1 And fometimes comes she with a tithe-pig's tail, *Tickling the parfon as he lies afleep, anonymous cotemporary writer ces 2 ed with great purity and integrity. The reason of this difference I take to be, that, 'till of late, there were few gloffers or commentators on our laws, and those very able, honeft, and concise. While it was the fortune of the other municipal laws of Europe, where the Roman civil law had a supplemental authority, to be, in imitation of that law, overloaded with glofses and commentators. And what corruption this practice occafioned in the administration of the Roman law itself, and to what a miferable condition it reduced public justice, we may fee in a long and fine digression of the historian Ammianus Marcellinus; who has painted, in very lively colours, the different kinds of vermine, which infected their tribunals and courts of law: whereby the state of public juftice became in a short time fo desperately corrupt, that Juftinan was obliged to new-model and digest the enormous body of their laws. WARBURTON. 2 Spanish blades,] A sword is called a Toledo, from the excellence of the Toletan steel. So Grotius, Enfis Toletanus Un'a Tazi non eft ano celebranaa mitalio, Utilis in cives eft ibi lamna fuos. Of Of healths five fathom deep; and then anon Rom. Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace; Mer. True, I talk of dreams, Ben. This wind, you talk of, blows us from our selves; Supper is done, and we shall come too late. Rom. I fear, too early; for my mind misgives, With this night's revels; and expire the term Ben. Strike, drum. [They march about the Stage, and Exeunt. 3 And cakes the elf-locks, &c.] This was a common fuperftition; and feems to have had its rise from the horrid disease called the WARB. Plica Pulmica. + Direct my fuit!] Guide the siquel of the adventure. SCENE 1 1 Serv. W HERE's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He shift a trencher! he scrape a trencher! 2 Serv. When good manners shall lie all in one or two mens' hands, and they unwash'd too, 'tis a foul thing. I Serv. Away with the joint-stools, remove the court-cup-board, look to the plate; good thou, save me a piece of march-pane; and, as thou lovest me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone, and Nell.-Antony, and Potpan 2 Serv. Ay, boy, ready. 1 Serv. You are look'd for, call'd for, ask'd for, and fought for, in the great chamber. 2 Serv. We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be brisk a while, and the longer liver take all. [Exeunt. Enter all the Guests and Ladies, with the maskers. 1 Cap. Welcome, Gentlemen. Ladies, that have your feet A A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, [Musick plays, and they dance. More light, ye knaves, and turn the tables up; 2 Cap. By'r lady, thirty years. 1 Cap. What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not fo much; 'Tis since the nuptial of Lucentio, Come Pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five and twenty years, and then we mask'd. 2 Cap. 'Tis more, 'tis more; his son is elder, Sir: His son is thirty. 1 Cap. Will you tell me that? His fon was but a ward two years ago. Rom. What lady's that, which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? Serv. I know not, Sir. Rom. O she doth teach the torches to burn bright; Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! 5 You're welcome, Gentlemen.] These two lines, omitted by the modern editors, I have replaced from the folio. 6 good coufin Capulet.) This coufin Capulet is unkle in the paper of invitation, but as Capulet is described as old, cousin is pro bably the right word in both places. I know not how. Capulet and his lady might agree, their ages were very disproportionate; he has been past masking for thirty years, and her age, as the tells Juliet, is but eight and twenty. So F 1 So shews a snowy dove trooping with crows, Tyb. This by his voice should be a Montague. Cap. Why, how now, kinsman, wherefore storm you fo? Tyb. Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe: Tyb. 'Tis he, that villain Romeo. Cap. Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone; He bears him like a portly Gentleman : Tyb. It fits, when such a villain is a guest. Cap. He shall be endur'd. What, goodman boy-I say, he shall. Go to You will fit cock-a-hoop? You'll be the man ? Tyb. |