[413] [The two brothers, disguised for the purpose, pretend to be their sister’s uncles, and engage in a conversation about her marriage, intended to be overheard by Ilford and the others below.]

[414] [Edits., beyond discourse, she’s a paragon for a prince, than a fit implement for a gentleman; beyond my element.]

[415] [Edit. 1607] says, Exit Ilford with his Sister, but this is obviously an error:  it means with Scarborow’s sister.—­Collier.

[416] Indeed, second and third editions.

[417] [Edits., for.]

[418] [Edits., flourish.]

[419] [i.e., Which make.]

[420] Them is the reading of the quarto, 1611, and perhaps Thomas refers to “nature and her laws,” mentioned not very intelligibly, in his preceding speech.—­Collier. [The first edit. of 1607 reads rightly thee.]

[421] The grammar and language of this line are alike obscure and incorrect; but the sense is tolerably clear—­“Thou hast been so bad, the best thing I can say is, &c.”

[422] [Edits., finisht.]

[423] i.e.  Measure it out.  Hesperiam metire jacens.—­Virgil. —­Steevens.

[424] i.e., Facility; [Greek:  euergos], facilis.—­Steevens.

[425] “Apud eosdem nasci Ctesias scribit, quam mantichoram appellat, triplici dentium ordine pectinatim coeuntium, facie et auriculis hominis, oculis glaucis, colore sanguineo, corpore leonis, cauda scorpionis modo spicula infigentem:  vocis ut si misceatur fistulae et tubae concentus:  velocitatis magnae, humani corporis vel praecipue appetentem.”—­C.  Plinii “Nat.  Hist.” lib. viii. c. 21.

[426] The edit. 1611, reads—­

    “Do as the devil does, hate panther-mankind.”—­Collier.

[427] All—­breath, edits. 1611 and 1629.

[428] The old copy of 1611 reads, unto their wives, and it has been supposed a misprint for wines; but this seems doubtful taking the whole passage together, and the subsequent reference to the children.  —­Collier.

[429] i.e., To defile.  So in Churchyard’s “Challenge,” 1593, p. 251—­

    “Away foule workes, that fil’d my face with blurs!”

Again, “Macbeth,” act iii. sc. 1—­

                    “If it be so,
    For Banquo’s issue have I fil’d my mind.”

See also Mr Steevens’s note on the last passage.

[430] Sorry for you.

[431] [Edits., or, which is merely the old form of ere.]

[432] Mischievous, unlucky.  So in “All’s Well that Ends Well,” act i. sc. 5—­

    “A shrewd knave and an unhappy.”

See also Mr Steevens’s note on “Henry VIII.,” act i. sc. 4.

[433] I formerly was the mode of writing, as well as pronouncing, this word.