FOOTNOTES:

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William Carew Hazlitt

[1] Mr Gifford, with that zeal for the author under his hands which always distinguished him (and without a single reference to Field's unassisted comedies which, in fact, have remained unnoticed by everybody), attributes to Field, in "The Fatal Dowry," all that he thinks unworthy his notion of Massinger. We are to recollect, however, that Field continued one of the Children of the Revels as late as 1609, and that when "A Woman is a Weathercock" was printed in 1612, he must have been scarcely of age.

[2] Two other letters from Field to Henslowe are printed for the first time in Malone's Shakespeare, by Boswell, xxi. 395 and 404. One is subscribed "Your loving and obedient son," and the other "Your loving son," and both request advances of money; the first on a play, in the writing of which Field was engaged with Robert Daborne, and the second, in consequence of Field having been "taken on an execution of £30." They have no dates, but others with which they are found are in 1613.

[3] It is tolerably clear that the drama was written in 1609. See the allusion to the war in Cleveland, as then going on, at p. 28.

[4] Mr Gifford also states (Massinger, i. 67), that he joined Heminge and Condell in the publication of the folio Shakespeare of 1623.

[5] Ben Jonson, in his "Bartholomew Fair," act v. sc. 3, couples him with Burbage, and speaks of him as the "best actor" of the day. This play was produced in 1614.

[6] Taylor the Water-poet, in his "Wit and Mirth," introduces a supposed anecdote of "Master Field the player," which is only a pun upon the word post, and that not made by Field. Taylor had it, probably, from some earlier collection of jokes, and the compiler of Hugh Peters' Jests, 1660, had it from Taylor, and told it of his hero.

[7] Malone, in his "History of the Stage," quotes this passage to show that such was, in Field's day, the ordinary price of the dedication of a play. Malone's Shakespeare, by Boswell, iii. 164.

[8] Referring to his "Amends for Ladies," first printed in 1618, and afterwards in 1639.

[9] It was not unusual for elder poets to call the younger their sons. Ben Jonson allowed this title to Randolph, Howell, and others. Field also subscribes himself to old Henslowe the manager, "your loving son."

[10] An allusion (one out of hundreds in our old plays) to "The Spanish Tragedy," act iii., where Hieronimo finds a letter, and taking it up, exclaims—

"What's here? A letter! Tush, it is not so—
A letter written to Hieronimo."
—[v. 68.]

[11] [Advice.]

[12] [Old copy, again.]

[13] [Old copy, doubt on.]

[14] [Old copy, as.]

[15] Cotgrave tells us that "piccadilles are the several divisions or pieces fastened together about the brim of the collar of a doublet." They are mentioned over and over again in old plays, as by Field himself (probably) in "The Fatal Dowry," act iv. sc. 1: "There's a shoulder-piece cut, and the base of a pickadille in puncto." A pickadel is spoken of in "Northward Ho!" sig. D 3, as part of the dress of a female. See Gifford's Ben Jonson, v. 55, for the origin and application of the word.

[16] A place notorious for prostitutes, often mentioned.

[17] [Ordered them to be made, not being a poet or verse writer himself. Old copy, commend.]

[18] [Usually, a kind of sausage; but here it seems to have an indelicate sense, which may be readily conjectured.]

[19] From this passage it should seem that Italian tailors in Field's time wore peculiarly wide and stiff ruffs, like a wheel of lace round their necks. Nothing on the point is to be found in R. Armin's "Italian Taylor and his Boy," 1609. The Tailor in "Northward Ho!" 1607, sig. D 3, speaks of "a Cathern (Katherine) wheel farthingale," but the farthingale was a hoop for the petticoats.

[20] [Backyard usually, but here the phrase seems to mean rather a house in the rear.]

[21] The old stage direction here is only Exit Inno.

[22] Bombard strictly means a piece of artillery, but it was metaphorically applied to large vessels containing liquor: in this sense it may be frequently found in Shakespeare and other dramatists of his day.

[23] i.e., The gunpowder treason of 5th Nov. 1605.

[24] [Meaning, a character. Old is frequently used in this sort of sense.]

[25] Sir Abraham quotes from "The Spanish Tragedy," and Kate detects his plagiarism; [but the passage in that drama is itself a quotation. See vol. v. p. 36.]

[26] Or "Pancras parson," a term of contempt for the convenient clergymen of that day.

[27] The old copy reads, And give up breathing to cross their intent.

[28] What is the meaning of these initials must be left to the conjecture of the reader: perhaps waits playing, in reference to the attendant musicians.

[29] i.e., All but Kate, Strange, and Scudmore enter the church. Strange and Kate follow immediately, and leave Scudmore solus.

[30] [Referring to what Strange has said a little before, not to Scudmore's speech, which is spoken aside.]

[31] [Gossamers.]

[32] [Old copies and former edits., still given, which appears to be meaningless. The word substituted is not satisfactory, but it is the most likely one which has occurred to me, and the term is employed by our old playwrights rather more widely than at present.]

[33] Dosser is used for a basket generally, but as it means strictly a pannier for the back (from the Fr. dossier), it is here used very inappropriately with reference to the burden Mrs Wagtail carries before her. We have it in the modern sense of pannier in "The Merry Devil of Edmonton"—

"The milkmaids' cuts shall turn the wenches off,
And lay their dossers tumbling in the dust."
—[x. 224.]

[34] This remark, and a question below, in the old copy are given to Luce; but Lucida is not upon the stage, and could not be there, as Scudmore afterwards enters, pretending to be the bearer of a letter from her. The name of Nevill has been substituted for Luce, and at least there is no impropriety in assigning what is said to him. Two other speeches, attributed to her, obviously belong to Sir Abraham.

[35] The exclamations of the bowlers, whom Sir Abraham has just quitted.

[36] [Addressing Cupid.]

[37] The French phrase is avaler le bonnet, i.e., to lower the bonnet. The etymology of avaler is disputed; but our vale, or as it is usually spelt, vail, is from avaler.

[38] This was probably a hit at the sort of "worsted conceits" in plays represented at the old Newington theatre, which appears at one time to have been under the management of Philip Henslowe.

[39] There is a blank in this line in the old copy. Sir Abraham seems as fastidious as most versifiers, and it will be observed, that in reading over his "sonnet" he makes a variety of alterations. Perhaps the blank was left to show that he could not fill it up to his satisfaction, not liking the line as it stood, when he first committed it to paper—

"Ty unto thee, pity both him and it."

[40] Alluding to the bauble or truncheon, usually with a head carved at the top of it, part of the insignia of the ancient licensed fool or jester.

[41] Should we not read "is the death on us," or "of us?"

[42] This is one out of innumerable hits, in our old dramatists, at the indiscriminate creation of knights by James I. Their poverty was a constant subject of laughter. See Ben Jonson's "Alchemist," act ii.; Chapman's "Monsieur d'Olive," act i., and "Widows' Tears," act iv.; Barry's "Ram Alley," act i.; and Middleton's "Mad World, my Masters," act i., &c. Field's satire is as pungent as that of the best of them.

[43] The word spirit in our old poets was often pronounced as one syllable, and hence, in fact, the corruption sprite. This line is not measure without so reading it.

[44] This is the first line of Scudmore's answer; but in the old copy that and the eighteen lines following it are given to Nevill.

[45] [Old copy, then.]

[46] See note to "Hamlet," act i. sc. 2, for a collection of instances in which resolve means dissolve. Probably the latest example is to be found in Pope's "Homer"—

"The phantom said, then vanish'd from his sight,
Resolves to air, and mixes with the night."
—"Iliad," b. ii.

In some recent editions it has been thought an improvement to alter resolves to dissolves.

[47] [Old copy, under-born fortunes under their merits.]

[48] [Old copy reads—

"Or in strange arguments against ourselves,
Foul bawdry, and stark," &c.]

[49] [Old copy, a.]

[50] The old word for engineer: so in Heywood's "Edward IV., Part II.," 1600, sig. M 3—

"But it was not you
At whom the fatal enginer did aim."
Ben Jonson uses it in his "Cataline," act iii. sc. 4—
"The enginers I told you of are working."

[51] A well-known instrument of torture.

[52] Dekker, in his "Bellman of London," sig. H 2, explains foist to be a pickpocket; and instances of the use of it in this sense, and as a rogue and cheater, may be found in many of our old writers.

[53] It will be recollected that Brainworm, in "Every Man in his Humour," is represented upon a wooden leg, begging in Moorfields, like an old soldier. [See further in Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," iv. 38-40.]

[54] This passage, among others, is quoted by Steevens in a note to "Twelfth Night," to show that cut, which also means a horse, was employed as a term of abuse. In "Henry IV., Part I.," Falstaff, for the same purpose, uses horse as synonymous with cut: "Spit in my face, and call me horse."

[55] [i.e., Furtively.]

[56] [An allusion to the romance entitled "The Mirror of Knighthood."]

[57] She has just referred to the well-known work "The Mirror of Knighthood," and by Bevis she means Bevis of Hampton. Arundel was the name of his horse, and Morglay of his sword. Morglay is often used for a sword in general.

[58] In the old copy it is printed pinkanies, and from what follows it seems that the expression has reference to the redness of Sir Abraham's eyes from soreness. The following passage is to the same effect: "'Twould make a horse break his bridle to hear how the youth of the village will commend me: 'O the pretty little pinking nyes of Mopsa!' says one: 'O the fine fat lips of Mopsa!' says another."— Day's "Isle of Gulls," 1606, sig. D 4.

Shakespeare ("Antony and Cleopatra," act ii. sc. 7), speaks of "plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne;" and Lodge, in "The Wounds of Civil War," has pinky neyne, [vii. 167.] In both these instances drinking is supposed to have occasioned the redness.

[59] [See post.]

[60] The difficulty of concealing love has been the origin of a humorous proverb in Italian. In Pulci's "Morgante Maggiore," iv. 38, Rinaldo thus taunts the most sentimental of the Paladins, Oliver, when he becomes enamoured of Florisena—

"Vero È pur che l'uom non possa,
Celar per certo l'amore e la tossa."

[See Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 269.]

Franco Sacchetti, in his sixteenth novel, expressly tells us that it was a proverb. PerchÈ ben dice il proverbio, che l'amore e la tossa non si puo celare mai.

[61] The question

"You, sirrah,
Is my Lady Ninny awake yet?"

is given in the old 4o to Scudmore, but it belongs to Sir John Worldly. Scudmore is not on the stage.

[62] Old copy, doing.

[63] Old copy, moustachios.

[64] [The old copy and Collier give this speech to Strange.]

[65] [In the sense of hot, salacious.]

[66] An allusion to the well-known story of Friar Bacon and his brazen head, which spoke three times, but was not attended to by his man Miles. See Greene's "Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay," [in Dyce's edits, of Greene, and the prose narrative in Thoms's Collection, 1828.]

[67] A boisterous, clownish character in the play of "The Lancashire Witches," by Heywood and Brome. It was not printed until 1634. Either Lawrence was a person who figured in that transaction, and whose name is not recorded, or (which is not impossible) the play was written very long before it was printed.

[68] Perhaps the play originally ended with a song by a boy, in which the rest joined chorus.

[69] [Although the printed copies bear the date here given, the plays in question were written many years before, Middleton having probably died in 1626.]

[70] She is the "honest Moll" alluded to by City-wit in R. Brome's "Court Beggar," act ii. sc. 1, to whom he is to go for the recovery of his purse, after he had had his pocket picked while looking at the news in the window of "the Coranto shop." He afterwards states that she "dea private for the recovery of such goods."

[71] Neither of the old editions has a list of characters prefixed.

[72] The Lady Honour is called Maid, the Lady Perfect Wife, and the Lady Bright Widow.

[73] The 2d edit. reads excellent for insolent.

[74] Edits., rest.

[75] They retire soon afterwards, but the exit is not marked.

[76] In his "Woman is a Weathercock," Field has already mentioned these instruments of torture in conjunction with some others, and to a similar import: what he here calls the boiling boot he there terms the Scotch boot; but they were probably the same thing, in the one case, hot oil or water supplying the place of wedges in the latter instance.

