For the meaning of single words see the Glossary.

Prologue. The allusions in these lines can be only partially explained. The play had evidently been performed, not long before 1641, by a company which had not possessed original acting rights in it. The performance had been successful (cf. ll. 3-4 "the grace of late It did receive"), and the "King's men," while not claiming a monopoly in it, nor seeking to detract from their rivals' merits, felt bound to revive the play on their own account, lest they should seem to be letting their claim go by default. It is possible that in ll. 11-12, they refer to a performance that in vindication of this claim they had given at Court, while, as further evidence of their priority of interest, they remind the audience of the actors belonging to the company who had appeared in the title-rÔle. Nathaniel Field (l. 15), born in 1587, had as a boy been one of the "Children of the Queen's Revels," and had performed in Jonson's Cynthia's Revels, 1600, and Poetaster, 1601. He seems to have joined the King's players soon after 1614, and his name appears in the list of "the principall actors in all these playes" prefixed to the first Shakespearean Folio of 1623. Not long after this period, Field, who by his Woman is a Weathercock (1612) and his Amends for Ladies (1618) had made a reputation as a dramatist as well as an actor, is believed to have retired from the stage, though he lived till 1633. If, however, he did not appear as Bussy till after 1614, when the play had already been at least seven years, perhaps considerably longer, on the boards, it can scarcely be said with truth that his "action first did give it name" (l. 16). His successor in the part, whom the "gray beard" (l. 18) of advancing years had now disqualified, cannot be identified; but the "third man" (l. 21) is probably Ilyard Swanston, who, according to Fleay (Biog. Chron. of Drama, vol. i, p. 60), was one of the "King's men" from 1625 to 1642. His impersonation of Bussy is favourably referred to by Edmund Gayton in his Festivous Notes upon Don Quixote (1654), p. 25 and his previous rÔle of "Richard" (l. 23) may have been that of Ricardo in Massinger's Picture, which he had played in 1629 (cf. Phelps, Geo. Chap. p. 125). The earlier editors thought that Charles Hart was here alluded to, but Wright in his Historia Histrionica states it was the part of the Duchess in Shirley's Cardinal, licensed 1641, that first gave him any reputation. Hence he cannot at this date have performed Bussy; his fame in the part was made after the Restoration (cf. Introduction, p. xxv).

5-6, 1-33. Fortune ... port. This opening speech of Bussy illustrates the difficult compression of Chapman's style and the diversion of his thought from strictly logical sequence by his excessive use of simile. He begins (ll. 1-4) by emphasising the paradoxical character of human affairs, in which only those escape poverty who are abnormal, while it is among the necessitous that worthily typical representatives of the race must be sought. The former class, under the designation of "great men," are then (after a parenthetical comparison with cedars waxing amidst tempests) likened to statuaries who are satisfied if the exterior of the Colossus they are creating is sufficiently imposing; they are then (by an awkward transition of the imagery) likened to the statues themselves (l. 15) "heroique" in form but "morter, flint, and lead" within. Chapman's meaning is here obvious enough, but it is a singular canon of Æsthetics that estimates the worth of a statue by the materials out of which it is made. In l. 18 a new thought is started, that of the transitoriness of life, and the perishable nature of its gifts, and as the ocean-voyager needs a stay-at-home pilot to steer him safely into port, so the adventurer in "the waves of glassie glory" (ll. 29-30) is bidden look to "vertue" for guidance to his desired haven—not exactly the conclusion to be expected from the opening lines of the speech.

6, 23. To put a girdle ... world. The editors all compare Mid. Night's Dream, i, 1, 175, which Chapman probably had in mind.

7, 34. in numerous state. A play of words, apparently, on two senses of the phrase: (1) the series of numbers, (2) a populous kingdom.8, 59. gurmundist. The N. E. D. quotes no other example of the form "gurmundist" for "gurmond" = "gourmand."

9, 86-87. set my looks In an eternall brake: keep my countenance perpetually immoveable. A "brake" is a piece of framework for holding something steady.

15, 187. I am a poet. This is historically true. A poem of some length, Stances faictes par M. de Bussy, is quoted by Joubert in his Bussy D'Amboise, pp. 205-09.

15, 194-95. chaine And velvet jacket: the symbols of a steward's office.

