[236] "Ralph de Wigmore, who came into England with the Conqueror, obtained the Castle of Wigmore, Co. Hereford, and the Roger Mortimer of this play was summoned to Parliament as "de Wigmore.""--_Cunningham._

[237] Old eds. "him."

[238] Scene: the neighbourhood of Tynemouth.

[239] Surmise.

[240] Tattered.

[241] "In all Latin deeds the Mortimers are called "de Mortuo mari.""

_Cunningham._

[242] Scene: the interior of Tynemouth Castle.

[243] Delay. The word occurs in _3 Henry VI._ ii. 3, l. 56; _Arden of Feversham, &c._

[244] Old eds. "this."

[245] So ed. 1622.--Eds. 1598, 1612, "_and_ therefore."

[246] "There is such uncertainty about the location of this scene that I can only mark it--an open country."--_Dyce._

[247] The Italian form of "maugre."

[248] So ed. 1612.--Ed. 1598 "these."

[249] A line, as Dyce remarks, in which Warwick says that Gaveston shall be _beheaded_, has dropped out.

[250] The pa.s.sage is corrupt: I have followed the reading of the old eds. Dyce gives--

"Will _now_ these _short_ delays beget my hopes?"

[251] "When? can you tell?"--a sort of proverbial expression. See Dyce"s _Shakespeare Glossary_.

[252] So Dyce.--Ed. 1598 omits "his." Eds. 1612, 1622, read:-- "He that _hath_ the care of Realme-remits." ("Care" must be p.r.o.nounced as a dissyllable.)

[253] Cunningham reads "sees."

[254] Old eds. "It is."

[255] "The exclamation of those who repent what they have rashly done."--_Dyce._

[256] Here and throughout iii. II, the 4tos give "Mat" and "Matreuis"

for "Arundel." The mistake arose, as Dyce pointed out, by the parts of Arundel and Matrevis having been taken by the same actor.

[257] Scene: the open country (near Warwick?).

[258] The meaning is surely "ghost, spirit," not, as Mr. Fleay interprets, "representative, plenipotentiary."

[259] Scene: neighbourhood of Borrowbridge.

[260] Braggard challenges.

[261] Fr. haut.

[262] Old eds "the."

[263] So ed. 1612.--Ed. 1598 "come."

[264] Cunningham and Mr. Fleay silently print "more."

[265] Ed. 1598 "heres is."--Ed. 1612, 1622, "heres."

[266] So ed. 1622.--Eds. 1598, 1612, "roote."

[267] So ed. 1612.--Ed. 1598 "leave."

[268] Schemes.

[269] So ed. 1612.--Ed. 1589 "It is."

[270] Rule.

[271] Old eds. "leuied."

[272] Old eds. "claps close."

[273] Scene: London, near the Tower.

[274] Scene: Paris.

[275] So eds. 1598, 1622.--Ed. 1612 "goe."

[276] Mr. Fleay reads "please," supposing that the letters _th_ are repeated from the next word.

[277] Dyce"s correction "on" seems to be quite unnecessary.

[278] Dyce needlessly reads "part."

[279] Equipped to meet our foes.

[280] Earned.

[281] An allusion to the game of _Prisoner"s Base_. To "bid a base" is for a player to run into the centre and challenge one of the opposite party to pursue.

[282] Scene: the royal palace, London.

[283] Old eds. "_Matr._" and "_Matreuis._"--The elder Spencer is a _muta persona_. Mr. Fleay, who ousts him altogether from this scene, observes "There is no hint of Old Spencer being on the stage after the third act,"--strangely forgetting that he is introduced in the fifth scene of the present act.