Why in this woolvish tongue should I stand here
To beg of Bob and Dick, that do appear,
Their needless vouches?]
Why stand I here in this ragged apparel to beg of Bob and Dick, and such
others as _make their appearance_ here, their _unnecessary votes_. I
rather think we should read [instead of _voucher_], _Their needless_
vouches. But _voucher_ may serve, as it may perhaps signify either the
act or the agent.
II.iii.122 (352) this woolvish gown] Signifies this _rough hirsute_
gown.
II.iii.182 (355,1) ignorant to see't?] [W: "ignorant" means "impotent"]
That _ignorant_ at any time has, otherwise than consequentially, the
same meaning with _impotent_, I do not know. It has no such meaning in
this place. _Were you_ ignorant _to see it_, is, did you want knowledge
to discern it.
II.iii.208 (356,2) free contempt] That is, with contempt open and
unrestrained.
II.iii.227 (357,4) Enforce his pride] Object his pride, and enforce the
objection.
II.iii.258 (358,7) Scaling his present bearing with his past] That is,
_weighing_ his past and present behaviour.
II.iii.267 (359,8) observe and answer/The vantage of his anger] Mark,
catch, and improve the opportunity, which his hasty anger will afford
us.
III.i.23 (360,9) prank them in authority] _Plume, deck, dignify_
themselves.
III.i.58 (362,3) This paltring/Becomes not Rome] That is, this trick of
dissimulation, this shuffling.
_Let these be no more believ'd
That_ palter _with us in a double sense_. Macbeth.
III.i.60 (362,4) laid falsly] _Falsly_ for _treacherously_.
III.i.66 (362,5) Let them regard me, as I do not flatter, and/ Therein
behold themselves] Let them look in the mirror which I hold up to them,
a mirror which does not flatter, and see themselves.
III.i.89 (363,6) minnows] a _minnow_ is one of the smallest river fish,
called in some counties a _pink_.
III.i.90 (364,6) 'Twas from the canon] Was contrary to the established
role; it was a form of speech to which he has no right.
III.i.98 (364,9) Then vail your ignorance] [W: "ignorance" means
"impotence."] Hanmer's transposition deserves notice
--_If they have power,
Let them have cushions by you; if none, awake
Your dang'rous lenity; if you are learned,
Be not as commmon fools; if you are not,
Then vail your ignorance. You are Plebeians_, &c.
I neither think the transposition of one editor right, nor the
interpretation of the other. The sense is plain enough without supposing
_ignorance_ to have any remote or consequential sense. _If this man has
power, let the_ ignorance _that gave it him_ vail _or bow down before
him._
III.i.101 (365,1) You are Plebeians,
If they be Senators: and they are no less,
When, both your voices blended, the greatest taste
Most palates theirs]
These lines may, I think, be made more intelligible by a very slight
correction.
--_they no less [than senators]
When, both your voices blended, the great'st taste_
Must palate _theirs._
When the _taste_ of the _great_, the patricians, must _palate_, must
_please_ [or must _try_] that of the plebeians.
III.i.124 (366,3) They would not thread the gates] That is, _pass_ them.
We yet say, to _thread_ an alley.
III.i.129 (366,4) could never be the native] [_Native_ for natural
birth. WARBURTON.] _Native_ is here not natural birth, but _natural
parent_, or _cause of birth_. But I would read _motive_, which, without
any distortion of its meaning, suits the speaker's purpose.
III.i.151 (367,7) That love the fundamental part of state/More than you
doubt the change of't] To _doubt_ is to _fear_. The meaning is, You
whose zeal predominates over your terrours; you who do not so much fear
the danger of violent measures, as wish the good to which they are
necessary, the preservation of the original constitution of our
government.
III.i.158 (368,2) Mangles true judgment] _Judgment_ is _judgment_ in its
common sense, or the faculty by which right is distinguished from wrong.
III.i.159 (368,3) that integrity which should become it] _Integrity_ is
in this place _soundness_, uniformity, consistency, in the same sense as
Dr. Warburton often uses it, when he mentions the _integrity_ of a
metaphor. To _become_, is to _suit_, to _befit_.
III.i.221 (370,5) are very poisonous] I read, _are very_ poisons.
III.i.242 (371,7) One time will owe another] I know not whether to _owe_
in this place means to _possess by right_, or to _be indebted_. Either
sense may be admitted. _One time_, in which the people are seditious,
will _give us power_ in some other time; or, _this time_ of the people's
predominance will _run them in debt_; that is, will lay them open to the
law, and expose them hereafter to more servile subjection.
III.i.248 (372,8) Before the tag return] The lowest and most despicable
of the populace are still denominated by those a little above them,
_Tag, rag, and bobtail_. (1773)
III.ii.7 (376,4) I muse] That is, _I wonder. I am at a loss_.
III.ii.12 (376,5) my ordinance] My _rank_.
III.ii.51 (378,8) Why force you] Why _urge_ you.
III.ii.56 (378,9) bastards, and syllables/Of no allowance, to your
bosom's truth] I read,
_Of no_ alliance,--
therefore _bastards_. Yet _allowance_ may well enough stand, as meaning
_legal right, established rank_, or _settled authority_. (see 1765, VI,
566, 7)
III.ii.64 (379,1) I am in this/Your wife, your son] I rather think the
meaning is, _I am in their_ condition, I am _at stake_, together with
_your wife, your son_.
III.ii.66 (379,2) our general lowts] Our _common clowns_.
III.ii.69 (379,3) that want] The _want_ of their loves.
III.ii.71 (379,4) Not what] In this place _not_ seems to signify _not
only_.
III.ii.77 (379,5) Waving thy head,/With often, thus, correcting thy
stout heart] [W: thy hand,/Which soften thus] The correction is
ingenious, yet I think it not right. _Head_ or _hand_ is indifferent.
The _hand_ is _waved_ to gain attention; the _head_ is shaken in token
of sorrow. The word _wave_ suits better to the hand, but in considering
the authour's language, too much stress must not be laid on propriety
against the copies. I would read thus,
--_waving thy head_,
With _often, thus, correcting thy stout heart_.
That is, _shaking thy head_, and _striking_ thy breast. The alteration
is slight, and the gesture recommended not improper.
III.ii.99 (381,6) my unbarb'd sconce?] The suppliants of the people used
to present themselves to them in sordid and neglected dresses.
III.ii.113 (381,8) Which quired with my drum] Which played in concert
with my drum.
III.ii.116 (382,1) Tent in my cheeks] To _tent_ is _to take up
residence_.
III.ii.121 (382,2) honour mine own truth] [Greek: Panton de malis
aischuneui sauton]. Pythagoras.
III.ii.125 (382,3) let/Thy mother rather feel thy pride, than fear/ Thy
dangerous stoutness] This is obscure. Perhaps, she means, Go, _do thy
worst; let me rather feel the_ utmost _extremity that thy pride can
bring upon us, than live thus in fear of thy dangerous obstinacy_.