Again, in "Laugh and Lie Downe," 1605, sig. E 4: "He plaied such a song of the three merry men, that had the dittie beene in a strange language, I should have been puzzled in the musick."
[357] [This allusion occurs also in Wybarne's "New Age of Old Names," 1609, p. 12, and in "The Return from Parnassus," 1606, (ix. 103).]
[358] Another proof that the edit. of 1636 only was followed by Mr Reed. The first 4o has it—"Why so: these are tricks," &c., and not "there are tricks," as in the second 4o.—Collier.
[359] [See Dyce's Shakespeare, 1868, v. 178, and "Glossary," v. Fifteens. A fifteen was a levy made in subsidies, amounting to a fifteenth of the personalty; but here the phrase almost seems to be used loosely, in the sense of extortion.]
[360] i.e., Head.
[361] [Old copies, O.]
[362] This is proverbial. [See Hazlitt'e "Proverbs," 1869, p. 84], The Scots say, a young man's wonderling. See "Collection of Scots Proverbs," 8o, 1721, by James Kelly, who observes it is used as an argument to induce a young girl to marry an old man.
[363] To bear in hand was a common phrase, signifying to keep in expectation or dependence. In Dr Walter Pope's "Life of Bishop Seth Ward," 1697, p. 104, is the following passage: "My Lord, I might bear you in hand; a western phrase, signifying to delay or keep in expectation, and feed you with promises, or at least hopes, that I should cure you in some competent time," &c.
Again, in Fennor's "Compter's Commonwealth," p. 47: "I have seen divers gentlemen come into prison (after they have laine a fortnight or three weekes at some of their houses, at an excessive rate) without either cloake, sword, or hat, which the sergeants have got from them, onely bearing them in hand that they will get them baile."
And in Ben Jonson's "Volpone," act i. sc. 1—