--Then must you learn the use And handling of your silver fork at meals, The metal of your glass; (these are main matters With your Italian;) Coryat has much to say on the subject (_Crudities_ 1. 106): ‘I obserued a custome in all those Italian Cities and Townes through the which I passed, that is not vsed in any other country that I saw in my trauels, neither doe I thinke that any other nation of Christendome doth vse it, but only Italy. The Italian and also most strangers that are commorant in Italy, doe alwaies in their meales vse a little forke when they cut their meate. For while with their knife which they hold in one hand they cut the meate out of the dish, they fasten their forke which they hold in their other hand vpon the same dish, so that whatsoeuer he be that sitting in the company of any others at meale, should vnadvisedly touch the dish of meate with his fingers from which all at the table doe cut, he will giue occasion of offence vnto the company, as hauing transgressed the lawes of good manners.... This forme of feeding I vnderstand is generally vsed in all places of Italy, their forkes being for the most part made of yron or steele, and some of siluer, but those are vsed only by Gentlemen.’ Coryat carried this custom home with him to England, for which a friend dubbed him _furcifer_. This passage is doubtless the source of Jonson’s lines. Compare the last sentence of the quotation with lines 30, 31 of this scene. =5. 4. 23, 4 on my priuate, By cause.= See variants. There is no necessity for change. Cf. 1616 Sir R. Dudley in _Fortesc. Papers_ 17: ‘Nor am I so vaine ... bycause I am not worth so much.’ The same form occurs in _Sad Shepherd_ (Fol. 1631-40, p. 143): But, beare yee Douce, bycause, yee may meet mee. Gabriel Harvey uses both the forms _by cause_ and _bycause_. _Prose Wks_. 1. 101; 102; et frequenter. =5. 4. 34 at mine owne ap-perill.= The word is of rare occurrence. Gifford quotes _Timon of Athens_ 1. 2: ‘Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon;’ and refers to _Mag. La._, _Wks._ 6. 109: ‘Faith, I will bail him at mine own apperil.’ It occurs again in _Tale Tub_, _Wks._ 6. 148: ‘As you will answer it at your apperil.’ =5. 5. 10, 11 I will leaue you To your God fathers in Law.= ‘This seems to have been a standing joke for a jury. It is used by Shakespeare and by writers prior to him. Thus Bulleyn, speaking of a knavish ostler, says, “I did see him ones aske blessyng to xii godfathers at ones.” _Dialogue_, 1564.’--G. The passage from Shakespeare is _Merch. of Ven._ 4. 1. 398: In christening, shalt thou have two godfathers: Had I been judge, thou should’st have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font. Cf. also _Muse’s Looking Glass_, _O. Pl._ 9. 214: ‘Boets! I had rather zee him remitted to the jail, and have his twelve godvathers, good men and true contemn him to the gallows.’