Thomas Dyer - Folk-lore of Shakespeare

See Yarrell’s “History of British Birds,” 2d edition, vol. i. p. 218; “Dialect of Leeds,” 1862, p. 329. In “Hamlet” (iii. 2), some modern editions read “ouzle;” the old editions all have weasel , which is now adopted.

Miss Baker’s “Northamptonshire Glossary,” 1854, vol. i. p. 94. See Nares’s “Glossary,” 1872, vol. i. p. 124; and “Richard III.,” i. 1.

Harting’s “Ornithology of Shakespeare,” p. 144; Halliwell-Phillipps’s “Handbook Index to Shakespeare,” 1866, p. 187. The term finch, also, according to some, may mean either the bullfinch or goldfinch.

See Yarrell’s “History of British Birds,” 2d edition, vol. ii. p. 58.

Nares’s “Glossary,” vol. i. p. 156; Singer’s “Shakespeare,” 1875, vol. v. p. 115; Dyce’s “Glossary,” 1876, p. 77.

Mr. Dyce says that if Dr. Latham had been acquainted with the article “Chouette,” in Cotgrave, he would not probably have suggested that Shakespeare meant here the lapwing or pewit. Some consider the magpie is meant. See Halliwell-Phillipps’s “Handbook Index to Shakespeare,” 1866, p. 83. Professor Newton would read “russet-patted,” or “red-legged,” thinking that Shakespeare meant the chough.

“Glossary,” vol. i. p. 162; Singer’s “Notes to Shakespeare,” 1875, vol. v. p. 42.

Massinger’s Works, 1813, vol. i. p. 281.

“Handbook Index to Shakespeare,” 1866, p. 86.

Miss Baker’s “Northamptonshire Glossary,” 1854, vol. i. p. 116.

“Coriolanus,” iv. 5; “Troilus and Cressida,” i. 2; “Much Ado About Nothing,” ii. 3; “Twelfth Night,” iii. 4; “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” v. 2, song; “1 Henry VI.” ii. 4.

Swainson’s “Weather-Lore,” 1873, p. 240.

Henderson’s “Folk-Lore of Northern Counties,” 1879, p. 48.

See Douce’s “Illustrations of Shakespeare,” p. 438.

See Ibid.

See Brand’s “Pop. Antiq.,” 1849, vol. ii. pp. 51-57; Hampson’s “Medii Œvi Kalendarium,” vol. i. p. 84.

1st series, vol. iii. p. 404.

“Medii Œvi Kalendarium,” vol. i. p. 85.

Roberts’s “Social History of Southern Counties of England,” 1856, p. 421; see “British Popular Customs,” 1876, p. 65.

Nares’s “Glossary,” 1872, vol. i. p. 203.

Singer’s “Shakespeare,” 1875, vol. ix. p. 256; Halliwell-Phillipps’s “Handbook Index to Shakespeare,” p. 112.

Dyce’s “Glossary to Shakespeare,” p. 85.

“Illustrations of Shakespeare,” 1839, p. 290.

“Ornithology of Shakespeare,” p. 171.

It is also an ale-house sign.

See Dyce’s “Glossary to Shakespeare,” p. 85.

See “Book of Days,” 1863, vol. i. p. 157.

In “King Lear” (iv. 6), where Edgar says:

“Yond tall anchoring bark,

Diminish’d to her cock; her cock, a buoy

Almost too small for sight.”

the word “cock” is an abbreviation for cock-boat.

For superstitions associated with this bird, see Brand’s “Pop. Antiq.,” 1849, vol. iii. p. 218.

“Ornithology of Shakespeare,” p. 260.

See “Folk-Lore Record,” 1879, vol. i. p. 52; Henderson’s “Folk-Lore of Northern Counties,” 1879, pp. 25, 126, 277.

Nares’s “Glossary,” vol. i. p. 208.

Cf. “Henry IV.,” iv. 2.

Miss Baker’s “Northamptonshire Glossary,” vol. ii. p. 161; Brand’s “Pop. Antiq.,” 1849, vol. iii. p. 393.

Cf. “Romeo and Juliet,” i. 5.

“A cuckold being called from the cuckoo, the note of that bird was supposed to prognosticate that destiny.” – Nares’s “Glossary,” vol. i. p. 212.

Engel’s “Musical Myths and Facts,” 1876, vol. i. p. 9.

See Kelly’s “Indo-European Folk-Lore,” 1863, p. 99; “English Folk-Lore,” 1879, pp. 55-62.

See Mary Howitt’s “Pictorial Calendar of the Seasons,” p. 155; Knight’s “Pictorial Shakespeare,” vol. i. pp. 225, 226.

Chambers’s “Book of Days,” vol. i. p. 531.

See Brand’s “Pop. Antiq.,” 1849, vol. ii. p. 201.

“Asinaria,” v. 1.

Nares, in his “Glossary” (vol. i. p. 212), says: “Cuckold, perhaps, quasi cuckoo’d, i. e. , one served; i. e. , forced to bring up a brood that is not his own.”

Singer’s “Shakespeare,” 1875, vol. ix. p. 294.

“Ornithology of Shakespeare,” pp. 190, 191.

Sir W. Raleigh’s “History of the World,” bk. i. pt. i. ch. 6.

Strutt’s “Sports and Pastimes,” 1876, p. 329.

There is an allusion to the proverbial saying, “Brag is a good dog, but Hold-fast is a better.”

In the same scene we are told,

“A lover’s eyes will gaze an eagle blind.”

Cf. “Romeo and Juliet,” iii. 5; “Richard II.,” iii. 3.

Quoted by Harting, in “Ornithology of Shakespeare,” p. 24.

Kelly’s “Indo-European Folk-Lore,” pp. 75, 79.

Cf. “Antony and Cleopatra,” ii. 2: “This was but as a fly by an eagle.”

Josephus, “De Bello Judico,” iii. 5.

Harting’s “Ornithology of Shakespeare,” p. 33.

Nares’s “Glossary,” vol. i. p. 378.

“Execration against Vulcan,” 1640, p. 37.

Singer’s “Notes,” 1875, vol. i. p. 283.

See “Archæologia,” vol. iii. p. 33.

Nares’s “Glossary,” vol. ii. p. 693. Some think that the bullfinch is meant.

Singer’s “Notes,” 1875, vol. v. p. 82; see Dyce’s “Glossary,” p. 433.

Some doubt exists as to the derivation of gull . Nares says it is from the old French guiller . Tooke holds that gull, guile, wile, and guilt are all from the Anglo-Saxon “wiglian, gewiglian,” that by which any one is deceived. Harting’s “Ornithology of Shakespeare,” p. 267.