Henry IV, Part 1

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Henry IV, Part 1 Page 23

by William Shakespeare


  66 no lean wardrobe i.e. no small amount (because hangings were common;

  wardrobe may pun on “wardrope,” a type of thick rope

  gib cat tom cat?

  67 lugged bear baited bear, pulled by the ears and tugged on a chain

  68 lute the stringed instrument was associated with lovers

  69 bagpipe musical instrument/tedious, moaning speaker

  70 hare a proverbially melancholy animal

  71 Moorditch notoriously filthy drainage ditch outside the northern walls of the City of London

  73 comparative prone to making comparisons

  rascalli’st most rascal-like

  74 vanity foolishness, trifles

  75 commodity supply

  names reputations

  76 rated scolded

  77 marked him not took no notice of him

  80 no…it biblical allusion, “Wisdom crieth without…and no man regarded” (Proverbs 1:20–4), truncated in Folio because of the 1606 Parliamentary “Act to restrain the Abuses of Players”

  81 damnable iteration a way of constantly quoting Scripture that will lead to damnation

  82 saint puritan term for a person chosen by God to be saved

  86 An if

  87 never a no

  88 Jack affectionate form of “John”

  89 make one make up one of the party

  90 baffle publicly disgrace (a knight) me.

  91 amendment reformation

  93 vocation calling (from God)

  95 Gadshill named after Gad’s Hill in Kent, a notorious place for highway robberies

  set a watch surveyed the targeted area, conducted a recce (as part of planning a robbery; some editors emend to “set a match”—slang for “plan a robbery”

  saved by merit had their souls saved through good works and personal desert (as opposed to divine grace)

  97 omnipotent unparalleled, almighty

  ‘Stand’ stand and deliver—highwayman’s command

  true honest

  100 Monsieur Remorse teasing reference to Falstaff

  101 Sir…Jack i.e. Falstaff; another mocking reference, apparently alluding to Falstaff’s taste for sweetened wine

  103 Good Friday the Friday before Easter Sunday, a strict fast day

  Madeira a strong white wine

  107 give…due proverbial

  110 Else he had Otherwise he had been

  cozening cheating

  112 Gad’s Hill the notorious spot for robberies was situated on the Dover road near

  Rochester in Kent; pilgrims traveling to

  Canterbury were often targets

  114 vizards masks

  115 lies lodges

  bespoke ordered

  116 Eastcheap London street running from the junction of Cannon and Gracechurch streets to Great Tower Street

  secure safely

  117 crowns gold coins

  118 tarry stay

  119 Yedward dialect form of “Edward”

  120 hang you i.e. report it and get you hanged

  121 chops fat cheeks

  125 blood royal regal descent (Falstaff goes on to play on the sense of “gold coin worth

  ten shillings”)

  126 stand for stand and fight for/be worth

  135 Well…believed Falstaff parodies the language of a Protestant sermon on the power of God’s word to move the congregation

  138 abuses wrongdoings, sins

  139 want countenance lack recognition and support

  141 latter…summer late spring and summer lasting until All Hallows’ Eve (31 October); the suggestion is that Falstaff’s youthful behavior is not in keeping with his age!

  146 waylaid set an ambush for

  152 pleasure preference, decision

  fail i.e. to turn up

  155 like likely

  156 habits clothes

  appointment piece of gear

  160 sirrah sir (familiar form often used to inferiors, jocular here

  cases of buckram suits of coarse cloth

  nonce purpose, occasion

  immask disguise

  161 noted well-known

  162 doubt fear

  hard tough, powerful

  164 turned back turned their backs to flee

  165 forswear swear to give up

  166 incomprehensible boundless, unlimited

  168 wards defensive maneuvers (fencing term)

  169 reproof disproving, refutation/shame, reprimand

  173 sup have supper (the last meal of the day)

  175 uphold carry on with/support

  176 unyoked humour unrestrained behavior, wild whim

  177 sun common symbol of royalty

  178 contagious noxious, infectious;

  clouds were thought to harbor disease

  181 wanted missed, lacked

  185 sport play, entertain oneself

  187 rare accidents unusual events

  191 falsify men’s hopes prove expectations of me false

  192 sullen ground dark background

  195 foil contrast, background (technically, setting for a jewel)

  196 so offend misbehave in such a way

  skill art/cunning tactic

  197 Redeeming time making up for lost time

  Redeeming has religious connotations)

  1 temperate calm, restrained

  2 Unapt not inclined or ready to

  3 found me found me to be so

  4 tread upon try, take advantage of

  5 myself my royal self

  6 condition natural disposition

  8 title of claim to

  9 proud fine, splendid, possessed of self-respect

  10 house family

  11 scourge punishing whip

  13 holp helped

  portly prosperous, majestic/overweight, too comfortable

  17 peremptory determined/imperious

  19 moody frontier threatening look

  frontier literally, military fortification

  20 good leave full permission

  21 use services

  26 with…denied refused so emphatically

  27 delivered reported

  28 envy or misprision malice or misunderstanding

  32 dry with rage thirsty after the fury of battle

  34 neat elegant

  trimly finely, immaculately

  35 new reaped freshly shaven

  36 stubble-land at harvest-home shorn stalks of crops at the end of the harvest

  37 milliner seller of fancy goods (originally those from Milan)

