The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe - HTML preview

Notes

 

[1] Heywood dedicates the First Part of THE IRON AGE (printed 1632) "To my Worthy and much Respected Friend, Mr. Thomas Hammon, of Grayes Inne, Esquire."

[2] Tho. Heywood]  The well-known dramatist.

[3] censures] i.e. judgments.

[4] bin] i.e. been.

[5] best of poets] "Marlo."  Marg. note in old ed.

[6] best of actors] "Allin."  Marg. note in old. ed.--Any account of the celebrated actor, Edward Alleyn, the founder of Dulwich College, would be superfluous here.

[7] In HERO AND LEANDER, &c.] The meaning is--The one (Marlowe) gained a lasting memory by being the author of HERO AND LEANDER; while the other (Alleyn) wan the attribute of peerless by playing the parts of Tamburlaine, the Jew of Malta, &c.-The passage happens to be mispointed in the old ed. thus,

    "In Hero and Leander, one did gaine

     A lasting memorie:  in Tamberlaine,

     This Jew, with others many:  th' other wan," &c.

and hence Mr. Collier, in his HIST. OF ENG. DRAM. POET. Iii. 114, understood the words,

    "in Tamburlaine,

     This Jew, with others many,"

as applying to Marlowe:  he afterwards, however, in his MEMOIRS OF ALLEYN, p. 9, suspected that the punctuation of the old ed. might be wrong,--which it doubtless is.

[8] him] "Perkins."  Marg. note in old ed.--"This was Richard Perkins, one of the performers belonging to the Cock-pit theatre in Drury-Lane.  His name is printed among those who acted in HANNIBAL AND SCIPIO by Nabbes, THE WEDDING by Shirley, and THE FAIR MAID OF THE WEST by Heywood.  After the play-houses were shut up on account of the confusion arising from the civil wars, Perkins and Sumner, who belonged to the same house, lived together at Clerkenwell, where they died and were buried.  They both died some years before the Restoration.  See THE DIALOGUE ON PLAYS AND PLAYERS [Dodsley's OLD PLAYS, 1. clii., last ed.]." REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).  Perkins acted a prominent part in Webster's WHITE DEVIL, when it was first brought on the stage, --perhaps Brachiano (for Burbadge, who was celebrated in Brachiano, does not appear to have played it originally):  in a notice to the reader at the end of that tragedy Webster says; "In particular I must remember the well-approved industry of my friend Master Perkins, and confess the worth of his action did crown both the beginning and end."  About 1622-3 Perkins belonged to the Red Bull theatre:  about 1637 he joined the company at Salisbury Court:  see Webster's WORKS, note, p. 51, ed. Dyce, 1857.

[9] prize was play'd] This expression (so frequent in our early writers) is properly applied to fencing:  see Steevens's note on Shakespeare's MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, act. i. sc. 1.

[10] no wagers laid] "Wagers as to the comparative merits of rival actors in particular parts were not unfrequent of old," &c. Collier (apud Dodsley's O. P.).  See my ed. of Peele's WORKS, i. x. ed. 1829; and Collier's MEMOIRS OF ALLEYN, p. 11.

[11] the Guise] "i.e. the Duke of Guise, who had been the principal contriver and actor in the horrid massacre of St. Bartholomew's day, 1572.  He met with his deserved fate, being assassinated, by order of the French king, in 1588." REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).  And see our author's MASSACRE AT PARIS.

[12] empery] Old ed. "Empire."

[13] the Draco's] "i.e. the severe lawgiver of Athens; 'whose statutes,' said Demades, 'were not written with ink, but blood.'" STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).--Old ed. "the Drancus."

[14] had] Qy. "had BUT"?

[15] a lecture here] Qy. "a lecture TO YOU here"?

[16] Act I.] The Scenes of this play are not marked in the old ed.; nor in the present edition,--because occasionally (where the audience were to SUPPOSE a change of place, it was impossible to mark them.

