a third Th. Dekker "P. and Q."

[Stephen Goranson]

The two earliest quotations in OED "P's and Q's, n." Draft Revision March 2009
are from Thomas Dekker. Here's a third.

Thomas Dekker. Match Me in London. (published 1631 but apparently written many
years earlier)
Act 2 Scene 1

A shop opened, Enter Bilbo and Lazarillo.
....
[Gallants enter, no sale, and exit]
Laz. Their powder is dankish and will not take fire.
Bilbo. Reach that paper of gloves, what marke is't?
Laz. P. and Q.
Enter Malevento.
Bilbo. P. and Q., chafe these, chafe, chafe, here's a world to make
Shopkeepers
chafe.

Stephen Goranson
http://www.duke.edu/~goranson

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