for feare, fell to the ground, her harte was perced with sorowe, her speache was in maner passed, all her spirites were tormented with Malencoly.' She was unwilling to risk an immediate battle, but was overruled by Somerset.
V. v. 2. Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight. Oxford, who escaped from Barnet, was not at Tewkesbury and was only captured several years later (February, 1474) at St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall. He was then sent to the castle of Hanmes near Calais, where he remained in captivity for ten years.
V. v. 25. Let Æsop fable in a winter's night. Æsop was reported to have been a slave, dwarfish and deformed in appearance. The prince gibes at the traditional deformity of Richard.
V. v. 63. You have no children, butchers. On the contrary Edward had several daughters and a newlyborn son (cf. n. on IV. iv. 31, 32), and Clarence a son.
V. vi. 10. What scene of death hath Roscius now to act? Roscius was a famous Roman actor (died 62 B. C.) much praised by Cicero. His distinction lay in comic not tragic rôles, but his name was used proverbially by Elizabethan writers of any excellent actor.
V. vi. 18, 19. Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete, That taught his son the office of a fowl! I.e. Dædalus, a fabulous contriver of marvelous mechanical inventions. Wishing to escape from Crete against the will of King Minos, he made artificial wings for himself and his son Icarus, fastening them on with wax. Dædalus made the flight in safety, but Icarus flew too near the sun, which melted the wax and caused him to fall into the Ægean.
