THE FAIR MAID OF THE WEST FOOTNOTES.
[1] Elizabethan Literature, p. 284.
[2] (Prologue) Only spoken at court-performances of the play.
[3] Roughman “Ruffman” in the old edition, in which, also, “Fawcett” is spelled “Forset.”
[4] mutes personated i.e. mutæ personæ.
[5] my lord the Earl of Essex.
[6] the fleet’s bound for the Islands the so-called “Island Voyage” (1597) was against the Azores and Spanish East and West Indies.
[7] Cales Cadiz.
[8] carracks large vessels: the word is of Spanish etymology.
[9] bush i.e. the ivy-bush, hung up outside taverns.
[10] adamant magnet.
[11] Graves wine i.e. from the Graves district of Gascony, so called from the pebbly character of the soil, and to-day celebrated for its red, but more especially for its white wines.
[12] snick-up a term of contempt, as much as to say, “Go and be hanged.”
[13] roaring blustering.
[14] Bettrice the name, perhaps, of some ballad heroine.
[15] dumb show “intended to denote the departure of the General (the Earl of Essex) and his followers.”—Collier.
[16] your years i.e. term of apprenticeship.
[17] corn grew to be at a high rate we learn from Stow that in 1596 wheat was six, seven, and eight shillings per bushel; the dearth continued and increased in 1597.—Collier.
[18] the Mermaid a room in the tavern.
[19] ruddocks gold coins.
[20] be-tall a quibble on the German bezahlen, to pay.
[21] Fayal in the Azores.
[22] atone reconcile.
[23] Mary Ambree a famous English heroine, with whom Long Meg is sometimes associated.
[24] untruss that point untie that lace.
[25] Little Davy, Cutting Dick contemporary bravos of note.
[26] prick-song music noted down.
[27] capricious witty.
[28] jowl of ling the fish so-called, which had been served to the guests in the Portcullis.
[29] skillets small metal pots.
[30] sod boiled.
[31] pitch height: properly a hawking term.
[32] motion propose.
[33] king’s lieutenant more properly, queen’s lieutenant.
[34] dissolutely he means “resolutely.” Slender makes the same blunder (Mer. Wives, i., 1).
[35] craze burst.
[36] brave fine.
[37] Aragoosa query “Saragossa,” which produces a large quantity of common wine.
[38] peter-see-me a sweet Spanish wine from the Pedro Ximenes grape.
[39] charnico a sweet wine grown in the neighbourhood of Lisbon.
[40] bastard bastard was the name of a sweet Mediterranean wine: a time-honoured joke.
[41] punks prostitutes.
[42] table picture.
[43] ging the old form of “gang.”
[44] I sound it not i.e., I cannot fathom your meaning.
[45] engines all instruments of torture.
[46] bragging Thrasos i.e. boasters, Thraso being a braggart in one of Terence’s plays.
[47] censures sentences.
[48] taste test.
[49] changed my copy made a complete change.
[50] ging gang.
[51] conceit idea.
[52] poor-john salt-fish.
[53] hautboys long i.e. they are to play for some time so as to admit of fresh stage arrangements for the coming scenes.
[54] carvel or caravel, a small light ship.
[55] vail lower.
[56] ought owned.
[57] fights defences placed round a vessel to protect the combatants.
[58] you that made Paul’s to stink an allusion to the unsavoury exploit of a Spaniard, often referred to at this period.
[59] peruse examine.
[60] habited dressed.
[61] commerce intercourse.
[62] From Kyd’s oft-referred-to Spanish Tragedy.
[63] angels i.e. coins.
[64] cunning quiddit subtle point.
[65] generosity i.e. people well-born.
[66] moorian negro: perhaps a play on the word “murrain” is intended.
Describe what you're looking for in as much detail as you'd like.
Our AI reads your request and finds the best matching books for you.
Popular searches:
Join 2 million readers and get unlimited free ebooks