Notes for lines 1018-2022 ed. Eric Rasmussen
| 1386 <pace; But there is Sir an ayrie of Children, little> | 2.2.339 |
|---|
1387 <Yases, that crye out on the top of question; and>
1723 pope1
pope1
1386 an ayrie of Children] Pope (ed. 1723): “Relating to the playhouses then contending, the Bankside, the Fortune, &c — play’d by the Children of his majesty’s chappel.”
1729 Roberts
Roberts
1386 an ayrie of Children]
Roberts (1729, pp. 20-2): <p. 20> “It appears by
Johnson’s Drama’s, that from the Year 1600 to 1609 he [Nathan Field] was among the
Children of her Majesty’s Chappel, by whome
Cynthia’s Revels, Poetaster, and the
Silent Woman were first represented. These Children were, at this Time, in very great Vogue, as is evident by the Numbers of Comedies they acted; and grew so in Estimation and Repute, that they out-rivall’d the Top-Theatres: Which is apparent by the Satyrical Part of a Scene in Hamlet against them. And as it contains a Theatrical Piece of History, concerning the Players in Question, it may not be too digressive to give a Quotation thereof; for this is granted both by Mr.
Pope and Mr.
Theobald. </p. 21><p. 22> [Quotes 1373-98] </p. 22><p. 23>
“I have been particular in this Recital, to shew you how nicely Shakespear judg’d of the Consequence; for this Gentleman [Nathan Field] was one of the Children at this Time, and came afterwards absolutely into the Profession of the common Stages, and was a Member of the establish’d Theatres, as is manifest from several Drama’s.”
1733 theo1
theo1
1386-7 an ayrie of Children...Yases]Theobald (ed. 1733): “The Poet here steps out of his Subject to give a Lash at home, and sneer at the prevailing Fashion of following Plays perform’d by the Children of the Chapel, and abandoning the establish’d Theatres. But why are they called little Yases? I wish, some of the Editors would have expounded this fine new Word to us; or, at least, told us where we might meet with it. Till then, I shall make bold to suspect it; and, without overstraining Sagacity, attempt to retrieve the true Word. As he first calls ’em an Aiery of Children, (now, an Aiery or Eyery is a Hawk’s or Eagle’s Nest;) there is not the least Question but we ought to restore - little Eyases; i.e. Young Nestlings, Creatures just out of the Egg. (An Eyas or Nyas hawk, un Niais, Accipiter Nidarius, qui recens ex Ovo emersit. Skinner.) So Mrs. Ford says to Falstaffe’s Dwarf-Page. ‘How now, my Eyas-Musket? What News with You.’ Merry Wives (#.#.#. 00000)
“In a 3/14/29-30 Letter from Theo to WW/Nichols, Illus., ii, 562, Theobald confesses he has never heard of the word; yet he has a complete note in THEO1 w/o a credit to WW.”
1736 Stubbs
Stubbs ≈ theo1
1386-7 an ayrie of Children...Yases] Stubbs (1736, p. 36): “The Poet’s stepping out of his Subject to lash the Custom of Plays being acted by the Children of the Chapel, is not allowable in Tragedy, which is never to be a Satire upon any modern particular Foible or Vice that prevails, but is to be severe upon Crimes and Immoralities of all Ages, and of all Countries.”
1740 theo2
theo2 = theo1 minus “An Eyas ... Merry Wives”
1743 mf3bL
1386 ayrie] (MS notes in F3, dated 1743, f. 6v): “Airy from Fr. airee, a floor full, (a hest?) or bed full Corgr. Yases, Jases from Fr. Jaser to prate, prattle, babble, rattle, chatter, jangle, talk very idly. Corgrave.”
1744 han1
han1=pope
1386 an ayrie of Children] Hanmer (ed. 1744): “Relating to the playhouses then contending, the Bankside, the Fortune, &c.— play’d by the Children of his Majesty’s chappel.”
1747-53 mtby4
mtby4
1386 ayrie] Malone (ms. notes, 1755): “from Ey. Teutonick ovum; and therefore it should undoubtedly be spelte Eyry.”
1386-7 little Yases] Hoadly (ms. notes, ed. 1751): “Several of B. Jonson’s Plays were acted by these children, & Others. Marston in his What you Will refers satirically to this custom, A.L. where a Pedant schoolmaster says of one of his blockhead Boys. ‘I was solicited to grant him leaue to play ye Lady in Comedies presented by Children, but I knew his Voice was too small, & his stature too low.’”
1765 john1
john1
1386-7 little Yases...question] Johnson (ed. 1765): “The meaning seems to be, they ask a common question in the highest notes of the voice.”
