Enter Chorus. This is generally put at the end of act i., but, as it refers to the future, rather than the past, it may be regarded as a prologue to act ii. There is no division of acts or scenes in the early eds.

2. Gapes. Rushton quotes Swinburn, Briefe Treatise of Testaments and Last Willes, 1590: "such personnes as do gape for greater bequests;" and again: "It is an impudent part still to gape and crie upon the testator."

3. On the repetition of for, cf. A.W. i. 2. 29: "But on us both did haggish age steal on;" Cor. ii. 1. 18: "In what enormity is Marcius poor in?" etc. Fair = fair one; as in M.N.D. i. 1. 182, etc.

10. Use. Are accustomed. We still use the past tense of the verb in this sense, but not the present. Cf. Temp. ii. 1. 175: "they always use to laugh at nothing;" T.N. ii. 5. 104: "with which she uses to seal;" A. and C. ii. 5. 32: "we use To say the dead are well," etc. See also Milton, Lycidas, 67: "Were it not better done, as others use," etc.

14. Extremities. That is, extreme difficulties or dangers.

Scene I.—

2. Dull earth. "Romeo's epithet for his small world of man, the earthlier portion of himself" (Clarke). Cf. Sonn. 146. 1: "Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth."

5. Orchard. That is, garden; the only meaning in S.

6. Conjure. Accented by S. on either syllable, without regard to the meaning.

7. Humours! Fancies, caprices. Some read "Humour's madman! Passion-lover!" See on 29 below.

10. Ay me! Often changed here and elsewhere to "Ah me!" which occurs in the old eds. of S. only in v. 1. 10 below. Ay me! is found thirty or more times. Milton also uses it often.

11. My gossip Venus. Cf. M. of V. iii. 1. 7: "if my gossip Report be an honest woman of her word."

13. Young Abraham Cupid. The 2d and 3d quartos have "Abraham: Cupid;" the other early eds. "Abraham Cupid." Upton conjectured "Adam Cupid," with an allusion to the famous archer, Adam Bell, and was followed by Steevens and others. Theobald suggested "auborn," and it has since been shown that abraham, abram, aborne, aborn, abron, aubrun, etc., were all forms of the word now written auburn. In Cor. ii. 3. 21 the 1st, 2d, and 3d folios read: "our heads are some browne, some blacke, some Abram, some bald;" the 4th folio changes "Abram" to "auburn." In T.G. of V. iv. 4. 194, the folio has "Her haire is Aburne, mine is perfect Yellow." These are the only instances of the word in S. "Auburn" is adopted by a few editors, and is explained as = "auburn-haired," but that surely is no nickname. Schmidt understands "Young Abraham Cupid" to be used "in derision of the eternal boyhood of Cupid, though in fact he was at least as old as father Abraham." Cf. L. L. L. iii. 1. 182: "This senior-junior, giant-dwarf, Dan Cupid;" and Id. v. 2. 10: "For he hath been five thousand years a boy." Furness in his Variorum ed. gives "Adam," but he now prefers "Abraham" = the young counterfeit, with his sham make-up, pretending to be purblind and yet shooting so trim. He thinks the allusion to the beggar-maid also favours this explanation. Abraham-man, originally applied to a mendicant lunatic from Bethlehem Hospital, London, came to be a cant term for an impostor wandering about and asking alms under pretence of lunacy. Herford says that "Adam" is made almost certain by Much Ado, i. 1. 260; but it is by no means certain that the allusion there is to Adam Bell, as he assumes.

Trim. The reading of 1st quarto; the other early eds. have "true." That the former is the right word is evident from the ballad of King Cophetua and the Beggar-Maid (see Percy's Reliques), in which we read:—

For other allusions to the ballad, see L. L. L. iv. 1. 66 and 2 Hen. IV. v. 3. 106.

16. Ape. As Malone notes, ape, like fool (see on i. 3. 31 above), was sometimes used as a term of endearment or pity. Cf. 2 Hen. IV. ii. 4. 234: "Alas, poor ape, how thou sweatest!"

22. Circle. Alluding to the ring drawn by magicians. Cf. A.Y.L. ii. 5. 62: "a Greek invocation, to call fools into a circle." See also Hen. V. v. 2. 320.

