II. vii. 44. my only suit. A pun on the two meanings 'my only request' and 'the only dress for me.'
II. vii. 73. weary very. A satisfactory paraphrase has not as yet been made. The general idea seems to be: 'pride flows in as vast a stream as the sea until its very sources begin to ebb—i.e., exhaust themselves.' The line is probably corrupt.
II. vii. 79—82. I.e., 'or who is he of lowest office, or employment, that says his fine clothes are not at my expense, thinking I mean him, but by so saying fits his folly to the substance of my speech?'
II. vii. 96. inland. To be 'inland bred' was to be educated among cultured surroundings, not among 'outlanders' (foreigners) nor 'uplanders' (peasants).
II. vii. 139. All . . . stage. The phrase goes back to classical antiquity and had appeared in English drama before Shakespeare's day.
II. vii. 143. seven ages. This seems to have been a common number into which to divide the life of man. Seven was itself a mystic number.
II. vii. 154. capon. Hales states that the present of a capon was a common method employed to temper the decision of the justice.
II. vii. 158. pantaloon. A foolish old man who was a stock character in the Italian commedia dell'arte. He appeared usually with slippers, spectacles on nose and hobbled on a cane.
II. vii. 167. venerable burden. There is a tradition, not well authenticated, that Shakespeare himself played the part of Adam and, in this role, was borne upon the stage on another man's back.
III. i. 6. candle. Probably a reference to Luke 15. 8. 'Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?' (Steevens).