[17] Samnites] Old ed. "Samintes."

[18] silverlings] When Steevens (apud Dodsley's O. P.) called this "a diminutive, to express the Jew's contempt of a metal inferior in value to gold," he did not know that the word occurs in Scripture:  "a thousand vines at a thousand SILVERLINGS." ISAIAH, vii. 23.--Old ed. "siluerbings."

[19] Tell] i.e. count.

[20] seld-seen] i.e. seldom-seen.

[21] Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill?] "It was anciently believed that this bird (the king-fisher), if hung up, would vary with the wind, and by that means shew from what quarter it blew." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.),--who refers to the note on the following passage of Shakespeare's KING LEAR, act ii. sc. 2;

    "Renege, affirm, and turn their HALCYON BEAKS      With every gale and vary of their masters," &c.

[22] custom them] "i.e. enter the goods they contain at the Custom-house."  STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[23] But] Old ed. "By."

[24] fraught] i.e. freight.

[25] scambled] i.e. scrambled. (Coles gives in his DICT. "To SCAMBLE, certatim arripere"; and afterwards renders

"To scramble" by the very same Latin words.)

[26] Enter three JEWS] A change of scene is supposed here,

--to a street or to the Exchange.

[27] Fond] i.e. Foolish.

[28] Aside] Mr. Collier (apud Dodsley's O. P.), mistaking the purport of this stagedirection (which, of course, applies only to the words "UNTO MYSELF"), proposed an alteration of the text.

[29] BARABAS. Farewell, Zaareth, &c.] Old ed. "Iew. DOE SO; Farewell Zaareth," &c.  But "Doe so" is evidently a stage- direction which has crept into the text, and which was intended to signify that the Jews DO "take their leaves" of Barabas: --here the old ed. has no "EXEUNT."

[30] Turk has] So the Editor of 1826.--Old ed. "Turkes haue": but see what follows.

[31] Ego mihimet sum semper proximus] The words of Terence are "Proximus sum egomet mihi." ANDRIA, iv. 1. 12.

[32] Exit] The scene is now supposed to be changed to the interior of the Council-house.

[33] bassoes] i.e. bashaws.

[34] governor] Old ed. "Gouernours" here, and several times after in this scene.

[35] CALYMATH. Stand all aside, &c.] "The Governor and the Maltese knights here consult apart, while Calymath gives these directions." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[36] happily] i.e. haply.

[37] Officer] Old ed. "Reader."

[38] denies] i.e. refuses.

[39] convertite] "i.e. convert, as in Shakespeare's KING JOHN, act v. sc. 1." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[40] Then we'll take, &c.] In the old ed. this line forms a portion of the preceding speech.

[41] ecstasy] Equivalent here to--violent emotion.  "The word was anciently used to signify some degree of alienation of mind." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[42] Exeunt three Jews] On their departure, the scene is supposed to be changed to a street near the house of Barabas.

[43] reduce] If the right reading, is equivalent to--repair. But qy. "redress"?

[44] fond] "i.e. foolish." REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[45] portagues] Portuguese gold coins, so called.

[46] sect] "i.e. sex.  SECT and SEX were, in our ancient dramatic writers, used synonymously."  REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[47] Enter FRIAR JACOMO, &c.] Old ed. "Enter three Fryars and two Nuns:"  but assuredly only TWO Friars figure in this play.

[48] Abb.] In the old ed. the prefix to this speech is "1 Nun," and to the next speech but one "Nun."  That both speeches belong to the Abbess is quite evident.

[49] Sometimes] Equivalent here (as frequently in our early writers) to--Sometime.

[50] forgive me--] Old ed. "GIUE me--"

[51] thus] After this word the old ed. has "†",--to signify, perhaps, the motion which Barabas was to make here with his hand.

[52] forget not] Qy. "forget IT not"

[53] Enter BARABAS, with a light] The scene is now before the house of Barabas, which has been turned into a nunnery.

