h been observed that the Giant of Rabelais is sometimes alluded to
by Shakespeare: and in _his_ time no translation was extant.--But the Story
was in every one's hand.

In a Letter by one Laneham, or Langham, for the name is written
differently, concerning the Entertainment at Killingwoorth Castle, printed
1575, we have a list of the vulgar Romances of the age, "King Arthurz
book, Huon of Burdeaus, Friar Rous, Howleglass, and GARGANTUA." Meres
mentions him as equally hurtful to young minds with the _Four Sons of
Aymon_, and the _Seven Champions_. And John Taylor hath him likewise in
his catalogue of _Authors_, prefixed to Sir _Gregory Nonsence_.

But to come to a conclusion, I will give you an irrefragable argument that
Shakespeare did _not_ understand _two_ very common words in the French and
Latin languages.

According to the Articles of agreement between the Conqueror Henry and the
King of France, the latter was to stile the former (in the corrected
French of the modern Editions) "Nostre _tres cher_ filz Henry Roy
d'Angleterre; and in Latin, _Praeclarissimus_ Filius, &c." "What," says Dr.
Warburton, "is _tres cher_ in French _praeclarissimus_ in Latin! we should
read _praecarissimus_."--This appears to be exceedingly true; but how came
the blunder? It is a typographical one in Holingshed, which Shakespeare
copied; but must indisputably have corrected, had he been acquainted with
the languages.--"Our said Father, during his life, shall name, call, and
write us in French in this maner: Nostre _tres chier_ filz, Henry Roy
d'Engleterre--and in Latine in this maner: _Praeclarissimus_ filius noster."
Edit. 1587, p. 574.

To corroborate this instance, let me observe to you, though it be nothing
further to the purpose, that another error of the same kind hath been the
source of a mistake in an historical passage of our Author; which hath
ridiculously troubled the Criticks.

Richard the third harangues his army before the Battle of Bosworth:

Remember whom ye are to cope withal,
A sort of vagabonds, of rascals, runaways--
And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
Long kept in _Britaine_ at _our Mother's_ cost,
A milksop, &c.--

"_Our_ Mother," Mr. Theobald perceives to be wrong, and Henry was
somewhere secreted on the _Continent_: he reads therefore, and all the
Editors after him,

Long kept in _Bretagne_ at _his_ mother's cost.

But give me leave to transcribe a few more lines fro