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Hoft. You will not pay for the glaffes you have burft? Sly. No, not a denier: go by, Jeronimothy cold bed, and warm thee'.

go to

Hoft. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the Thirdborough *.

4

Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law; I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Falls afleep.

3 Go by S. Jeronimy, go to thy cold Bed, and warm thee.] All the Editions have coined a Saint here, for Sly to fwear by. But the Poet had no fuch Intentions. › The Paffage has particular Humour in it, and must have been very pleafing at that time of day. But I muft clear up a Piece of Stage hiftory, to make it underfood. There is a fuftian old Play, call'd, Hieronymo; Or, The Spanish Tragedy; which, I find, was the common Butt of Rallery to all the Poets of Shake Speare's Time: and a Paffage, that appear'd very ridiculous in that Play, is here humorously alluded to. Hieronymo, thinking himfelf injur'd, applies to the King for Juftice; but the Courtiers, who did not defire his Wrongs fhould be fet in a true Light, attempt to hinder him

from an Audience.

Hiero. Juftice, ob! juftice to
Hieronymo.
Lor. Back

- See'ft thou not, the King is bufy? Hiero. Oh, is befo? King. Who is He that interrupts our Bufinefs? Hiero. Not 1: Hieronymo, beware; go by, go by. So Sly here, not caring to be dan'd by the Hoftefs, cries to her in Effect. "Don't be trouble

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borough.

Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth Borough, &c.] This corrupt reading had pafs'd down through all the Copies, and none of the Editors pretended to guess at the Poet's Conceit. What an infipid, unmeaning Reply does Sly make to his Hofte/s? How do third, or fourth, or fifth Borough relate to Headborough? The Author intended but a poor Witticism, and even That is loft. The Hofefs would fay, that fhe'll fetch a Conftable and this Officer the calls by his other Name, a Thirdborough: and upon this Term Sly founds the Conundrum in his. Answer to her. Who does not perceive, at a fingle glance, fome Conceit ftarted by this certain Correction? There is an Attempt: at Wit, tolerable enough for a Tinker, and one drunk too. Third borough is a Saxon-Term fufficiently explain'd by the Glof faries and in our Statute books, no farther back than the 28th Year of Henry VIIIth, we find it used to fignify a Constable.

THEOBALD.

SCENES

SCENE II.

Wind borns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a Train.

Lord. Huntfman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds,

Brach, Merriman, the poor cur is imbost ';

And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd Brach.
Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good,
At the hedge-corner in the coldeft fault?
I would not lofe the dog for twenty pound.

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my Lord; He cried upon it at the meerest loss,

And twice to day pick'd out the dulleft fcent:
Truft me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet,

I would esteem him worth a dozen fuch.
But fup them well, and look unto them all,
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my Lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? fee, doth

he breathe?

4

2 Hun. He breathes, my Lord. Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold, to fleep fo foundly,

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies! -Grim death, how foul and loathfome is thy image! Sirs, I will practife on this drunken man. What think you, if he were convey'd to bed, Wrapt in fweet cloaths; rings put upon his fingers; A moft delicious banquet by his bed,

5 Brach, Merriman,] Sir T. Hanmer reads, Leech Merriman, that is, apply fame remedies to Merriman, the poor cur has his joints fwelled. Perhaps we might read, bathe Merriman, which is

B 3

I believe the common practice of
huntfmen, but the present read-
ing may
ftand

tender well my bounds, Brach-Merriman the poor cur is imboft.

And

And brave attendants near him, when he wakes
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, Lord, I think he cannot chufe. 2 Hun. It would feem ftrange unto him, when he wak'd.