  39 pouncet-box small box with a perforated lid, used for holding perfume or snuff

  ever and anon time and again

  40 gave held up to

  41 Who therewith angry at which (removal of the box) his nose became angry

  42 Took…snuff inhaled/took offense

  still continually

  44 untaught ignorant, ill-mannered

  45 slovenly dirty, untidy

  unhandsome unattractive, unbecoming

  46 nobility elegant, aristocratic personage

  47 holiday…terms refined, genteel expressions

  48 questioned conversed with/asked questions of

  50 cold untended/congealing

  51 popinjay parrot (i.e. gaudy prattler)

  53 neglectingly unthinkingly, carelessly

  55 brisk sprucely, smartly

  56 waiting-gentlewoman woman of good family attending on a great lady

  57 God…mark! conventional expression of apology

  58 sovereign’st best, most healing

  59 parmaceti corruption of “spermaceti”—fat from the head of a sperm whale, used for treating bruises

  61 saltpetre potassium nitrate, the chief ingredient of gunpowder, also used medicinally

  63 tall fine, valiant

  66 bald unjointed chat empty, incoherent chatter

  67 indirectly inattentively

  68 beseech beg

  69 Come current be accepted at face
value

  74 retold related, explained

  75 die i.e. be forgotten

  76 impeach discredit, accuse

  77 so provided that

  78 yet he still Hotspur (the king does not reply to him directly

  deny refuse (to hand over)

  79 proviso and exception terms and conditions

  80 charge expense

  straight straightaway

  85 Earl of March i.e.

  Mortimer; in fact, Shakespeare confuses two Edmund Mortimers: one was indeed the Earl of March, but it was his uncle of the same name who married Glendower’s daughter

  86 coffers money chests, treasury

  88 indent make a contract

  fears those traitors who give us cause for fear/cowards

  93 revolted rebellious

  95 fall off abandon loyalty

  98 mouthèd open, gaping/famous, spoken of

  99 Severn’s sedgy bank reed-covered bank of the River Severn, which divided England and south Wales

  101 confound spend, consume

  102 changing hardiment exchanging valiant blows

  103 breathed broke off to catch their breath

  104 Upon agreement by mutual consent

  flood water, torrent

  105 affrighted frightened

  107 crisp wavy, rippled (personifies the river as curly-haired

  hollow empty, sunken

  109 base…policy lowly and corrupt plotting

  110 Colour disguise/dye

  113 slandered “sland’red” in Folio

  revolt i.e. the accusation of being a rebel

  114 belie misrepresent, lie about

  115 encounter fight

  116 durst (would have) dared

  121 kind manner

  123 license formally authorize

  125 An if if

  126 after follow

  128 with hazard of at the risk (of losing)

  129 choler anger

  133 Want mercy lack God’s mercy, i.e. be damned

  136 downfall downfallen

  138 ingrate ungrateful

  cankered diseased, corrupted

  Bullingbrook Henry’s surname before he was king (taken from the castle in which he was born—Hotspur refuses to acknowledge Henry’s royal status)

  140 heat anger

  141 forsooth in truth

  142 urged pressed, brought forward

  144 eye of death fearful look, perhaps also threatening

  146 he i.e. Mortimer

  147 Richard Richard II, deposed by Henry

  next of blood nearest blood relation, i.e. heir to the throne; confusion between the two Mortimers continues—it was in fact the younger man who was proclaimed heir, rather than his uncle (husband of Glendower’s daughter and the man who is meant here)

  149 unhappy unfortunate

  150 in us i.e. at our hands—the Percy family had supported Henry against Richard

  152 intercepted interrupted (in the middle of his Irish campaign)

  156 soft wait a moment

  157 brother brother-in-law

  160 cousin may pun on “cozen” (i.e. “cheat”)

  164 blot (moral) stain

  165 subornation incitement (to Richard’s murder)

  167 second means agents, instruments

  170 line status (plays on the sense of “rope”

  predicament category/dangerous situation

  171 range move/are ranked

  subtle crafty

  175 gage pledge

  178 canker wild rose/worm that destroys plants/ulcer

  180 fooled made fools of/duped, frustrated

  186 studies reflects, plans, endeavors

  187 answer repay

  191 unclasp i.e. open

  192 quick-conceiving ready, quick to understand

  193 deep deep-rooted/grave/cunning

  195 o’er-walk cross

  196 unsteadfast unsteady

  spear i.e. used as a bridge

  197 goodnight i.e. he’s dead

  or…swim whether he sinks or swims/he’ll either sink or swim

  199 So provided

  cross meet/thwart, oppose

  207 fathom-line weighted line used for measuring the depth of water

  209 redeem rescue, restore

  thence from there

  210 corrival rival, competitor

  211 out upon away with

  half-faced fellowship partial, unsatisfactory partnership

  212 apprehends conceives of, perceives

  figures images/forms/figures of speech

  213 form essential principle

  attend consider

  214 list listen

  215 cry you mercy beg your pardon

  219 Scot puns on the sense of “small payment”

  229 holla shout

  232 still constantly

  234 defy renounce

  235 gall and pinch irritate and torment

  236 sword-and-buckler weapons associated with servants; a gentleman carried rapier and dagger

