Page 166, ll. 205-6. trye ... thighe. I have, with the support of Ash. 38, printed thus instead of tryes ... thighes. If we retain 'tryes', then we should also, with several MSS., read (l. 204) 'survayes'; and if 'thighes' be correct we should expect 'legges'. The regular construction keeps the infinitive throughout, 'refine', 'lift', 'call', 'survay', 'trye'. If we suppose that Donne shifted the construction as he got away from the governing verb, the change would naturally begin with 'survayes'.
ll. 215-6. A Pursevant would have ravish'd him away. The reading of three independent MSS., Q, O'F, and JC, of 'Topcliffe' for 'Pursevant' is a very interesting clue to the Catholic point of view from which Donne's Satyres were written. Richard Topcliffe (1532-1609) was one of the cruellest of the creatures employed to ferret out and examine by torture Catholics and Jesuits. It was he who tortured Southwell the poet. In 1593 he was on the commission against Jesuits, and in 1594-5 was in prison. John Hammond, the civilist, who is possibly referred to in Satyre V, l. 87, sat with him on several inquiries. See D.N.B. and authorities quoted there; also Meyer, Die Katholische Kirche unter Elisabeth, 1910.
Page 167, ll. 233-4. men big enough to throw
Charing Crosse for a barre.
Of one of Harvey's pamphlets Nash writes: 'Credibly it was once rumoured about the Court, that the Guard meant to try masteries with it before the Queene, and, instead of throwing the sledge or the hammer, to hurle it foorth at the armes end for a wager.' Have with you, &c. (McKerrow, iii, p. 36.)
ll. 235-6.
Queenes man, and fine
Living, barrells of beefe, flaggons of wine.
Compare Cowley's Loves Riddle, III. i: