There's mischief in this man : -so rank?-] Rank weeds, are weeds that are grown up to great height and strength. What, says the king, was he advanced to this pitch? JouN. 'Rank.' Does not so rank' here mean, so coarse in his expressions? B. Cham. Is it possible, the spells of France should juggle Is it possible, the spells of France should juggle These mysteries were the fantastic court-fashions. He says they were occasioned by the spells of France. Now it was the opinion of the common people, that conjurers, jugglers, &c. with spells and charms could force men to commit idle fantastic actions; and change even their shapes to something ridiculous and grotesque. To this superstition the poet alludes, who, therefore, we must think, wrote the second line thus: Men into such strange mockeries. A word well expressive of the whimsical fashions here complained of. Sir Thomas More, speaking of this very matter, at the same time, says: "Ut more simiæ laboret fingere "Et æmulari Gallicas ineptias." But the Oxford editor, without regard to the metaphor, but in order to improve on the emendation, reads mimick'ries; not considering neither that whatsoever any thing is changed or juggled into by spells, must have a passive signification, as mockeries, [i. e. visible figures] not an active, as mimick'ries. WARB. I do not deny this note to be plausible, but I am in doubt whether it be right. I believe the explanation of the word mysteries will spare us the trouble of trying experiments of emendation. Mysteries were allegorical shows, which the mummers of those times exhibited in odd and fantastic habits. Mysteries are used, by an easy figure, for those that exhibited mysteries; and the sense is only, that the travelled Englishmen were metamorphosed, by foreign fashions, intó such an uncouth appearance, that they looked like mummers in a mystery. JOHN. Men into such strange mysteries.' Mysteries' is apparently wrong, as Dr. Warburton has well observed. Mockeries, however, is too unlike in sound to the word in the text. I read -Niseries (niaseries fr.) i. e. fooleries. Nizy is found in our Dictionaries, and signifies a foolish fellow. The Poet's meaning is, that the fantastic fashions of the court of France operated on Englishmen like spells, and made them behave extravagantly. B. Sands. Some of these Should find a running banquet ere they rested, I think, would better please 'em : A running banquet is a phrase alluding to a hasty refreshment, and is set in opposition to a protracted meal. The former is the object of this rakish peer; the latter, perhaps, he would have relinquished to those of more permanent desires. STEEV. Running banquet.' What would Mr. Steevens wish us to un SHAK. II. I derstand by permanent desires' for a 'protracted meal,' the speech of Lord Sands being wholly in reference to the fair ones?' The Editor's sentiment and language are truly singular; but perhaps his note may receive some illustration, from the following passage in the farce of Chrononhotonthologos. The King having made inquiry for his supper, Aldiborontiphoscophornio replies- I thought your Majesty to other flesh than this had nought the least propensity,' (pointing to the Ladies): seriously however, running banquet' may be pretty easily understood, when the character of the speaker is attended to. B. There cannot be those numberless offences 'Gainst me, that I can't take peace with no black envy Shall make my grave. --no black envy. Shall make my grave→→ The sense of this is, that envy should not procure or advance his death. But this is not what he would say; he believed the cardinal's envy did procure his death. He is speaking not of another's envy but his own. And his thought is, that he would not be remembered for an implacable unforgiving temper. We should read therefore: -no black envy Shall mark my grave. alluding to the old custom of marking good or ill, by a white or black stone. WARB. Dr. Warburton has with good judgment observed the error, but has not, I think, very happily corrected it. I do not see how the envy of those that are buried can mark the grave. In reading the lines I cannot but suspect that two words, as it may naturally happen, have changed places: There cannot be those numberless offences 'Gainst me, I can't take peace with: no black envy Shall make my grave. I would read thus: There cannot be those numberless offences 'Gainst me, I can't make peace with, no black envy Shall take my grave. To take, in this place, is to blast, to strike with malignant influence. Sa, in Lear: -Strike her young limbs, "Ye taking airs, with lameness. Jonn. Shall make my grave.'' Make' in B. Jonson, is companion, and to make with was anciently to consort, to keep company with. Buckingham's meaning, though ill-expressed, may perhaps be ⚫ that malice shall not accompany him to the grave.' Shall mark my grave.? The objection of Johnson to Warbur ton's alteration is merely cavil. It is not said that the envy of those who are buried shall mark the grave:' the obvious meaning is- my grave shall have nothing to mark it, as being that of an envious or malicious man.' 'Make' however may stand, and as ! have already explained it. B. Anne. Though it be temporal, Yet, if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce It from the bearer, 'tis a sufferance, panging Yet, if that quarrel, fortune,-] She calls Fortune a quarrel or arrow,' from her striking so deep and suddenly. Quarrel was a large arrow se called. Thus Fairfax: "Twang'd the string, out flew the quarrel long." WARB. Such is Dr. Warburton's interpretation. