1 To the Gentlemen-readers, &c.] From the 8vo of 1592: in the 4tos this address is worded here and there differently. I have not thought it necessary to mark the varioe lectiones of the worthy printer’s composition.
2 histories] i.e. dramas so called,—plays founded on history.
3 fond] i.e. foolish.—Concerning the omissions here alluded to, some remarks will be found in the ACCOUNT OF MARLOWE AND HIS WRITINGS.
[The “Account of Marlowe and His Writings,” is the introduction to this book of ‘The Works of Christopher Marlowe.’ That is, the book from which this play has been transcribed. The following is from pages xvi and xvii of that introduction:
“This tragedy, which was entered in the Stationers’ Books, 14th August, 1590,{a} and printed during the same year, has not come down to us in its original fulness; and probably we have no cause to lament the curtailments which it suffered from the publisher of the first edition. “I have purposely,” he says, “omitted and left out some fond and frivolous gestures, digressing, and, in my poor opinion, far unmeet for the matter, which I thought might seem more tedious unto the wise than any way else to be regarded, though haply they have been of some vain-conceited fondlings greatly gaped at, what time they were shewed upon the stage in their graced deformities: nevertheless now to be mixtured in print with such matter of worth, it would prove a great disgrace to so honourable and stately a history.”{b} By the words, “fond and frivolous gestures,” we are to understand those of the “clown;” who very frequently figured, with more or less prominence, even in the most serious dramas of the time. The introduction of such buffooneries into tragedy{c} is censured by Hall towards the conclusion of a passage which, as it mentions “the Turkish Tamberlaine,” would seem to be partly levelled at Marlowe:{d}
“One higher-pitch’d doth set his soaring thought
On crowned kings that Fortune hath low brought,
Or some vpreared high-aspiring swaine,
As it might be THE TURKISH TAMBERLAINE.
Then weeneth he his base drink-drowned spright
Rapt to the three-fold loft of heauen hight,
When he conceiues vpon his fained stage
The stalking steps of his greate personage,
Graced with huf-cap termes and thundring threats,
That his poore hearers’ hayre quite vpright sets.* * * * * * * * *
NOW, LEAST SUCH FRIGHTFULL SHOWES OF FORTUNE’S FALL
AND BLOUDY TYRANTS’ RAGE SHOULD CHANCE APALL
THE DEAD-STROKE AUDIENCE, MIDST THE SILENT ROUT
COMES LEAPING IN A SELFE-MISFORMED LOUT,
AND LAUGHES, AND GRINS, AND FRAMES HIS MIMIK FACE,
AND IUSTLES STRAIGHT INTO THE PRINCE’S PLACE:
THEN DOTH THE THEATRE ECCHO ALL ALOUD
WITH GLADSOME NOYSE OF THAT APPLAUDING CROWD:
A GOODLY HOCH-POCH, WHEN VILE RUSSETTINGS
ARE MATCH[‘D] WITH MONARCHS AND WITH MIGHTIE KINGS!”{e}But Hall’s taste was more refined and classical than that of his age; and the success of TAMBURLAINE, in which the celebrated Alleyn represented the hero,{f} was adequate to the most sanguine expectations which its author could have formed.
{a} “A ballad entituled the storye of Tamburlayne the greate,” &c. (founded, I suppose, on Marlowe’s play) was entered in the Stationers’ Books, 5th Nov. 1594.
{b} P. 4 of the present volume.
{c} In Italy, at the commencement of the 18th century (and probably much later), it was not unusual to introduce “the Doctor,” “Harlequin,” “Pantalone,” and “Coviello,” into deep tragedies. “I have seen,” says Addison, “a translation of THE CID acted at Bolonia, which would never have taken, had they not found a place in it for these buffoons.” REMARKS ON SEVERAL PARTS OF ITALY, &C. IN THE YEARS 1701, 1702, 1703, p. 68, ed. 1745.
{d} Perhaps I ought to add, that Marlowe was dead when (in 1597) the satire, from which these lines are quoted, was first given to the press.
{e} Hall’s VIRGID. Lib. I. Sat. iii., ed. 1602.