16, 207. his woodden dagger. The Elizabethan jester carried the wooden dagger or sword, which was often one of the properties of the "Vice" in the later Moralities and the Interludes.

17, Pyra. Though this character is mentioned here and elsewhere among the Dramatis PersonÆ, she takes no part in the dialogue.

17, 2. that English virgin: apparently Annable, who is the Duchess of Guise's lady-in-waiting (cf. iii, 2, 234-40).

18, 15. what's that to: what has that to do with.

18, 16-27. Assure you ... confusion to it. With this encomium on Elizabeth and her Court compare Crequi's account of Byron's compliments to the Queen (Byron's Conspiracie, iv, 1).

19, 36. Which we must not affect: which change, however, we must not desire to take place.

19, 39-43. No question ... as they. The travelled Englishman's affectation of foreign attire is a stock theme of Elizabethan satire. Cf. (e. g.) Merch. of Ven. i, 2, 78-81.

19, 44. travell. A pun on the two senses, (1) journey, (2) labour, the latter of which is now distinguished by the spelling "travail."

21, 85. Tis leape yeare. F. G. Fleay (Biog. Chron. i, 59) considers that this refers "to the date of production, as Bussy's introduction at Court was in 1569, not a Leap Year," and that it "fixes the time of representation to 1604." See Introduction.

22, 110. the groome-porters. Chapman here transfers to the French Court an official peculiar to the English Royal Household till his abolition under George III. The function of the groom-porter was to furnish cards and dice for all gaming at Court, and to decide disputes arising at play.

23, 123. the guiserd. The play on words here is not clear; "guiserd" may be a variant of "gizzard," in which case it would mean the Duke's throat. This is more probable than a "jingling allusion ... to goose-herd or gozzard," which Dilke suggests.

23, 124. are you blind of that side: unguarded and assailable in that direction.

23, 130. Accius NÆvius: the augur who cut a whetstone in pieces in presence of Tarquinius Priscus.23, 133. mate: either match or put down, overcome. The latter sense is more probable, with a punning allusion to the use of the word in chess, at which Guise seems to be engaged with the King. Cf. l. 184.

23, 135-36. of the new edition: of the recent creation. An allusion to the lavish creation of knights by James, shortly after his accession.

24, 141-42. y'ave cut too many throats. An allusion to Guise's share in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. Contrast the references to the episode in The Revenge, ii, 1, 198-234.

24, 149. the Knights ward. Dilke thought that the allusion here was to the "poor knights of Windsor," but it really refers to a part of the "Counter" prison in London. Cf. Eastward Hoe, v, 2, 54, where Wolf says of Sir Petronel Flash, "The knight will i' the Knights-Ward, doe what we can, sir." (See Schelling's note.)

24, 163-64. out a th' presence: outside the presence of the Sovereign.

25, 168. like a rush. An allusion to the custom, still prevalent in Chapman's time, of strewing floors with rushes.

25, 178-79. of the place The divers frames. An obscure expression, which may mean: the varied character in different places of the bed of the sea.

25, 180-83. Bristled ... fome. The imagery in these lines also presents difficulty. D'Ambois's heart is likened to the sea, which, once swollen into billows, will not sink into its original calm till it is overspread by the crown or sheet of foam which the waves, after their subsidence, leave behind.

25, 184. You have the mate. Cf. textual note on i, 1, 153, and note on 23, 133, p. 148.

26, 208. a blanquet. To toss D'Ambois in, as is plain from l. 212.

26, 211. carrie it cleane: comes off easily superior.

27, 237-38. Your descants ... this ground. There is a complicated play on words here. Descant in music is the melodious accompaniment to a simple theme, the plainsong or ground. Hence arises the derived meaning, a variation on any theme, a comment, often of a censorious kind. This, as well as the original meaning, is implied here, while ground has, of course, its usual as well as its technical sense.

28, 243-44. Ile be your ghost to haunt you. May this be an early reference to Banquo's ghost? Macbeth was probably produced in 1606, the year before Bussy D'Ambois was printed.

28, 261. musk-cats: civet-cats, and hence, scented persons, fops.

