Act 5 — Scene IV. My Lady Youthly’s; Discovers her, and Lettice dressing her.

Scene IV. My Lady Youthly’s; Discovers her, and Lettice dressing her.

L. Youth. Hold the Glass higher, Lettice; is not this Tour too brown?—Methinks it does not give a youthful Aire to my Face.

Lett. That’s not in Nature.

L. Youth. Like Nature! Ay, but Nature’s self wants Art, nor does this Fontange suit with my Complexion—put on a little more red, Lettice, on my Cheeks, and Lips. She does so.

Lett. Ay, for they are but a little too much upon the Coventry-Blue—This Tour must come more forward, Madam, to hide the Wrinkles at the corners of your Eyes— Pulls it.

L. Youth. Ay, Lettice, but there are others, that neither Tours, nor Paint, nor Patches will hide, I fear—yet altogether, Lettice— Puts on her Spectacles, and looks in the Glass.

Enter Sir Rowland.

Sir Row. What, no Bride yet, nor Bridegroom?

L. Youth. Ay, what can be the meaning of this?

Sir Row. But Teresia, Madam, where can she be gadding?

L. Youth. Why, Lettice tells me, she went to buy some Trifles to adorn her this Night—Her Governante is with her, and my Steward.

Enter Mr. Twang.

Twang. Alas, what pity ’tis; the Supper is quite spoil’d, and no Bridegroom come!

A Noise of hallowing without, and Musick.

Enter Lady Blunder.

L. Blun. Bless us! Here’s a whole Regiment of Liveries, Coaches, and Flambeaux at the Door! the Fops of the Town have heard of a Wedding, and are come in Masquerade.

Enter Musick playing; after them, Prince Frederick, leading Mirtilla, George leading Teresia; Sir Merlin, Diana; Mrs. Manage, Britton; Pages, and Footmen, all in Masquerade. Sir Morgan comes in, all in Mourning; Welborn, and Olivia.

Sir Mer. Hearing of a high Wedding, Sir, we made bold (as the saying is) to give you Joy. Sir, are not you the Bridegroom?

Ter. Where’s your Bride, Sir? Ha! ha! ha!

Sir Mer. Ay, ay, where’s your Bride?

Sir Row. What’s that to you, Sir Coxcomb?

Sir Mer. Hum—how the devil came he to know me now?—Is this reverend Gentlewoman your Lady, Sir?

Sir Row. Ounds, they come to mock us!—Hark ye, hark ye, Tawdrums, if you are Men, shew your Faces; if Apes, play over your Monkey-Tricks and be gone, d’ye hear.—We are not at leisure for Fooling.

Geo. Be but at leisure, Sir, to pardon George kneels.

this one Disobedience of my Life, and all the rest I’ll dedicate to please and humour you. Sir, I am marry’d. Pulls off his Mask.

Sir Row. What the Devil’s that to me, Sir?

Geo. Do not you know me, Sir?

Sir Row. No, Sir, nor don’t care to know any such flaunting Coxcombs.

Geo. Look on me, Sir. Looks on him, knows him, goes away, and returns.

Sir Row. Hum, hum, hum—

Ter. It is your Son, Sir, your darling Son, who has sav’d your Life from Insolence.

Sir Row. Hum—Teresia!

L. Youth. How, Teresia! what, robb’d me of my intended Husband? Oh, undone! undone! Falls into a Chair.

Sir Row. And hast thou, after all, served me such a Rogue’s Trick, thou ungracious Varlet? What, cuckold thine own Father!

Geo. Oh, do not frown, I cannot bear your Anger! Here will I hang for ever till you Pardon me. Clasps his Knees.

Sir Row. Look—look—now cannot I be angry with the good-natur’d young Rogue. Weeps.

Well, George—But hark ye, Sirrah, this is a damn’d Trick of yours.