  buckler small shield

  237 But that were it not for the fact that

  238 mischance accident

  241 better…attend in the right frame of mind to listen

  244 Tying…own listening to no one but yourself

  246 pismires ants

  247 politician crafty plotter

  250 duke his uncle i.e. Edmund of Langley, Duke of York

  kept lived

  253 Ravenspurgh Spurn Head on the Yorkshire coast

  254 Berkeley Castle a castle in Gloucestershire, near Bristol

  256 candy deal sickly sweet (flattering) quantity

  258 Look when wait for the time when, as soon as

  infant…age i.e. I come into my inheritance

  260 cozeners deceivers (puns on “cousin”)

  263 stay await

  264 sooth truth

  267 the Douglas’ son i.e. Mordake

  mean For powers agent or means of raising an army

  268 divers various

  272 bosom i.e. confidence, trust

  273 prelate church dignitary

  276 bears hard takes badly

  277 Lord Scroop William Scroop, Earl of Wiltshire, executed by Bullingbrook in 1399; in fact the archbishop’s cousin

  278 estimation guessing,

  281 stays waits

  face…occasion i.e. opportunity

  283 smell it catch the scent, as in hunting

  285 Before…slip you always release the dogs before the prey has been sighted

  287 power army

  290 aimed devised, directed

  292 head army

  293 even steadily, patiently

  296 pay us home repay us in full/administer a fatal blow

  302 suddenly soon

  303 steal go secretly

  304 at once all at the same time

  305 happily fortunately

  310 fields battlefields

  1 by the day in the morning

  2 Charles’ wain Charlemagne’s wagon, old name for the constellation of the Plow

  3 packed loaded

  ostler groom at an inn

  4 Anon soon, in a moment

  5 Tom presumably the Second Carrier, though possibly the Ostler

  beat Cut’s saddle beating a saddle would soften it; Cut is the horse’s name

  flocks tufts of wool (for padding)

  6 point pommel of saddle

  jade worn-out old horse

  wrung…withers rubbed sore between the shoulders

  out…cess beyond measure

  8 Peas and beans i.e. horses’ food

  dank…dog damp

  9 bots intestinal worms

  house inn

  11 joyed was happy

  14 tench freshwater fish with spots said to resemble fleabites

  17 first cock first cockcrow, midnight

  18 jordan chamber pot

  19 leak urinate

  chimney fireplace

  cham
ber-lye urine

  20 loach small freshwater fish, thought to harbor

  fleas

  21 Come away come along

  23 gammon of bacon ham

  razes either “races” (roots) or “rasers” (a measure amounting to four bushels)

  24 Charing Cross village between London and Westminster, site of a market

  25 pannier one of a pair of baskets

  27 An…thee if cracking your skull were not as good a thing as drinking

  29 Hast have you

  faith honesty, trustworthiness

  31 two o’clock either an error, since the First Carrier earlier said that he thought it was four o’clock, or a lie to mislead Gadshill (who may have aroused suspicion)

  32 gelding castrated horse

  34 I know…that i.e. I’m not so stupid as to fall for such an old trick

  37 Ay…tell? What time is it? Do you know? (repeating Gadshill’s earlier request); or proverbial phrase meaning “you must be joking”

  38 quoth a did you say

  41 Time…candle i.e. sometime tonight

  42 warrant assure

  neighbour Mugs i.e. the First Carrier;

  neighbour is a friendly form of address

  call wake

  43 along…charge want to travel in a group because they’re carrying valuable goods

  Chamberlain inn attendant in charge of the bedrooms

  46 At…pick-purse I’m ready, as the pickpocket says

  47 That’s…fair as i.e. you might as well have said

  49 giving…labouring giving orders does from working

  50 lay’st…how devise the plan, direct the thief

  51 current movement, onward flow

  heady violent, swiftly moving

  52 franklin small landowner

  wild of Kent Kentish weald, wooded country between the North and South Downs of southern England

  55 auditor treasury official

  abundance of charge a lot of baggage

  56 eggs and butter i.e. breakfast

  57 presently immediately

  58 Saint Nicholas’ clerks thieves, highwaymen;

  Saint Nicholas was supposedly their patron saint

  65 starveling skinny, starving person

  66 Trojans fine fellows (slang

  the which who

  67 profession i.e. of robbery

  69 make all whole put everything right, sort things out

  foot-land rakers thieves who operate on foot (as opposed to on a horse)

  70 long-staff sixpenny strikers thieves who, merely to steal sixpence, strike their victims with a long stick

  mustachio purple-hued malt-worms purple-faced drunkards with large mustaches

  71 tranquillity those living a peaceful life

  72 burgomasters town officials

  oneyers exact meaning uncertain, perhaps “ones,” i.e.

  great personages

  hold in hold firm/keep silent

  75 commonwealth nation

 

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