[16] Presented to Gismond. She filled up the cup wherein the heart was brought with her tears and with certain poisonous water, by her distilled for that purpose, and drank out this deadly drink. --Copy of 1568. [17] The story of this tragedy is taken from Boccaccio's "Decameron," day 4th, novel first. [It was turned into verse] by William Walter, a retainer to Sir Henry Marney, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, [and printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1532. A different version appeared in] 1597, under the title of "The Statly Tragedy of Guistard and Sismond, in two Bookes," in a volume entitled, "Certaine Worthye Manuscript Poems of great Antiquitie, reserved long in the Studie of a Northfolke Gent., and now first published by J.S." Mr Dryden also versified it a second time. See his works, vol. iii., 8vo edition, p. 245. Oldys, in his MSS. Notes on Langbaine, says the same story is in Painter's Palace of Pleasure, vol. i., and a French novel called "Guiscard et Sigismonde fille de Tancredus Prince de Salerne mis en Latin. Par Leon Arretin, et traduit in vers François, par Jean Fleury." [See Brunet, dern. edit. v. _Aretinus_, Hazlitt's edit. of Warton, 1871, and "Popular Poetry," ii. 66.] [18] [This line is not in the MSS.] [19] [Lo I in shape that seem unto your sight.--_Lansdowme MS_.] [20] [Do rule the world, and every living thing.--Ibid.] [21] This word seems anciently to have been pronounced as two syllables. See "Cornelia," act iv., Chorus. [22] [And eat the living heart.--_Lansdowne MS_.] [23] An epithet adopted from Virgil's "Aeneid," lib. vi, line 729-- "Et quae _marmoreo_ fert monstra sub aequore pontus." Ibid. lib. vii. v. 28-- "Lento luctantur _marmore_ tonsae." Again, "Georg. I.," v. 254-- "Infidum remis impellere _marmor_." --_Steevens_. [24] [What secret hollow doth the huge seas hide, When blasting fame mine acts hath not forth blown.] --_Lansdowne MS_. [25] Io. [26] [Grazing in.--_Lansdowne MS_.] [27] Like to Amphitrio [when he presented himself] to Alcmena. [28] [Me.--_Lansdowne MS_.] [29] [The bloody Mars hath felt my.--_Do_.] [30] [Evened.--_Do_.] [31] Hercules. [32] Alexander. [33] [Won the famous golden fleece.--_M.S_.] [34] [What nature's bond or law's restraint avails, To conquer and deface me every hour.--MS.] [35] Myrrha. [36] i.e., For pity. So, act ii. sc. 2-- "As easily befalls that age which asketh _ruth_." Act v. sc. 1-- "That hath the tyrant king Withouten _ruth_ commanded us to do." Again, in Milton's "Lycidas," i. 163-- "Look homeward, angel, now and melt with _ruth_, And, O ye Dolphins, waft the helpless youth." And in Churchyard's "Worthiness of Wales," 1587-- "Great _ruth_, to let so trim a seate goe downe, The countries strength, and beautie of the towne." [37] [Mine almighty.--MS.] [38] [This, and the three following lines, are not in the MSS.]