Geo. Sir, I found my Youth was fitter for her than your Age, and you’ll be as fond of a Grand-Child of my begetting as you would of a Son of another Man’s perhaps.

Sir Row. Thou’rt in the Right on’t.

Sir Mer. Ha! Is Monsieur Lejere then my Brother George?

Geo. Sir, Here’s another Couple wants your Pardon; my Brother Merlin, and my Lady Diana.

L. Blun. Diana! What, Sir Harry Modish’s Mistress?

Dia. Yes, he pawn’d me at the Basset-Table; and, in Revenge, I resolv’d to marry the next Man of Fortune I met with.

Sir Row. The Fool had more Wit than I thought he had; for which I’ll give him a Thousand Pound a Year.

Geo. I humbly thank you, Sir.

Mir. Pray, Melancholy Sir, who are you in Mourning for?

Sir Morg. Alas, Madam, for a Person of Quality that was my Wife; but rest her Soul, she’s burnt. Weeps.

And I shall never see any thing again like her.

Mir. No! What think you of this Face, Sir?

Sir Morg. As Gad shall sa’ me, as like as if the same.

L. Blun. In troth, and so she is.

Prince. ’Tis true, she was once your Wife; but I have preserv’d her from the Flames, and I have most Right to her.

Sir Morg. That’s a hard Case, Sir, that a Man must lose his Wife, because another has more Right to her than himself; Is that Law, Sir?

Prince. Lover’s Law, Sir.

L. Blun. Ay, ay, Son, ’tis the Fashion to marry one Week, and separate the next. I’ll set you a President for it my self.

In this time Welborn kneels with Olivia; Sir Rowland takes ’em up, and kisses ’em.

Sir Morg. Nay, if it be the Fashion, I’ll e’en into the Country, and be merry with my Tenants, and Hawk, and Hunt, and Horse-match.

Prince. But now, Sir, I’ll resign my Right to you, and content myself with the Honour to have preserv’d her from the Fire. Prince delivers Mirtilla to Sir Morgan, who receives her.

Sir Morg. As gad shall sa’ me, Sir, you’re a civil Person; and now I find you can endure a Woman, Sir, I’ll give you leave to visit her.

Sir Row. Well, since we’re all agreed, and that the Fiddles are here, adsnigs, we’ll have a Dance, Sweet-heart, though thou hast out-witted me.

Takes Teresia, George takes Lady Youthly, &c. After the Dance, Lady Youthly weeps.

Geo. What, weeping yet? Here, Mr. Twang, take the Lady to your Care; in these Cases, there’s nothing like the Consolation of your young Chaplain.

The Widow, with young Jointure, and old Face,

Affected Mein, and Amorous Grimace,

Uses to fall to th’ younger Brother’s share; But I by Fortune, and Industrious Care, Have got one that’s Rich, Witty, Young, and Fair.

FINIS.

EPILOGUE.

Spoken by Mr. Horden.

We’ve grown Impatient to be out of pain,

And fain wou’d know our fortune, loss, or gain:

The Merchants phrase mayn’t be Improper now,

If ye our City Character allow.

But some Spruse Criticks, I hear, swears ’tis strange,

To take a powder’d Beau off from the Exchange;

A place more fam’d for Band, and dress precise,

For greasy Cuckholds, Stockjobbers, and lies,

Than for a Spark o’ th’ town, but now a days

The Cit sets up in box, puffs, perfumes, plays,

And tho’ he passes for a Man of Trade,

Is the chief squeaker at the Masquerade,

Let him his Sister, or his wife beware,

’Tis not for nothing Courtiers go so far;

Thus for a while he holds, till Cash is found

To be a Dr. many a woful Pound,

Then off he moves, and in another year,

Turns true Alsatian, or Solicitor.

For we (except o’ th’ stage) shall seldom find

To a poor broken Beau, a Lady kind,

Whilst pow’rful Guinea last, he’s wondrous pretty,

And much the finest Gentlemen o’ th’ City,

But when fob’s empty, he’s an odious Creature.

