[136] Before correction the passage stood “And now, madam, being your servant and Timothy I bring you newes!” The words “Stay, stay Mr. Justice,” &c., were inserted afterwards.

[137] Bracketed in MS.

[138] The reading of the MS. appears to be “a lonly.”

[139] Bracketed in MS.

[140] The MS. is a folio of thirty-one leaves, written in a small clear hand:  it was purchased for the National Library in 1851 from the Earl of Denbigh.

[141] In May, 1622, “by reason of sickness and indisposition of body wherewith it had pleased God to visit him, he had become incapable of fulfilling the duties and was compelled to resign.”—­Vid.  Collier’s “Hist.  Eng.  Dram.  Lit.”  I. 402 (new ed.).

[142] Mr. Warner, of the Manuscript Department of the British Museum, to whom we owe the excellent Catalogue of the Dulwich Collection, kindly drew my attention to the autograph letter.

[143] In the right-hand margin we find “Jo:  R:  migh.”—­the names of the actors who took the Captains’ parts.  Further on the name “Jo:  Rice” occurs in full.  John Rice stands last on the list of Chief Actors in the first fol.  Shakespeare.  The reader will find an account of him in Collier’s “Hist. of Eng.  Dram.  Lit.,” iii. 486-88.  It is curious that he should have taken so unimportant a part; but perhaps he sustained one of the chief characters besides.—­“Migh” = Michael.

[144] It seems to have been no uncommon thing for officers to keep the names of soldiers on the list after their death and pocket their pay:  cf.  Webster’s “Appius and Virginia,” v. i., &c.

[145] The reply of 1 Cap., extending to thirteen lines, has been scored through in the MS., at the instance, I suppose, of the censorious Master of the Revels; it is, unfortunately, quite illegible.

[146] The MS. reads “Enter Barnavelt, Modes-bargen, Leidenberck, Vandermetten, Grotius, Taurinus, Utenbogart, Hogebeets.”  Names not in italics are scored through.

[147] MS. Tau. Hog.

[148] All the characters remain on the stage in spite of this direction.

[149] At first the line ran, “Of this proud Prince of Orange, at the worst.”

[150] MS. Enter Pr. of Orange, Gr:  Henrie, Gra:  William, Collonells & Captaines.  Gr:  Henrie and Collonells are scored through.  In the right-hand margin is written the name of an actor, Mr. Rob:

[151] The words “I feele too” probably belong to another speaker.

[152] Fletcher is fond of using “ye” for “you.”

[153] In the MS. there is a marginal note:—­“I like not this:  neither do I think that the pr. was thus disgracefully used, besides he is to much presented.  G.B.”  The initials are those of Sir George Buc, Master of the Revels.

[154] “Shellain” is a corrupted form of Dutch schelm—­a rogue, villain.

[155] The stage direction in the MS. runs thus:—­“Enter 1 Burger, Vandermitten, Grotius.”  Vandermitten finally takes the place of 1 Burger and Grotius.