"What force the stones, the plants, and metals haue to woorke,And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,With care I haue sought out, with payne I did then proue;With them eke can I helpe my selfe at times of my behoue," etc.
"What force the stones, the plants, and metals haue to woorke,And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,With care I haue sought out, with payne I did then proue;With them eke can I helpe my selfe at times of my behoue," etc.
"What force the stones, the plants, and metals haue to woorke,And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,With care I haue sought out, with payne I did then proue;With them eke can I helpe my selfe at times of my behoue," etc.
"What force the stones, the plants, and metals haue to woorke,
And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,
And diuers other thinges that in the bowels of earth do loorke,
With care I haue sought out, with payne I did then proue;
With them eke can I helpe my selfe at times of my behoue," etc.
9.The earth,etc. Cf. Milton,P.L.ii. 911: "The womb of nature, and perhaps her grave." See alsoPer.ii. 3. 45:—
"Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,He's both their parent, and he is their grave."
"Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,He's both their parent, and he is their grave."
"Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,He's both their parent, and he is their grave."
"Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,
He's both their parent, and he is their grave."
15.Mickle.Much, great; a word already half obsolete in the time of S. Cf.C. of E.iii. 1. 45: "The one ne'er got me credit, the other mickle blame," etc.Powerful grace= "efficacious virtue" (Johnson); or = gracious power.
19.Strain'd.Wrenched, forced. Cf.M. of V.iv. 1. 184: "The quality of mercy is not strain'd" (that is, excludes the idea of force or compulsion), etc.
23.Weak.So all the early eds. except 1st quarto, which has "small."Weakseems the better word as opposed to the followingpower(Daniel).
25.With that part.That is, with its odour. Malone and Clarke takepartto be = the sense of smell.
26.Slays.The 2d quarto has "staies" (= stops, paralyzes), which some editors prefer.
27.Encamp them.For the reflexive use, cf.Hen. V.iii. 6. 180: "we'll encamp ourselves." On the figurativeencamp, cf.L.C.203.
29.Worser.Cf. iii. 2. 108 below: "worser than Tybalt's death."Predominantwas originally an astrological term. SeeA.W.i. 1. 211, etc.
30.Canker.Canker-worm. Cf.V. and A.656: "The canker that eats up Love's tender spring;"T.G. of V.i. 1. 43: "in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells," etc.
34.Good morrow.Here = good-by.
37.Unstuff'd."Not overcharged" (Schmidt); used by S. only here.
40.With some.The editors generally adopt "by some" fromthe 1st quarto; butwith = byis so common in S. that the reading of all the other early eds. may be accepted. See on i. 1. 148 and i. 2. 49 above.Distemperature= disorder. Cf.C. of E.v. 1. 82: "Of pale distemperatures and foes to life."
41, 42.Or if not so,etc. Marshall doubts whether S. wrote these lines. Of course, they belong to the first draft of the play.
51.Both our remedies.The healing of both of us. Cf.A.W.i. 3. 169: "both our mothers" = the mother of both of us. See alsoHam.iii. 1. 42,Cymb.ii. 4. 56, etc.
52.Lies.Cf.V. and A.1128:—
"She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes,Where lo! two lamps burnt out in darkness lies."
"She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes,Where lo! two lamps burnt out in darkness lies."
"She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes,Where lo! two lamps burnt out in darkness lies."
"She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes,
Where lo! two lamps burnt out in darkness lies."
See alsoRich. II. iii. 3. 168 andCymb.ii. 3. 24.
54.Steads.Benefits, helps. Cf.Temp.i. 2. 165: "Which since have steaded much;"M. of V.i. 3. 7: "May you stead me?" etc.
55.Homely in thy drift.Simple in what you have to say. Cf. iv. 1. 114 below.
56.Riddling.Cf.M.N.D.ii. 2. 53: "Lysander riddles very prettily;" and 1Hen. VI.ii. 3. 57: "a riddling merchant."
61.When and where and how,etc. An instance of the so-called "chiastic" construction of which S. was fond. Cf.M.N.D.iii. 1. 113, 114,Ham.iii. 1. 158, 159,A. and C.iii. 2. 15-18, etc.
72.To season love.A favourite metaphor with S., though a homely one; taken from the use of salt in preserving meat. For the reference to salt tears, cf.A.W.i. 1. 55,T.N.i. 1. 30,R. of L.796,L.C.18, etc.
73.Sighs.Compared to vapours which thesundispels.
