LORD. Go, firrah, take them to the buttery,

9 take them to the buttery,] Mr. Pope had probably these words in his thoughts, when he wrote the following paffage of his preface: -the top of the profeflion were then mere players, not gentlemen of the ftage; they were led into the buttery by the fteward, not placed at the lord's table, or the lady's toilette." But he seems not to have obferved, that the players here introduced are strollers; and there is no reason to suppose that our author, Heminge, Burbage, Condell, &c. who were licensed by King James, were treated in this manner.

MALONE.

Shrew, might be tormented for the entertainment of the audience; or, according to a custom observed in some of our ancient puppet-shews, might beat his wife with a shoulder of mutton. In the Preface to Marlowe's Tamburlaine, 1590, the Printer says:

"I have (purpofelie) omitted and left out fome fond and frivolous jeftures, digreffing (and in my poore opinion) farre unmeete for the matter, which I thought might feeme more tedious unto the wife, than any way els to be regarded, though (happly) they have bene of fome vaine conceited fondlings greatly gaped at, what time they were showed upon the ftage in their graced deformities: nevertheleffe now to be mixtured in print with fuch matter of worth, it would prove a great disgrace," &c.

The bladder of vinegar was, however, used for other purposes. I meet with the following stage direction in the old play of Cambyses, (by T. Preston,) when one of the characters is supposed to die from the wounds he had juft received: Here let a small bladder of vinegar be pricked. I fuppofe to counterfeit blood: red-wine vinegar was chiefly used, as appears from the ancient books of cookery.

In the ancient Tragedy, or rather Morality, called All for Money, by T. Lupton, 1578, Sin fays.

"I knew I would make him foon change his note,

"I will make him fing the Black Sanctus, I hold him a groat."
"Here Satan fhall cry and roar."

Again, a little after :

"Here he roareth and crieth."

Of the kind of wit current through these productions, a better specimen can hardly be found than the following:

"Satan. Whatever thou wilt have, I will not thee denie.

"Sinne. Then give me a piece of thy tayle to make a flappe for a

flie.

"For if I had a piece thereof, I do verely believe

"The humble bees ftinging should never me grieve.

"Satan. No, my friend, no, my tayle I cannot fpare,

"But afke what thou wilt befides, and I will it prepare.

"Sinne. Then your nose I would have to ftop my tayle behind,

"For I am combred with collike and letting out of winde':

"And if it be too little to make thereof a cafe,

"Then I would be fo bold to borrowe your face."

Such were the entertainments, of which our maiden Queen fat a fpectatrefs in the earlier part of her reign. STEEVENS.

And give them friendly welcome every one:
Let them want nothing that my house affords.-
Exeunt Servant and Players.

Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew my page,

[To a Servant. And fee him drefs'd in all fuits like a lady:

That done, conduct him to the drunkard's cham

ber,

And call him-madam, do him obeisance.
Tell him from me, (as he will win my love,)
He bear himself with honourable action,
Such as he hath obferv'd in noble ladies
Unto their lords, by them accomplished:
Such duty to the drunkard let him do,
With foft low tongue,' and lowly courtesy;
And fay, What is't your honour will command,
Wherein your lady, and your humble wife,

May show her duty, and make known her love? And then-with kind embracements, tempting kiffes,

And with declining head into his bofom,-
Bid him shed tears, as being overjoy'd

To fee her noble lord reftor'd to health,

At the period when this comedy was written, and for many years after, the profeffion of a player was fcarcely allowed to be reputable. The imagined dignity of those who did not belong to itinerant companies, is, therefore, unworthy confideration. I can as eafily believe that the blundering editors of the first folio were fuffered to lean their hands on Queen Elizabeth's chair of state, as that they were admitted to the table of the Earl of Leicester, or the toilette of Lady Hunfdon. Like Stephen in Every Man in his Humour, the greateft indulgence our hiftrionic leaders could have expected, would have been " a trencher and a napkin in the buttery." STEEVENS.

1 With foft low tongue,] So, in King Lear :

66

Her voice was ever soft,

"Gentle and low; an excellent thing in woman.”

MALONE.

Who, for twice seven years, hath esteemed him
No better than a poor and loathfome beggar:2
And if the boy have not a woman's gift,
To rain a fhower of commanded tears,
An onion 3 will do well for fuch a fhift;
Which in a napkin being clofe convey'd,
Shall in defpite enforce a watery eye.

2 Who, for twice feven years, &c.] In former editions : Who for this feven years hath esteemed him

No better than a poor and loathfome beggar.