1766- mwar2
mwar2=pope+
1386 ayrie of Children] Warner (1766-70): “An Airey, or Eyery, properly signifies a Hawk’s nest.”
1386-1387 little Yases] Warner (1766-70): “An Eyas or Eyess, is a Young Hawk just taken from the Nest.”
1773 v1773
v1773 = pope, theo, john +
1386-7 little Yases...question] Steevens (ed. 1773): “I believe question, in this place, as in many others, signifies conversation. So, in The Merchant of Venice: ‘—Think you question with a Jew.’ The meaning of the passage may therefore be—Children that perpetually speak in the highest notes of the voice that can be admitted in speaking. “
1773 jen
jen : pope (?)
1387 Yases]
Jennens (ed. 1773): “The fo’s,
R. and
P, read
Yases; which seems to be no
English word.
T. corrects it [blurry here: ,
eyases?]. An
aiery or
eyery is a hawk’s or eagle’s nest; and
eyases are young nestlings, creatures just out of the egg.
P. informs us that this passage relates to the playhouses then contending, the
Bankside, the
Fortune, &c. — play’d by the children of his majesty’s chapel.”
1777 “d”
“d”
1386-1388 there...for’t] D (SJC, 1777, p. 2): “Shakespeare is speaking of the Encouragement given to the Children of the Royal Chapel, and of St. Paul’s, who were encouraged by the Poets, with B. Jonson at their Head, and the Audience, in Preference to the established Theatres.
“To shew the false Taste of the Publick, he tells you they were applauded improperly, and in the wrong Place.
“Mr. Johnson thinks the Meaning of this crying out at the Top of Question to be, their asking a common Question in the highest Notes of the Voice.
“Mr. Steevens believes Question to mean Conversation, so that the Sense of the Passage may be— Children that perpetually speak in the highest Notes of the Voice that can be admitted in speaking.
“This last Reserve or Clause seems to contradict the Intention of the Critick, for if their speaking were admissible, it could not be wrong; however, not to cavil about a Word, and with a Man who has done such excellent Service to Shakespeare, I will give my own Opinion, and leave it to the Candid to judge as they please.
“The Meaning of the Word Question seems to be determined by Shakespeare himself in this Play. In a Scene of the third Act, Hamlet, in his Instructions to the Player, advises him not to suffer the Clown to speak more than is set down for him; for, says he, many of them will laugh themselves, though in the mean Time some necessary Question of the Play be then to be considered. And this is what we have often seen done by honest Ned Shuter, who to entertain the Galleries has dropt the Question, or Business of the Play, to throw in some Joke of his own.
“The common and most usual Fault of Actors in speaking is to be too loud and too turgid. Instead of feeling a Passion truely, to put the Audience off with a Rant has been a common Practice of the Theatre. Now surely, without straining, we may fairly infer, that by crying out at Top of Question, Shakespeare meant that in Place of representing a Passion according to Nature, and understanding their proper Situation, these Boys ranted and bellowed, and imitated Nature abominably.”
1778 v1778
v1778
1386-7 an ayrie of Children...question] Steevens (ed. 1778]: “It relates to the young singing men of St. Paul’s, concerning whose performances and success in attracting the best company, I find the following passage in Jack Drum’s Entertainment, or Pasquil and Katherine, 1601: ‘I saw the children of Powels last night; And troth they pleas’d me pretty, pretty well, The apes, in time, will do it handsomely. —I like the audience that frequenteth there With much applause: a man shall not be choak’d With the stench of garlick, nor be passed To the barmy jacket of a beer-brewer. —’Tis a good gentle audience, &c.’
“It is said in Richard Flecknoe’s Short Discourse of the English Stage, 1674, that ‘both the children of the chappel and St. Paul’s, acted playes, the one in White-Frier’s, the other behinde the Convocation-house in Paul’s; till people growing more precise, and playes more licentious, the theater of Paul’s was quite supprest, and that of the children of the chappel converted to the use of the children of the revels.’”
1387 Yases] Steevens(ed. 1778): “So, in the Booke of Haukyng, &c. bl. l. no date: ‘And so bycause the best knowledge is by the eye, they be called eyessed. Ye may also knowe an eyesse by the paleness of the seres of her legges, or the sere over the beake.’”
1387 question] Steevens (ed.1778 ): “I believe question, in this place, as in many others, signifies conversation, dialogue. So, in The Merchant of Venice: ‘—Think you ‘question with a Jew.’ The meaning of the passage may therefore be—Children that perpetually recite in the highest notes of voice that can be uttered.”
