Volume II Part 77 (1/2)

[115] Scene: the front of Barabas' house.

[116] I am tempted to arrange the verse thus:--

”O happy hour, Wherein I shall convert an infidel, And bring his gold into our treasury!”

[117] Scene: a balcony of Bellamira's house.

[118] The verse read by criminals to ent.i.tle them to ”benefit of clergy.” The first words of the 51st Psalm were commonly chosen.

[119] Sermon. Cf. _Richard III._ iii. 2:--

”I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart; I am in debt for your last _exercise_.”

[120] _I.e._, a pair of mustachios.

[121] The contemptuous expression ”Turk of tenpence” is found in Dekker's _Satiromastix_, &c.

[122] In old ed. these words are printed as part of the text. I have followed Dyce in printing them as a stage-direction.

[123] So the old ed.--Dyce and Cunningham read ”cunning;” but the expression ”running banquet” (akin to our ”hasty meal”) occurs in _Henry VIII._ i. 4, l. 13.

[124] So modern editors. Old ed. ”steed.”

[125] Dyce observes that ”realm” was often written ”ream.” Marlowe was not much addicted to quibbling.

[126] A musical term.

[127] Scene: a room in Barabas' house.

[128] ”Tottered” and ”tattered” are used indifferently by old writers.

[129] Cf. a somewhat similar description of a ruffian in _Arden of Feversham_:--

”A lean-faced writhen knave, Hawk-nosed and very hollow-eyed, With mighty furrows in his stormy brows; Long hair down his shoulders curled; His chin was bare, but on his upper lip A mutchado which he _wound about his ear_.”

[130] A word formed from ”catso.”

[131] Swindling.

[132] Scene: the balcony of Bellamira's house.

[133] Old ed. _Pil._

[134] The origin of this boisterous exclamation is uncertain. Gifford suggested that it was corrupted from the Spanish _rio_, which is figuratively used for ”a large quant.i.ty of liquor.” Dyce quotes from the anonymous comedy, _Look about you_:--

”And _Ryvo_ will he cry and _Castile_ too.”

[135] A corrupt pa.s.sage. ”Snickle” is a North-country word for ”noose.”

Cunningham proposed ”snickle _hard and fast_.”

[136] Old ed. ”_incoomy._” The word ”incony” (which is found in _Love's Labour's Lost_, &c.) means ”delicate, dainty.” It has been doubtfully derived from the North-country ”canny” or ”conny” (in the sense of pretty), the prefix ”in” having an intensive force.