Page 294 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

2.2. NOTES 187
534. who shall 'scape whipping? Referring to the
Act of 15 7 2 for the punishment of rogues and vagabonds,
among which were named (as Puritan enemies of the
stage rejoiced to point out) stage-players, though only
those' not belonging to any Baron of this Realme.' Under
this act vagabonds were to 'bee grevouslye whipped and
burnte through the gristle of the right Eare with a hot
Yron of the compasse of an Ynche about' (v. Chambers,
Eliz. Stage, iv. 269-70). Burleigh shared the puritan
dislike of players, and believed in rewarding poets also
'according to their desert.' Fuller {Worthies, 1662,
p. 220) writes:

There passeth a story commonly told and believed, that
Spenser presenting his poems to queen Elizabeth, she, highly
affected therewith, commanded the lord Cecil, her treasurer,
to give him an hundred pounds; and when the treasurer
(a good steward of the queen's money) alledged that sum
was too much; 'Then give him,' quoth the queen, 'what
is reason'; to which the lord consented, but was so busied
belike about matters of higher concernment, that Spenser
received no reward.

541. The Murder of Gonzago Cf. Introd. pp. xxii-iv.
544. dozen or sixteen lines Fumess prints over four
pages of speculation on the position of these lines in the
interlude that follows. It is doubtful whether Sh. him-
self gave the matter much thought; but cf. note 3.2. 1.
551. S.D. Q2, F i 'Exeunt' Most edd. print the
S.D. after 'Ay, so, God bye to you!' Q 2 and 1 show
F
Ham. uttering the good-bye in a tone of sarcastic relief
after the two have gone.
553. rogue and peasant slave Ham. has just been
referring to the statute against 'rogues and vagabonds'
(v. notel. 534).
559. function v. G. and cf. Daniel, Civil Wars
(1599), vi. 93 'His hand, his eye, his wits all present,
wrought/The function of the glorious Part he beares.'
560. forms v. G. and note 2. 2. 307-11.