[77] Turnbull Street was sometimes spelt Turnball Street, and sometimes (as Field himself gives it in another part of this play) Turnbole Street. It was situated between Cow Cross and Clerkenwell Green, and is celebrated by many of our old dramatists as the residence of ruffians, thieves, and prostitutes. Its proper name was Turnmill Street. See Stow's "Survey," 1599, p. 12.

[78] The later copy spoils the measure by omitting the words so far.

[79] Elsewhere in this play he is merely called Husband, though before this speech in the old copies Knight is inserted. It afterwards appears that such is his rank.

[80] The word innocent was used of old sometimes as synonymous with fool, as in the following passage—

"Nay, God forbid ye shoulde do so,
for he is but an innocent, lo,
In manner of a fole."

—"Int. of the Four Elements" [i. 42].

[81] i.e., Skylight, [See vol. viii. p. 320].

[82] That is, all but Lady Honour, Lady Perfect, the Husband, and Subtle.

[83] Ought we not rather to read—

"I would bequeath thee in my will to him?"

[84] The second 4o reads consist.

[85] [Old copies, be.]

[86] The second 4o has this line—

"The Bristow sparkles are as diamond."

The meaning is evident.

[87] In reference to her female sex and male attire.

[88] These words contain an allusion to Blackfriars as a common residence of the Puritans. The Widow subsequently refers to the same circumstance, when in act iii. she asks Bold: "Precise and learned Princox, dost thou not go to Blackfriars." That Blackfriars, although the play-house was there, was crowded with Puritans may be proved by many authorities.

[89] Two celebrated English heroines. The achievements of Mary Ambree at the siege of Ghent, in 1584, are celebrated in a ballad which goes by her name in Percy's "Reliques," ii. 239, edit. 1812. She is mentioned by Fletcher, Ben Jonson, and many other dramatists; some of whom were her contemporaries. Dr Percy conjectured that the "English Mall" of Butler was the same female soldier, but he probably alluded to Mall or Moll Cutpurse who forms a character in this play. Long Meg is Long Meg of Westminster, also a masculine lady of great notoriety, and after whom a cannon in Dover Castle, and a large flagstone in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey are still called. Her life and "merry pranks" were detailed in a pamphlet dated in [1582], and reprinted [from a later edition] in 1816. It is conjectured that she was dead in 1594, but she is often spoken of in our old writers. It will be seen by a subsequent note that Long Meg was the heroine of a play which has not survived.

[90] It is tolerably evident that two plays (one called "Long Meg," and the other "The Ship"), and not one with a double title, are here intended to be spoken of. This may seem to disprove Malone's assertion ("Shakespeare" by Boswell, iii. 304), that only one piece was represented on one day. By Henslowe's Diary it appears that "Longe Mege of Westminster" was performed at Newington in February 1594, and, according to Field, it must have continued for some time popular. Nothing is known of a dramatic piece of that date called "The Ship." It may have been only a jig, often given at the conclusion of plays. [Compare p. 136.]

[91] The second edition misprints this stage direction, Enter Lord.

[92] A noted and often-mentioned purlieu, the resort and residence of prostitutes, &c. See "Merry Wives of Windsor," act i. sc. 2, where enough, and more than enough, is said upon the subject. Turnbull Street has been already mentioned.

[93] [i.e., Worldly.]

[94] It seems to have been the custom to employ the Irish as lackeys or footmen at this period. R. Brathwaite, in his "Time's Curtaine Drawne," 1621, speaking of the attendants of a courtier, mentions "two Irish lacquies" as among them. The dart which, according to this play, and Middleton and Rowley's "Faire Quarrel" (edit. 1622), they carried, was perhaps intended as an indication of the country from which they came, as being part of the accoutrements of the native Irish: thus, in the description of the dumb show preceding act ii. of "The Misfortunes of Arthur," we find the following passage: "After which there came a man bareheaded with long black shagged hair down to his shoulders, apparaled with an Irish jacket and shirt, having an Irish dagger by his side and a dart in his hand" [iv. 279]. The shirt in our day seldom forms part of the dress of the resident Irish. [George Richardson] wrote a tract called "The Irish Footman ['s Poetry," 1641, in defence of Taylor the Water-poet.]

[95] The second 4o has it the effects of pauses, which, if not nonsense, is very like it.

[96] [i.e., The roaring boys, who are introduced a little later in the play.]

[97] [Old copy, wants, and.]

[98] [Old copy, no.]

[99] Both the old copies read, that carries a double sense, but it is clearly a misprint.

[100] The Widow means that Master Pert walks as if he were made of wires, and gins were usually composed of wire.

[101] So in "The Fatal Dowry," Liladam exclaims, "Uds light! my lord, one of the purls of your band is, without all discipline, fallen out of his rank," act ii. sc. 2. These little phrases may assist in tracing the authorship of different parts of a play by distinct authors.

[102] [Old copy, his.]

[103] [This name, given to one of the roarers, is a corruption of pox. We often meet with the form in the old plays.]

[104] The Fortune Theatre [in Golden Lane] was built in 1599 by Edward Allen, the founder of Dulwich College, at an expense of £520, and in the Prologue of Middleton and Dekker's "Roaring Girl" it is called "a vast theatre." It was eighty feet square, and was consumed by fire in 1621.

[105] A pottle was half a gallon.

[106] He means that he wishes he had insured his return, as he would as willingly be at the Bermudas, or (as it was then called) "The Isle of Devils." In a note on "the still vexed Barmoothes" ("Tempest," act i. sc. 2), it is shown that the Bermudas was a cant name for the privileged resort of such characters as Whorebang and his companions.

The notions entertained by our ancestors of the Bermudas is distinctly shown in the following extract from Middleton's "Anything for a Quiet Life," 1662, act v.; [Dyce's edit., iv. 499.] Chamlet is troubled with a shrewish wife, and is determined to leave England and go somewhere else. He says—

"The place I speak of has been kept with thunder,
With frightful lightnings' amazing noises;
But now (the enchantment broke) 'tis the land of peace,
Where hogs and tobacco yield fair increase. . .
Gentlemen, fare you well, I am for the Bermudas."

[107] "The jack, properly, is a coat of mail, but it here means a buff jacket or jerkin worn by soldiers or pretended soldiers."

[108] These words have reference, perhaps, to Middleton and Rowley's curious old comedy of manners, "A Faire Quarrel," 1617 and 1622. The second edition contains "new additions of Mr Chaugh, and Trimtram's roaring." These two persons, empty pretenders to courage, set up a sort of academy for instruction in the art and mystery of roaring or bullying, and much of the piece is written in ridicule of it and its riotous professors. Whorebang calls these playmakers observers, as if suspecting that Welltried and Feesimple came among them for the purpose of making notes for a play. In Webster and Rowley's "Cure for a Cuckold," 1661, act iv. sc. 1, there is another allusion to the "Faire Quarrel," where Compass uses the words Tweak and Bronstrops, adding, "I learnt that name in a play." Chaugh and Trimtram, in the "Faire Quarrel," undertake also to give lessons in the cant and slang of the time. In other respects, excepting as a picture of the manners of the day, that play possesses little to recommend it.

[109] In both the old copies this remark is erroneously given to Tearchaps.

[110] Patch and fool are synonymous in old writers. Feesimple alludes also to the patch on the face of Tearchaps.

[111] That is, his soul lies in pawn for employing the oath.

[112] [The hero of an early heroic ballad so called. See Hazlitt, in v.]

[113] The second edit. reads, as your a gentlewoman, but Bold means that the Widow confessed to him when he was disguised as her gentlewoman. The first edit. warrants this interpretation.

[114] [He refers to the common proverb. See Hazlitt, p. 191-2; and Dodsley, x. 306.]

[115]

"O opportunity, thy guilt is great," &c.

—Shakespeare's "Lucrece," [Dyce's edit, 1868, viii. 312.]

[116] [Old copy, sensitive.]

[117] [Mating.]

[118] [Old copy, you and I.]

[119] The concluding thought of this pretty song has been in request by many poets of all countries: Eustachio Manfredi has carried it to an extreme that would seem merely absurd, but for the grace of the expression of his sonnet, Il primo albor non appariva ancora. Appended to "The Fatal Dowry" is "a dialogue between a man and a woman" which commences with it, and which we may therefore assign to Field.

[120] [An allusion to the proverb.]

[121] Man omitted in the second edit.

[122] Flog him.

[123] [Edits., you. Welltried.]

[124] [Edits., meant.]

[125] [These lines appear to be taken from some song of "Little Boy Blue."]

[126] This passage has been adduced by Dr Farmer to show that Falstaff was originally called by Shakespeare Oldcastle, according to the tradition mentioned by Rowe, and supported by Fuller in his "Worthies," and by other authorities. The point is argued at great length in Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, xvi. 410, et seq., and the decisions of the learned have been various; but the balance of evidence is undoubtedly in favour of the opinion that Shakespeare made the change, perhaps to avoid the confusion of his very original character with the mere fat buffoon of the old play of "Henry V.," a point not adverted to in the discussion. Field's testimony seems tolerably decisive.

[127] Citizens and apprentices were called in derision flatcaps and what-d'ye-lacks in reference to their dress and occupation.

[128] [Edits., fair shop and wife.]

[129] [i.e., a servant.]

[130] Will satisfy all men, in the second edition.

[131] [Edits., means it.]

[132] [Edits., in.]

[133] Readiness, second edit.

[134] Ovid. "Amor." lib. i. el. 5.

[135] In the old copies, by an error, act v. is said again to begin here; it is in fact the second scene of the last act.

[136] The old stage direction states that Subtle enters, with a letter, but the words have been misplaced, and should have followed Brother, who delivers it to the Lady Honour.

[137] This refers, no doubt, to the scene in the old "most pleasant comedy of 'Mucedorus,'" 1598, when Amadine is pursued by the bear, [vii. 208.]

[138] Old copies, couching.

[139] Edits., I.

[140] In the margin, opposite what Feesimple says, are inserted the words Pistols for Bro., meaning merely to remind the keeper of the properties that at this point it was necessary that Frank, the brother, should be provided with pistols.

[141] [Edits., For.]

[142] Old copies read—

"'Twixt this gentleman
There have been some love-passages, and myself,
Which here I free him, and take this lady."

[143] This edition, without a date, was obviously printed after that of 1614, although it has been hitherto placed first on the list of editions, as if it might be that mentioned by Chetwood, and supposed to have been published in 1599.—Collier. [Mr Collier does not cite the 4o of 1622.]

[144] P. 73.

[145] He was an actor at the Red Bull Theatre, as appears by a rather curious scene in the course of this play, where Green is spoken of by name—

"Geraldine. Why then we'll go to the Red Bull: they say Green's a good clown.
Bubble. Green! Green's an ass.
Scattergood. Wherefore do you say so?
Bubble. Indeed. I ha' no reason; for they say he is as like me as ever he can look."

There seems every probability that the play when originally produced had some other title, until the excellence of Green's performance, and his mode of delivering Tu quoque, gave it his name. It could scarcely be brought out in the first instance under the appellation of "Green's 'Tu Quoque,'" before it was known how it would succeed, and how his acting would tell in the part of Bubble. In this respect perhaps Langbaine was mistaken.—Collier. [It appears likely that the title under which the piece was originally brought on the stage was simply The City Gallant.]

[146] "Attempt to Ascertain the Order of Shakespeare's Plays," by Mr Malone, p. 275. [See Dyce's "Shakespeare," 1868, i. 114, 115. There seems to be some confusion between two persons of the name of Green, living at this time, one an actor and the author of a little poem printed in 1603, the other a relation to Shakespeare, and clerk to the corporation of Stratford.]

[147] "The British Theatre," p. 9.

[148] MSS. additions to Langbaine, p. 73.

