1. Of the ed. of 1605, I have met with no other copy except that in my own possession, which formerly belonged to Mr. Heber.
2. Prodigious] “That is, portentous, so deformed as to be taken for a foretoken of evil.” Reed.
3. torrent] Old eds. “torment.”
4. Aligant] As our early writers commonly spell the word—i. e. a red wine of Alicant, in the province of Valencia.
5. byrlady] i. e. By our lady.
6. marginal finger] i. e. the index (☞) on the margins of old books, to direct the reader’s attention to particular passages.
7. jig-makers] “i. e. ballad-makers.” Reed.
8. and] i. e. if.
9. with a wet finger] i. e. easily, readily.
10. clarissimo’s] i. e. grandee’s.
11. true house ... no thieves] True men being a cant term for honest men—in opposition to thieves.
12. do] Old eds. “does.”
13. mandrake] “The root of it is great and white like a radish-root, and is divided into two or more parts, growing sometimes like the legs of a man.” Blount’s Glossographia. Reed.—According to the old superstitious notions, the mandrake possessed an inferior degree of animal life, &c.
14. whiblins] i. e., perhaps, eunuchs, says Nares, Gloss. in v.
15. in print] “Exactly, perfectly.” Reed.
16. Albertus Magnus] “i. e. de Secretis Mulierum.” Steevens.
17. Problems] Old eds. “Emblemes,” which in Dodsley’s Old Plays is rightly altered to Problems. An absurd book, called The Problems of Aristotle, with other Philosophers and Physitions, &c., was printed at London, in 1595, 1607, &c.
18. wide a’ th’ bow-hand] i. e. your arrow has flown a good way from the mark, on the left hand (in which the bow was held).
19. cut off his beard] “To cut off the hair of any person was, in our author’s time, a mark of disgrace, and esteemed a very great indignity.” Reed.
20. scald hair] “i. e. scattered or dispersed hair. Mr. Lambe, in his notes on Flodden Field, observes, that the word scale is used in the North in the above-mentioned sense.” Reed. Nonsense! scald is scabby—paltry.
21. brave] i. e. finely dressed—a quibble.
23. madcaps] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “old dames.”
24. one a’ mine aunts] Ed. 1605, “one a’ my naunts.”—Aunt was a cant term for a prostitute, as in the present passage, and more frequently (see vol. ii. p. 21, line 1) for a bawd.
25. welkin] i. e. sky.
27. beg me for a fool] “Sir William Blackstone, in his Commentaries, vol. i. p. 303, says,—‘By the old common law there is a writ de idiota inquirendo, to inquire whether a man be an idiot or not; which must be tried by a jury of twelve men: and if they find him purus idiota, the profits of his lands, and the custody of his person, may be granted by the king to some subject who has interest enough to obtain them.’ And he observes, that this power, though of late very rarely exerted, is still alluded to in common speech by that usual expression of begging a man for a fool.” Reed.
28. Benedict] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “Benedick.”
29. near] Old eds. “meere.”
30. Softly!—See, doctor, what, &c.] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “Softly sweet Doctor: what,” &c.
31. rust] Qy. “crust?”
32. fond] i. e. foolish.
33. the midst] So the excellent ed. of 1605. Other eds. “the deadst,” which is given in Dodsley’s Old Plays, and which, as Nares (Gloss. in v.) remarks, is “but awkwardly applied to the height or meridian of feasting, which surely has nothing dead in it.” Perhaps the misprint arose from the compositor’s eye having caught the word death in the next line but two.
34. alter] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “alterd.”
35. good knaves] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “God knowes.”
36. thy] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “the.”
37. I’d] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “Ile.”
38. hurts] Ed. 1605, “hnrts.” Other eds. “haunts.”
39. goddess in the Cyprian] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “gods in the Coprian.”
40. her] So ed. 1605. Other eds. “it.”
41. a tavern-token] “During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and from thenceforward to that of Charles the Second, very little brass or copper money was coined by authority. For the convenience of trade, victuallers and other tradesmen, without any restriction, were therefore permitted to coin small money, or tokens, as they were called, which were used for change. These tokens were very small pieces, and, probably, at first coined chiefly by tavern-keepers; from whence the expression a tavern-token might have been originally derived.” Reed. “That most of them would travel to the tavern, may be easily supposed, and hence, perhaps, the name. Their usual value seems to have been a farthing.” Gifford, note on B. Jonson’s Works, vol. i. p. 30.
42. of all loves] i. e. for the sake of all love—by all means.
43. tempted] So other eds. First ed. “tempred.”
44. lay] i. e. wager.
45. golls] A cant term for hands—fists, paws.
46. Gentlemen, what, &c., fine cambrics, fine lawns] Is one speech in old eds., with the prefix “All Three.”—What do you lack? was the constant address of shopkeepers to customers: see note, vol. i. p. 447.
