the latter of which young Henry becomes king. In the last act, Falstaff says: "Herne the hunter, quoth you? am I a ghost? And in the play, as it now appears, Mr. Page, discountenances the addresses of Fenton to his daughter, because he keeps company with the wild prince, and with Poins. The Fishwife's Tale of Brentford in WESTWARD FOR SMELTS, a book which Shakspere appears to have read (having borrowed from it part of the fable of Cymbeline), probably led him to lay the scene of Falstaff's love-adventures at Windsor. It begins thus: "In Windsor not long agoe dwelt a sumpter-man, who had to wife a verie faire but wanton creature, over whom, not without cause, he was something jealous; yet had he never any proof of her inconstancy.” MALONE. The adventures of Falstaff in this play seem to have been taken from the story of the Lovers of Pisa, in an old piece, called "Tarleton's News out of Purgatorie." Mr. Warton observes, in a note to the last Oxford edition, that the play was probably not written, as we now have it, before 1607, at the earliest. I agree with my very ingenious friend in this supposition; but yet the argument here produced for it may not be conclusive. Slender observes to master Page, that his greyhound was was out-run on Cotsole [Cotswold-Hills in Gloucestershire]; and Mr. Warton thinks, that the games, established there by Capt. Dover in the beginning of K. James's reign, are alluded to.—But perhaps, though the Captain be celebrated in the Annalia Dubrensia as the founder of them, he might be the reviver only, or some way contribute to make them more famous; for in the Second Part of Henry IV. 1600, justice Shallow reckons among the Swinge-bucklers "Will Squeel, a Cotsole man." In the first edition of the imperfect play, sir Hugh Evans is called, on the title page, the Welch Knight; and yet there are some persons who still affect to believe, that all our author's plays were originally published by himself. FARMER. Dr. Farmer's opinion is well supported by " An eclogue on the noble assemblies revived on Cotswold Hills, by Mr. Robert Dover." See Randolph's Poems, printed at Oxford, 4to. 1638, p. 114. The hills of Cotswold, in Gloucestershire, are mentioned in K. Rich. II. act ii. sc. iii. and by Drayton, in his Polyolbion song 14. STEEVENS WINDSOR.] The Merry Wives of Windsor.] Queen Elizabeth was so well pleased with the admirable character of Falstaff in the The Two Parts of Henry IV. that, as Mr. Rowe informs us, she commanded Shakspere to continue it for one play more, and to shew him in love. To this command we owe The Merry Wives of Windsor: which Mr. Gildon says, he was very well assured our author finished in a fortnight. But this must be meant only of the first imperfect sketch of this comedy; an old quarto edition which I have seen, printed in 1602, says, in the title page-As it hath been divers times acted both before her majesty and elsewhere. POPE. THEOBALD. Mr. Gildon has likewise told us, that "our author's house at Stratford bordered on the church-yard, and that he wrote the scene of the Ghost in Hamlet there; but neither for this, nor the assertion that the play before us was written in a fortnight (which was first mentioned by Mr. Dennis in his preface to the Comical Gallant, 1702), does he quote any authority. Stories of this kind, not related till a century after an author's death, stand on a very weak foundation. MALONE. ACT I. Line 1. SIR Hugh,] This is the first, of sundry instances in our poet, where a parson is called sir. Upon which it may be observed, that anciently it was the common designation both of one in holy orders and a knight. Fuller somewhere in his Church History says, that anciently there were more sirs than knights; and so lately as temp. W. and Mar. in a deposition in the Exchequer in a case of tythes, the witness speaking of the curate, whom he remembered, styles him sir Giles. Vide Gibson's View of the State of the Churches of Door, Home-Lacy, &c. page 36. SIR J. HAWKINS. 1. -a Star-chamber matter of it:] Ben Jonson, intimates, that the Star-chamber had a right to take cognizance of such matters. act iii. sc. iv. See The Magnetic Lady, "There is a court above, of the Star-chamber, 7. custalorum.] This is, I suppose, intended for a corruption of Custos Rotulorum. The mistake was hardly · designed by the author, who, though he gives Shallow folly enough, makes him rather pedantic than illiteIf we read: rate. Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and Custos Rotulorum. It follows naturally: Slen. Ay, and Ratolorum too. "Ay, cousin Slender, and custalorum.] JOHNSON. I think with Dr. Johnson, that this blunder could scarcely be intended. Shallow, we know, had been bred to the law at Clement's-Inn-But I would rather read custos only; then Slender adds naturally, "Ay, and ratolorum too.' He had heard the words custos rotulorum, and supposes them to mean different offices. FARMER. 12. Ay, that I do ; Ay, that we do. -] We should read: This emendation was suggested to me by Dr. Farmer. STEEVENS. 22. The luce, &c.] Shakspere, by hinting that the arms of the Shallows and the Lucys were the same, shews he could not forget his old friend sir Thomas Lucy, pointing at him under the character of justice Shallow. But to put the matter out of all doubt, Shak spere spere has here given us a distinguishing mark, whereby it appears that sir Thomas was the very person represented by Shallow. To set blundering parson Evans right, Shallow tells him, the luce is not the louse, but the fresh fish, or pike, the salt fish (indeed) is an old coat. The plain English of which is (if I am not greatly mistaken), the family of the Charlcotts had for their arms a salt fish originally; but when William, son of Walker de Charlcott, assumed the name of Lucy, in the time of Henry III. he took the arms of the Lucys. This is not at all improbable; for we find, when Maud Lucy bequeathed her estates to the Percys, it was upon condition they joined her arms with their own. Says Dugdale," it is likely William de Charlcott took the name of Lucy to oblige his mother." And I say further, it is likely he took the arms of the Lucy's at the same time. SMITH. May it not be asked Mr. Smith, on the supposition that it was usual to salt the luce or pike (which however, I believe, was never heard of before) in what manner it could be inferred from the painted fish in the emblazoned arms, that it was not fresh, but salted? HENLEY. The luce is the fresh fish, the salt fish is an old coat.] I am not satisfied with any thing that has been offered on this difficult passage. All that Mr. Smith tells is a mere gratis dictum. I cannot find that salt fish were ever really borne in heraldry. I fancy the latter part of the speech should be given to sir Hugh, who is at cross purposes with the Justice. Shallow had said just before, the coat is an old one; and now, that it is the luce, the fresh fish.-No, replies the parson, it can not |