1231. The line should end with a semicolon.
1244. 'Unless ye will act otherwise.'
1271. cockes, euphemistic for goddes.
1272. doule, small feather, down-feather. I derive it from O.F. doulle, variant of douille, soft, something soft, from Lat. ductilis. Hence it meant something downy, and, in particular, the 'down-feather' of a bird. This is clearly the sense in Shakespeare also, where Ariel uses the expression—'one dowle that's in my plume'; Temp. iii. 3. 65; i.e. one down-feather (small feather) that is in my plumage. Dr. Schmidt is in doubt whether plume here means 'plumage,' but the
stage-direction expressly says that 'Ariel enters like a harpy, and claps his wings upon the table.' It is very interesting to see how well this passage illustrates Shakespeare. See Mr. Wright's note for other passages where dowl means 'soft down.' Of course, the words dowl and down are in no way connected. See my note in Phil. Soc. Trans. 1888-90, p. 3.
1280. God wolde, i.e. oh! that it might be God's will. Cf. would God, Numb. xi. 29; Deut. xxviii. 67; 2 Kings, v. 3; Rich. II, iv. 1. 117.
1293. Christ was likened to the pelican; see note to l. 87.
1305. The foul, the former or bird-like part of the griffin; see note to l. 86, and cf. l. 1317.
1315. 'Because bribery may break God's prohibition.'
1317. Referring to the form of the griffin; see notes to ll. 86, 1305.