[54] Thus, like the sad-presaging raven, that tolls      The sick man's passport in her hollow beak] Mr. Collier (HIST. OF ENG. DRAM. POET. iii. 136) remarks that these lines are cited (with some variation, and from memory, as the present play was not printed till 1633) in an epigram on T. Deloney, in Guilpin's SKIALETHEIA OR THE SHADOWE OF TRUTH, 1598,--

    "LIKE TO THE FATALL OMINOUS RAVEN, WHICH TOLLS

     THE SICK MAN'S DIRGE WITHIN HIS HOLLOW BEAKE,

     So every paper-clothed post in Poules

     To thee, Deloney, mourningly doth speake," &c.

[55] of] i.e. on.

[56] wake] Old ed. "walke."

[57] Bueno para todos mi ganado no era] Old ed. "Birn para todos, my ganada no er."

[58] But stay:  what star shines yonder in the east, &c.] Shakespeare, it would seem, recollected this passage, when he wrote,--

    "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

     It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!"

          ROMEO AND JULIET, act ii. sc. 2.

[59] Hermoso placer de los dineros] Old ed. "Hormoso Piarer, de les Denirch."

[60] Enter Ferneze, &c.] The scene is the interior of the Council-house.

[61] entreat] i.e. treat.

[62] vail'd not] "i.e. did not strike or lower our flags." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[63] Turkish] Old ed. "Spanish."

[64] luff'd and tack'd] Old ed. "LEFT, and TOOKE."

[65] stated] i.e. estated, established, stationed.

[66] Enter OFFICERS, &c.] The scene being the market-place.

[67] Poor villains, such as were] Old ed. "SUCH AS poore villaines were", &c.

[68] into] i.e. unto:  see note , p. 15.

    [note , p. 15, The First Part of Tamburlaine the Great:

    " into] Used here (as the word was formerly often used)

     for UNTO."]

[69] city] The preceding editors have not questioned this word, which I believe to be a misprint.

[70] foil'd]=filed, i.e. defiled.

[71] I'll have a saying to that nunnery] Compare Barnaby Barnes's DIVILS CHARTER, 1607;

    "Before I do this seruice, lie there, peece;

     For I must HAUE A SAYING to those bottels.  HE DRINKETH.

     True stingo; stingo, by mine honour.*   *   *

     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

     I must HAUE A SAYING to you, sir, I must, though you be prouided for his Holines owne mouth; I will be bould to be the Popes taster by his leaue." Sig. K 3.

[72] plates] "i.e. pieces of silver money." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).--Old ed. "plats."

[73] Slave] To the speeches of this Slave the old ed. prefixes "Itha." and "Ith.", confounding him with Ithamore.

[74] Lady Vanity] So Jonson in his FOX, act ii. sc. 3.,

    "Get you a cittern, LADY VANITY,

     And be a dealer with the virtuous man," &c.;

and in his DEVIL IS AN ASS, act i. sc. 1.,--

    "SATAN. What Vice?

     PUG. Why, any:  Fraud,

     Or Covetousness, or LADY VANITY,

     Or old Iniquity."

[75] Katharine] Old ed. "MATER."--The name of Mathias's mother was, as we afterwards learn, Katharine.

[76] stay] i.e. forbear, break off our conversation.

[77] was] Qy. "was BUT"?

[78] O, brave, master] The modern editors strike out the comma after "BRAVE", understanding that word as an epithet to "MASTER": but compare what Ithamore says to Barabas in act iv.:  "That's BRAVE, MASTER," p. 165, first col.

[79] your nose] An allusion to the large artificial nose, with which Barabas was represented on the stage.  See the passage cited from W. Rowley's SEARCH FOR MONEY, 1609, in the ACCOUNT OF MARLOWE AND HIS WRITINGS.

[80] Ure] i.e. use, practice.

[81] a-good] "i.e. in good earnest.  Tout de bon."  REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[82] Enter LODOWICK] A change of scene supposed here,--to the outside of Barabas's house.

