two parallel passages in the play to that purpose. THEOBALD. The remark is just, but perhaps the alteration may be thought unnecessary by those who recollect that our author rarely reckons time with any great correctness. Both Falstaff and Orlando forget the true hour of their appointments. The old copy, however, reads-for this seven years, &c. STEEVENS. 127. 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 STEEVENS, sorrow. 140. A room in the lord's house- -Enter Sly, &c.] From the original stage direction in the first folio it appears that Sly and all the persons mentioned in the Induction, were intended to be exhibited 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 Presenters above speak." MALONE. 140. Enter Sly, &c.] Thus in the original play. "Enter two with a table and banquet on it, and two other with Slie asleepe in a chaire, richlie apparelled, and the musick plaieng." "One. So, sirha, now go call my lord; "And tell him all things are ready as he will'd it. "Another. Set thou some wine upon the boord, “And then Ile go fetch my lord presently. [Exit. "Enter "Enter the Lord and his men. "Lord. How now, what is all things readie? "One. Yea, my lord. "Lord. Then sound the musick, and Ile wake him strait, "And see you doe as earst I gave in charge. "My lord, my lord (he sleeps soundly), my lord. "Slie. Tapster, gives a little small ale: heigh ho. "Lord, Here's wine, my lord, the purest of the grape. "Slie. For which lord? "Lord. For your honour, my lord. "Slie. Who I, am I a lord?-What fine apparell have I got! "Lord. More richer far your honour hath to weare, “And if it please you I will fetch them straight. "Wil. And if your honour please to ride abroad, "Ile fetch your lustie steedes more swift of pace "Then winged Pegasus in all his pride, "That ran so swiftlie over Persian plaines. "Tom. And if your honour please to hunt the deere, "Your hounds stands readie cuppled at the doore, “Who in running will oretake the row, "And make the long-breathde tygre broken-winded.” STEEVENS. 140. -small ale. This beverage is mentioned in the accounts of the Stationers-Company in the year 1558: "For a stande of small ale; I suppose it was what we now call small beer, no mention of that liquor being made on the same books, though, duble bere, and duble, duble ale are frequently recorded.” STEEVENS. -Marian Hacket, the fat 157. -of Burton-heathale-wife of Wincot,] I suspect we should read Bartonheath. Barton and Woodmancot, or, as it is vulgarly pronounced, Woncot, are both of them in Gloucestershire, near the residence of Shakspere's old enemy,' Justice Shallow. Very probably too, this fat ale-wife might be a real character. STEEVEN'S. Wilnecotte is a village in Warwickshire, with which Shakspere was well acquainted, near Stratford. The house kept by our genial hostess, still remains, but is at present a mill. The meanest hovel to which Shak¬ spere has an allusion, interests curiosity, and acquires an importance: at least, it becomes the object of a poetical antiquarian's inquiries. WARTON.' Burton-Dorset is a village in Warwickshire. REMARKS. 164. I am not bestraught:] I once thought, that if our poet did not design to put a corrupted word into the mouth of the Tinker, we ought to read, distraught, i. e. distracted. So, in Romeo and Juliet: "O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught," &c. For there is no verb extant from which the participle bestraught can be formed. In Albion's England, however, by Warner, 1602, I meet with the word, as spelt by Shakspere : "Now teares had drowned further speech, till Again, in the old Song, beginning, "When griping griefes," &c. "Be-straughted heads relyef hath founde." Again, in Lord Surrey's Translation of the 4th book of Virgil's Æneid: "Well near bestraught, upstart his heare for dread." STEEVENS. 226. -Leet,] As the Court-leet, or courts of the manor. JOHNSON. 232. -John Naps of Greece,] A hart of Greece was a fat hart. Graisse, Fr. So, in the old ballad of Adam Bell, &c. "Eche of them slew a hart of graece.' Again, in Ives's Select Papers, at the coronation feast' of Elizabeth of York, queen of king Henry VII. among other dishes were capons of high Greece." Perhaps this expression was used to imply that John Naps (who might have been a real character) was a fat man or as Poins calls the associates of Falstaff, Trojans, John Naps might be called a Grecian' for such another reason.. STEEVENS. In this place, Mr. Pope, and after him other editors, had introduced the three following speeches, from the old edition, 1607. I have already observed, that it is by no means probable that the former comedy of the Taming of the Shrew was written by Shakspere, and have therefore removed them from the text. "Sly. By the mass, I think I am a lord indeed: "What is thy name? "Man. "Man. Sim, an it please your honour. "Sly. Sim? that's as much as to say, Simeon, or Simon. Put forth thy hand, and fill the pot." STEEVENS. 239. Enter the Page, &c.] Thus in the original play. "Enter the boy in woman's attire. "Slie. Sim, is this she? "Lord. I, my lord. "Slie. Masse 'tis a pretty wench; what's her name? "Boy. Oh that my lovelie lord would once vouch safe "To looke on me, and leave these frantike fits! "Or were I now but half so eloquent "To paint in words what Ile perform in deedes, "I know your honour then would pittie me. "Slie. Harke you, mistresse; will you eat a piece of bread? "Come, sit down on my knee: drink to her, Sim; "For she and I will go to bed anon. "Lord. May it please you, your honour's plaiers be come To offer your honour a plaie. "Slie. A plaie, Sim, O brave! be they my plaiers? "Lord. I my lord. "Slie. Is there not a foole in the plaie ? "Lord. Yes, my lord. "Slie. When will they plaie, Sim? "Lord. Even when it please your honour; they be readie, "Boy. |