74.Ancient.Aged; as in ii. 4. 133 below. See alsoLear, ii. 2. 67,Cymb.v. 3. 15, etc.
88.Did read by rote,etc. "Consisted of phrases learned by heart, but knew nothing of the true characters of love" (Schmidt).
93.I stand on sudden haste.I must be in haste. Cf. the impersonal use ofstand onorupon= it concerns, it is important to; asinC. of E.iv. 1. 68: "Consider how it stands upon my credit;"Rich. II.ii. 3. 138: "It stands your grace upon to do him right" (that is, it is your duty), etc. Cf. ii. 4. 34 below.
2.To-night.Last night. See on i. 4. 50 above.
13.How he dares.For the play ondare= venture, anddare= challenge, cf.2 Hen. VI.iii. 2. 203. There is also a play onanswer.
15.A white wench's black eye.Cf.L. L. L.iii. 1. 108:—
"A whitely wanton with a velvet brow,And two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes;"
"A whitely wanton with a velvet brow,And two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes;"
"A whitely wanton with a velvet brow,And two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes;"
"A whitely wanton with a velvet brow,
And two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes;"
and Rosalind's reference to the "bugle eyeballs" of Phebe inA. Y.L.iii. 5, 47, which the shepherdess recalls as a sneer: "He said mine eyes were black," etc.
Thorough.Through. Cf.M.N.D.ii. 1. 3, 5,W.T.iii. 2. 172,J.C.iii. 1. 136, v. 1. 110, etc.
16.The very pin,etc. The allusion is to archery. Theclout(cf.L. L. L.iv. 1. 136), or white mark at which the arrows were aimed, was fastened by a black pin in the centre. Cf. Marlowe,Tamburlane, 1590:—
"For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,Our crown the pin that thousands seek to cleave."
"For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,Our crown the pin that thousands seek to cleave."
"For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,Our crown the pin that thousands seek to cleave."
"For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,
Our crown the pin that thousands seek to cleave."
17.Butt-shaft.A kind of arrow used for shooting at butts; formed without a barb, so as to be easily extracted (Nares).
20.Prince of cats.Tybertis the name of the cat inReynard the Fox. Steevens quotes Dekker,Satiromastix, 1602: "tho' you were Tybert, the long-tail'd prince of cats;" andHave with You, etc.: "not Tibalt, prince of cats."Tibert,Tybert, andTybaltare forms of the ancient nameThibault. Cf. iii. 1. 77 below.
20.Captain of compliments.A complete master of etiquette. Cf.L. L. L.i. 1. 169:—
"A man of compliments, whom right and wrongHave chose as umpire of their mutiny."
"A man of compliments, whom right and wrongHave chose as umpire of their mutiny."
"A man of compliments, whom right and wrongHave chose as umpire of their mutiny."
"A man of compliments, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny."
As Schmidt remarks, the modern distinction ofcomplimentandcomplementis unknown to the orthography of the old eds. See on ii. 2. 89 above.
22.Prick-song.Music sung from notes (Schmidt); so called from the points or dots with which it is expressed. S. uses the word only here. When opposed toplain-song, it meant counter-point as distinguished from mere melody. Here, as Elson shows, there is a reference to marking the time "by tapping the foot in time with the music, or, more frequently and more artistically, by waving the hand as the conductor of an orchestra waves his baton."
23.Me.For the "ethical dative," cf.J.C.i. 2. 270: "He plucked me ope his doublet," etc.
25.Button.Steevens quotesThe Return from Parnassus, 1606: "Strikes his poinado at a button's breadth." Staunton cites George Silver'sParadoxes of Defence, 1599: "Signior Rocco, ... thou that takest upon thee to hit anie Englishman with a thrust upon anie button," etc. Duels were frequent in England in the time of S. The matter had been reduced to a science, and its laws laid down in books. Thecausesof quarrel had been duly graded and classified, as Touchstone explains inA.Y.L.v. 4. 63 fol.
26.Of the very first house.Of the first rank among duellists.
27.Passado."A motion forwards and thrust in fencing" (Schmidt). Cf.L. L. L.i. 2. 184: "the passado he respects not." Thepunto reversowas a back-handed stroke. We havepunto(= thrust) inM.W.ii. 3. 26: "to see thee pass thy punto." Thehaywas a home-thrust; from the Italianhai= thou hast it (not "he has it," as Schmidt and others explain it). Johnson gives it correctly: "Thehayis the wordhai, youhaveit, used when a thrust reaches the antagonist, from which our fencers, on the same occasion, without knowing, I suppose, any reason for it, cry out ha!"
