Part 46

=43=, 70-71. =Wise wives . . . friend.= Tamyra ironically keeps up the metaphor of the "two strings" in l. 66, and plays upon the double senses of "firm" and "loose" in archery and morals.

=44=, 95. =as good cheap as it:= literally, on as advantageous terms as; hence, with as little effort as, as readily as.

=45=, 108-10. =Whose there . . . quality.= Cf. All Fools, II, 1, p. 67 (Phelps).

While I sit like a well-taught writing-woman Turning her eyes upon some work or picture, Read in a book, or take a feigned nap, While her kind lady takes one to her lap.

=45=, 117. =oportunities:= importunities, which Dilke wished to substitute. But "opportunity" was used in this sense. Cf. Mer. Wiv. Wind. III, 4, 20-2.

"Yet seeke my Fathers love, still seeke it, sir; If opportunity and humblest suite Cannot attain it, why then harke you hither."

=45=, 121-122. =as to their pardons . . . Parliaments.= The meaning appears to be: as the exceptions they make, after Parliaments have ceased to sit, are to the pardons they have granted.

=46=, 129. =part'st with victory:= comest off victoriously.

=48=, 165. =the Center:= the unmoved central point of the earth, according to the Ptolemaic system.

=49=, 182. =cast . . . beene:= undress, as if I had never been watching here. Tamyra here determines to go to bed, but afterwards (l. 242) she returns.

=49=, 198. =the first orbe move.= An allusion to the Primum Mobile, which, in the Ptolemaic system, was the tenth sphere "of a most pure and cleare substance and without starres," which revolved in twenty-four hours, and carried round in its course all the inner spheres.

=51=, 231-32. =If not . . . satisfi'd:= if she is not given opportunity to dissemble or show petulance, she is not satisfied even if she gains what she desires.

=56=, 20-30. =Sin . . . troth.= A characteristic illustration of how one simile in Chapman's verse begets another, with little regard for logical sequence. The "shadowes" with which sin frightens us are first compared to the imaginary creatures into which fancy shapes the clouds; then sin itself (relegated from an active to a passive part) is likened not to a pure creation of the fancy, but to an exaggerated picture of a real monster displayed by "policy," i. e. the craft which seeks to debar men from their desires.

For the custom of exhibiting a rude painting of a curiosity, as a decoy to sightseers, cf. The Tempest, II, 2, 29-31, "Were I in England now . . . and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver."

=56=, 21. =in his truest valour:= if his valour be rightly estimated.

=56=, 33. =our three powers.= The vegetative, sensitive and reasoning faculties.

=56-57=, 40-43. =Nor shall . . . wings.= Tamyra's "fame," which in l. 38 has been spoken of as a "jewell," is now likened to a fabulous winged creature which is accorded free flight.

=57=, 44. =It rests as:= the secret remains as inviolable as if.

=58=, 69-71. =layes . . . oppos'd.= I am indebted to Dr. J. A. H. Murray for the following interpretation of this passage: [Nature] brings our powers into accordance with its own will or working, just as the stone (laid by the builder) should be apposed or brought into accord with the line, not the line (which is straight and not to be shifted) made to lie along the stone.

=60=, 119. =greatnesse with him:= high place in his favour.

=62=, 13. =Boots of hay-ropes.= Bands of hay were sometimes wrapped round the legs, to serve instead of boots. Cf. Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour, I, 2. Step. But I have no boots . . . Brainworm. Why a fine wisp of hay roll'd hard, Master Stephen.

=62=, 18. =a redhair'd man:= a deceiver, traitor; so called from the representation of Judas in tapestries, and probably on the stage of the Miracle plays, with red hair.

=63=, 23. =put them up:= start them from their cover.

=63=, 28. =That . . . clapdish:= That keeps regal state, though sprung from beggary. A clapdish was a wooden dish with a lid, carried by beggars and lepers, which they clapped to announce their approach.

=63=, 46. =Venting . . . Hebrew:= putting the best product of his livings to the reverse of its intended use. Hebrew is read backwards.

=65=, 69. =that popular purple.= An allusion to the Duke's robe, which was of royal purple, to impress the populace.

=65=, 76. =He's noblier borne.= "Noblier" has been here substituted for "nobly." The parallel phrases in the preceding lines are all comparatives, "better," "more," "greater," and Bussy, in the second half of this line, cannot mean to deny that Guise is of noble birth.

=65=, 79. =Cardinall of Ambois.= The Cardinal Georges d'Amboise was in reality Bussy's great-uncle.