25. Spite. Vexation. Cf. i. 5. 64 above.

29. Humorous. Humid. Delius (like Schmidt) sees a quibble in the word: "moist and capricious, full of such humours as characterize lovers, and as whose personification Mercutio had just conjured Romeo under the collective name humours."

32. Truckle-bed. Trundle-bed; one made to run under a "standing-bed," as it was called. Cf. M.W. iv. 5. 7: "his standing-bed and truckle-bed." The former was for the master, the latter for the servant. Mercutio uses the term in sport, and adds a quibble on field-bed, which was a camp-bed, or a bed on the ground.

Scene II.—

1. He jests, etc. Referring to Mercutio, whom he has overheard, as the rhyme in found and wound indicates. The Cambridge ed. suggests that in the old arrangement of the scene the wall may have been represented as dividing the stage, so that the audience could see Romeo on one side and Mercutio on the other. Mr. F.A. Marshall thinks that Romeo "merely stepped to the back of the stage at the beginning of the scene, and was supposed to be concealed from the others, not coming out till they had gone. Juliet would appear on the 'upper stage' [the balcony at the back of the Elizabethan stage], which did duty in the old plays for so many purposes."

7. Be not her maid. Be not a votary to the moon, or Diana (Johnson). Cf. M.N.D. i. 1. 73.

8. Sick. The 1st quarto has "pale," which is adopted by some editors. It has been objected that sick and green is a strange combination of colours in a livery; but it is rather the effect of the colours that is meant. Cf. T.N. ii. 4. 116: "with a green and yellow melancholy." Perhaps, as Dowden remarks, the word green-sickness (see iii. 5. 155) suggested the epithets.

29. White-upturned. So Theobald and most of the editors. The early eds. have "white, upturned," which Marshall prefers as better expressing "the appearance of an upturned eye by moonlight."

39. Thou art thyself, etc. That is, you would be yourself, or what you now are, even if you were not a Montague; just "as a rose is a rose—has all its characteristic sweetness and beauty—though it be not called a rose" (White). The thought is repeated below in So Romeo would ... that title. The passage would not call for explanation if critics had not been puzzled by it.

46. Owes. Possesses; as very often. Cf. M.N.D. ii. 2. 79, Macb. i. 3. 76, i. 4. 10, iii. 4. 113, etc.

52. Bescreen'd. Used by S. only here.

58. Yet not. A common transposition. Cf. Hen. V. iii. 3. 46: "his powers are yet not ready;" Hen. VIII. ii. 4. 204: "full sick, and yet not well;" Cor. i. 5. 18: "My work hath yet not warm'd me," etc.

61. Dislike. Displease. Cf. Oth. ii. 3. 49: "I'll do 't; but it dislikes me." So like = please; as in Ham. v. 2. 276: "This likes me well," etc.

62. Wherefore. For the accent on the last syllable, cf. M.N.D. iii. 2. 272: "Hate me! Wherefore? O me! what news, my love!"

66. O'er-perch. Used by S. nowhere else.

69. Let. Hindrance; as in R. of L. 330, 646, and Hen. V. v. 2. 65. Cf. the verb in Ham. i. 4. 85, etc.

78. Prorogued. Delayed; as in iv. 1. 48 below. On wanting of, cf. v. 1. 40 below: "Culling of simples."

83. As that vast shore, etc. Possibly suggested, as some have thought, by the voyages of Drake and other explorers to America about the time when S. was writing.

84. Adventure. Venture, try the chance. Cf. Cymb. iii. 4. 156:—

89. Farewell compliment! Away with formality! The early eds. have "complement" or "complements," as in ii. 4. 19 below and elsewhere.

93. At lovers' perjuries, etc. Douce remarks that S. found this in Ovid's Art of Love—perhaps in Marlowe's translation:—

Cf. Greene, Metamorphosis: "What! Eriphila, Jove laughs at the perjurie of lovers."

99. Haviour. Not "'haviour," as often printed. It is found in North's Plutarch and other prose.

101. To be strange. To appear coy or shy. Cf. iii. 2. 15 below: "strange love" (that is, coy love).

103. Ware. See on i. 1. 121 above.

106. Discovered. Revealed, betrayed. Cf. iii. 1. 145 below, where it is = tell, explain.

109. The inconstant moon. Cf. M. for M. iii. 1. 25:—

See also L. L. L. v. 2. 212, Lear, v. 3. 19, and Oth. iii. 3. 178. Hunter quotes Wilson, Retorique, 1553: "as in speaking of constancy, to shew the sun who ever keepeth one course; in speaking of inconstancy, to shew the moon which keepeth no certain course."

