[Footnote 1: Cole's MSS. vol. iv. p. 100.]
[Footnote 2: The Assembly at Edinburgh, in 1588, prohibited the burying in
kirks.]
[Footnote 3: Cole's MSS., vol. iv.]
In _Much Ado about Nothing_, Act III. Sc. 2., Don Pedro says:
"She shall be buried with her face upwards."
Theobald, Johnson, and Steevens have left notes upon this line. The
following passage is part of Steevens' note:
"Dr. Johnson's explanation may likewise be countenanced by a passage in
an old black-letter book, without date, intitled, 'A merye Jest of a
Man that was called Howleglas, &c.: How Howleglas was buryed:
"'Thus as Howleglas was deade, then they brought him to be buryed. And
as they would have put the coffyn into the pytte with 2 cordes, the
corde at the fete brake, so that the fote of the coffyn fell into the
botome of the pyt, and the coffyn stood bolt upryght in the middes of
the grave. Then desired y^e people that stode about the grave that
tyme, to let the coffyn to stande bolt upryght. _For in his lyfe tyme
he was a very marvelous man, &c., and shall be buryed as marvailously._
And in this maner they left Howleglas,' &c.
"Were not the Claphams and Mauleverers buried _marvailously_, because
they were _marvelous_ men?"--Johnson and Steevens' _Shakspeare_, vol.
ii. p. 310.