The Oxford Shakespeare: Henry IV, Part 2 (Oxford World's Classics)

by William Shakespeare

  98 divination prophecy, intuition

  100 doing ... wrong i.e. by telling me that I'm mistaken (a servant should not contradict his master) 101 gainsaid contradicted

  102 spirit instinct, intelligence

  105 hold'st maintain, believe

  108 belie slander

  111 losing office profitless task

  112 sullen mournful

  113 knolling ringing the funeral bell for

  116 would wish

  118 quittance repayment (of blows)

  out-breathed breathless

  120 never-daunted never overcome with fear

  122 In few in short

  124 bruited reported

  125 best tempered of finest quality, most hardened (literally refers to the treating of a sword to give it strength and resilience) 126 mettle character, courage plays on "metal"

  steeled hardened, literally overlaid with steel

  127 abated blunted/diminished

  130 Upon enforcement under compulsion, with force applied 131 heavy in weighed down/saddened by

  132 Lend...fear i.e. despite the weight of their loss, fear made them light 135 Worcester Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester, Northumberland's brother 137 well-labouring hard-working

  138 th'appearance...king several men, including Sir Walter Blunt and the Earl of Stafford, had been dressed like the king to act as decoys on the battlefield 139'Gan...stomach began to lessen his courage

  grace...backs i.e. Douglas joined those fleeing the battle

  grace dignify, sanction

  143 power armed force

  encounter meet in battle

  144 Lancaster Prince John (so called because he was born in Lancaster) 145 at in

  147 physic medicine

  148 Having...well i.e. had I been healthy this bad news would have made me ill; being ill, it has gone some way toward giving me strength 152 Impatient...fit unable to endure his attack of fever 153 keeper nurse

  154 Weakened "weak'ned" in Folio, perhaps playing on "weak-kneed"

  155 nice effeminate, unmanly

  156 scaly gauntlet armored glove covered with plates of steel, giving it the appearance of scales 157 coif nightcap

  158 wanton self-indulgent, effeminate

  159 fleshed made eager after having their appetites whetted (as hunting dogs are fed raw meat to excite them) 161 ragged'st roughest, harshest

  166 contention strife

  ling'ring act painfully protracted struggle/drawn-out part of a play

  167 Cain son of Adam and Eve who in killing his brother Abel became the world's first murderer 169 rude violent/unpolished

  172 complices confederates, supporters

  173 give o'er give way, give in

  174 passion outburst of emotion

  perforce necessarily

  175 cast th'event calculated the likely outcome

  176 summed added up

  177 make head raise an army

  presurmise suspicion beforehand

  178 dole dealing out (may play on "dole," i.e. sorrow) drop fall, die

  179 edge i.e. narrow bridge/sword-edge

  181 advised aware

  capable Of susceptible to

  182 forward eager, adventurous, rash

  183 trade of trafficking in

  ranged was positioned

  185 apprehended anticipated/feared

  186 stiff-borne proudly, stubbornly carried

  188 like likely

  189 engaged to involved in

  191 if...one the odds of coming out alive were ten to one 193 respect consideration

  194 o'erset overcome

  195 all put forth all set out (as if going to sea)/stake everything 196'Tis...time i.e. we shouldn't delay

  198 gentle wellborn

  up prepared for battle

  199 well-appointed powers well-equipped forces

  200 double surety i.e. as he has both spiritual and temporal authority 201 corpse bodies (not the souls)

  202 But mere

  205 queasiness uncertainty, reluctance

  206 As...potions like men who drink medicine

  210 religion i.e. a religious cause

  211 Supposedknown to be

  213 enlarge his rising fortify, justify his uprising

  with...stones by recalling the murder of Richard II at Pomfret (Pontefract) Castle; Richard had been usurped by his cousin, Henry Bullingbrook, now Henry IV

  216 bestride stand over

  217 Bullingbrook i.e. Henry IV

  218 more and less those of both high and low rank

  222 aptest best, readiest

  223 posts messengers

  1 Sirrah sir (used to social inferiors)

  giant ironic since the Page is a boy

  2 water urine

  3 owed owned

  4 knew for was aware of

  5 gird at taunt

  6 foolish-compounded made up of folly

  10 o'erwhelmed squashed with her bulk

  11 set me off display me to my best advantage; perhaps plays on "make me appear ridiculous"

