Note return to page 1 *Much ado about nothing. Act 2. Enter Prince Leonato, Claudio, and Jack Wilson, instead of Balthasar. And in Act 4. Cowley, and Kemp, constantly thro' a whole Scene. Edit Fol. of 1623, and 1632.

Note return to page 2 *Such as, &lblank; My Queen is murder'd! Ring the little Bell &lblank; &lblank; His nose grew as sharp as a pen, and a table of Greenfield's, &c.

Note return to page 3 *The highest date of any I can yet find, is Romeo, and Juliet in 1597, when the Author was 33 years old; and Richard the 2d and 3d, in the next year, viz. the 34th of his age.

Note return to page 4 *See the Epilogue to Henry 4th.

Note return to page 5 *Ld. Falkland, Ld. C. J. Vaughan, and Mr. Selden.

Note return to page 6 [a] afraighting.

Note return to page 7 [b] bAnd Princess.

Note return to page 8 †teene, or grief.

Note return to page 9 [c] cbut.

Note return to page 10 [d] dhearkens.

Note return to page 11 [c] cagain.

Note return to page 12 †All this that follows after the words, Pr'ythee peace—to the words You cram these words, &c. seems to have been interpolated, (perhaps by the Players) the verses there beginning again; and all that is between in prose, not only being very impertinent stuff, but most improper and ill plac'd Drollery in the mouths of unhappy shipwreckt people. There is more of the same sort interspers'd in the remaining part of the Scene.

Note return to page 13 †Foyzon, the natural juice or moisture of the grass or other herbs.

Note return to page 14 †no advices by letter.

Note return to page 15 [a] afrom.

Note return to page 16 [a] averily.

Note return to page 17 [b] bMost busy least.

Note return to page 18 [f] fdowle that's in my plumb.

Note return to page 19 [a] aearlier.

Note return to page 20 †Beteem, or pour down upon 'em.

Note return to page 21 [b] bmerit.

Note return to page 22 †collied or black.

Note return to page 23 [c] cfor a.

Note return to page 24 [d] dthine, Demetrius.

Note return to page 25 [e] edoats.

Note return to page 26 †i. e. quarrel or jar.

Note return to page 27 †crab apple.

Note return to page 28 †Or Usher.

Note return to page 29 †A compliment to Queen Elizabeth.

Note return to page 30 †wood, or mad, wild, raving.

Note return to page 31 [d] dyet.

Note return to page 32 †joke, or scoff.

Note return to page 33 [a] athe murtherer.

Note return to page 34 [b] bEdit. prim.

Note return to page 35 [c] cbegging.

Note return to page 36 †neafe (yorkshire) for fist.

Note return to page 37 †Gawde, or Bawble.

Note return to page 38 †Now is the

Note return to page 39 †Moral down between the two neighbours. Old Edit.

Note return to page 40 †mural.

Note return to page 41 †It is observable (I know not from what cause) that the Style of this Comedy is less figurative, and more natural and unaffected, than the greater Part of this Author's, though suppos'd to be one of the first he wrote.

Note return to page 42 *&lblank; I'll pray for thee. Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love, How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont. Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love; For he was more than over shoes in love. Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never-swom the Hellespont. Pro. Over the boots? nay give me not the boots. Val. No I will not; for it boots thee not. Pro. What? Val. To be in love, &c.

Note return to page 43 †This whole Scene, like many others in these Plays, (some of which I believe were written by Shakespear, and others interpolated by the Players) is compos'd of the lowest and most trifling conceits, to be accounted for only from the gross taste of the age he liv'd in; Populo ut placerent. I wish I had authority to leave them out, but I have done all I could, set a mark of reprobation upon them; throughout this edition.†††

Note return to page 44 aa would woman.

Note return to page 45 †&lblank; It is Padua in the former editions. See the note on Act 3. Scene 2.

Note return to page 46 *&lblank; it stands well with her. Speed. What an ass art thou? I understand thee not. Laun. What a block art thou, that thou canst not? My staff understands me. Speed. What thou say'st? Laun. Ay, and what I do too: look thee, I'll but lean and my staff understands me. Speed. It stands under thee indeed. Laun. Why, stand-under, and understand is all one. Speed. But tell me true, &c.

