49 rising with the innuendo ‘have an erection’

53 That time a time for the murder

57 ourself The duchess is using the ‘royal’ we and playing on the notion that when they are married they will be as one person.

[Act III,] Scene ii

2 quean harlot, strumpet

7 prick-song written vocal music but also with a joke on Antonio’s impotence and Isabella’s current state of sexual frustration

close privately, secretly

15 envious malicious

17 condition disposition, character

20 panderous pimping

22 city-tuck city fashion

23 piece of transformation Florida. Sebastian’s comment, which suggests Florida’s ability to transform herself so as to attract customers, reflects ironically on himself as he is currently ‘transformed’ by his disguise as Celio.

24 After … frailty according to the common conventions of whoring

26 low The image is both physical and social.

27 strange stand state of perplexity

36 falling family i.e. prostitutes

43 sirrah a form of address indicating ‘Celio’s’ inferior status

45 likeliest most promising

47 newly lighted just arrived, alighted (from horses)

52 fled to shifts resorted to expedients

58 her ed. (here MS)

65 confusion ruin

70 wished her to wanted her to marry

75 had good speed been successful, travelled quickly. Francisca’s Aside expresses concern that her secret is out.

78 service a pun on sexual servicing

79 her Francisca

83 rod five and a half yards

85 bleak pallid, sickly

86 sharp i.e. sharp-featured

88 i.e. one does look like that when one has hard travelling

travelled The MS spelling, ‘travaild’, makes clear the pun on ‘travail’: 1) labour; 2) give birth.

91 hand handwriting, also suggestion of physical intimacy

95 full meal i.e. the fulfilment of pregnancy (ironic in view of its sinfulness here)

100 strangeness newness, unfamiliarity

103 shake hands with say goodbye to

107 his Aberzanes’

110 who God as punisher of sin

112 churching religious service supposed to purify a woman after childbirth and resanctify her

113 fine ed. (five MS)

‘give you joy’ expression of greeting

117 proverbial. Cf. ‘Murder will out’, Tilley M 1315.

119–20 The notion that women cannot keep secrets was proverbial (Tilley W 649, W 701).

123 cast forecast, also vomited forth, i.e. told the news

134 conceit imagination

137 squire personal servant

139 fit get even with

143 conceit idea

152 lightness wantonness

164 s.d. The substance of these whispered words can be deduced from IV.iii.3–4.

165 s.d. ed. (l. 64 in MS)

172 foot-boy attendant, page

176 make shift manage

190 His … journey Presumably Francisca has informed the servants of Antonio’s impending absence.

191 country See I.i.92.

206 stand persist

216 prefer recommend

[Act III,] Scene iii

4–5 Oh … yet ed. (one line in MS)

8 drank The bat was a familiar and drank Stadlin’s blood for nourishment.

12 ointments See I.ii. 19–29.

13 Hie hasten

14 betimes in good time, speedily

15 a-birding behaving like birds, flying (though usually applying to bird-hunting)

17 sluts slatterns, dirty or slovenly women

18 mortality i.e. someone will be killed

23 Nineteen eggs

26 marmartin a comic malapropism for ‘marmaritin’, recalling the scandalous Martin Marprelate controversy (a religious pamphlet war that took place in the 1590s)

27 Marmaritin See I.ii.161.

mandragora mandrake, narcotic plant with forked roots