30.Fantasticoes.Steevens quotes Dekker,Old Fortunatus: "I have danced with queens, dallied with ladies, worn strange attires, seen fantasticoes," etc.
32.Grandsire.Addressed to Benvolio in raillery of his staid demeanour.
33.Fashion-mongers.Cf.Much Ado, v. 1. 94: "fashion-monging boys."
34.Pardonnez-mois.Fellows who are continually sayingpardonnez-moi; a hit at Frenchified affectation. The Cambridge ed. has "perdona-mi's" (Italian, suggested by the "pardona-mees" of the 4th and 5th quartos). Herford reads "pardon-me's."
35.Form.There is a play on the word, as inL. L. L.i. 1. 209: "sitting with her upon the form ... in manner and form following." Blakeway remarks: "I have heard that during the reign of large breeches it was necessary to cut away hollow places in the benches in the House of Commons, to make room for those monstrous protuberances, without which contrivance they who stood on the new form could not sit at ease on the old bench."
36.Bons.The early eds. have "bones," which is unintelligible. The correction is due to Theobald, and is generally adopted.
38.Without his roe."That is, he comes but half himself; he is only a sigh—O me!that is,me O!the half of his name" (Seymour). It may mean without his mistress, whom he has had to leave; roe meaning a female deer as well as the spawn of a fish. Cf.L. L. L.v. 2. 309, where the Princess says: "Whip to our tents, as roes run over land;" andT. and C.v. 1. 68: "a herring without a roe."
42.Be-rhyme.Cf.A. Y. L.iii. 2. 186: "I was never so be-rhymed," etc.
43.Hildings.Base menials; used of both sexes. Cf.T. of S.ii. 1. 26: "For shame, thou hilding;"A.W.iii. 6. 4: "If your lordship find him not a hilding, hold me no more in your respect," etc. See also iii. 5. 167 below. It is used as an adjective in2 Hen. IV.i. 1. 57 andHen. V.iv. 2. 29.
44.Grey eye.Here Malone and others makegrey= blue; while Steevens and Ulrici take the ground that it has its ordinary meaning. The latter quoteTemp.i. 2. 269 ("This blue-eyed hag")in proof that blue eyes were accounted ugly; but the reference there, as inA.Y.L.iii. 2. 393 ("a blue eye and sunken"), seems to be to a bluish circle about the eyes. It is curious that these are the only specific allusions to blue eyes in S. InW.T.i. 2. 136, some make "welkin eye" = blue eye; but it is more probably = heavenly eye, as Schmidt gives it. InV. and A.482 ("Her two blue windows faintly she upheaveth") the eyelids, not the eyes, are meant, on account of their "blue veins" (R. of L.440). Cf.Cymb.ii. 2. 21:—
"would under-peep her lids,O see the enclosed lights, now canopiedUnder these windows, white and azure lac'dWith blue of heaven's own tinct."
"would under-peep her lids,O see the enclosed lights, now canopiedUnder these windows, white and azure lac'dWith blue of heaven's own tinct."
"would under-peep her lids,O see the enclosed lights, now canopiedUnder these windows, white and azure lac'dWith blue of heaven's own tinct."
"would under-peep her lids,
O see the enclosed lights, now canopied
Under these windows, white and azure lac'd
With blue of heaven's own tinct."
Malone cites both this last passage andV. and A.482 as referring to blue eyes; but the "azurelac'd" ought to settle the question in regard to the former, and "windows" evidently has the same meaning in both. If the "blue windows"wereblue eyes, Malone would make out his case, for inV. and A.140 the goddess says "Mine eyes are grey and bright." But why should the poet call thembluein the one place andgreyin the other, when the former word would suit the verse equally well in both? In my opinion, when he saysbluehe means blue, and when he saysgreyhe means grey. See on ii. 3. 1 above. TheNew Eng. Dict.does not recognize blue as a meaning ofgrey. It seems, however, from certain passages in writers of the time that the word was sometimes = bluish grey or bluish; but never "bright blue" (as Delius defines it) or clear blue, as Dyce and others assume.
46.Slop.Forslops(= large loose breeches), seeMuch Ado, iii. 2. 36, etc.Gave us the counterfeit= played a trick on us.Counterfeitis used for the sake of the coming play onslip, which sometimes meant a counterfeit coin. Cf. Greene,Thieves Falling Out, etc.: "counterfeit pieces of money, being brasse, and covered over with silver, which the common people call slips." There is also aplay upon the word in the only other instance in which S. uses it,V. and A.515:—
"Which purchase if thou make, for fear of slipsSet thy seal-manual on my wax-red lips."
