Alexander Dyce, A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works

duke a leader, a general, a commander (Lat. dux): “ the Duke's own person,” LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, i. 1. 179 (king's); “to study three years with the Duke” LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, i. 2. 36 (king); “the duke's pleasure,” LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, i. 2. 121 (king's); “this virtuous duke” LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, ii. 1. 38 (king); “Theseus, our renowned duke,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, i. 1. 20 ; “gracious duke,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, i. 1, 26 , 38 ; “before the duke,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, i. 2. 6 ; iii. 1. 5; iv. 1. 212 ; “make the duke say,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, i. 2. 64 ; “At the duke's oak,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, i. 2. 97 ; “The Duke was here,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, iv. 1. 192 ; “the Duke is coming,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, iv. 2. 15 ; “an the Duke had not given him sixpence,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, iv. 2. 20 ; “the Duke hath dined,” A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM, iv. 2. 31 ; “Be merciful, great duke . . . great duke,” HENRY V., iii. 2. 21 ,23; “Gonzago is the duke's name,” HAMLET, iii. 2. 234 (But we learn from the quarto ofHamlet, 1603, that in this scene of the play within a play, the two principal characters were originally called Duke and Duchess; and there can be little doubt that when their titles were altered to King and Queen, the word duke's in the present passage was left unaltered by an oversight).