= Pricking with pins and needles was
one of the devil's regular ways of tormenting bewitched persons.
one of the devil's regular ways of tormenting bewitched persons.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
would I say.
Because he has horns,
wife, and may be a cuckold as well as a devil. '
=5. 8. 35 How he foames! = For the stock indications of
witchcraft see Introduction, p. xlix.
=5. 8. 40 The Cockscomb, and the Couerlet. = Wittipol is
evidently selecting an appropriate name for Fitzdottrel's
buffoonery after the manner of the puppet-shows. It is quite
possible that some actual _motion_ of the day was styled
'the Coxcomb and the Coverlet. '
=5. 8. 50 shee puts in a pinne.
= Pricking with pins and needles was
one of the devil's regular ways of tormenting bewitched persons. They
were often supposed to vomit these articles. So when Voltore feigns
possession, Volpone cries out: 'See! He vomits crooked pins' (_The
Fox_, _Wks. _ 3. 312).
=5. 8. 61 the Kings Constable. = 'From the earliest times to our
own days, there were two bodies of police in England, namely, the
parish and high constables, and the watchmen in cities and boroughs.
Nothing could exceed their inefficiency in the 17th century. Of the
constables, Dalton (in the reign of James I. ) observes that they "are
often absent from their houses, being for the most part husbandmen. "
The charge of Dogberry shows probably with no great caricature
what sort of watchmen Shakespeare was familiar with. As late as
1796, Colquhoun observes that the watchmen "were aged and often
superannuated men. " '--Sir J.
wife, and may be a cuckold as well as a devil. '
=5. 8. 35 How he foames! = For the stock indications of
witchcraft see Introduction, p. xlix.
=5. 8. 40 The Cockscomb, and the Couerlet. = Wittipol is
evidently selecting an appropriate name for Fitzdottrel's
buffoonery after the manner of the puppet-shows. It is quite
possible that some actual _motion_ of the day was styled
'the Coxcomb and the Coverlet. '
=5. 8. 50 shee puts in a pinne.
= Pricking with pins and needles was
one of the devil's regular ways of tormenting bewitched persons. They
were often supposed to vomit these articles. So when Voltore feigns
possession, Volpone cries out: 'See! He vomits crooked pins' (_The
Fox_, _Wks. _ 3. 312).
=5. 8. 61 the Kings Constable. = 'From the earliest times to our
own days, there were two bodies of police in England, namely, the
parish and high constables, and the watchmen in cities and boroughs.
Nothing could exceed their inefficiency in the 17th century. Of the
constables, Dalton (in the reign of James I. ) observes that they "are
often absent from their houses, being for the most part husbandmen. "
The charge of Dogberry shows probably with no great caricature
what sort of watchmen Shakespeare was familiar with. As late as
1796, Colquhoun observes that the watchmen "were aged and often
superannuated men. " '--Sir J.