"Which purchase if thou make, for fear of slipsSet thy seal-manual on my wax-red lips."
"Which purchase if thou make, for fear of slipsSet thy seal-manual on my wax-red lips."
"Which purchase if thou make, for fear of slips
Set thy seal-manual on my wax-red lips."
58.Kindly.The word literally means "naturally, in a manner suited to the character or occasion" (Schmidt); hence aptly, pertinently.
63.Then is my pump, etc. The idea seems to be, my shoe orpump, beingpinkedor punched with holes, is wellflowered. Cf.unpinkedinT. of S.iv. 1. 136: "And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel."
68.Single-soled."With a quibble onsoleandsoul= having but one sole, and silly, contemptible" (Schmidt). Steevens gives several examples ofsingle-soled= mean, contemptible.Singlenesshere = simplicity, silliness.
74.Wild-goose chase.A kind of horse-race, resembling the flight of wild geese. Two horses were started together; and if one got the lead the other was obliged to follow over whatever ground the foremost rider chose to take (Holt White).
77.Was I with you, etc. Was I even with you, have I paid you off? as, perhaps, inT. of S.iv. 1. 170: "What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight!" For the allusion tofive witssee on i. 4. 47 above.
80.I will bite thee by the ear.A playful expression of endearment, common in the old dramatists.
81.Good goose, bite not.A proverbial phrase, found in Ray'sProverbs.
82.Sweeting.A kind of sweet apple. The word is still used in this sense, at least in New England. Steevens quotes Sumner'sLast Will and Testament, 1600: "as well crabs as sweetings for his summer fruits." There was also a variety known as thebittersweet. Cf.Fair Em: "And left me such a bitter sweet to gnaw upon."
84.And is it not well served in, etc. White remarks that "the passage illustrates the antiquity of that dish so much esteemed by all boys and many men—goose and apple-sauce." Cf. the allusions to mutton and capers inT.N.i. 3. 129, and to beef and mustard inM. N. D.iii. 1. 197 andT. of S.iv. 3. 23.
86.Cheveril.Soft kid leather for gloves, proverbially elastic. Cf.Hen. VIII.ii. 3. 32:—
"which gifts,Saving your mincing, the capacityOf your soft cheveril conscience would receive,If you might please to stretch it."
"which gifts,Saving your mincing, the capacityOf your soft cheveril conscience would receive,If you might please to stretch it."
"which gifts,Saving your mincing, the capacityOf your soft cheveril conscience would receive,If you might please to stretch it."
"which gifts,
Saving your mincing, the capacity
Of your soft cheveril conscience would receive,
If you might please to stretch it."
See alsoT. N.iii. 1. 13: "a cheveril glove," etc.
90.A broad goose.No satisfactory explanation of this quibble has been given. Schmidt definesbroadhere as "plain, evident." Dowden suggests that there is a play onbrood-goose, which occurs in Fletcher,Humorous Lieutenant, ii. 1: "They have no more burden than a brood-goose" (breeding goose).
95.Natural.Fool, idiot. Cf.Temp.iii. 2. 37 andA.Y.L.i. 2. 52, 57.
97.Gear.Matter, business. Cf.T. and C.i. 1. 6: "Will this gear ne'er be mended?"2 Hen. VI.i. 4. 17: "To this gear the sooner the better," etc.
99.Two, two, etc. This is given to Mercutio in most of the early eds., and White doubts whether it belongs to the sober Benvolio; but he is not incapable of fun. Cf. 125 below.
102.My fan, Peter.Cf.L. L. L.iv. 1. 147: "To see him walk before a lady and to bear her fan!" The fans of the time of S. were large and heavy.
105.God ye good morrow.That is, God give ye, etc. Forgood den, see on i. 2. 57 above.
109.Prick of noon.Point of noon. Cf. 3Hen. VI.i. 4. 34: "at the noontide prick." See alsoR. of L.781.
123.Confidence.Probably meant forconference. Cf.Much Ado, iii. 5. 3, where Dogberry says, "Marry, sir, I would have some confidence with you that decerns you nearly."
125.Indite.Probably used in ridicule of the Nurse'sconfidence. Mrs. Quickly uses the word in the same way in2 Hen. IV.ii. 1. 30: "he is indited to dinner."
