[288] The first act has already occupied too much space, but it was difficult to divide it:  in fact, as Friar Tuck says, it is a “short play,” complete in itself.  What follows is an induction to the rest of the story, the Friar continuing on the stage after the others have gone out.

[289] The 4to. reads thus—­

    “Apollo’s master doone I invocate,”

but probably we ought to read—­

    “Apollo’s masterdom I invocate,”

and the text has been altered accordingly. Masterdom means power, rule; to invocate Apollo’s masterdom is therefore to invocate Apollo’s power to assist the Friar in his undertaking.

[290] Enter in black is the whole of the stage direction, and those who enter are afterwards designated by the letters Cho.  Perhaps the principal performers arrive attired in black, and are mentioned as Chorus, one speaking for the rest. Cho. may, however, be a misprint for Chester, who was sent in to “attire him.”

[291] [In the new edit. of Nares the present passage is cited for ill-part, which is queried to mean ill-conditioned.  Perhaps it is equivalent to malapert.]

[292] [Old copy, de Brun.] “John married Isabel, the daughter and heiress of the Earl of Angoulesme, who was before affianced to Hugh le Brun, Earl of March (a peer of great estate and excellence in France), by the consent of King Richard, in whose custody she then was.”  —­Daniel’s “History of England.”

[293] [Old copy, lose.]

[294] Led by the F.K. and L. means, as afterwards appears, the French king, and Lord Hugh le Brun, Earl of North March.

[295] The entrance of Bonville is omitted in the 4to.

[296] These Lords, as we afterwards find, are old Aubrey de Vere, Hubert, and Mowbray.

[297] [Old copy, troops.]

[298] [Old copy, triumphs.]

[299] Lodge was in the habit of using the adjective for the substantive, especially fair for fairness; one example is enough—­

“Some, well I wot, and of that sum full many,
Wisht or my faire or their desire were lesse.”
—­Scilla’s Metamorphosis, 1589.

See also note to “The Wounds of Civil War” (vol. vii. p. 118).

Shakespeare may be cited in many places besides the following—­

“My decayed fair
A sunny look of his would soon repair.”
—­Comedy of Errors, act ii. sc. 1.

See Steevens’s note on the above passage.

[300] The King calls him in the old copy good Oxford, but Oxford is not present, and from what follows we see that the command was given to Salisbury.  The same mistake is again made by Hubert in this scene.  Salisbury must be pronounced Sal’sb’ry.

[301] [Accepted.]