{f} See Heywood’s Prol. to our author’s JEW OF MALTA, p. 142 of the present volume. “
4 censures] i.e. judgments, opinions.
5 Afric] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Affrica.”
6 their] Old eds. “his.”
7 through] So the 4to.—The 8vo “thorough.”
8 incivil] i.e. barbarous.—So the 8vo.—The 4to “vnciuill.”
9 incontinent] i.e. forthwith, immediately.
10 chiefest] So the 8vo.—The 4to “chiefe.”
11 rout] i.e. crew.
12 press] So the 8vo.—The 4to “prease.”
13 you] So the 8vo.—0mitted in the 4to.
14 all] So the 4to.—0mitted in the 8vo.
15 mated] i.e. confounded.
16 pass not] i.e. care not.
17 regiment] i.e. rule, government.
18 resolve] i.e. dissolve.—So the 8vo.—The 4to “dissolue.”
19 ships] So the 4to.—The 8vo “shippe.”
20 Pass] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Hast.”
21 you] So the 8vo.—The 4to “they.”
22 Ceneus] Here both the old eds. “Conerus.”
23 states] i.e. noblemen, persons of rank.
24 their] So the 8vo.—The 4to “the.”
25 and Persia] So the 8vo.—The 4to “and OF Persia.”
26 ever-raging] So the 8vo.—The 4to “RIUER raging.”
27 ALL] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.
28 And Jove may, &c.] i.e. And may Jove, &c. This collocation of words is sometimes found in later writers: so in the Prologue to Fletcher’s WOMAN’S PRIZE,—“WHICH this may PROVE!”
29 knew] So the 8vo.—The 4to “knowe.”
30 lords] So the 4to.—The 8vo “Lord.”
31 injury] This verb frequently occurs in our early writers. “Then haue you INIURIED manie.” Lyly’s ALEXANDER AND CAMPASPE, sig. D 4, ed. 1591. It would seem to have fallen into disuse soon after the commencement of the 17th century: in Heywood’s WOMAN KILLED WITH KINDNESS, 1607, we find,
“You INJURY that good man, and wrong me too.”
Sig. F 2.but in ed. 1617 “injury” is altered to “iniure.”
32 ALL] So the 4to.—0mitted in the 8vo.
33 Who, travelling, &c.] The halting metre shews that there is some corruption in this and the next line.
34 thorough] So the 8vo.—The 4to “through.”
35 unvalued] i.e. not to be valued, or estimated.
36 conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.
37 Rhodope] Old eds. “Rhodolfe.”
38 valurous] i.e. valuable.
39 pools] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Poles.”
40 resolv’d] i.e. dissolved.—So the 8vo.—The 4to “desolu’d.”
41 Shall we all offer] The 8vo “Shall we offer” (the word “all” having dropt out).—The 4to “WE ALL SHALL offer.{”}
42 in] The 8vo “it.”—Omitted in the 4to.
43 triumph’d] So the 8vo.—The 4to “tryumph.”
44 brave] i.e. splendidly clad.
45 top] So the 4to.—The 8vo “foot.”
46 mails] i.e. bags, budgets.
47 lance] So the 4to.—Here the 8vo has “lanch;” but more than once in the SEC. PART of the play it has “lance.”
48 this] So the 8vo.—The 4to “the.”—Qy. “Where is this Scythian SHEPHERD Tamburlaine”? Compare the next words of Theridamas.
49 vaults] Here the 8vo has “vauts,”—“which,” says one of the modern editors, “was common in Marlowe’s time:” and so it was; but in the SEC. PART of this play, act ii. sc. 4, the same 8vo gives,—
“As we descend into the infernal VAULTS.”
50 thy] So the 8vo.—The 4to “the.”
51 brave] See note † in preceding column.{i.e. note 44.}
52 renowmed] i.e. renowned.—So the 8vo.—The 4to “renowned.” —The form “RENOWMED” (Fr. renomme) occurs repeatedly afterwards in this play, according to the 8vo. It is occasionally found in writers posterior to Marlowe’s time. e.g.
