THE PRINCIPALL COMEDIANS. Richard Burbage was the son of James Burbage, famous as a theatrical manager. The son was, therefore, connected with the theatre from his boyhood. As an actor he had opportunities such as have never fallen to the lot of any other of his profession; without much doubt he was the first to play the parts of Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello. Besides Volpone, he acted in the following plays of Jonson's: Every Man In, Every Man Out, Sejanus, Alchemist, and Catiline. Though playing in both tragedies and comedies, he was more eminent as tragedian than as comedian. The name of Henry Condell is best known as that of one of the two fellow-players who edited the first collected edition of Shakespeare's plays. He too, like Burbage, acted in many of Shakespeare's plays, and in Jonson's Every Man In, Every Man Out, Sejanus, Alchemist, and Catiline. He played chiefly comic parts. John Lowin appeared in Jonson's Sejanus, Alchemist, and Catiline. He was probably one of the managers of the King's Men after the retirement of Heming and Condell. John Heming was one of the two actors who edited the first edition of Shakespeare. He was probably treasurer of the company. He played in Jonson's Every Man In, Every Man Out, Sejanus, and Alchemist. Alexander Cooke acted also in Sejanus, Alchemist, and Catiline. He seems to have played female parts often, and probably took the part of Lady Would-bee in the present play. William Sly played also in Every Man In, Every Man Out, and Sejanus. For an account of various actors who are known to have played various parts in the comedy, see the Introduction. A manuscript note of L. Tieck in his copy of the edition of 1816, now in the British Museum, gives the following distribution of parts, based apparently purely on conjecture: Volpone, Burba [d]ge; Mosca, Condel; Voltore, Sly; Corbaccio, Hemmings; Corvino, Lowin. This copy contains numerous notes in the writing of Tieck; but those on the present play are of no importance. GLOSSARY The New English Dictionary and the Century Dictionary have been the chief authorities used in preparing this glossary. Considerable aid has been furnished also by Schmidt's Shakespeare-Lexicon and Nares' Glossary. A dagger before a word or a definition indicates that the word or definition is obsolete; parallel lines, that a word has never been naturalized; an interrogation mark, that the sense is doubtful. Abuse, v. †To deceive, impose upon. 5. 12. 110. Abused, ppl. a. †Deceived, imposed upon. 4. 5.30. Accustom, v. To be wont. 2. 2. 43. Adulterate, v. To debase. Ded. 152. Aduertise, v. To give notice. 2. 2. 233. Aduertisement, n. Information. 2. 1. 77. Affect, v. To like to practise, seek to perform. 3.7.24. Affected, ppl. a. Disposed. 4. 1.89. Aggrauate, v. †To add weight to, magnify. 5. 2. 51. †A'knowne, ppl. a. Recognized. 5. 6. 25. Along, adv. †At full length. 4. 4. 23. Amaz'd, ppl. a. †Stupefied. 3. 9.81. ||Ampulla, n. Phial. 2. 2. 188. Anatomie, n. †A body for dissection. 2.5.70. And, conj. Arch. and dial. If. 4. 2. 57. Anon, adv. †Immediately. 1. 3. 76. Answer, v. To repay. 5.2.54. Antique, n. [Form of antic.] †A grotesque pageant, an interlude. 3.7.220. Apoplexe, n. Arch. Apoplexy. 1. 4. 36. Apprehend, v. To feel (whether emotionally or by the senses). 