  12 whoreson bastard (son of a whore)

  mandrake poisonous plant whose forked root made it resemble the human form 14 manned with attended by

  agate diminutive person, an allusion to the tiny figures cut in the agate stones that appeared in rings 15 send...jewel Falstaff jokingly threatens to return the page to the prince as an ornament 16 juvenal youth (puns on first syllable of "jewel")

  17 fledged covered with down, i.e. he hasn't got a beard 19 stick hesitate

  20 face-royal majestic face (royal plays on the sense of "coin with the king's face on it") 21 amiss out of place

  a barber...it no barber could charge sixpence to shave a beardless face

  23 writ called himself

  24 grace term of address to a prince/favor

  25 Dombledon a name probably derived from "dommel" or "dummel," i.e. dummy, stupid 26 slops loose baggy breeches

  27 assurance financial guarantee

  28 Bardolph Falstaff's follower is unrelated to the rebel lord of the same name 30 Let...hotter! refers to the biblical parable of Dives and Lazarus in which the rich Dives refused food to the poor leper Lazarus, and was condemned to hell where he begged for water to cool his tongue; gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins 31 Achitophel an adviser to King David who betrayed him; Old Testament equivalent to Judas Iscariot yea-forsooth obsequious, like a tradesman who affects propriety by using mild oaths 32 bear...hand lead a man on

  stand insist

  33 smooth-pates men with short hair, an image associated with puritan tradesmen 34 high high-heeled, suggestive of pride

  girdles belts; the

  keys signify the men's showy self-importance

  35 through...up has agreed an honest and straightforward purchase with them 36 lief soon, willingly

  37 ratsbane rat poison

  38 looked expected

  40 horn of abundance cornucopia or horn of plenty, i.e. lots of wealth (plays on the notion of the horns supposedly sprouted by cuckolds, i.e. men with unfaithful wives) 41 lightness light/sexual promiscuity

  42 lanthorn lantern (continues play on "horn")

  44 Smithfield area in the City of London with a horse and cattle market; of poor reputation 46 Paul's St. Paul's Cathedral; the aisle served as a place for servants to seek new masters 47 stews brothels

  49 nobleman...Bardolph according to an apocryphal tale, the prince was expelled from the King's Privy Council for hitting the Lord Chief Justice, an episode also referred to in 1 Henry IV, Act 3 Scene 2

  committed imprisoned

  51 close stay close/stay out of sight

  not see him avoid him/pretend I have not seen him

  53 an't if it

  54 in question for suspected of/was questioned about

  55 good servicein 1 Henry IV Falstaff claimed the credit for killing Hotspur, although Prince Henry had in fact done so 56 charge military command

  65 A...wars? Falstaff pretends
to think the servant is begging rather than undertaking proper employment 67 want lack

  69 were...make it although it's hard to say what could be worse than rebellion 72 Setting...aside disregarding my honor as a knight and soldier (which signifies I couldn't lie) 73 in my throat outrageously

  79 grows to belongs to, is an integral part of

  80 hunt counter one on the wrong track (hunting term: following the wrong scent); conceivably "one asking to go to prison (the counter)"

  81 Avaunt! Be off!

  85 abroad out of doors

  86 by advice with the doctor's permission

  88 smack hint, taste

  relish flavor, taste

  89 saltness artificially preserved vitality of youth (salt is used to preserve meat) 90 reverend respectful

  98 apoplexy illness causing paralysis

  103 What why

  104 it original its origin

  106 Galen famous second-century Greek physician

  111 marking paying attention

  withal with

  112 punish...heels i.e. shackle your ankles, or put you in the stocks 114 Job biblical character who lost all his wealth but bore his ill luck with patience 116 in...poverty i.e. because I am too poor to pay a fine how why, in what way