Note return to page 47 †Sir, in Milan here. It ought to be thus, instead of—in Verona here—for the Scene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from several passages in the first Act, and in the beginning of the first Scene of the fourth Act. A like mistake has crept into the eighth Scene of Act II. where Speed bids his fellow-servant Launce, welcome to Padua.

Note return to page 48 †It is (I think) very odd to give up his mistress thus at once, without any reason alledg'd. But our author probably followed the stories just as he found them, in his Novels, as well as in his Histories.

Note return to page 49 †This Play was written in the Author's best and ripest years, after Henry the Fourth, by the command of Queen Elizabeth. There is a tradition that it was compos'd at a fortnight's warning. But that must be meant only of the first imperfect sketch of this Comedy, which is yet extant in an old Quarto edition, printed in 1619. This which we here have, was alter'd and improved by the Author almost in every speech.

Note return to page 50 [a] aif it were known.

Note return to page 51 [b] bnuthooks.

Note return to page 52 [c] cmouth.

Note return to page 53 [c] cwill, and translated her will.

Note return to page 54 †eyelids, or oiellades, glances. Fr.

Note return to page 55 [d] ddiscuss.

Note return to page 56 [e] eyellowness.

Note return to page 57 [f] fEdit. of 1619. in the rest it is, frights English out of its wits.

Note return to page 58 *Edit of 1619. In all the succeeding editions this name of Brook (I can't tell why) is alter'd to Broom: whereas it is manifest from this conceit upon the name, that it shou'd be Brook.

Note return to page 59 †Quarto Edit. 1619.

Note return to page 60 †thou shalt wear her cry'd Game. Said I well? Quart. Edit. 1619.

Note return to page 61 [a] aThese words are added from the first edition.

Note return to page 62 [b] btire of Venetian admittance.

Note return to page 63 [a] aseveral

Note return to page 64 [b] bThese words are from the old edition.

Note return to page 65 *This speech is taken from the edit. of 1619.

Note return to page 66 The story is taken from Cinthio's Novels. Dec. 8. Nov. 5.

Note return to page 67 [a] aput to know.

Note return to page 68 †Foyson, Harvest.

Note return to page 69 [d] dnow.

Note return to page 70 †eld, old age.

Note return to page 71 [a] agyves, shackles

Note return to page 72 The Plot taken from the Menæchmi of Plautus.

Note return to page 73 *&lblank; wafts us yonder? S. Dro. Sconce, call you it? 'so you would leave battering, I had rather have it a head; an you use these blows long, I must get'a sconce for my head, and insconce it too, or else I shall seek my wit in my shoulders: but I pray, Sir, why am I beaten? Ant. Dost thou not know? S. Dro. Nothing, Sir, but that I am beaten. Ant. Shall I tell you why? S. Dro. Ay, Sir, and wherefore; for they say, every why hath a wherefore. Ant. Why, first for flouting me; and then wherefore, for urging it the second time to me. S. Dro. Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season? When in the why and wherefore is neither rhime nor reason? Well, Sir, I thank you. Ant. Thank me, Sir, for what? S. Dro. Marry Sir, for this something that you gave me for nothing. Ant. I'll make yo amends next, to give you nothing for something. But say, Sir, is it dinner-time? S. Dro. No, Sir; I think the meat wants that I have. Ant. In good time, Sir, what's that? S. Dro. Basting. Ant. Well, Sir, then 'twill be dry. S. Dro. If it be, Sir, I pray you eat not of it. Ant. Your reason? S. Dro. Lest it make you cholerick, and purchase me another dry basting. Ant. Well, Sir, learn to jest in good time; there's a time for all things. S. Dro. I durst have deny'd that, before you were so cholerick. Ant. By what rule, Sir? S. Dro. Marry, Sir, by a rule as plain as the plain bald pate of father Time himself. Ant. Let's hear it. S. Dro. There's no time for a man to recover his hair that grows bald by nature. Ant. May he not do it by fine and recovery? S. Dro. Yes, to pay a fine for a peruke, and recover the lost hair of another man Ant. Why is Time such a niggard of hair, being, as it is, so plentiful an excrement? S. Dro. Because it is a blessing that he bestows on beasts; and what he hath scanted them in hair, he hath given them in wit. Ant. Why, but there's many a man hath more hair than wit. S. Dro. Not a man of those but he hath the wit to lose his hair. Ant. Why, thou didst conclude hairy men plain dealers without wit. S. Dro. The plainer dealer, the sooner lost; yet he loseth it in a kind of jollity. Ant. For what reason? S. Dro. For two, and sound ones too. Ant. Nay, not sound ones, I pray you. S. Dro. Sure ones then. Ant. Nay, not sure in a thing falsing. S. Dro. Certain ones then. Ant. Name them. S. Dro. The one to save the mony that he spends in trying; the other, that at dinner they should not drop in his porridge. Ant. You would all this time have prov'd, there is no time for all things. S. Dro. Marry, and did, Sir; namely, no time to recover hair lost by nature. Ant. But your reason was not substantial, why there is no time to recover. S. Dro. Thus I mend it: time himself is bald, and therefore to the world's end will have bald followers. Ant. I knew 'twou'd be a bald conclusion. SCENE V. &c.