Fough, how he stinks! h’as not one taking feature,

Then such an Awkard mein, and vulgar sence,

I vow, I wonder at his Impudence!

’Tis well Lejere appear’d, George owes the prize

To the Gay Monsieur, Footmen and Disguise,

Charms which few English Women can withstand,

What can’t a Man of Quality command?

As to the faults, or Merits of the Play We leave ye to be judges of, yet say, Ye ought in justice to be kind to day.

For to our Cost alas, we soon shall find, Perhaps not half the money ye design’d, Consider, Sirs, it goes to be refin’d.

And since in all Exchanges ’tis a notion,

For what ye take to be in due proportion,

So may we justly hope no wrong is done ye

If ye have par of Wit for par of Money.

Notes on the Text.

The Younger Brother.

Dedication

p. 316, l. 1 The Epistle Dedicatory. This only appears in 4to 1696. It is there followed by An Account of the Life of the Incomparable Mrs. BEHN, an entirely worthless composition of some three pages, afterwards vastly expanded into Memoirs ‘by one of the Fair Sex’.

p. 316, l. 21 The narrow Virtues ... [which] were. 4to 1696 omits ‘which’ but it is necessary that this or some similar word be inserted to make the paragraph sufficiently grammatical.

Prologue

p. 319, l. 9 an Intriguer. 4to 1696 ‘the intrigues’.

p. 319, l. 17 Mistress young. 4to 1696 erroneously gives ‘young’ as a proper name ‘Mistress Young’.

Dramatis Personæ

p. 321 Dramatis Personæ. I have added ‘Philip; Diana; Pages, Footmen, Masqueraders, Servants, Rakehells, &c.’ 4to 1696 spells Britton ‘Brittone’; Mr. Pinketham ‘Mr. Pinkerman.’ Powell is indifferently spelt ‘Powell’ or ‘Powel’.

Act I: Scene i

p. 327, l. 2 he. 4to 1696 omits.

p. 327, l. 7 Prince. Here and in ll. 11 and 19 all former editions give speech-prefix ‘Fred’, but afterwards uniformly ‘Prince’ throughout the play.

p. 329, l. 31 a. 4to 1696 omits.

p. 329, l. 34 Tablets: 4to 1696 gives ‘Tablets write:’ which is obviously a misprint for ‘Tablets written:’ or, perhaps, ‘Tablets writ’.

Act I: Scene ii

p. 330, l. 23 Caudle. Here, and in the following line, 4to 1696 misprints ‘Candle’.

p. 332, l. 22 set. 1724 ‘sit’.

p. 337, l. 7 Sir Mer. 4to 1696 misprints ‘Sir Mark.’

p. 337, l. 19 George Kneels. I have inserted ‘George’.

p. 337, l. 20 Ay, Sir. 4to 1696 marks this line ‘Aside.’ An obvious error.

p. 338, l. 10 Sir Rowland. 4to 1696 ‘Sir Merlin’.

p. 338, l. 16 Chaplain [Mr. Twang], and leaning. 4to 1696 ‘her Chaplain, and leaning’. I have inserted Twang’s name and given in l. 19 speech-prefix ‘Twang’ which all former editions mark ‘Chap.’, altering, however, to ‘Twang’ later in this scene at ‘Truly, Madam’.

p. 339, l. 20 cuckold. 4to 1696 ‘Cuckhold’.

p. 339, l. 34 The End of the First Act. Only in 4to 1696.

Act II: Scene i

p. 340, l. 2 Sir Rowland’s Lodging. I have supplied this locale.

p. 340, l. 29 Lookye. 4to 1696 has ‘(Alone.) Lookye’—an obvious error. ‘(Alone.)’ is probably a misprint for ‘(Aloud.)’ which is of itself quite unnecessary.

p. 341, l. 13 Hearts. 4to 1696 ‘Heats’.

p. 342, l. 3 ’twill. 4to 1696 ‘will’.

p. 342, l. 19 India. 4to 1696 ‘Indian’.