[149] The following are the epitaphs mentioned by Oldys, from Braithwaite's Remains—

"Upon an actor now of late deceased: and upon his action Tu
Quoque: and first upon his travel.
Hee whom this mouldered clod of earth doth hide,
New come from sea, made but one face and dide.
Upon his creditors.
His debtors now no fault with him can finde,
Sith he has paid to nature all's behinde.
Upon his fellow actors.
What can you crave of your poore fellow more?
He does but what Tu Quoque did before:
Then give him dying, actions second wreath,
That second'd him in action and in death."
In actorem Mimicum cui vix parem cernimus superstitem.
QuÆcunque orta sunt occidunt. Sallust.
Ver vireat quod te peperit (viridissima proles)
QuÆque tegit cineres, ipsa virescat humus.
Transis ab exiguis nunquam periture theatris
Ut repetas sacri pulchra theatru Jovis.

—"Remains after Death," 8vo. 1618, Sig. G 5.

[150] Heywood speaks of it as "just published in print." The date of his epistle "to the Reader," however, may be older than 1614, the year of the earliest printed copy now known.—Collier. [Heywood merely says that he was "in the way just when this play was to be published in print."]

[151] [Mr Collier's addition.]

[152] Probably William Rowley.

[153] See note 76 to "The Ordinary," [vol. xii.]

[154] [i.e., shillings. See the next page.]

[155] At the time this play was written, the same endeavours were used, and the same lures thrown out, to tempt adventurers to migrate to each of these places.

[156] Pirates are always hanged at Execution Dock, Wapping; and at the moment when the tide is at the [ebb].—Steevens.

The following passage is from Stow's "Survey," vol. ii. b. 4, p. 37, edit. 1720: "From this Precinct of St Katharine to Wappin in the Wose, and Wappin it self, the usual Place of Execution for hanging of Pirates and Sea-Rovers at the low-Water Mark, there to remain till three Tides had overflowed them, was never a House standing within these Forty Years (i.e., from the year 1598), but (since the Gallows being after removed further off) is now a continual Street, or rather a filthy straight Passage, with Lanes and Alleys of small Tenements or Cottages, inhabited by Saylors and Victuallers along by the River of Thames almost to Radcliff, a good Mile from the Tower."

[157] The old copies give it—

"We suck'd a white leaf from my black-lipp'd pen."

—Collier.

[158] The story here alluded to (for the notice of which I am obliged to the kindness of Mr Steevens) is to be found in Stubbes's "Anatomie of Abuses," 1595, p. 43. The reader will excuse the length of the quotation. "But amongst many other fearful examples of Gods wrath against pride, I would wish them to set before their eies the fearful judgment of God showed upon a gentlewoman of Antwerpe of late, even the 27 of Maie, 1582, the fearful sound whereof is blowne through all the world, and is yet fresh in every mans memory. This gentlewoman, being a very rich merchantmans daughter, upon a time was invited to a bridal or wedding, which was solemnised in that towne, against which day she made great preparation for the pluming of herself in gorgeous aray: that as her body was most beautiful, faire, and proper, so her attire in every respect might be answerable to the same. For the accomplishment whereof, she curled her haire, she died her lockes, and laid them out after the best manner: she colloured her face with waters and ointments; but in no case could she get any (so curious and dainty she was) that could startch and set her ruffes and neckerchers to her minde: wherefore she sent for a couple of laundresses, who did the best they could to please her humors, but in any wise they could not: then fell she to sweare and teare, to curse and ban, casting the ruffes under feete, and wishing that the devill might take her when shee did weare any neckerchers againe. In the meane time (through the sufferance of God) the devill transforming himselfe into the shape of a young man, as brave and proper as she in every point, in outward appearance, came in, faining himself to be a woer or sutor unto her: and seeing her thus agonized, and in such a pelting chafe, he demaunded of her the cause thereof, who straight way told him (as women can conceal nothing that lieth upon their stomacks) how she was abused in the setting of her ruffes; which thing being heard of him, he promissed to please her mind, and so tooke in hande the setting of her ruffes, which he performed to her great contentation and liking; insomuch as she, looking herselfe in a glasse (as the devill bad her) became greatly inamoured with him. This done, the young man kissed her, in the doing whereof, hee writh her neck in sunder, so she dyed miserably; her body being straight waies changed into blew and black colours, most ugglesome to beholde, and her face (which before was so amorous) became most deformed and fearfull to looke upon. This being knowne in the cittie, great preparation was made for her buriall, and a rich coffin was provided, and her fearfull body was laid therein, and covered very sumptuously. Foure men immediately assayed to lift up the corpes, but could not moove it; then sixe attempted the like, but could not once stirre it from the place where it stood. Whereat the standers by marvelling, caused the coffin to be opened to see the cause thereof: where they found the body to be taken away, and a blacke catte, very leane and deformed, sitting in the coffin, setting of great ruffes, and frizling of haire, to the greate feare and woonder of all the beholders."—Reed. [Stubbes was fond of these examples. Compare "Shakespeare Society's Papers," iv. 71-88.]

[159] i.e., During the Court's progress, when the king or queen visited the different counties.—Steevens.

[160] i.e., Licentiously.

[161] A wine mentioned in the metrical romance of the "Squyr of Low Degre"—

"Malmesyne,
Both ypocrasse and vernage wine."

—Steevens. [See Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," ii. 51.]

[162] Shrove Tuesday was formerly a holiday for apprentices. So in Ben Jonson's "EpicÆne," act i. sc. 1, it is said of Morose, "he would have hanged a pewterer's 'prentice on a Shrove Tuesday's riot, for being o' that trade, when the rest were quit."

On Shrove Tuesday in the County of Sussex (and I suppose in many others) apprentices are always permitted to visit their families or friends, to eat pancakes, &c. This practice is called shroving. "Apollo Shroving" is the name of an old comedy, written by a schoolmaster in Suffolk [William Hawkins], to be performed by his scholars on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1626-7.

See note 6 to "The Hog hath lost his Pearl," post. The custom in London, I believe, is almost abolished; it is, however, still retained in many parts of the kingdom. [See "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," by Hazlitt, i. 47, where it is said] that "at Newcastle upon Tyne the great bell of St Nicholas' Church is tolled at twelve o'clock at noon on this day; shops are immediately shut up, offices closed, and all kinds of business ceases; a sort of little carnival ensuing for the remaining part of the day." Again: the custom of frying pancakes (in turning of which in the pan there is usually a good deal of pleasantry in the kitchen) is still retained in many families in the north, but seems, if the present fashionable contempt of old custom continues, not likely to last another century. The apprentices whose particular holiday this day is now called, and who are on several accounts so much interested in the observation of it, ought, with that watchful jealousy of their ancient rights and liberties (typified here by pudding and play) which becomes young Englishmen, to guard against every infringement of its ceremonies, and transmit them entire and unadulterated to posterity! [A copious account of this subject will be found in "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," i. 37-54.]

[163] [Edits., here and below, Mal go.]

[164] [Clotted].

[165] A term of vulgar abuse. So Falstaff says, "Away, you scullion! you rampallian! you fustilarian!"—"2d Part of Henry IV." act ii. sc. i. See also Mr Steevens's note on the passage.

[166] i.e., Cupid. "The bird-bolt," Mr Steevens observes (note on "Much Ado about Nothing," act i. sc. 1), "is a short, thick arrow, without point, and spreading at the extremity so much as to leave a flat surface, about the breadth of a shilling. Such are to this day in use to kill rooks with, and are shot from a cross-bow."

[167] A passion was formerly a name given to love-poems of the plaintive species. Many of them are preserved in the miscellanies of the times. See in "England's Helicon," 1600, "The Shepherd Damon's Passion," and others.

[168] [A common form of Walter in old plays and poetry. Joyce intends, of course, a jeu-de-mot.]

[169] [This passage seems to fix with tolerable clearness the meaning of the word caroch and the kind of vehicle which was intended. Compare Nares, 1859, in v.]

[170] [i.e., This business succeed.]

[171] This street, Stow observes, in his time, was inhabited by wealthy drapers, retailers of woollen cloths, both broad and narrow, of all sorts, more than any one of the city.

[172] "Dole was the term for the allowance of provision given to the poor in great families" (Mr Steevens's note to "The Winter's Tale," act i. sc. 1). See also the notes of Sir John Hawkins and Mr Steevens to "The First Part of King Henry IV.," act ii. sc. 2. Of this kind of charity we have yet some remains, particularly, as Dr Ducarel observes, "at Lambeth Palace, where thirty poor persons are relieved by an alms called the DOLE, which is given three times a week to ten persons at a time, alternately; each person then receiving upwards of two pounds weight of beef, a pitcher of broth, a half quartern loaf, and twopence in money. Besides this dole, there are always, on the days it is given at least thirty other pitchers, called by-pitchers, brought by other neighbouring poor, who partake of the remaining broth, and the broken victuals that is at that time distributed. Likewise at Queen's College in Oxford, provisions are to this day frequently distributed to the poor at the door of their hall, under the denomination of a DOLE."—[Ducarel's] "Anglo-Norman Antiquities, considered in a Tour through part of Normandy," p. 81.

[173] Fine.

[174] So in Ben Jonson's "EpicÆne," act i. sc. 2, one of the negative qualities which Morose approved in Cutbeard was that he had not the knack with his shears or his fingers, which, says Clerimont, "in a barber, he (Morose) thinks so eminent a virtue, as it has made him chief of his council."

[175] The spirit of enterprise which had been raised and encouraged in the reign of Elizabeth was extremely favourable to the reputation of those adventurers who sought to mend their fortunes by encountering difficulties of any kind in a foreign country. Stukeley and the Sherleys appear to have been held in great estimation by the people in general. The former was a dissolute wretch, born in Devonshire, who squandered away his property in riot and debauchery; then left the kingdom, and signalised his valour at the battle fought at Alcazar in Barbary, in August 1578, where he was killed. See an account of him in a ballad, published in Evans's "Collection," 1777, ii. 103; also the old play [by Peele] entitled, "The Battle of Alcazar, with the death of Captain Stukeley," 4°, 1594. Of the Sherleys there were three brothers, Sir Anthony, Sir Robert, and Mr. Robert; Sir Anthony was one of those gallant spirits who went to annoy the Spaniards in their West Indian settlements during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He afterwards travelled to Persia, and returned to England in the quality of ambassador from the Sophy, in 1612. The next year he published an account of his travels. He was by the emperor of Germany raised to the dignity of a count; and the king of Spain made him admiral of the Levant Sea. He died in Spain after the year 1630. Sir Robert was introduced to the Persian court by his brother Sir Anthony; and was also sent ambassador from the Sophy to James I., but did not arrive until the accession of his successor; when, on his first audience with the king (February, 1626), the Persian ambassador, then resident in England, in the king's presence, snatched the letters which were brought by him out of his hands, tore them to pieces, and struck him a blow on the face; at the same time declaring him an impostor and the letters forgeries. Charles, being unable to discover the truth of these charges, sent both the ambassadors back to Persia, with another from himself; but all three died in the course of the voyage. The eldest brother was unfortunate.

[176] [In the edits, this passage is thus exhibited—

"Spend. For your pains.
Ser. I'll take my leave of you.
Spend. What, must you be gone too, Master Blank?"]

[177] Alluding to Stukeley's desperate condition when he quitted England. [I think it alludes to nothing of the kind, but to the numerous pamphlets which were printed about this time on the state of Barbary, and Staines's idea of emigrating there and enlisting as a soldier. A MS. note in former edit, says, in fact: "i.e., suggested to me the necessity of making my fortune in Barbary, being no longer able to stay here."]

[178] [A hit. Scattergood thought it was some superior tobacco brought by Longfield from home.]

[179] [See Dyce's "Shakespeare Glossary," 1868, v. Novum, and "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," ii. 323. Edits., Novum (a common corruption).]

[180] A bale of dice is the same as a pair of dice. So in Ben Jonson's "New Inn," act i. sc. 3—

"For exercise of arms a bale of dice,
Or two or three packs of cards, to show the cheat,
And nimbleness of hand."

And in Marston's "What You Will," act iii. sc. 1—

"Marquesse of Mumchance, and sole regent over a bale of false dice."