126.So ho!The cry of the sportsmen when they find a hare. Hence Romeo's question that follows.
129.Hoar.Often = mouldy, as things grow white from moulding (Steevens).
134.Lady, lady, lady.From the old ballad ofSusanna, also quoted inT.N.ii. 3. 85: "There dwelt a man in Babylon, lady, lady!"
136.Merchant.Used contemptuously, likechap, which is a contraction ofchapman. Cf.1 Hen. VI.ii. 3. 57: "a riddling merchant;" and Churchyard'sChance, 1580: "What saucie merchaunt speaketh now, saied Venus in her rage?"
137.Ropery.Roguery. Steevens quotesThe Three Ladies of London, 1584: "Thou art very pleasant and full of thy roperye." Cf.rope-tricksinT. of S.i. 2. 112, which Schmidt explains as "tricks deserving the halter." Nares and Douce see the same allusion inropery.
143.Jacks.For the contemptuous use of the word, cf.M. of V.iii. 4. 77: "these bragging Jacks;"Much Ado, v. 1. 91: "Boys, apes, braggarts, Jacks, milksops!" etc.
144.Flirt-gills.That isflirting Gillsor women of loose behaviour.GillorJillwas a familiar term for a woman, asJackwas for a man. Cf. the proverb, "Every Jack must have his Jill;" alluded to inL. L. L.v. 2. 885 andM.N.D.iii. 2. 461. The word is a contraction ofGillian(seeC. of E.iii. 1. 31), which is a corruption ofJuliana.Gill-flirtwas the more common form.
145.Skains-mates.A puzzle to the commentators. Asskeinis an Irish word for knife (used by Warner, Greene, Chapman, and other writers of the time) Malone and Steevens makeskains-matesmean "cut-throat companions" or fencing-school companions.Schmidt defines it as "messmates," and Nares as probably = "roaring or swaggering companions." Various other explanations have been suggested; but there is probably some corruption in the first part of the compound.
153.Afore.Not a mere vulgarism. It is used by Capulet in iii. 4. 34 and iv. 2. 31 below. Cf.Temp.iv. 1. 7:—
"here afore Heaven,I ratify this my rich gift," etc.
"here afore Heaven,I ratify this my rich gift," etc.
"here afore Heaven,I ratify this my rich gift," etc.
"here afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift," etc.
158.In a fool's paradise.Malone citiesA handfull of Pleasant Delightes, 1584:—
"When they see they may her win,They leave then where they did begin;They prate, and make the matter nice,And leave her in fooles paradise."
"When they see they may her win,They leave then where they did begin;They prate, and make the matter nice,And leave her in fooles paradise."
"When they see they may her win,They leave then where they did begin;They prate, and make the matter nice,And leave her in fooles paradise."
"When they see they may her win,
They leave then where they did begin;
They prate, and make the matter nice,
And leave her in fooles paradise."
and Barnaby Rich'sFarewell: "Knowing the fashion of you men to be such, as by praisyng our beautie, you think to bring into a fooles paradize."
162.Weak.Explained by Schmidt as "stupid." Clarke thinks that "she intends to use a most forcible expression, and blunders upon a most feeble one."
177.And stay, etc. The pointing is White's. Most editors follow the early eds. and read "And stay, good nurse, behind the abbey wall, etc."
180.A tackled stair.That is, a rope-ladder. Cf. "ladder-tackle" inPer.iv. 1. 61.
181.High top-gallant.The top-gallant mast; figuratively for summit or climax. Steevens quotes Markham,English Arcadia, 1607: "the high top-gallant of his valour." S. uses the term only here.
183.Quit.Requite, reward. Cf.Ham.v. 2. 68, 280, etc.
184.Mistress.A trisyllable here.
188.Two may keep counsel.That is, keep a secret. Cf.T.A.iv. 2. 144: "Two may keep counsel when the third's away."
191.Lord, etc. Cf. Brooke's poem:—
"A prety babe (quod she) it was when it was yong:Lord how it could full pretely haue prated with it [its] tong."
"A prety babe (quod she) it was when it was yong:Lord how it could full pretely haue prated with it [its] tong."
"A prety babe (quod she) it was when it was yong:Lord how it could full pretely haue prated with it [its] tong."
"A prety babe (quod she) it was when it was yong:
Lord how it could full pretely haue prated with it [its] tong."
194.Lieve.Often used forliefin the old eds. It is sometimes found in good writers of recent date. Mätzner quotes Sheridan: "I had as lieve be shot."
