Act V: Scene Iii

p. 421 Twelve Houses. Each of the astrological divisions of the heavens denoting the station of a planet is termed a house.

Act V: Scene v

p. 423 bear the bob. To join in the chorus. Bob is the burden or refrain of a song.

p. 423 Colt-staff. Or col-staff (Latin collum). A staff by which two men carry a load, one end of the pole resting on a shoulder of each porter. cf. Merry Wives of Windsor, iii, 3, ‘Where’s the cowl-staff?’

p. 423 Fortune my Foe. This extremely popular old tune is in Queen Elizabeth’s Virginal Book; in William Ballet’s MS. Lute Book; in Bellerophon (1622), and in numerous other old musical works. There are allusions to it in Shakespeare and many of the dramatists.