[1059] Mr. Fleay thinks this is a pun upon that eternal theme of satire for Harvey's enemies, the rope-maker's trade of his father. "The name," Mr. Fleay says, "for the stock of Huanebango are adapted from Plautus, Polymachæroplacidus (from Pseudulus), Pyrgopolinices (from Miles Gloriosus), in shapes which inevitably suggest English puns indicating Harvey's rope-making extraction, Polly-make-a-rope-lass, and Perg-up-a-line-O...." Mr. Fleay is bold.
[1060] A difficult passage. Dy. thinks the stock is a sword,—Corebus "has run away from the Parish, and become a sort of knight-errant." Dr. Nicholson: "He has started and they may catch" (if they can) and as a vagabond put him in the stocks. B. makes the clown plume himself on his finery. He points with pride to his feather; and he is equally proud of his fashionable "long stock" (i.e. the stocking fastened high above the knee). This gives better sense than the second explanation; Corebus asserts a sort of equality with Huanebango.
[1061] The successful guessing of riddles wins a bride, fortune, liberty, what not, in many a folk-tale.
[1062] Below 'the,' Sig. C.
[1063] Enter Erestus.
[1064] care for.
[1065] plenty. Corebus quotes the stilted talk of Huanebango.
[1066] This gift of the cake reminds one of a similar motif in the tale of The Red Ettin, Jacobs, p. 135.
[1067] though times are hard.
[1068] sings.