Volpone and Other Plays (82 page)

36
.
green gowns
: play of words suggesting seduction on the grass; thus green was a colour associated with prostitutes.

47
.
top and top-gallant
: in full sail.

48
.
fore -top
: top of a mast.

72
.
in grease
: fattened for the killing.

76
.
Cat-a-mountain
: panther or leopard.

77
.
tawed
: softened by beating (tanners' term); here, beaten.

79
.
rid
: i.e. in the cart, as a public punishment for being a whore.

80
.
night-tub
: synonym for Jordan, chamber-pot.

82
.
waistcoat
: a woman's undergarment: as an outer garment usually a sign of a whore or
'watstcoateer'
.

7
.
presently
: at once.

19
.
take part of
: partake of, share.

21
.
moiety
: a half.

32
.
impertinently
: to no purpose.

36
.
form
: formulate, describe.

37
.
conceit
: opinion, estimate.

45
.
runt
: ignorant lout.

49
.
methegiin
: Welsh mead.

69
.
discretion
: successively used here in different senses – (1) judgement, opinion; (2) prudence; (3) separation.

71
.
valour
: amount.

80
.
separated
: reference to Separatists, or Nonconformists.

89
.
without
: outside of.

90
.
contumelies
: insults.

98
.
lists
: strips (of doth).

105
.
a halting neutral
: someone not of the elect

137
earns
: grieves. Some editors read ‘yearns', following Whalley (1736).

169
.
t'one
: the one or the other.

2
.
sign
: the ‘banner' mentioned in line

5
. Note.

2
.
invention
: here puppet-play.

4
.
carwitchets
: quibbles, puns.

11
.
get-penny
: box-office draw.

13
.
home-bom projects
: subjects of local and national origin.

16
.
mickle
: great.

9
.
project
: plan.

19
.
canting
: pious Puritan jargon.

42
.
canters
: Puritans.

50
.
party-coloured Brotherhood
: Note.

61
.
silent minister
: Note.

65
.
feoffee in trust
: a trustee of freehold estate in land.

69
.
in time
: probably at a suitable time.

75
.
make myself some saver
: compensate for my loss (gambling jargon).

116
.
conscience
: good sense, judgement.

124
.
reducing
: bringing back.

2
.
master of the monuments
: person in charge here.

4
.
fantastical
: hair-brained.

10
.
interlude
: short comic or farcical entertainment.

22
.
voluntary
: Note.

29
.
fire
: evidently the fire in Ursula's booth.

55
.
tiring-house
: dressing-room.

63
.
at other houses
: Note.

65
.
the quality
: the acting profession.

67
.
consumption
: financial ruin.

72
.
players minors
: boy-actors.

76
.
eat 'em all
: Note.

87
.
habit of a scrivener
: a gown with fur trimmings.

88
.
at large
: in full.

93
.
perfect
: i.e. word-perfect.

98
.
ostler
: or possibly Ostler, alluding to an actor of that name.

99
.
printed book
: Note.

113
.
modem
: commonplace.

18
.
drawer
: tapster.

6
.
toward
: in prospect of, about to have.

15
.
troublesome
: painstaking.

36
.
By
: standing by, indicating.

39
.
private house
: Note.

41
.
all-to-be-madam
: always call me madam.

54
.
eider-oder
: any.

86
.
hare o' the tabor
: performing hare which played the drum.

106
.
intend
: attend to.

115
.
amorous Leander
, etc.; Note.

126
.
Cole
: name for a pander.

128
.
collier
: an abusive term; colliers (sellers of charcoal) were reputed to cheat their customers.

147
.
the Swan
: the inn of that name rather than the theatre

159
.
Hogrubber
: swineherd.

172
.
fiddle-stick
: Leander (see v, iii).

185
.
sack… sherry
: Note.

185
.
the Coney
: name of a room in the tavern.

190
.
at a dead lift
: at a last extremity.

193
.
condition
: on condition that.

200
.
hobby-horse
, etc.; Note.

204
.
puff
: quarrel, bully.

222
.
scab
: scoundrel.

237
.
pink: stab
.

251
.
hone and honero
: from the Scots
ochone, ochonarie
: alas! (evidently a ballad-refrain).

275
.
tread
: copulate with.

278
.
setting their match
: fixing a time to meet.

289
.
Dunmow-bacon
: Note.

290
.
Westfalian
: celebrated kind of ham.

12
.
instruments
: agents.

12
.
countenance
: repute.

29
.
disputation
: formal debate.

44
.
commit with
:fight with.

46
.
calling
: vocation.

55
.
hinnyeth
: whinnies.

69
.
creaking
: shrill way of speaking.

74
.
tire-women
: dress-makers.

77
.
feather-makers
: dealers in feathers.

78
.
perukes
: wigs.

79
.
puffs
: bunches of ribbons, leathers, or hair.

79
.
huffs
: padded shoulders, etc.

84
.
bugle-maker
: maker of glass beads.

84
.
confect-maker
: maker of sweets or confectionery.

85
.
fashioner
: tailor.

90
.
main argument
: Note.

103
.
standing
: employment, vocation.

111
.
carried it away
: won.
discovers himself
: reveals himself, drops his disguise.

11
.
cage
: gaol.

18
.
stepped aside
: gone astray.

49
.
be uncovered
: remove your hats.

69
.
Bridget
: a Jonsonian slip for ‘Grace'.

81
.
estimation
: repute.

94
.
stake
: archery-post.