“Of Constantines great towne RENOUM’D in vaine.”
Verses to King James, prefixed to Lord Stirling’s
MONARCHICKE TRAGEDIES, ed. 1607.53 cliffs] So the 8vo.—The 4to “cliftes.”
54 merchants] i.e. merchant-men, ships of trade.
55 stems] i.e. prows.
56 vail] i.e. lower their flags.
57 Bootes] The 8vo “Botees.”—The 4to “Boetes.”
58 competitor] i.e. associate, partner (a sense in which the word is used by Shakespeare).
59 To these] Old eds. “ARE these.”
60 renowmed] See note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 52.}—So the 8vo. —The 4to “renowned.”
61 statues] So the 4to.—“The first edition reads ‘statutes,’ but, as the Scythians worshipped Pylades and Orestes in temples, we have adopted the reading of the quarto as being most probably the correct one.” Ed. 1826.
62 kings] So the 8vo.—The 4to “king.”
63 Nor thee nor them] The modern editors silently print “Nor THEY nor THEIRS.”
64 will] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.
65 pitch] Is generally equivalent to—stature. (“I would have you tell me what PITCH he was of, Velim mihi dicas qua STATURA fuerit.” Coles’s DICT.) But here it means the highest part of the body,—the shoulders (see the 10th sign. of PITCH in Halliwell’s DICT. OF ARCH. AND PROV. WORDS),—the “pearl” being, of course, his head.
66 and] So the 4to.—The 8vo “with.”
67 His arms and fingers long and sinewy] So the 8vo, except that, by a misprint, it has “snowy” for “sinewy.”—The 4to gives the line thus,—
“His armes long, HIS fingers SNOWY-WHITE.”!!
(and so the line used to stand in Lamb’s SPEC. OF DRAM. POETS, till I made the necessary alteration in Mr. Moxon’s recent ed. of that selection.)
68 subdu’d] So the 8vo.—The 4to “subdue.”
69 Nature doth strive with Fortune, &c.] Qy did Shakespeare recollect this passage when he wrote,—
“Nature and Fortune join’d to make thee great”?
KING JOHN, act iii. sc. 1.70 port] i.e. gate.
71 is] So the 8vo.—The 4to “in.”
72 In fair, &c.] Here “fair” is to be considered as a dissyllable: compare, in the Fourth Act of our author’s JEW OF MALTA,
“I’ll feast you, lodge you, give you FAIR words,
And, after that,” &c.73 of] i.e. on.
74 worse] So the 8vo.—The 4to “worst.”
75 the] So the 8vo.—The 4to “that.”
76 his] So the 8vo.—The 4to “the.”
77 be] So the 8vo.—The 4to “are.”
78 Beside] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Besides.”
79 champion] i.e. champaign.
80 greedy after] Old eds. “after greedie.”
81 Sprung] Here, and in the next speech, both the old eds. “Sprong”: but in p. 18, l. 3, first col., the 4to has “sprung”, and in the SEC. PART of the play, act iv. sc. 4, they both give “SPRUNG from a tyrants loynes.”
{Page 18, First Column, Line 3, This Play:
“For he was never sprung319 of human race,”}82 teeth of] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.
83 lance] Here both the old eds. “lanch”: but see note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 47.}
84 the] So the 8vo.—0mitted in the 4to.
85 some] So the 4to.—The 8vo “scorne.”
86 will] So the 8vo.—The 4to “shall.”
87 top] i.e. rise above, surpass.—Old eds. “stop.”
88 renowmed] See note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo. —The 4to “renowned.”
89 thirst] The 8vo “thrust”: the 4to “thrist.”
90 and] So the 4to.—The 8vo “not.”
91 the fair] So the 8vo.—The 4to “THEE faire.”
92 she] i.e. Nemesis.
93 Rhamnus’] Old eds. “Rhamnis.”
94 meeds] So the 8vo.—The 4to “deeds.”
95 into] Used here (as the word was formerly often used) for UNTO.
96 sure] A dissyllable here. In the next line “assure” is a trisyllable.
