(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) ex