love, with faith, them guide The king’s council is guided by love and faith. Why so? Why do I appear in this way? Bellona The Roman goddess of war. C. F. Tucker Brooke notes that Bellona was likely alluded to in error (Tucker Brooke 424). The author perhaps confused her with one of the muses. cur An unfriendly, aggressive dog, particularly a mixed-breed. spite of thee In spite of thee. Danish J. P. Collier emended this reading from Danish to dankish, setting a precedent which has since been followed by many editors. As noted by Arvin Jupin, however, the original reading of Danish is not necessarily nonsensical, but may simply represent a connection between Danes and caves not now readily recognizable (Jupin 77). Following Jupin’s suggestion, this edition has chosen to retain the original Danish rather than adopt Collier’s emendation. sap Milk. tender the suit Agree to the request. cross Thwart. maugre In spite of. bosom To take to the bosom; embrace. Figuratively, to receive into intimate companionship ( bosom, v.3.a). choice Admirable; of special excellence. misconster Misconstrue. Thou… have Thou know’st that I have often imparted to you. each where Everywhere. miss Absence. front Forehead; in this case, a metonymic phrase referring to the King of Valencia’s sovereignty. mountebank A person who deceives others; a charlatan. an humbler Spoken early modern English often neglected to pronounce the letter h when it appears before a vowel at the beginning of a word. bottle Bundle. pursues Pursuits. usury Money-lending, typically illegal, with high rates of interest. bill An archaic weapon with a long wooden handle most often used by infantry ( bill, n.2.a). and If. without welt or guard Both welt and guard can refer to an ornamental trimming placed on the edge of a garment. Mouse is using this phrase to reinforce the lack of embellishments to his name ( welt, n.2.b). I care not I don’t mind. tofore Heretofore; before the present. grutch Complain. whatso Whatsoever. by Lady An oath referring to the Virgin Mary; its most common forms are the expanded by our Lady and the slightly modified by’r Lady. Mouse has created his own iteration of the phrase by clipping the word our. a He. brewis Fat-soaked bread. jack A leather jug chiefly used to carry liquor. vild Vile. merciless Pronounced with two syllables. Hold… law! Although this passage is clearly written in verse, it does not easily divide into pentameter lines. To remedy this, the retention of iambs within the same line has been prioritized over creating an even number of syllables per line. flain An archaic past participle of flay. use to Make a habit out of. sung looby Sung a lullaby. Mouse’s phrasing plays on the word looby, which refers to a large, hulking fellow. passengers Travellers. Master King Mouse seems to believe that Master King is the King of Aragon’s official title, much like how he believes the churchwarden’s official title is Goodman King. sovereign Pronounced with three syllables. forwhy Because. shipsticks Mouse is likely attempting to say sheep’s ticks, although the spelling of shipsticks appears closer to the way he would have pronounced it. Alternatively, he may be seeking to diminish the value of Amadine’s words, which is expressed through the comparison of mere sticks to the large planks of wood used to build a ship. Sisters The three fates of Greek mythology who were believed to play a role in weaving the future of humanity. sith Since. lousy Afflicted with or covered in lice. take law-legs To run away quickly, often from law enforcement. Phaethon’s tale In Greek mythology, Phaethon was the son of Helios, the sun god. After nearly crashing his father’s sun chariot into Earth, Phaethon was executed by Zeus. By alluding to this story, Mucedorus is lamenting that an opportunity has been lost due to what he perceives to be his own foolish actions. bale Physical torment or mental suffering; evil. Grecian queen Helen of Troy. arrant Notorious. panch A large or protruding belly ( panch, n.1.b). Go to An expression of annoyance or disbelief. In other words, Get lost. curtal An animal, typically a horse or dog, with its tail cut short or docked ( curtal, n.I.1). adamant Figuratively, the quality of not being easily destroyed, overcome, or affected. Originally a strong rock or mineral ( adamant, n.1.b). doubtful Suspicious. emmet Ant. hip The fruit of a rose. haw The fruit of a hawthorn. recreate Entertain. rout A disorderly or disreputable group of people; a mob ( rout, n.3.a). Orpheus A figure in Greek mythology known for his exceptional talents in music and poetry. A bots on you Curse you. ’parel Apparel. sancted Sainted. rochet A robe worn chiefly by Roman Catholic or Anglican bishops. ball The Earth. chawing Chewing. David According to the Hebrew bible, David was the third king of Israel. Comedy is noting James I to be the offspring of David. stroken Stricken.