97 with his crown in his hand] The old eds. add “offering to hide it;” but THAT he does presently after.
98 those were] i.e. those who were, who have been.
99 Stand staggering] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Stand THOSE staggering.”
100 For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,
Our crown the pin, &c.]
CLOUT means the white mark in the butts; PIN, the peg in the
centre, which fastened it.101 me] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.
102 MYCETES. Ay, marry, &c.] From this to “TAMBURLAINE. Well, I mean you shall have it again” inclusive, the dialogue is prose: compare act iv. sc. 4, p. 29.
103 renowmed man-at-arms] See note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo.—The 4to “RENOWNED MEN at armes.”
104 chiefest] So the 4to.—The 8vo “chiefe.”
105 happy] So the 8vo.—The 4to “happiest.”
106 aim’d] So the 4to.—The 8vo “and.”
107 it] So the 4to.—The 8vo “is.”
108 our] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.
109 we] So the 8vo.—The 4to “I.”
110 in earth] i.e. on earth. So in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done IN EARTH.”
111 Casane] Both the old eds. here “Casanes.”
112 a-piece] So the 4to.—The 8vo “apace.”
113 purchase] i.e. booty, gain.
114 quite] i.e. requite.
115 this] So (deiktikos) the 8vo.—The 4to “the.”
116 him] Old eds. “his.”
117 and] So the 8vo.—The 4to “with.”
118 sprung] See note ‡, p. 14.{i.e. note 81.}
119 dares] So the 8vo.—The 4to “dare.”
120 fate] Old eds. “state.”
121 Resolve] Seems to mean—dissolve (compare “our bodies turn to elements,” p. 12, sec. col.): but I suspect some corruption here.
{Page 12, Second Column, This Play:
“TAMBURLAINE. . . . .
Until our bodies turn to elements,
And both our souls aspire celestial thrones.—”
etc.}122 Barbarous] Qy. “O barbarous”? in the next line but one, “O treacherous”? and in the last line of the speech, “O bloody”? But we occasionally find in our early dramatists lines which are defective in the first syllable; and in some of these instances at least it would almost seem that nothing has been omitted by the transcriber or printer.
123 artier] i.e. artery. This form occurs again in the SEC. PART of the present play: so too in a copy of verses by Day;
“Hid in the vaines and ARTIERS of the earthe.”
SHAKESPEARE SOC. PAPERS, vol. i. 19.The word indeed was variously written of old:
“The ARTER strynge is the conduyt of the lyfe spiryte.”
Hormanni VULGARIA, sig. G iii. ed. 1530.“Riche treasures serue for th’ARTERS of the war.”
Lord Stirling’s DARIUS, act ii. Sig. C 2. ed. 1604.“Onelye the extrauagant ARTIRE of my arme is brused.”
EVERIE WOMAN IN HER HUMOR, 1609, sig. D 4.“And from the veines some bloud each ARTIRE draines.”
Davies’s MICROCOSMOS, 1611, p. 56.124 regiment] i.e. rule.
125 fruit] So the 4to.—The 8vo “fruites.”
126 are] Old eds. “Is.”
127 talents] Was often used by our early writers for TALONS, as many passages might be adduced to shew. Hence the quibble in Shakespeare’s LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST, act iv. sc. 2., “If a TALENT be a claw,” &c.
128 harpy] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Harper;” and with that reading the line is cited, in a note on MACBETH, act iv. sc. 1, by Steevens, who also gives “tires UPON my life;” but “TIRES” (a well-known term in falconry, and equivalent here to—preys) is to be pronounced as a dissyllable. (In the 4to it in spelt “tyers.”
129 the] So the 4to.—The 8vo “thy.”
130 bassoes] i.e. bashaws.
131 Christians renied] i.e. Christians who have denied, or renounced their faith.—In THE GENT. MAGAZINE for Jan. 1841, J. M. would read “Christians RENEGADENS” or “CHRISTIAN RENEGADES:” but the old text is right; among many passages that might be cited, compare the following;
“And that Ydole is the God of false Cristene, that han
RENEYED hire FEYTHE.”
