Alexander Dyce, A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works

brach — “The deep-mouth'd,” THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, Induction, 1. 16 ; “Lady, my brach,” 1 HENRY IV., iii. 1. 237 ; “Achilles' brach” TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, ii. 1. 110 (on which expression see note) ( “brooch,” Cambridge ); “Lady, the brach,” KING LEAR, i. 4. 111 ; “spaniel, brach, or lym,” KING LEAR, iii. 6. 68. “Brach. From the French brac or braque, or the German bract, a scenting dog: a lurcher, or beagle; or any fine-nosed hound. Spelman's Glossary. Used also, by corruption, for a bitch, probably from similarity of sound; and because, on certain occasions, it was convenient to have a term less coarse in common estimation than the plain one. See Du Cange in Bracco. The following account shows the last-mentioned corruption: ‘There are in England and Scotland two kinds of hunting-dogs, and no where else in the world: the first kind is called ane rache (Scotch), and this is a foot-scenting creature, both of wild beasts, birds, and fishes also, which lie hid among the rocks: the female thereof in England is called a brache. A brach is a mannerly name for all houndbitches.’ Gentleman's Recreation, p. 27, 8vo.” Nares's Gloss. “Brach. The kennel term for a bitch-hound.” Gifford's note on Ford's Works, vol. i. p. 22.