Saint Nicolas par Deu le sout, Nes peut muscier einz lui mustra. Les ames mist el cors ariere. Por ceo qe as clers fist tiel honor Font li clerc feste a icel jor." That is "Three scholars were on their way to school, (I shall not make a long story of it) their host murdered them in the night, and hid their bodies; their . . . . he reserved. Saint Nicholas was informed of it by God Almighty, and according to his pleasure went to the place. He demanded the scholars of the host, who was not able to conceal them, and therefore showed them to him. Saint Nicholas by his prayers restored the souls to their bodies. Because he conferred such honour on scholars, they at this day celebrate a festival." It is remarkable that although the above story explains the common representation of the saint with three children in a tub, it is not to be found in that grand repertory of Monkish lies, The golden legend. It occurs however in an Italian life of Saint Nicholas printed in 1645, whence it is extracted into the Gentleman's magazine for 1777. p. 158. There is a note by Mr. Whalley on Saint Nicholas's clerks, as applied to highwaymen, in King Henry the Fourth, part the first, vol. viii. p. 418, which, though erroneously conceived, would have been more properly introduced on the present occasion. Standing where it does, the worthy author is made responsible for having converted the parish clerks of London into a nest of thieves, which he certainly never intended. Those respectable persons finding that scholars, more usually termed clerks, had placed themselves under the patronage of Saint Nicholas, conceived that clerks of any kind might have the same right, and accordingly took this saint as their patron; much in the same way as the woolcombers did Saint Blaise, who was martyred with an instrument resembling a curry-comb, the nailmakers Saint Clou, and the booksellers Saint John Port-Latin. Sc. 2. p. 246. PRO. Especially against his very friend. Mr. Steevens explains very to be immediate. Is it not rather true, verus? Thus Massinger calls one of his plays A very woman. See likewise the beginning of the Nicene creed. HOST. ACT IV. Scene 2. Page 257. the musick likes you not. i. e. pleases, in which sense it is used by Chaucer. This is the genuine Saxon meaning of the word, however it might have been corrupted in early times from its Latin original licet. In the next speech Julietta plays upon the word. PRO. That I may compass yours. SIL. You have your wish h; my will is even this ; On which Dr. Johnson observes "The word will is here ambiguous. He wishes to gain her will; she tells him, if he wants her will he has it.” The learned critic seems to have mistaken the sense of the word compass, when he says it means to gain. If it did, his remark would be just. But to compass in this place signifies, to perform, accomplish, take measures for doing a thing. Thus in Twelfth night, Act 1. Sc. 2, "that were hard to compass," and in 1. Hen. VI. Act. v. Sc. 5. "You judge it impossible to compass wonders.” Accordingly Sylvia proceeds to instruct Proteus how he may perform her will. Wish and will are here used, as in many other places, though inaccurately, as synonymous. If however Shakspeare really designed to make Proteus say that he was desirous of gaining Sylvia's good will, she must be supposed, in her reply, purposely to mistake his meaning. Sc. 2. p. 260. SIL. But since your falshood shall become you well Dr. Johnson objects to the sense of this passage, and the other commentators offer conjectural interpretations; yet surely nothing is more clear than the sense, and even the grammar may be defended. It is simply "since your falshood shall adapt or render you fit to worship shadows." Become here answers to the Latin convenire, and is used according to its genuine Saxon meaning. Sc. 2. p. 260. HOST. By my hallidom, I was fast asleep. This Mr. Ritson explains, by my holy doom, or sentence at the resurrection, from the Saxon haligdom; but the word does not appear to have had such a meaning. It rather signifies holiness or honesty. It likewise denoted a sacrament, a sanctuary, relicks of saints, or any thing holy. It seems in later times to have been corrupted into holidame, as if it expressed the holy virgin. Thus we have so help me God and hollidame. See Bullein's Book of the use of sicke men. 1579. in folio, fo. 2 b. Sc. 4. p. 270. JUL. But since she did neglect her looking-glass, It was the fashion at this time for the ladies to wear masks which are thus described by the puritanical Stubs in his Anatomie of abuses, 1595. 4to, p. 59. When they use to ride abroad they have masks and visors made of velvet wherewith they cover all their faces, having holes made in them against their eyes, whereout they looke. So that if a man that knew not their guise before, should chaunce to meet one of them, he would think he met a monster or a Devil, for face he can shew (see) none, but two broad holes against their eyes, with glasses in them. More will be |