Alexander Dyce, A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works

fool —“Poor,” a sort of term of endearment: “I thank it, poor fool,” MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, ii. 1. 282 ; “Alas, poor fool,” TWELFTH NIGHT, v. 1. 356 ; “my poor fool is hang'd!” KING LEAR, v. 3. 305 (that is, Cordelia); “poor venomous fool,” ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, v. 2. 303 ; “The poor fool,” VENUS AND ADONIS, 578 ; “the poor dappled fools,” AS YOU LIKE IT, ii. 1. 22 ; “the poor fools,” 3 HENRY VI., ii. 5. 36. (With poor dappled fools compare “Then he stroking once or twice his prettie goate [which hee yet held fast by the hornes] said thus, Lie downe, pide foole, by me, for we shall haue time enough to returne home againe.” Shelton's transl. of Don Quixote, Part First, p. 556, ed. 1612 .)