28, 262. this priviledge. The royal presence-chamber, though the King has left it, is still regarded as inviolable.29. Henry, Guise, Montsurry and Attendants. The Qq of 1607 and 1608, instead of Montsurry and Attendants, read Beaumond, Nuncius. Nuncius is a mistake, as he does not enter till after l. 24. Beaumond is evidently a courtier, who speaks ll. 105-107 (Such a life ... of men), and who goes out with the King after l. 206. In 1641 and later Qq it was apparently thought desirable to leave out this "single-speech" character and transfer his words to Montsurry; but by an oversight Beau. was left prefixed to the second half of l. 105, and the S. D., Exit Rex cum Beau., was retained after l. 206. The editor has therefore substituted Mont. for Beau. in either case. Montsurry being thus present at the pardon of Bussy, the 1641 and later Qq leave out ll. 1-50 of the next Scene wherein inter alia Montsurry speaks of the pardon as yet undecided, and Guise enters to announce it to him.

Dilke in his edition in 1814 thought Beaumond a misprint for Beaupre, who appears in other scenes, and whom he took to be a man, instead of a woman. Hence he reads Montsurry, Beaupre and Attendants both here and after l. 206. The other editors have not realized that there is any discrepancy to be explained.

29, 12-13. bruits it ... healthfull: proclaims it through the world to be sound and wholesome.

31, 51-52. Pyrrho's opinion ... are one. A sweeping generalisation, which cannot be accepted as an interpretation of the doctrines of the sceptical philosopher of Elis.

31, 54-58. As Hector ... speak. The reference is to Iliad, vii, 54 ff., though Hector is there described as keeping back the Trojans with his spear.

32, 60. Ript up the quarrell: explained the cause and origin of the quarrel (Dilke).

32, 63-64. conclude The others dangers: might put an end to the risks of their companions by making their single combat cover the whole quarrel. Conclude here unites the Elizabethan sense include with the ordinary meaning finish.

32, 77-80. And then ... never kill. An anticipation, as Lamb and others have pointed out, of Milton's description of angelic wounds, Par. Lost, vi, 344-49.

33, 84-87. Thrice pluckt ... scap't. The accumulation of personal pronouns makes the interpretation somewhat difficult: thrice D'Ambois plucked at it, and thrice drew on thrusts from Barrisor who darted hither and thither like flame, and continued thrusting as D'Ambois plucked; yet, incredible to relate, the latter escaped injury.

33, 90. only made more horrid with his wound: Barrisor being only rendered fiercer by his wound. The construction is loose, as grammatically the words should qualify D'Ambois.

33, 92. redoubled in his danger: thrusting himself into danger for the second time. For this peculiar use of redoubled cf. l. 190, "on my knees redoubled," and note.

33, 94. Arden. Probably to be no more identified here with the Warwickshire district of this name than in As You Like It. Ardennes would be more appropriate on a Frenchman's lips, but the district belongs to the realm of fancy as much as Armenia in l. 117.

33, 97. he gan to nodde. An anacoluthon. The construction should be "begin to nodde" after "I have seene an oke" in l. 94, but the intervening participial clauses produce irregularity. Similarily in l. 101 "he fell" should be "fall" and "hid" should be "hide."

33, 103-104. Of ten set... Navarre. The war between Henry III and Henry of Navarre continued from 1587 to 1589, but the "ten set battles" are without historical foundation.

34, 105. [Montsurry.] See note on stage direction at beginning of the scene.

34, 108. felt report: probably, account related with feeling.

34, 121. the treasure of his brow: his horn.

34, 122. shelter of a tree. Unicorns were supposed to be worsted in encounters by their adversaries sheltering behind trees, in which they impaled themselves. Spenser, F. Q. ii, 5, 10, describes how a lion defeats a unicorn by this stratagem. Cf. Jul. CÆs. ii, 1, 303-04.

34, 128. th' tw' other, i. e. Pyrrhot and Melynell.

35, 130. hunt Honour at the view. A rare metaphorical application of the technical phrase, "hunt at the view."

35. [Exit Nuntius.] The editor has inserted this, as the Qq do not indicate when the Nuncius departs, and, with the entrance of Bussy, there is no further need of him. bare: bareheaded.

35, 141-44. If ever Nature ... one. Difficult lines, which may be paraphrased: if ever Nature's bond maintained its strength, when subjected to the severe test of bridging the distance between sovereign and subject, both sprung from the same seed, now prove that in elevated stations she can show her nobility.