47. and] i. e. if.
49. companions] i. e. fellows.
50. leese] i. e. lose.
51. shrow] i. e. shrew.
52. I pledge you] “The following account of the forms prescribed in health-drinking in our author’s time, is taken from The Irish Hubbub, or the English Hue and Crie, by Barnaby Rich, 1623, p. 24. He calls it The Ruffingly Order of drinking Healths used by the Spendalls of this age. ‘He that beginnes the health hath his prescribed orders: first uncovering his head, hee takes a full cup in his hand, and setting his countenance with a grave aspect, hee craves for audience: silence being once obtained, hee beginnes to breath out the name peradventure of some honourable personage, that is worthy of a better regard, then to have his name polluted at so unfitting a time amongst a company of Drunkards: but his health is drunke to, and he that pledgeth must likewise off with his cap, kisse his fingers, and bowing himselfe in signe of a reverent acceptance; when the Leader sees his follower thus prepared, hee sups up his broath, turnes the bottom of the cup upward, and in ostentation of his dexteritie, gives the cup a phillip to make it cry Twango. And thus the first scene is acted. The cup being newly replenished to the breadth of an haire, he that is the pledger must now beginne his part, and thus it goes round throughout the whole company, provided alwayes, by a canon set downe by the Founder, there must be three at the least still uncovered, till the health hath had the full passage: which is no sooner ended, but another begins againe, and hee drinkes an Health to his Lady of little worth, or peradventure to his light-hele’d mistres.’” Reed.
53. Blurt] An exclamation of contempt, equal to—a fig for.
54. on my thumb-nail] In Nash’s Pierce Pennilesse, a marginal note explains the words “drinke super nagulum” to be “a deuise of drinking new come out of Fraunce, which is, after a man hath turnd vp the bottome of the cup, to drop it on his naile and make a pearle with that is left, which if it shed and he cannot make stand on, by reason there’s too much, he must drinke againe for his penance.” Sig. F. ed. 1595.
55. wish] i. e. desire.
56. meacock] “i. e. a timorous, dastardly creature.” Reed.
57. swaddle] i. e. strap, beat soundly.
59. chafing-dish] “To heat the poking-irons.” Reed.
61. curls her hair, &c.] This direction perhaps applies to what Bellafront is to do presently—when Roger holds the glass and candle for her.
62. poker] “This instrument, of which mention is frequently made in contemporary writers, is sometimes called poting stick, and at others a poking stick. It was used to adjust the plaits of ruffs, which were then generally worn by the ladies. Stowe says, that these poking sticks were made of wood or bone until about the 16th year of Queen Elizabeth, when they began to be made of steel,” [that they might be used hot]. Reed.
65. of] Old eds. “if.”
66. and] i. e. if.
67. Marry muff] An expression of contempt, which frequently occurs in our early writers: compare vol. i. p. 258, and note.
68. Sings] “This word has hitherto been printed as part of the text [“Sing pretty,” &c.]; but it is clearly a stage-direction, referring to the ballad Bellafront commences.” Collier.
69. fall] i. e. falling band, which lay flat upon the dress from the neck.
70. God’s my pittikins] A corruption of God’s my pity, an expression which Bellafront afterwards makes use of in this scene (p. 40). Shakespeare puts ods-pittikins into the mouth of a lady of very different character: see Cymbeline, act iv. sc. 2.
71. marmoset] i. e. monkey.
72. Exit] Old eds. “Exit for a candle.”
73. another light angel] Angel was a gold coin worth about 10 shillings. Compare Dekker’s Satiromastix, 1602, “I markt, by this Candle, which is none of God’s Angels.” Sig. C.
74. curtal] i. e. docked horse.
75. Hippocras] A beverage composed generally of red wine, but sometimes of white, with spices and sugar,—strained through a woollen bag.
77. manchet] i. e. a roll of the finest bread.
78. the canaries] A quick and lively dance, frequently mentioned by our early writers: “As to the air itself, it appears, by the example in the Opera of Dioclesian [set to music by Purcell, and containing a dance called the Canaries], to be a very sprightly movement of two reprises or strains, with eight bars in each,” &c. Hawkins’s Hist. of Music, vol. iv. p. 391—cited by Reed.
79. scorn’t] Several eds. “I scorn’t.”
80. of all filthy, dry-fisted knights] “A moist hand is vulgarly accounted a sign of an amorous constitution.” Reed.
81. cony] i. e. rabbit-skin.
82. sweet Oliver] “It may be just worth noticing, that this epithet almost always accompanies the mention of this gentle rival of the mad Orlando in fame.” Gifford’s note on B. Jonson’s Works, vol. i. p. 98.
