Nurse. I pray you, Sir, what faucy merchant was this, that was fo full 9 of his ropery? Rom. A gentleman, nurse, that loves to hear himfelf talk; and will speak more in a minute, than he will ftand to in a month. Nurfe. An' a speak any thing against me, I'll take him down an' he were luftier than he is, and twenty fuch Jacks; and if I cannot, I'll find those that shali. Scurvy knave! I am none of his flirt-gills; I am none of his fkains-mates.-And thou must ftand by too, and fuffer every knave to use me at his pleasure ? [To her man. Pet. I faw no man use you at his pleasure if I had, my weapon fhould quickly have been out, I warrant you. I dare draw as foon as another man, if I fee occafion in a good quarrel, and the law on my fide. Nurfe. Now, afore God, I am fo vext, that every of his ropery?] Ropery was anciently ufed in the fame fenfe as roguery is now. Rope-tricks are mentioned in another place. STEEVENS. None of his fkains-mates.] The word fkains-mate, I do not understand, but fuppofe that kains was fome low play, and fkains-mate, a companion at fuch play. JOHNSON. A fkein or fkain was either a knife or a fhort dagger. By fkains-mates the nurfe means none of his loofe companions who frequent the fencing-school with him, where we may fuppofe the exercise of this weapon was taught. The word is used in the old tragedy of Soliman and Perfeda, 1599. "Against the light-foot Irish have I ferv'd, "And in my fkin bare tokens of their feins." Again, in the comedy called Lingua, &c. 1607. At the opening of the piece Lingua is reprefented as apparelled in a particular manner, and among other things having a little kene tied "in a purple scarf." 66 Green, in his Quip for an upftart Courtier, defcribes " an "ill-favour'd knave, who wore by his fide a keine like a "brewer's bung knife." Skein is the Irish word for a knife. Again, in the Eatal Contrad, by J. W. Hemings, 1653 "How eafly this kein is fheath'd in him.” STEEVENS. part part about me quivers. Scurvy knave! Pray you, Sir, a word: and as I told you, my young lady bid me enquire you out; what the bid me fay, I will keep to myself. But first let me tell ye, if ye fhould lead her into a fool's. paradife, as they fay, it were a very grofs kind of behaviour, as they fay; for the gentlewoman is young; and therefore, if you fhould deal double with her, truly, it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing. Rom. Commend me to thy lady and miftrefs. I proteft unto thee Nurfe. Good heart! and, i'faith, I will tell her as much. Lord, Lord, fhe will be a joyful woman. Rom. What wilt thou tell her, Nurfe? Thou dost not mark me. Nurfe. I will tell her, Sir, that you do protest; which, as I take it, is a gentleman-like offer. Rom. Bid her devise fome means to come to shrift This afternoon : And there fhe fhall at friar Laurence' cell Be fhriv'd and married. Here is for thy pains. Nurfe. This afternoon, Sir? Well, fhe fhall be there. 2 Nurfe. Now, God in heaven bless thee! Hark you, Sir. -like a tackled ftair,] Like stairs of rope in the tackle of a fhip. JoHNSON. 3 top-gallant of my joy】 "Which to the high top-gallant of my joy." The top-gallant is the highest extremity of the maft of a ship. STEEVENS. 2 Rom. What fayeft thou, my dear Nurse ? Nurfe. Is your man fecret? Did you ne'er hear say, Two may keep counfel, putting one away? Rom. I warrant thee; my man's as true as steel. Nurfe. Well, Sir, my mistress is the sweetest lady; Lord, Lord! when 'twas a little prating thingO there's a nobleman in town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but fhe, good foul, had as lieve fee a toad, a very toad, as fee him. I do anger her fometimes, and tell her, that Paris is the properer man; but, I'll warrant you, when I fay fo, fhe looks as pale as any clout in the varfal world. Doth not Rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter? 4 Rom. Ay, Nurfe; what of that? both with an R. Nurfe. Rom. Ay, Nurse; what of that? both with an R. Nurfe. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. R is for the no, I know it begins with no other letter ;] I believe, I have rectified this odd ftuff; but it is a little mortifying, that the fenfe, when found, fhould not be worth the pains of retrieving it. fpiffis indigna theatris Scripta pudet recitare, & nugis addere pondus.” The Nurfe is reprefented as a prating filly creature; the fays, fhe will tell Romeo a good joke about his mistress, and asks him, whether Rosemary and Romeo do not begin both with a letter: He fays, Yes, an R. She, who, we must fuppofe, could not read, thought he had mock'd her, and fays, No, fure, I know better: our dog's name is R. yours begins with another letter. This is natural enough, and in character. R put her in mind of that found which is made by dogs when they fnarl; and therefore, I prefume, fhe fays, that is the dog's name. R in the fchools, being called The dog's letter. Ben Jonfon, in his English Grammar, fays, R is the dog's letter, and birreth in the found. "Irritata canis quod R. R. quam plurima dicat." Lucil. WARBURTON. This paffage is thus in the old folio. A mocker, that's the dog's name. Ris for the no, I know it begins with fome other letter. In this copy the error is but small. I read, Ah, mocker, that's the dog's name. R is for the nonce, I know it begins with another letter. For the nonce, is for fome defign, for a fly trick. JOHNSON, VOL. X. Nurfe. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. Ris and for the nonce; I know it begins with another letter; and fhe hath the prettieft fententious of it, of you rofemary, that it would do you good to hear it. Rom. Commend me to thy lady [Exit Romeo. Nurse. Ay, a thoufand times.-Peter! Pet. Anon? Nurfe. Peter, take my fan and go before. [Exeunt. SCENE Capulet's Garden. Enter Juliet. V. Jul. The clock ftruck nine, when I did fend the nurse : In half an hour fhe promis'd to return. Perchance, fhe cannot meet him :-That's not fo.- Of this day's journey; and from nine 'till twelve For the nonce is an expreffion common to all the ancient writers. So Phaer, in his tranflation of Virgil, B. ii. speaking of Sinon, "That for the nonce had done himself, by yielding to "be took." STEEVENS. Should be thoughts, &c.] The fpeech is thus continued in the quarto, 1597: fhould be thoughts, And run more swift than hafty powder, fir'd, The greatest part of this fcene is likewife added fince that edition. STEEVENS. She'd She'd be as fwift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my fweet love, But old folks, marry! feign as they were dead, Enter Nurfe, with Peter. O good, fhe comes! O honey Nurse, what news? Haft thou met with him? Send thy man away. Nurfe. Peter, ftay at the gate. [Exit Peter. Jul. Now, good fweet Nurfe-Oh lord! why look ft thou fad? Tho' news be fad, yet tell them merrily: Nurfe. I am a weary, let me reft a while; Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunt have I had ? Jul. I would, thou hadst my bones, and I thy news! Nay, come, I pray thee, speak :-Good, good Nurse, fpeak. Nurfe. What hafte? Can you not stay awhile? Do you not fee that I am out of breath? Jul. How art thou out of breath, when thou haft breath To fay to me-that thou art out of breath? Nurfe. Well, you have made a fimple choice; you know not how to chufe a man: Romeo! no, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his legs excel all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body-though they be not to be talk'd on, yet they are paft compare. He is not the flower of courtefy, but, I warrant him, as gentle as a lamb-Go thy ways, wench, ferve God-What, have you dined at home? E 2 Jul |