116. Do not swear. Coleridge remarks here: "With love, pure love, there is always an anxiety for the safety of the object, a disinterestedness by which it is distinguished from the counterfeits of its name. Compare this scene with the Temp. iii. 1. I do not know a more wonderful instance of Shakespeare's mastery in playing a distinctly rememberable variation on the same remembered air than in the transporting love-confessions of Romeo and Juliet and Ferdinand and Miranda. There seems more passion in the one, and more dignity in the other; yet you feel that the sweet girlish lingering and busy movement of Juliet, and the calmer and more maidenly fondness of Miranda, might easily pass into each other."

117. Contract. Accented by S. on either syllable, as suits the measure. The verb is always contrÁct. See also on i. 4. 103 above.

119. Like the lightning, etc. Cf. M.N.D. i. 1. 145:—

124. As that, etc. As to that heart, etc.

131. Frank. Bountiful; repeated in bounty. Cf. Sonn. 4. 4:—

and Lear, iii. 4. 20: "Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave all."

139. Afeard. Used by S. interchangeably with afraid (v. 3. 10 below).

141. Substantial. Metrically a quadrisyllable.

142. Three words, etc. Cf. Brooke's poem:—

143. Bent. Inclination; as in J.C. ii. 1. 210: "I can give his humour the true bent," etc.

144. Send me word to-morrow, etc. This seems rather sudden at first glance, but her desire for immediate marriage is due, partially at least, to what she has just learned (i. 3) of the plan to marry her to Paris.

151. Madam! This forms no part of the verse, and might well enough be separated from it, like the Juliet in i. 5. 145 above. By and by = presently; as in iii. 1. 173 and iii. 3. 76 below.

152. Suit. The reading of 4th ("sute") and 5th quartos; the other early eds. have "strife." The expression "To cease your sute" occurs in Brooke's poem, a few lines below the passage just quoted.

153. To-morrow. "In the alternative which she places before her lover with such a charming mixture of conscious delicacy and girlish simplicity, there is that jealousy of female honour which precept and education have infused into her mind, without one real doubt of his truth, or the slightest hesitation in her self-abandonment; for she does not even wait to hear his asseverations" (Mrs. Jameson).

157. Toward school, etc. Cf. A.Y.L. ii. 7. 145:—

160. Tassel-gentle. The tassel-gentle or tercel-gentle is the male hawk. Dyce quotes Cotgrave, Fr. Dict.: "Tiercelet. The Tassell or male of any kind of Hawke, so tearmed, because he is, commonly, a third part less than the female;" and Holmes, Academy of Armory: "Tiercell, Tercell, or Tassell is the general name for the Male of all large Hawks." Malone says that the tiercel-gentle was the species of hawk appropriated to the prince, and thinks that on that account Juliet applies it to Romeo. We find tercel in T. and C. iii. 2. 56: "The falcon as the tercel." The hawk was trained to know and obey the falconer's voice. Cf. T. of S. iv. 1. 196:—

For haggard = wild hawk, see Much Ado, iii. 1 36, T.N. iii. 1. 71, etc.

163. Airy tongue. Cf. Milton, Comus, 208: "And airy tongues, that syllable men's names," etc.

166. Silver-sweet. Cf. Per. v. 1. 111: "As silver-voic'd." See also iv. 5. 124 below: "Then music with her silver sound," etc. The figure is a very common one.

167. Attending. Attentive. Cf. T.A. v. 3. 82: "To lovesick Dido's sad attending ear."

171. I have forgot why I did call thee back. We know, and she knew, that it was only to call him back, parting was "such sweet sorrow."

178. A wanton's bird. Here wanton means simply a playful girl. It is often used in such innocent sense (cf. i. 4. 35 above), and is sometimes masculine, as in K. John, v. 1. 70 and Rich. II. ii. 3. 164.