36, 156. that, i. e. positive law.

36, 157. prefixing: settling beforehand.

36, 164. this fact, though of justice: this action, though done in the name of justice.

37, 170. he, i. e. his enemy.

37, 175-76. which ... him: which is more precious than a human life, which is inferior in value to it, and which was rightly forfeited to him through ill-doing.

37, 190. This is a grace. The grace or boon for which Bussy asks is explained by him in ll. 193-203. "This" usually refers to something that has gone before, on my knees redoubled: going down for the second time on my knees—from which he had risen after l. 179.

37, 192. And shall, i. e. And which grace shall.

38, 198-204. Let me ... King indeed. With this assertion of man's original "Kingship" cf. The Gentleman Usher, v, 1.

38. [Exit Rex cum Montsurry.] See note on stage direction at beginning of this scene.40, 18. Although she be my ante. From these words we learn that Beaupre is niece to the Duke and Duchess of Guise. Compare iii, ii, 188, and the reference to "my lady, your niece" in the passage in Qq 1607 and 1608 quoted in the textual note on iii, ii, 233.

42, 49. an agent for my bloud: an instrument in the satisfaction of my passions.

42, 57-58. his retiring ... aspiring: his retirement to a position of inferiority will satisfy my aspirations.

43, 70-71. Wise wives ... friend. Tamyra ironically keeps up the metaphor of the "two strings" in l. 66, and plays upon the double senses of "firm" and "loose" in archery and morals.

44, 95. as good cheap as it: literally, on as advantageous terms as; hence, with as little effort as, as readily as.

45, 108-10. Whose there ... quality. Cf. All Fools, ii, 1, p. 67 (Phelps).

45, 117. oportunities: importunities, which Dilke wished to substitute. But "opportunity" was used in this sense. Cf. Mer. Wiv. Wind. iii, 4, 20-2.

45, 121-122. as to their pardons ... Parliaments. The meaning appears to be: as the exceptions they make, after Parliaments have ceased to sit, are to the pardons they have granted.

46, 129. part'st with victory: comest off victoriously.

48, 165. the Center: the unmoved central point of the earth, according to the Ptolemaic system.

49, 182. cast ... beene: undress, as if I had never been watching here. Tamyra here determines to go to bed, but afterwards (l. 242) she returns.

49, 198. the first orbe move. An allusion to the Primum Mobile, which, in the Ptolemaic system, was the tenth sphere "of a most pure and cleare substance and without starres," which revolved in twenty-four hours, and carried round in its course all the inner spheres.

51, 231-32. If not ... satisfi'd: if she is not given opportunity to dissemble or show petulance, she is not satisfied even if she gains what she desires.

56, 20-30. Sin ... troth. A characteristic illustration of how one simile in Chapman's verse begets another, with little regard for logical sequence. The "shadowes" with which sin frightens us are first compared to the imaginary creatures into which fancy shapes the clouds; then sin itself (relegated from an active to a passive part) is likened not to a pure creation of the fancy, but to an exaggerated picture of a real monster displayed by "policy," i. e. the craft which seeks to debar men from their desires.

For the custom of exhibiting a rude painting of a curiosity, as a decoy to sightseers, cf. The Tempest, ii, 2, 29-31, "Were I in England now ... and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver."

56, 21. in his truest valour: if his valour be rightly estimated.56, 33. our three powers. The vegetative, sensitive and reasoning faculties.

56-57, 40-43. Nor shall ... wings. Tamyra's "fame," which in l. 38 has been spoken of as a "jewell," is now likened to a fabulous winged creature which is accorded free flight.

57, 44. It rests as: the secret remains as inviolable as if.

58, 69-71. layes ... oppos'd. I am indebted to Dr. J. A. H. Murray for the following interpretation of this passage: [Nature] brings our powers into accordance with its own will or working, just as the stone (laid by the builder) should be apposed or brought into accord with the line, not the line (which is straight and not to be shifted) made to lie along the stone.

60, 119. greatnesse with him: high place in his favour.

62, 13. Boots of hay-ropes. Bands of hay were sometimes wrapped round the legs, to serve instead of boots. Cf. Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour, i, 2. Step. But I have no boots ... Brainworm. Why a fine wisp of hay roll'd hard, Master Stephen.

