[296] Hals, in the Glossary to Douglas's Æneid, is thus explained: "The hawse, the throat, or neck. A-S. and Isl. Hals, collum, thence, to hals or hawse, to embrace, collo dare brachia circum."
[297] The word shrew at present is wholly confined to the female sex. It here appears to have been equally applied to the male, and signifies naught or wicked. See Baret's "Alvearie," v. Shrewd.
[298] [Crushed.]
[299] The head. So, in "Hickscorner"—
"I will rap you on the costard with my horn."
—Mr Steevens's Note on Love's Labour's Lost, act iii., sc. 1.
Again, in Ben Jonson's "Tale of a Tub," act ii., sc. 2—
"Do you mutter! sir, snorle this way,
That I may hear and answer what you say,
With my school dagger 'bout your costard, sir."