And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd brach. Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good*

At

the French word beffe, which fignifies a tumour. This explanation of the word will receive illuftration from the following paffage in the old comedy, intitled, A pleafant Comedy of the gentle Craft, acted at court, and printed in the year 1618. fignat. Č: Beate ever brake, the game's not farre, "This way with winged feet he fled from death: "Befides, the miller's boy told me even now, "He faw him take foyle, and he hallowed him, "Affirming him fo embofs'd." WARTON.

Mr. Warton's first explanation is juft. Lilly, in his Midas, 1592, has not only given up the term, but the explanation of it. Pet. There was a boy leah'd on the fingle, because when he was imboss'd he took foyle.

"Li. What's that?

"Pet. Why a boy was beaten on the tayle with a leathern thong, becaufe, when he fem'de at the mouth with running, he went into the water." See vol. iv. p. 98. STEEVENS.

I believe brach Merriman means only Merriman the brach. Są in the old fong, "Cow Crumbocke is a very good cow."

Brach however appears to have been a particular fort of hound. In an old metrical charter, granted by Edward the Confeffor to , the hundred of Cholmer and Dancing, in Effex, there are the two following lines:

"Four greyhounds & fix Bratches,

"For hare, fox, and wild-cattes."

Merriman furely could not be defigned for the name of a female of the canine fpecies, STEEVENS.

It feems from the commentary of Ulitius upon Gratius, from Caius de Canibus Britannicis, from bracco, in Spelman's Gloffary, and from Markham's Country Contentments, that brache originally meant a bitch. Ulitius, p. 163, obferves, that bitches have a fuperior fagacity of nofe," feminis [canibus] fagacitatis plurinum ineffe, ufus docuit;" and hence, perhaps, any hound with eminent quicknefs of fcent, whether dog or bitch, was called brache, for the term brache is fometimes applied to males. Our anceflors hunted much with the large fouthern hounds, and had u every pack a couple of dogs peculiarly good and cunning to ind game, or recover the fcent, as Markham informs us. To this cuftom Shakspeare feems here to allude, by naming two braches, which, in my opinion, are beagles; and this difcriminates brache from the lym, a blood-hound mentioned together with it, in the tragedy of King Lear. In the following quotation offered by Mr. Steevens on another occafion, the brache

hunts

At the hedge-corner, in the coldest fault?
I would not lofe the dog for twenty pound.
Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord;
He cried upon it at the mereit loss,

And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent :
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet,
I would efteem him worth a dozen fuch.
But fup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.
Hun. I will, my lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? See, doth he breathe?

2 Hun. He breathes, my lord: Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold to fleep fo foundly.

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies!
Grim death, how foul and loathfome is thine image!
Sirs, I will practife on this drunken man.
What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrap'd in fweet cloaths, rings put upon his fingers,
A moft delicious banquet by his bed,

And brave attendants near him when he wakes,
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, lord, I think he cannot chufe, 2 Hun. It would feem ftrange unto him when he wak'd,

hunts truely by the fcent, behind the doe, while the hounds are on every fide:

2

cal term. olbion:

"For as the dogs purfue the filly doc,

"The brache behind, the hounds on every fide;
"So trac'd they me among the mountains wide."

Phaer's Legend of Owen Glendower. TOLLET. how Silver made it good] This, I fuppofe, is a techni It occurs likewife in the 23d fong of Drayton's Poly

"What's offer'd by the firft, the other good doth make."

STEEVENS.

Lord. Even as a flattering dream, or worthless

fancy.

Then take him up, and manage well the jeft
Carry him gently to my faireft chamber,

And hang it round with all my wanton pictures:
Balm his foul head with warm diftilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging fweet :
Procure me mufick ready when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heavenly found;
And if he chance to fpeak be ready ftraight,
And, with a low fubmiffive reverence,
Say,--What is it your honour will command?
Let one attend him with a filver bafon,
Full of rofe-water, and beftrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper,
And fay,Will't pleafe your lordfhip cool your

hands?

Some one be ready with a coftly fuit,
And afk him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horfe,
And that his lady mourns at his difcafe:
Perfuade him, that he hath been lunatick;
And, when he fays he is,--fay that he dreams
For he is nothing but a mighty lord.
This do, and do it kindly, gentle firs;
It will be paftime paffing excellent,

2 And when be fays he is,-fay that he dreams,
For he is nothing but a mighty lord.]

I should rather think that Shakspeare wrote:

66

And when he fays he's poor, fay, that he dreams." The dignity of a lord is then fignificantly oppofed to the poverty which it would be natural for him to acknowledge. STEEVENS. If any thing fhould be inferted, it may be done thus:

"And when he fays he's Sly, fay that he dreams." The likeness in writing of Sly and jay produced the omiffion. JOHNSON.

This is hardly right; for how fhould the lord know the beggar's name to be Sly? STEEVENS.

Perhaps the fentence is left imperfect, becauf: he did not know by what name to call him. BLACKSTONE.

If it be hufbanded with modefty'.

1 Hun. My lord, I warrant you, we'll play our

part,

As he fhall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we fay he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him; And each one to his office when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly. Sound trumpets. Sirrah, go fee what trumpet 'tis that founds :Belike, fome noble gentleman; that means,

[Exit Servant. Travelling fome journey, to repofe him here.

Re-enter a Servant.

How now? who is it?

Ser. An't pleafe your honour, players, That offer fervice to your lordship.

Lord. Bid them come near:

Enter Players".

Now, fellows, you are welcome.

3

Play. We thank your honour.

Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night?

modefty.] By modefty is meant moderation, without fuffering our merriment to break into an excefs. JOHNSON. 4 An't please your honour, players,] I would rather regulate thefe lines thus;

-An it pleafe your honour,

Players, that offer fervice to your lordship. MALONE. 5 Enter Players.] The old play already quoted reads: "Enter two of the plaiers with packs at their backs, and a boy.” "Now, firs, what flore of plaies have you?

"San. Marry my lord you may have a tragicall,

"Or a commoditie, or what you will.

"The other. A comedie thou fhouldft fay, founs thou❜lt (hame us all;

"Lord. And what's the name of your comedie ?

"San. Marrie my lord, 'tis calde The Taming of a Shrew: 'Tis a good leffon for us my L. for us that are maried men," &c. STEEVENS.

2 Play,

2 Play. So please your lordship to accept our duty".

Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember, Since once he play'd a farmer's eldest fon ;'Twas where you woo'd the gentlewoman fo well: I have forgot your name; but, fure, that part Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.

6

Play. I think, 'twas Soto that your honour

means 7.

Lord.

to accept our duty.] It was in those times the custom of players to travel in companies, and offer their fervice at great houfes. JOHNSON.

In the fifth Earl of Northumberland's Houfehold Book, (with a copy of which I was honoured by the late dutchefs) the follow ing article occurs. The book was begun in the year 1512:

“Rewards to Playars.

"Item, to be payd to the faid Richard Gowge and Thomas Percy for rewards to players for playes playd in Chryftinmas by ftranegers in my houfe after xxd. every play by estimacion somme xxxiijs. iiijd. Which ys apoynted to be paid to the said Richard Gowge and Thomas Percy at the faid Chriftynmas in full contentacion of the faid rewardys xxxiijs. iiijd." STEEVENS.

7 I think, 'twas Soto- -] I take our author here to be paying a compliment to Beaumont and Fletcher's Women Pleafed, in which comedy there is the character of Soto, who is a farmer's fon, and a very facetious ferving-man.. Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope prefix the name of Sim to the line here spoken; but the first folio has it Sincklo; which, no doubt, was the name of one of the players here introduced, and who had played the part of Soto with applaufe. THEOBALD.

As both the quarto and folio prefix the name of Sincklo to this line, why should we difplace it? Sincklo is a name elsewhere used by Shakspeare. In one of the parts of Henry VI. Humphrey and Sincklo enter with their bows, as foresters.

With this obfervation I was favoured by a learned lady, and have replaced the old reading. STEEVENS.

It is true that Soto, in the play of Women Pleased, is a farmer's eldeft fon, but he does not voor any gentlewoman; so that it may be doubted, whether that be the character alluded to.

There can be little doubt that Sincklo was the name of one of the players, which has crept in, both here and in the Third Part of Henry VI, instead of the name of the perfon reprefented,