Alexander Dyce, A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works

bill a sort of pike or halbert, or rather a kind of battle-axe affixed to a long staff, formerly carried by the English infantry, and afterwards the usual weapon of watchmen ( “Bills—these long-popular weapons of the foot-soldier —were constructed to thrust at mounted men, or cut and damage their horse-furniture; sometimes they were provided with a side-hook to seize a bridle.” FAIRHOLT) : “Take thou the bill give me thy mete-yard,” THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, iv. 3. 148 (with a quibble); “my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown bill,” 2 HENRY VI., iv. 10. 12 ; “have a care that your bills be not stolen,” MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, iii. 3. 38 ; “a goodly commodity, being taken up of these men's bills” MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, iii. 3. 163 (with a quibble both on taken up,—see take up,—and on bills); “manage rusty bills,” RICHARD II., iii. 2. 118 ; “take up commodities upon our bills” 2 HENRY VI., iv. 7. 120 (with a quibble); “our bills. Tim.” “Knock me down with 'em: cleave me to the girdle,” TIMON OF ATHENS, iii. 4. 89 (with a quibble); “Bring up the brown bills,” KING LEAR, iv. 6. 91.