the fact is, our early writers (or rather, transcribers), with their usual inconsistency of spelling, give now the one form, and now the other: compare the folio SHAKESPEARE, 1623, where we sometimes find "vild" and sometimes "VILE.")
Bagdet's] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Badgets."
A citadel, &c.] Something has dropt out from this line.
Well said] Equivalent to--Well done! as appears from innumerable passages of our early writers: see, for instances, my ed.of Beaumont and Fletcher's WORKS, vol.i.328, vol.ii.
445, vol.viii.254.
will I] So the 8vo.--The 4to "I will."
suffer'st] Old eds."suffers": but see the two following notes.
send'st] So the 8vo.--The 4to "sends."
sit'st] So the 8vo.--The 4to "sits."
head] So the 8vo.--The 4to "blood."
fed] Old eds."feede."
upon] So the 8vo.--Omitted in the 4to.
fleet] i.e.float.
gape] So the 8vo.--The 4to "gaspe."
in] So the 8vo.--Omitted in the 4to.
forth, ye vassals] Spoken, of course, to the two kings who draw his chariot.
whatsoe'er] So the 8vo.--The 4to "whatsoeuer."
Euphrates] See note ? p.36.
may we] So the 8vo.--The 4to "we may."
this] So the 8vo.--The 4to "that" (but in the next speech of the same person it has "THIS Tamburlaine").
record] i.e.call to mind.
Aid] So the 8vo.--The 4to "And."
Renowmed] See note ||, p.11.So the 8vo.--The 4to "Renowned."--The prefix to this speech is wanting in the old eds.
invisibly] So the 4to.--The 8vo "inuincible."
inexcellence] So the 4to.--The 8vo "inexcellencie."
Enter Tamburlaine, &c.] Here the old eds.have no stage-
direction; and perhaps the poet intended that Tamburlaine should enter at the commencement of this scene.That he is drawn in his chariot by the two captive kings, appears from his exclamation at p.72, first col."Draw, you slaves!"
cease] So the 8vo.--The 4to "case."
hypostasis] Old eds."Hipostates."
artiers] See note *, p.18.
upon] So the 4to.--The 8vo "on."
villain cowards] Old eds."VILLAINES, cowards" (which is not to be defended by "VILLAINS, COWARDS, traitors to our state", p.67, sec.col.).Compare "But where's this COWARD
VILLAIN," &c., p.61 sec.col.
unto] So the 8vo.--The 4to "to."
Whereas] i.e.Where.
Terrene] i.e.Mediterranean.
began] So the 8vo.--The 4to "begun."
this] So the 8vo.--The 4to "the."
subjects] Mr.Collier (Preface to COLERIDGE'S SEVEN
LECTURES ON SHAKESPEARE AND MILTON, p.cxviii) says that here "subjects" is a printer's blunder for "substance": YET HE TAKES
NO NOTICE OF TAMBURLAINE'S NEXT WORDS, "But, sons, this SUBJECT
not of force enough," &c.--The old eds.are quite right in both passages: compare, in p.62, first col.;
"A form not meet to give that SUBJECT essence Whose matter is the flesh of Tamburlaine," &c.
into] So the 8vo.--The 4to "vnto."
your seeds] So the 8vo.--The 4to "OUR seedes." (In p.18, first col., we have had "Their angry SEEDS"; but in p.47, first col.,
"thy seed":--and Marlowe probably wrote "seed" both here and in p.18.)
lineaments] So the 8vo.--The 4to "laments."--The Editor of 1826 remarks, that this passage "is too obscure for ordinary comprehension."
these] So the 4to.--The 8vo "those."
these] So the 4to.--The 8vo "those."
damned] i.e.doomed,--sorrowful.
Clymene's] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Clymeus."
Phoebe's] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Phoebus."
Phyteus'] Meant perhaps for "Pythius'", according to the usage of much earlier poets:
"And of PHYTON [i.e.Python] that Phebus made thus fine Came Phetonysses," &c.
Lydgate's WARRES OF TROY, B.ii.SIG.K vi.ed.
1555.
Here the modern editors print "Phoebus'".
thee] So the 8vo.--The 4to "me."
cliffs] Here the old eds."clifts" and "cliftes":
but see p.12, line 5, first col.
End