62, 18. a redhair'd man: a deceiver, traitor; so called from the representation of Judas in tapestries, and probably on the stage of the Miracle plays, with red hair.

63, 23. put them up: start them from their cover.

63, 28. That ... clapdish: That keeps regal state, though sprung from beggary. A clapdish was a wooden dish with a lid, carried by beggars and lepers, which they clapped to announce their approach.

63, 46. Venting ... Hebrew: putting the best product of his livings to the reverse of its intended use. Hebrew is read backwards.

65, 69. that popular purple. An allusion to the Duke's robe, which was of royal purple, to impress the populace.65, 76. He's noblier borne. "Noblier" has been here substituted for "nobly." The parallel phrases in the preceding lines are all comparatives, "better," "more," "greater," and Bussy, in the second half of this line, cannot mean to deny that Guise is of noble birth.

65, 79. Cardinall of Ambois. The Cardinal Georges d'Amboise was in reality Bussy's great-uncle.66, 84. great in faction: active in promoting leagues.

66, 86-87. Be a duke ... field. A play, of course, on the original meaning of Duke, as Dux or leader.

67, 108. the Hermean rod: the caduceus or rod of Hermes, with which he parted two fighting serpents, whereupon they embraced and stuck to the rod.

69, 144-47. and as this ... pride. An allusion to the myth of the giant Typhoeus who, according to one version, was created by Hera alone, in anger at the birth of Pallas from the head of Zeus. He was killed by Zeus with a flash of lighting, and was buried in Tartarus under Mt. Etna.

69, 154. make scapes to please advantage: commit escapades, and thereby give points against themselves.

69, 155-56. women ... candels: women who make the worst accomplices to men.

70, 157. their women: their waiting-women.

71, 187-88. as far as an unkle may. Guise is uncle to the lady Beaupre. Cf. note on ii, 2, 18.

74, 243-44. Come ... courted. These words are whispered by Monsieur to Pero. The rest of his speech is spoken aloud as if in disgust at the rejection of advances made by him to Pero.

74, 244. dry palm: a sign of chastity.

77, 311. I have the blind side of: I can play on the weakness of.

78, 325. engag'd in some sure plot: involved in the toils of some plot securely laid against him.

78, 330. Train ... wreak: allure D'Ambois within reach of his revenge.

80, 375. angell of my life: an allusion to the tutelary genius. For a similar use of angel cf. Ant. and Cleop. ii, 3, 21.

81, 383. rais'd without a circle. If a necromancer, before raising a spirit, drew a circle within which he stood, he was secure against its power.

82, 406. which I have still in thought: which is always with me, as far as my thoughts are concerned.

84, 445-46. to force ... estates. With the punctuation adopted And ...bsp;.. throats is a clause parenthetically inserted in the main statement, and the meaning is: to get possession of estates by foreclosing mortgages, and thus destroying their owners. The Qq have a comma after possessions, and no brackets in the following line.

84-85, 448-49. quarrell ... Ajax. A reference to the well-known episode in Sophocles' Ajax.

85, 453. make them of a peece: make them complete.

85, 464-66. which not to sooth ... Thou eat'st. An anacoluthon.

85, 465. And glorifie ... Hammon. Probably an allusion to the adoration of Alexander the Great as the son of Jupiter Ammon by the priests of this originally Æthiopian deity, at Thebes in Upper Egypt, in B. C. 331.

86, 473. like a scrich-owle sing. The screech of the owl was supposed to be an omen of death to the hearer. Cf. Macbeth, ii, 2, 3-4.

87, 500. to that wall: at the distance of that wall.

87, 507. her breathing rock. Dilke explains this as "the distaff from whence she draws the thread of life," but though this is evidently the meaning required, it is difficult to extract it from this obscure phrase.

87, 510. Defil'd ... soule. Another instance of confused imagery, which yields no satisfactory meaning.

89, 28. which, sc. time.

90, 35. princely mistresse: the Duchess of Guise.

90, 39. Your servant: D'Ambois.

90, 52. in high formes: on stools of disgrace.

91, 55. great eagles beak. Cf. iii, 2, 4.

91, 57. her ... liver. A double allusion, as Dilke has pointed out, to the story of Prometheus, and to the conception of the liver as the seat of the emotions.

