[1804] A common proverbial expression: "Beggars bush," says Ray, "being a tree notoriously known, on the left hand of the London road from Huntington to Caxton." Proverbs, p. 244, ed. 1768. Dyce.
[1805] Q 2, be dawbe.
[1806] refuse.
[1807] livery.
[1808] Common term for a small dagger, but, like 'bird-spit' in the next speech of Coomes, here used in contempt. Dyce.
[1809] The origin of this corrupted oath is unknown; Dy., H., and E. N.E.D. queries dignesse = Goddes dignity. But the poet seems to be thinking of 'dine' = 'dinner'; hence Lord's meal, Lord's Supper. Cf. "God's board" for communion-table (Bk. Com. Prayer, 1549), and "God's bread" for the wafer, G.G.N., p. 219. That Coomes adopts this popular etymology is confirmed by the collocation of 'God's dines' with 'wafer-cake' (for the Eucharist) in Sc. xi. l. 206 of this play.
[1810] rabbit-warren.
[1811] horse.
[1812] 'an I.'
[1813] repent of his behaviour. Cf. Heywood, If you know not, etc., ed. 1874, I. 267 (Century). Dyce has "Nares (Gloss, in v.) mentions three places which still retain the name,—one between Oxford and Banbury, another close to Stafford, the third near Shrewsbury."