1387 Yases] Steevens (ed. 1778, 1:306 n. 7), on Wiv. 3.3.? (0000), “So, in Greene’s Card of Fancy, 1608: ‘—no hawk so haggard but will stoop to the lure: no niesse so ramage but will be reclaimed to the lunes.’ Eyas-musket is the same as infant Lilliputian. Again, in Spenser’s Fairy Queen, b.i.c.—‘—youthful gay Like eyas-hauke, up mounts into the skies, His newly budded pinions to essay.’ In the Booke of Hawkyng, &. commonly called the Book of St. Albans, bl[ack] l[etter]. no date, is the following derivation of the word; but whether true or erroneous, is not for me to determine: ‘An hauke is called an eyesse from her eyen. For an hauke that is brought up under a bussarde or puttock, as many ben, have watry eyen, &c. Steevens.”
1783 Ritson
Ritson : theo
1386-87 an ayrie of Children, little / Yases] Ritson (1783, p. 197): “Mr. Theobald had no such mighty reason to plume hisself on having done what is just equal to nothing at all: for Yases (the old reading), had he known how to pronounce it, would not have been found to differ, in any very extraordinary degree, from his most sagacious emendation.”
1784 Davies
Davies
1386-87 an ayrie of Children...question] Davies (1784, p. 48): "These children, instead of representing the several characters allotted them with propriety, assumed a turgid style in speaking; for true feeling, and real passion, they substituted strut and noise. In plain terms, they tore a passion to rags."
1784 ays1
ays1=theo1
1387 Yases] Ayscough (ed. 1784): “The poet here steps out of his subject to give a lash at home, and sneer at the prevailing fashion of following plays performed by the children of the chapel, and abandoning the established theatres. Little Eyases mean young nestlings, creatures just out of the egg.”
1387 crye...question] Ayscough (ed. 1784): “Children that perpetually recite in the highest notes of voice that can be uttered.”
1785 v1785
v1785 = v1778 (minus Pope)
1785 Mason
Mason
1387 crye...question] Mason (1785, p. 381): “When we ask a question we generally end the sentence with a high note:— I believe therefore that what Rosincrantz means to say is, that these children declaim, through the whole of their parts, in the high note commonly used at the end of a question, and are applauded for it.”
1790 mal
mal
1386-7 an ayrie of Children, little /Yases]
Malone (ed. 1790): “From
ey, Teut. ovum, q. d. qui recens ex ovo emersit. Skinneri
Etymo!. An
aiery or
eyerie, as it ought rather to be written, is derived from the same root, and signifies both a young brood of hawks, and the nest itself in which they are produced.
“An eyas hawk is sometimes written a nyas hawk, perhaps from a corruption that has happened in many words in our language, from the letter n passing from the end of one word to the beginning of another. However, some etymologists think nyas a legitimate word.”
1791- rann
rann
1386 an aiery] Rann (ed. 1791-): “—a hawk’s nest, and the young nestlings rant extravagantly, recite their parts in the highest possible tone of voice.”
1793 v1793
v1793
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Malone (apud. ed. 1793): “The suppression to which Flecknoe alludes took place in the year 1583-4; but afterwards both the children of the chapel and of the Revels played at our author’s playhouse in Blackfriars, and elsewhere: and the choir-boys of St. Paul’s at their own house. See the Account of our old Theatres, in Vol. III. A certain number of the children of the Revels, I believe, belonged to each of the principal theatres.
“Our author cannot be supposed to direct any satire at those young men who played occasionally at his own theatre. Ben Jonson’s Cynthia’s Revels, and his Poetaster, were performed there by the children of Queen Elizabeth’s chapel, in 1600 and 1601; and Eastward Hoe by the children of the revels, in 1604 or 1605. I have no doubt, therefore, that the dialogue before us was pointed at the choir-boys of St. Pual’s, who in 1601 acted two of Marston’s plays, Antonio and Mellida, and Antonio’s Revenge. Many of Lyly’s plays were represented by them about the same time; and in 1607, Chapman’s Bussy d’Ambois was performed by them with great applause. It was probably in this and some other noisy tragedies of the same kind, that they cry’d out on the top of question, and were most tyrannically clapped for’t.
“At a later period indeed, after our poet’s death, the Children of the Revels had an established theatre of their own, and some dispute seems to have arisen between them and the king’s company. They performed regularly in 1623, and for eight years afterwards, at the Red Bull in St. John’s Street; and in 1627, Shakspeare’s company obtained an inhibition from the Master of the Revels to prevent their performing any of his plays at their house: as appears from the following entry in Sir Henry Herbert’s Office-book, already mentioned: ‘From Mr. Heminge, in their company’s name, to forbid the playinge of any of Shakspeare’s playes to the Red Bull company, this 11th of Aprill, 1627,— 5 0 0.’ From other passages in the same book, it appears that the Children of the Revels composed the Red-Bull company.