[181] Thus we learn from Melvil's Memoirs, p. 165, edit. 1735, that the Laird of Grange offered to fight Bothwell, who answered that he was neither earl nor lord, but a baron, and so was not his equal. The like answer made he to Tullibardine. Then my Lord Lindsey offered to fight him, which he could not well refuse. But his heart failed him, and he grew cold on the business.—Reed.

[182] i.e., Tothill Fields.—Steevens.

[183] A cue, in stage cant, is the last words of the preceding speech, and serves as a hint to him who is to speak next. See Mr Steevens's note on "A Midsummer's Night's Dream," act iii. sc. 1. [But here it means the plot which has been concerted between Geraldine and the others (including Joyce), for inducing Gertrude to relent.]

[184] [Edits., his.]

[185] Query, Tax.—Gilchrist.

[186] [Old copy, that.]

[187] [Rash must be supposed to have conferred with Geraldine, and to have arranged with him the device, which they here proceed to execute.]

[188] [Geraldine is to feign death.]

[189] So Otway, in "The Orphan"—

"'Tis heaven to have thee, and without thee hell.

—Steevens.

[190] At Hoxton. There is a tract entitled, "Pimlyco, or, Runne Red Cap. 'Tis a Mad World at Hogsdon," 1609.

By the following passage in "The Alchemist," act v. sc. 2, it seems as though Pimlico had been the name of a person famous as the seller of ale—

"Gallants, men and women,
And of all sorts tag rag, been seen to flock here
In threaves these ten weeks as to a second Hogsden
In days of Pimlico and Eye-bright."

—[Gifford's edit., 1816, v. 164.]

Pimlico, near Westminster, was formerly resorted to on the same account as the former at Hoxton.

[191] Derby ale has ever been celebrated for its excellence. Camden, speaking of the town of Derby, observes that "its present reputation is for the assizes for the county, which are held here, and from the excellent ale brewed in it." In 1698 Ned Ward published a poem entitled, "Sots' Paradise, or the Humours of a Derby Alehouse; with a Satire upon Ale."

[192] i.e., Pleases me. See note to "Cornelia" [v. 188.]

[193] Henslowe, in his Diary, mentions a play [by Martin Slaughter] called "Alexander and Lodwicke," under date of 14th Jan. 1597, and in Evans's "Collection of Old Ballads," 1810, there is a ballad with the same title, and no doubt upon the same story.—Collier. [It is the same tale as "Amis and Amiloun." See Hazlitt's "Shakespeare's Library," 1875, introd. to "Pericles."]

[194] So in "King Kichard III."—

"Thou troublest me: I am not in the vein."

—Steevens.

[195] [Compare pp. 230-1.]

[196] [Compare p. 206.]

[197] [Compare p 206.]

[198] [The author had a well-known passage in Shakespeare in his recollection when he wrote this. The edits, read—

"His hell, his habitation; nor has he
Any other local place."]

[199] [Edits., men.]

[200] [i.e., The pox.]

[201] Reed observes: "A parody on a line from 'The Spanish Tragedy'—

"'O eyes! no eyes; but fountains fraught with tears,'"

on which Mr Collier writes: "If a parody be intended, it is not a very close one. The probability is, that the line is quoted by Rash from some popular poem of the day."

It would be just as reasonable to call the following opening of a sonnet by Sir P. Sidney a parody upon a line in the "Spanish Tragedy"—

"O tears! no tears; but rain from beauty's skies."

In fact, it was a common mode of expression at the time. Thus in "Albumazar," we have this exclamation—

"O lips! no lips; but leaves besmeared with dew."

[202] See note to "Cornelia," [v. 225.]

[203] These lines are taken from Marlowe's "Hero and Leander," 4° 1600, sig. B 3, [or Dyce's Marlowe, iii. 15.]

[204] Again, in "Cynthia's Revels," act v. sc. 3: "From stabbing of arms, flapdragons, healths, whiffs, and all such swaggering humours, good Mercury defend us," [edit. 1816, ii. 380.]

This custom continued long after the writing of this play. The writer of "The Character of England" [Evelyn], 1659, p. 37, speaking of the excessive drinking then in use, adds, "Several encounters confirmed me that they were but too frequent, and that there was a sort of perfect debauchees, who style themselves Hectors; that, in their mad and unheard-of revels, pierce their own veins, to quaff their own blood, which some of them have drunk to that excess that they have died of the intemperance."—Reed.

[205] Alluding to the story of Friar Bacon's brazen head.—Collier.

[206] The colour of servants' clothes.

[207] ["This is a most spirited and clever scene, and would act capitally."—MS. note in one of the former edits.]

[208] [Edits., are.]

[209] [Edits., and.]

[210] A Jack o' Lent was a puppet which was thrown at in Lent, like Shrovetide cocks. See Mr Steevens's notes on "The Merry Wives of Windsor," act iii. sc. 3, and act v. sc. 5.

[211] The whole of this scene seems levelled at Coriat.—Gilchrist.

[212] Opportunely.—Steevens.

[213] Meeting. So in "Hamlet," act iii. sc. 1—

"That he, as 'twere by accident, may here
Affront Ophelia."

[214] An allusion, probably, to some old ballad. "Hamlet," act iii. sc. 2, refers to the same, and appears to repeat the identical line, which is also introduced in "Love's Labour's Lost," act iii. sc. 1. Bishop Warburton observes that "amongst the country May-games there was an hobby-horse which, when the puritanical humour of those times opposed and discredited these games, was brought by the poets and ballad-makers, as an instance of the ridiculous zeal of the sectaries" (Note to "Hamlet.") See also Mr Steevens's note on the same passage.

Again, in Massinger's "Very Woman," act iii. sc. 1—

"How like an everlasting Morris dance it looks;
Nothing but hobby-horse and Maid Marian."

The hobby-horse was also introduced into the Christmas diversions, as well as the May-games. In "A True Relation of the Faction begun at Wisbich, by Fa. Edmonds, alias Weston, a Jesuite," 1595, &c., 4o, 1601, p. 7, is the following passage: "He lifted up his countenance, as if a new spirit had bin put into him, and tooke upon him to controll and finde fault with this and that (as the comming into the hall of a hobby-horse in Christmas), affirming that he would no longer tolerate these and those so grosse abuses, but would have them reformed."

Whatever the allusion in the text be, the same is also probably made in Drue's "Dutchess of Suffolk," 1631—

"Clunie. Answer me, hobbihorse;
Which way cross'd he you saw now?
Jenkin. Who do you speake to, sir?
We have forgot the hobbihorse."

—Sig. C 4.—Gilchrist.

[215] See Dyce's Middleton, ii. 169.

[216] This line very strongly resembles another in "The Merchant of Venice:"

"You spend but time,
To wind about my love with circumstance."

—Steevens.

[217] ["Is this the origin of epilogues by the characters?"—MS. note in former edit.]

[218] ["This is a very lively and pleasant comedy; crude and careless, but full of life, humour, &c."—MS. note in former edit.]

[219] This is the name given to the author of "Albumazar" in the MS. of Sir Edward Deering. I am, however, of opinion that it should be written Tomkins, and that he is the same person who is addressed by Phineas Fletcher by the names of Mr Jo. Tomkins, in a copy of verses, wherein he says—

"To thee I here bequeath the courtly joyes,
Seeing to court my Thomalin is bent:
Take from thy Thirsil these his idle toyes;
Here I will end my looser merriment."

—"Poetical Miscellanies," printed at the end of "The Purple Island," 1633, p. 69.

If this conjecture is allowed to be founded in probability, the author of "Albumazar" may have been John Tomkins, bachelor of music, who, Wood says, "was one of the organists of St Paul's Cathedral, and afterwards gentleman of the Chapel Royal, then in high esteem for his admirable knowledge in the theoretical and practical part of his faculty. At length, being translated to the celestial choir of angels, on the 27th Sept. an. 1626, aged 52, was buried in the said cathedral." It may be added that Phineas Fletcher, who wrote a play to be exhibited in the same week with "Albumazar," celebrates his friend Tomkins's skill in music as well as poetry.

[220] I have seen no earlier edition of this play than one in 12o, 1630—"Ignoramus Comoedia coram Regia Majestate Jacobi Regis AngliÆ, &c. Londini Impensis, I.S. 1630." The names of the original actors are preserved in the Supplement to Granger's "Biographical History of England," p. 146.

[221] "Melanthe, fabula pastoralis, acta cum Jacobus, MagnÆ Brit. Franc. et HiberniÆ Rex, Cantabrigiam suam nuper inviserat, ibidemque musarum atque animi gratia dies quinque commoraretur. Egerunt Alumni Coll. San. et individuÆ Trinitatis CantabrigiÆ, 1615."

[222] This was Phineas Fletcher, son of Dr Giles Fletcher, and author of "The Purple Island," an allegorical poem, 4o, 1633; "LocustÆ vel Pietas Jesuitica," 4o, 1627; "Piscatory Eclogues;" and other pieces. The play above-mentioned was, I believe, not published until 1631, when it appeared under the title of "Sicelides, a Piscatory, as it hath beene acted in King's College, in Cambridge."

[223] The list printed by Mr Granger assigns this part to Mr Perkinson, of Clare Hall.

[224] Mr Compton of Queen's College performed the part of Vince. See Granger.

[225] "Albumazar" is the name of a famous Persian astrologer viz., Abu ma shar.—"Universal History," v. 413; Collier's "Dictionary," in voce.—Pegge.

[226] It is observed by the writer in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1756, p. 225, that "the exercises of the University were not only performed in Latin; but the plays, written in this and the former reign, for the entertainment of the Court, whenever it removed, either to Oxford or Cambridge, were generally composed in that language. Thus 'Æmilia,' 'Ignoramus,' and 'Melanthe,' all acted at the same time with 'Albumazar,' were in Latin. Both King James and Queen Elizabeth were Latinists."

[227] This play seems to have been planned on "L'Astrologo" of Giam Battista della Porta.—Pegge.

Battista Porta was the famous physiognomist of Naples. His play was printed at Venice in 1606. See Mr Steevens's note on "Timon of Athens," act iv. sc. 3.

[228] The Spartans held stealing lawful, and encouraged it as a piece of military exercise; but punished it very severely if it was discovered. See Stanyan's "Grecian History," i. 80.

[229] Mr Sale (p. 30 of "Preliminary Discourse to his Translation of the Koran," 4o edit.) says, "The frequent robberies committed by these people on merchants and travellers have rendered the name of an Arab almost infamous in Europe: this they are sensible of, and endeavour to excuse themselves by alleging the hard usage of their father Ishmael who, being turned out of doors by Abraham, had the open plains and deserts given him by God for his patrimony, with permission to take whatever he could find there; and, on this account, they think they may, with a safe conscience, indemnify themselves as well as they can, not only on the posterity of Isaac, but also on everybody else; always supposing a sort of kindred between themselves and those they plunder. And in relating their adventures of this kind, they think it sufficient to change the expression, and, instead of I robbed a man of such or such a thing, to say, I gained it. We must not, however, imagine that they are the less honest for this among themselves, or towards those whom they receive as friends; on the contrary, the strictest probity is observed in their camp, where everything is open, and nothing ever known to be stolen."

[230] The wanderers are the planets, called by the Greeks planetÆ, from their moving or wandering, and by the Latins, from the same notion, stellÆ errantes; as on the contrary the fixed stars are termed by them stellÆ inerrantes. The character appropriated by astronomers and astrologers to the planet Mercury, is this ?, which may be imagined to contain in it something of the characters of all the other planets ?? ? ? ? ?. The history of the heathen deities, whose names were assigned to the several planets, is full of tricks and robberies, to say no worse, as is remarked by the apologetical fathers, who are perpetually inveighing against them on that account; and to this mythological history the poet here alludes.—Pegge.

[231] Phantasia of Memphis, as Ptolemeus Hephestion tells us, in Photius, Cod. 190. See Fabricius "Biblioth," gr. i. p. 152. This comes excellently well out of the mouth of such a consummate villain as Albumazar.—Pegge.

See also Blackwell's "Inquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer," 1736, p. 135.

