Sc. viii. p. 450.

All. To th' pot, I warrant him.]

"To go to pot," a proverbial phrafe. See Ray's Proverbs, p. 265, 2d edit.

Id. ib.

Lart. What is become of Marcius?
All. Slain, Sir, doubtless.

1 Sold. Following the fliers at the very heels,
With them he enters, who upon the fudden
Clapt to their gates, he is himself alone,
To answer all the city.]

Plutarch fays, that he entered the gates of Corioli, with the flying Volfcians, and with a few that were willing to venture with him. He bore along the croud, and made good his paffage, and thrust himself into the gate through the midst of them, no body daring to refift, or fupport the violence of his firft impreffions: but, after he had look'd well about him, and could difcern but a very small number of af fiftants, he was faid to commence a combat within the town; where he performed the most extraordinary and incredible things, breaking through all he made any attempts upon, conftraining fome to fhift for themselves in the fartheft corners of the city, and others to throw down their weapons, as despairing they should be able to oppose him; by which he gave Titus Lartius a fair occafion to bring in the rest of the Romans with ease and safety.

Ib.

Ib. p. 451.

Marc. See here thefe movers, that do prize
their honours,

As a crack'd dram, cushions, leaden Spoons,
Irons of a doit, doublets that a bangman would
Bury with thofe that wore them.]

Alluding to the cuftom of the bangman's ha ving the cloaths of the perfon executed.

This cuftom is hinted at in The Spanish Tragedy; or, Hieronymo is mad again. [See old plays, published 1744, vol. 2. p. 239.] Pedringamo to the Hangman.

Pedr. "O Sir, you are too forward: "Thou would't fain furnish me "With a halter, to disfurnish me of My habit."

66

And by feveral other dramatic writers.
Philotus to the Goaler.

Phil. "Who's to have our cloaths, firrah, "when we have done?"

Molops. ""Tis a fmall fee that the ftate hath " entail'd upon my place, an't please you." The Royal Slave, by W. Cartwright, act i. fc. i. P. 93.

Careless. "My first plot shall stand; I will do "some notorious death-deserving thing, (though "these cloaths go to the hangman for't, what "care I?) in defence of him who was my ⚫ uncle."

A mad Couple well match'd. See Mr. Richard Brome's plays, 8vo.

Andr. "So now away with him, hang him first. "D'ye hear, he has the best clothes, that will "encourage the hangman, the best to turn the "reft after him."

The Queen and Concubine, by Mr. Richard Brome, act v. fc. xx. p. 124.

Sc. xi. p. 457.

Com.- Of all the borfes

Whereof we have ta'en, good, and good store; of all
The treasure of the field atchiev'd, and city,
We render you the tenth, to be taken forth
Before the common diftribution, at

Your choice.

Marc. I thank you, General;

But cannot make my heart confent to take
A bribe to pay my fword.]

3

Plutarch obferves, in the life of Coriolanus, that the General required him to chufe a tenth part of all the treasure, horfes and captives, before any divifion fhould be made to others; which he refused, taking only the present of a goodly horfe, with trappings and military ornaments, as a mark of his fignal fortitude which action was highly applauded by the whole army. Life, p. 101.

Ibid. p. 460.

Marc. I fome time lay here in Corioli,
At a poor man's house; be us'd me kindly.
He cry'd to me, I saw him prisoner :
But then Aufidius was within my view,

And

And wrath o'erwhelm'd my pity; I request you
To give my poor hoft freedom.]

Plutarch, in his life of Coriolanus, p. 101, mentions this incident.

"I have only one fingular favour to beg, and "this, Sir, I hope you will not refufe me.

There was a certain hofpitable and courteous "friend of mine amongst the Volfcians, a perfon "of great probity and virtue, who is now be"come a prifoner, and, from the wealth and "freedom in which he lived, reduced to po"verty, and prefent fervitude. The man has "fallen under many misfortunes; but he would "think it a fufficient deliverance, if my in"terceffion fhall redeem him from this one at "leaft, that he may not be fold as a common "flave."

Act ii. fc. i. p. 465.

Men. Marcius, in a cheap estimation, is worth all your predeceffors, fince Deucalion; tho' peradventure fome of the best of them were hereditary bangmen.]

Alluding probably to Gregory Brandon, a celebrated executioner in Shakespeare's days, who had arms procured by the trick of one Brook, a herald, from Sir William Segar, Garter King of Arms. [See Anftis's Register of the Garter, vol. I. p. 399.] And from him the hangmen of London went by the name of Gregory for fome time, and have been ludicrously call'd Efquires.

Sc. ii. p. 466.

Volumn. On's brows, Menenius, be comes th third time bome with the oaken garland.]

The Corona Civica, was given to any foldier who faved the life of a Roman citizen in an engagement; and was reckoned more honourable than any other crown, though composed of no better materials than oaken boughs.

Virgil calls it Civilis quercus. Æn. 6.

Atque umbrata gerunt civili tempora quercu. To this Mr. Philip Massenger alludes, in his Guardian, a comical history, act v. p. 90.

Alph. "All then are pleas'd: it is the glory "Of a King, to make and keep his subjects "happy;

"For us, we do approve the Roman maxim, "To fave one citizen, is a greater prize,

"Than to have kill'd in war ten enemies."

Sc. iv. p. 470.

-Fell'd-fhown Flamens
Do prefs among the popular throngs, and puff
To win a vulgar Station.]

Might not Shakespeare have wrote Fell-fhown, from their caps, which were fome times made of Sheeps wool? Or might not Pile-fhown be as proper? as Plutarch obferves, "That fome of these "Priefts were called Pileamines, from the Greek "word Пos, or the Latin one Pileus, which fignifies a fort of hat, which was peculiar to Varro derives the word Flamen, à Filo, quo caput cinctum erat, from a bonnet "made

"them.