THE VOIAGE AND TRAVAILE OF SIR JOHN MAUNDEVILE,
p. 209. ed. 1725.“For that thou should’st RENY THY FAITH, and her thereby
possesse.
The Soldan did capitulat in vaine: the more thy blesse.”
Warner’s ALBIONS ENGLAND, B. XI. Ch. 68. p. 287. ed.
1596.132 Terrene] i.e. Mediterranean.
133 Renowmed] See note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo. —The 4to “renowned.”
134 basso] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Brother.”
135 Not] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Nor.”
136 in] So the 8vo.—The 4to “on.”
137 Or spread, &c.] A word has dropt out from this line.
138 measur’d heaven] So the 8vo.—The 4to “measured THE heauen.”
139 pioners] The usual spelling of the word in our early writers (in Shakespeare, for instance).
140 ceaseless] So the 8vo.—The 4to “carelesse.”
141 conceits] i.e{.} fancies, imaginations.
142 counterfeit] i.e. picture, resemblance.
143 his] So the 8vo.—The 4to “the.”
144 you] So the 8vo.—The 4to “me.”
145 Leave] The author probably wrote, “AGYDAS, leave,” &c.
146 facts] i.e. deeds.
147 much] So the 8vo.—The 4to “more.”
148 Pierides] i.e. The daughters of Pierus, who, having challenged the Muses to a trial of song, were overcome, and changed into magpies.
149 the young Arabian] Scil. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
{Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play:
“Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,”}150 Fearing his love] i.e. Fearing with respect to his love.
151 of] so the 4to.—The 8vo “and.”
152 fury] So the 4to.—The 8vo “furies.”
153 shone] Old eds. “shine.”
154 send] Old eds. “sent.”
155 menace] So the 8vo.—The 4to “meane.”
156 fetch] So the 8vo.—The 4to “fetcht.”
157 set] So the 8vo.—The 4to “seate.”
158 Terrene] i.e. Mediterranean.
159 to rest or breathe] So the 8vo.—The 4to “to BREATH AND REST.”
160 bastones] i.e. bastinadoes.
161 they] So the 8vo.—0mitted in the 4to.
162 Morocco] Here the old eds. “Moroccus,”—a barbarism which I have not retained, because previously, in the stage-direction at the commencement of this act, p. 19, they agree in reading “Morocco.”
163 titles] So the 8vo.—The 4to “title.”
164 sarell] i.e. seraglio.
165 I’ll] So the 8vo.—The 4to “I will.”
166 the] So the 8vo.—The 4to “this.”
167 hugy] i.e. huge.
168 renowm’d] See note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo. —The 4to “renowned.”
169 of] So the 8vo.—The 4to “all.”
170 rule] So the 8vo.—The 4to “raigne.”
171 braver] So the 8vo.—The 4to “braue.”
172 pash] i.e. crush to pieces by a stroke.
173 y-sprung] Here the old eds. “ySPRONG.”—See note ‡, p. 14. {i.e. note 81.}
174 them] Old eds. “thee.”
175 the] Has perhaps crept in by a mistake of the transcriber or printer.
176 And make your strokes to wound the senseless light] The old eds. have,
“And make OUR strokes to wound the sencelesse LURE.”
(the last word being, perhaps, in the 8vo “lute.”) Here “light” is a very questionable reading: qy. “air”? (though the third line above ends with that word).
177 boss] In the GENT. MAG. for Jan. 1841, J. M. proposed to alter “boss” to “Bassa.” But Cotgrave, in his DICT., has; “A fat BOSSE. Femme bien grasse et grosse; une coche.”
178 advocate] So the 4to.—The 8vo “aduocates.”
179 That dare, &c.] Something dropt out from this line.
180 Re-enter Bajazeth, pursued by Tamburlaine] The old eds. have,
“Bajazeth flies, and he pursues him. The battell short
[Qto. is short], and they enter, Bajazeth is ouercome.”This not very intelligible stage-direction means perhaps that, after Bajazeth and Tamburlaine had entered, a short combat was to take place between them.
181 foil] The old eds. “soil.”