[232] So Shakespeare, in "Timon of Athens," act iv. sc. 3—

"I'll example you with thievery.
The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun;
The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears; the earth's a thief.
That feeds and breeds, by a composture stolen
From general excrement: each thing's a thief;
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power
Have uncheck'd theft."

See also the 19th Ode of Anacreon.

[233] A settle is a wooden bench with a back to it, and capable of holding several people. These kind of seats are only to be found in ancient halls, or the common drinking-rooms in the country.—Steevens.

[234] [Edits., profit.]

[235] Edits., smoothest. The versification of this play in general is regular and without hemistiches, were the measure properly attended to.

[236] [Steevens's emendation. Edits, have—

"My life h'as learnt out all, I know't by's music."]

[237] The quartos read, by the height of stars, but the rhyme requires the alteration.—Collier.

[238] Closely is privately, as in act iii. sc. 1—

"I'll entertain him here, meanwhile steal you
Closely into the room."

Again, in "The Spanish Tragedy"—

"Boy, go, convoy this purse to Pedringano;
Thou knowest the prison, closely give it him."

And again, ibid.—

"Wise men will take their opportunity
Closely and safely, fitting things to time."

—Pegge.

[239] [Blushing.]

[240] Alluding to the custom of the harbingers, who in the royal progresses were wont to mark the lodgings of the several officers of the Court. For Flavia should therefore be in italics. We now commonly write harbinger with the first vowel; but the ancients applied the second, which is more agreeable to the etymology. See Junius v. Harbour.—Pegge.

To this explanation I shall only add that the office of harbinger remains to this day, and that the part of his duty above alluded to was performed in the latter part of the 17th century. Serjeant Hawkins, in his life of Bishop Ken, observes that when, on the removal of the Court to pass the summer at Winchester, that prelate's house, which he held in the right of his prebend, was marked by the harbinger for the use of Mrs Eleanor Gwyn, he refused to grant her admittance; and she was forced to seek for lodgings in another place.—Reed.

[241] The 4o of 1615 reads—

"Spight of a last of Lelios."

[242] [Edits., two.]

[243] A term of astrology.—Pegge.

"Ascendant in astrology denotes the horoscope, or the degree of the ecliptic which rises upon the horizon at the time of the birth of any one. This is supposed to have an influence on his life and fortune, by giving him a bent to one thing more than another."—Chambers's Dictionary.

[244] [Entrance to a house.]

[245] Cornelius Agrippa, on "The Vanitie and Uncertaintie of Artes and Sciences," 4o, 1569, p. 55, mentions Apollonius: "They saie that Hierome made mention thereof, writinge to Paulinus, where he saithe, that Apollonius Tianeus was a magitien, or a philosopher, as the Pithagoreans were." He is also noticed among those who have written on the subject of magic. Apollonius was born at Tyana about the time our Saviour appeared in the world. He died at the age of near or quite 100 years, in the reign of Nerva. By the enemies of Christianity he was reported to have worked miracles in the same manner as the Founder of our religion, and in the works of Dr Henry More is inserted a parallel between them. The degree of credit which the pagan miracles are entitled to is very clearly shown in Dr Douglas's learned work, entitled, "The Criterion, or Miracles Examined," 8o, 1757, p. 53. See a further account of Apollonius in Blount's translation of "The Two First Books of Philostratus, concerning the Life of Apollonius Tyaneus," fol., 1680, and Tillemont's "Account of the Life of Apollonius Tyaneus," translated by Dr Jenkin, 8o, 1702.

[246] Telescope.

[247] A stroke of satire in regard to cuckoldom: there are others afterwards in this act.—Pegge.

[248] Coriat the traveller.

[249] Before the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral, the wall at Gloucester, here alluded to, was much more celebrated than it is at present. Camden, in his "Britannia," i. 275, edit. 1722, speaking of it, says: "Beyond the quire, in an arch of the church, there is a wall, built with so great artifice, in the form of a semicircle with corners, that if any one whisper very low at one end, and another lay his ear to the other end, he may easily hear every syllable distinct."

[250] [In the edits, this direction is made part of the text.]

[251] Alluding to the following passage in the Amphitruo of Plautus, where the night is lengthened, that Jupiter may continue the longer with Alcmena. Mercury says—

"Et meus pater nunc intus hie cum ilia cubat;
Et haec ob eam rem nox est facta longior,
Dum ille, quaquam volt, voluptatem capit."

—"Prolog. Amphitr." 112.—Pegge.

[252] An instrument to aid and improve the sense of hearing.

[253] [Edits., A cousticon. Autocousticon is] a repetition, by way of admiration, of the word in the preceding line; for it is plain it was not intended by the poet that Pandolfo should blunder through ignorance, because he has it right in the next scene, and Ronca has never repeated the word in the interim.—Pegge.

[254] The flap or cover of the windpipe.—Steevens. Ronca here blunders comicÉ, and on purpose; for the epiglottis is the cover or lid of the larynx, and has no connection with the ear.—Pegge.

[255] i.e., In spite of his head.—Steevens.

[256] Galileo, the inventor of the telescope, was born February 19, 1564, according to some writers, at Pisa, but more probably at Florence. While professor of mathematics at Padua, he was invited by Cosmo the Second, Duke of Tuscany, to Pisa, and afterwards removed to Florence. During his residence at the latter place, he ventured to assert the truth of the Copernican system; which gave so much offence to the Jesuits that, by their procurement, he was ever after harassed by the Inquisition. He suffered very frequent and long imprisonments on account of his adherence to the opinions he had formed, and never obtained his liberty without renouncing his sentiments, and undertaking not to defend them either by word or writing. His assiduity in making discoveries at length proved fatal to him. It first impaired his sight, and at length totally deprived him of it. He died at Arcetre, near Florence, January 8, 1642, N. S., in the 78th year of his age, having been for the last three years of his life quite blind. See a comparison between him and Bacon in Hume's "History of England," vi. 133, 8o, edit. 1763.

[257] [A horn.]

[258] To the great Mogul's country, who was then called Maghoore.—Howes' "Continuation of Stowe's Chronicle," p. 1003, where he esteems it a corruption to call him Mogul.

[259] [Edits, give this and next two lines, down to return, to Ronca.]

[260] There was an opinion pretty current among Christians that the Mahometans were in expectation of their prophet's return; and what gave occasion to that was the 16th sign of the resurrection, the coming of the Mohdi or director; concerning whom Mahomet prophesied that the world should not have an end till one of his own family should govern the Arabians, whose name should be the same with his own name, and whose father's name should also be the same with his father's name, and who should fill the earth with righteousness. Sale's "Preliminary Discourse to the Koran," 4o, edit. 82.

[261] [Edits., gorgon.]

[262] [Edits., Upon.]

[263] Terms of astrology meaning, be they inhabited by the best and most fortunate planets.—Pegge.

[264] A book of astronomy, in use among such as erect figures to cast men's nativities, by which is shown how all the planets are placed every day and hour of the year.

[265] i.e., Juggling or deceiving.

[266] So in Jeffrey of Monmouth's History, 1718, p. 264, Merlin changes Uther, Ulfin, and himself, into the shapes of Gorlois, Jordan of Tintagel, and Bricet, by which means Uther obtains the possession of Igerna, the wife of Gorlois.—Pegge.

[267] People of rank and condition generally wore chains of gold at this time. Hence Trincalo says that, when he was a gentleman, he would

"Wear a gold chain at every quarter sessions."

—Pegge. Many instances of this fashion are to be met with in these volumes. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London wear chains of gold on public days at this time.

[268] Belonging to a sundial.—Johnson's Dictionary.

[269] Azimuths, called also vertical circles, are great circles intersecting each other in the zenith and nadir, and cutting the horizon at right angles, in all the points thereof.—Chambers's Dictionary.

[270] An Arabic word, written variously by various authors, and signifies a circle drawn parallel to the horizon. It is generally used in the plural, and means a series of parallel circles, drawn through the several degrees of the meridian.—Johnson's Dictionary.

[271] See Bishop Wilkins's "Voyage to the Moon," p. 110.—Pegge.

[272] See note to "Green's Tu quoque," p. 200.

[273] Two playhouses. The Fortune belonged to the celebrated Edward Alleyn, and stood in Whitecross Street. The Red Bull was situated in St John Street.

[274] This alludes to the fashion then much followed, of wearing bands washed and dyed with yellow starch. The inventress of them was Mrs Turner, a woman of an infamous character; who, being concerned in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, was executed at Tyburn in a lawn ruff of her favourite colour. "With her," says Howell, in his "Letters," p. 19, edit. 1754, "I believe that yellow starch, which so much disfigured our nation, and rendered them so ridiculous and fantastic, will receive its funeral." And of the same opinion was Sir Simonds D'Ewes who, in [his "Autobiography," edit. Halliwell, p. 79], says, "Mrs Turner had first brought upp that vaine and foolish use of yellow starch, ... and therefore, when shee was afterwards executed at Tiburne, the hangman had his bande and cuffs of the same couler, which made many, after that day, of either sex, to forbeare the use of that coulered starch, till at last it grew generallie to bee detested and disused." This execution happened in the year 1615; but the reformation predicted by Howell, and partly asserted by D'Ewes to have happened, was not the consequence, as will appear from the following passage, extracted from a pamphlet called "The Irish Hubbub, or the English Hue and Crie," by Barnaby Rich, 4o, 1622, p. 40: "Yet the open exclamation that was made by Turner's wife at the houre of her death, in the place where shee was executed, cannot be hidden, when, before the whole multitude that were there present, she so bitterly protested against the vanitie of those yellow starcht bands, that her outcries (as it was thought) had taken such impression in the hearts of her hearers, that yellow starcht bands would have been ashamed (for ever after to have shewed themselves about the neckes, either of men that were wise, or women that were honest) but we see our expectations have failed us, for they beganne even then to be more generall than they were before." Again, p. 41: "You knowe tobacco is in great trading, but you shall be merchants, and onely for egges: for whereas one pipe of tobacco will suffice three or four men at once; now ten or twenty eggs will hardly suffice to starch one of these yellow bands: a fashion that I thinke shortly will be as conversant amongst taylors, tapsters, and tinkers, as now they have brought tobacco. But a great magistrate, to disgrace it, enjoyned the hangman of London to become one of that fraternitie, and to follow the fashion; and, the better to enable him, he bestowed of him some benevolence to pay for his laundry: and who was now so briske, with a yellow feather in his hat, and a yellow starcht band about his necke, walking in the streets of London, as was master hangman? so that my young masters, that have sithence fallen into that trimme, they doe but imitate the hangman's president, the which, how ridiculous a matter it is, I will leave to themselves to thinke on." And that the fashion prevailed some years after Mrs Turner's death may be proved from Sir Simon D'Ewes's relation of the procession of King James from Whitehall to the Parliament House, Westminster, 30th January 1620 [i.e., 1621]: "In the king's short progresse from Whitehall to Westminster, these passages following were accounted somewhat remarkable—And fourthlie, that, looking upp to one window, as he passed, full of gentlewomen or ladies, all in yellow bandes, he cried out aloud, 'A pox take yee, are yee ther?' at which, being much ashamed, they all withdrew themselves suddenlie from the window."

[275] When the king visited the different parts of the country.

When the court made those excursions, which were called Progresses, to the seats of the nobility and gentry, waggons and other carriages were impressed for the purpose of conveying the king's baggage, &c.—Pegge.

This privilege in the crown was continued until the civil wars in the reign of Charles the First, and had been exercised in a manner very oppressive to the subject, insomuch that it frequently became the object of Parliamentary complaint and regulation. During the suspension of monarchy it fell into disuse, and King Charles II at the Restoration consented, for a consideration, to relinquish this as well as all other powers of purveyance and pre-emption. Accordingly, by stat. 12, Car. II. c. xxiv. s. 12, it was declared that no officer should in future take any cart, carriage, or other thing, nor summon or require any person to furnish any horses, oxen, or other cattle, carts, ploughs, wains, or other carriages, for any of the royal family, without the full consent of the owner. An alteration of this act was made the next year, wherein the rates were fixed which should be paid on these occasions, and other regulations were made for preventing the abuse of this prerogative.

