[A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny]
This passage, I believe, means no more than that Don Armado was a
man nicely versed in ceremonial distinctions, one who could distinguish
in the most delicate questions of honour the exact boundaries
of right and wrong. _Compliment_, in Shakespeare's time, did
not signify, at least did not only signify verbal civility, or
phrases of courtesy, but according to its original meaning, the
trapping, or ornamental appendages of a character, in the same
manner, and on the same principles of speech with _accomplishment.
Compliment_ is, as Arwado well expresses it, _the varnish of a
complete man_.
I.i.174 (350,6) [in the world's debate] The _world_ seems to be used in
a monastick sense by the king, now devoted for a time to a monastic
life. _In the world, in seculo_, in the bustle of human affairs,
from which we are now happily sequestred, _in the world_, to which
the votaries of solitude have no relation.
I.i.252 (353,1) [_base minow of thy mirth_] A _minnow_ is a little fish
which cannot be intended here. We may read, _the base_ minion _of
thy mirth_.
I.ii.5 (355,2) [dear imp] _Imp_ was anciently a term of dignity. Lord
Cromwell in his last letter to Henry VIII. prays for _the_ imp _his
son_. It is now used only in contempt or abhorrence; perhaps in
our authour's time it was ambiguous, in which state it suits well
with this dialogue.
I.ii.36 (356,3) [crosses love not him] By _crosses_ he means money. So
in As you like it, the Clown says to Celia, _if I should bear you,
I should bear no cross_.
I.ii.150 (360,7) [_Jaq_. Fair weather after you!
_Dull_. Come, Jaquenetta, away]
[Theobald had reassigned two speeches] Mr. Theobald has endeavoured
here to dignify his own industry by a very slight performance.
The folios all read as he reads, except that instead of
naming the persons they give their characters, enter _Clown,
Constable, and Wench_.
I.ii.168 (361,8) [It is not for prisoners to be silent in their words]
I suppose we should read, it is not for prisoners to be silent in
their _wards_, that is, in _custody_, in the _holds_.
I.ii.183 (361,9) [The first and second cause will not serve my turn]
See the last act of As you like it, with the notes.