A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 81

56. Welfare.

57. Query, the supports.

58. Since.

59. Query, a misprint, as there seems to be no sense in _escheved_ or _eschewed_, i.e, _avoided_.

60. The old proverb. Perhaps this is the earliest occurrence of it in this form in print.

61. Disfigured, spoiled.

62. Acquaintance.

63. List.

64. Compa.s.sionate.

65. _See_ "Popular Antiquities of Great Britain," 1870, iii. 319, 320.

66. Checked.

67. Old copy, _Then_. Perhaps we should read, _Then when_ a common expression.

68. So the old copy, but perhaps we ought to read _pining_.

69. Patient, invalid.

70. A proverbial expression.

71. The colophon is: "Johes rastell me imprimi fecit. c.u.m privilegio regali." Beneath is the printer's device.

72. It is now known that at least four editions of this moral play were printed, two by Richard Pynson, and two by John Skot. See Hazlitt's "Handbook," p. 463-4, where all will be found described.

73. Afterwards sold with others to Dibdin for 500 guineas, and advertised in the _Lincoln Nosegay_, 1814.

74. For the present edition the two impressions by Pynson, unknown to Hawkins, and one of those issued by Skot about 1530, have been collated.

Hawkins was not aware that Skot printed the piece more than once. The imperfect copy by Pynson, in the British Museum, restores not only words, but portions of lines dropped in Skot's two issues, and has been of the greatest value on this occasion. But, on the other hand, both Pynson's editions, so far as they respectively go, exhibit misreadings, which are set right in Skot's.

75. Skot's other edition, _wonderous_.

76. The Second Person of the Trinity seems here to be meant.--Percy. [In this opinion it is hardly easy to concur. It appears to have been the G.o.dhead whom the writer intended to personify, and although he makes the speaker refer to his Pa.s.sion and Redemption, it is evidently only in a delegated sense; for Death refers to him spiritually as the Almighty.]

77. _Appaireth_ the same as _impaireth_, grows worse, degenerate, &c.

78. Skot's other edition, used by Hawkins, reads, _Have I do we_.

79. Acquaintance.

80. Been begotten.

81. _Adonai_, one of the names of G.o.d; it is the plural of _Adoni_, which signifies _Lord_.

82. The copy of Pynson's edition in the British Museum begins abruptly at this line, sign. B. _recto_, and is complete thenceforward to the end.

83. The old proverb. This is perhaps the earliest instance of its use in print.

84. So Skot's other edition, and Pynson's in British Museum. Hawkins printed _For wete you well will_.

85. The other edition by Skot reads _will not_, according to Hawkins.

86. Entice.

87. The earliest instance in print, perhaps, of this proverb being used.

88. i.e. Weened.

89. Hawkins printed _what_.

90. i.e., Thanked be G.o.d my Creator.

91. Information, knowledge.

92. Hawkins printed _voice voider_.

93. Skot's other edition, _from h.e.l.l and from the fire_.

94. Health.

95. Are called.

96. Five Wits, i.e., the Five Senses. These are frequently exhibited as five distinct personages upon the Spanish stage. See Riccoboni, p. 98; but our moralist has represented them all by one character. In Shakespeare's "King Lear," the Madman says, "Bless thy Five Wits!"

meaning the Five Senses.--_Percy_.

97. Praise.

98. This portion has been collated with the Douce fragment printed by Pynson ("Shakespeare Society's Papers," iii. 149), as well as with the other impression by Pynson in the British Museum.

99. Clear, free.

100. Out of the peril or danger of anything, equal to out of its control or cognizance.

101. Unction.

102. Hand.

103. Edits, _Those_.

104. Older, chief. Hawkins omitted the word _Christ_.