"Next, your Ruff must stand in print." (1602.)
and
"This Doublet sits in print, my Lord!" (1612.)
"In printsy guards" means the same, therefore, as "Guards in print," or, robes put on "with exactness—with the utmost nicety."
Printsy is a word of the same formation with tricksy; and the phrase, "The printsy Angelo!" is as good English as "My tricksy Ariel!" It was probably pronounced prentsy (prenzie) in the time of Shakspeare; the word print being derived from empreinte. Sir W. Scott speaks of "a prent book," for a printed book. Besprent is the participle of besprinkle. Of similar formation with printsy and tricksy, are linsy, woolsy, and frowsy; but as all these adjectives, except the first, are derived from nouns representing natural or familiar things, while printsy is founded on a word having no connexion with any obvious idea, it is probable that this difference may account for the fact that printsy so early fell into disuse, while the rest were retained without difficulty.
By the word printsy, those four conditions are fulfilled for which your correspondent so properly contends:—1. the word is "suitable to the reputed character of Angelo." 2. It is "an appropriate epithet to the word guards." 3. It supplies "the proper metre in both places." 4. It is "similar in appearance to the word prenzie."
No other word has been produced which so fully represents the formality and hypocrisy of Angelo, as described in the quotations so conveniently brought into one view by your correspondent, though one of the epithets made use of comes very near the mark: "Lord Angelo is precise!"
JOHN TAYLOR.
ZACHARIE BOYD.
(Vol. i., pp. 298. 372. 406.)
I would refer your correspondents H. B., H. I. (p. 372.), and PHILOBODIUS and MR. JERDAN (p. 406.), to the following volumes: The Last Battle of the Soule in Death, by Mr. Zacharie Boyd, Preacher of God's Word in Glasgow, edited by Gabriel Neil, Glasgow, 1831; McUre's History of Glasgow, with Appendix, Glasgow, 1830.