Act II: Scene ii

p. 343, l. 13 A Chamber. I have supplied this locale.

p. 346, l. 17 Hackney-Coach. 4to 1696 ‘Hackney’.

p. 346, l. 31 pimp. 4to 1696 misprints ‘Pump’.

p. 348, l. 8 they. 4to 1696 omits.

p. 349, l. 29 Sir Morgan Blunder’s. 4to 1696 ‘Sir M. Blun.’

Act II: Scene iii

p. 350, l. 24 Another Chamber. I have supplied this locale.

p. 351, l. 10 another. 4to 1696 adds to this stage direction ‘Sir Mer. together.’

p. 352, l. 7 a Tendre. 1724 omits ‘a’.

p. 353, l. 11 too. 4to 1696 ‘to’.

Act III: Scene i

p. 354, l. 2 A rich Chamber. I have supplied this locale.

p. 358, l. 4 Expectations. 1724 ‘Expectation’.

p. 358, l. 34 Olivia enters. 4to 1696 reads ‘Enter Olivia with a letter. Olivia gives Welborn the letter.’

p. 359, l. 33 Enter Sir Morgan. Before the couplet 4to 1696 repeats ‘Sir Morg. and Sir Merl. singing.’

p. 360, l. 10 de. 1724 here and elsewhere ‘d’ye’.

Act III: Scene ii

p. 362, l. 18 you. 4to 1696 ‘thou’.

Act III: Scene iii

p. 363, l. 17 Whither? 4to 1696 ‘Whether?’

p. 367, l. 26 Exeunt. I have added this stage direction.

Act IV: Scene i

p. 370, l. 30 Exit Prince with Mirtilla. Former editions ‘and Mirtilla’.

p. 371, l. 14 Exit. 4to 1696 ‘Exit George.’

p. 373, l. 15 Exeunt. 4to 1696 ‘Exit both.’

p. 373, l. 23 of thy hopes. 4to 1696 omits ‘of’.

p. 373, l. 32 ruffle, ravish, and ruin. 4to 1696 ‘Ruffles, Ravishes, and Ruines’.

p. 374, l. 8 Racks. 4to 1696 ‘Wrecks’.

p. 374, l. 35 feebly. 1724 ‘freely’. A patent error.

p. 375, l. 4 near to being. 1724 ‘near being’.

p. 375, l. 33 Exeunt. Not in 4to 1696.

Act IV: Scene ii

p. 376, l. 1 Scene II. I have numbered this scene, and the following (p. 378, l. 16.) Scene III.

Act I:V Scene iii

p. 379, l. 33 Sir Merlin with his Sword. 4to 1696 ‘Sir Merlin his Sword’.

p. 380, l. 19 she cries out. 1724 omits ‘out’.

p. 381, l. 17 My Lady’s maid. I have inserted these words.

Act V: Scene i

p. 383, l. 27 Welborn’s Chamber. I have marked this locale.

p. 385, l. 13 him. 1724 ‘them’.

Act V: Scene ii

p. 386, l. 18 has. 4to 1696 ‘had’.

p. 386, l. 24 Mirtilla. All previous editions here have ‘Lydia’, which makes no sense. It is probable that the original name of Mirtilla was Lydia, and Mrs. Behn, or Gildon, neglected to alter it in this passage.

Act V: Scene iii

p. 388, l. 28 Scene III. All previous editions have ‘Scene discovers Mirtilla and Manage.’

p. 388, l. 35 you have left. 1724 ‘you left’.

p. 393, l. 17 Exit Olivia with Manage. I have added Manage’s name here.

Act V: Scene iv

p. 394, l. 1 Scene IV. I have numbered this scene.

Epilogue

p. 398, l. 26 Fough, how he stinks! 4to 1696 ‘Fough, he how he stinks?’

