=5. 5. 50, 51 A Boy O’ thirteene yeere old made him an Asse= =But t’toher day.= Whalley believed this to be an allusion to the ‘boy of Bilson,’ but, as Gifford points out, this case did not occur until 1620, four years after the production of the present play. Gifford believes Thomas Harrison, the ‘boy of Norwich,’ to be alluded to. A short account of his case is given in Hutchinson’s _Impostures Detected_, pp. 262 f. The affair took place in 1603 or 1604, and it was thought necessary to ‘require the Parents of the said Child, that they suffer not any to repair to their House to visit him, save such as are in Authority and other Persons of special Regard, and known Discretion.’ Hutchinson says that Harrison was twelve years old. It is quite possible, though not probable, that Jonson is referring again to the Boy of Burton, who was only two years older. See note 5. 3. 6. =5. 5. 58, 59 You had some straine ‘Boue E-la?= Cf. 1593 Nash, _Christ’s Tears_, _Wks._ 4. 188: ‘You must straine your wits an Ela aboue theyrs.’ Cf. also Nash, _Wks._ 5. 98 and 253; Lyly, _Euphues_, Aij; and Gloss. =5. 6. 1 your garnish.= ‘This word _garnish_ has been made familiar to all time by the writings of John Howard. “A cruel custom,” says he, “obtains in most of our gaols, which is that of the prisoners demanding of a newcomer _garnish_, footing, or (as it is called in some London gaols) chummage. _Pay_ or _strip_ are the fatal words. I say fatal, for they are so to some, who, having no money, are obliged to give up part of their scanty apparel; and if they have no bedding or straw to sleep on, contract diseases which I have known to prove mortal.”’--C. Cf. Dekker, _If this be not a good Play_, _Wks._ 3. 324: Tis a strong charme gainst all the noisome smels Of Counters, Iaylors, garnishes, and such hels. and Greene, _Upstart Courtier_, Dija: ‘Let a poore man be arrested ... he shal be almost at an angels charge, what with garnish, crossing and wiping out of the book ... extortions ... not allowed by any statute.’ The money here seems to have been intended for the jailer, rather than for Pug’s fellow-prisoners. The custom was abolished by 4 George IV. c. 43, § 12. =5. 6. 10 I thinke Time be drunke, and sleepes.= Cf. 1. 4. 31. For the metaphor cf. _New Inn_, _Wks._ 5. 393: If I but knew what drink the time now loved. and _Staple of News_, _Wks._ 5. 162: --Now sleep, and rest; Would thou couldst make the time to do so too. =5. 6. 18 confute.= ‘A pure Latinism. _Confutare_ is properly to pour cold water in a pot, to prevent it from boiling over; and hence metaphorically, the signification of _confuting_, reproving, or controuling.’--W. For the present use cf. T. Adams in Spurgeon, _Treas. Dav._, 1614, Ps. lxxx. 20: ‘Goliath ... shall be confuted with a pebble.’ R. Coke, _Justice Vind._ (1660) 15: ‘to be confuted with clubs and hissing.’