k," sig. F 2: "The bloody Tragedies of all these are
onely acted by the women, who, carrying long knives or _skeanes_ under
their mantles, doe thus play their parts." Again in Warner's "Albion's
England," 1602, p. 129--

"And Ganimaedes we are," quoth one, "and thou a prophet trew:
And hidden _skeines_ from underneath their forged garments drew,
Wherewith the tyrant and his bawds with safe escape they slew."

--See the notes of Mr Steevens and Mr Nichols on "Romeo and Juliet," act
ii. sc. 4.

[169] The edition of 1657 reads, _red buskins drawn with white ribband.
--Collier_.

[170] Musical terms. See notes on "Midsummer's Night's Dream," vol. iii.
p. 63, and "King Richard III." vol. vii. p. 6, edit. 1778.--_Steevens_.

[171] A metaphor drawn from music, more particularly that kind of
composition called a _Ground_, with its _Divisions_. Instead of
_relish_, I would propose to read _flourish_.--_S.P_.

[172] Mr Steevens supposes this to be a musical term. See note on
"Richard II." act ii. sc. 1--

"The setting sun and music at the close."

[173] Fr. for whistlings.--_Steevens_.

[174] i.e., Petitionary.--_Steevens_.

[175] [Altered by Mr Collier to _girls_; but _gulls_ is the reading of
1607.]

[176] _Like an ordinary page, gloves, hamper_--so the first edition; but
as the two last words seem only the prompter's memoranda, they are
omitted. They are also found in the last edition.--_Collier_.

[177] Ready.

[178] Graceful. See Mr Malone's note on "Coriolanus," act ii. sc. 1.

[179] [Edits., _blasting_.] I would propose to read the _blushing
childhood_, alluding to the ruddiness of Aurora, the _rosy morn_, as in
act iii. sc. 6--

"Light, the fair grandchild to the glorious sun,
Opening the casements of the _rosy morn_," &c.

--_S. Pegge_.

[180] So in "Hamlet," act i. sc. 1--

"But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,
_Walks_ o'er the dew of _yon high eastern hill_."

[181] A _fool's bauble_, in its _literal_ meaning, is the carved
truncheon which the licensed fools or jesters anciently carried in their
hands. See notes on "All's Well that Ends Well," act iv. sc. 5.
--_Steevens_.

[182] Winstanley has asserted that Oliver Cromwell performed the part of
Tactus at Cambridge: and some who have written the life of that great
man have fixed upon this speech as what first gave him ideas of
sovereignty. The notion is too vague to be depended upon, and too
ridiculous e