181. Plucks it back. Cf. Sonn. 126. 6: "As thou goest onwards, still will pluck thee back." See also W.T. iv. 4. 476, 762 and A. and C. i. 2. 131. Pluck is a favourite word with S.

182. Loving-jealous. Compound adjectives are much used by S. Cf. i. 1. 79, 176, 178, i. 2. 25, i. 4. 7, 100, etc., above.

189. Ghostly. Spiritual; as in ii. 3. 45, ii. 6. 21, and iii. 3. 49 below.

190. Dear hap. Good fortune. The 1st quarto has "good hap," which occurs in iii. 3. 171 below.

Scene III.—

1. Grey-eyed. Delius says that grey here and in Much Ado, v. 3. 27 is = "bright blue," and Dyce defines it as "blue, azure"; but there is no reason why the word should not have its ordinary meaning. The grey, as in M.N.D. iii. 2. 419, J.C. ii. 1. 103, and iii. 5. 19 below, is the familiar poetic grey of the early morning before sunrise. Whether ascribed, as here, to the eyes of the Morn, or, as in Milton's Lycidas, to her sandals, does not matter. See also on iii. 5. 8 below.

3. Flecked. Spotted, dappled; used by S. nowhere else.

4. From forth. Cf. M.W. iv. 4. 53: "Let them from forth a sawpit rush at once," etc. For Titan as the sun-god, cf. V. and A. 177, T. and C. v. 10. 25, Cymb. iii. 4. 166, etc.

7. Osier cage. Basket. Dowden suggests that of ours is "possibly not merely for the rhyme's sake, but because the Franciscan had no personal property."

8. Precious-juiced flowers. S. here prepares us for the part which the Friar is afterwards to sustain. Having thus early found him to be a chemist, we are not surprised at his furnishing the sleeping-draught for Juliet. Cf. Brooke's poem:—

9. The earth, etc. Cf. Milton, P.L. ii. 911: "The womb of nature, and perhaps her grave." See also Per. ii. 3. 45:—

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." Weak seems the better word as opposed to the following power (Daniel).

25. With that part. That is, with its odour. Malone and Clarke take part to 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 figurative encamp, cf. L.C. 203.

29. Worser. Cf. iii. 2. 108 below: "worser than Tybalt's death." Predominant was originally an astrological term. See A.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" from the 1st quarto; but with = by is 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 also Ham. iii. 1. 42, Cymb. ii. 4. 56, etc.

52. Lies. Cf. V. and A. 1128:—

See also Rich. II. iii. 3. 168 and Cymb. 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 1 Hen. 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 the sun dispels.

74. Ancient. Aged; as in ii. 4. 133 below. See also Lear, 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 of stand on or upon = it concerns, it is important to; as in C. 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.

Scene IV.—

2. To-night. Last night. See on i. 4. 50 above.

13. How he dares. For the play on dare = venture, and dare = challenge, cf. 2 Hen. VI. iii. 2. 203. There is also a play on answer.

15. A white wench's black eye. Cf. L. L. L. iii. 1. 108:—

and Rosalind's reference to the "bugle eyeballs" of Phebe in A. 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. The clout (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:—

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. Tybert is the name of the cat in Reynard the Fox. Steevens quotes Dekker, Satiromastix, 1602: "tho' you were Tybert, the long-tail'd prince of cats;" and Have with You, etc.: "not Tibalt, prince of cats." Tibert, Tybert, and Tybalt are forms of the ancient name Thibault. Cf. iii. 1. 77 below.

20. Captain of compliments. A complete master of etiquette. Cf. L. L. L. i. 1. 169:—

As Schmidt remarks, the modern distinction of compliment and complement is 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 to plain-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 quotes The Return from Parnassus, 1606: "Strikes his poinado at a button's breadth." Staunton cites George Silver's Paradoxes 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. The causes of quarrel had been duly graded and classified, as Touchstone explains in A.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." The punto reverso was a back-handed stroke. We have punto (= thrust) in M.W. ii. 3. 26: "to see thee pass thy punto." The hay was a home-thrust; from the Italian hai = thou hast it (not "he has it," as Schmidt and others explain it). Johnson gives it correctly: "The hay is the word hai, you have it, 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 saying pardonnez-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 in L. 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;" and T. 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 in 2 Hen. IV. i. 1. 57 and Hen. V. iv. 2. 29.