Note return to page 74 *&lblank; as to your talk. Who every word by all my wit being scann'd, Wants wit in all one word to understand. Luc. Fie, brother, &c.

Note return to page 75 *&lblank; servants spread for dinner. S. Dro. Oh for my beads, I cross me for a sinner. This is the Fairy land: oh spight of spights; We talk with goblins, owls, and elvish sprights; If we obey them not, this will ensue, They'll suck our breath, or pinch us black and blue. Luc. Why prat'st thou to thy self, Dromio, thou Dromio, snail, thou slug, thou sot. S. Dro. I am transformed, master, am I not? Ant. I think thou art in mind, and so am I. S. Dro. Nay master, both in mind and in my shape. Ant. Thou hast thine own form. S. Dro. No; I am an ape. Luc. If thou art chang'd to ought, 'tis to an ass. S. Dro. 'Tis true, she rides me, and I long for grass. 'Tis so, I am an ass; else it could never be, But I should know her as well as she knows me. Adr. Come, come, &c.

Note return to page 76 †carkanet, a sort of Bracelet.

Note return to page 77 *&lblank; didst thou mean by this? E. Dro. Say what you will, Sir, but I know what I know, That you beat me at the mart, I have your hand to show; If the skin were parchment, and the blows you gave were ink, Your hand-writing would tell you what I think. E. Ant. I think, &c.

Note return to page 78 *&lblank; and your good welcome. Bal. I hold your dainties cheap, Sir, and your welcome dear. E. Ant. Ah Signior Balthazar, either at flesh or fish, A table-full of welcome makes scarce one dainty dish. Bal. Good Sir, is common that every churl affords. E. Ant. And welcome more common; for that's nothing but words. Bal. Small cheer, and good welcome, makes a merry feast. E. Ant. Ay, to a niggardly host, and more sparing guest: But tho' my cates be mean, take them in good part; Better cheer may you have, but not with better heart. But soft; my door is lockt; &c.

Note return to page 79 *&lblank; get thee from the door. E. Dro. What patch is made our porter? my master stays in the street. S. Dro. Let him walk from whence he came, lest he catch cold on's feet. E. Ant. Who talks within there? hoa, open the door. S. Dro. Right, Sir, I'll tell you when, an you'll tell me wherefore. E. Ant. Wherefore? for my dinner: I have not din'd to-day. S. Dro. Nor to-day here you must not: come again when you may. E. Ant. What art thou that keep'st me out from the house I owe? S. Dro. The porter for this time, Sir, and my name is Dromio. E. Dro. O villain, thou hast stoll'n both mine office and my name. The one ne'er got me credit, the other mickle blame; If thou hadst been Dromio to-day in my place, Thou would'st have chang'd thy face for a name, or thy name for an ass. Luce. within. What a coile is there, Dromio? who are those at the gate? E. Dro. Let my master in, Luce. Luce. Faith, no; he comes too late; And so tell your master. E. Dro. O lord, I must laugh; Have at you with a Proverb. Shall I set in my staff? Luce. Have at you with another; that's when? can you tell? S. Dro. If thy name be called Luce, Luce, thou hast answer'd him well. E. Ant. Do you hear, you minion, you'll let us in, I hope? Luce. I thought to have askt you. S. Dro. And you said, no. E. Dro. So, come, help, well struck; there was blow for blow. E. Ant. Thou baggage, let me in. Luce. Can you tell for whose sake? E. Dro. Master, knock the door hard. Luce. Let him knock 'till it ake. E. Ant. You'll cry for this, minion, if I beat the door down. Luce. What needs all that, and a pair of stocks in the town? Adr. within. Who is that, &c.