Notes: Critical And Explanatory.

The Younger Brother.

Dedication

p. 316 Collonel Codrington. Christopher Codrington (1668-1710) was born at Barbadoes, and thence sent to England to be educated. In 1685 he passed as a gentleman commoner to Christ Church, Oxford. Five years later he was elected as a probationer fellow to All Souls. Here he speedily became known for the catholicity and thoroughness of his studies, and ‘soon acquir’d the deserv’d character of an accomplished, well-bred gentleman, and an universal scholar’. He was already an enthusiastic bibliophile. In 1694 he followed William III to Flanders, and having fought with great gallantry at Hay and Namur in 1695, received various military distinctions. In the same year he attended the King to Oxford, and pronounced the university oration on this royal visit. There are dedications to him by Creech, Dennis, and others, but it has been pertinently remarked that ‘his fame is rather to be inferred’ hence ‘than from actually existent performances on his part’, albeit we have copies of complimentary verses (e.g. prefixed to Garth’s Dispensary) from his pen. In 1697 he succeeded his father as commander-in-chief of the Leeward Isles. He does not seem to have been popular, and resigned in 1703, retiring to a life of seclusion and study on his Barbadoes estate. He died 7 April, 1710, and his body was brought back to England to be buried in All Souls’ chapel. To this college he left £10,000, and £6,000 worth of books, a legacy which built, furnished and endowed the magnificent Codrington library there.

p. 317 Mr. Verbruggen’s reading some of his part. One may remember the incident recorded by Pepys (2 February, 1669), how, after Kynaston had been assaulted by Sedley’s bravos, and was too ill to appear, the young actor’s rôle was ‘done by Beeston, who is fain to read it out of a book all the while and thereby spoils the part, and almost the play, it being one of the best parts in it.... But it was pleasant to see Beeston come in with others, supposing it to be dark, and yet he is forced to read his part by the light of the candles: and this I observing to a gentleman that sat by me, he was mightily pleased therewith, and spread it up and down.’

Prologue

p. 319 grave Sir Roger. ‘Sir Roger’ was a common nickname for any clergyman from the well-known comic character ‘Sir Roger, Curate to the Lady’, in Beaumont and Fletcher’s popular The Scornful Lady. This excellent play, a rare favourite with Restoration audiences, kept the boards until the death of Mrs. Oldfield in 1730. After the great actress’ demise it would seem that none of her successors ventured to attempt the title-rôle, hence the piece soon fell out of the repertory. In 1783, however, an alteration, made by Cooke the barrister for Mrs. Abington, was produced with great success at Covent Garden. In this meagre adaptation the Curate disappears. Shanks originally acted this part, but Lacy was the acknowledged ‘Sir Roger’ in Restoration days.

Act I: Scene i

p. 326 making Wax Babies. Playing at dolls.

p. 330 Southampton Square. The original name of Bloomsbury Square, so called from the Earl of Southampton’s town residence, afterwards Bedford House. Southampton Square was at this period, and for long afterwards, the headquarters of fashion in the metropolis: vide further, Vol. III, The Town Fop, p. 22, ‘Southampton House,’ and note on that passage (p. 476). Cross-Reference: The Town Fop

Act I: Scene ii

p. 331 Mr. Motteux. Peter Anthony Motteux was a French Hugenot who came to England upon the restoration of the Edict of Nantes (1685). He soon mixed with the gayest society, and became well known as a prolific writer of songs, prologues, epilogues, masques, and the lighter dramatic fare. Much of this work is not lacking in wit and volatile smartness, but it is all far too ephemeral to have any permanent value as literature. He edited The Gentleman’s Journal, but is perhaps best remembered for his translation of Don Quixote, and his concluding Urquhart’s version of Rabelais.

p. 331 the Rose. This celebrated house stood in Russell Street, Covent Garden, and adjoined Drury Lane. There are innumerable references to it. The greater portion of the ‘Rose’ was demolished in 1776, when a new front was being built to the theatre.

