it is!"—Halliwell. [345] [Rather, perhaps, dulsum, i.e., sweet.] [346] This confirms in some measure a reading in the "Taming of the Shrew"—"Or so devote to Aristotle's Ethics."—Halliwell. [See Dyce's 2d edit. iii. 114, and the note.] [347] "Begnaw with the bots" (Taming of the Shrew).—Halliwell. [348] Owing to whom. [349] Caraway comfits. See "2 Henry IV." and the blunders of the commentators corrected in my "Dictionary of Archaisms," p. 231.— Halliwell. [350] Compare "Troilus and Cressida," ii. 2.—Halliwell. [351] "Good wits will be jangling" (Love's Labour's Lost).— Halliwell. [352] A dagger. See "Hamlet," iii. 1.—Halliwell. [353] Cared. [354] [A rather common phrase. See Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 205.] [355] Care. [356] [Nearer.] [357] Necessary, fit. [358] Business. [359] _Fool. "Folte, stolidus" (Vocab. MS.)—Halliwell. [360] Foolish—"Our peevish opposition" (Hamlet).—Halliwell. [361] Compare "Taming of the Shrew," iv. 2.—Halliwell. [362] [A-going, bound.] [363] A common phrase. See "Two Gentlemen of Verona," ii. 3.— Halliwell. [364] Compare the song in "Hamlet," iv. 5.—Halliwell. [365] [Orig. has flying and fiend.] [366] Bad. "This is a noughty night" (Lear).—Halliwell. [367] The devil was generally attended by the Vice, but he is here introduced by himself, and the exact meaning of his part in this plot is somewhat a mystery.—Halliwell. [368] Tricks. See "King Lear."—Halliwell. [369] Company. [370] Haste. Lat. [371] Every one. [372] Grief. "My endless dolou" (Two Gentlemen of Verona).— Halliwell. [373] Compare "Taming of the Shrew," i. 2.—Halliwell. [374] [Catch me gone from home.] [375] Fool.—See "Comedy of Errors, iii. 1."—Halliwell. [376] The person who spoke the Epilogue (Lat). [377] Indulgence. [378] Clever.—See "Taming of the Shrew."—Halliwell. [379] With care or sorrow. [380] Levity.—Cf. "Taming of Shrew," iv. 2—Halliwell. [381] Scarce. [382] Worldly. [383] Old copy, when. [384] Old copy, gain. [385] Old copy, clitter (for clatter), which the compositor's eye most have caught from the next line. So is agreeable to the metre and the sense. [386] Old copy, at that. [387] Old copy, in laps. [388] Old copy, doth. [389] Old copy, kind. [390] Old copy, sendeth. [391] Old copy, force. [392] Peeping. [393] Rival. [394] Old copy, wit's. [395] Old copy, our. [396] Old copy, Reason. [397] i.e., Take away from me. [398] Old copy, It. [399] Old copy, this. [400] Old copy, Amity. [401] Old copy, grief. [402] Prize. [403] Pretend. [404] Old copy, heare. [405] Old copy, trade. [406] Bonds. [407] A proverbial expression not found in the collections. It may signify the hangman's cord. [408] Old copy, desire. [409] Old copy, breeds. [410] Old copy, and return. [411] Old copy, by. [412] Old copy, Will. [413] Old copy, In. [414] Old copy, This gentle news of good Will are. The gentlewomen referred to are Recreation and Idleness. [415] A line seems to have dropped out here. [416] i.e., That business is despatched. See Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 352. [417] Old copy, fitly. [418] By my faith. [419] i.e., "It would rejoice my heart to change coats with him." [420] Old copy, thy—thy; but Ignorance is to change clothes with Wit, while the latter sleeps in the lap of Idleness. [421] Old copy, is my tryer. He has indistinct misgivings that his clothes are not all right. [422] Old copy, scot. [423] Old copy, fish-hosts. [424] A colloquialism, of which the exact import must be matter of guess. Old copy, Hope haliday. Perhaps a corruption of upon my haliday. [425] Old copy, It is. [426] Old copy, These marks. [427] Old copy, will. [428] Old copy, troble. [429] Old copy, die. The same appears to be, "That are not driven to behold those wretched cares, which I am driven, &c." [430] Old copy, your. [431] Fellow. The word is frequently used, as we now use the word chap, which is in fact the same, being an abbreviation of chapman. [432] Fet (or feat) seeing to be here employed in the sense of play or perform. Friscols has occurred before in this play. [433] So old copy; but perhaps we ought to read this hap in the line preceding. [434] See Halliwell's Dict, in v. [435] Squich, a word of most uncommon occurrence and of dubious meaning. From the immediate context we should infer that it signified skip, move lightly and quickly. [436] Old copy, labores. [437] Query, examples. [438] Push, i.e., do not close. [439] Old copy, durte (dirt); We still say, to make a dust. [440] A direction to Tediousness, that he is to be tripped up by Will. [441] Old copy, blest. [442] Old copy, O. [443] Old copy, have. Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Tapio Riikonen and PG Distributed Proofreaders |
|