[276] A burlesque on the speech of Hieronimo in "The Spanish Tragedy." See also note to "Green's Tu quoque," and the addition to it [xi. 248.]

[277] i.e., Towards bedtime. So in "Coriolanus"—

"And tapers burn'd to bedward."

—Steevens.

[278] Pounded. See note to "The Ordinary," act v. sc. 4, [vol. xii.]

[279] [Edits., appear speck and span gentlemen.] Speck and span new is a phrase not yet out of use; span new occurs in Chaucer's "Troilus and Creseide," bk. iii. l. 1671—

"This tale was aie span newe to beginne,
Til that the night departed 'hem at winne."

This is thought a phrase of some difficulty. It occurs in Fuller's "Worthies," Herefordshire, p. 40, where we read of spick and span new money. A late friend of mine was willing to deduce it from spinning, as if it were a phrase borrowed from the clothing art, quasi new spun from the spike or brooche. It is here written speck and span, and in all cases means entire. I deem it tantamount to every speck and every span, i.e., all over.—Pegge.

In "Hudibras," Part I. c. 3, l. 397, are these lines—

Then, while the honour thou hast got
Is spick and span new, piping hot," &c.

Upon which Dr Grey has this note: "Mr Ray observes ('English Proverbs,' 2d edit. p. 270), that this proverbial phrase, according to Mr Howel, comes from spica, an ear of corn: but rather, says he, as I am informed from a better author, spike is a sort of nail, and spawn the chip of a boat; so that it is all one as to say, every chip and nail is new. But I am humbly of opinion that it rather comes from spike, which signifies a nail, and a nail in measure is the 16th part of a yard; and span, which is in measure a quarter of a yard, or nine inches; and all that is meant by it, when applied to a new suit of clothes, is that it has been just measured from the piece by the nail and span." See the expression in Ben Jonson's "Bartholomew Fair," act iii. sc. 5. [See Nares, edit. 1859; Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869; and Wedgwood's "Dictionary of English Etymology," all in v.]

[280] [Edits., Hilech.] The name of Ursa Major in Greek.—Pegge.

[281] A famous Indian philosopher (Fabricius, p. 281); but why he terms him a Babylonian I cannot conceive.—Pegge.

[282] See [Suckling's Works, by Hazlitt, ii. 4.]

[283] I believe this word should be Artenosoria, the doctrine of Antidotes; unless we should read Artenasoria in allusion to Tallicotius and his method of making supplemental noses, referred to by Butler in "Hudibras."—Pegge.

[284] Coskinomancy is the art of divining by a sieve.—Pegge.

[285] It was not known then, I presume, that Venus had her increase and decrease.—Pegge.

[286] The Greek word for Plenilunium.—Pegge.

[287] All people then wore bands.—Pegge.

[288] i.e., Bottles out of which liquid perfumes were anciently cast or thrown.—Steevens. They are mentioned in "Lingua," [ix. 419.]

[289] See note to the "Antiquary," [act iv. sc. 1, vol. xiii.]

[290] These, and what follows are terms of falconry; flags, in particular, are the second and baser order of feathers in the hawk's wing (Chambers's "Dictionary").—Pegge.

[291] The sear is the yellow part between the beak and the eyes of the hawk.—Pegge.

[292] They usually carried the keys of their cabinets there.—Pegge.

[293] The first 4o inserts the name of Cricca for that of Trincalo, which is decidedly wrong.—Collier.

[294] An instrument chiefly used for taking the altitude of the pole, the sun, or stars, at sea.

[295] A name given to such instruments as are used for observing and determining the distances, magnitudes, and places of the heavenly bodies.

[296] A term to express the points or horns of the moon, or other luminary.

[297] With astrologers, is a temporary power they imagine the planets have over the life of any person.

[298] The centre of the sun. A planet is said to be in cazimi when it is not above 70 degrees distant from the body of the sun.

[299] [Old copy, And.]

[300] Sir Thomas Wyat, in his celebrated letter to John Poines, has a passage much in point—

"To ioyne the meane with ech extremitie,
With nearest vertue ay to cloke the vice.
And as to purpose likewise it shall fall
To presse the vertue that it may not rise,
As dronkennesse good-felowship to call."

—Collier.

[301] Almuten, with astronomers, is the lord of a figure, or the strongest planet in a nativity. Alchochoden is the giver of life or years, the planet which bears rule in the principal places of an astrological figure when a person is born; so that his life may be expected longer or shorter, according to the station, &c., of this planet.

[302] "To impe," says Blount, "is a term most usual among falconers, and is when a feather in a hawkes wing is broken, and another piece imped or graffed on the stump of the old." "Himp or imp, in the British language, is surculus a young graffe or twig; thence impio, the verb to innoculate or graff. Hence the word to imp is borrowed by the English; first, surely, to graff trees, and thence translated to imping feathers." See also Mr Steevens's note on "King Richard II.," act ii. sc. 1.

[303] Me is omitted in the two quartos.—Collier.

[304] To, the sign of the infinitive, is often omitted, and the verse requires it should be expunged here.—Pegge. Both the quartos read as in the text.—Reed.

[305] Mr Reed allowed this line to stand—

"Whom all intelligence have drown'd this three months."

The restoration of the true reading also restores the grammar of the passage.—Collier.

[306] The same thought occurs in Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost," act iv. sc. 3—

"O me! with what strict patience have I sat,
To see a king transformed to a knot!"

[307] Mr Steevens, in his note to "King Richard III.," act v. sc. 3, observes there was anciently a particular kind of candle, called a watch because, being marked out into sections, each of which was a certain portion of time in burning, it supplied the place of the more modern instrument by which we measure the hours. He also says these candles are represented with great nicety in some of the pictures of Albert Durer.

[308] These words, as here printed, may be the pure language of falconry, like bate, which follows, and signifies to flutter. Yet I suspect that for brail we should read berail, and for hud us, hood us.

[309] Latham calls it bat, and explains it to be "when a hawke fluttereth with her wings, either from the pearch, or the man's fist, striving, as it were, to flie away or get libertie."

[310] "Heirlooms are such goods and personal chattels as, contrary to the nature of chattels, shall go by special custom to the heir, along with the inheritance, and not to the executor of the last proprietor. The termination, loom, is of Saxon original, in which language it signifies a limb or member of the inheritance."—Blackstone's "Commentaries," ii. 427.

[311] In act i. sc. 7, he says that it cost two hundred pounds.

[312] i.e., Body.

[313] Properties are whatever little articles are wanted for the actors, according to their respective parts, dresses and scenes excepted. The person who delivers them out is to this day called the property man. See Mr Steevens's note to "Midsummer Night's Dream," act i. sc. 2.

[314] The late ingenious Mr Robert Dodsley, whose modest merit is well known to those who were acquainted with him, had little skill in our ancient language, and therefore permitted many uncommon terms to be exchanged for others, to the no small detriment of the scenes which he undertook to publish. We had here a proof of the unpardonable licence, where a word of no meaning, soak, was given instead of a technical term belonging to falconry, in the language of which the present metaphor is carried on. A young hawk, like a young deer, was called a soar or soare: so that the brown soar feathers are the remains of its first plumage, or such feathers as resemble it in colour. These birds are always mewed while they were moulting, to facilitate the growth of fresh plumes, more strong and beautiful than those which dropped off. Without this restoration and explanation, the passage before us is unintelligible.—Steevens.

Latham, in his book of falconry, says: "A sore hawke, is from the first taking of her from the eiry, till she have mewed her feathers." The error introduced into the play by Mr Dodsley is continued by Mr Garrick who, in his alteration, reads brown soak feathers.

Trincalo has already used a phrase that seems to be equivalent, in act ii. sc. 4, where he says—

"But if I mew these flags of yeomanry
Gild in the sear," &c.

See the explanatory notes, where flags are called "the baser order of feathers," and sear, we are told, is "the yellow part between the beak and the eyes of the hawk." After all, sear may be a misprint for soar, and this would make the resemblance in the two passages the stronger.—Collier.

[315] The metaphor is taken from a cock, who in his pride prunes himself, that is, picks off the loose feathers to smooth the rest. See notes by Dr Johnson and Mr Steevens to "First Part of King Henry IV.," act i. sc. 1.

The previous metaphors and phrases are from falconry, and probably the allusion is meant to be continued here: a hawk may be said to prune itself sleek just as well as a cock.—Collier.

[316] See a translation of Apuleius's "Golden Asse," by William Adlington, 4o, 1566.

[317] The 4o of 1615 omits was.—Collier.

[318] This appears to be the same as if, in modern language, he had said, I stand at so many, a term still used at the game of commerce, and once perhaps current at many others; for it is not very certain at what particular game the deluded Trincalo supposes himself to be playing.—Steevens.

The terms in the text appear to have been used at primero. I believe, therefore, Trincalo imagines himself to be playing at that game. It appears from a passage in "NugÆ AntiquÆ," that fifty-five was esteemed a number which might safely be relied on. See note to "Lingua," [ix. 387, 388.]

[319] See note to "The City Nightcap," [act iv. sc. 4, vol. xiii.; and Dyce's "Shakespeare Glossary," v. Haggard.]

[320] "Stooping," says Latham, "is when a hawke, being upon her wings at the height of her pitch, bendeth violently down to strike the fowle, or any other prey." So in "The Alchymist," act v. sc. 5—

Here stands my dove: stoop at her if you dare."

Again, Milton, in "Paradise Lost," bk. xi. 1. 185.

"The bird of Jove, stoop'd from his aery tour,
Two birds of gayest plume before him drove."

[321] i.e., Two footmen in garded or laced liveries. So in "The Merchant of Venice," act ii. sc. 2—

"Give him a livery
More garded than his fellows."

—Steevens.

[322] i.e., Embraced me.

[323] [Old copy, and.]

[324] The two stanzas decrease and then increase, after the manner of wings. See the Greek poet Simmias Rhodius.—Pegge.

[325] [Old copy, his.]

[326] Hitherto the reading has been—

"'Twas a hard passage; but not so dangerous
As was this vessel."

The true word and the measure have been restored from the old copy.—Collier.

[327] Threatens in both the editions. Pegge suggested sweetens.

[328] See note to "The Spanish Tragedy," [v. 95.]

[329] The quartos read this word.

[330] The whole of what follows, to the word away, is given in the 4o of 1615 as part of the speech of Antonio.—Collier.

[331] A parody on the speech of the Ghost of Andrea, in "The Spanish Tragedy."

[332] i.e., Owns. See note to "Cornelia," [v. 232.]

[333] [Edits., Of.]

[334] It appears from Segar ("Honour, Military and Civil," fol. 1602, p. 122), that a person of superior birth might not be challenged by an inferior, or, if challenged, might refuse the combat. Alluding to this circumstance, Cleopatra says—

"These hands do lack nobility, that they strike
A meaner than myself."

—Act ii. sc. 5.

[335] This seems intended to ridicule some of the punctilios of duelling, and probably the author had in his mind the following passage in Ferne's "Blazon of Gentrie," 1586, p. 319: "But if it so happen that the defendour is lame of a legge, or of an arme, or that hee bee blinde of an eye, he may take such armes and weapons, as be most fitte for his owne bodye; and he shall offer such to the approover as shall impeache the like member, or part of the approovers bodye from his dutye and office in the combate, so that he shall be deprived of the use of that member in the combate, even as wel as the defender is through his infirmity of lamenes, or other defect of nature."

[336] Duellists being punished by law in England, it has been usual for them to go over to Calais, as one of the nearest ports of France, to decide their quarrel out of the reach of justice. Trincalo is pleasant on this subject.—Steevens.

This custom is mentioned in an epigram in Samuel Rowlands's "Good Newes and Bad Newes," 1622, sig. F 2—

"Gilbert, this glove I send thee from my hand,
And challenge thee to meet on Callis sand:
On this day moneth resolve I will be there,
Where thou shalt finde my flesh I will not feare.
My cutler is at work," &c.

