Cambyses, hero of a bombastic tragedy

can, to know, be skilled in

canary, lively dance, light sweet wine

cantle, segment

canvass, toss (as in a blanket)

capable, able to receive, feel, or understand

capacity, understanding

cap-à-pie, from head to foot

capitulate, specify terms

captious, capacious

carbonado, meat scored across for cooking

carcanet, necklace

card, playing card, compass card; mix, debase

carl, carlot, peasant

carnation, flesh-colour

carrack, galleon

carriage, ability to bear

carve, cut, shape, invite with look and gesture

case, vagina

cast, throw of dice, tinge, founding; to throw, vomit; reckon, add

casual, accidental, subject to accident

cataplasm, poultice

catastrophe, outcome, end, rear

cater, purchaser of household supplies

caterpillar, extortioner, parasite

cates, food, delicacies

catling, catgut string

cautel, trick, deceit

cautelous, deceitful

censure, judgement, blame; judge, estimate

centre, centre of the earth or the universe

Cerberus, three-headed dog of the underworld

cerecloth, cerements, winding-sheet

ceremonious, punctilious about ritual

Ceres, goddess of agriculture

certain, fixed

cess, death; out of all cess, beyond all measure

challenge, claim, accuse

chamber-lye, urine

chamblet, light fabric

champaign, open country

changeling, waverer

chape, sheath

chapman, merchant, customer

chaps, jaws

character, writing, hand-writing; to write

charactery, writing

charneco, Portuguese wine

Charon, ferryman of the underworld

chaudron, entrails

cheapen, bargain, bid for

cheater, officer appointed to look after property forfeited to the king

check, rebuke

cheerly, cheerfully

cherry-pit, game of throwing cherry stones into a little hole

cheverel, kid leather, pliant and easily stretched

child, baby girl, youth of noble birth

childing, fertile

chopine, shoe with high platform-sole

cicatrice, scar, impression

cinquepace, lively dance

cipher, zero, nought; to express, decipher

cittern, wire-stringed instrument

civil, of the city, well-ordered

clack-dish, begging bowl

clapperclaw, maul, thrash

cleave, attach themselves

clepe, call

clerk, scholar

clew, ball of thread

climate, region, dwell

cling, shrivel

clinquant, glittering

clip, embrace

closure, bound, enelnaure, conclusion

clown, rustic, jester

clyster, enema

cockney, milksop, squeamish or affected woman

cod, testicle

codpiece, bag-shaped flap on breeches, covering the genitals, tied with laces, often embroidered and padded

coffin, pastry case

cog, cheat, flatter

coign, corner-stone, corner

coil, noisy disturbance, fuss, trouble

Colbrand, legendary Danish giant

collection, inference, understanding

collied, darkened

collop, slice, offspring

colour, pretext, excuse

colours, military ensigns

colt, young fool; to make a fool of; to have sexual intercourse with

co-mart, agreement, bargain

commodity, commercial privileges, expediency, advantage, consignment

companion, knave

comparative, proportionate, full of comparisons; one who assumes equality

competitor, associate, partner

complexion, bodily habit or constitution, temperament, appearance, colour

complot, conspiracy

composition, consistency, agreement

con, learn by heart

conceit, idea, device, apprehension, understanding, opinion, judgement, fancy, imagination, fancy trifle; to think, estimate

conceited, full of imagination, ingenious, having a certain opinion

conclusion, experiment, riddle

condolement, mourning

conference, conversation, talk, discussion

confiner, inhabitant

congree, harmonize

conscience, knowledge, understanding, scruple

conscionable, ruled by conscience

consign, agree, yield up possession

consist, insist

conspectuity, sight

contain, keep

continent, container, sum; restrained, temperate

controller, detractor

convenience, fitness, advantage

convent, convene, summon

conversation, intercourse, behaviour

convert, turn, change

convey, lead away, carry

conveyance, underhand dealing

convince, overcome

convive, feast together

convoy, means of conveyance

cony, rabbit

cony-catch, cheat

copatain, highcrowned

cope, sky; have to do with, encounter, recompense

copped, peaked

copy, original; subject matter, copyholdtenure

coranto, a dance

Corinthian, reveller

corky, withered

Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi, model of Roman motherhood

cornett, a brass instrument, capable of great brilliance

cornuto, cuckold, deceived husband

corollary, surplus

costard, an apple; the head

cote, cottage; pass by

cotquean, ‘old woman’, man who interferes in housekeeping

couch, hide, lie hidden, make crouch

counsel, secret, secret purpose or thought

Counter, debtors’ prison

counterpoint, quilt, counterpane

countervail, equal, counter-balance

court-cupboard, sideboard

cousin, nephew, kinsman, relative

cowl-staff, pole on which a ‘cowl’ (or basket) is carried

coxcomb, fool’s cap, fool, head

coy, scorn, stroke

cozen, cheat

cozier, cobbler

crackhemp, gallows-bird, one born (or deserving) to be hanged

crank, twist; wind

crant, wreath

crare, small trading vessel

crave, require

craze, break

credent, believing, credible

credit, credibility, reputation, report

crestfallen, humbled, abased

cresset, fire-basket, torch

cricket, low stool

crow-keeper, one employed to drive away crows

crusado, Portuguese coin

cry, pack of hounds; yelp in following scent

cubiculo, bedroom

cullion, testicle (term of abuse)

culverin, large cannon

cunning, knowledge, skill; ingenious

Cupid, god of love, son of Venus and Mars (or Mercury), usually thought of as a boy armed with bow and arrows

curate, parish priest

curiosity, exactness, over-scrupulousness, delicacy

curious, anxious, needing care, fastidious, difficult to please, delicate, beautifully made; delicately

curst, shrewish, cross, cantankerous, malignant, fierce

curtal, having the tail docked

curtal-axe, cutlass