Читать книгу Notes and Queries, Number 180, April 9, 1853 - Various - Страница 3

Mechal is from the mint of Thomas Heywood; but, like many other words of the same stamp, it continued a private token of the party who issued it, and never, as far as I am aware, became current coin. Four times, at least, it occurs in his works; and always in that sense only which its etymon indicates, to wit, "adulterous." In his "Challenge for Beauty:"

In his "Rape of Lucrece:"

—where the editor's note is—"probably derived from the French word méchant, wicked." In his "English Traveller:"

This misprint the editor corrects to mickle: professing, however, as he well might, distrust of his amendment. Nares discards Dilke's guess, and says, "If a right reading, it must be derived from mich, truant, adulterous." Whereby to correct one error he commits another, assigning to mich a sense that it never bears. If haply any doubt should remain as to what the true reading in the above passage is, a reference to Heywood's Various History concerninge Women will at once assoil it. In that part of his fourth book which treats of adulteresses (p. 195.), reciting the very story on which his play was founded, and calling it "a moderne historie lately happening, and in mine owne knowledge," he continues his narrative thus:

"With this purpose, stealing, softly vp the stayres, and listening at the doore, before hee would presume to knocke, hee might heare a soft whispering, which sometimes growing lowder, hee might plainely distinguish two voyces (hers, and that gentleman's his supposed friend, whom the maide had before nominated), where hee might euidently vnderstand more than protestations passe betwixt them, namely, the mechall sinne itselfe."

Mr. Halliwell, in his compilation of Archaic and Provincial Words, gives Mechall, wicked, adulterous, with a note of admiration at Dilke's conjecture; and a reference to Nares, in v. Michall. Mr. H. neither adduces any authority for his first sense, "wicked," nor can adduce one.

To lowt, to mock or contemn. A verb of very common occurrence, but, as might be expected, quite unknown to the commentators on Shakspeare, though its meaning was guessed from the context. As it would be tedious and unnecessary to write all the instances that occur, let the following suffice:

"Pride is it, to vaunt princely robes, not princely virtues. Pride is it to lowte men of lower sort or pore lasers, as is some men's guise."—The Third Booke of Nobilitye; writte in Latine by Laurence Humfrey, late Englished, 1563.

"Among serving men also, above all other, what wicked and detestable oaths are there heard! If there be any of that sort which fear God, and love his word, and therefore abstain from vain oaths, how doth his company lout him! Look what an ass is among a sort of apes, even the very same is he among his fellows."—The Invective against Swearing, p. 361.; Works of Thomas Becon (Parker Society).

Samson was accounted of the Philistines for a fool, but he would rather die than suffer that opprobry unrevenged (Judic. xvi.).

"David was lowted of Michol Saul's daughter, but she was made therefore barren all her life."—2 Reg. vi.

And same page, a little above:

"He that calleth his brother fool, that is to say, contemn him, mock him, or, as men call it now-a-days, lowting of a man, committeth such murder as is worthy hell-fire and eternal damnation."—A Declaration of the Ten Commandments, ch. ix. p. 373.; Early Writings of Bishop Hooper (Parker Society).

Where I would note, by the way, that in three copies of the folio 1632, now by me, it is printed "at traitor," although two of these folios have different title-pages; that which appears to be the later impression bears under the portrait these words: "London, printed by Thos. Cotes, for Robert Allot, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Blacke Beare, in Paul's Church-yard, 1632." The other wants the words "at his shop," as described in Mr. Collier's edition.

The mention of Mr. Collier's name is a hint that reminds me to advertise him of a mistake he lies under, in supposing that the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the Play of King Richard II. in 4to., dated 1605, is unique (vid. Collier's Shakspeare, vol. iv. p. 105., Introduction); as there is another in the Philosophical Institute at Hereford, presented by the late Edward Evans, Esq., of Eyton Hall, in the same county.

But to return. Mr. Halliwell, in his work above quoted, furnishes another instance of the verb lowt, from Hall's History of King Henry IV., which the reader may consult for himself. I will merely add, that the interpretation there propounded is plausible but unsound, the context only giving aim to his conjecture.

(To be continued.)