44. Grey eye. Here Malone and others make grey = blue; while Steevens and Ulrici take the ground that it has its ordinary meaning. The latter quote Temp. i. 2. 269 ("This blue-eyed hag") in proof that blue eyes were accounted ugly; but the reference there, as in A.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. In W.T. i. 2. 136, some make "welkin eye" = blue eye; but it is more probably = heavenly eye, as Schmidt gives it. In V. 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:—

Malone cites both this last passage and V. and A. 482 as referring to blue eyes; but the "azure lac'd" ought to settle the question in regard to the former, and "windows" evidently has the same meaning in both. If the "blue windows" were blue eyes, Malone would make out his case, for in V. and A. 140 the goddess says "Mine eyes are grey and bright." But why should the poet call them blue in the one place and grey in the other, when the former word would suit the verse equally well in both? In my opinion, when he says blue he means blue, and when he says grey he means grey. See on ii. 3. 1 above. The New Eng. Dict. does not recognize blue as a meaning of grey. 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. For slops (= large loose breeches), see Much Ado, iii. 2. 36, etc. Gave us the counterfeit = played a trick on us. Counterfeit is used for the sake of the coming play on slip, 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 a play upon the word in the only other instance in which S. uses it, V. and A. 515:—

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 or pump, being pinked or punched with holes, is well flowered. Cf. unpinked in T. of S. iv. 1. 136: "And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel."

68. Single-soled. "With a quibble on sole and soul = having but one sole, and silly, contemptible" (Schmidt). Steevens gives several examples of single-soled = mean, contemptible. Singleness here = 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, in T. of S. iv. 1. 170: "What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight!" For the allusion to five wits see 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's Proverbs.

82. Sweeting. A kind of sweet apple. The word is still used in this sense, at least in New England. Steevens quotes Sumner's Last Will and Testament, 1600: "as well crabs as sweetings for his summer fruits." There was also a variety known as the bittersweet. 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 in T.N. i. 3. 129, and to beef and mustard in M. N. D. iii. 1. 197 and T. of S. iv. 3. 23.

86. Cheveril. Soft kid leather for gloves, proverbially elastic. Cf. Hen. VIII. ii. 3. 32:—

See also T. N. iii. 1. 13: "a cheveril glove," etc.

90. A broad goose. No satisfactory explanation of this quibble has been given. Schmidt defines broad here as "plain, evident." Dowden suggests that there is a play on brood-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 and A.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. For good den, see on i. 2. 57 above.

109. Prick of noon. Point of noon. Cf. 3 Hen. VI. i. 4. 34: "at the noontide prick." See also R. of L. 781.

123. Confidence. Probably meant for conference. 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's confidence. Mrs. Quickly uses the word in the same way in 2 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 of Susanna, also quoted in T.N. ii. 3. 85: "There dwelt a man in Babylon, lady, lady!"

136. Merchant. Used contemptuously, like chap, which is a contraction of chapman. Cf. 1 Hen. VI. ii. 3. 57: "a riddling merchant;" and Churchyard's Chance, 1580: "What saucie merchaunt speaketh now, saied Venus in her rage?"

137. Ropery. Roguery. Steevens quotes The Three Ladies of London, 1584: "Thou art very pleasant and full of thy roperye." Cf. rope-tricks in T. of S. i. 2. 112, which Schmidt explains as "tricks deserving the halter." Nares and Douce see the same allusion in ropery.

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 is flirting Gills or women of loose behaviour. Gill or Jill was a familiar term for a woman, as Jack was for a man. Cf. the proverb, "Every Jack must have his Jill;" alluded to in L. L. L. v. 2. 885 and M.N.D. iii. 2. 461. The word is a contraction of Gillian (see C. of E. iii. 1. 31), which is a corruption of Juliana. Gill-flirt was the more common form.

145. Skains-mates. A puzzle to the commentators. As skein is an Irish word for knife (used by Warner, Greene, Chapman, and other writers of the time) Malone and Steevens make skains-mates mean "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:—

158. In a fool's paradise. Malone cities A handfull of Pleasant Delightes, 1584:—

and Barnaby Rich's Farewell: "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" in Per. 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:—

194. Lieve. Often used for lief in 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 also Hebrews, xi. 23.

197. Pale as any clout. A common simile of which Dowden cites examples from Bunyan and others. Versal is a vulgarism for universal.

