Page:Hamlet - The Arden Shakespeare - 1899.djvu/113

little eyases, that cry out on the top of question^{[b 1]}
and are most tyrannically^{[b 2]} clapped for 't; these
are now the fashion, and so berattle^{[a 1]} the 360
common stages^{[b 3]}—so they call them—that many
wearing rapiers^{[b 4]} are afraid of goose-quills, and
dare scarce come thither.

Ham. What, are they children? who maintains 'em?
how are they escoted?^{[b 5]} Will they pursue the 365
quality^{[b 6]} no longer than they can sing? will
they not say afterwards, if they should grow
themselves to common players,—as it is most
like^{[a 2]} if their means are no^{[a 3]} better,—their writers
do them wrong, to make them exclaim against 370
their own succession?

Ros. 'Faith, there has been much to-do on both
sides, and the nation holds it no sin to tarre^{[b 7]}

1. 360. berattle] F 2, be-ratled F.
2. 368, 369. most like] Pope, like most F.
3. 369. no] not F 2.

1. 358. cry . . . question] clamour forth the height of controversy, utter shrilly the extreme matter of debate. "Cry out" may be regarded as a verb; to "cry on" is frequent in Shakespeare; "cry out on" may be a combination of the two; "question" is a matter in dispute; the "top of question" is the matter in dispute pushed to extremity. Other explanations have been proposed. Clar. Press: "Probably, to speak in a high key, dominating conversation." For "question" in this sense, see Merchant of Venice, IV. i. 70. In Armin's Nest of Ninnies, p. 55 (Sh. Soc. reprint) occurs: "Cry it up in the top of question." Prof. Hales' notes from Adam Bede: "Mrs. Poyser keeps at the top o' the talk like a fife."
2. 359. tyrannically] outrageously; probably alluding to what Bottom calls "a tyrant's vein," or "a part to make all split" (Rolfe).
3. 361. common stages] the public, as distinguished from the private, theatres.
4. 362. rapiers] fashionable gallants are afraid to visit the "common" theatres, so unfashionable have the writers for the children made them.
5. 365. escoted] paid. Dyce quotes Cotgrave, "Escotter, Every one to pay his shot."
6. 366. quality] profession, and specially of players; so Massinger, The Picture, II. i.:
   "How do you like the quality?
   You had a foolish itch to be an actor."
7. 373. tarre] set on to fight, used specially of dogs, as in Troilus and Cressida, I. iii. 392.