Hoft. You will not pay for the glaffes you have burft? Sly. No, not a denier: go by, Jeronimothy cold bed, and warm thee'. go to Hoft. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the Thirdborough *. 4 Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law; I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Falls afleep. 3 Go by S. Jeronimy, go to thy cold Bed, and warm thee.] All the Editions have coined a Saint here, for Sly to fwear by. But the Poet had no fuch Intentions. › The Paffage has particular Humour in it, and must have been very pleafing at that time of day. But I muft clear up a Piece of Stage hiftory, to make it underfood. There is a fuftian old Play, call'd, Hieronymo; Or, The Spanish Tragedy; which, I find, was the common Butt of Rallery to all the Poets of Shake Speare's Time: and a Paffage, that appear'd very ridiculous in that Play, is here humorously alluded to. Hieronymo, thinking himfelf injur'd, applies to the King for Juftice; but the Courtiers, who did not defire his Wrongs fhould be fet in a true Light, attempt to hinder him from an Audience. Hiero. Juftice, ob! juftice to - See'ft thou not, the King is bufy? Hiero. Oh, is befo? King. Who is He that interrupts our Bufinefs? Hiero. Not 1: Hieronymo, beware; go by, go by. So Sly here, not caring to be dan'd by the Hoftefs, cries to her in Effect. "Don't be trouble borough. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth Borough, &c.] This corrupt reading had pafs'd down through all the Copies, and none of the Editors pretended to guess at the Poet's Conceit. What an infipid, unmeaning Reply does Sly make to his Hofte/s? How do third, or fourth, or fifth Borough relate to Headborough? The Author intended but a poor Witticism, and even That is loft. The Hofefs would fay, that fhe'll fetch a Conftable and this Officer the calls by his other Name, a Thirdborough: and upon this Term Sly founds the Conundrum in his. Answer to her. Who does not perceive, at a fingle glance, fome Conceit ftarted by this certain Correction? There is an Attempt: at Wit, tolerable enough for a Tinker, and one drunk too. Third borough is a Saxon-Term fufficiently explain'd by the Glof faries and in our Statute books, no farther back than the 28th Year of Henry VIIIth, we find it used to fignify a Constable. THEOBALD. SCENES SCENE II. Wind borns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a Train. Lord. Huntfman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds, Brach, Merriman, the poor cur is imbost '; And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd Brach. Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my Lord; He cried upon it at the meerest loss, And twice to day pick'd out the dulleft fcent: Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet, I would esteem him worth a dozen fuch. Hun. I will, my Lord. Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? fee, doth he breathe? 4 2 Hun. He breathes, my Lord. Were he not warm'd with ale, This were a bed but cold, to fleep fo foundly, Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies! -Grim death, how foul and loathfome is thy image! Sirs, I will practife on this drunken man. What think you, if he were convey'd to bed, Wrapt in fweet cloaths; rings put upon his fingers; A moft delicious banquet by his bed, 5 Brach, Merriman,] Sir T. Hanmer reads, Leech Merriman, that is, apply fame remedies to Merriman, the poor cur has his joints fwelled. Perhaps we might read, bathe Merriman, which is B 3 I believe the common practice of tender well my bounds, Brach-Merriman the poor cur is imboft. And And brave attendants near him, when he wakes 1 Hun. Believe me, Lord, I think he cannot chufe. 2 Hun. It would feem ftrange unto him, when he wak'd. Lord. Even as a flatt'ring dream, or worthless fancy. And hang it round with all my wanton pictures; To make a dulcet and a heav'nly found; Full of rose water, and bestrew'd with flowers; And say, will't please your Lordship cool your hands? And ask him what apparel he will wear; 1 Hun. My Lord, I warrant you, we'll play our part, As he fhall think, by our true diligence, He is no less than what we fay he is. Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him; modefty.] By modefty is meant moderation without fuffering our merriment to break into any excess. And And each one to his Office, when he wakes. [Some bear out Sly. Sound Trumpets. Sirrah, go fee what trumpet is that founds Belike, fome noble gentleman that means, [Ex. Servant. Travelling fome journey, to repofe him here. S CEN E III. Re-enter a Servant, How now? who is it? Ser. An't please your Honour, Players That offer Service to your lordship. Lord. Bid them come near: Enter Players. Now, Fellows, you are welcome. Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night? * It was in thofe times the cuftom of players to travel in companies, and offer their fervice at great houfes. 7 Ithink, 'twas Soto] I take our Author here to be paying a Compliment to Beaumont and Fletcher's Women pleas'd, in which Comedy there is the Character of Soto, who is a Farmer's Son, B 4 and a very facetious Servingman. Mr. Rozie and Mr. Pope prefix the Name of Sim to the Line here fpoken; but the first folio has it Sinckio; which, no doubt, was the Name of one of the Players here introduc'd, and who had play'd the Part of Soto with Applaufe. THEOBALD. There is a Lord will hear you play to-night; Play. Fear not, my lord, we can contain ourselves; Were he the verieft antick in the world. 2 Play. [to the other. ] Go get a Dishclout to make clean your shoes; and I'll fpeak for the properties. [Exit Player. My lord, we must have fhoulder of mutton for a property, and a little Vinegar to make our devil roarꞌ. Lord. Go, firrah, take them to the buttery, And give them friendly welcome, every one: Let them want nothing that the house affords. [Exit one with the Players, Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew my page, That done, conduct him to the drunkard's chamber, Property, in the language of a play house, is every implement neceffary to the exhibition. 9 A little Vinegar to make our devil roar.] When the acting the mysteries of the old and new teftament was in vogue; at the reprefentation of the mystery of the Paffion, Judas and the Devil made à part. And the Devil, wherever he came, was always to fuffer fome difgrace, to make the people laugh: As here the buffoonery was to apply the gall and vinegar to make him roar. And the Paffion being that, of WARBURTON, Such |