the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep.

PRO. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep.

SPEED. Such another proof will make me cry baa. PRO. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia ?

SPEED. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced

8

8 I, a LOST MUTTON, gave your letter to her, a LACED MUTTON;] Speed calls himself a lost mutton, because he had lost his master, and because Proteus had been proving him a sheep. But why does he call the lady a laced mutton? Wenchers are to this day called mutton-mongers; and consequently the object of their passion must, by the metaphor, be the mutton. And Cotgrave, in his English French Dictionary, explains laced mutton, Une garse, putain, fille de joye. And Mr. Motteux has rendered this passage of Rabelais, in the prologue of his fourth book, Cailles coiphees mignonnement chantans, in this manner; Coated quails and laced mutton waggishly singing. So that laced mutton has been a sort of standard phrase for girls of pleasure. THEOBALD. Nash, in his "Have with you to Saffron Walden," 1595, speaking of Gabriel Harvey's incontinence, says, "he would not stick to extoll rotten lac'd mutton." So, in the comedy of The Shoemaker's Holiday, or the Gentle Craft, 1610:

"Why here's good lac'd mutton, as I promis'd you." Again, in Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra, 1578: "And I smelt he lov'd lac'd mutton well."

Again, Heywood, in his Love's Mistress, 1636, speaking of Cupid, says, he is the "Hero of hie-hoes, admiral of ay-mes, and monsieur of mutton lac'd." STEEVENS.

A laced mutton was in our author's time so established a term for a courtezan, that a street in Clerkenwell, which was much frequented by women of the town, was then called Mutton-lane. It seems to have been a phrase of the same kind as the French expression-caille coifée, and might be rendered in that language, mouton en corset. This appellation appears to have been as old as the time of king Henry III. " Item sequitur gravis pœna corporalis, sed sine amissione vitæ vel membrorum, si raptus fit de concubina legitimâ, vel alia quæstum faciente, sine delectu per

mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

PRO. Here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons.

SPEED. If the ground be overcharg'd, you were best stick her.

PRO. Nay, in that you are astray'; 'twere best pound you.

SPEED. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

PRO. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. SPEED. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and

over,

"Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your

lover.

PRO. But what said she? did she nod1?
SPEED. I.

PRO. Nod, I? why that's noddy 2.

[SPEED nods.

sonarum: has quidem oves debet rex tueri pro pace suâ." Bracton de Legibus, lib. ii. MALONE.

9 Nay, in that you are ASTRAY, &c.] For the reason Proteus gives, Dr. Thirlby advises that we should read-a stray, i. e. a stray sheep, which continues Proteus's banter upon Speed.

THEOBALD. been supplied by some STEEVENS.

I-did she nod?] These words have of the editors, to introduce what follows. They were supplied by Mr. Theobald. In Speed's answer the old spelling of the affirmative particle has been retained; otherwise the conceit of Proteus (such as it is) would be unintelligible. MALONE.

2-that's NODDY.] Noddy was a game at cards. This play upon syllables is hardly worth explaining. The speakers intend to fix the name of noddy, that is, fool, on each other. So in the second part of Pasquil's Mad Cappe, Sig. E.: “If such a noddy be not thought a fool."

Again in Wit's Private Wealth, 1612, if you see a trull scarce, give her a nod, but follow her not, lest you prove a noddy.

REED.

There can be no doubt concerning the meaning of noddy, as used in the text; the game at cards throws no light whatsoever on the present passage. MALONE.

SPEED. You mistook, sir; I say she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I say I. PRO. And that set together, is noddy.

SPEED. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains.

PRO. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter.

SPEED. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

PRO. Why, sir, how do you bear with me?

SPEED. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains.

PRO. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. SPEED. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.

PRO. Come, come, open the matter in brief: What said she ?

SPEED. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, may be both at once deliver❜d.

PRO. Well sir, here is for your pains: What said she?

SPEED. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her. PRO. Why? Couldst thou perceive so much from her?

SPEED. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind3. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel.

3 -in telling YOUR mind.] The editor of the second folio, not understanding this, altered your to her, which has been followed in all the subsequent editions. The old copy is certainly right. The meaning is,-She being so hard to me who was the bearer of your mind, fear she will prove no less so to you in the act of telling your mind, i. e. when you address her in person,

PRO. What, said she nothing?

SPEED. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me*; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master.

PRO. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck ;

Which cannot perish, having thee aboard",
Being destin'd to a drier death on shore:-
I must go send some better messenger;
I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post.

[Exeunt.

The opposition is between brought and telling. Though Mr. Steevens had before him this easy and clear explanation of the words found in the only authentick copy of this play, he adhered to the sophisticated reading of the second folio, the words which are above explained being "to him unintelligible."

MALONE.

4 -you have TESTERN'D me;] You have gratified me with a tester, testern, or testen, that is, with a sixpence. JOHNSON. The old reading is—cestern'd. STEEVENS.

This typographical error was corrected by the editor of the second folio. MALONE.

Mr. H. White, in Mr. Steevens's edition of 1803, quotes a passage from one of Latimer's sermons [preached at Stamford in 1750] to show that a tester was in Latimer's time of the value of tenpence the truth is, that it had a different value at different times. See Fleetwood's Chronicon Pretiosum, p. 32. 66 Testens, or as we now commonly call them, testers, from a head that was upon them, were coined (as is before said) 36 Hen. VIII. [1542]. Sir H. Spelman says they were French coin of the value of 18d.; and he does not know but they might have gone for as much in England: he says it was brass, and covered over with silver; and in Henry the Eighth's days, for 12d.; but 1 Edw. VI. [1547], it was brought down to 9d. and then to 6d. (which still retains the name).' MALONE.

5 Which cannot perish, &c.] The same proverb has been already alluded to in the first and last scenes of The Tempest.

REED.

SCENE II.

The Same. The Garden of JULIA'S House.

Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

JUL. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would'st thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam; so you stumble not unheedfully. JUL. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen,

That every day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion, which is worthiest love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll shew my mind

According to my shallow simple skill.

JUL. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour? Luc. As our knight well-spoken, neat and fine; But, were I you, he never should be mineo.

JUL. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio ? Luc. Well, of his wealth; but of himself, so, so JUL. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus ? Luc. Lord, lord! to see what folly reigns in us! JUL. How now, what means this passion at his name?

Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing shame, That I, unworthy body as I am,

Should censure thus' on lovely gentlemen.

6 -he SIR EGLAMOUR never should be mine.] Perhaps Sir Eglamour was once the common cant term for an insignificant inamorato. So, in Decker's Satiromastix :

66

"Adieu, Sir Eglamour; adieu lute-string, curtain-rod, goosequill," &c. Sir Eglamour of Artoys indeed is the hero of an ancient metrical romance, Imprinted at London, in Foster-lane, at the sygne of the Harteshorne, by John Walley," bl. 1. no date. STEEVENS..

7 Should CENSURE thus-] To censure, in our author's time,