“We learn from Heywood’s Apology for Actors, that the little eyases here mentioned were the persons who were guilty of the late innovation, or practice of introducing personal abuse on the stage, and perhaps for their particular fault the players in general suffered; and the older and more decent comedians, as well as the children, had on some recent occasion been inhibited from acting in London, and compelled to turn strollers. This supposition will make the words, concerning which a difficulty has been stated, (see n. 7.) perfectly clear. Heywood’s Apology for Actors was published in 1612; the passage therefore which is found in the folio, and not in the quarto, was probably added not very long before that time.
“‘Now to speake (says Heywood,) of some abuse lately crept into the quality, as an inveighing against the state, the court, the law, the city, and their governments, with the particularizing of private mens humours, yet alive, noblemen and others, I know it distates many; neither do I any way approve it, nor dare I by any means excuse it. The liberty which some arrogate to themselves, committing their bitterness and liberal invectives against all estates to the mouthes of children, supposing their juniority to be a priviledge for any rayling, be it never so violent, I could advise all such to curbe, and limit this presumed liberty within the bands of discretion and government. But wise and judicial censurers before whom such complaints shall at any time hereafter come, will not, I hope, impute these abuses to any transgression in us, who have ever been carefull and provident to shun the like.’
“Prynne in his Histriomastix, speaking of the state of the stage, about the year 1620, has this passage: ‘Not to particularise those late new scandalous invective playes, wherein sundry persons of place and eminence [Gundemore, the late lord admiral, lord treasurer, and others,] have been particularly personated, jeared, abused in a gross and scurrilous manner,’ &c.
“The folio, 1623, has— berattled. The correction was made by the editor of the second folio.
“Since this note was written, I have met with a passage in a letter from Mr. Samuel Calvert to Mr. Winwood, dated March 28, 1605, which might lead us to suppose that the words found only in the folio were added at that time:
“‘The plays do not forbear to present upon the stage the whole course of this present time, not sparing the king, state, or religion, in so great absurdity, and with such liberty, that any would be afraid to hear them.’ Memorials, Vol. II. p. 54.”
1386 an ayrie] Malone (ed. 1793): “[Unreadable], Tent ovum, q.d. qui recens ex ovo emersit. Skinner, [Unreadable] An aiery or eyrie, as it ought rather to be written, is derived from the same root, and signifies both a young brood of hawks, and the nest itself in which they are produced.
“An eyrie hawk is sometimes written a nyas hawk, perhaps from a corruption that has happened in many words in our language, from the letter n passing from the end of one word to the beginning of another. However, some etymologists think nyas a legitimate word.”
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Steevens (ed. 1793): “It relates to the young singing men of the chapel royal, or at St. Paul’s, of the former of whom perhaps the earliest mention occurs in an anonymous puritanical pamphlet, 1569, entitled The Children of the Chapel Stript and Whipt: “Plaies will neuer be supplied while her majefties unfledged minions flaunt it in the silkes and sables. They had as well be at their popish seruice in the devils garments,” &c.—Again, ibid: Euen in her majesties chapel do these pretty upstart youthes profane the Lordes day by the laciuious writhing of their tender limbes, and gorgeous decking of their apparell in feigning bawdie fables gathered from the idolatrous heathen poets,” &c.
“Concerning the performances and success of the latter in attracting the best company, I also find the following passage in Jack Drum’s Entertainment, or Pafquil and Katherine, 1601: ‘I saw the children of Powels last night; And troth they pleas’d me pretty, pretty well, The apes, in time, will do it handsomely. —I like the audience that frequenteth there With much applause: a man shall not be choak’d With the stench of garlick, nor be passed To the barmy jacket of a beer-brewer. —’Tis a good gentle audience, &c.’
“It is said in Richard Flecknoe’s Short Discourse of the English Stage, 1674, that ‘both the children of the chappel and St. Paul’s, acted playes, the one in White-Frier’s, the other behinde the Convocation-house in Paul’s; till people growing more precise, and playes more licentious, the theater of Paul’s was quite supprest, and that of the children of the chappel converted to the use of the children of the revels.’”
1386-7 an ayrie...question] M.Mason(ed. 1773): “When we ask a question, we generally end a sentence with a high note. I believe, therefore, that what Rosencrantz means to say is, that these children declaim, through the whole of their voice [unreadable], in the high note commonly used at the end of a question, and were applauded for it.”
