Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 2.djvu/9

 won the day against irresponsible levity, even when accompanied by the most brilliant wit, and now, while the King pursues his way to fulfil his higher destinies, the Lord Chief Justice and Sir John Falstaff have their last encounter. There is no appearance of vindictiveness in the Chief Justice. He orders Falstaff temporarily to the Fleet, but it is probably by a good-natured afterthought that he adds: "Take all his company along with him." We know enough of the famous Fleet prison to be sure that, with a thousand pounds in his pocket and all his company with him, Falstaff might spend a very comfortable day at the Fleet, and even enjoy a good dinner, although it might be somewhat costly. He begins to expostulate:—

but in the Folio there are no marks of exclamation to give the tragic note, and he is interrupted courteously enough by the Chief Justice:—

Before they are out of sight Prince John remarks:—

These words would be quite inappropriate if a different fate had just been assigned to the chief of those followers.

The Second, Third, and Fourth Folios follow the First in the above particulars, and Nicholas Rowe, in his edition of 1709, makes no alteration.

It was Alexander Pope who, when editing the plays in 1723, thought he could improve upon the Folio stage directions, and incidentally, as I believe, upon Shakespeare's plot. Not only does he interpolate the misleading "Exeunt King and train," having previously described the Chief Justice as being "among the train," but he divides the last act into nine, instead of five scenes, and boldly places "Scene IX." between the King's exit and Falstaff's words to Shallow, thus cutting off the sequel completely from the former episode; while the further interpolation of "Enter Chief Justice and Prince John" suggests that entirely new status which has been universally accepted.

Modern editors have reverted to the five scenes, but have retained Pope's other alterations, and amplified the last-quoted stage direction into "Re-enter John of Lancaster and the Lord Chief Justice. Officers with them," the whole of which is non-existent in the Folio.

The question, which touches closely the right understanding of Prince Hal's character, cannot, perhaps, be settled precipitately, but might it not be well in future editions of the play to revert in this scene to the stage directions of the First Folio, leaving readers to judge for themselves of the true meaning of the dramatist? .

the Library of the Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich, there is a folio book, of which the title-page is:

It is believed that this is the oldest printed Army List in existence.

The list of the "British establishment" covers pp. 1 to 60, and that of the Irish, pp. 61 to 80. Both lists are signed by Will Yonge, and are dated "War Office, Whitehall, 20 March, 1739-40," although several commissions are dated 22 March, 1740, and one (p. 59) 4 April, 1740.

The book is interleaved. Corrections, promotions, &c., are added in ink, down to 14 May, 1742, the date of the earliest MS. entry being 23 April, 1740.

In every regiment the names of the officers are given in full, followed by two columns headed "Dates of their present Commissions," and "Dates of their first Commissions."

Several curious and interesting names occur in the lists, and I would suggest that correspondents who may chance to possess information about any of these should send it to 'N. & Q.' for publication.