P. 38, 1. 11. And with what wing the stannyel checks at it!] Stannyel is the name of a kind of hawk, is very judiciously put here for a stallion, by Sir Thomas Hanmer. JOHNSON.

To check, says Latham, in his book of Fal conry, is,,,when crows, rooks, pies, or other birds, coming in view of the hawk, she forsaketh her natural flight, to fly at them." The stannyel is the common stone hawk, which inhabits old buildings and rocks; in the North called stanchit I have this information from Mr. Lambe's notes on the ancient metrical history of the battle of Floddon. STEEVENS.

P. 38, 1. 15. Why, this is evident to any for mal capacity.] i. e. any one in his senses, any one whose capacity is not dis - arranged,

of form. STEEVENS.

or out

P. 38, 1. 22. Sowter is here, I suppose, the name of a hound. Sowterly, however, is often employed as a term of abuse. A sowter was a cobler. STEEVENS..

I believe the meaning is This fellow will, notwithstanding, catch at and be duped by our device, though the cheat is so gross that any one' else would find it out. Our author, as usual, forgets to make his simile answer on both sides; for it is not to be wondered at that a hound” should cry or give his tongue, if the scent be as rank as a fox. MALONE.

P. 58, 1. 23. though it be as rank as a fox.]"

Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, ,,not as rank. The other editions, though it be as rank, etc.

.. JOHNSON. P. 38, 1. 31. And O shall end, I hope ] By O is here meant what we now call a hempen collar. JOHNSON.

I believe he means only, it shall end in sighing, in disappointment. So, in Romeo. and

Juliet:

,,Why should you fall into so deep an O?"

2

STEEVENS.

P. 59, 1. 12. Be opposite that is, be adverse, hostile. An opposite in the language of Our author's age, meant an adversary. MALONE.

P. 39, . 16. Remember who commended thy yellow stockings;] Before the civil wars, yellow stockings were much worn. PERCY.

So, Middleton and Rowley in their masque entitled The World Toss'd at Tennis, 110 date, where the five different coloured starches are introduced as striving for superiority, Yellow starch says to white:

„Her love to't, and makes him wear yellow

hose."

The yeomen attending the Earl of Arundel, Lord Windsor, and Mr. Fulke Greville, who assisted at an entertainment performed before Queen Elizas beth, on the Monday aud Tuesday in Whitsun week, 1581, were dressed in yellow worsted stockings. The book from which I gather this information was published by. Henry. Goldwell, gent. in the same year.. STEEVENS.

-

P. 39, 1. 23. 24. The fortunate - unhappys Day-light and champiań discovers, not more:] We should read ,,The fortunate, and happy. →→ Daylight and champian discovers not more: i. e. braid day and an open country cannot make things plainer. WARBURTON. C

The folio, which is the only ancient copy of this play, reads, the fortunate, unhappy, and so I have printed it. The fortunate unhappy is the subscription of the letter. STEEVENS.

P. 39, 1. 27. I will be point de vice, the very man.] This phrase is of French extraction a points-devisez. Chaucer uses it in the Romaunt of the Rose:

,,Her nose was wrought at point- device." i. e. with the utmost possible exactness.

STEEVENS,

P. 40, 1. 9. 10. Fab. I will not give my part of this sport for a pension of thousands to be paid from the Sophy.] Alluding, as Dr. Farmer observes, to Sir Robert Shirley, who was just returned in the character of embassador from the Sophy. sie boasted of the great rewards he had received, and lived in London with the ut most 'splendor. STEEVENS?

P. 40, I. 20. Shall I play my freedom at tray. trip, The following passage might incline one to believe that tray-trip was the name of some game at tables, or draughts: There is great danger of being taken skeepers at tray-trip, if the King sweep suddenly." Cecil's Correspondence, Lott. X. p. 136. Ben Jonson joins tray trip with mumchance. Alchemist, Act V. sc. iv.

TYRWHITT.

The truth of Mr. Tyrwhitt's conjecture may be established by a reference to Machiavel's Dogge,

a satire, 4to. 1617.

P. 40, 1. 28.

of strong waters.

P. 40,

32.

REED. aqua- vitae JOHNSON.

and cross garter'd, -] Sir Thomas Overbury, in his character of a footman without gards on his coat, presents him as more

upright than usher. FARMER.

any crosse - garter'd gentleman,

P. 41, I. 11. 12. Vio. Dost thou live by thy

tabor?

Clo. No, Sir, I live by the church.] The Clown, I suppose, wilfully mistakes Viola's mean ing, and answers, as if he had been asked whether he lived by the sign of the tabor, the ans cient designation of a music shop. STEEVENS.

It was likewise the sign of an eating house kept by Tarleton, the celebrated clown or fool of the theatre before our author's time; who is exhibited in a print prefixed to his Jests, quarto, 1611, with a tabor. Perhaps iu imitation of him the subsequent stage - clowns usually appeared with one. MALONE.

P. 41, 1. 17. Lies here, as in many other places in old books, signifies dwells, sojourns.

MALONE.

P. 41, I. 22. a cheveril glove i. e. a glove made of kid leather: chevreau, Fr.

STEEVENS P. 43, l. 14. 15. And, like the haggard, check at every feather

That comes before his eye. —] The hawk called the haggard, if not well trained and watched, will fly after every bird without distinction. STEEVENS.

The meaning may be, that he must carch every opportunity, as the wild hawk strikes every bird. But perhaps it might be read more properly;

Not like the haggard.

He must choose persons and times, and observe tempers; he must fly at proper game, like the trained hawk, and not fly at large like the unre

claimed haggard, to seize all that comes in his

way. JOHNSON.

P. 43, 1. 18. But wise men, folly fallen, quite

taint their wit.] Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, folly shewn. JOHNSON.

The first folio reads, But wise men's folly falne, quite taint their wit. Whence I should conjectu re, that Shakspeare possibly wrote:

But wise men, folly - fallen, quite taint their wit.

i. e. wise men, fallen into folly. TYRWHITT. The sense is But wise men's folly, when it is once fallen into extravagance, overpowers their, discretion. HEATH.

I explain it thus: The folly which he shews with proper adaption to persons and times, is fit, has its propriety, and therefore produces no censure; but the folly of wise men when it falls or happens, taints their wit, destroys the reputation of their judgment. JOHNSON.

I have adopted Mr. Tyrwhitt's judicious emendation. STEEVENS.

P. 43, 1. 30. is the list limit, farthest point, JOHNSON.

is the bound,"

P. 43, 1. 31. Taste your legs, - Perhaps this expression was employed to ridicule the fantastic use of a verb, which is many times as quaintly introduced in the old pieces, as in this play, and in The true Tragedies of Marius and Scilla, 1594:

,,A climbing tow'r that did not taste the wind.“ STEEVENS.

But we are prevented.

i. e.

P. 44, 1. 3. our purpose is anticipated. So, in the 119th Psalm: Mine eyes prevent the night watches.""

STEEVENS.