  117 wise...itself a wise person might question

  dram unit of weight/small measure of medicine

  118 scruple third of a dram/doubt

  119 matters...life charges laid against you that are punishable by the death penalty 122 land-service military service, which meant one could not be summoned to answer a civil charge; also a euphemistic way of referring to the robbery Falstaff carried out at Gad's Hill (in 1 Henry IV) 125 He...less i.e. one of my large girth cannot be anything but great

  126 means financial resources, income

  waste expenditure (puns on "waist")

  131 I...dog presumably a joke about a fat man being led by his dog; possibly alludes to the full moon, popularly supposed to be inhabited by a man with a dog 133 gall irritate

  135 exploit ... Hill i.e. the robbery at Gad's Hill in Kent in which Falstaff was involved in 1 Henry IV

  136 unquiet disturbed by war

  your...action having that offense quietly passed over

  140 smell a fox be suspicious

  141 better greater, most useful/more virtuous

  143 wassail candle fat candle used at a feast

  tallow animal fat (used in candle making)

  144 wax beeswax (used for high-quality candles; plays on the sense of "growth") approve demonstrate, prove

  146 his its

  147 gravy grease, sweat

  149 angel attendant spirit (Falstaff plays on the sense of "gold coin") 150 light slim, underweight/counterfeit or fraudulently filed/satanic (the devil was originally Lucifer, the angel of light) 151 weighing considering, judging/determining physical weight 152 go pass as currency/walk/ perform sexually

  cannot tell do not know/cannot be counted as a legitimate coin

  153 costermongers barrow-boys, street salesmen; originally sellers of costard apples 154 bear-herd keeper of a performing bear

  pregnancy cleverness, quick-wittedness

  tapster innkeeper, barman

  155 reckonings tavern bills

  156 appertinent belonging

  159 livers considered the seat of the passions

  galls the source of bitterness and anger

  160 vaward vanguard, forefront, early part

  161 wags mischievous fellows

  163 characters letters/characteristics

  164 moist watery, rheumy

  166 broken cracked, weak

  single weak, poor

  167 blasted blighted

  168 Fie expression of shame and indignation

  171 halloing shouting/calling to hunting dogs

  approve prove/commend

  173 caper with dance with/compete in dancing with

  174 marks a mark was worth two thirds of a pound

  have at him expression of defiance: so much for him/let's go for it

  175 For as for

  176 rude violent, unmannerly

  sensible reasonable/capable of physical sensation

  177 checked rebuked

  marry by the Virgin Mary

  178 ashes and sackcloth symbols of repentance

  sack Spanish white wine

  186 I...it either a sarcastic "thank you for reminding me" or implies that the Lord Chief Justice is responsible for the separation look you be sure to

  191 spit white i.e. be healthy (red spittle would result from illness or internal injury) action engagement with the enemy

  194 be honest behave honorably

  197 furnish me forth equip me for the expedition

  199 bear crosses sustain hardships/carry coins (stamped on one side with a cross) 201 fillip strike

  three-man beetle huge sledgehammer requiring three men to lift it

  204 pox venereal disease

  pinches torments

  both the degrees i.e. of age and youth

  208 groats coins worth four old pence

  209 consumption disease (specifically, tuberculosis, which caused victims to waste slowly away) 213 Mistress Ursula not mentioned elsewhere; either an error for Mistress Quickly (Nell) or perhaps Falstaff is involved with another woman 216 pox of plague on

  pox syphilis

  218 halt limp

  colour excuse, pretext

  220 commodity profit, advantage

  1 causes concerns/ matters of legal dispute

  means methods/resources

  4 lord marshal i.e. Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, the son of the man banished by Richard II 5 allow grant

  occasion motive/necessity/opportunity

  arms taking arms

  7 in with

  advance ourselves promote our cause/be so ambitious/make military advances 9 puissance strength, influence

  10 Our...file i.e. our current list of recruited soldiers grows 11 men of choice selected troops

  12 supplies reinforcements

  live...Of rely chiefly on/are greatly increased by the expectation of support from 17 hold up head form a sufficient army