p. 331 scours. i.e. violently assaults. ‘To scour’ was to rampage the streets, breaking windows, fighting with passers-by, beating the watch, &c. Shadwell has an excellent comedy, The Scowrers (1691), which, giving a vivid picture of the times, show these drunken and blackguardly gentry in a very unamiable light. Several plays treat of their exploits. Vanbrugh’s The Provoked Wife (1696), Act iii, II, and iv, II and IV, is perhaps the locus classical for mohocking.

p. 333 the Poet Sternhold. Thomas Sternhold (ob. 1549), was the author with John Hopkins (ob. 1570), of a metrical version of the Psalms, which became a bye-word for doggerel. Sir Morgan is, of course, alluding to some pious rhymes groaned on the way to the triple tree. cf. Shadwell, The Miser (1672), i, I, ‘She would be more welcome to thee than a reprieve would, if thou wert just now trolling out Hopkins and Sternhold upon a ladder.’

p. 333 Billmen in Flannel. Bills were the common weapon of the watch. cf. The Coxcomb (folio 1647), Act i, where Ricardo says to the constable of the watch, ‘Give me the bill, for I’ll be the sergeant.’ Doctor Johnson tells us that the Lichfield watchmen carried bills as late as 1778.

p. 333 Wills’ Coffee-house. vide Vol. III, Preface, The Lucky Chance, p. 187, and note on that passage (p. 484). Cross-Reference: The Lucky Chance

p. 334 his Third Day. vide Vol. III, Preface, The Lucky Chance, p. 187, and note on that passage (p. 484). Cross-Reference: The Lucky Chance

p. 334 old Adam. vide Vol. I, The Rover, Part II, p. 133, and note on that passage (p. 446). Cross-Reference: The Rover

p. 334 The Country Justice’s Calling. vide supra, The Widow Ranter, p. 265. Dalton’s Country Justice, and note on that passage.

Act II: Scene i

p. 341 by Inch of Candle. An auction where bids are taken so long as an inch of candle burns, the last bid before the flame expires obtaining the lot.

p. 342 a Termer. Originally a frequenter of the law courts, and as many came up from the country to London during term time on legal business, it occasionally (as here) signified an unsophisticated stranger. In Dryden’s Sir Martin Mar-All (1667), i, Mrs. Millicent, newly arrived from Canterbury, replies to Lady Dupe’s greeting, ‘I came up, Madam, as we country-gentlewomen use at an Easter term, to the destruction of tarts and cheese cakes, to see a new play, buy a new gown, take a turn in the Park, and so down again to sleep with my forefathers.’ In Mountford’s farce, Dr. Faustus (4to 1697, but produced at the Theatre Royal November-December, 1685, or very early in 1686), we have Scaramouch asking what practice the Doctor has, and Harlequin replies: ‘Why his Business is to patch up rotten Whores against the Term for Country Lawyers and Attorneys Clerks; and against Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun Holidays, for City Apprentices.’ cf. Southerne’s Oroonoko (1696), i, I, when Charlot Welldon says to her sister Lucia, ‘Nay, the young Inns-of-Court beaus, of but one Term’s standing in the fashion, who knew nobody but as they were shown ’em by the orange-women, had nicknames for us.’ More often a Termer meant ‘A person, whether male or female, who resorted to London in term time only, for the sake of tricks to be practised, or intrigues to be carried on at that period.’ —(Nares.)

Act II: Scene ii

p. 347 Sa. i.e. Save us! Sir Morgan has a frequent exclamation ‘God sa me!’ God save me! The abbreviation is early and frequent.

Act III: Scene i

p. 356 the Country of True Love. Mrs. Behn, an omnivorous reader of romances, was thinking of the celebrated Carte de Tendre (Loveland), to be found in Mlle. de Scudéri’s Clélie (1654, Vol. I, p. 399), and reproduced in the English folio edition of 1678. This fantastic map, which is said to have been suggested by Chapelain, aroused unbounded ridicule. In scene IV of Molière’s Les Précieuses Ridicules (1659), Cathos cries, ‘Je m’en vais gager qu’ils n’ont jamais vu la carte de Tendre, et que Billets-Doux, Petits-Soins, Billets-Galante, et Jolis-Vers sont des terres inconnues pour eux.’ This imaginary land is divided by the River of Inclination: on the one side are the towns of Respect, Generosity, A Great Heart, and the like; on the other Constant Friendship, Assiduity, Submission, &c. Across the Dangerous Sea another continent is marked, ‘Countreys undiscovered.’ Terra Incognita.

The extravagant penchant for romances of the Scudéri Parthenissa school was amply satirized by Steele in his clever comedy The Tender Husband (1705), and as late as 1752 by Mrs. Charlotte Lennox in The Female Quixote, an amusing novel.

p. 360 old Queen Bess in the Westminster-Cupboard. The waxen effigies which yet remain at Westminster are preserved in the wainscot presses over the Islip Chapel. Queen Elizabeth, in her tattered velvet robes, is still one of the most famous. They were formerly far more numerous. A waxen figure of the deceased, dressed in the habit worn whilst living, was, in the case of any royal or notable personage, very frequently carried as part of the torchlight funeral procession and, after the obsequies, left over the grave to serve as a kind of temporary monument.

Act III: Scene iii

p. 366 drink up the Sun. i.e. carouse till dawn.

Act IV: Scene iii

p. 379 a Back like an Elephant—’twill bear a Castle. Dr. Aldis Wright, in his notes on Twelfth Night, draws attention to the fact that the celebrated ‘Elephant and Castle,’ at Newington, in the south suburbs of London, can be traced back to the middle of the seventeenth century.

p. 380 Old Queen Gwiniver. For ‘Queen Gwiniver’ applied as a term of abuse to an old woman cf. Dekker’s Satiromastix, or, The Untrussing of the Humorous Poet (4to 1602), iii, I, where Tucca rallying Mistress Miniver cries: ‘Now, now, mother Bunch, how dost thou? what, dost frowne, Queen Gwyniver, dost wrinckle?’ The reference is, of course, to Arthur’s queen.

Act V: Scene iii

p. 390 Ha! what do I see? cf. The incident in The Plain Dealer, iv, II, of which there are obvious reminiscences here. Olivia, making love to Fidelia, who is dressed as a boy, is surprised by Vernish. Olivia runs out, and he discovering the supposed lad to be a woman proceeds to turn the tables on his spouse.

Act V: Scene iv

p. 394 this Tour. cf. ‘your false Towers’, The False Count, i, II (Vol. III, p. 116), and note on that passage (p. 480). Cross-Reference: The False Count

p. 394 Fontange. A ‘fontange’ was a bow of ribbons, so called from the celebrated Madame de Fontanges. Her hair coming down during a hunting-party at Vincennes, she tied it up hastily with one of her garters. Louis XIV, whose mistress she was, so admired the result that he begged her to continue to wear her hair in the same way. This set the fashion, which soon spread into England and long remained popular. cf. Shadwell’s Bury Fair (1689), ii, II: ‘Milliner. What d’ye lack, Ladies? fine Mazarine hoods, fontanges, girdles, sable tippets?’

p. 394 Coventry-Blue. A kind of blue thread manufactured at Coventry and formerly much used for embroidery, &c. cf. Greene’s James IV (1592), iv, III, where Slipper ordering a doublet cries: ‘Edge me the sleeves with Coventry blue.’ Ben Jonson, Gipsies Metamorph. (1621), speaks of ‘A skein of Coventry blue’.

p. 395 Tawdrums. Fal-lals. cf. Marston’s Dutch Courtezan (4to 1605), v, ‘no matter for lace and tawdrums’.