[47] The reading of the MS. is “snapsance,” which is clearly wrong.  “Snaphance was the name for the spring-lock of a musket, and then for the musket itself.  It is said that the term was derived from the Dutch snap-haans (poultry stealers), a set of marauders who made use of it” (Lilly’s Dramatic Works, ed.  Fairholt, II., 272).  “Tarrier” must mean “a person that causes delay”:  cf. a passage from Sir Thomas Overbury’s character of “a meene Petty fogger":—­“He cannot erre before judgment, and then you see it, only writs of error are the tariers that keepe his client undoing somewhat the longer” (quoted in Todd’s Johnson, sub tarrier).

[48] “One being condemned to be shot to death for a rape:  the maid [sic] in favour of his life was content to beg him for her husband.  Which being condiscended unto by the Judge, according to the lawe of Spaine in that behalfe:  in steps me the hangman all in a chafe and said unto the Judge.  Howe (I pray you, sir) can that be, seeing the stake is already in the ground, the rope, the arrowes, the Archers all in a readines, and heere I am come for him.” (Anthony Copley’s Wits, Fits, and Fancies, 1614, p. 120.) Here is another merry tale, with rather more point in it, from the same collection:—­“A fellow being to suffer, a maide came to the gallowes to beg him for her husband, according as the custome of Spaine dispenceth in that case.  The people seeing this said unto the fellow:  Now praise God that he hath thus mercifullie preserv’d thee, and see thou ever make much of this kinde woman that so friendly saves thy life.  With that the Fellow viewing her and seeing a great skarre in her face, which did greatlie disfigure her, a long nose, thin lips and of a sowre complexion, hee said unto the Hangman:  On (my good friend) doe thy duty:  Ile none of her.” (p. 160.)

[49] Cf. Rom. and Jul., I., iii., 76, “Why, he’s a man of wax,” where Dr. Ingleby (who has no doubt learnt better by this time) once took the meaning to be, “a man of puberty, a proper man.”  Steevens happily compared Horace’s “cerea Telephi brachia.”

[50] The old spelling for “bawbles.”

[51] “Slug.  A ship which sails badly.”  Halliwell.  I cannot recall another instance of the use of the word in this sense.

[52] The “trundle-bed” (or “truckle-bed”) was a low bed moving on castors.  In the day-time it was placed under the principal or “high” bed:  at night it was drawn out to the foot of the larger bed.  Vid.  Nares, sub “truckle bed” and “trundle bed.”

[53] The reading of the MS. is unintelligible.  For All.  I would read Alq., and for “Law you?”—­by a very slight change—­“Love you?” (the question being addressed to Henrico).  Then what follows is intelligible.

[54] “Flay” is usually, if not always, written “flea” in old authors.

[55] MS.  “For 3 hellish sins:”  the word “For” is no doubt repeated from Fer.