182 gat] So the 8vo.—The 4to “got.”
183 pilling] i.e. plundering.
184 British] So the 4to.—The 8vo “brightest.”
185 martial] So the 8vo.—The 4to “materiall.”
186 Awake, ye men of Memphis!] These words are put into the mouth of Judas, in Fletcher’s BONDUCA, at the commencement of act ii.; and in Fletcher’s WIT WITHOUT MONEY, act v. sc. 2. we find “thou man of Memphis.”
187 basilisks] Pieces of ordnance so called. They were of immense size; see Douce’s ILLUST. OF SHAKESPEARE, i. 425.
188 monstrous] To be read as a trisyllable.
189 Or ever-drizzling] So the 4to.—The 8vo “Or drisling.”
190 should] So the 4to.—The 8vo “shal.”
191 he devil] So the 8vo.—The 4to “he THE deuill.”
192 Arabian king] Scil. Alcidamus: see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
{Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play:
“Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,”}193 it] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.
194 it should] So the 4to.—The 8vo “should it.”
195 this] So the 8vo.—The 4to “it.”
196 into] So the 4to.—The 8vo “vnto.”
197 heart] So the 4to.—The 8vo “soul.”
198 stoop] Qy. “stoop, STOOP”?
199 your] Old eds. “their.”—Compare the tenth line of the speech.
200 to] So the 8vo.—The 4to “on.”
201 brent] i.e. burnt. So the 8vo.—The 4to “burnt.”
202 kings] So the 8vo.—The 4to “king.”
203 from] So the 4to.—The 8vo “in.”
204 then, for you] So the 4to.—The 8vo “for you then.”
205 stark nak’d] Compare (among many passages which might be cited from our early poets),—
“rather on Nilus’ mud
Lay me STARK NAK’D, and let the water-flies
Blow me into abhorring!”
Shakespeare’s ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, act v. sc. 2. (where
the modern editors print “naked.”)206 dignities] So the 8vo.—The 4to “dignitie.”
207 whiles] So the 8vo.—The 4to “while.”
208 shalt] So the 4to.—The 8vo “shal.”
209 grace] Olds eds. “grac’d.”
210 stature] So the 8vo.—The 4to “statue:” but again, in the SECOND PART of this play, act ii. sc. 4, we have, according to the 8vo—
“And here will I set up her STATURE.”
and, among many passages that might be cited from our early authors, compare the following;
“The STATURES huge, of Porphyrie and costlier matters made.”
Warner’s ALBIONS ENGLAND, p. 303. ed. 1596.“By them shal Isis STATURE gently stand.”
Chapman’s BLIND BEGGER OF ALEXANDRIA, 1598, sig. A 3.“Was not Anubis with his long nose of gold preferred before
Neptune, whose STATURE was but brasse?”
Lyly’s MIDAS, sig. A 2. ed. 1592.211 bird] i.e. the ibis.
212 are] Old eds. “is.”
213 country] Old eds. “countries.”
214 King of Arabia] i.e. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
{Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play:
“Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,”}215 Calydonian] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Calcedonian.”
216 lusty] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.
217 and] So the 4to.—0mitted in the 8vo.
218 Renowmed] See note ||. p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo. —The 4to “Renow{ned.”}
219 Ibis’ holy name] The ibis has been already alluded to in the lines (p. 27, sec. col.),—
“The golden stature of their feather’d bird,
That spreads her wings upon the city-walls”;and it is well known to have been a sacred bird among the Egyptians (see Cicero DE NAT. DEORUM, I. 36). Compare the old play of THE TAMING OF A SHREW;
“Father, I SWEARE BY IBIS’ GOLDEN BEAKE,
More faire and radiente is my bonie Kate
Then siluer Zanthus,” &c.
p. 22. ed. Shakespeare Soc.In the passage of our text the modern editors substitute “Isis’” for “Ibis’.”
220 the] So the 8vo.—The 4to “and.”
221 and] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.
222 thy baseness and] So the 8vo.—The 4to “THE basnesse OF.”
223 mask] So the 8vo.—The 4to “walke.”