92, 77. with a traine: by a stratagem.

93, 84. gushing. Used here transitively, qualifying laws, and governing blood.

93, 87. bare ... hammes: the uncovered heads and cringing postures of sycophants.

93, 98. Armenian dragons. Chapman is fond of locating fabulous monsters in Armenia. Cf. ii, 1, 118-19.94, 115. almighty Æther. Probably a reminiscence of Virgil, Georg. 2, 325, pater omnipotens Æther.94, 120. Nay, they are two. Monsieur, while saying this, makes two horns with his fingers.

95, 126. a meere Cynthia: a perfect moon-goddess.

96, 138. The plague of Herod. Cf. Acts xii, 23, "And he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost."

98, 180. thus, with his fingers. Cf. note on l. 120.

98, 181-83. comes ... slew: if he is the source of the blot on my honour, it becomes a beauty, not a blemish, and proves that I posses the same innocence that caused the death of.

98, 183. ChymÆra. A fire-breathing monster, brought up by Amisodarus, King of Caria. She was slain by Bellerophon. This Corinthian prince, to purify himself from a murder he had committed, had fled to the court of Proetus of Argos, whose wife, Anteia, fell in love with him. On his rejection of her advances, she made false accusations against him, whereupon Proetus sent him to his father-in-law, Iobates, King of Lycia, with a sealed letter, requesting him to put him to death. Iobates sent him to kill ChimÆra, thinking he would be certain to perish in the attempt. But mounted on the winged horse Pegasus, he killed her from on high with his arrows.

98, 183-84. rescued ... Peleon. Peleus, King of the Myrmidons, during a visit to Iolcus, attracted the love of Astydameia, the wife of Acastus. On his rejection of her proposals, she denounced him falsely to her husband, who took him to hunt wild beasts on Mount Peleon, and when he fell asleep through fatigue, concealed his sword, and left him alone to be devoured. But he was saved by Cheiron, who restored him his sword.

98, 185. the chaste Athenian prince: Hippolytus, son of Theseus and Hippolyta, with whom his step-mother PhÆdra fell in love. On his rejection of her advances, she accused him to Theseus, at whose prayer Poseidon caused his destruction, by frightening his horses, when he was driving along the seacoast, and overturning his chariot. Afterwards, on the discovery of his innocence, Asclepius restored him to the upper world.

98, 187. Egean. So the Qq, instead of "Augean."

98, 190. where thou fear'st, are dreadfull: inspirest terror even in those of whom thou art afraid.98-99, 192-94. the serpent ... and me. A curious application of the legend of armed men springing from the dragon's teeth sown by Jason.

99, 204. feares his owne hand: is afraid of the consequences of his own handwriting.

99, 205-208. papers hold ... honors: written documents often contain the revelation of our true selves, and, though of no material value, put the crown to our reputations.

99-100, 209-210. and with ... knowes: and compare with its contents the evidence of this my most intimate attendant.

101, 6. trails hotly of him: is hot upon his scent. Him apparently refers to mischiefe in l. 4.

102, 25. With ... affrighted: by which all things capable of terror are frightened.

103, 32. Epimethean. Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus, opened Pandora's box, and let its evils loose among mankind.

103, 37-38. Or stood ... artillerie. In the war of Zeus against Cronos, the Cyclopes aided the former, who had released them from Tartarus, by furnishing him with thunderbolts.

103, 47-48. I will ... spirit: I will command a spirit, raised by my art, to enlighten us.

104, 54. Behemoth. The editor has been unable to find any precedent for Chapman's application of this name—which in the Book of Job denotes the whale or hippopotamus—to the chief of the powers of darkness.

104, 55. Asaroth. Apparently a variant of Ashtaroth, the plural of Ashtoreth, the Phoenician moon-goddess; here mistakenly used for the name of a male spirit.

104. Cartophylax. A post-classical Greek term for "guardian of papers."

106, 97. great in our command: powerful in exercising command over us.

107-109, 113-51. There is ... his soule. The dialogue and action here take place probably at the back of the stage, perhaps on the upper stage, of which use is made in The Tempest, the Spanish Tragedie, and other plays. The characters (as is evident from ll. 102-104) are supposed to be far off, but rendered visible and audible to Tamyra and D'Ambois by Behemoth's power.

