(27) Fond] i.e. Foolish.
(28) Aside] Mr. Collier (apud Dodsley's O. P.), mistaking the purport of this stage-direction (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.