which was formerly inflicted on those persons, who, being indicted, refused to plead. In consequence of their silence, they were pressed to death by an heavy weight laid upon their stomach. This punishment the good sense and humanity of the legislature have within these few years abolished. MALONE.

83. Which is as bad as die with tickling.] The author meant that tickling should be pronounced as a trisyllable, tickeling. So, in Spenser, B. II. Canto 12. "The while sweet Zephirus loud whisteled "His treble, a strange kind of harmony; "Which Gayon's senses softly tickeled," &c. MALONE.

99. -argument- -] This word seems here to signify discourse, or, the powers of reasoning.

JOHNSON. 107. She's lim'd,-] She is ensnared and en

tangled as a sparrow with birdlime.

So, in the Spanish Tragedy:

JOHNSON.

"Which sweet conceits are lim'd with sly deceits."

The folio reads She's ta'en.

:

STEEVENS. 110. What fire is in mine ears ?- -] Alluding to a proverbial saying of the common people, that their ears burn, when others are talking of them.

WARBURTON.

The opinion from whence this proverbial saying is derived, is of great antiquity, being thus mentioned by Pliny: "Moreover is not this an opinion generally received, That when our cars do glow and tingle,

some

some there be that in our absence do talke of us." Philemon Holland's Translation, B. XXVIII. p. 297, and Brown's Vulgar Errors. REED.

115. Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand;] This image is taken from falconry. She had been charged with being as wild as haggards of the rock; she therefore says, that wild as her heart is, she will tame it to the hand. JOHNSON.

124. Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new gloss of your marriage, as to shew a child his new coat, and forbid him to wear it.] So, in Romeo and Juliet:

"As is the night before some festival,

"To an impatient child, that hath new robes, "And may not wear them."

STEEVENS.

130. the little hangman dare not shoot at him:] This character of Cupid came from the Arcadia of sir Philip Sidney:

"Millions of yeares this old drivell Cupid lives;

"While still more wretch, more wicked he doth

prove:

" 'Till now at length that Jove him office gives, "(At-Juno's suite who much did Argus love) "In this our world a hangman for to be

"Of all those fooles that will have all they see." B. II. ch. 14. FARMER.

131. --as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper; &c.] A covert allusion to the old proverb:

"As

"As the fool thinketh

"So the bell clinketh."

STEEVENS.

150. There is no appearance of fancy, &c.] Here is a play upon the word fancy, which Shakspere uses for love, as well as for humour, caprice, or affectation.

JOHNSON.

154. -all slops.] Slops are large loose breeches or trowsers, worn only by sailors at present. They are mentioned by Jonson, in his Alchymist:

"Bigger than three Dutch hoys." Again, in Ram Alley, or Merry Tricks, 1611:

-three pounds in gold

"These slops contain.'

STEEVENS.

164. and the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuff'd tennis-balls.] So, in A wonderful, strange, and miraculous astrological Prognostication for this Year of our Lord 1591; written by Nashe, in ridicule of Richard Harvey: "they may sell their haire by the pound to stuffe tennice balles."

STEEVENS.

Again, in Ram Alley, or Merry Tricks, 1611, "Thy beard shall serve to stuff those balls by which

I get me heat at Tenice."

Gentle Craft, 1600.

"He shave it off, and stuffe tenice balles with it.” HENDERSON.

186. She shall be buried with her face upwards.] Thus the whole set of editions; but what, is there any way particular in this? Are not all men and women buried so? Sure, the poet means, in opposition to

the

the general rule, and by way of distinction, with her heels upwards, or face downwards. I have chosen the first reading, because I find it the expression in vogue in our author's time. THEOBALD.

This emendation, which appears to me very specious, is rejected by Dr. Warburton.

JOHNSON. Theobald's conjecture may, however, be supported by a passage in The Wild Goose Chace of Beaumont and Fletcher:

-love cannot starve me:

"For if I die o'th' first fit, I am unhappy,

"And worthy to be buried with my heels upwards." The passage, indeed, may mean only- She shall be buried in her lover's arms. So, in The Winter's Tale : "Flo. What? like a corse?

"Per. No, like a bank for love to lie and

play on;

Not like a corse:or if,-not to be buried,· But quick and in my arms. STEEVENS. 228. Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every man's Hero.] Dryden has transplanted this sarcasm into his All for Love:

"Your Cleopatra; Dolabella's Cleopatra; every man's Cleopatra.” STEEVENS.

258. Well, give them their charge,] To charge his fellows, seems to have been a regular part of the duty of the constable of the Watch. So, in A New Trick to cheat the Devil, 1639: "My watch is setcharge given and all at peace." Again, in The Insatiate Countess, by Marston, 1603: "Come on, my

hearts;

hearts; we are the city's security-I'll give you your MALONE.

charge.

293. -bills be not stolen !] A bill is still carried by the watchmen at Litchfield. It was the old weapon of English infantry, which, says Temple, gave the most ghastly and deplorable wounds. It may be called securis falcata. JOHNSON. These weapons are mentioned in Glapthorne's Wit in a Constable, 1639:

"You're chatting wisely o'er your bills and lanthorns,

"As becomes watchmen of discretion."

Again, in Arden of Feversham, 1592:

-the watch

"Are coming tow'rd our house with glaives and

bills."

For examples of ancient bills, see the print.

STEEVENS.

217. If you hear a child cry, &c ] It is not impossible but that part of this scene was intended as a burlesque on The Statute of the Streets, imprinted by Wolfe, in 1595. Among these I find the following;

22. "No man shall blowe any horne in the night, within this cittie, or whistle after the houre of nyne of the clock in the night, under the paine of impri

sonment."

23. "No man shall use to goe with visoures, or disguised by night, under the like paine of imprison ment."