midnight sufferings of Our Saviour, in the 4th book of Paradise Regain'd. STEEVENS.

P. 37, 1. 9. O, spare my guiltless wife,] The wife of Clarence died before he was apprehended and confined in the Tower. MALONE.

P. 37, 1. 16. Sorrow break seasons, &c.] In the common editions, the keeper is made to hold the dialogue with Clarence till this line. And here Brakenbury enters, pronouncing these words which seem to me a reflection naturally resulting from the foreging conversation, and therefore continued to be spoken by the same person, as it is accordingly in the first edition. POPE.

The keeper introduced in the quarto 1598, was, in fact, Brakenbury, who was lieutenant of the Tower. There can be no doubt therefore that the text, which is regulated according to the quarto, is, right. MALONE.

P. 37, 1. 19. 20. Princes have but their titles for their glories,

An outward honour for an inward toil, The first line may be understood in this sense, The glories of Princes are nothing more than empty titles: but it would more impress the purpose of the speaker, aud correspond better with the fol lowing lines, if it were read:

Princes have but their titles for their troubles. JOHNSON P. 37. 1. 21. 22. — for unfelt imaginations, They often feel a world of restless cares: They often suffer real miseries for imaginary and unreal gratifications. JOHNSON.

P. 38, 1. 32. this holy humour of mine] Thus the early quarto. The folio has this passionate humour of mine, for which the modern editors have substituted compassionate, unnecess

sarily. Passionate, though not so good an epithet as that which is farnished by the quarto, is sufficiently intelligible.

The second murderer's next speech proves that holy was the author's word. The player editors probably changed it, as they did many others, on account of the Statute, 3 Jac. I. c. 21. A little lower, they, from the same apprehension, omitted the word, 'faith. MALONE.

P. 39, 1. 26. 27. Take the devil in thy mind, and believe him not: he would insinuate with thee, &c.] One villain says, Conscience is at his elbows, persuading him not to kill the Duke. The other says, take the devil into thy nearer acquaintance, into thy mind, who will be a match for thy conscience, and believe it not, &c. It is plain then, that him in both places in the text should be it, namely, conscience. WARBURTON. Shakspeare so frequently uses both these pronouns indiscriminately, that no correction is necessary. STEEVENS.

In The Merchant of Venice we have a long dialogue between Launcelot, his Conscience, and the Devil. But though conscience were not here personified, Shakspeare would have used him instead of it. He does so in almost every page of these plays. Malone.

P. 39, 1. 31. Spoke like a tall fellow,] The meaning of tall, in old English, is stout, daring, fearless, and strong. JOHNSON.

P. 39, 1. 33.

costardi. e. the head; a name adopted from an apple shaped like a man's head. So, in Arden of Feversham, 1592:

"One and two rounds at his costard." Hence likewise the term

costar-monger.

STEEVENS.

The folio reads:

I

JOHNSON.

Are you drawn forth among a world of men. I adhere to the reading now in the text.

P. 41, 1. 2. What lawful quest have given their verdict up] Quest

is inquest or jury. JOHNSON. P. 41, 1. 5. Before I be convict by course of law,] Shakspeare has followed the current tale of his own time, in supposing that Clarence was imprisoned by Edward, and put to death by order of his brother Richard, without trial or condemnation. But the truth is, that he was tried, and found guilty by his Peers, and a bill of attainder was afterwards passed against him. According to Sir Thomas More, his death was commanded by Edward; but he does not assert that the Duke of Gloster was the instrument. Polydore Virgil says, though he talked with several persons who lived at the time, he never could get any certain account of the motives that induced Edward to put his brother to death. See p. 398, n. 3. MALONE. P. 41, last but one 1. Dear is a word of mere enforcement, and very frequently occurs, with different shades of meaning, in our author.

STEEVENS. P. 42, 1. 5. O, know you, that he doth it publickly; ] The old O, know you yet, but we should

copies

read that instead of yet. In the MS. copy that would naturally have been written yt. Hence the mistake, which I have corrected, by the advice of Dr. Farmer. STEEVENS.

P. 42, 1. Ir. When gallant pringing, brave Plantagenet, Blooming Plantagenet; a Prince in the spring of life. JOHNSON.

This should be printed as one word, I think :— gallant-springing. Shakspeare is fond of these compound epithets, in which the first adjective is to be considered as an adverb. So, in this play he uses childish-foolish, senseless-obstinate and mortal-staring. TYRWHITT.

P. 42, 1. 12. That princely novice, one yet new to the world. JOHNSON.

Youth;

P. 42, 1. 20. If you are hir'd for meed,] Thus the quarto 1597 and the folio. The quarto 1598, reads. If you be hired for need; which is likewise sense: If it be necessity which induces you to commit this murder. MALONE.

P. 42, 1. 24. 25. —your brother Gloster hates you.] Mr. Walpole some years ago, suggested, from the Chronicle of Croyland, that the true cause of Gloster's hatred to Clarence was, that Clarence was unwilling to share with his brother that moiety of the estate of the great Earl of Warwick, to which Gloster became entitled on his marriage with the younger sister of the dutchess of Clarence, Lady Anne Neville, who had been betrothed to Edward Prince of Wales. This account of the matter is fully confirmed by á letter, dated Feb. 14, 1471-2, which has been lately published. Puston Letters, Vol. II. p. 91. Yesterday the King, the Queen, my Lords of Clarence and Gloucester, went to Sirene to par

don;

don; men say, not all in charity. The King entreateth my Lord of Clarence for my Lord of Gloucester; and, as it is said, he answereth, that he may well have my Lady his sister-in-law, but they shall part no livelihood, as he saith; so, what will fall, can I not say. MALONE.

ཨ

P. 43, 1. 23-51. These lines are not in the old edition. PoPE.

They are not necessary, but so forced in, that something seems omitted to which these lines are the answer. JOHNSON.

it

P. 43, last 1. I cannot but suspect that the lines, which Mr. Pope observed not to be in the old edition, are now misplaced, and should be inserted here, somewhat after this manner:

Clar. A begging Prince what beggar pities *not?

Vil. A begging Prince!

Clar, Which of you if you were a Prince's son, &c.

Upon this provocation, the villain naturally strikes him. JOHNSON.

Mr. Pope's note is not accurately stated. I believe this passage should be regulated thus. Clar. Relent and save your souls.

1 Vil. Relent! 'tis cowardly and womanish. Clar. Not to relent is beastly, savage, devilish, &c. &c. TYRWHITT.

I think with Mr. Tyrwhitt that these lines have been inserted in a wrong place. MALONE.

I have regulated the text according to Mr. Tyrwhitt's instruction. STEEVENS,

P. 44, 1. 14. Dissemble not your hatred,] i. e. do not gloss it over. STEEVENS.

I suppose he means, Divest yourselves of that concealed hatred which you have heretofore seVOL. XII.

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