1819 cald1
cald1: malone, steevens
1387 Yases] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “Nestling, just one egg, ey, ovum. ‘Eyiesse, Apotrophus. Although she be an Eyiesse, yet she is somewhat coy. Licet domi sit alumnus, manet tamen aliquanto aversior.’ Rider’s Dict. 1589. ‘Tobie Matthew is here; but what with the journey, and what with the affliction he endures—he is grown extreme lean, and looks as sharp as an eyas, i. e. a young hawk just taken out of the nest.’ The D. of Buckingham to Ld. Vise. St. Alban, May 29, 1623, st. vet. Birch’s Letters of L. Bacon, 8vo. 1763, p. 344. It is sometimes written nyas. Steevens just notices the booke of Haukynge, as offering another etymology. ‘And so bycause the best knowledge is by the eye, they be called eyessed. Ye may also know an eyesse by the paleness of the seres of here legges, or the sere over the beake.’”
1387 cry out on the top of question] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “Recite at the highest pitch of the voice; as in asking a question we generally close with a high note, the key in which children usually declaim throughout; and of course in a tone unrelieved and unvaried. In this scene Hamlet, upon the introduction of the Players, uses almost the same language, ‘cried in the top of mu judgement:’ i.e. surpassed, exceeded, surmounted, over-topped mine: and Laertes, in correspondent terms, sets out a similar idea. ‘Stood challenger on mount of all the age.’ IV. 7.”
1826 sing1
sing1
1386 ayrie] Singer (ed. 1826): “i.e. a brood.”
1387 Yases] Singer (ed. 1826): “i.e. young nestlings ; properly young unfledged hawks.”
1387 question] Singer (ed. 1826): “Question is speech, converstion. The meaning may therefore be, they cry out on the top of their voice.”
1843 col1
col1
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Collier (ed. 1843): “Shakespeare here alludes to the encouragement at that time given to some ‘eyry’ or nest of children, or ‘eyases,’ (young hawks) who spoke in a high tone of voice. There were several companies of young performers about this date engaged in acting, but chiefly the children of Paul’s and the children to the Revels, who, it seems, were highly applauded, to the injury of the companies of adult performers. From an early date, the choir—boys of St. Paul’s, Westminster, Windsor, and the Chapel Royal, had been occasionally so employed, and performed at Court.”
-1845 mHUN1
mHUN1
1385-91 Nay...thither.] Hunter (-1845, f. 227v-228r): </f. 227v>“No commentator has hit upon the origin & meaning of the clause, ‘that cry out on the top of question.’ The true was first discovered in 1827 by Mr. B. H. Bright who communicated it to me on the last day of that year.
“‘Eyases’ are young birds. Now in turning over an old Child’s arithmetic book he found in the fule of three a flourish over the word question. The first in the fule, the representation of a flight of young birds (hawks) towards the nest of their dam. This he considers as the established flourish among the writing masters of the elder time for this word question. Shakespeare compares the Children of Pauls here meant to the Little Eyases of their copy books.
“‘Goose quills’ and ‘writers’ in Hamlets speech are words much in favour of this interpretation. But against it, is ‘cried in the top of mine’ in his speech to the players.
“This I have not the smallest doubt is the true interpretation of the passage which should be pointed thus: But there is, Sir, an aiery of children (little eyases that cry out on the top of ‘Question’) and are most tyrannically clapped for it.— ‘It’ referring not to ‘crying-out’ but to their acting in general.
“We might say that there are twenty allusions in Shakespeare to the art </f. 227v><228>of penmanshif. And it is pretty certain that [lost off the top] accomplished pen-man of his time was his friend. Still there is against it what Hamlet who then says whose judgments cried in the top of mine.”</f. 228>
1856 hud1 (1851-6)
hud1
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Hudson (ed. 1856): "Aiery, from eyren, eggs, properly means a brood, but sometimes a nest. See King Richard III., Act i. sc. 3, note 20.—Eyas is a name for an unfledged hawk. See The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act iii. sc. 3, note 2.—’Top of question’ probably means, top of their voice; question being often used for speech.—The allusion is to children of St. Paul’s and of the Revels, whose performing of plays was much in fashion at the time this play was written. From an early date, the choir-boys of St. Paul’s, Westminster, Windsor, and the Chapel Royal, were engaged in such performances, and sometimes played at Court. The complaint here is, that these juveniles so abuse ’the common stages,’ that is, the theatres, as to deter many from visiting them, In Jack Drum’s Entertainment, 1601, one of the speakers says they were heard ’with much applause;’ and another speaks thus: ’I sawe the children of Powles last night, and, troth, they pleas’d me prettie, prettie well: the apes in time will do it handsomely.’ H."
1865 Wellesley
Wellesley
1386-8 But . . . for’t] Wellesley (1865, p. 33): “The meaning of the passage is correctly stated by Steevens to be ‘Children that perpetually recite in the highest notes of voice that can be uttered.’ But both he and Dr. Johnson understand question as conversation, dialogue, asking a common question, whereas it is the old word, still in use in other languages, for the rack. The pulleys were strained and the witnesses hoisted to the utmost height, till the desired confession was elicited; and so the phrase, ‘top of question, came to be metaphorically applied; as for instance to the highest stretch of the voice, or the utmost force of an argument. See Note to Measure for Measure, Act ii. Sc. 4.