[337] i.e., Three. A metaphor taken from the game at cards called Gleek, where a gleek of knaves is three.—Pegge.

[338] It is observed by Mr Steevens, that "it was formerly the fashion to kiss the eyes, as a mark of extraordinary tenderness." See note to "The Winter's Tale," act iv. sc. 3, where several instances are produced.

Again, in Marston's "Dutch Courtesan," act ii. sc. 1—

"Your onely voice
Shall cast a slumber on my listning sense
You with soft lip shall only ope mine eyes,
And suck their lids asunder, only you
Shall make me wish to live, and not feare death."

[339] Hitherto printed by Mr Reed—

"Be brought to bed of a fair Trincalo;"

a reading not supported by the old copies, which have it young.—Collier.

[340] It must be supposed that Armellina brings a looking-glass, as desired.—Collier.

[341] Dr Grey observes from Tackius, that a toad, before she engages with a spider, will fortify herself with some of this plant; and that if she comes off wounded, she cures herself afterwards with it. Mr Steevens says it is a blood-stauncher, and was formerly applied to green wounds. See note on "Romeo and Juliet," act i. sc. 2.

[342] See note [at p. 364 suprÂ.]

[343] i.e., Far-fetched. See note to "Gammer Gurton's Needle," [iii. 223.]

[344] Shrewd or witty sayings. See Florio's "Dictionary."

[345] i.e., Proverbs; a referendo, because it is often repeated. See Stevens's "Spanish Dictionary," 1705.

[346] The salt-cellar which used to be set on tables was generally large. Sometimes, however, a smaller sort would be used, and then several were employed, which were set nearer the trenchers, and therefore called trencher-salts, as here.—Pegge.

[347] [Compare p. 302.]

[348] A term of falconry. Latham says, "It is taken for the fowle which is flowne at and slaine at any time."

[349] This is a term of the chase. Gascoigne, in his book of hunting, 1575, p. 242, enumerates it among "other generall termes of the hart and his properties. When he (the hart) is foamy at the mouth, we saye that he is embost." So in "The Shoemakers' Holiday; or, The Gentle Craft," 1610, sig. C 3—

"Besides, the miller's boy told me even now,
He saw him take soile, and he hallowed him,
Affirming him so embost,
That long he could not hold."

See also Mr Steevens's note to "All's Well that Ends Well," act iii. sc. 6.

[350] St Paul's, at this time, was constantly open, and the resort equally of the busy and the idle. A contemporary writer thus describes Paul's Walke: It "is the land's epitome, or you may call it the lesser ile of Great Brittaine. It is more than this, the whole world's map, which you may here discerne in it's perfect'st motion, justling and turning. It is a heape of stones and men, with a vast confusion of languages; and, were the steeple not sanctified, nothing liker Babel. The noyse in it is like that of bees, a strange humming or buzze, mixt of walking, tongues, and feet. It is a kind of still roare, or loud whisper. It is the great exchange of all discourse, and no busines whatsoever but is here stirring and afoot. It is the synod of all pates politicke, joynted and laid together in the most serious posture; and they are not halfe so busie at the Parliament. It is the anticke of tailes to tailes, and backes to backes, and for vizards, you need goe no further than faces. It is the market of young lecturers, whom you may cheapen here at all rates and sizes. It is the generall mint of all famous lies, which are here, like the legends popery first coyned and stampt in the church. All inventions are emptyed here, and not few pockets. The best signe of a temple in it is, that it is the theeves sanctuary, which robbe more safely in the croud then a wildernesse, whilst every searcher is a bush to hide them. It is the other expence of the day, after playes, taverne, and a baudy house, and men have still some oathes left to sweare here. It is the eares brothell, and satisfies their lust and ytch. The visitants are all men, without exceptions; but the principall inhabitants and possessors are stale knights, and captaines out of service; men of long rapiers and breeches, which after all turne merchants here, and trafficke for newes. Some make it a preface to their dinner, and travell for a stomacke: but thriftier men make it their ordinarie, and boord here verie cheape. Of all such places it is least haunted with hobgoblins, for if a ghost would walke more, he could not."—Earle's "Microcosmographie," 1628.

[351] The division of this scene is not marked in the old copies, but it is decidedly right, and the numbers of the scenes in the quartos are from two to four, omitting three.—Collier.

[352] [Old copy, powr'd.]

[353] Pandolfo's name is omitted in the quartos before the following lines, which are certainly meant to be spoken by him.—Collier.

[354] i.e., Because you know—a very common mode of expression.

[355] i.e., When you are declining like the sun, which sets in the west.—Steevens.

[356] The instances are very numerous throughout this play where Mr Dodsley, and after him Mr Reed, omitted syllables, and thereby spoiled the measure: thus this line ran till now—

"With discontent unrecoverable,"

instead, of discontentment.

[357] Old copy, must.

[358] A corruption of corragio! Ital. courage! a hortatory exclamation.—Steevens.

A cant word, meaning a good round sum of money. "Canting Dictionary," in voce.—Pegge.

[359] Thus in "A Woman Kill'd with Kindness," 1607, the first scene we have, on a wager being laid—

"What, clap ye hands,
Or is't no bargain?"

—Collier.

[360] In addition to this play, Robert Tailor was author of "Sacred Hymns," 4o, 1615.—Gilchrist. [No. This was a different person. But the author of the present play has some complimentary lines before Taylor the Water-poet's "Whipping and Snipping of Abuses," 1614.]

[361] "ReliquiÆ WottonianÆ," fourth edit., 1685, p. 402.

[362] [A story perhaps originating in Swinnerton's name.] W. Smith dedicates his "Hector of Germaine; or, The Palsgrave Prince Elector," 1615, "To the right worshipfull the great Favourer of the Muses, Syr John Swinnerton, Knight, sometimes Lord Mayor of this honourable Cittie of London." He adds that the play was expressly written for citizens.—Collier.

[363] i.e., The play of that name attributed to Shakespeare. Perhaps a sneer was designed. To say that a dramatic piece was fortunate, is not to say that it was deserving; and why of all the pieces supposed to be written by our great author was this particularised?—Steevens.

There is good reason to dispute this interpretation of the word fortunate, but Mr Steevens seems to have discovered many sneers at Shakespeare that were never intended. Mr Malone, quoting the two last lines from the above prologue, observes: "By fortunate I understand highly successful," and he is warranted in this understanding by the following passage directly in point, which he might have quoted from lines prefixed by Richard Woolfall to Lewis Sharpe's "Noble Stranger," 1640—

"Yet do not feare the danger
Of critick readers, since thy 'Noble Stranger,'
With pleasing strains has smooth'd the rugged fate
Of oft cram'd Theatres, and prov'd fortunate."

—Collier.

Malone, after quoting a passage from "Pymlico or Runne Red-cap," 1609, disputes the notion that a sneer at "Pericles" was intended by Tailor. It appears that "Pericles" drew crowds, and that it was as successful as a play called "Shore." See Malone's Shakespeare, xxi. p. 4, edit. 1821.—Idem (additional notes to Dodsley).

[364] The pronoun he seems wanting here, but the old 4o omits it.—Collier.

[365] If this be not a corrupted, it must be an affected, word, coined from the Latin word niteo, to shine or be splendid. He was admired by those who shone most in the article of dress.—Steevens.

So in Marston's "Satires," printed with "Pygmalion," 1598—

"O dapper, rare, compleat, sweet nittie youth!
Jesu Maria! how his clothes appeare
Crost and re-crost with lace," &c.

Niters, however, may be a corruption of niflers. Chaucer uses nifles for trifles. See "Sompnour's Tale," Tyrwhitt's edit. v. 7342—

"He served him with nifles and with fables."

[Knights would be a bold emendation, and perhaps not very successful.]

[366] "Passage is a game at dice to be played at but by two, and it is performed with three dice. The caster throws continually till he hath thrown dubblets under ten, and then he is out and loseth; or dubblets above ten, and then he passeth and wins."—Compleat Gamester, 1680, p. 119.

[367] A play called "Long Meg of Westminster," according to Henslowe, was performed at Newington by the Lord Admiral's and Lord Chamberlain's men, the 14th February 1594; and a ballad on the same subject was entered on the Stationers' books in the same year. Meg of Westminster is mentioned in "The Roaring Girl."—Gilchrist.

The play of "Long Meg" is mentioned in Field's "Amends for Ladies," 1618, with another called "The Ship," as being played at the Fortune theatre. Feesimple says, "Faith, I have a great mind to see 'Long Meg' and 'The Ship' at the Fortune," which would seem to show in opposition to Mr Malone's opinion (see Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, iii. 304), that more than one piece was played on the same occasion. Long Meg of Westminster's "pranks" were detailed in a tract published in [1582], and reprinted in the "Miscellanea Antiqua Anglicana." The introduction contains some further notices of this conspicuous damsel.—Collier.

[368] Perhaps this was the title of some play or ballad that was very successful, though it is not easy to explain the allusion. Dekker, in his "If it be not good, the Devil is in it," seems to refer to the same piece to nearly the same purpose. Scumbroth observes, "No, no, if fortune favoured me, I should be full; but fortune favours nobody but garlick, nor garlick neither now, yet she hath strong reason to love it; for though garlick made her smell abominably in the nostrils of the gallants, yet she had smelt and stunk worse but for garlick." It may be, that such a play was produced at the Fortune theatre, and met with general approbation.

This conjecture is supported by the following passage from "The World's Folly; or, A Warning-Peece Discharged upon the Wickedness thereof," by I. H., 1615: "I will not particularize those blitea dramata, (as Laberius tearmes another sort), those Fortune-fatted fooles and Times Ideots, whose garbe is the Tootheache of witte, the Plague-sore of Judgement, the Common-sewer of Obscoenities, and the very Traine-powder that dischargeth the roaring Meg (not Mol) of all scurrile villainies upon the Cities face; who are faine to produce blinde * Impudence ['Garlicke' inserted in the margin, against the asterisk] to personate himselfe upon their stage, behung with chaynes of garlicke, as an antidote against their owne infectious breaths, lest it should kill their Oyster-crying Audience."—Collier.

[369] [So in old copy, but query, addle-headed.]

[370] This was one of the cries of London at the time: "Buy my rope of onions—white Sir Thomas's onions." It was also liable to the hypercriticism of the player. What St Thomas had to do with onions does not appear; but the saint here meant was perhaps St Thomas of Trunnions—

"Nay, softe, my maisters, by Saincte Thomas of Trunions,
I am not disposed to buy of your onions."

—"Apius and Virginia," 1575, sig. E 2. These lines are spoken by Haphazard, the Vice, and are used as if the expression were proverbial.

[371] Shrove-Tuesday was a holiday for apprentices and working people, as appears by several contemporary writers. So in Dekker's "Seven Deadly Sinnes of London," 1606, p. 35: "They presently (like prentises upon Shrove-Tuesday) take the lawe into their owne handes, and doe what they list."

[372] The omission of the preposition by Mr Reed spoiled the metre of the line.—Collier.

[373] So in "Hamlet," act ii. sc. 2: "To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beautified Ophelia." See the notes of Mr Theobald, Dr Johnson, and Mr Steevens, thereon. [See also Dyce's "Shakespeare Glossary," 1868, in voce.]

[374] [Old copy, hides.]

[375] A very popular book, which is still reprinted.

[376] Hector is one of the Seven Worthies. He appears as such in "Love's Labour's Lost." Nothing was once more common than the portraits of these heroes; and therefore they might have found their way occasionally into shops which we know to have been anciently decorated with pictures for the amusement of some customers whilst others were served. Of the Seven Worthies, the Ten Sibyls, and the Twelve CÆsars, I have seen many complete sets in old halls and on old staircases.—Steevens.

[377] The 4o reads Moreover. The alteration was made by Mr Reed.—Collier.

[378] A designed play on the word virginal, a spinnet.—Steevens.

[379] Desired or recommended.

[380] This was Samuel Daniel, who was an historian as well as a poet. The work above alluded to is probably "Hymen's Triumph," a pastoral tragi-comedy, acted at the Queen's Court in the Strand, at the nuptials of Lord Roxburgh.