107, 113. a glasse of ink: a mirror made of ink, i. e. the paper with the proofs of Tamyra's unfaithfulness.

107, 116. fames sepulchres: the foulness beneath which her good name is buried.

107, 120-21. were ... rarely: were it never so uncommon, bear it with as unexampled courage.109, 156. In her forc'd bloud. Dilke is followed in the substitution of her for his. The allusion is evidently to the letter that Tamyra afterwards writes to D'Ambois in her own blood. Cf. v, 1, 176-77.

110, 169-70. Lest ... abuse: lest a furious outburst due to your foreknowledge of the plot against us.

111, 185. And ... policy: and the Monsieur's stratagems shall be taken in the flank by my own.

111, 186. Center. Here and in l. 192 this word, though strictly meaning the central point of the earth, seems used for the earth itself, as the centre of the universe. For this use cf. Shaks. Tro. and Cress. i, 3, 85-86.

111, 191. calme ... ruine: unsuspecting tranquillity previous to a convulsion of the elements.

113, 17-18. The stony ... sleeper. The thunderstone, or thunderbolt, was supposed to have no power of harming any one who was asleep, or who wore laurel leaves. Leigh, in his Observations on the First Twelve CÆsars (1647), p. 43, says of Tiberius that "he feared thunder exceedingly, and when the aire or weather was any thing troubled, he even carried a chaplet or wreath of laurell about his neck, because that as (Pliny reporteth) is never blasted with lightning."

114, 50. determinate: apparently used in the sense of final, though the sense is rare, except as qualifying a word which implies previous deliberation.

115, 55-56. preventing ... death: anticipating the last blast that is to kill those who live, and to give life anew to the dead.

115, 64. Fame growes in going. Borrowed from the Æneid, iv, 173-75, Fama . . . viresque acquirit eundo.

115, 67-68. come ... lust. The syren is Tamyra; her song the letter she is to write to her lover (cf. l. 75); Montsurry; band of murderers the fatal rocks; and the ruffin gally, D'Ambois.

115, 69-71. the nets ... danc'd. There is a play here upon nets in the sense of wiles, and in its usual signification. To "dance," or "march," or "hide" in a net was to delude oneself that one was acting secretly (cf. Henry V, i, 4, 173, and Span. Trag. iv, 4, 118).

116, 84. for all: in spite of all.

116, 86. their should be, in grammatical sequence, "her," referring to "a womans" in 83.

116, 91. nor in humane consort: nor do they find human fellowship. The metaphor of the wildernesse is still being carried on.

118, 128-30. Where ... cruelty: in the same quarter [i. e. your person] where all these bonds have been violated, they are preserved by the infliction of just punishment, with some exhibition of the same quintessence of cruelty that you have shown me.

118, 142. Thus I expresse thee yet: thus I give a further stroke to my delineation of thee.

118, 143. thy ... yet: the image of thy unnatural depravity is not yet fully completed.

118, 145. This other engine: the rack, on which Montsurry's servants place Tamyra. Cf. l. 157, "O let me downe, my lord."

119, 151-52. O who ... None but my lord and husband. Tamyra thinks that some evil spirit has taken her husband's shape, and cries to Montsurry to appear and deliver her.

119, 161. Now ... stands still. This statement of the leading principle of the Copernican system, as a mere rhetorical paradox, is remarkable.

119-120, 163-72. The too huge ... with hypocrisie. In this curious passage the earth is conceived of as a recumbent figure, which usually lies face upwards to the sky. But the weight of her sins has caused her to roll over, so that her back part now braves heaven, while her face is turned to the Antipodes; and all the deceitful appearances which she has adopted through her cheating arts have come out in their true nature on her back, so that her hypocrisy stands revealed.

120, 178. he: the Friar.

120, 181. his. We should expect a repetition of her in l. 180. His, however seems to be equivalent to man's, anticipating man in l. 182. Possibly we should read this.

121, 191. In, Ile after. These words are addressed to the body of the Friar.

122, 20. with terror: inspiring terror in their enemies.

123, 28. And ... man: And consider it, though left headless, as a completely formed man.

123, 36. vertuous treasurie: stock of virtues.