“FNC: Note to which he refers recommends emendation of ‘loss of question’ to read ‘
top of question,’ citing
Hamlet passage as analogue: ‘
Question, in Johnson’s Dictionary, is defined ‘examination by torture.’ ‘Such a presumpton is only sufficient to put the person to
the rack or
question, </p.5><p.6> according to the civil law, and not bring him to condemnation.’ (Ayliffe’s ‘Parergon.’) In French, Spanish, and Italian, this sense of the word is in more general use that it is with us (5-6)”
1861 wh1
Wh1
1386-7 an ayrie...question] White (ed. 1861): “ ‘—an eyry of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question’:—’Shakespeare,’ says Mr Collier, than whom there could be no better authority on such a point, ‘here alludes to the encouragement at that time given to some ’eyry’ or nest of children, or ’eyases,’ (young hawks.) . . . There were several companies of young performers about this date engaged in acting, but chiefly the children of Paul’s and the children of the Revels, who, it seems, were highly applauded, to the injury of the companies of adult performers. From an early date, the choir-boys of St. Paul’s, Westminster, Windsor, and the Chapel royal, had been occasionally so employed, and performed at court.’ The performance of these young eyases was the innovation alluded to by Hamlet just before.—The phrase, cry out on the top of question,’ has been regarded as meaning that the children shouted out their parts in high, shrill tone:—a great seems rather to mean to assume superiority;—as afterward Hamlet, speaking of people who set down about the play from which he quotes, says that their judgments ‘cried in the top’ of his. I can conjecture no specific origin of the phrase. It might well have been formed on the mere general force of the words which compose it.”
1865 hal
hal
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Halliwell (ed. 1865): “Eyry is the appropriate term for the nest of an eagle, haek, or any other bird of prey. See Walton’s Angler, p. 12. And see an instance of a grant, in which the ‘harts and hinds, wild boars and their kinds, and all aries of hawks’ are reserved. Hutchinson’s Hist. of Cumberland, i. 523. And see an instance of a petit serjeantry held in Cumberland, ‘by keeping the king’s aeries of goshawks.’ Blount’s Jocular Tenures, &c. p. 165. The same is mentioned by Burn and Nicolson, Hist. of CUmberland, i. 22. ‘It may be felonie to take some that bee of a wild nature; as to take young pigeons, or young hawkes out of their aeries or nests, before they can flie.’—Lambarde’s Justice of Peace, p. 274. Quotation from The Owl: Drayton, iv. 1307., iv. 1312, 1577. Cites Boucher Quotes Overbury’s New and Choise Characters, 1615. Quotes Alcida Greenes Metamorphosis, 1617.”
1865 Wellesley
Wellesley
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Wellesley(1865, p. 33): “The meaning of the passage is correctly stated by Steevens to be ‘Children that perpetually recite in the highest notes of voice that can be uttered.’ But both he and Dr. Johnson understand question as conversation, dialogue, asking a common question, whereas it is the old word, still in use in languages, for the rack. The pulleys were strained and the witnesses hoisted to the utmost height, till the desired confession was elicited; and so the phrase, ‘top of question’ came to be metaphorically applied; as for instance to the highest stretch of the voice, or the utmost force of an argument.”
1867 ktlyn
ktlyn
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Keightly (1867, p. 290): “This is hard to understand; but there is no reason to suspect any corruption of the text. The allusion seems to be to the loud shrill tones of the children in acting. ‘Like to some boy, that acts a tragedy, | Speaks byrly words and roars out passion.’ Marston, Ant. and Mel. II. iv. 5.”
1869 Romdahl
Romdahl
1387 Yases] Romdahl (1869, p. 25): “Eyases. Eyas is the same word as nias (a youn hawk not yet old enough to leave the nest), from Fr. niais; an eyas thus being an erroneous manner of spelling and pronouncing for a nyas or nias. — Such corruptions, n cut off from the beginning of a word are not very uncommon, for instance, adder from O.E. nedder, A.S. næddre; but still more common is the contrary etymological fact, viz. n added at the beginning of a word, especially in abbreviations of proper names, e.g. Nanny and Nancy (for Ann), Noll (for Oliver).”
1387 question] Romdahl (1869, p. 25): “dialogue.”
1872 hud2
hud2 : standard
1386 ayrie] Hudson (ed. 1872): “Aiery, from eyren, eggs, properly means a brood but sometimes a nest.”