[83] vow love to him] Old ed. "vow TO LOUE him":  but compare, in Barabas's next speech but one, "And she VOWS LOVE TO HIM," &c.

[84] made sure] i.e. affianced.

[85] Ludovico] Old ed. "Lodowicke."--In act iii. we have,

    "I fear she knows--'tis so--of my device

     In Don Mathias' and LODOVICO'S deaths."  p. 162, sec. col.

[86] happily] i.e. haply.

[87] unsoil'd] "Perhaps we ought to read 'unfoil'd', consistently with what Barabas said of her before under the figure of a jewel--

     'The diamond that I talk of NE'ER WAS FOIL'D'." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

 But see that passage, p. 155, sec. col., and note .[i.e. note 70.]

[88] cross] i.e. piece of money (many coins being marked with a cross on one side).

[89] thou] Old ed. "thee."

[90] resolv'd] "i.e. satisfied." GILCHRIST (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[91] Enter BELLAMIRA] She appears, we may suppose, in a veranda or open portico of her house (that the scene is not the interior of the house, is proved by what follows).

[92]     Enter MATHIAS. MATHIAS. This is the place, &c.] The scene is some pert of the town, as Barabas appears "ABOVE,"--in the balcony of a house. (He stood, of course, on what was termed the upper-stage.)

Old ed. thus;

    "Enter MATHIAS.

Math. This is the place, now Abigail shall see

Whether Mathias holds her deare or no.

     Enter Lodow. reading.

Math. What, dares the villain write in such base terms?

Lod. I did it, and reuenge it if thou dar'st."

[93] Lodovico] Old ed. "Lodowicke."--See note *, p. 158.[i.e. note 85.]

[94] tall] i.e. bold, brave.

[95] What sight is this!] i.e. What A sight is this! Our early writers often omit the article in such exclamations:  compare Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR, act i. sc. 3, where Casca says,

    "Cassius, WHAT NIGHT IS THIS!"

(after which words the modern editors improperly retain the interrogation-point of the first folio).

[96] Lodovico] Old ed. "Lodowicke."

[97] These arms of mine shall be thy sepulchre] So in Shakespeare's THIRD PART OF KING HENRY VI., act ii. sc. 5, the Father says to the dead Son whom he has killed in battle,

    "THESE ARMS OF MINE shall be thy winding-sheet;

     My heart, sweet boy, SHALL BE THY SEPULCHRE,"--

lines, let me add, not to be found in THE TRUE TRAGEDIE OF RICHARD DUKE OF YORKE, on which Shakespeare formed that play.

[98] Katharine] Old ed. "Katherina."

[99] Enter ITHAMORE] The scene a room in the house of Barabas.

[100] held in hand] i.e. kept in expectation, having their hopes flattered.

[101] bottle-nosed] See note †, p. 157.[i.e. note 79.]

[102] Jaques] Old ed. "Iaynes."

[103] sire] Old ed. "sinne" (which, modernised to "sin", the editors retain, among many other equally obvious errors of the old copy).

[104] As] Old ed. "And."

[105] Enter BARABAS] The scene is still within the house of Barabas; but some time is supposed to have elapsed since the preceding conference between Abigail and Friar Jacomo.

[106] pretendeth] Equivalent to PORTENDETH; as in our author's FIRST BOOK OF LUCAN, "And which (ay me) ever PRETENDETH ill," &c.

[107] self] Old ed. "life" (the compositor's eye having caught "life" in the preceding line).

[108] 'less] Old ed. "least."

[109] Well said] See note *, p. 69.

    [note *, p. 69, The Second Part of Tamburlaine the Great:

    "* Well said] Equivalent to--Well done! as appears from

     innumerable passages of our early writers:  see, for

     instances, my ed. of Beaumont and Fletcher's WORKS, vol. i.

     328, vol. ii. 445, vol. viii. 254."]

