The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 3 (of 3)

"pars ægra et marcida pendet,Pars micat, et celeri venas movet improba pulsu."

645

"Numerisque moventibus astra."—The word "planeting" was, I suppose, coined by Marlowe. I have never met it elsewhere.

646

So Dyce.—Old ed. "radge." (The original has "et incerto discurrunt sidera motu.")

647

"Omnis an effusis miscebitur unda venenis."—Dyce suggests that Marlowe's copy read "pruinis."

648

The original has "Aquarius."—Ganymede was changed into the sign Aquarius: see Hyginus' Poeticon Astron. II. 29.

649

Claws.

650

A Mænad.—Old ed. "Mænus."

651

The original has "Nubiferæ."

652

Old ed. "hence."

653

This delightful pastoral song was first published, without the fourth and sixth stanzas, in The Passionate Pilgrim, 1599. It appeared complete in England's Helicon, 1600, with Marlowe's name subscribed. By quoting it in the Complete Angler, 1653, Izaak Walton has made it known to a world of readers.

654

Omitted in P. P.

655

So P. P.—E. H. "That vallies, groves, hills and fieldes."—Walton "That vallies, groves, or hils or fields."

656

So E. H.—P. P. "And the craggy mountain yields."—Walton "Or, woods and steepie mountains yeelds."

657

So E. H.—P. P. "There will we."—Walton "Where we will."

658

So E. H.—P. P. and Walton "And see."

659

So E. H. and P. P.—Walton "our."

660

So P. P. and Walton.—E. H. "sings."

661

So E. H. and Walton.—P. P. "There will I make thee a bed of roses."

662

So E. H.—P. P. "With."—Walton "And then."

663

This stanza is omitted in P. P.

664

So E. H.—Walton "Slippers lin'd choicely."

665

So E. H. and Walton.—P. P. "Then."—After this stanza there follows in the second edition of the Complete Angler, 1655, an additional stanza:—

"Thy silver dishes for thy meatAs precious as the gods do eat,Shall on an ivory table bePrepar'd each day for thee and me."

666

This stanza is omitted in P. P.—E. H. and Walton "The sheep-heards swaines."

667

Oldys in his annotated copy (preserved in the British Museum) of Langbaine's Engl. Dram. Poets, under the article Marlowe remarks:—"Sir Walter Raleigh was an encourager of his [i.e. Marlowe's] Muse; and he wrote an answer to a Pastoral Sonnet of Sir Walter's [sic], printed by Isaac Walton in his book of fishing." It would be pleasant to think that Marlowe enjoyed Raleigh's patronage; but Oldys gives no authority for his statement.

668

From England's Parnassus, 1600, p. 480, where it is subscribed "Ch. Marlowe."

669

The text of England's Parnassus has "twindring," which is corrected in the Errata, to "twining."

670

First printed in The Alleyn Papers (for the Shakespeare Society), p. 8, by Collier, who remarks:—"In the original MS. this dramatic dialogue in verse is written as prose, on one side of a sheet of paper, at the back of which, in a more modern hand, is the name 'Kitt Marlowe.' What connection, if any, he may have had with it, it is impossible to determine, but it was obviously worthy of preservation, as a curious stage-relic of an early date, and unlike anything else of the kind that has come down to us. In consequence of haste or ignorance on the part of the writer of the manuscript, it has been necessary to supply some portions, which are printed within brackets. There are also some obvious errors in the distribution of the dialogue, which it was not easy to correct. The probability is that, when performed, it was accompanied with music."

671

MS. "Jack."

672

MS. "W. Fre."—which Dyce supposed to be an abbreviation for Wench's Friend.

673

MS. "Frend."

674

MS. "Wen" (i.e. Wench).

675

MS. "Wen."

676

Bauble.

677

In the Introduction I have expressed my opinion that this ballad is a forgery.

678

We are to suppose an allusion to Robert Greene.

679

The anagram of Marlowe.

680

This is the original title, which has been partly scored through to make way for the following title:—A Note delivered on Whitson eve last of the most horrible blasphemes utteryd by Christofer Marly who within iii dayes after came to a soden and fearfull end of his life.

681

Words printed in italics are scored through in the MS.

682

Where lacunæ occur the clauses are unfit for publication.

683

Where lacunæ occur the clauses are unfit for publication.

684

Where lacunæ occur the clauses are unfit for publication.

685

In the margin are the words "he is layd for,"—i.e., steps are being taken for his apprehension.

686

Quoted.

687

The inverted iron horns or tubes, a few of which still remain on lamp-posts and gates, were formerly used as extinguishers to the torches which were thrust into them.