Page:Richard III (1927) Yale.djvu/167

Richard the Third a year old. His coronation at Paris did not take place until 1430, when he was about nine years old.

Stony-Stratford. The Quarto reverses the order of the towns, putting Northampton first. The Prince was on his way from Ludlow to London. Stony-Stratford is nearer London than Northampton. The Folio reading, as pointed out by Pickersgill, is in accordance with Halle's Chronicle. The Prince was taken back to Northampton. See also Holinshed, iii. 715/1/48. More, 16/20; 18/7.

he could gnaw a crust at two hours old. Cf. 3 Henry VI, V. vi. 53, 54: 'Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born, To signify thou cams 't to bite the world.'

Pitchers have ears. A proverbial saying, 'small pitchers have great ears.' Cf. Taming of the Shrew, IV. iv. 52: 'Pitchers have ears. '

The Quarto assigns the part of the Messenger to Dorset, probably to avoid the introduction of another actor. The reception of the Messenger and the tone of his speeches indicate that the Folio is here correct.

map. Possibly this word is here used in an astrological sense meaning a horoscope of future events.

we will to sanctuary. Certain buildings belonging to ecclesiastical foundations, as well as churches, were privileged for criminals and other persons in danger of their lives. '[Queen Elizabeth] in great fright & heauinesse, bewailing hir childes reigne, hir freends mischance, and hir owne infortune, damning the time that euer she dissuaded the gathering of power about the king, gat hir selfe in all the hast possible with hir yoonger sonne and hir daughters out of the palace of Westminster, (in which she then laie,) into the sanctuarie; lodging hir selfe and hir companie