[110] the proverb says, &c.] A proverb as old as Chaucer's time: see the SQUIERES TALE, v. 10916, ed. Tyrwhitt.

[111] batten] i.e. fatten.

[112] pot] Old ed. "plot."

[113] thou shalt have broth by the eye] "Perhaps he means--thou shalt SEE how the broth that is designed for thee is made, that no mischievous ingredients enter its composition.  The passage is, however, obscure." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).--"BY THE EYE" seems to be equivalent to--in abundance.  Compare THE CREED of Piers Ploughman:

    "Grey grete-heded quenes

     With gold BY THE EIGHEN."

v. 167, ed. Wright (who has no note on the expression):  and Beaumont and Fletcher's KNIGHT OF THE BURNING PESTLE, act ii. sc. 2; "here's money and gold BY TH' EYE, my boy."  In Fletcher's BEGGARS' BUSH, act iii. sc. 1, we find, "Come, English beer, hostess, English beer BY THE BELLY!"

[114] In few] i.e. in a few words, in short.

[115] hebon] i.e. ebony, which was formerly supposed to be a deadly poison.

[116] Enter FERNEZE, &c.] The scene is the interior of the Council-house.

[117] basso] Old ed. "Bashaws" (the printer having added an S by mistake), and in the preceding stage-direction, and in the fifth speech of this scene, "Bashaw":  but in an earlier scene (see p. 148, first col.) we have "bassoes" (and see our author's TAMBURLAINE, PASSIM).

    [From p. 148, this play:

    "Enter FERNEZE governor of Malta, KNIGHTS, and OFFICERS;

     met by CALYMATH, and BASSOES of the TURK."]

[118] the resistless banks] i.e. the banks not able to resist.

[119] basilisks] See note , p. 25.

    [note , p. 25, The First Part of Tamburlaine the Great:

    "basilisks] Pieces of ordnance so called.  They were of

     immense size; see Douce's ILLUST. OF SHAKESPEARE, i. 425."]

[120] Enter FRIAR JACOMO, &c.] Scene, the interior of the Nunnery.

[121] convers'd with me] She alludes to her conversation with Jacomo, p. 162, sec. col.

    [p. 162, second column, this play:

    "ABIGAIL. Welcome, grave friar.--Ithamore, be gone.

          [Exit ITHAMORE.]

     Know, holy sir, I am bold to solicit thee.

     FRIAR JACOMO. Wherein?"]

[122] envied] i.e. hated.

[123] practice] i.e. artful contrivance, stratagem.

[124] crucified a child] A crime with which the Jews were often charged.  "Tovey, in his ANGLIA JUDAICA, has given the several instances which are upon record of these charges against the Jews; which he observes they were never accused of, but at such times as the king was manifestly in great want of money."  REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[125] Enter BARABAS, &c.] Scene a street.

[126] to] Which the Editor of 1826 deliberately altered to "like," means--compared to, in comparison of.

[127] Cazzo] Old ed. "catho."--See Florio's WORLDE OF WORDES (Ital. and Engl. Dict.) ed. 1598, in v.--"A petty oath, a cant exclamation, generally expressive, among the Italian populace, who have it constantly in their mouth, of defiance or contempt." Gifford's note on Jonson's WORKS, ii. 48.

[128] nose] See note †, p. 157.[i.e. note 79.]

[129] inmate] Old ed. "inmates."

[130] the burden of my sins Lie heavy, &c.] One of the modern editors altered "LIE" to "Lies":  but examples of similar phraseology,--of a nominative singular followed by a plural verb when a plural genitive intervenes,--are common in our early writers; see notes on Beaumont and Fletcher's WORKS, vol. v. 7, 94, vol. ix. 185, ed. Dyce.

[131] sollars] "i.e. lofts, garrets." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[132] untold] i.e. uncounted.--Old ed. "vnsold."

[133] BARABAS. This is mere frailty:  brethren, be content.-- Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore: You know my mind; let me alone with him.

