II.i.5 (219,1) [though love use reason for his precisian, he admits him not for his counsellor] Of this word I do not see any meaning that is very apposite to the present intention. Perhaps Falstaff said, _Though love use reason as his_ physician, _he admits him not for his counsellor_. This will be plain sense. Ask not the _reason_ of my love; the business of _reason_ is not to assist love, but to _cure_ it. There may however be this meaning in the present reading. _Though love_, when he would submit to regulation, may _use reason as his precisian_, or director in nice cases, yet when he is only eager to attain his end, he takes not reason for _his counsellor_. (1773) II.i.27 (220,2) [I was then frugal of my mirth] By breaking this speech into exclamations, the text may stand; but I once thought it must be read, If _I was_ not _then frugal of my mirth_. II.i.29 (220,3) [Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men] [T: of fat men] [W: of mum] I do not see that any alteration is necessary; if it were, either of the foregoing conjectures might serve the turn. But surely Mrs. Ford may naturally enough, in the first heat of her anger, rail at the sex for the fault of one. II.i.52 (222,4) [These knights will hack, and so thou shouldst not alter the article of thy gentry] [W: lack] Upon this passage the learned editor has tried his strength, in my opinion, with more spirit than success. I read thus--_These knights_ we'll _hack, and so thou shouldest not alter the article of thy gentry_. The punishment of a recreant or undeserving knight, was to _hack_ off his spurs: the meaning therefore is; it is not worth the while of a gentlewoman to be made a knight, for we'll degrade all these knights in a little time, by the usual form of _hacking_ off their spurs, and thou, if thou art knighted, shalt be hacked with the rest. II.i.79 (223,5) [for he cares not what he puts into the press] Press is used ambiguously, for a _press_ to print, and a _press_ to squeeze. II.i.114 (224,7) [curtail-dog] That is, a dog that misses hie game. The tail is counted necessary to the agility of a greyhound; and one method of disqualifying a dog, according to the forest laws, is to cut his tail, or make him a _curtail_. (see 1765, II,477,+) II.i.128 (225,9) [Away, Sir corporal Nym.--Believe it, Page, he speaks sense] Nym, I believe, is out of place, and we should read thus: _Away, Sir corporal._ Nym. _Believe it. Page, he speaks sense._ II.i.135 (225,1) [I have a sword, and it shall bite upon my necessity.--He loves your wife] [V: bite--upon my necessity, he] I do not see the difficulty of this passage: no phrase is more common than--_you may_, upon a need, _thus_. Nym, to gain credit, says, that he is above the mean office of carrying love-letters; he has nobler means of living; _he has a sword, and upon his necessity_, that is, _when his need drives him to unlawful expedients_, his sword _shall bite_.