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But from this lady may proceed a gem,
To lighten all this ifle ?-I'll to the king,
And fay, I fpoke with you.

Anne. My honour'd lord. [Exit Lord Chamberlain.
Old L. Why, this it is; see, see !
I have been begging fixteen years in court,
(Am yet a courtier beggarly) nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late,
For any fuit of pounds: and you, O fate!)
A very fresh fish here, (fye, fye upon

This compell'd fortune!) have your mouth fill'd up, Before you open it.

Anne. This is strange to me.

Old L. How tastes it? is it bitter? "forty pence, no.

There was a lady once, ('tis an old story)
That would not be a queen, that would she not,
For all the mud in Egypt*:-Have you heard it?

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To lighten all this ifle?]

Perhaps alluding to the carbuncle, a gem supposed to have intrinfic light, and to shine in the dark; any other gem may reflect light, but cannot give it. JOHNSON.

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So, in Titus Andronicus :

"A precious ring that lightens all the hole." STEEVENS. is it bitter? forty pence, no.] Mr. Roderick, in

his appendix to Mr. Edwards's book, proposes to read :

for two-pence.

The old reading may, however, stand. Forty pence was in those days the proverbial expression of a small wager, or a small fum. Money was then reckoned by pounds, marks, and nobles. Forty pence is half a noble, or the fixth part of a pound. Forty pence, or three and four pence, still remains in many offices the legal and established fee.

So, in All's Well that Ends Well, act II. the clown says, As fit as ten groats for the hand of an attorney.

Again, in The Wild Goose Chace of Beaumont and Fletcher: "Now could I spend my forty pence, "With all my heart."

Again, in Green's Groundwork of Coneycatching:

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-wagers laying, &c. forty pence gaged against a match of wrestling." STEEVENS.

& For all the mud in Egypt :) The fertility of Egypt is derived from the mud and flime of the Nile. STEEVENS.

Anne.

Anne. Come, you are pleasant.
Old L. With your theme, I could
O'er-mount the lark. The marchioness of Pembroke!
A thousand pounds a year! for pure respect;
No other obligation: By my life,

That promifes more thousands: Honour's train
Is longer than his fore-skirt. By this time,
I know, your back will bear a dutchefs ;-Say,
Are you not stronger than you were?

Anne. Good lady,

Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy,
And leave me out on't. 'Would I had no being,
If this falute my blood a jot; it faints me,
To think what follows.

The queen is comfortless, and we forgetful
In our long abfence: Pray, do not deliver
What here you have heard, to her.

Old L. What do you think me?

SCENE IV.

A Hall in Black - Fryars.

[Exeunt.

Trumpets, Sennet, and cornets. Enter two Vergers, with short filver wands ; next them, two Scribes, in

fennet,] Dr. Burney (whose General History of Mufic has been so highly and deservedly applauded) undertook to trace the etymology, and discover the certain meaning of this term, but without success. The following conjecture of his, should not, however, be withheld from the public.

Senné or fennie de l'Allemand fen qui fignifie assemblee. Dict. dé vieux Langage:

"Senne affemblee a fon de cloche." Menage. Perhaps, therefore, says he, fennet may mean a flourish for the purpose of assembling chiefs, or apprizing the people of their approach. I have likewise been informed, (as is elfewhere noted) that fenefte is the name of an antiquated French tune. See Julius Cafar, act I. sc. ii. STEEVENS.

In the second part of Marston's Antonio :

" Cornets found a cynet." FARMER.

R 2

the

the habits of doctors; after them, the Archbishop of Canterbury alone; after him, the Bishops of Lincoln, Ely, Rochester, and faint Afaph; next them, with Some small distance, follows a gentleman bearing the purse, with the great feal, and a cardinal's hat; then two Priests, bearing each a filver crofs; then a Gentleman-usher bare-beaded, acccompanied with a Serjeant at arms, bearing a filver mace; then two Gentlemen, bearing two great filver' pillars; after them, fide by side, the two Cardinals; two Noblemen with the sword and mace. The King takes place under the cloth of state; the two Cardinals fit under him, as judges. The Queen takes place, fome distance from the King. The Bishops place themfelves on each fide the court, in manner of a consistory; below them, the Scribes. The Lords fit next the

** pillars;] Pillars were some of the ensigns of dignity carried before cardinals. Sir Thomas More, when he was speaker to the commons, advised them to admit Wolsey into the house with his maces and his pillars. More's Life of Sir T. More.

