As I this tower of marchpane."
16. [Cheerly.] Cheerily, briskly. Cf. Temp. i. 1. 6, 29, etc.
16. [The longer liver take all.] A proverbial expression.
18. [Toes.] Pope thought it necessary to change this to "feet." Malone remarks that the word "undoubtedly did not appear indelicate to the audience of Shakespeare's time, though perhaps it would not be endured at this day." We smile at this when we recollect some of the words that were endured then; but it shows how fashions change in these matters.
21. [Deny.] Refuse. Cf. L. L. L. v. 2. 228: "If you deny to dance;" T. of S. ii. 1. 180: "If she deny to wed," etc. Makes dainty = affects coyness. Cf. K. John, iii. 4. 138:—
"And he that stands upon a slippery place
Makes nice of no vile hold to stay him up."
22. [Am I come near ye now?] Do I touch you, or hit you, now? Cf. 1 Hen IV. i. 2. 14: "Indeed, you come near me now, Hal." Schmidt is clearly wrong in giving T.N. ii. 5. 29 as another example of the phrase in this sense. He might have given T.N. iii. 4. 71.
23. [Welcome, gentlemen!] Addressed to the masked friends of Romeo.