224 My lord, &c.] Something has dropt out: qy. “TAMELY suffer”?
225 a goodly refreshing for them] So the 8vo.—The 4to “a GOOD refreshing TO them.”
226 Here] So the 8vo.—The 4to “there.”
227 it from] So the 8vo.—The 4to “it VP from.”
228 slice] So the 8vo.—The 4to “fleece.”
229 will fall] So the 8vo.—The 4to “will NOT fall.”
230 let] i.e. hinder.
231 while] i.e. until.
232 consort] i.e. band.
233 pen] i.e. his sword.
234 hastening] So the 4to.—The 8vo “hasting.”
235 ‘specially] So the 8vo.—The 4to “especially.”
236 Morocco] Here and in the next speech the old eds. have “Morocus” and “Moroccus:” but see note ‡, p. 22.{i.e. note 162.}
237 plage] i.e. region.—Old eds. “place.”
238 valour] Old eds. “value.”
239 again] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.
240 renowm’d] See note ||. p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo. —The 4to “renown’d.”
241 Damascus] Both the old eds. here “Damasco:” but in many other places they agree in reading “Damascus.”
242 remorse] i.e. pity.
243 sakes] So the 8vo.—The 4to. “sake.”
244 blubber’d] That this word formerly conveyed no ludicrous idea, appears from many passages of our early writers.
245 And use us like a loving conqueror] “i.e. And that he will use us like, &c.” Ed. 1826.
246 care] So the 4to.—The 8vo “cares.”
247 helps] So the 8vo.—The 4to “help.”
248 or] So the 8vo.—The 4to “for.”
249 power] So the 8vo.—The 4to “powers.”
250 knew] So the 8vo.—The 4to “know.”
251 Reflexed] Old eds. “Reflexing.”
252 their] Old eds. “your.”
253 As] So the 8vo.—The 4to “And.”
254 tents] So the 8vo.—The 4to “tent.”
255 submission] Old eds. “submissions.”
256 of ruth and] So the 8vo.—The 4to “AND ruth OF.”
257 conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.
258 Hath] So the 4to.—The 8vo “Haue.”
259 nourish’d] So the 8vo.—The 4to “nourish.”
260 wish’d] So the 8vo.—The 4to “wish.”
261 imperious] So the 8vo.—The 4to “imprecious.”
262 passion] i.e. sorrow.
263 resolved] i.e. dissolved.
264 Eyes, when that Ebena steps to heaven, &c.] Either the transcriber or the printer has made sad work with this passage; nor am I able to suggest any probable emendation.
265 fight] So the 8vo.—The 4to “fights.”
266 Persia’s] Old eds. “Perseans,” and “Persians.”
267 still] i.e. distil.
268 I thus conceiving, and subduing both, That which hath stoop’d the chiefest of the gods, Even from the fiery-spangled veil of heaven, To feel the lovely warmth of shepherds’ flames, And mask in cottages of strowed reeds, &c.]
i.e. I thus feeling, and also subduing, the power of Beauty, which has drawn down the chiefest of the gods even from, &c.
The 8vo has,
“I thus conceiuing and subduing both.
That which hath STOPT the TEMPEST of the Gods,
Euen from the fiery spangled vaile of heauen,
To feele the louely warmth of shepheards flames,
And MARTCH in cottages of strowed WEEDS,” &c.The 4to has,
“I thus concieuing and subduing both,
That which hath STOPT the TEMPEST of the Gods,
Euen from the SPANGLED FIRIE vaile of heauen,
To feele the louely warmth of Shepheardes flames,
And MARCH in COATCHES of strowed WEEDES,” &c.The alterations which I have made in this corrupted passage are supported by the following lines of the play;
“See now, ye slaves, my children STOOP YOUR PRIDE [i.e. make your pride to stoop],
And lead your bodies sheep-like to the sword.”
Part Second,—act iv. sc. 1.“The chiefest god, FIRST MOVER OF THAT SPHERE”, &c.
Part First,—act iv. sc. 2.“Jove SOMETIME masked IN A SHEPHERD’S WEED”, &c.