JOHNSON.

Skelton, in his Satire against cardinal Wolfey, has these lines:

" With worldly pompe incredible,
" Before him rydeth two prestes stronge;

" And they bear two croffes right longe,

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Gapynge in every man's face :

"After them folowe two laye men secular,
" And each of theym holdyn a pillar,

"In their hondes sleade of a mace."

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STEEVENS.

two great filver pillars.] At the end of Fiddes's Life of Cardinal Wolsey, is a curious letter of Mr. Anstis's on the fubject of the two filver pillars usually borne before Cardinal Wolfey. This remakable piece of pageantry did not escape the notice of Shakspeare. PERCY.

Wolfey had two great croffes of filver, the one of his archbishoprick, the other of his legacy, borne before whitherfoever he went or rode, by two of the tallest priests that he could get within the realm. This is from Vol. III. p. 920, of Holinshed, and it feems from p. 837, that one of the pillars was a token of a cardinal, and perhaps he bore the other pillar as an archbihop. TOLLET.

Bishops. Bishops. The rest of the attendants stand in convenient order about the stage.

:

Wol. Whilft our commission from Rome is read,

Let filence be commanded.

King. What's the need?

It hath already publickly been read,

And on all fides the authority allow'd;

You may then spare that time,

Wol. Be't fo :-Proceed.

Scribe. Say, Henry king of England, come into

the court.

Crier. Henry king of England, &c.

King. Here.

Scribe. Say, Katharine queen of England, come

into the court.

Crier. Katharine queen of England, &c.

[The Queen makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to the King, and kneels at his feet; then speaks.]

Queen. Sir, I defire you do me right and justice; And to bestow your pity on me: for 1 am a most poor woman, and a stranger, Born out of your dominions; having here No judge indifferent, nor no more affurance Of equal friendship and proceeding, Alas, fir, In what have I offended you? what cause Hath my behaviour given to your difpleasure, That thus you should proceed to put me off, And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness, I have been to you a true and humble wife, At all times to your will conformable: Ever in fear to kindle your diņike,

Yea, fubject to your countenance; glad, or forry,

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Sir, I defire you do me right and justice; &c.] This speech of the queen, and the king's reply, are taken from Holinshed with the moft triffing variations. STEEVENS.

As I saw it inclin'd. When was the hour,
I ever contradicted your defire,

Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends
Have I not strove to love, although I knew
He were mine enemy? what friend of mine,
That had to him deriv'd your anger, did I
Continue in my liking? 3 nay, gave not notice
He was from thence discharg'd? Sir, call to mind,
That I have been your wife, in this obedience,
Upward of twenty years, and have been blest
With many children by you: If, in the course
And process of this time, you can report,
And prove it too, against mine honour aught,
My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty
Against your facred person, in God's name,
Turn me away; and let the foul'st contempt
Shut door upon me, and so give me up
To the sharpest kind of justice. Please you, fir,
The king, your father, was reputed for
A prince most prudent, of an excellent
And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand,
My father, king of Spain, was reckon'd one
The wifeft prince, that there had reign'd by many
A year before: It is not to be question'd
That they had gather'd a wife council to them
Of every realım, that did debate this business,
Who deem'd our marriage lawful: Wherefore I

humbly

Beseech you, fir, to spare me, 'till I may
Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whose counsel
I will implore: If not, i'the name of God,
Your pleasure be fulfill'd!

3-nay, gave not notice] In former editions:

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nay, gave notice,

which, though the author's common liberties of speech might

justify, yet I cannot but think that not was dropped before notice, having the fame letters, and have therefore followed fir Thomas

Hammer's correction. JOHNSON.

Wol

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