SLY. Y'are a baggage; the Slys are no rogues: Look in the chronicles, we came

Pheese. Johnson says, "To pheese, or fease, is to separate a twist into single threads." He derived this explanation of the word from Sir T. Smith, who, in his book 'De Sermone Anglico,' says, "To feize means in fila deducere." Gifford affirms that it is a common word in the west of England, meaning to beat, to chastise, to humble. In the latter sense Shakspere uses it in 'Troilus and Cressida: "An he be proud with me, I'll pheese his pride." Shakspere found the word in the old Taming of a Shrew.'

b Slys. This is ordinarily printed Slies; but such a change of the plural of a proper name is clearly wrong.

in with Richard Conquerora. Therefore, paucas pallabris; let the world slide: Sessa!

HOST. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst!

SLY. No, not a denier: Go by: S. Jeronimy!-Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee d.

HOST. I know my remedy, I must go fetch the third borough.

[Exit.

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.

[Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep.

Wind horns. Enter a LORD from hunting, with his Train.

LORD. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds:
Brach' Merriman,-the poor cur is emboss'd;

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 coldest fault?

I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

1 HUN. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord;

He cried upon it at the merest loss,

⚫ The tinker was right in boasting of the antiquity of his family, though he has no precise recollection of the name of the Conqueror. Sly and sleigh are the same, corresponding with sleight. The Slys or Sleighs were skilful men-cunning of hand. We are informed that Sly was anciently a common name in Shakspere's own town.

Paucas pallabris—pocas pallabras—few words, as they have it in Spain. Sessa, in the same way, is the cessa of the Spaniards-be quiet.

• Burst-broken. John of Gaunt "burst Shallow's head for crowding in among the marshal's men."

This sentence is generally printed, "Go by, says Jeronimy;-Go to thy cold bed," &c. Theobald pointed out that in the old play of 'The Spanish Tragedy,' in which occurs the character of Hieronymo, there is the expression "Go by, go by;" and that the speech of Sly was in ridicule of the passage. Mason, to confirm this, altered the "Go by S. Jeronimie" of the original copy to "Go by, says Jeronimy." Mr. Dyce says that the expression "Go by Jeronimo" had almost become proverbial. "To give the Go-by" is still a common expression. Sly tells the Hostess to "Go by." The term suggests the allusion to the play which it was the fashion of the old dramatists to laugh at; and he makes the matter more ridiculous by confounding Jeronimo with Saint Jerome.

Thirdborough. In the original folio this is, by mistake, printed headborough, by which the humour of Sly's answer is lost. The thirdborough was a petty constable: and, from the following passage in the Constable's Guide,' 1771, the name appears, in recent times, to have been peculiar to Warwickshire: "There are in several counties of this realm other officers; that is, by other titles, but not much inferior to our constables; as, in Warwickshire, a thirdborough."

Brach. In one instance ('Lear,' Act III. Scene 5) Shakspere uses this word as indicating a dog of a particular species:

"Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,

Hound or spaniel, brach or lym."

But he in other places employs it in the way indicated in an old book on sports,- The Gentleman's Recreation.'—“ A brach is a mannerly-name for all hound-bitches." We should have thought that the meaning of this passage could not have been mistaken. The lord is pointing out one of his pack-"Brach Merriman,"-adding, "the poor cur is emboss'd,”—that is, swollen by hard running. Ritson, however, would read-" Bathe Merriman,"-and Hanmer, "Leech Merriman."

And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent. Trust me, I take him for the better dog. LORD. Thou art a fool; if Echo were as fleet,

I would esteem him worth a dozen such.

But sup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

1 HUN. I will, my lord.

LORD. What's here? one dead, or drunk? See, doth he breathe? 2 HUN. He breathes, my lord: Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold to sleep so soundly.

LORD. O monstrous beast! how like a swine he lies!

Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image!

Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.

