Note 43:D — Chapter III
Reading edition
"'——— For what in me was purchased, Falls upon thee in a much fairer sort.'
K. Hen. IV. P. II.
"Purchase is here used in its strict legal sense, in contradistinction to an acquisition by descent.
'Unless the devil have him in fee-simple, with fine and recovery.'
Merry Wives of Windsor.
'He is 'rested on the case.'
Comedy of Errors.
'——— with bills on their necks, Be it known unto all men by these presents,' &c.
As you like it.
'——— who writes himself armigero, in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation.'
Merry Wives of Windsor.
'Go with me to a notary, seal me there Your single bond.'
Merchant of Venice.
'Say, for non-payment that the debt should double.'
Venus and Adonis.
"On a conditional bond's becoming forfeited for non-payment of money borrowed, the whole penalty, which is usually the double of the principal sum lent by the obligee, was formerly recoverable at law. To this our poet here alludes.
'But the defendant doth that plea deny; To 'cide his title, is impanell'd A quest of thoughts.'
Sonnet 46.
"In Much Ado about Nothing, Dogberry charges the watch to keep their fellow's counsel and their own. This Shakspeare transferred from the oath of a grand juryman.
'And let my officers of such a nature Make an extent upon his house and lands.'
As you like it.
'He was taken with the manner.'
Love's Labour's lost.
'Enfeof'd himself to popularity.'
K. Hen. IV. P. I.
'He will seal the fee-simple of his salvation, and cut the entail from all remainders, and a perpetual succession for it perpetually.'
All's Well that ends Well.
'Why, let her accept before excepted.'
Twelfth Night.
'——— which is four terms or two actions;—and he shall laugh without intervallums.'
K. Hen. IV. P. II.
'——— keeps leets and law-days.'
K. Richard II.
'Pray in aid for kindness.'
Anthony and Cleopatra.
"No writer but one who had been conversant with the technical language of leases and other conveyances, would have used determination as synonymous to end. Shakspeare frequently uses the word in that sense. See vol. xii. (Reed's Shakspeare,) p. 202. n. 2.; vol. xiii. p. 127. n. 4.; and (Mr. Malone's edit.) vol. x. p. 202. n. 8. 'From and after the determination of such a term,' is the regular language of conveyancers.
'Humbly complaining to Your Highness.'
K. Richard III.
'Humbly complaining to Your Lordship, your orator,' &c. are the first words of every bill in chancery.
'A kiss in fee farm! In witness whereof these parties interchangeably have set their hands and seals.'
Troilus and Cressida.
'Art thou a feodary for this act?'
Cymbeline.
"See the note on that passage, vol. xviii. p. 507, 508. n. 3. Reed's edit.
'Are those precepts served?' says Shallow to Davy, in K. Henry IV.
"Precept in this sense is a word only known in the office of a justice of peace.
'Tell me what state, what dignity, what honour, Can'st thou demise to any child of mine?'
K. Richard III.
'——— hath demised, granted, and to farm let,' is the constant language of leases. What poet but Shakspeare has used the word demised in this sense?
"Perhaps it may be said, that our author in the same manner may be proved to have been equally conversant with the terms of divinity or physic. Whenever as large a number of instances of his ecclesiastical or medicinal knowledge shall be produced, what has now been stated will certainly not be entitled to any weight." Malone, Reed's Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 276. n. 9.