FRIAR JACOMO. Why does he go to thy house? let him be gone]

Old ed. thus;

"BAR. This is meere frailty, brethren, be content.

Fryar Barnardine goe you with Ithimore.

ITH. You know my mind, let me alone with him;

Why does he goe to thy house, let him begone."

[134] the Turk] "Meaning Ithamore." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.).  Compare the last line but one of Barabas's next speech.

[135] covent] i.e. convent.

[136] Therefore 'tis not requisite he should live] Lest the

reader should suspect that the author wrote,

    "Therefore 'tis requisite he should not live,"

I may observe that we have had before (p. 152, first col.)

a similar form of expression,--

    "It is not necessary I be seen."

[137] fair] See note §, p. 15.['15' sic.]

    [note §, p. 13, The First Part of Tamburlaine the Great:

    "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."]

[138] shall be done] Here a change of scene is supposed, to the interior of Barabas's house.

[139] Friar, awake] Here, most probably, Barabas drew a curtain, and discovered the sleeping Friar.

[140] have] Old ed. "saue."

[141] What time o' night is't now, sweet Ithamore?

      ITHAMORE. Towards one] Might be adduced, among other passages, to shew that the modern editors are right when they print in Shakespeare's KING JOHN. act iii. sc. 3,

                          "If the midnight bell

     Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,

     Sound ONE into the drowsy ear of NIGHT," &c.

[142] Enter FRIAR JACOMO] The scene is now before Barabas's house,--the audience having had to SUPPOSE that the body of Barnardine, which Ithamore had set upright, was standing outside the door.

[143] proceed] Seems to be used here as equivalent to--succeed.

[144] on's] i.e. of his.

[145] Enter BELLAMIRA, &c.] The scene, as in p. 160, a veranda or open portico of Bellamira's house.

    [p. 160, this play:

    "     Enter BELLAMIRA.[91]

     BELLAMIRA. Since this town was besieg'd," etc.]

[146] tall] Which our early dramatists generally use in the sense of--bold, brave (see note , p. 161),[i.e. note 94] is here perhaps equivalent to--handsome. ("Tall or SEMELY." PROMPT. PARV. ed. 1499.)

[147] neck-verse] i.e. the verse (generally the beginning of the 51st Psalm, MISERERE MEI, &c.) read by a criminal to entitle him to benefit of clergy.

[148] of] i.e. on.

[149] exercise] i.e. sermon, preaching.

[150] with a muschatoes] i.e. with a pair of mustachios.  The modern editors print "with MUSTACHIOS," and "with a MUSTACHIOS": but compare,--

    "My Tuskes more stiffe than are a Cats MUSCHATOES."

          S. Rowley's NOBLE SPANISH SOLDIER, 1634, Sig. C.

    "His crow-black MUCHATOES."

          THE BLACK BOOK,--Middleton's WORKS, v. 516, ed. Dyce.

[151] Turk of tenpence] An expression not unfrequently used by our early writers.  So Taylor in some verses on Coriat;

    "That if he had A TURKE OF TENPENCE bin," &c.

          WORKES, p. 82, ed. 1630.

And see note on Middleton's WORKS, iii. 489, ed. Dyce.

[152] you know] Qy. "you know, SIR,"?

[153] I'll make him, &c.] Old ed. thus:

    "I'le make him send me half he has, & glad he scapes so too.

     PEN AND INKE:

     I'll write vnto him, we'le haue mony strait."

There can be no doubt that the words "Pen and inke" were a direction to the property-man to have those articles on the stage.

[154] cunning] i.e. skilfully prepared.--Old ed. "running."

(The MAIDS are supposed to hear their mistress' orders WITHIN.)

[155] Shalt live with me, and be my love] A line, slightly varied, of Marlowe's wellknown song.  In the preceding line, the absurdity of "by Dis ABOVE" is, of course, intentional.

[156] beard] Old ed. "sterd."

