2 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, Sir-yet you must not think Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it ; That only, like a gulf, it did remain I' th' midft o' th' body, idle and unactive, Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing Like labour with the reft; where th' other inftruments Did fee, and hear, devife, inftruct, walk, feel, Unto the appetite, and affection common over again." And nothing is more common than the verb in this fenfe, with our three capital Dramatic poets. To begin, with our own author. Anth. and Cleop. Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. Ful. Caf. Were I a common laugher, or did ufe And, again, and imitations, Which out of ufe, and ftaled by other men, So B. Jonfon, in his Every Man in his Humour. and not content To ftale himself in all focieties, He makes my house here common as a mart. Cynthia's Revels. I'll go tell all the argument of his play aforehand, and so stale his invention to the auditory, before it come forth. And fo Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Beggar's Bufb. And ftale, in my relation, the much good You may be witness of. Queen of Corinth.. -I'll not fale 'em, By giving up their characters; but leave you To make your own difcov'ries. Wit at feveral weapons... You fhail not be feen yet, we'll ftale your friend first, So please but him to ftand for th' anti-mask, Cit. Well, Sir, what anfwer made the belly? Men. (2) Sir, I fhall tell you. With a kind of fmile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus (For, look you, I may make the belly fmile, As well as fpeak) it tauntingly reply'd To th' difcontented members, th' mutinous parts,, 2 Cit. Your belly's anfwer-what!" The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eye, In this our fabrick, if that they Men. What then?Fore me, this fellow fpeaks.. What then? what then? 2 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be reftrain'đ Who is the fink o' th' body, Men. Well, what then? 2 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? Men. I will tell you, If you'll beftow a fmall (of what you have little) Patience, a while; you'll hear the belly's answer.. 2 Cit. Y' are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Not rafh, like his accufers; and thus anfwer'd; (2) Sir, I fhall tell you with a kind of smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs,] Thus all the editors, mot ftupidly, hitherto; as if Menenius were to fmile in telling his flory, tho' the lines, which immediately follow, make it evident that the belly was meant to fmile. 33 Even Even to the court, the heart; to th' feat o' th' brain; Men. Though all at once cannot Yet I can make my audit up, that all But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you, z Cit. I the great toe! why, the great toe? But make you ready your ftiff bats and clubs, Enter (3) The one fide muft bave bail. ]. It must be the vanquisht fide, fure, that could want it; and who were likely to be their bail? but it is endlefs to question with negligence and ftupidity. The poet, undoubtedly wrote, as I have reftor'd; The one fide muft have bale. ie. Sorrow, misfortune, must have the worst of it, be discomfited. I have restor'd this word in fome other paffages of our author; and we meet with it in a play, attributed to him, call'd Lotrine : Yea, with thefe eyes thou haft feen her, and therefore 'pull them out, for they will work thy bale. Mr. Rowe, indeed, in his editions of our poet, has erroneously printed ail too in this paffage; but in the old quarte which I have of Locrine printed Enter Caius Marcius. Hail, noble Marcius! [rogues, Mar. Thanks. What's the matter, you diffentions That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourfelves fcabs? 2 Cit. We have ever your good word. Mar. He, that will give good words to thee, will flatter Beneath abhorring. What would you have, ye curs, That like nor peace, nor war? The one affrights you, The other makes you proud. He that trufts to you, Where he should find you lions, finds you hares: Where foxes, geefe: You are no furer, no, Than is the coal of fire upon the ice, Or hailstone in the fun. Your virtue is, To make him worthy, whofe offence fubdues him, A fick man's appetite, who defires most that And hews down oaks with rufhes. Hang ye truft ye! printed in 1595, we find the word fpelt as it ought. And it was a term familiar both with authors prior in time, and contemporaries with Shakespeare. and eke her fingirs long and male She wrong full oft, and bade God on her rue, And with the death to doe bote on her bale: &c. Chaucer's Troil, and Crefeide. Book IV. verse 738. And the black holme, that loves the wat'ry vale, And the sweet cyprefs, fign of deadly bale. And again, Spenfer's Tranflation of Virgil's Guat. Said he, what have I wretch deferv'd, that thus Into this bitter bale I am out caft. Thus greatest blifs is prone to greatest bale. Idem ibid. First Chorus of Hercules Oetus from Seneca; printed in 15830 And leaft my foe, falfe Promos here, Do interrupt my tale; Grant, gracious King, that, uncontroul'd, I may report my bale. Promos and Caffandra, (a Play,) printed in 1578. And And call him noble, that was now your hate; What's the matter, You cry against the noble Senate, who (Under the gods) keep you in awe, which elfe Mar. Hang 'em: they fay! They'll fit by th' fire, and prefume to know Who thrives, and who declines: fide factions, and giveout Would the nobility lay afide their ruth, Men. Nay, thefe are almost thoroughly perfuaded : For though abundantly they lack difcretion, Yet are they pairing cowardly. What fays the other troop? But, I beseech you, Mar. They are diffolv'd; hang 'em, They faid they were an hungry, figh'd forth proverbs; That meat was made for mouths that the gods fent not They vented their complainings: which being anfwer'd, And make bold power look pale; they threw their caps Men. What is granted them? Mar. Five tribunes to defend their vulgar wifdoms, Of their own choice. One's Junius Brutus, Sicinius Velutus, and I know not-s' death, The rabble fhould have first unroof'd the city, Ere |