Again, in Erasmus's "Praise of Folie," 1549, sig. Q 2: "That the soule of Duns woulde a litle leve Sorbone College, and enter into my breast, be he never so thornie, and fuller of pricles than is any urcheon."
[233] Perhaps, instead of the masks are made so strong, we ought to read, the mesh is made so strong. It clearly means the mesh of the net, from what is said afterwards.—Collier. [But mask, in Halliwell's "Dictionary," is said to be used for mesh. What is intended above is not a net, but a network ladder.]
[234] [Hazard, the plot of a tennis-court.—Halliwell's "Dictionary.">[
[235] This is one of the many phrases in these volumes which, being not understood, was altered without any authority from the ancient copies. The former editions read odd mouthing; the text, however, is right; for old, as Mr Steevens observes, was formerly a common augmentative in colloquial language, and as such is often used by Shakespeare and others. See notes on the "Second Part of Henry IV." act ii. sc. 4, and "The Taming of the Shrew," act iii. sc. 2.
Again, in Tarlton's "Newes out of Purgatory," 1630, p. 34: "On Sunday at Masse there was old ringing of bells, and old and yong came to church to see the new roode."
[236] A sneer at the Utopian Treatises on Government.—Steevens.
[237] The latest of the old copies, [and the first edition, have] wine instead of swine, which is clearly a misprint, as the hogs of Olfactus are subsequently again mentioned.—Collier.
[238] [Old copies, he.]
[239] [A flogging.]
[240] [i.e., A blockhead, a fool.—Steevens.]