[157] give me a ream of paper:  we'll have a kingdom of gold for't] A quibble.  REALM was frequently written ream;  and frequently (as the following passages shew), even when the former spelling was given, the L was not sounded;

    "Vpon the siluer bosome of the STREAME

     First gan faire Themis shake her amber locks,

     Whom all the Nimphs that waight on Neptunes REALME

     Attended from the hollowe of the rocks."

          Lodge's SCILLAES METAMORPHOSIS, &c. 1589, Sig. A 2.

    "How he may surest stablish his new conquerd REALME,

     How of his glorie fardest to deriue the STREAME."

          A HERINGS TAYLE, &c. 1598, Sig. D 3.

    "Learchus slew his brother for the crowne;

     So did Cambyses fearing much the DREAME;

     Antiochus, of infamous renowne,

     His brother slew, to rule alone the REALME."

          MIROUR FOR MAGISTRATES, p. 78, ed. 1610.

[158] runs division] "A musical term [of very common occurrence]."  STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

[159] Enter BARABAS] The scene certainly seems to be now the interior of Barabas's house, notwithstanding what he presently says to Pilia-Borza (p. 171, sec. col.), "Pray, when, sir, shall I see you at my house?"

[160] tatter'd] Old ed. "totter'd":  but in a passage of our author's EDWARD THE SECOND the two earliest 4tos have "TATTER'D robes":--and yet Reed in a note on that passage (apud Dodsley's OLD PLAYS, where the reading of the third 4to, "tottered robes", is followed) boldly declares that "in every writer of this period the word was spelt TOTTERED"! The truth is, it was spelt sometimes one way, sometimes the other.

[161] catzery] i.e. cheating, roguery.  It is formed from CATSO (CAZZO, see note *, p. 166 [i.e. note 127]), which our early writers used, not only as an exclamation, but as an opprobrious term.

[162] cross-biting] i.e. swindling (a cant term).--Something has dropt out here.

[163] tale] i.e. reckoning.

[164] what he writes for you] i.e. the hundred crowns to be given to the bearer:  see p. 170, sec. col. [p. 170, second column, this play:

    "ITHAMORE. [writing] SIRRAH JEW, AS YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE,

     SEND ME FIVE HUNDRED CROWNS, AND GIVE THE BEARER A HUNDRED.

     --Tell him I must have't."]

[165] I should part] Qy. "I E'ER should part"?

[166] rid] i.e. despatch, destroy.

[167] Enter BELLAMIRA, &c.] They are supposed to be sitting in a veranda or open portico of Bellamira's house:  see note *, p. 168.[i.e. note 145.]

[168] Of] i.e. on.

[169] BELLAMIRA.] Old ed. "Pil."

[170] Rivo Castiliano] The origin of this Bacchanalian exclamation has not been discovered.  RIVO generally is used alone; but, among passages parallel to that of our text, is the following one (which has been often cited),--

    "And RYUO will he cry and CASTILE too."

          LOOKE ABOUT YOU, 1600, Sig. L. 4.

A writer in THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW, vol. xliii. 53, thinks that it "is a misprint for RICO-CASTELLANO, meaning a Spaniard belonging to the class of RICOS HOMBRES, and the phrase therefore is--

    'Hey, NOBLE CASTILIAN, a man's a man!'

'I can pledge like a man and drink like a man, MY WORTHY TROJAN;' as some of our farce-writers would say." But the frequent occurrence of RIVO in various authors proves that it is NOT a misprint.

[171] he] Old ed. "you".

[172] and he and I, snicle hand too fast, strangled a friar] There is surely some corruption here.  Steevens (apud Dodsley's O. P.) proposes to read "hand TO FIST".  Gilchrist (ibid.) observes, "a snicle is a north-country word for a noose, and when a person is hanged, they say he is snicled."  See too, in V. SNICKLE, Forby's VOC. OF EAST ANGLIA, and the CRAVEN DIALECT.--The Rev. J. Mitford proposes the following (very violent) alteration of this passage;

    "Itha. I carried the broth