I have ventured to alter a word here, against the authority of the printed copies; and hope, I fhall be juftified in it by two fubfequent paffages. That the poet defigned the tinker's fuppofed lunacy fhould be of fourteen years standing at least, is evident upon two parallel paffages in the play to that purpose.

THEOBALD.

The remark is juft, but perhaps the alteration may be thought unneceffary by thofe who recollect that our author rarely reckons time with any great correctnefs. Both Falstaff and Orlando forget the true hour of their appointments. STEEVENS.

In both these paffages the term mentioned is fifteen, not fourteen years. The fervants may well be fupposed to forget the precife period dictated to them by their mafter, or, as is the cuftom of fuch persons, to aggravate what they have heard. There is, therefore, in my opinion, no need of change.

--

MALONE.

hath esteemed him-] This is an error of the press :We should read himself, inftead of him. M. MASON.

Him is used instead of himself, as you is used for yourselves in Macbeth:

"Acquaint you with the perfect fpy o' the time-." i. e. acquaint yourselves.

Again, in Ovid's Banquet of Sence, by Chapman, 1595: "Sweet touch, the engine that love's bow doth bend, "The fence wherewith he feeles him deified."

STEEVENS.

3 An onion-] It is not unlikely that the onion was an expedient used by the actors of interludes. JOHNSON.

So, in Antony and Cleopatra:

"The tears live in an onion that should water this forrow,"

STEEVENS.

See this despatch'd with all the hafte thou canst;
Anon I'll give thee more instructions.-

Exit Servant.

I know, the boy will well ufurp the grace,
Voice, gait, and action of a gentlewoman:
I long to hear him call the drunkard, husband;
And how my men will stay themselves from laughter,
When they do homage to this fimple peafant.
I'll in to counsel them: haply, my prefence
May well abate the over-merry fpleen,
Which otherwife would grow into extremes.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Bedchamber in the Lord's Houfe.4

SLY is difcovered 5 in a rich night gown, with Attendants; fome with apparel, others with bafon, ewer, and other appurtenances. Enter Lord,

dreffed like a Servant.

SLY. For God's fake, a pot of small ale.

4 A Bedchamber &c.] From the original stage direction in the first folio it appears that Sly and the other perfons mentioned in the Induction, were intended to be exhibited here, and during the representation of the comedy, in a balcony above the stage. The direction here is-Enter aloft the drunkard with attendants, &c. So afterwards, at the end of this scene-The Prefenters above Speak. See the Account of our old Theatres, Vol. II. MALONE.

5 Sly is difcovered &c.] Thus, in the original play : "Enter two with a table and a banquet on it, and two other, with Slie afleepe in a chaire, richlie apparelled, and the mufick plaieng.

"One. So, firha, now go call my lord;

"And tell him all things are ready as he will'd it.

1 SERV. Will't please your lordship drink a cup of fack?

2 SERV. Will't please your honour taste of these conferves?

3 SERV. What raiment will your honour wear to

day?

SLY. I am Chriftophero Sly; call not me-honour,

"Another. Set thou fome wine upon the boord, "And then Ile go fetch my lord presently.

Enter the Lord and his men.

"Lord. How now, what is all things readie?

"One. Yea, my lord.

[Exit.

« Lord. Then found the musicke, and Ile wake him strait, "And fee you doe as earft I gave in charge.

"My lord, my lord, (he fleeps foundly,) my lord.

Slie. Tapfter, give's a little small ale: heigh ho.

"Lord. Heere's wine, my lord, the pureft of the grape.

"Slie. For which lord?

"Lord. For your honor, my lord.

"Slie. Who I, am I a lord?-Iefus, what fine apparell have I got!

"Lord. More richer far your honour hath to weare, "And if it please you, I will fetch them ftraight. "Wil. And if your honour please to ride abroad, "Ile fetch your luftie fteedes more swift of pace "Then winged Pegasus in all his pride,

"That ran fo fwiftlie over Perfian plaines.

"Tom. And if your honour please to hunt the deere, "Your hounds ftands readie cuppled at the doore, "Who in running will oretake the row,

"And make the long-breathde tygre broken-winded."

6

STEEVENS,

-fmall ale.] This beverage is mentioned in the accounts of the Stationers' Company in the year 1558: "For a ftande of Small ale;" I fuppofe it was what we now call small beer, no mention of that liquor being made on the fame books, though duble bere, and duble duble ale, are frequently recorded.

STEEVENS.

It appears from The Captain, by Beaumont and Fletcher, A&t IV. fc. ii. that fingle beer and small beer were fynonymous terms. MALONE.