Part First,—act i. sc. 2.Perhaps in the third line of the present passage “fiery-spangled” should be “FIRE-YSPANGLED.”
269 Attend.] Old eds. “An.” (a misprint probably), which the modern editors understand as “Anippe” (the waiting-maid of Zenocrate).
270 March on us with] So the 4to.—The 8vo “MARTCHT on WITH vs with.”
271 As if there were no way but one with us] i.e. as if we were to lose our lives. This phrase, which is common in our early writers, was not obsolete in Dryden’s time: “for, if he heard the malicious trumpeter proclaiming his name before his betters, he knew THERE WAS BUT ONE WAY WITH HIM.” Preface to ALL FOR LOVE.
272 pore] So the 8vo.—The 4to “dore.”
273 in] i.e. on.
274 stay] Old eds. “aie” and “aye.”
275 retorqued] i.e. bent back in reflections on our former happiness. So the 8vo.—The 4to “retortued.”
276 A] Old eds. “As.”
277 Elysium] Old eds. “Elisian.”
278 thoughts] So the 8vo.—The 4to “thought.”
279 parbreak] i.e. vomit.
280 abjection] Old eds. “obiection.”
281 villainess] i.e. servant, slave,
282 ruth] So the 8vo.—The 4to “truth.”
283 resolve] i.e. dissolve.
284 bann’d] i.e. cursed.
285 the] So the 4to.—The 8vo “thy.”
286 ever-living] So the 8vo.—The 4to. “euerlasting.”
287 give] So the 4to.—The 8vo “AND giue.”
288 her] Must mean Zenocrate, whom Zabina fancies herself to be addressing.
289 Let the soldiers be buried.—Hell, death, Tamburlaine] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to. (Where the modern editors got their reading, “Let the soldiers be CURSED,” I know not.)
290 Make ready my coach] Shakespeare seems to have remembered this passage when he made Ophelia say, “Come, my coach,” &c. HAMLET, act iv. sc. 5.
291 I come, I come, I come] So the 8vo.—The 4to “I come, I come.”
292 Egyptians’] So the 4to.—The 8vo “Egiptian.’
293 The] Old eds. “Thy.”
294 thy] So the 8vo.—The 4to “thine.”
295 war] So the 8vo.—The 4to “warres.”
296 Come] Old eds. “Comes” and “Comep.”
297 Armed] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Armes.”
298 final] So the 4to.—The 8vo “small.”
299 King of Arabia] i.e. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
{Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play:
“Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,”}300 thy] So the 4to.—The 8vo “my.”
301 conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.
302 have] So the 8vo.—The 4to “hath.”
303 Euphrates] So our old poets invariably, I believe, accentuate this word. {Note: ‘Euphrates’ was printed with no accented characters at all.}
304 should] So the 8vo.—The 4to “shall.”
305 sweat] So the 8vo.—The 4to “sweare.”
306 wide-gaping] Old eds. “wide GASPING.”
307 resolv’d] i.e. dissolved.
308 Millions] So the 8vo.—The 4to “Million.”
309 Elysium] Old eds. “Elisian.”
310 Renowmed] See note ||, p. 11.{i.e. note 52.} So the 8vo. —The 4to “Renowned.”
311 record] i.e. take to witness.
312 no further time] i.e. no more distant time.
313 the] So the 8vo.—The 4to “my.”
314 I not] So the 8vo.—The 4to “not I.”
315 Else] So the 4to.—The 8vo “Then.”
316 on] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.
317 as beseems] So the 4to.—The 8vo “as BEST beseemes.”
318 We will our rites, &c.] Old eds. “We will our CELEBRATED rites,” &c.—“The word ‘CELEBRATED’ occurs in both the old editions, but may well be dispensed with as regards both the sense and measure.” Ed. 1826. “I think this word got into the text from either the author or printer, who was perhaps the editor, doubting whether to use ‘SOLEMNIZE’ or ‘CELEBRATE;’ and it slipt from the margin, where it was probably placed, into the verse itself.” J. M. in GENT. MAG. for Jan. 1841.