Note return to page 80 *&lblank; go get you from the gate. E. Dro. If you went in pain, master, this knave would go sore. Ang. Here is neither cheer, Sir, nor welcome; we would fain have either. Bal. In debating which was best, we shall part with neither. E. Dro. They stand at the door, master; bid them welcome hither. E. Ant. There's something in the wind that we cannot get in. E. Dro. You would say so, master, if your garments were thin. Your cake here is warm within: you stand here in the cold. It would make a man as mad as buck to be so bought and sold. E. Ant. Go fetch me something, I'll break ope the gate. S. Dro. Break any breaking here, and I'll break your knave's pate. E. Dro. A man may break a word with you, Sir, and words are but wind; Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind. S. Dro. It seems thou wantest breaking; out upon thee, hind. E. Dro. Here's too much: out upon thee; I pray thee let me in. S. Dro. Ay, when fowls have no feathers, and fish have no fin. E. Ant. Well, I'll break in; go borrow me a crow. E. Dro. A crow without feather, master, mean you so? For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a feather: If a crow help us in, sirrah, we'll pluck a crow together. E. Ant. Go, get thee gone, &c.

Note return to page 81 *&lblank; that I were gone. It was two ere I left him, and now the clock strikes one. Adr. The hour's come back, that I did never hear. S. Dro. O yes, if any hour meet a serjeant, it turns back for very fear. Adr. As if Time were in debt, how fondly dost thou reason? S. Dro. Time is a very bankrout, and owes more than he's worth. Nay, he's a thief to; have you not heard men say, That Time comes stealing on by night and day? If Time be in debt and theft, and a serjeant in the way, Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day? Enter, &c.

Note return to page 82 *&lblank; tempt me not. S. Dro. Master, is this mistress Satan? S. Ant. It is the devil. S. Dro. Nay she is worse, she's the devil's dam; and here she comes in the habit of a light wench, and thereof comes that the wenches say, God dam me, that's as much as to say, God make me a light wench. It is written, they appear to men like angels of light; light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn; come not near her. Cur. Your man and you are marvellous merry, Sir. Will you go with me, we'll mend our dinner here? S. Dro. Master, if you do expect spoon-meat, bespeak a long spoon. S. Ant. Why, Dromio? S. Dro. Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil. S. Ant. Avoid thou fiend, what tell'st thou me of supping? Thou art (as you are all) a sorceress: I conjure thee to leave me and be gone. Cur. Give me, &c.

Note return to page 83 *&lblank; let us go. S. Dro. Fly pride, says the peacock; mistress that you know. SCENE VII. &c.

Note return to page 84 The Story from Ariosto, Orl. Fur. l. 5.

Note return to page 85 [a] aSoul.

Note return to page 86 †These words added out of the edition of 1623.

Note return to page 87 *&lblank; woo no more. Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will sing, Since many a wooer doth commence his suit To her he thinks not worthy, yet he woo's, Yet will he swear he loves. Pedro. Nay, pray thee come, Or if thou wilt hold longer argument, Do it in notes. Balth. Note this before my notes, There's not a note of mine that's worth the noting. Pedro. Why these are very crotchets that he speaks, Note notes forsooth, and nothing. Bene. Now divine air; now is his soul ravish'd! is it not strange, that sheeps guts should hale souls out of mens bodies? well, a horn for my mony, when all's done. The Song, &c.

Note return to page 88 *&lblank; a christian-like fear. Leon. If he do fear God, he must necessarily keep peace; if he break the peace, he ought to enter into a quarrel with fear and trembling. Pedro. And so will he do, for the man doth fear God, howsoever it seems not in him, by some large jests he will make. Well, &c.

Note return to page 89 †wild hawks

Note return to page 90 †rechie, valuable.

Note return to page 91 [a] alife.

Note return to page 92 [a] asorrow.

Note return to page 93 †daffe, a country word, for daunt.

Note return to page 94 ‡foining, pushing, or making a pass in fencing.

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