SC. 5. "My words would bandy her to my sweet love, And his to me. * * * * But old folks many faine as they were dead, Unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead." In the second line we might add _would bandy her again_. 'Many faine' in the next is nonsense; for 'many,' _marry_ has been proposed, and I adopt it, reading _fare_ (to go, to move along, a Spenserian term) for 'fame.' In Cor. ii. 2 we have again _ain_ for _ar_. For 'pale' we should probably read _dull_. "And nature, as it grows again toward earth, Is fashion'd for the journey, _dull and heavy_." Timon, ii. 1. We have elsewhere (Mer. of Ven. ii. 7) "_dull_ lead." Moreover lead is not pale, and the Nurse would seem to have been rather a jolly, rubicund sort of woman; if _fare_ be the right reading, it would almost require _dull_. On the other hand, we have in Chaucer (Tr. and Cr. ii), "With asshen _pale as lede_," and (Dream) "That _pale_ he wax as any _lede_." * * * * * "They'll be in scarlet straight at any news." I had been anticipated by Hanmer in reading 'straight_way_' and '_my_'. Sidney Walker, too, I find, read 'at _my next_ news.' In the errata of a work printed in 1754 I have met "for _my_ r. _any_." I, however, read in preference, "They will be straight in scarlet at my news." ACT III. SC. 1. "Or reason calmly of your grievances." 'Or' for _and_, as Capell also saw. * * * * * "Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears?" Singer reads _pitcher_. I think the right word is _pilche_, a leathern coat. In v. 1 the sheath of a dagger is termed its _house_. * * * * * "This day's black fate on more days doth depend." We should perhaps transpose, and read "On this day's," etc. * * * * * "O prince! O [cousin] husband! O, the blood is spilled." So Mr. Dyce also reads. * * * * * SC. 2. "Spread thy close curtain, love-performing Night! That runaway's eyes may wink, and Romeo Leap to these arms, untalk'd of and unseen."