the Cross Keys a real inn from the seventeenth century where coaches coming into London from the provinces would stop.
Little Britain street north of St. Paul's Cathedral with many law offices because of its proximity to the criminal courts.
hackney-coachman a hackney coach-driver. A hackney coach would be similar to a modern taxi in that you would hire it to take you somewhere, unlike the coaches coming into London from the provinces, which stopped at only certain stations or inns.
equipage a carriage, especially one with horses and liveried servants.
Smithfield a large, open square that was London's main cattle-market until 1852.
Bartholomew Close a narrow street near Bartholomew Church in the Smithfield area.
all otherth ith Cag-Maggerth cagmag is garbage, like rotting flesh, and this comment indicates that the speaker considers all other lawyers useless compared to Jaggers.
like the Bull in Cock Robin pulling at the bell rope a nursery-rhyme reference about a bullfinch offering to toll the bell at Cock Robin's funeral. Here, the man speaking to Jaggers is pulling at a lock of his hair, often done by a country person as a sign of respect to a member of the gentry.
outrunning the constable spending more money than you make.
mourning rings A custom at the time was to bequeath money to friends or relatives so that they could buy a ring to remember one by, usually inscribed with the initials of the deceased.
pottle a small basket. It can also be a pot or tankard capable of holding a pottle or half gallon of liquid. In this case, Herbert is carrying a pottle of strawberries, so the basket reference is probably the correct one.
bad courtier A courtier, originally an attendant at a royal court, refers here to someone who is adept at using flattery to get something or to win favor. Herbert's father is a bad courtier with Miss Havisham in that he does not flatter her but speaks the truth whether she likes it or not.
propitiate to appease someone.
the Harmonious Blacksmith a piece of music by G. F. Handel (1685–1759) that was supposedly based on a blacksmith's song that the composer overheard.
counting-house a building or office in which a firm keeps records, handles correspondence, and so on.
went upon @'Change the floor of the Royal Exchange—the London Stock Market. Lloyd's, a marine insurance business at the time, operated from this building.
fluey dusty.