124, 46-53. Not so ... mens hate. An adaptation of Seneca's Agamemnon, 64-72:

These lines, with those immediately before and after, are more loosely adapted in Kyd's Spanish Tragedie, iii, 1, 1-11.

126, 23. this embodied shadow: this spirit while it had bodily form.

126, 24-27. With reminiscion ... of art. Cf. iv, 2, 158-61.

127, 41-53. Terror of darknesse ... greater light. After Bussy's statement in ll. 29-32 we should expect him to immediately summon the Prince of darknesse, Behemoth. But ll. 41-46 are apparently addressed to the sun-god, who is invoked to put to flight night and mystery. Then as an alternative, in ll. 47-53, Behemoth, to whom darkness is as light, is bidden appear. Dilke substitutes oh for or (the reading of all Qq) at the beginning of l. 47. If this change be right, the invocation commences at this line, and ll. 41-46 are merely a preliminary rhetorical appeal for more illumination. But in this case there is an incongruity between such an appeal and the summoning of the Prince of shades, who sees best where darkness is thickest. Lamb in his Specimens retains the reading of the Qq, and says of the passage: "This calling upon Light and Darkness for information, but, above all, the description of the spirit—'threw his changed countenance headlong into clouds'—is tremendous, to the curdling of the blood. I know nothing in poetry like it."

130, 103. all the signes: i. e. of the Zodiac.

131. Intrat Umbra Frier ... Tamyra. The Ghost of the Friar enters and discovers, i. e. reveals to view, Tamyra, who since the close of v, 1, has remained wrapped in the arras, or, as the variant stage direction in A here puts it, wrapt in a canapie.

131, 9. before he be revenged: before vengeance is taken on him. The reading of A, engaged, is perhaps (as Dilke suggests) preferable.

133, 27-28. what ... D'Amboys: what bugbear, such as this, is not afraid to visit D'Amboys, even in his sleep?

134, 45. Will ... here? D'Ambois's sword fails to pierce the privy coat worn by the murderer. Cf. v, 2, 57.

134, 52. That ... resembled: That was a successful artifice, and a skilful impersonation.

135, 65. enforce the spot: emphasize the stain on your honour.

136, 82. Then ... fact: then these teachers of divinity deal with figments, not with realities.

136, 83-84. Man ... servant: Man consists of two attached friends, the body and the mind, of which the latter is swayed by the former, as a lover by his mistress.

136, 90-93. And if Vespasian ... groomes. Cf. Suetonius, Life of Vespasian, Ch. 24. Hic, quum super urgentem valetudinem creberrimo frigidÆ aquÆ usu etiam intestina vitiasset, nec eo minus muneribus imperatoriis ex consuetudine fungeretur, ut etiam legationes audiret cubans, alvo repente usque ad defectionem soluta, Imperatorem, ait, stantem mori oportere. Dumque consurgit, ac nititur, inter manus sublevantium exstinctus est.137, 100-108. And haste ... dwellers. An adaptation of Seneca, Her. Oet. 1518-1526:

137, 110-111. may ... funerall: may celebrate fittingly my unworthy end with such a funeral volley as it deserves.

138, 135-40. My sunne ... bloud. In these lines the killing spectacle, the prodigie, of l. 134, and its effect are described. Tamyra, the light of D'Ambois's life, with her reddened bosom and hands, is likened to a sun whose beams have turned to blood. So far the imagery is clear, but it is difficult to extract a satisfactory sense from what follows. What do Pindus and Ossa symbolize, and what exactly does their melting mean? This seems one of the few passages in the play which really deserve Dryden's stricture for "looseness of expression and gross hyperboles."

139, 146. struck. The Qq, and all editors, read stuck, but the word seems inapplicable to a thunderbolt. The editor has conjectured struck, which, with a minimum of change, gives the sense required.

139, 149 Joine flames with Hercules. Here the quartos of 1607 and 1608 contain the right reading. D'Ambois, who has met death in the spirit of Hercules (cf. ll. 100-108), is now to share his translation to the skies. For the description of Hercules as a star see Seneca, Her. Oet. 1564-1581.

142, 211-14 as ... dies. The reference is to the wax in the taper, which retains in its savour the mark of its origin in the hive, till transient as life, it glances with the eye of a flame, and, so doing, expires.