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.