  22 by the hand at hand, ready

  23 theme cause

  bloody-faced violent, bloody (perhaps with additional sense of "shameful") 25 aids incertain uncertain support

  admitted entertained, treated as valid

  27 case situation

  28 lined fortified

  29 Eating the air i.e. feeding on false hopes

  30 project the mental conception, prospect

  power army

  31 Much smaller which turned out to be much smaller

  34 winking with his eyes shut (to reality)

  35 by your leave with your permission (to contradict)

  37 Yes i.e. yes it can hurt

  quality state, condition

  38 instant present

  cause on foot business that is already under way

  41 warrant assurance, grounds for optimism

  39 Lives...them has as little chance of success as early spring buds that are likely to be killed by frosts before they have borne fruit 44 figure design

  45 rate calculate

  46 ability i.e. to pay

  48 offices rooms

  least worst

  53 Consent agree

  54 estate wealth, resources

  55 able...undergo practical it is to undertake the project 56 opposite adverse factors/the resources of the enemy

  57 fortify plays on sense of "strengthen structurally, build"

  figures numbers/designs

  61 o'er up

  cost object of expense, i.e. the building

  62 naked subject exposed, unprotected victim

  63 churlish rough, unkind

  65 now...expectation already have all the men we can expect 71 as...brawl given the present strife

  73 Glendower leader of the Welsh rebels

  perforce of nece
ssity

  74 unfirm insecure/indecisive

  75 coffers money chests, i.e. treasury

  82 Baying hunting, barking at in pursuit like a pack of dogs 83 like likely

  86 substituted delegated

  87 notice information

  89 publish the occasion proclaim the cause

  91 surfeited overindulged and become sick

  92 habitation dwelling

  93 vulgar heart popular, public affection

  94 fond many foolish multitude

  97 trimmed furnished with, adorned/strengthened

  98 Thou i.e. the people

  99 cast vomit

  100 So in the same way

  disgorge vomit up from

  102 eat...up the idea that a

  dog eats its vomit is proverbial (originating in Proverbs 26:11 and 2 Peter 2:22) 112 draw add up/assemble

  Hostess landlady of a tavern

  1 Master Quickly errs in using an overly respectful title for a mere constable entered the action begun the lawsuit

  3 yeoman police officer's assistant

  lusty strong, vigorous/lustful

  4 stand to it be up to the task/get an erection

  9 entered brought a lawsuit against

  12 stabbed hurt (financially; plays on sense of "penetrated sexually"

  13 house inn (plays on sense of "vagina")

  14 weapon with phallic connotations

  foin lunge, thrust with a weapon (sexual connotations, continued in thrust) 16 close grapple, fight (plays on sense of "embrace sexually") 18 fist punch (plays on the sense of "masturbate")

  come plays on sense of "have an orgasm"

  19 vice grip

  20 undone ruined (financially/sexually, in terms of reputation) going plays on the sense of "sexual activity"

  warrant assure you

  21 infinitive malapropism for "infinite"

  thing with phallic connotations

  score tavern bill, accounts

  22 sure securely, firmly

  scape escape

  23 continuantly malapropism for "continually" or for "incontinently," i.e. immediately (plays on "continently," i.e. chastely) Pie-corner the corner of Giltspur Street and Cock Lane, in Smithfield, London; famous for cooks' shops and saddlers, also known for prostitution (pie and corner were both slang terms for the vagina) saving...manhoods apologetic formula for mentioning an indelicate subject (manhoods may have phallic connotations) 24 saddle with slang sense of "whore"

  indited malapropism for invited (to "indite" is to summon for trial)

  Lubber's-head i.e. Libbard's or Leopard's Head, name of a public house; a lubber is a clumsy, idle lout 25 Lombard Street London street running from Mansion House to Gracechurch Street 26 exion i.e. action

  case lawsuit (plays on sense of "vagina")

  27 A hundred mark equivalent to PS66--a large sum;

  mark also means "score, reckoning," and has phallic connotations

  28 long one i.e. large bill (with phallic connotations) 29 borne endured patiently (plays on the sense of "borne the weight of a man during sex") fubbed fobbed

  31 dealing plays on the sense of "having sex"