What think you, if he were convey'd to bed 2,

Wrapp'd in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers,

A most delicious banquet by his bed,

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

1 HUN. Believe me, lord, I think he cannot choose.
2 HUN. It would seem strange unto him when he wak'd.
LORD. Even as a flattering dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jest:

Carry him gently to my fairest chamber,
And hang it round with all my wanton pictures:
Balm his foul head in warm distilled waters,

And burn sweet wood to make the lodging sweet:

Procure me music ready when he wakes,

To make a dulcet and a heavenly sound;

And if he chance to speak, be ready straight,

And, with a low submissive reverence,

Say, What is it your honour will command?

Let one attend him with a silver bason,

Full of rose water, and bestrev'd with flowers;

Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper,

And say,-Will 't please your lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a costly suit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;

Another tell him of his hounds and horse,

And that his lady mourns at his disease:

Persuade him that he hath been lunatic;

And, when he says he is, say, that he dreams,

For he is nothing but a mighty lord

And, when he says he is The dash is here clearly intended to indicate a blank. It is as if the lord had said, "And, when he says he is So and So," when he tells his name. Steevens would read, "And when he says he 's poor;" Johnson, " And when he says he 's Sly."

This do, and do it kindly a, gentle sirs;

It will be pastime passing excellent,

If it be husbanded with modesty.

1 HUN. My lord, I warrant you, we 'll play our part, As he shall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we say he is.

LORD. Take him up gently and to bed with him;
And each one to his office, when he wakes.

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 son;—
"T was where you woo'd the gentlewoman so well :
I have forgot your name; but, sure, that part
Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.

1 PLAY. I think, 't was Soto that your honour means.
LORD. T is very true;-thou didst it excellent.-

Well, you are come to me in happy time;
The rather for I have some sport in hand,
Wherein your cunning can assist me much.
There is a lord will hear you play to-night:
But I am doubtful of your modesties;
Lest, over-eyeing of his odd behaviour,
(For yet his honour never heard a play,)

• Kindly, naturally.

1 Play. In the original this line is given to Sincklo. This was the name of a player of inferior parts in Shakspere's company. The same performer is also mentioned in the quarto edition of Henry IV., Part II.,' as also in Henry VI.' Soto is the name of a character in Beaumont and Fletcher's' Woman Pleased;' but it is very questionable whether Shakspere alluded to this play.

[Exeunt Servant and Players. [To a Servant.

You break into some merry passion,

And so offend him; for I tell you, sirs,

If you should smile, he grows impatient.

1 PLAY. Fear not, my lord; we can contain ourselves,
Were he the veriest antic in the world.
LORD. Go, sirrah, take them to the buttery,

And give them friendly welcome every one:
Let them want nothing that my house affords.—

Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew, my page,
And see him dress'd in all suits like a lady:
That done, conduct him to the drunkard's chamber,
And call him madam, do him obeisance.
Tell him from me, as he will win my love,
He bear himself with honourable action,
Such as he hath observ'd in noble ladies
Unto their lords, by them accomplished:
Such duty to the drunkard let him do,
With soft low tongue, and lowly courtesy;
And say,-What is 't your honour will command,
Wherein your lady, and your humble wife,
May show her duty, and make known her love?
And then, with kind embracements, tempting kisses,
And with declining head into his bosom,

Bid him shed tears, as being overjoy'd

To see her noble lord restor❜d to health,

Who, for this seven years, hath esteemed him

No better than a poor and loathsome beggar:

And if the boy have not a woman's gift,
To rain a shower of commanded tears,
An onion will do well for such a shift;
Which in a napkin being close convey'd
Shall in despite enforce a watery eye.

See this despatch'd with all the haste thou canst;
Anon I'll give thee more instructions.

I know the boy will well usurp the grace,

Voice, gait, and action of a gentlewoman:

I long to hear him call the drunkard husband;

And how my men will stay themselves from laughter,
When they do homage to this simple peasant.
I'll in to counsel them: haply, my presence

May well abate the over-merry spleen,
Which otherwise would grow into extremes.

[Exit Servant.

[Exeunt.