act v.--not even by the "two days buried" of v. 3. 176, for Thursday

would be the second day that she had lain in the tomb. The marriage was to be early on Wednesday morning, and the funeral took its place. Balthasar "presently took post" (v. 1. 21) to tell the news to Romeo at Mantua, less than twenty-five miles distant. He arrives before evening (cf. v. 1. 4: "all this day," which indicates the time), and Romeo at once says, "I will hence _to-night_." He has ample time to make his preparations and to reach Verona before two o'clock the next morning. He has been at the tomb only half an hour or so (v. 3. 130) before the Friar comes. It must have been near midnight (see v. 2. 23) when Friar John returned to Laurence's cell; so that, even if he had not been despatched to Mantua until that morning, he would have had time to go and return, but for his unexpected detention. I see no difficulty, therefore, in assuming that the drama closes on Thursday morning; the difficulty would be in prolonging the time to the next morning without making the action drag.

110. _In thy best robes_, etc. The Italian custom here alluded to, of carrying the dead body to the grave richly dressed and with the face _uncovered_ (which is not mentioned by Paynter), S. found particularly described in _Romeus and Juliet_:--

"Now throughout Italy this common vse they haue, That all the best of euery stocke are earthed in one graue;

* * * * *

An other vse there is, that whosoeuer dyes, Borne to their church with open face vpon the beere he lyes, In wonted weede attyrde, not wrapt in winding sheete."

Cf. _Ham._ iv. 5. 164: "They bore him barefac'd on the bier." Knight remarks that thus the maids and matrons of Italy are still carried to the tomb; and he quotes Rogers, _Italy_:--

"And lying on her funeral couch, Like one asleep, her eyelids closed, her hands Folded together on her modest breast As 'twere her nightly posture, through the crowd She came at last--and richly, gaily clad, As for a birthday feast."

114. _Drift._ Scheme. Cf. ii. 3. 55 above.

119. _Inconstant toy._ Fickle freak or caprice. Cf. _Ham._ i. 3. 5: "a fashion and a toy in blood;" _Id._ 1. 4. 75: "toys of desperation;" _Oth._ iii. 4. 156: "no jealous toy," etc. _Inconstant toy_ and _womanish fear_ are both from Brooke's poem:--

"Cast of from thee at once the weede of womannish dread, With manly courage arme thy selfe from heele vnto the head;

* * * * *

God graunt he so confirme in thee thy present will, That no inconstant toy thee let [hinder] thy promesse to fulfill."

121. _Give me, give me!_ Cf. _Macb._ i. 3. 5: "'Give me,' quoth I."