In "Hudibras," Part I. c. 3, l. 397, are these lines—
Then, while the honour thou hast got
Is spick and span new, piping hot," &c.
Upon which Dr Grey has this note: "Mr Ray observes ('English Proverbs,' 2d edit. p. 270), that this proverbial phrase, according to Mr Howel, comes from spica, an ear of corn: but rather, says he, as I am informed from a better author, spike is a sort of nail, and spawn the chip of a boat; so that it is all one as to say, every chip and nail is new. But I am humbly of opinion that it rather comes from spike, which signifies a nail, and a nail in measure is the 16th part of a yard; and span, which is in measure a quarter of a yard, or nine inches; and all that is meant by it, when applied to a new suit of clothes, is that it has been just measured from the piece by the nail and span." See the expression in Ben Jonson's "Bartholomew Fair," act iii. sc. 5. [See Nares, edit. 1859; Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869; and Wedgwood's "Dictionary of English Etymology," all in v.]
[280] [Edits., Hilech.] The name of Ursa Major in Greek.—Pegge.
[281] A famous Indian philosopher (Fabricius, p. 281); but why he terms him a Babylonian I cannot conceive.—Pegge.
[282] See [Suckling's Works, by Hazlitt, ii. 4.]
[283] I believe this word should be Artenosoria, the doctrine of Antidotes; unless we should read Artenasoria in allusion to Tallicotius and his method of making supplemental noses, referred to by Butler in "Hudibras."—Pegge.
[284] Coskinomancy is the art of divining by a sieve.—Pegge.
[285] It was not known then, I presume, that Venus had her increase and decrease.—Pegge.
[286] The Greek word for Plenilunium.—Pegge.