imaginary difficulty, and made many real. If the soul is parted from the body, the body is likewise parted from the soul. I cannot but stop a moment to observe, that this horrible description is scarcely the work of any pen but Shakspeare's. JOHNSON. 21 Would curses kill, as doth the mandrake's groan,] The fabulous accounts of the plant called a mandrake give it an inferior degree of animal life, and relate, that when it is torn from the ground it groans, and that this groan being certainly fatal to him that is offering such unwelcome violence, the practice of those who gather mandrakes is to tie one end of a string to the plant, and the other to a dog, upon whom the fatal groan discharges its malignity. JOHNSON. 22 I'll have an Iris-] Iris was Juno's messenger as Mercury was Jupiter's. 23 Exeunt.] This is one of the scenes which have been applauded by the criticks, and which will continue to be admired when prejudices shall cease, and bigotry give way to impartial examination. These are beauties that rise out of nature and of truth; the superficial reader cannot miss them, the profound can image nothing beyond them. JOHNSON. 24 Than Bargulus the strong Illyrian pirate.] Mr. Theobald says, "This wight I have not been able to trace, or discover from what legend our author derived his acquaintance with him." And yet he is to be met with in Tully's Offices; and the legend is the famous Theopompus's History: "Bargulus, Illyrius latro, de quo est apud Theopompum, magnas opes habuit," Lib. II. cap. xi. WARBURTON. 25 Pompey the great] The poet seems to have confounded the story of Pompey with some other. 26 JOHNSON. -our enemies shall fall before us,] He alludes to his name Cade, from cado, Lat. to fall. He has too much learning for his character. JOHNSON. 27 for his coat is of proof.] A quibble between two senses of the word; one as being able to resist, the other as being well tried, that is, long worn. HANMER. 23 The three-hoop'd pot shall have ten hoops] The drinking-can was formerly made of wood, and hooped like all other cooper's vessels. Cade means, by the three-hooped pot having ten hoops, that he would gratify the desire of his comrades for drunkenness, by allowing them, for the same price, a larger pot of liquor, in the proportion of ten to three. 29 They use to write it on the top of letters;] i. e. of letters missive, and such like publick acts. See Mabillon's Diplomata. WARBURTON. In the old anonymous play, called The famous Victories of Henry V. containing the honourable Battell of Agincourt, I find the same circumstance. The archbishop of Burges (i. e. Bruges) is the speaker, and addresses himself to king Henry: "I beseech your grace to deliver me your safe The king in answer says: 30 66 -deliver him safe conduct "Under our broad seal Emanuel." STEEVENS. retire to Kenelworth] In the letter concerning Q. Elizabeth's entertainment at this place, we find, "the castle hath name of Kyllelingwoorth; but of truth, grounded upon faythfull story, Kenelwoorth." FARMER. St Matthew Gough] "A man of great wit and much experience in feats of chivalrie, the which in continuall warres had spent his time in service of the king and his father." HOLINSHED. 32 -thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord!] Say, was the old word for silk; on this depends the series of degradation, from say to serge, from serge to buckram. JOHNSON. 33 Thou hast caused printing to be used,] Shakspeare is a little too early, says Dr. Johnson, with this accusation. $4 When have I aught exacted at your hands, Kent to maintain, the king, the realm, and you ? Large gifts have I bestow'd on learned clerks, Because my book preferr'd me to the king.] This passage I know not well kow to explain. It is pointed [in the old copy] so as to make Say declare that he preferred clerks to maintain Kent and the king. This is not very clear; and, besides, he gives in the following line another reason of his bounty, that learning raised him, and therefore he supported learning. I am inclined to think Kent slipped into this passage by chance, and would read: When have I aught exacted at your hand, But to maintain the king, the realm, and you? JOHNSON. 35 Let them kiss one another,] This is from The Mirrour for Magistrates, in the legend of Jack Cade: "With these two heads I made a pretty play, "For pight on poles I bore them through the strete, "And for my sport made each kisse other swete.” FARMER. 36 Of Gallowglasses and stout Kernes,] Two orders of Irish foot-soldiers. 37 But for a sallet my brain-pan had been cleft-] Sallet by corruption from calata a helmet. 38 So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell, &c.] Not to dwell upon the wickedness of this horrid wish, with which Iden debases his character, the whole speech is wild and confused. To draw a man by the heels, headlong, is somewhat difficult; nor can I discover how the dunghill would be his grave, if his trunk were left to be fed upon by crows. These I conceive not to be the faults of corruption but negligence, and therefore do not attempt correction. JOHNSON. 99 May Iden live, &c.] Shakspeare makes Iden rail at those enjoyments which he supposes to be out of his reach; but no sooner are they offered to him but he readily accepts them. ANONYMOUS, 40 Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,— Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come-] The Nevils, earls of Warwick, had a bear and ragged staff for their cognizance. SIR J. HAWKINS. I'll write upon thy burgonet,] A burgonet is a Hath made the wizard famous in his death.] The death of Somerset here accomplishes that equivocal prediction given by Jourdain, the witch, concerning this duke; which we met with at the close of the first act of this play: "Let him shun castles: "Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains, i. e. the representation of a castle, mounted for a sign. THEOBALD. 43 Three times bestrid him-] That is, "I have stood over him three times when he was down and defended him with my arm." Salisbury acknowledges this service in the next speech, "three times to-day "You have defended me from imminent death." T. DAVISON, PRINTER, |