ercise] i.e. sermon, preaching.
(150) with a muschatoes] i.e. with a pair of mustachios. The modern editors print "with MUSTACHIOS," and "with a MUSTACHIOS": but compare,--
"My Tuskes more stiffe than are a Cats MUSCHATOES." S. Rowley's NOBLE SPANISH SOLDIER, 1634, Sig. C.
"His crow-black MUCHATOES." THE BLACK BOOK,--Middleton's WORKS, v. 516, ed. Dyce.
(151) Turk of tenpence] An expression not unfrequently used by our early writers. So Taylor in some verses on Coriat; "That if he had A TURKE OF TENPENCE bin," &c. WORKES, p. 82, ed. 1630. And see note on Middleton's WORKS, iii. 489, ed. Dyce.
(152) you know] Qy. "you know, SIR,"?
(153) I'll make him, &c.] Old ed. thus: "I'le make him send me half he has, & glad he scapes so too. PEN AND INKE: I'll write vnto him, we'le haue mony strait." There can be no doubt that the words "Pen and inke" were a direction to the property-man to have those articles on the stage.
(154) cunning] i.e. skilfully prepared.--Old ed. "running." (The MAIDS are supposed to hear their mistress' orders WITHIN.)
(155) Shalt live with me, and be my love] A line, slightly varied, of Marlowe's well-known song. In the preceding line, the absurdity of "by Dis ABOVE" is, of course, intentional.
(156) beard] Old ed. "sterd."
(157) give me a ream of paper: we'll have a kingdom of gold for't] A quibble. REALM was frequently written ream; and frequently (as the following passages shew), even when the former spelling was given, the L was not sounded;
"Vpon the siluer bosome of the STREAME First gan faire Themis shake her amber locks, Whom all the Nimphs that waight on Neptunes REALME Attended from the hollowe of the rocks." Lodge's SCILLAES METAMORPHOSIS, &c. 1589, Sig. A 2.
"How he may surest stablish his new conquerd REALME, How of his glorie fardest to deriue the STREAME." A HERINGS TAYLE, &c. 1598, Sig. D 3.
"Learchus slew his brother for the crowne; So did Cambyses fearing much the DREAME; Antiochus, of infamous renowne, His brother slew, to rule alone the REALME." MIROUR FOR MAGISTRATES, p. 78, ed. 1610.
(158) runs division] "A musical term [of very common occurrence]." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).
(159) Enter BARABAS] The scene certainly seems to be now the interior of Barabas's house, notwithstanding what he presently says to Pilia-Borza (p. 171, sec. col.), "Pray, when, sir, shall I see you at my house?"
(160) tatter'd] Old ed. "totter'd": but in a passage of our author's EDWARD THE SECOND the two earliest 4tos have "TATTER'D robes":--and yet Reed in a note on that passage (apud Dodsley's OLD PLAYS, where the reading of the third 4to, "tottered robes", is followed) boldly declares that "in every writer of this period the word was spelt TOTTERED"! The truth is, it was spelt sometimes one way, sometimes the other.
(161) catzery] i.e. cheating, roguery. It is formed from CATSO (CAZZO, see note *, p. 166 (i.e. note 127)), which our early writers used, not only as an exclamation, but as an opprobrious term.
(162) cross-biting] i.e. swindling (a cant term).--Something has dropt out here.
(163) tale] i.e. reckoning.
(164) what he writes for you] i.e. the hundred crowns to be given to the bearer: see p. 170, sec. col.
(p. 170, second column, this play:
"ITHAMORE. [writing] SIRRAH JEW, AS YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE, SEND ME FIVE HUNDRED CROWNS, AND GIVE THE BEARER A HUNDRED. --Tell him I must have't.")
(165) I should part] Qy. "I E'ER should part"?
(166) rid] i.e. despatch, destroy.
(167) Enter BELLAMIRA, &c.] They are supposed to be sitting in a veranda or open portico of Bellamira's house: see note *, p. 168.(i.e. note 145.)
(168) Of] i.e. on.
(169) BELLAMIRA.] Old ed. "Pil."
(170) Rivo Castiliano] The origin of this Bacchanalian exclamation has not been discovered. RIVO generally is used alone; but, among passages parallel to that of our text, is the following one (which has been often cited),-- "And RYUO will he cry and CASTILE too." LOOKE ABOUT YOU, 1600, Sig.