1387 Yases] Hudson (ed. 1872): “Eyas is a name for an unfledged hawk.”
HUD2 ≈ v1773
1387 crye...question] Hudson (ed. 1872): “There is some doubt as to the meaning of this. Mr. White thinks it means that they ‘assume superiority;’ Mr. Dyce, that they ‘recite at the very highest pitch of their voice.’ The context infers that they are mightily ‘cracked up’ as excelling in something which a sober judgment would regard as a fault. To top, in Shakespeare, is generally to surpass; as in Coriolanus, ii. 1: ‘Topping all others in boasting.’ And in iv.7 of this play: ‘So far he topp’d my thought.’ And a little later in this scene Hamlet has the words, ‘whose judgments cried in the top of mine,’ clearly meaning, hose judgments were better than mine.—Question has repeatedly occurred in the sense of speech or conversation.”
1877 clns
clns
1386-7 ayrie of Children, little Yases, that crye out] Neil (ed. 1877): “Aery of children, little eyases, that cry out, etc. These are technical terms in falconry. ‘Names are bestowed on a falcon according to her age or taking. The first is an eyess, which name lasts as long as she is in the eyrie. These are very troublesome in their feeding, and do cry very much, and are difficultly entred’ — The Gentleman’s Recreations.”
clns : standard
1386 ayrie] Neil (ed. 1877): “Eyrie (from ei, an egg) — an eggery or collection of eggs.”
1387 Yases] Neil (ed. 1877): “Eyasses (from nidiace, a nestling; originally a niais, regarded as an eyas) — nestlings.”
1881 hud3
hud3 = hud2 (standard)
1386 an ayrie] Hudson (ed. 1881): “Eyrie, from eyren, eggs, properly means a brood, but sometimes a nest.”
hud3 = hud2 (standard)
1387 Yases] Hudson (ed. 1881): “Eyases are unfledged hawks.”
HUD3
1387 crye...question] Hudson (ed. 1881): “‘Cry out on a question’ means, I have no doubt, exclaim against those who are at the top of their profession, who are most talked about as having surpassed all others. Shakespeare uses cry out on, or cry on, nearly if not quite always in the sense of exclaim against, or cry down. He also often uses top, both noun and verb, in the sense of to excel against, or surpass. He also has question repeatedly in the siense of talk or conversation. —- For this explanation I am mainly indebted to Mr. Joseph Crosby, who remarks to me upon the whole sentence as follows: ‘A brood of young hawks, unfledged nestlings, that exclaim against, or lampoon, the best productions of the dramatic pen; little chits, that declaim squibs, and turn to ridicule their seniors and betters, both actors and authors, and are vociferously applauded for it.’”
1883 Kinnear
Kinnear
1386-1391 There...thither.]
Kinnear (1883, p. 403): <p. 403> “
‘on the top of question’ =
beyond all contradiction— that do
most unquestionably scream out: we have in
T. N. ‘
past question’ — ‘
in contempt of question’ —
out of question’ — and in
L. L. L. ‘sans question.’
Line 459 has,— ‘whose judgments in such matters cried
in the top of mine.’
i.e. claimed a hearing
above or
beyond mine. ‘common
stagers’ = common
players— they are so termed in the next speech. So Ben Johnson,
The just Indignation of the Author,— ‘The
stagers, and the stage-wrights too (your peers).’ The old eds. misprint ‘common
stages,’ which all the compared eds. retain. Theobald proposed ‘
stagers,’ but afterwards withdrew it.
Tyrannically clapped =
overbearingly applauded— applause that bears down all dissentients.” </p. 403>
1885 macd
macd
1386 an ayrie of Children] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “a nest of children. The acting of the children of two or three of the chief choirs had become the rage.”
1387 Yases] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “‘Eyases—unfledged hawk.’ ‘Children cry out rather than speak on stage.’ ‘cry out beyond dispute—unquestionably; ‘cry out and no mistake.’ ‘He does not top his part.’ The Rehearsal, iii. I.—‘He is not up to it.’ But perhaps here is intended above reason: ‘they cry out excessively, excruciatingly.’ This said, in top of rage the lines she rents,--A Lover’s Complaint.”
1890 irv
irv
1386-7 an ayrie...Yases] Symons (in Irving & Marshall ed. 1890): “This relates, says Steevens, ‘to the young singing-men of the chapel royal, or St. Paul’s, of the former of whom perhaps the earliest mention occurs in an anonymous puritanical pamphlet, 1500, entitled The Children of the Chapel Stript and Whipt: ‘Plaies will neuer be supprest, while her maiesties unfledged minions flaunt it in silkes and sattens. They had as well be at their popish services in the deuils garments,’ &c. Again (ibid.): ‘Euen in her maiesties chapel do these pretty upstart youthes profane the Lorde’s day by the lasiuious writhing of their tender limbes, and gorgeous decking of their apperell, in feigning bawdie fables gathered from the idolatrous heathen poets,’ &c.