195.Properer.Handsomer. Cf.A.Y.L.i. 2. 129, iii. 5. 51, etc. See alsoHebrews, xi. 23.
197.Pale as any clout.A common simile of which Dowden cites examples from Bunyan and others.Versalis a vulgarism foruniversal.
198.A letter.One letter. Cf.Ham.v. 2. 276: "These foils have all a length," etc. Forrosemaryas the symbol of remembrance, seeHam.iv. 5. 175.
200.The dog's name.Rwas called "the dog's letter." Cf. Jonson,Eng. Gram.: "R is the dog's letter and hurreth in the sound." Farmer cites Barclay,Ship of Fools, 1578:—
"This man malicious which troubled is with wrath,Nought els soundeth but the hoorse letter R.Though all be well, yet he none aunswere hathSave the dogges letter glowming with nar, nar."
"This man malicious which troubled is with wrath,Nought els soundeth but the hoorse letter R.Though all be well, yet he none aunswere hathSave the dogges letter glowming with nar, nar."
"This man malicious which troubled is with wrath,Nought els soundeth but the hoorse letter R.Though all be well, yet he none aunswere hathSave the dogges letter glowming with nar, nar."
"This man malicious which troubled is with wrath,
Nought els soundeth but the hoorse letter R.
Though all be well, yet he none aunswere hath
Save the dogges letter glowming with nar, nar."
Dyce remarks: "Even in the days of the Romans,Rwas calledthe dog's letter, from its resemblance in sound to the snarling of a dog."
208.Before, and apace.Go before, and quickly. Forapace, cf. iii. 2. 1 below.
7.Love.That is, Venus. Cf.Temp.iv. 1. 94:—
"I met her deityCutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her sonDove-drawn with her;"
"I met her deityCutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her sonDove-drawn with her;"
"I met her deityCutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her sonDove-drawn with her;"
"I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son
Dove-drawn with her;"
andV. and A.1190:—
"Thus weary of the world, away she hies,And yokes her silver doves."
"Thus weary of the world, away she hies,And yokes her silver doves."
"Thus weary of the world, away she hies,And yokes her silver doves."
"Thus weary of the world, away she hies,
And yokes her silver doves."
9.Highmost.Cf.Sonn.7. 9: "But when from highmost pitch, with weary ear," etc. We still usehindmost,topmost, etc.
11.Hours.A dissyllable; as in iii. 1. 198.
14.Bandy.A metaphor from tennis. Cf.L. L. L.v. 2. 29: "Well bandied both; a set of wit well play'd," etc. See on iii. 1. 91 below.
18.Honey nurse.Cf.L. L. L.v. 2. 530: "my fair, sweet, honey monarch;"T. of S.iv. 3. 52: "my honey love," etc.
22.Them.S. makesnewsboth singular and plural. For the latter, cf.Much Ado, i. 2. 4.
25.Give me leave.Let me alone, let me rest. See on i. 3. 7 above.
26.Ache.Spelt "ake" in the folio both here and in 49 below. This indicates the pronunciation of the verb. The noun was pronouncedaitch, and the plural was a dissyllable; as inTemp.i. 2. 370,T. of A.i. 1. 257, etc.
36.Stay the circumstance.Wait for the particulars. Cf.A.Y.L.iii. 2. 221: "let me stay the growth of his beard," etc. Oncircumstance, cf. v. 3. 181 below: "without circumstance" (= without further particulars). See alsoV. and A.844,Ham.v. 2. 2, etc.
38.Simple.Silly; as often. Cf. iii. 1. 35 below, andsimplenessin iii. 3. 77.
43.Past compare.Cf. iii. 5. 236 below: "above compare," etc.
50.As.As if; a common ellipsis.
51.O' t'other.On the other. Cf. i. 1. 44 above: "of our side."
52.Beshrew.A mild form of imprecation, often used playfully. Cf. iii. 5. 221, 227 below.
56-58.Your love,etc. Printed as prose by the Cambridge editors, Daniel, and some others.
66.Coil.Ado, "fuss." SeeMuch Ado, iii. 3. 100,M.N.D.iii. 2. 339, etc.
72.Straight at any news.Capell explains it, "at such talk (of love and Romeo),anytalk of that kind." Perhaps, as Dowden suggests, the meaning is, "It is their way to redden at any surprise."
9.These violent delights,etc. Malone comparesR. of L.894: "These violent vanities can never last." He might have addedHam.ii. 1. 102:—