for your own sake, to embrace your own safety, and give over this attempt.

Ros.

Do, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to the duke, that the wrestling might not go forward.

As You Like It Act 1 Scene 2.

Cha.

I am heartily glad I came hither to you: If he come to-morrow, I'll give him his payment: if ever he go alone again, I'll never wrestle for prize more: And so, God keep your worship!

Oli.

[Exit.

Farewell, good Charles. Now will I stir this gamester: I hope, I shall see an end of him; for my soul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he. Yet he 's gentle; never school'd, and yet learned; full of noble device; of all sorts enchantingly beloved; and indeed, so much in the heart of the world, and especially, of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprised: but it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all: nothing remains, but that I kindle the boy thither, which now I'll go about. As You Like It Act 1 Scene 1.

for mes in composition in the French signifieth mal, as mis doth in the English tongue: as mischance, for an ill chance, and so mesprise is, ill apprehended or known. In legal understanding it signifieth, when one knoweth of any treason or felony and concealeth it, this is misprision, so called, because the knowledge of it is an ill knowledge to him, in respect of the severe punishment for not revealing of it: for in case of misprision of High Treason he is to be imprisoned during his life, to forfeit all his goods, debts and duties for ever; and the profits of his lands during his life: and in case of felony, to be fined and imprisoned. (3. Inst. cap. 3). Misprision is twofold: one is crimen omissionis, of omission, as in concealment, or not discovery of treason or felony: another is crimen commissionis of commission, as in committing some heynous offence under the degree of felony. (3. Inst. 139). Misprision is included in every treason or felony; and where any one hath committed treason or felony, the king may order that he shall be indicted for misprision only. (Wood's Inst. 2. ed. 406).

Olivia.

Sir, I bade them take away you.

Clown.

Misprision in the highest degree! Lady, Cucullus non facit monachum; that 's as much as to say, I wear not motley in my brain. Good madonna, give me leave to prove you a fool.

Twelfth Night Act 1 Scene 5.

The Clown speaks of misprision in the highest degree, and Coke says,,compassings, or imaginations against the king, by word without an overt act, is a high misprision." (3. Inst. cap. 65) but although the Clown speaks of misprision in the highest degree, I think he uses the word misprision in the sense of contempt. In a larger sense misprision is taken for many great offences, which are neither treason nor felony, or that are not capital but come very near to it; and every great misdemeanor, which hath no certain name appointed by law, is sometimes called misprision. (3. Inst. 36. H. P. C. 127. Wood's Inst. 2. ed. 406, 408).

Bertram.

I cannot love her, nor will strive to do't.

King.

Thou wrong'st thyself, if thou shouldst strive to choose.

Helena.

That you are well restored, my lord, I am glad;

Let the rest go.

King.

My honour's at the stake; which to defeat,

I must produce my power: Here take her hand,
Proud scornful boy, unworthy this good gift;
That dost in vile mis prision shackle up
My love, and her desert.

All's Well Act 2 Scene 3.

In this passage it seems to signify wrong or false imprisonment, because it is connected with the adjective „vile" and the verb shackle."

"

You were about to speak.

North.

Yea, my good lord.

Those prisoners in your highness' name demanded,

Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took,

Were, as he says, not with such strength denied,
As is deliver'd to your majesty:

Either envy, therefore, or misprision

Is guilty of this fault, and not my son.

1. Henry IV. Act 1 Scene 3.

I think Northumberland uses the word in the sense of „neglect" or "contempt;"

Dum.

I would forget her; but a fever she

Reigns in my blood, and will remember'd be.

Biron.

A fever in your blood, why, then incision

Would let her out in saucers; sweet misprision!

Love's Labour Lost Act 4 Scene 3.

and it is, perhaps, more doubtful in which sense it is used by Biron.

Countee, Fr. comte, was the most eminent dignity of a subject, before the conquest, next to a Duke; and in ancient time were men of great estate and dignity. (Cowell).

You

Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 3.

to remove that siege of grief from her, Betroth'd, and would have married her perforce, To county Paris.

Act 5 Scene 3.

Capulet.

[Laying down a dagger.

Act 4 Scene 3.

Send for the county; go tell him of this;
I'll have this knot knit up to-morrow morning.

Juliet.

I met the youthful lord at Laurence' cell.

Act 4 Scene 2.

The county will be here with music straight,

For so he said he would. I hear him near:
Nurse! Wife! what, ho!

I will walk myself

(Music within.)

what, nurse, I say!

Act 4 Scene 4.

To county Paris, to prepare him up
Against to-morrow: my heart is wondrous light,
Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim'd.

Ay, let the county take you in your bed;
He'll fright you up, i' faith. Will it not be?
What, drest? and in your clothes! and down again!
I must needs wake you: Lady lady! lady!
Alas! alas! Help! help! my lady's dead!
O, well-a-day, that ever I was born!
'Some aqua-vitae, ho! my lord! my lady!

xx

Romeo.

Act 4 Scene 5.

Wilt thou provoke me? then have at thee, boy.

Page.

O lord! they fight: I will go call the watch.

Paris.

O, I am slain! (Falls.) If thou be merciful,
Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet.

(They fight.)

[Exit.

(Dies.)

Act 5 Scene?

What sayst thou? hast thou not a word of joy?

Some comfort, nurse.

Nurse.

'Faith, here 'tis: Romeo

Is banish'd; and all the world to nothing,
That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you;
Or, if he do, it needs must be by stealth.
Then, since the case so stands as now it doth,
I think it best you married with the county.

Friar.

Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief;

Act 3 Scene 4.

It strains me past the compass of my wits:
I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,
On Thursday next be married to this county.

Juliet.

Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this,
Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it:
If, in thy wisdom, thou canst give no help,
Do thou but call my resolution wise,
And with this knife I'll help it presently.
Friar.

Hold, daughter; I do spy a kind of hope,
Which craves as desperate an execution
As that is desperate which we would prevent.
If, rather than to marry county Paris,
Thou hast the strength of will to stay thyself;
Then is it likely, thou wilt undertake

A thing like death to chide away this shame,
That cop'st with death himself to scape from it;
And, if thou dar'st, I'll give thee remedy.

Helena.

A ring the county wears,

Act 4 Scene 1.

That downward hath succeeded in his house,
From son to son, some four or five descents.

All's Well Act 3 Scene 7.

„Of ancient time" says Coke „the Earl was praefectus, seu praepositus comitatus, for so imports the Saxon word, Shirereve, i. the Reve of the Shire, which is as much as to say, praepositus Comitatus, and had the charge and custody of the County." (9. Rep. 49).

Lady Capulet.

The gallant, young, and noble gentleman,
The county Paris, at Saint Peter's church,
Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride.

Archiv f. n. Sprachen. XXXII.

Act 3 Scene 5.

14