Lord. Even as a flatt'ring dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jeft:
Carry him gently to my faireft chamber,

And hang it round with all my wanton pictures;
Balm his foul head with warm diftilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging fweet.
Procure me mufic ready, when he wakes,

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To make a dulcet and a heav'nly found;
And if he chance to fpeak, be ready ftraight,
And with a low fubmiffive reverence
Say, what is it your Honour will command;
Let one attend him with a filver bafon

Full of rose water, and bestrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer; a third a diaper;

And say, will't please your Lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a coftly fuit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horse,
And that his Lady mourns at his disease ;
Perfuade him, that he hath been lunatick,
And when he fays he is,fay, that he dreams;
For he is nothing but a mighty Lord.
This do, and do it kindly, gentle Sirs:
It will be paftime paffing excellent,
If it be hufbanded with modefty".

1 Hun. My Lord, I warrant you, we'll play our

part,

As he fhall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we fay he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him;

modefty.] By modefty is meant moderation without fuffering

our merriment to break into any excess.

And

And each one to his Office, when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly. Sound Trumpets.

Sirrah, go fee what trumpet is that founds

Belike, fome noble gentleman that means, [Ex. Servant. Travelling fome journey, to repofe him here.

S CEN E III.

Re-enter a Servant,

How now? who is it?

Ser. An't please your Honour, Players That offer Service to your lordship.

Lord. Bid them come near:

Enter Players.

Now, Fellows, you are welcome.
Play. We thank your Honour.

Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night?
2 Play. So please your Lordship to accept our duty
Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember,
Since once he play'd a farmer's eldest fon:
'Twas where you woo'd the gentlewoman fo well:
I have forgot your name; but, fure, that part
Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.
Sim. I think, 'twas Soto that your Honour means'.
Lord. 'Tis very true; thou didst it excellent:
Well, you are come to me in happy time,
The rather for I have fome sport in hand,
Wherein your cunning can affift me much.

* It was in thofe times the cuftom of players to travel in companies, and offer their fervice at great houfes.

7 Ithink, 'twas Soto] I take our Author here to be paying a Compliment to Beaumont and Fletcher's Women pleas'd, in which Comedy there is the Character of Soto, who is a Farmer's Son,

B 4

and a very facetious Servingman. Mr. Rozie and Mr. Pope prefix the Name of Sim to the Line here fpoken; but the first folio has it Sinckio; which, no doubt, was the Name of one of the Players here introduc'd, and who had play'd the Part of Soto with Applaufe.

THEOBALD.
There

There is a Lord will hear you play to-night;
But I am doubtful of your modefties,
Left, over-eying of his odd Behaviour
(For yet his honour never heard a Play)
You break into fome merry Paffion,
And fo offend him; for I tell you, Sirs,
If you should smile, he grows impatient.

Play. Fear not, my lord, we can contain ourselves; Were he the verieft antick in the world.

2 Play. [to the other. ] Go get a Dishclout to make clean your shoes; and I'll fpeak for the properties. [Exit Player. My lord, we must have fhoulder of mutton for a property, and a little Vinegar to make our devil roarꞌ. Lord. Go, firrah, take them to the buttery, And give them friendly welcome, every one: Let them want nothing that the house affords.

[Exit one with the Players,

Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew my page,
And fee him dreft in all fuits like a lady.

That done, conduct him to the drunkard's chamber,
And call him Madam, do him all obeisance.
Tell him from me (as he will win my love)
He bear himself with honourable action,

Property, in the language of a play house, is every implement neceffary to the exhibition.

9 A little Vinegar to make our devil roar.] When the acting the mysteries of the old and new teftament was in vogue; at the reprefentation of the mystery of the Paffion, Judas and the Devil made à part. And the Devil, wherever he came, was always to fuffer fome difgrace, to make the people laugh: As here the buffoonery was to apply the gall and vinegar to make him roar.

And the Paffion being that, of
all the myfteries, which was most
frequently reprefented, vinegar
became at length the ftanding
implement to torment the De-
vil: And ufed for this purpose
even after the mysteries ceased,
and the moralities came in vogue;
where the Devil continued to
have a confiderable part.
The mention of it here was to
ridicule fo abfurd a circumstance
in thefe old farces.

WARBURTON,

Such

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