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads: That quarreller Fortune. I think the poet may be easily supposed to use quarrel for quarreller, as murder for the murderer, the act for the agent. JOHN. Yet if that quarrel fortune.' That quarrel fortune' is extremely harsh, whether it be understood according to Warburton's or Johnson's notion. Perhaps we may read that carle (i. e. churl) ill-fortune. The sound carle ill is nearly the same as quarrel. Carle, indeed, is not very properly applied to the feminine character. But he may here call Fortune carle, as she was anciently distinguished at certain times, by Mascula, and Fortuna Virilis. B. Anne. How you do talk! ' I swear again, I would not be a queen For all the world. Old L. In faith, for little England You'd venture an emballing: You'd venture an emballing:-] You would venture to be distinguished by the ball, the ensign of royalty. JOHN. Dr. Johnson's explanation cannot be right, because a queen-consort, such as Anne Bullen was, is not distinguished by the ball, the ensign of royalty, nor has the poet expressed that she was so distinguished. ToL. 'You'd venture an emballing.' The commentators, I think, have wholly mistaken the sense. Emballer, fr. is to joke, to jeer, to banter. You would venture, says the old lady, for such a prize, to stand the gibes, the sarcasms which might be passed on you, by reason of that seeming aversion from royalty.' The close of the scene in which the old lady rallies Anne Bullen on her advancement; and to which the latter replies, you are pleasant''make me not your mirth,' &c. will help to prove that I have rightly explained emballing. We now say 'to keep up the ball,' i. e. to maintain a joke or jest. B. Old L. How tastes it? is it bitter? forty pence, no. That would not be a queen, that would she not, For all the mud in Egypt:] The fertility of Egypt is derived from the mud and slime of the Nile. STEEV. Mud of Egypt.'. Should we not rather read murth, i. e. abundance. Is it not better to talk of having the abundance, than the mud that causes the abundance? Wol. If it be known to him, B. That I gainsay my deed, how may he wound, gainsay] i. e. deny. STEEV. If I gainsay my deed,' is, If I do not report faithfully what I have done.' B. King. Thou art, alone, (If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness, Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,- Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out) —could speak thee out)] If thy several qualities had tongues to speak thy praise. JOHN. These qualities do sufficiently speak, or plead, for the queen in the king's breast: but he here means, by speak thee out, that if these qualities were known to the world, Catherine would be considered as the queen of earthly queens. B. Queen. Nay, forsooth my friends, They that must weigh out my afflictions, They that my trust must grow to, live not here; weigh out my afflictions,] This phrase is obscure. To weigh out, is in modern language to deliver by weight; but this sense cannot be here admitted. To weigh is likewise to deliberate upon, to consider with due attention. This may, perhaps, be meant. Or the phrase, to weigh out, may signify to counterbalance, to counteract with equal force. JOHN. To weigh out is the same as to outweigh. In Macbeth, Shakspeare has overcome for come over.. STEEV. I understand the passage thus: the queen would insinuate that she is the child of affliction, as we would say; and that such she must be content to remain. She at the same time hints, however, that her friends, who in such a case would weigh out, or apportion her afflictions, and who would consequently make them as easy and light as possible, were absent; and that she has nothing to hope for from the Cardinals, who would rather endeavour to heap misfortunes on her head. B. Suf. When did he regard · The stamp of nobleness in any person, -when did he regard The stamp of nobleness in any person, Out of himself?] The expression is bad, and the thought false. For it supposes Wolsey to be noble, which was not so: we should read and point; when did he regard The stamp of nobleness in any person; Out of 't himself? i. e. when did he regard nobleness of blood in another; having none of his own to value himself upon? WARB. I do not think this correction proper. The meaning of the present reading is easy. When did he, however careful to carry his own dignity to the utmost height, regard any dignity of another? JOHN. I conceive the meaning to be- that from his pride he never paid a proper respect to nobleness, but when he was absolutely obliged to it. 'Out of himself' is, of himself, of his own accord. That this is the sense is evident. It is impossible, as Warburton rightly observes (though he has printed and pointed the passage wrong), that the Chamberlain should be talking of Wolsey's being noble. B. Wol. My sovereign, I confess, your royal graces, Beyond all man's endeavours] Endeavours for deserts. But the Oxford editor not knowing the sense in which the word is here used, alters it to ambition. WARB. To put ambition in the place of endeavours is certainly wrong; and to explain endeavours by deserts is not right. The sense, and that not very difficult, is, my purposes went beyond all human endeavour. I purposed for your honor more than it falls within the compass of man's nature to attempt. JOHN. Beyond all man's endeavours.' ' endeavours' right, and therefore read, which went Beyond all men's, in devoirs." i. e. in duty, respectful duty. B. Sur. My lords, I do not think the first Can ye endure to hear this arrogance? And from this fellow? If we live thus tamely, Farewel nobility; 'Jaded' has no sense 'To be thus jaded by a piece of scarlet.' Sur. To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways |