Notes and Queries, No. 181, April 16, 1853 | Page 6

rid of them, remarking, that the country is much troubled by them.
11. Taverns, Inns, Ale-houses, Bowling Allies, and such like thriftless
places of resort for tradesmen and artificers, to be under strict
surveillance.
12. Gallants, or riotous young gents, to be sharply looked after, and
their proceedings controlled.
13. Gentlemen with greyhounds and birding-pieces, who would elude
the statutes against gunnes, to be called to account "for the
shallow-brain'd idlenesse of their ridiculous foolery."
14. The statute against ryotous expence in apparel to be put in force
against unthriftie infractors.
There is room here for a few Queries, but I content myself with asking
for a further reference to No. 4., "The Salt-peter-man."
J. O.
[Footnote 1: No doubt the author of an ultra-Protestant poem, entitled
Times Anatomie, made by Robert Prickett, a Souldier. Imprinted,
1606.]
* * * * *
SHAKSPEARE CORRESPONDENCE.
Dogberry's Losses or Leases.--Much Ado about Nothing, Act IV. Sc.
4.:
"Dogberry. A rich fellow enough, go to: and a fellow that hath had
losses; and one that hath two gowns, and everything handsome about

him."
I can quite sympathise with the indignation of some of my
cotemporaries at the alteration by MR. PAYNE COLLIER'S
mysterious corrector, of "losses" into "leases." I am sorry to see a
reading which we had cherished without any misgiving as a bit of
Shaksperian quaintness, and consecrated by the humour of Gray and
Charles Lamb, turned into a clumsy misprint. But we must look at real
probabilities, not at fancies and predilections. I am afraid "leases" is the
likelier word. It has also a special fitness, which has not been hitherto
remarked. Many of the wealthy people of Elizabeth's reign, particularly
in the middle class, were "fellows that had had leases." It will be
recollected that extravagant leases or fines were among the methods by
which the possessions of the church were so grievously dilapidated in
the age of the Reformation. Those who had a little money to invest,
could not do so on more advantageous terms than by obtaining such
leases as the necessity or avarice of clerical and other corporations
induced them to grant; and the coincident fall in the value of money
increased the gain of the lessees, and loss of the corporations, to an
extraordinary amount. Throughout Elizabeth's reign parliament was at
work in restraining this abuse, by the well-known "disabling acts,"
restricting the power of bishops and corporations to lease their property.
The last was passed, I think, only in 1601. And therefore a "rich
fellow" of Dogberry's class was described, to the thorough
comprehension and enjoyment of an audience of that day, as one who
"had had leases."
SCRUTATOR.
May I be allowed a little space in the pages of "N. & Q." to draw MR.
COLLIER'S attention to some passages in which the old corrector
appears to me to have corrupted, rather than improved, the text?
Possibly on second thoughts MR. COLLIER may be induced to
withdraw these readings from the text of his forthcoming edition of our
great poet. I give the pages of MR. COLLIER'S recent volume, and
quote according to the old corrector.
Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act II. Sc. 2., p. 21.:

"That I, unworthy body, as I can, Should censure thus a loving
gentleman."
Can for am spoils the sense; it was introduced unnecessarily to make a
perfect rhyme, but such rhymes as am and man were common in
Shakspeare's time. Loving for lovely is another modernism; lovely is
equivalent to the French aimable. "Saul and Jonathan were lovely and
pleasant in their lives," &c. The whole passage, which is indeed faulty
in the old copies, should, I think, be read thus:
"'Tis a passing shame That I, unworthy body that I am, Should censure
on a lovely gentleman.
Jul. Why not on Proteus as on all the rest?
Luc. Then thus,--of many good I think him best."
Thus crept in after censure from the next line but one. In Julia's speech,
grammar requires on for of.
Measure for Measure, Act IV. Sc. 5., p. 52.:
"For my authority bears such a credent bulk," &c.
Fols. "of a credent bulk," read "so credent bulk."
{378} Much Ado about Nothing, Act IV. Sc. 1., p 72.:
"Myself would on the hazard of reproaches Strike at thy life."
When fathers kill their children, they run the risk not merely of being
reproached, but of being hanged; but this reading is a mere
sophistication by some one who did not understand the true reading,
rearward. Leonato threatens to take his daughter's life after having
reproached her.
Taming of the Shrew, p. 145.:
"O, yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of

Agenor's race," &c.
"The daughter of Agenor's race" for "the daughter of Agenor" is
awkward, but there is