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59. Withal with; here used as a preposition governing ducats.

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SCENE II.

upon further consideration.

2. Old swearing. — "Old" was an intensive epithet in common use.

ACT V. SCENE I.

1. Troilus was a son of Priam, king of Troy. He loved Cressida, daughter of the Grecian soothsayer, Calchas.

2. Thisbe was a beautiful Babylonian lady, with whom Pyramus was in love. They agreed to meet at the tomb of Ninus; but, on arriving there, Thisbe was frightened at the sight of a lioness that had just killed an ox. She fled, leaving her cloak behind. Pyramus, finding the cloak stained with blood, believed that a wild beast had killed her, and took his own lifeexample which was followed by Thisbe.

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3. Dido was Queen of Carthage. She loved Æneas, by whom she was deserted. The "willow in her hand" was the symbol of unhappy love.

4. Medea was the daughter of Æetes, king of Colchis. She assisted Jason in obtaining the Golden Fleece, and afterwards became his wife. She possessed magical powers, and in order to renew the youth of Aeson, the father of Jason, she boiled him in a caldron, into which she had cast enchanted herbs."

5. Out-night you
6. Holy crosses.

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beat you in this game of "In such a night." These were numerous in Italy, being found not only

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8. Patines =

times made of gold.

the plate used for the sacramental bread. It was some

9. Like an angel sings.

A reference to "the music of the spheres."

10. Quiring = singing in concert.

II. Diana

12. Mutual

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the goddess of the moon.

common.

13. Orpheus =a Thracian poet who accompanied the Argonauts, and had the power of moving inanimate objects by the music of his lyre. 14. Stockish

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stupid, insensible.

15. Spoils = robbery, acts of plundering.

16. Erebus

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the underworld, or region of the dead.

17. Without respect = absolutely, independent of circumstances.
18. Attended =

attended to, heard attentively.

19. Season'd are = are made fit.

20. Endymion. — In Greek mythology Silene, or the moon, is represented as charmed with the beauty of Endymion, whom she put to sleep on Mount Latmos, that she might nightly kiss him unobserved.

21. Tucket = a flourish on a trumpet to announce an arrival.

22.

We should hold day, etc. we should have day at the same time with the Antipodes, if you, Portia, would walk abroad at night in the absence of the sun.

23. God sort all: 24. In all sense =

God dispose or arrange all things.

in all reason.

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courtesy consisting of mere breath or talk. 26. Gratiano and Nerissa have been talking apart in dumb show. 27. Posy: sentiment or motto inscribed on rings. A contraction of poesy. It was the custom to inscribe sentiments, usually in distichs, upon knives by means of aqua fortis.

28. Respective

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mindful or regardful of your oath.

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29. The virtue of the ring the power of the ring. It gave its possessor a right to Portia and all she had.

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30. Contain retain. 31. Wanted

reasonable."

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as to have wanted; dependent on so much un

32. Ceremony =
= a sacred thing.

33. Civil doctor: = doctor of civil law.

34. Shame and courtesy: shame at being thought ungrateful, and a sense of what courtesy required.

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40. Satisfied of these events at full = fully satisfied concerning these

events.

41. Charge us upon inter'gatories, etc. "In the Court of Queen's Bench, when a complaint is made against a person for a contempt,' the practice is that before sentence is finally pronounced he is sent into the Crown Office, and being there charged upon interrogatories,' he is made to swear that he will answer all things faithfully.''

CIVIL WAR PERIOD.

REPRESENTATIVE WRITER.

JOHN MILTON.

OTHER PROMINENT WRITERS.

Poets. WALLER, COWLEY, QUARLES, HERRICK, SUCKLING,

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Religious Writers. — TAYLOR, BAXTER, BUNYAN.

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