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Perhaps fourteen years' purchase was, in Shakspere's time, the highest price for land. Lord Bacon's Essay on Usury mentions sixteen years purchase. "I will not give more than according to fifteen years purchase, said a dying usurer to a clergyman, who advised him to study for a purchase of the kingdom of heaven."

TOLLET.

This passage may be considered as a further corroboration of Mr. Tyrwhitt's conjecture, that Twelfth Night was written in 1614. The grievance of monopolies, though long complained of, had, it should seem, risen to a greater height at that time than ever, for next to the undertakers, it was the object of parliamentary debate, during the short session of that year. MALONE.

53. In this uncivil and unjust extent] Extent is, in law, a writ of execution, whereby goods are seized for the king. It is therefore taken here for violence in general. JOHNSON.

56. This ruffian hath botch'd up-] Botch'd up, I fancy, is only a coarse expression for made up, as a bad taylor is called a botcher, and to botch is to make clumsily. JOHNSON Dr. Johnson is certainly right. A similar expression occurs in Antony and Cleopatra :

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-if you'll patch a quarrel "As matter whole you've not to make it with." Again, in K. Henry V.

"Do botch and bungle up damnation." STEEVENS. 59. He started one poor heart of mine in thee.] I know not whether there be not an ambiguity intended between

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heart and hart. The sense however is easy enough He that offends thee, attacks one of my hearts; or, as the ancients expressed it, half my heart. JOHNSON.

60. What relish is in this?] How does this taste ? What judgment am I to make of it? JOHNSON. 68. sir Topas-] The name of Sir Topas is taken from Chaucer. STEEVENS.

72. -I am not tall enough to become the function well;] This cannot be right. The word wanted should be a part of the description of a careful man. I should have no objection to read-pale. TYRWHYTT. Tall enough,] perhaps means not of sufficient height to overlook a pulpit. STEEVENS ―as to say, a careful man, and a great scho-] This refers to what went before: I am not tall enough to become the function well, or lean enough to be thought a good student: it is plain then that Shakspere wrote:-as to say a graceful man, i. e. comely. To this the Oxford editor says, rectè: WARBURTON.

75.

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A careful man, I believe, means, a man who has such a regard for his character as to entitle him to ordinanation. STEEVENS.

79.

-very wittily said That, that is, is :-} This is a very humorous banter of the rules established in the schools, that all reasonings are ex præcoghitis & præconcessis, which lay the foundation of every science in these maxims, whatsoever is, is; and it is imposssible for the same thing to be and not to be; with much trifling of the like kind. WARBURTON. it hath bay-windows- -] A bay-window

102.

is the same as a bow-window; a window in a recess, or bay. See A. Wood's Life, published by T. Hearne, 1730, p. 548 and 553. The following instances may likewise support the supposition:

Cinthia's Revels, by B. Jonson, 1610.

-retired myself into a bay-window," &c.

Again, in Stow's Chronicle of Henry IV.

"As Tho. Montague rested him at a bay-window, a gun was levell'd," &c.

Again, in Middleton's Women beware Women:

" "Tis a sweet recreation for a gentlewoman "To stand in a bay-window and see gallants." Chaucer, in the Assemblie of Ladies, mentions bay-windows. Again, in K. Henry the Sixth's Directions for building the Hall at King's College, Cambridge:" on every side thereof a baie-window." STEEVENS.

103. -the clear stones -] The old copy has -stores. The emendation was made by the editor of the second folio.

MALONE. 114. -constant question.] A settled, a determi

nate, a regular question.

JOHNSON. 130. Nay, I am for all waters.] A phrase taken from the actor's ability of making the audience cry either with mirth or grief. WARBURTON.

I rather think this expression borrowed from sportsmen, and relating to the qualifications of a complete spaniel. JOHNSON.

A cloak for all kinds of knavery; taken from the Italian proverb, Tu hai mantillo da ogni acqua. SMITH. I think the meaning is-I can turn my hand to any

thing; can assume any character I please.-Montaigne, speaking of Aristotle, says, that "he hath an oare in every water, and meddleth with all things." Florio's translation, 1603. MALONE.

130. Nay, I am for all waters.] This is the Clown's answer to Sir Toby who applauded him, for Sir Toby having commended the Clown for his address in personating Sir Topas, the Clown in his reply plays upon the name Topas, and intimates that he could sustain as well the character of any other person, let him be called by what gem he might. A diamond of the first water, is no uncommon expression; and the Clown before, by the lustrous quality of the clear stones, intended a similar allusion.

HENLEY.

140. Hey Robin, jolly Robin,] This song should certainly begin:

"Hey, jolly Robin, tell to me

"How does thy lady, do ?

"My lady is unkind, perdy.

"Alas, why is she so?"

FARMER.

This song seems to be alluded to in the following passage of The Merchandises of Popish Priestes, 4to. 1629, Sign. F. 2" there is no one so lively and jolly as St. Mathurine, I can best describe you this arch singer, by such common phrase as wee use of him whom wee see very lively and pleasantly disposed, wee say this, His head is full of jolly Robbins.” REED.

154.

-your five wits?] Thus the five senses were anciently called. So, in K. Lear, Edgar says,

"Bless thy five wits! Tom's a cold."

Again, in the old morality of Every Man: "And remember beaute, fyve wyttes, strength, and dyscrecyon." STEEVENS.

That the five wits, were considered as distinct from the five senses, appears from a line in one of our author's sonnets:

"But my five wits, nor my five senses can

The wits, Dr. Johnson has elsewhere observed, were reckoned five, in analogy to the five senses. From Stephen Hawes's poem, intituled Graunde Amour, ch.24. edit. 1554, it appears, that the five wits were "common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, and memory." MALONE. 159. -property'd me;- -] They have taken possession of me, as of a man unable to look to himself. JOHNSON.

167. Maintain no words with him,- -] Here the Clown in the dark acts two persons, and counterfeits, by variation of voice, a dialogue between himself and Sir Topas.I will, sir, I will, is spoken after a pause, as if, in the mean time, Sir Topas had whispered. JOHNSON.

172. -I am shent, &c.] i. e. scolded, reprimanded. JOHNSON.

193. -Like to the old vice,] Vice was the fool of the old moralities. Some traces of this character are still preserved in puppet-shows, and by country mumJOHNSON.

mers.

This character was always acted in a mask; it probably had its name from the old French word vis, for

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