P. 68, 1. 5.. capable;] here, as in many other places in these plays, means intelligent, quick of apprehension. MALONE. 7 P. 68, 1. 53. For we to-morrow hold divided councils,] That is, aprivate consultation, separate from the known and publick counsel. So, in the next scene, Hastings says: "Bid him not fear the separated councils." JOHNSON. This circumstance is conformable to history. See Hall, p. 13. REED. Mr. Reed has shewn from Hall's Chronicle that this circunstance is founded on the historical fact. But Holinshed, Hall's copyist, was our author's authority: But the Protectoure and the Duke after that they had sent to the lord Cardinal, the lord Stanley and the lord Hastings then lord Cham¬ berlaine, with many other noblemen, to commune and devise about the coronation in one place, as fast were they in another place, contriving the contrarie, and to make the Protectour King." "the lord Stanley, that was after Earle of Darby, wisely mistrusted it, and sayde unto the lorde Hastings, that he much mislyked these swo several councels." MALONE. P. 69, 1. 29. Every material circumstance in the following scene is taken from Holinshed's Chronicle, except that it is a knight with whom Hastings converses, instead of Buckingham. STEEVENS. P. 70, 1. 11.the boar had rased off his helm:] This term rased or rashed, is always given to describe the violence inflicted by a boar. By the boar, throughout this scéne, is meant Gloster, who was called the boar, or the hog, from his having a boar for his cognizance, and one of the supporters of his coat of arms. STEEVENS. So Holinshed, after Hall and Sir Thomas More. MALONE. P. 70, 1. 24. his Honour,] This was the usual address to noblemen in Shakspeare's time. MALONE. In Timon of Athens, Act I. sc. i. the same address occurs: "All happiness to your P. 70, 1. 28. ་ Honour! his fears are shallow, wanting instance:] That is, wanting some example or act of malevolence, by which they may be justified: or which, perhaps, is nearer to the true meaning, wanting any immediate ground or reason. JOHNSON. Instance seems to mean, symptom or prognostick. M. MASON. P. 70, 1. 29. silly. STEEVENS. P. 72, 1. 29. so fond· -] i. e. so weak, the holy rood,] i. e. the cross. STEEVENS. P. 73, 1. 8. This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt;] i. e. suspect it of danger. STEEVENS, P. 73, 1. 12. Come, come, have with you.] A familiar phrase in parting, as much as, take some→ thing along with you, or I have something tosay to you, JOHNSON. This phrase so frequently occurs in Shakspeare, that I wonder Johnson should mistake its meaning. It signifies merely "I will go along with you; and is an expression in use at this day. M. MASON. P. 75, 1. 15.- for their truth,] That is, with respect to their honesty. JOHNSON. P. 74, t. 2. God hold it,] That is, continue it. JOHNSON. P. 74, 1.11. Sir was formerly the usual addressto the inferior clergy. MALONE. · P. 74, 1. 13. I-am in <your debt for your last exercise; for your last performance of divine service. JOHNSON. I rather imagine it meant for attending him in private to hear his confession. MALONE. Exercise, I believe, means only religious exhortation, or lecture. So, in Othello: "Much castigation, exercise devout." STEEVENS. P. 74, 1. 15. Enter BUCKINGHAM.] From the Continuation of Harding's Chronicle, 1543, where the account given originally by Sir Thomas More is transcribed with some additions, it appears that the person who held this conversation with Hastings was sir Thomas Howard, who is introduced in the last act of this play as Earl of Surrey.. MALONE. P. 74, 1. 19. Shriving work is confession. P. 75, 1. 4. GREY,] Queen Elizabeth Grey is deservedly pitied for losing her two sons; but the royalty of their birth has so engrossed the attention of historians, that they never reckon into the number of her misfortunes the murder of this her second son, Sir Richard Grey. It is as remark→ able how slightly the death of our Earl Rivers is always mentioned, though a man invested with such high offices of trust and dignity; and how much we dwell on the execution of the Lord Chamberlain Hastings, a man in every light his inferior. In truth, the generality draw their ideas of English story, from the tragic rather than the historic authors. WALPOLE. P. 75, 1. 15. - the limit ] For the limited time. MALONE. P. 76, 1. 2. — the hour of death is expiate.] Expiate is used for expiated; 60 confiscate, contaminate, consummate, &c. &c. It seems to mean fully completed, and ended, MALONE. I do not well understand the reading which Mr. Malone prefers, though I have. left it in the text. Perhaps we should read the hour of death is expirate: which accords with Shakspeare's phraseology, and needs no explanation. STEEVENS. P. 76, 1. 9. the Bishop of Ely, ] Dr. John Morten, who was elected to that see in 1478. He was advanced to the see of Canterbury in 1486, and appointed Lord Chancellor in 1487. He died in the year 1500. This Prelate, Sir Thomas More tells us, first devised the scheme of putting an end to the long contest between the houses of York and Lancaster, by a marriage between Henry Earl of Richmond, and Elizabeth, the eldest daugther of Edward IV. and was a principle agent in procuring Henry when abroad to enter into a covenant for that purpose. MALONE. P. 76, 1. 18. and wants but nomination.]i. e. the only thing wanting, is the appointment of a particular day for the ceremony. STEEVENS. ·P. 76, 1. 22. — inward dential. STEEVENS. i. e. intimate, confi P. 77, 1. 16.- you not come upon your cue,] This expression is borrowed from the theatre. The cue, queue, or tail of a speech, consists of the last words, which are the token for an entrance or answer. To come on the cue, therefore, is to come at the proper time. JOHNSON. P. 77% 1. 27. 28. I saw good strawberries in your garden there; I do beseech you, send for some of them.] The reason why the Bishop was despatched on this errand, is not clearer in Holinshed, from whom Shakspeare adopted the circumstance, than in this scene, where it is introduced. Nothing seems to have happened which might not have been trausacted with equal security in the presence of the reverend cultivator of these strawberries, whose complaisance is likewise recorded by the author of the Latin play on the same subject, in the British Museum: Eliensis antistes venis? senem quies, Juvenem labor decet: ferunt hortem tuum EPISCOPUS ELIENSIS. Nil tibi claudeter hortus quod meus This circumstance of asking for the strawberries, however, may have been mentioned by the historians merely to show the unusual affability and good humour which the dissembling Gloster affected at the very time when he had determined on the death of Hastings. STEEVENS. P. 78, 1. 17. Conceit is thought, Malone. Conceit, as used by Hastings, I believe signifies -pleasant idea or fancy. So Falstaff speaking of Poins "He a good wit? there is no more conceit in him, than is in a mallet." STEEvens. P. 78, 1. 24. likelihood appearance. JOHNSON. i. e. semblance |