_ I have adopted Grosart's
punctuation and think his interpretation of 'beg' must be the right
one--'beg thee as an idiot or natural.
punctuation and think his interpretation of 'beg' must be the right
one--'beg thee as an idiot or natural.
John Donne
' They make a double revelation of their weakness in their
credulity and their love of display.
l. 128. _Cuff. _ Henry Cuff (1563-1601), secretary to Essex and an
abettor of the conspiracy.
l. 131. _that Scot. _ It is incredible that Donne wrote these lines. He
found some of his best friends among the Scotch--Hay, Sir Robert Ker,
Essex, and Hamilton, to say nothing of the King.
PAGE =406=. SATYRE.
PAGE =407=, ll. 32-3. _A time to come, &c.
_ I have adopted Grosart's
punctuation and think his interpretation of 'beg' must be the right
one--'beg thee as an idiot or natural. ' The O. E. D. gives: '? ? 5a. _To
beg a person_: to petition the Court of Wards (established by Henry
VIII and suppressed under Charles II) for the custody of a minor, an
heiress, or an idiot, as feudal superior or as having interest in the
matter: hence also fig. _To beg_ (any one) _for a fool_ or _idiot_: to
take him for, set him down as. _Obs. _' Among other examples is, 'He
proved a wiser man by much than he that begged him. Harington, _Met.
Ajax_ 46. ' What the satirist says is, 'The time will come when she
will beg to have wardship of thee as an idiot. If you continue she
will take you for one now. '
l.
credulity and their love of display.
l. 128. _Cuff. _ Henry Cuff (1563-1601), secretary to Essex and an
abettor of the conspiracy.
l. 131. _that Scot. _ It is incredible that Donne wrote these lines. He
found some of his best friends among the Scotch--Hay, Sir Robert Ker,
Essex, and Hamilton, to say nothing of the King.
PAGE =406=. SATYRE.
PAGE =407=, ll. 32-3. _A time to come, &c.
_ I have adopted Grosart's
punctuation and think his interpretation of 'beg' must be the right
one--'beg thee as an idiot or natural. ' The O. E. D. gives: '? ? 5a. _To
beg a person_: to petition the Court of Wards (established by Henry
VIII and suppressed under Charles II) for the custody of a minor, an
heiress, or an idiot, as feudal superior or as having interest in the
matter: hence also fig. _To beg_ (any one) _for a fool_ or _idiot_: to
take him for, set him down as. _Obs. _' Among other examples is, 'He
proved a wiser man by much than he that begged him. Harington, _Met.
Ajax_ 46. ' What the satirist says is, 'The time will come when she
will beg to have wardship of thee as an idiot. If you continue she
will take you for one now. '
l.