2. 1. 61. Apt, a. Suitable, becoming. 3.4. 17. || Aqua-fortis, n. Nitric acid. 3. 7. 104. Argument, n. Arch. Evidence. 3. 2. 10. Artificer, n. †An artful or wily person, a trickster. 5.2. 111. Bait, v. Το entice. 4. 5. 146. †Balloo, n. See note on 2. 2. 181. Band, n. 'The neck-band or collar of a shirt, orig. used to make it fit closely around the neck, afterwards expanded ornamentally. Hence, in 16th and 17th centuries, a collar or ruff worn round the neck by man or woman.' NED. 3. 4. 2. Banke, n. †A platform or stage to speak from. 2.2.2. Bate, v. Τοo deduct. 2. 2. 229. Bawdy, a. Leading to immorality. 2. 5. 50. †Bed-red, a. Form of bedrid. 4.5.81. Beholding, ppl. a. †Beholden, indebted to. 3. 3. 20. Belike, adv. Arch. or dial. Perhaps, possibly. 5. 6. 14. Belyer, n. One who alleges falsely. 2. 2. 15. Belying, vbl. sb. Denial. 155. ||Berlino, n. A pillory. note on 5. 12. 139. I. 4. See Carrouse, v. ttrans. To drink. 3.7.192. Carry, v. To manage, conduct, uphold. 5.2. 5. Case, n. †A skin or hide of an animal; used figuratively of clothes or garments. 5.5.8. Cast, v. To contrive, devise. 4. 1. 6. 13. Change, v. To exchange. 5. 6. Character, n. †A cipher for secret correspondence. 2. 1. 82. Colour, n. Outward appearance; that which serves to conceal the truth. 1. 4.98. ||Commandadore, n. Var. of It. Charge, n. †A burden; that commendador. A Venetian title; a which is carried. 1. 5. 125. commander. 4. 1.78. ||Commandatori, n. pl. Same as preceding. 5. 3. 114. Composition, n. A mutual agreement. 5.5.9. Conceipt, n. [Obs. form of conceit.] †A notion, device. 5. 11. 13. Conceiue, v. To understand. I. 4. 123. Concent, n. Concord, harmony. 3.4.74. Concupiscence, n. Lust; an ob ject of lust. 4. 2. 60. Conferre, v. (notes). 5. 10. 33. †Consideratiue, thoughtful. 4. 1. 69. †To compare a. Reflective, ||Coætanei, n. pl. Persons of the straight edge of a cope. 2. 5. 13. same age. 3. 4. 125. Coat, n. †Class. 2. 1. 95. Cocker, v. With up: to bring up luxuriously. I. 1. 71. †Cocted, ppl. a. of †coct. Boiled. 2. 2.88. Collection, n. †An inference, conclusion. 4.5.87. †Cor'siues, n. pl. Form of cor rosives. 3.7. 105. †Cortine, n. Form of curtain. 4. 6. 82. †Cortine-ring, n. Form of cur tain-ring. 4. 6. 82. Cosen, v. To cheat; defraud by deceit. 5. 2. 47. Coyle, n. [Form of coil.] Fuss, authoritatively or formally. 5. 12. ado. 2. 2. 209. Craue, v. To ask, demand. 4. 5. 105. Creature, n. 1. A living being. 4. 5. 102. 2. One who owes his fortune and position to a patron; an instrument. 1.5.78. Croaker, n. See note on 4. 4. 12. Crude, a. Lacking power to digest. 2: 2.105. Crue, n. [Form of crew.] An assemblage. 2.5.6. †Crumpe, v. To curl up. 5.2.91. Cry, v. To beg. Phr. I cry your pardons: Nearly equivalent to I beg your pardon. 4. 6. 4. Culvering, n. [Form of culverin.] A large cannon. 1. 5. 63. Curious, a. ¡Nice, fastidious. 3. 4.32. †Curren-but, n. A cask for holding currants or currant-wine. 5.4.49. Custom'd, ppl. a. Frequented by customers. 5. 7. 12. Dead, a. †Of drinks: flat, vapid. 2. 6. 16. Deare, a. †Difficult. 2. 2. 3. Decree, v. To determine, decide. Obs. or arch. 4. 5.59. Defalke, v. To defalcate. Obs. or arch. 4. 1. 64. Delate, v. To report, inform of (an offence, crime, fault). 2.6.42. Delicate, a. Elegant, exquisite. 3. 4. 48. 64. |