1387 cry out on the top of question] Symons (in Irving & Marshall ed. 1890): “A great many explanations of this phrase have been put forward. Perhaps it merely means, as Steevens says: ‘Children that perpetually recite in the highest notes of voice that can be uttered;’ or, in Elze’s words: ‘The ‘top of the question’ means the top of conversation; namely, that point where the dialougue is most livley, where question and answer follow each other stroke on stroke, and the speakers are most excited. These ‘little eyases,’ therefore, continually cry out as though they were at the very height of conversation.’ Perhaps it had a further sense, such as that indicated by Staunton: ‘The phrase, derived perhaps from the defiant crowing of a cock upon his midden, really meant, we believe, like- ‘Stood challenger on mount of all the ages,’ to crow over or challenge all comers to a contention. In line [459] Hamlet uses the phrase ‘cried in the top,’ where it evidently means crowed over. Again, in Armin’s Nest of Ninnies, the author, alluding to fencers or players at single-stick, talks of ‘making them expert till they cry it up in the top of the question.’ [p. 55, Sh. Soc. vol. x.].’”
1899 ard1
ard1
1386-7 an ayrie...Yases] Dowden (ed. 1899): “eyrie or aerie, brood of nestlings; eyases, unflegded hawks. ‘Cry out’ carries on the metaphor. In The Gentleman’s Recreation, Part II. p. 21 (ed. 1686), we find ‘the name Eyess lasts as long as she is in the Eyrie. These are very troublesome in their feeding, do cry very much.’ Middleton, in Father Hubbard’s Tales, 1604, speaks of ‘a nest of boys’ at the Blackfriars ‘able to ravish a man’ (noted by Prof. Hales).”
1387 crye . . . question] Dowden (ed. 1899): “clamour forth the height of controversy, utter shrilly the extreme matter of debate. ‘Cry out’ may be regarded as a verb; to ‘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: ‘Mars. Pyoser keeps at the top o’ the talk like a fife.’”
1934a cam3
cam3
1386-7 an ayrie...question] Wilson (ed. 1934): “i.e. whose shrill voices are heard above all others in the controversey.”
1982 ard2
ard2
1385-1408 Jenkins (ed. 1982): "These lines on the child actors are absent from Q2. Though the contrary view is sometimes taken (as by Honigmann, SS 9, 26-9), it is reasonable to suppose, by analogy with the cut at ll. 239-69, that this passage also was cut from the Q2 text rather than added in F. The connection of ideas, I think, puts the matter beyond doubt. Hamlet’s question about the players’ ’estimation’ (ll. 332-3) seems designed to introduce the account of the child actors, and without this account his comment at l. 359 is abrupt. Moreover, although the Q2 text, comparing two changes in popular ’estimation’, may read consecutively, as Honigmann maintains, the omission leaves us to compare the players’ loss with Claudius’s gain. The real comparison between the two cases is in the fickleness of a public favour which readily transfers itself from the old established to the upstart ; and the full text is required to bring this out. (See Intro., pp. 2-3.) It is true that a motive for excision is less apparent that with ll. 239-69, and speculation is no longer profitable ; but by 1604 the war of the theatres was no longer a burning topic, and the point has been made that a revival of animosities in print might not have been prudent just when, with the new reign, the boy troupe had been granted royal protection as the Children of the Queen’s Revels. The quarto of Poetaster (1602) was ’restrained . . . by Authority’ from including Jonson’s ’Apologetic Dialogue’. See also Intro., pp. 44-5. "
1387 on the top of question] Jenkins (ed. 1982): "On the top of is often taken (wrongly) in a merely comparative sense. It is not that the cry was above the matter, louder than the question called for (Verity), still less that, in the boys’ shrill voices, it was in a higher than natural key (Kittredge) ; rather that it reached an incomparable height (cf. ’to the top of my bent’, III. ii. 375, and the idiom ’at the top of one’s voice’). The suggestion is thus one of extreme noisiness (cf. eyases) and, if question may have its frequent sense of ’debate’, ’dispute’, this continues the notion of wrangling present in cry out. In Armin, A Nest of Ninnies, 1608, the phrase seems to have merely an intensive force (’making them expert till they cry it up in the top of question’, Shakespeare Soc., 1842, p. 55) ; but this, like other phrases in the same work, is almost certainly an echo, and catches the words without the sense. Tucker Brooke (Tudor Drama, p. 381) conjectures ’matters of the most absolutely contemporary interest.’ "