[381] The 4o has it all-afflicted wrath.—Collier.

[382] The old copy has it portion, which is most likely wrong.—Collier.

[383] Old copy, had.

[384] i.e., One of those inexplicable dumb shows ridiculed by "Hamlet." See edition of Shakespeare 1778, x. p. 284.—Steevens.

[385] Alluding to the use of it in Cooke's "City Gallant," commonly called "Green's Tu quoque," printed in the present volume.

[386] i.e., Whipped me.

[387] The 4o reads His.

[388] The 4o has it literally thus—

"To taste a vale of death in wicked livers,"

which Mr Reed altered to cast a veil, &c.; but ought we not rather to read—

"To cast a veil of death on wicked livers."

—Collier.

[389] [Old copy, them brats.]

[390] These four lines, which decidedly belong to Maria, in the old copy are assigned to Albert, and form a part of what he says before.—Collier.

[391] The idea of these answers from an echo seems to have been taken from Lord Stirling's "Aurora," 4o, 1604, sig. K 4. One of the triumvirate, Pope, Gay, or Arbuthnot, but which of them is not known, in a piece printed in Swift's "Miscellanies," may have been indebted for the same thought to either Lord Stirling or the present writer.

Since this note was written, I find nothing was more common than these answers of echoes in the works of contemporary and earlier writers. Many instances might be produced. Amongst others, those who can be pleased with such kind of performances may be referred to Sir P. Sidney's "Arcadia," or Lodge's "Wounds of Civil War," 1594, act iii. The folly of them is admirably ridiculed by the author of "Hudibras."—Reed.

[392] [Edit., Of.]

[393] A dance.

[394] [Old copy, him.]

[395] Verstegan, in his "Restitution of Decayed Intelligence," 1634, p. 126, gives the following account of the origin of this term: "As this Lady (i.e., Rowena) was very beautiful, so was she of a very comely deportment, and Hingistus, having invited King Vortiger to a supper at his new-builded castle, caused that after supper she came foorth of her chamber into the King's presence, with a cup of gold filled with wine in her hand, and making in very seemly manner a low reverence unto the King, sayd, with a pleasing grace and countenance, in our ancient language, Waes heal hlaford Cyning, which is, being rightly expounded according to our present speech, Be of health, Lord King, for as was is our verbe of the preterimperfect tense, or preterperfect tense, signifying have bin, so was being the same verb in the imperative mood, and now pronounced wax, is as much as to say grow, be, or become; and waes-heal, by corruption of pronunciation, afterwards became to be wassaile. The King not understanding what shee said, demaunded it of his chamberlaine, who was his interpreter, and when he knew what it was, he asked him how he might againe answer her in her owne language, whereof being informed, he sayd unto her Drinc heal, that is to say, Drink health."—See also a note to "The Ordinary," in vol. xii.

[396] Didst in the old copy, where these lines are printed as a stage direction.

[397] The 4o reads—

"I overslip what Croesus suit command."

—Collier.

[398] Or muscadel. A kind of wine so called, because for sweetness and smell it resembles musk. "From Bosco Helerno we soon came to Montefiascone, standing upon a hill. It's a bishop's seate, and famous for excellent Muscatello wine," &c.—Lassells' "Voiage of Italy," 8o, 1670, 244.—Gilchrist.

[399] [Referring to some tale of the day. Compare p. 468.]

[400] See note to "A Match at Midnight," act i. sc. i. (vol. xiii.)

[401] Æneas.

[402] [Meaning Hog.]

[403] If it like is a very common old expression for if it please; but Mr Reed allowed it to be altered to the vulgarism of if it's liked.

[404] There are two title-pages to this comedy in the year 1633, but they are both the same edition. The one has the words the second impression upon it; the other is without them; but in all other respects they are precisely similar. Whether the performance did not sell well in the first instance, and the stationer resorted to this expedient to get rid of copies remaining on hand, must be matter of conjecture only.—Collier.

[405] "Thomas May, father of the poet, purchased Mayfield Place, in Sussex (formerly an archiepiscopal palace, and afterwards the seat of the Greshams), of Henry Neville, of Billingbere, Berks, in 1597. He was knighted at Greenwich, July 3, 1603, and died 1616. He was father to Thomas May, the celebrated poet and historian, by whom Mayfield was aliened from the family in 1617: his mother, Joan May, and cousin, Richard May, of Islington, gent. joining with him in the conveyance to John Baker, Esq., whose descendants have ever since enjoyed it."—Nichols's "Leicestershire," iii. 156, note.—Gilchrist.

[406] Life, edit. 1759, p. 35.

[407] Some writers suppose he was disgusted that Sir William Davenant was appointed to succeed Ben Jonson as poet laureate, in the year 1637.

[408] He was appointed to the post of Historiographer by the Parliament.

[409] This poem was dedicated to Charles I. in 1635; hence it appears that he wrote it by command of the king. "Those defects," he says, "whatsoever they be, can be imputed only to insufficiency, for neither was there argument wanting nor yet endeavour, since I had the actions of a great king to require my skill, and the command of a greater king to oblige my care."—Collier.

[410] Thomas May has a complimentary poem prefixed to Pilkinton's "Tournament of Tottenham," &c. 4o. 1631.—Gilchrist.

[411] The subsequent lines are found in "Wit's Recreations," 1641—

"TO MR. THOMAS MAY.
"Thou son of Mercury, whose fluent tongue
Made Lucan finish his Pharsalian song,
Thy fame is equal, better is thy fate,
Thou hast got Charles his love, he Nero's hate."

Of course this was before (as Lord Clarendon expresses it) "he fell from his duty."—Collier.

[412] The author calls her Luce throughout, which the modern editor changed to Lucy. As a matter of taste, Lucy may be preferable to Luce; but the author ought to be allowed to judge for himself, and sometimes the measure of the lines has been spoiled by the needless alteration.—Collier.

[413] i.e., Vituperator, which answers to her character. Former editions read Psecas.—Pegge.

[414] "Carew was the younger brother of a good family, and of excellent parts, and had spent many years of his youth in France and Italy; and, returning from travel, followed the court, which the modesty of that time disposed men to do sometime, before they pretended to be of it; and he was very much esteemed by the most eminent persons in the court, and well looked upon by the king himself, some years before he could obtain to be sewer to the king; and when the king conferred that place upon him, it was not without the regret even of the whole Scotch nation, which united themselves in recommending another gentleman to it; and of so great value were those relations held in that age, when majesty was beheld with the reverence it ought to be. He was a person of a pleasant and facetious wit, and made many poems, especially in the amorous way, which, for the sharpness of the fancy, and the elegancy of the language in which that fancy was spread, were at least equal, if not superior, to any of that time; but his glory was, that after fifty years of his life, spent with less severity or exactness than it ought to have been, he died with the greatest remorse for that license, and with the greatest manifestation of Christianity, that his best friends could desire."—"Life of Clarendon," edit. 1759, i. 36. He died in the year 1639. [But see Hazlitt's edit. of Carew, Introductory Memoir.]

[415] ["A celebrated political register, as Mr Chalmers aptly terms it, which was now much used. Mention of it is made by almost all the writers of Jonson's age. As it treated of contemporary events, treaties, sieges, &c., in a dead language, it was necessarily driven to the use of unknown and unwarranted terms."—Gifford's Ben Jonson, ii. 530, note.]

Cleveland, in the "Character of a London Diurnal," 1644, says: "The original sinner of this kind was Dutch, Gallo-belgicus the Protoplast: and the Modern Mercuries but Hans en Kelders." Some intelligence given by Mercurius Gallo-belgicus is mentioned in Carew's "Survey of Cornwall," p. 126, originally published in 1602. Dr Donne, in his verses upon Thomas Coryat's "Crudities," 1611, says—

"To Gallo Belgicus appear
As deep a statesman as a gazetteer."

[416] See the "Spanish Tragedy," vol. v.

[417] Penelope.

[418] In the 4o, 1633, it stands Sienna Morenna, and so Mr Reed allowed it to remain.—Collier.

[419] The work here mentioned is entitled "Tullies Love, wherein is discovered the prime of 'Ciceroes youth,' &c. &c., by Robert Greene. In artibus magister." I have seen no earlier edition of it than that in 1616.—Steevens. [It was first printed in 1589.]

[420] The situation of Luce is expressed after her name in the old copy by the word gravida, and there seems no reason for omitting it. The conclusion of the play shows the necessity of making her condition obvious.—Collier.

[421] The original edition reads sick, which Mr Reed changed to fickle.—Collier.

[422] [Portrait, likeness.]

[423] [Bristling; Lat. horridus.]

[424] [Old copy, That I was.]

[425] [Old copy, were not.]

[426] [Old copy, Psectas.]

[427] Or Sompner, now called an apparitor. He is an officer, whose proper business and employment are to attend the spiritual court, to receive such commands as the judge shall please to issue forth; to convene and cite the defendants into court; to admonish or cite the parties in the production of witnesses, and the like; and to make due return of the process by him executed.

[428] i.e., Trustiness or fidelity, or perhaps we should read truth.—Pegge. [Trust is right, and should not be altered. It is a common form of expression.]

[429] i.e., Hinder it.

[430] [The name of the beggar in the "Odyssey" slain by Ullysses.]

[431] Virro here whispers the supposed Irus, and makes the proposition for killing Eugenio.—Collier.

[432] See the "Old Couple," act ii., where May has borrowed from this passage the same sentiment—

"The time has been,
In such a solitary place as this,
I should have trembled at each moving leaf;
But sorrow, and my miserable state,
Have made me bold."

[433] i.e., Clerimont.—Pegge.

[434] This book, entitled "The Tax of the Roman Chancery," which has been several times translated into English, was first published at Rome in the year [1471]. It furnishes the most flagrant instances of the abominable profligacy of the Roman court at that time. Among other passages in it are the following: "Absolutio a lapsu carnis super quocunque actu libidinoso commisso per clericum, etiam cum monialibus, intra et extra septa monasterii; aut cum consanguineis vel affinibus, aut filia spirituali, aut quibusdam aliis, sive ab unoquoque de per se, sive simul ab omnibus absolutio petatur cum dispensatione ad ordines et beneficia, cum inhibitione tur. 36. duc. 3. Si vero cum illis petatur absolutio etiam a crimine commisso contra naturam, vel cum brutis, cum dispensatione ut supra, et cum inhibitione tur. 90. duc. 12. car. 16. Si vero petatur tantum absolutio a crimine contra naturam, vel cum brutis, cum dispensatione et inhibitione, turon 36. duc. 9. Absolutio pro moniali qui se permisit pluries cognosci intra vel extra septa monasterii, cum rehabilitate ad dignitates illius ordinis etiam abbatialem, turon 36. duc. 9." In the edition of Bois le Duc there is "Absolutio pro eo, qui interfecit patrem, matrem, sororem, uxorem.....g. 5. vel. 7." See Bayle, art. Banck.

[435] This Constable and Watch are poor imitations of Shakespeare's Dogberry, &c., in "Much Ado about Nothing."—Steevens.

[436] A pun upon the word bills is here intended, by confounding the bills of tradesmen with the bills or arms formerly carried by watchmen. Thus in [Munday's] curious old comedy, obviously translated from the Italian, with some adaptations to English customs, called the "Two Italian Gentlemen," we meet with the following direction:—"Enter Fedele with Pedante, and with them two watchmen with bills," act iv. sc. 5, sig. F 2.—Collier.

[437] [An uncommon form of expression, equivalent to the French phrase a bientÔt.]

[438] I think we should read go.—Pegge. The syllable to is more than is required either for the sense or the measure.—Collier. [The original has to, as stated; but we should read too, i.e., if my life be too mean a sacrifice, &c.]

Transcriber notes:

P.21 footnote 19: Taken out the extra 'g' in 'farthinggale'.
P.324 footnote 266: 'Tintagol' needs to be 'Tintagel'. Changed.
Tintagel is the peninsula on the northern Cornwall coast reference.
Fixed various punctuation problems.





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