burthen or burden:
“ sweet sprites, the burthen bear,”
THE TEMPEST, i. 2. 380
;
“belike it hath some burden, then?”
THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, i. 2.
85
;
“that goes without a burden,”
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, iii. 4.
39
;
“sing my song without a burden,”
AS YOU LIKE IT, iii. 2. 232
;
“burden of my wooing dance,”
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, i. 2.
66
;
“such delicate burthens of ‘dildos,’”
THE WINTER'S TALE, iv. 4.
193.
“The burthen of a song, in the old acceptation of the word,
was the base, foot, or under-song. It was sung throughout, and not merely at the end of
the verse. Burthen is derived from bourdoun, a drone base (French bourdon).”
Chappell's Popular Music of
the Olden Time, etc., vol. i. p. 222, sec. ed.
A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works. Alexander Dyce. Boston. Dana Estes and Company. 1904.
This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry and has been proofread to a high level of accuracy.
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