83. set him beneath the salt] “This refers to the manner in which our ancestors were seated at their meals. ‘The tables being long,’ says Mr. Whalley, note to Cynthia’s Revels, act ii. sc. 2. [sc. 1.] ‘the salt [i. e. salt-cellar—of a very large size] was commonly placed about the middle, and served as a kind of boundary to the different quality of the guests invited. Those of distinction were ranked above; the space below was assigned to the dependents or inferior relations of the master of the house.’” Reed.
84. to] So some eds. First ed. “of.”
85. walks off] i. e. retires behind.
86. aloof off] This expression is twice used by Middleton in Michaelmas Term (see vol. i. pp. 427, 469), and its repetition here is a slight confirmation (if any were needed) of the correctness of Henslowe’s statement: vide p. 3.
87. signors have] First two eds. “signior.” Others, “signiors.” All, “has.”
88. little] Spelt in the first two eds. “litle:” therefore qy. “tilt?”
90. mother] i. e. hysterical passion.
92. What gentleman] Here the last editor of Dodsley inserted a stage-direction, “Enter Hippolito,” which he says is absolutely necessary: but see note, p. 40.
94. Beseech you, &c.] Bellafront, I suppose, having shewn some displeasure at the commendation of Infelice.
95. the] Old eds. “my.”
96. Hippolito, acquaintance] Old eds. “Hipolitos acquaintance.”
98. and] i. e. if.
100. you soused gurnet] “An appellation of contempt very frequently employed in the old comedies.” Reed.
101. shaall] So spelt in the first two eds., to mark the prolonged emphasis.
102. in your waistcoat] i. e. (as Nares rightly explains the passage, Gloss. in v.) in that alone, without a gown or upper dress. Low prostitutes were generally so attired, and were hence called waistcoateers.
103. Bastard wine] In a note, vol. ii. p. 347, I have said that bastard was “a sweet Spanish wine:” “That it was a sweetish wine, there can be no doubt; and that it came from some of the countries which border the Mediterranean, appears equally certain,” observes Henderson; who supposes that it approached to the muscadel wine in flavour, and was made from a bastard species of muscadine grape. Hist. of Wines, pp. 290-1.
104. poulter’s] i. e. poulterer’s.
105. one] He means Hippolito: woodcock was a cant term for a foolish fellow.
106. I] So several eds. Not in first ed.
107. proper] i. e. personable.
108. have] Old eds. “has.”
109. Back] Old eds. “Black.”
110. ador’d her eyes] “In a pamphlet attributed to Robert Greene, called Theeves falling out Truemen come by their goods, printed in 1615, and probably earlier, there is a story entitled ‘The Conversion of an English Curtezan,’ which, in some points, bears a resemblance to a main incident in this play. Her conversion is wrought by a young man who visits her as in ‘the way of her trade:’ at his request she takes him into a dark loft, under pretence that he cannot bear to commit ‘the act of sin’ in the light; but still the day peeps in through a hole in the roof: on his complaining that it was not quite dark, she replies, that ‘none but God could see them.’ Hence he takes occasion to read her a lecture very similar to that of Hippolito in Dekker. ‘Oh! thou art made beautiful, fair, and well formed, and wilt thou then by thy filthy lust make thy body, which if thou be honest is the temple of God, the habitation of the Devil?’ In one place he says,—‘But suppose while thou art young thou art favoured of thy companions; when thou waxest old, and that thy beauty is faded, then thou shalt be loathed and despised even of them that professed most love unto thee.’ After she has been thoroughly reformed, he marries her.” Collier.
112. mete] i. e. measure, embrace.
113. luxurious] i. e. lascivious.
114. I] So ed. 1605. Not in other eds.
116. What, has he left his weapon here behind him, And gone forgetful? O fit instrument] Ed. 1605 has only
117. split my heart upon] Ed. 1605, “cleaue my bosome on.”
118. Not speak to me? not bid farewell? a scorn?] Ed. 1605, “Not speake to me! not looke! not bid farewell!”
119. walking by] It must be remembered that the shops in London (and of London only our authors thought) were formerly “open” (see stage-direction, vol. ii. p. 453), and resembled booths or stalls at a fair.
121. squall] This word, which seems to be equivalent to wench, is by no means common: Middleton uses it several times (see, for instance, vol. i. p. 431); and its occurrence here is another proof (see note, p. 40) that he was concerned in the composition of the present drama.
122. chaldrons] Or chaudrons—i. e. particular entrails.
124. malicholly] A corruption of melancholy.
125.
“Imitated by Shakespeare in Othello, act iii. sc. 3.
If there be any imitation in the case, I believe it to be on the part of Dekker or Middleton. Malone ultimately assigned the production of Othello to 1604, having ascertained (on what evidence we know not) that it was acted in that year: but if it be imitated in the present passage, it must have been produced at an earlier period: see p. 3.
127. napery] i. e. linen.
128. the posts of his gate are a-painting too] “i. e. he will soon be sheriff. At the door of that officer large posts, on which it was customary to stick proclamations, were always set up.” Steevens.