198. A letter. One letter. Cf. Ham. v. 2. 276: "These foils have all a length," etc. For rosemary as the symbol of remembrance, see Ham. iv. 5. 175.

200. The dog's name. R was 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:—

Dyce remarks: "Even in the days of the Romans, R was called the dog's letter, from its resemblance in sound to the snarling of a dog."

208. Before, and apace. Go before, and quickly. For apace, cf. iii. 2. 1 below.

Scene V.—

7. Love. That is, Venus. Cf. Temp. iv. 1. 94:—

and V. and A. 1190:—

9. Highmost. Cf. Sonn. 7. 9: "But when from highmost pitch, with weary ear," etc. We still use hindmost, 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. makes news both 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 pronounced aitch, and the plural was a dissyllable; as in Temp. 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. On circumstance, cf. v. 3. 181 below: "without circumstance" (= without further particulars). See also V. and A. 844, Ham. v. 2. 2, etc.

38. Simple. Silly; as often. Cf. iii. 1. 35 below, and simpleness in 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." See Much 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), any talk of that kind." Perhaps, as Dowden suggests, the meaning is, "It is their way to redden at any surprise."

Scene VI.—

9. These violent delights, etc. Malone compares R. of L. 894: "These violent vanities can never last." He might have added Ham. ii. 1. 102:—

10. Like fire and powder. For the simile, cf. iii. 3. 132 and v. 1. 64 below.

12. His. Its; as often. Its was just coming into use when S. wrote. Cf. v. 3. 203 below.

13. Confounds. Destroys; as often. Cf. Macb. ii. 2. 12, iv. 1. 54, iv. 3. 99, etc. So confusion often = destruction, ruin; as in iv. 5. 61 below.

15. Too swift, etc. "The more haste, the worse speed."

17. Will ne'er wear out, etc. White thinks that the reading of the 1st quarto, "So light a foot ne'er hurts the trodden flower," is "a daintier and more graceful, and therefore, it would seem, a more appropriate figure." The quarto, it is true, gives the "daintier" figure, which has been used by the poets from Pope's description of Camilla flying "o'er the unbending corn" to Tennyson's Olivia in The Talking Oak:—

It would be appropriate in the Friar's mouth if he were in the fields, as in ii. 3, and Juliet had met him there. Very likely S. at first wrote it as in the quarto, but his poetic instinct led him to change it in revising the play. The speaker is now in his cell, with its stone floor worn by the tread of many heavy feet—such as one sees in old churches and monasteries in Europe—but Juliet's light step will not thus wear "the everlasting flint." The comparison is natural and apt.

18. Gossamer. Light filaments floating in the air, especially in autumn. Their origin was formerly not understood, but they are now known to be the webs of certain species of spiders. Cf. Lear, iv. 6. 49: "Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air." S. uses the word only twice.

20. Vanity. "Here used for 'trivial pursuit,' 'vain delight.' The word was much used in this sense by divines in Shakespeare's time, and with much propriety is so put into the good old Friar's mouth" (Clarke).

21. Confessor. For the accent on the first syllable, cf. M. for M. iv. 3. 133: "One of our covent and his confessor;" and Hen. VIII. i. 2. 149: "His confessor, who fed him every minute," etc. See also iii. 3. 49 below.

25. And that. And if. This use of that (in place of a preceding conjunction) is common in S. Cf. L. L. L. v. 2. 813, T. and C. ii. 2. 179, etc.

26. Blazon it. Set it forth. Cf. Oth. ii. 1. 63: "One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens," etc.

29. Encounter. Meeting. It is often used, as here, of the meeting of lovers. Cf. Much Ado, iii. 3. 161, iv. 1. 94, M.W. iii. 5. 74, etc.

30. Conceit. Conception, imagination. Cf. Ham. iii. 4. 114: "Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works," etc. So conceited = imaginative in R. of L. 1371: "the conceited painter," etc.

32. They are but beggars, etc. Cf. A. and C. i. 1. 15: "There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd." Worth = wealth.

36. Leaves. The plural is used because the reference is to more than one person; a common construction in S. Cf. Rich. II. iv. 1. 314: "your sights," etc.