Volpone and Other Plays (82 page)

BOOK: Volpone and Other Plays
3.31Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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.

BOOK: Volpone and Other Plays
3.31Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

The Westminster Poisoner by Susanna Gregory
The Sword and the Flame by Stephen Lawhead
Hostage Zero by John Gilstrap
The Relic by Evelyn Anthony
Story Time by Edward Bloor
Being a Boy by James Dawson
Perfect Family by Potter, Patricia;
Pathways (9780307822208) by Bergren, Lisa T.
The Heart of a Girl (2) by Kaitlyn Oruska
The Comeback by Gary Shapiro