Henry IV, Part 1 (Folger Shakespeare Library) Read online

  43 find...hedge i.e. they'll steal clothes left to dry on hedgerows 44 blown swollen/short of breath

  quilt padded covering/fat man (plays on Falstaff's name, Jack, which could also mean a padded tunic worn instead of armor) 47 cry you mercy beg your pardon

  51 looks for expects

  52 fear doubt

  55 butter i.e. fat

  59 toss throw away/impale on a pike

  food for powder cannon fodder

  60 pit mass grave

  as well as better just as well as better men would

  Tush exclamation of contempt

  63 bare poorly clothed/inadequately equipped (Falstaff shifts the sense to "bare-boned, thin") 69 field battlefield

  71 stay delay

  73 To...guest i.e. the end of a fight and the beginning of a feast is the best time to arrive for one keener on eating than fighting (proverbial) 1 him i.e. the king

  3 then in that case, if you wait

  5 Looks...supply? Is he not expecting reinforcements?

  13 maintain justify, support, prove

  14 well-respected well-considered

  bid me on urges me forward

  15 counsel conference

  23 leading leadership

  25 Drag hold

  expedition speedy action

  horse horses, cavalry

  28 pride and mettle spirit and liveliness

  30 That...himself so that none of the horses is even a quarter of its normal strength 32 journey-bated exhausted by traveling parley trumpet summons to negotiation between enemy forces 37 vouchsafe permit

  respect consideration

  39 determination mind, conviction

  40 even those some those very people

  42 quality party

  44 defend forbid

  45 out of limit past the bounds of natural order and allegiance 46 anointed i.e. rightful, legitimate (having been marked with holy oil as part of the coronation ceremony) 47 charge duty, task

  48 griefs grievances, complaints

  whereupon on what grounds

  49 conjure call forth (with connotations of magical invocation and bewitchment) 51 If that if

  52 deserts deservings, merits

  55 with interest and more in addition

  57 suggestion prompting, incitement

  62 was...strong had fewer than twenty-six followers

  63 Sick...regard suffering poor public reputation

  64 unminded disregarded

  outlaw Richard II had banished Henry Bullingbrook; he returned following his father's death and Richard's seizure of his land and titles 68 sue his livery legally claim his right to inherit his father's lands and title beg his peace seek reconciliation with King Richard

  69 terms of zeal i.e. eager assurances of loyalty 74 more...knee those of higher and lower social status offered him allegiance--with cap in hand and knees bent in a bow/kneeling 76 Attended awaited/accompanied

  lanes paths/rows

  78 heirs...followed punctuated thus in Folio, but most editors emend to "heirs as pages, followed," thus altering the sense 79 golden splendidly or brightly dressed/celebratory, joyous/rich, abundant 80 presently soon

  greatness knows itself those in power come to understand their situation 81 Steps...higher becomes more ambitious

  82 his...poor he was still humble/before he was king

  84 forsooth in truth, perhaps used ironically here

  85 strait harsh, strict

  87 Cries...abuses condemns corruption, draws attention to wrongs 91 cut...favourites Richard's favorite courtiers were beheaded cut me cut

  me is emphatic)

  93 In deputation as his deputies

  94 was personal in went in person to

  99 in...of on the strength of/immediately after

  tasked taxed

  100 March the Earl of March, Edmund Mortimer

  101 if...placed if every claimant were entitled to occupy their rightful position 102 engaged held hostage

  103 forfeited abandoned

  104 Disgraced...victories i.e. by demanding my prisoners, the King turned my triumphs into disgrace 105 intelligence spying

  106 Rated chided angrily, dismissed

  110 head of safety defensive army

  withal furthermore

  pry...title examine his claim (to the throne)

  112 indirect insufficiently direct in the line of succession/devious, irregular for long continuance to last long

  115 impawned pledged, held in pawn

  116 surety guarantee

  119 accept...love i.e. be reconciled.

  Sir Michael presumably a priest or a knight; "sir" can be a courtesy title for clergymen 1 Hie go quickly

  brief letter, dispatch

  4 directed addressed

  5 much...import much information they contain/important they are 7 tenor substance, drift

  8 Like likely

  11 bide the touch be put to the test (as gold is tested with a touchstone) 14 Lord Harry i.e. Hotspur

  16 power...proportion army was of the greatest size/importance 18 rated firmly considered to be strong, a powerful source of support 19 comes not in does not participate

  o'er-ruled by prophecies i.e. he is staying away due to unfavorable predictions of events 21 instant trial immediate test of strength

  26 head force, army

  29 special head exceptional military leadership

  32 corrivals partners

  dear honorable/valuable

  33 estimation worth, reputation

  37 thrive flourish, succeed

  39 confederacy league, conspiracy (with the rebels)

  40 make strong strengthen our defenses

  2 busky bush-covered

  3 distemperature unhealthy, unnatural appearance

  5 the trumpet part of trumpeter or herald

  9 foul gloomy, bad (weather)

  13 doff take off

  easy comfortable

  14 ungentle steel hard, uncomfortable steel armor

  16 unknit undo

  17 churlish rude, ungracious, base

  18 orb orbit, sphere

  20 exhaled meteor meteors were believed to be formed of vapors drawn from the earth ("exhaled") by the sun; they were considered bad omens 21 prodigy omen/unnatural thing

  22 broached already begun

  mischief evil, calamity

  unborn times future

  25 entertain occupy

  lag-end latter part

  27 dislike animosity, discord

  30 chewet chough, jackdaw, i.e. chatterer/minced meat or fish pie 33 remember remind

  35 staff of office Worcester had been steward of the king's household 36 posted rode speedily

  39 Nothing nowhere near

  41 brought escorted, accompanied

  outdare defy

  43 Doncaster town in the northeast of England

  44 did...state had no intention of threatening the realm 45 new-fall'n right recently inherited title (after his father's death) 46 seat estate

  Gaunt John of Gaunt, Henry's father

  51 injuries abuses, wrongdoing

  wanton ungoverned, poorly managed

  52 seeming sufferances apparent wrongs

  53 contrarious opposing, unfavorable

  54 unlucky illfated

  55 repute believe him to be

  57 occasion the opportunity

  wooed persuaded

  58 gripe grip, grasp

  general sway overall power

  61 ungentle gull cruel/dishonorable young bird

  cuckoo's...sparrow the cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds' nests to be hatched and fed; cuckoo chicks are much bigger and eventually take over the nest 64 our love those of us who loved you

  durst not did not dare

  65 swallowing being eaten

  68 opposed...means in opposition to you as a result of such factors 70 unkind cruel/unnatural

  71 troth honesty, integrity

  72 younger earlier, original

  7
5 face adorn, cover

  76 colour hue/pretexts, pretense

  77 changelings turncoats, changeable people

  discontents discontented persons

  78 rub the elbow hug themselves in pleasure

  79 hurly-burly chaotic

  innovation novelty, change, revolution

  80 want need, lack

  81 water-colours watery deceptions

  impaint paint, color

  82 moody sullen, angry

  83 havoc plundering, violent disorder

  84 both our i.e. the king's and the rebels'

  86 trial battle

  88 by my hopes i.e. of salvation

  89 set...head not counted against him

  90 braver finer/more courageous

  93 latter recent, present

  97 this I say this

  98 odds advantages

  99 estimation reputation

  102 venture hazard, risk

  103 Albeit despite the fact that

  104 make weigh, argue

  106 cousin's relative's (i.e. nephew's)

  107 grace pardon

  112 Rebuke shame, disgrace

  dread correction terrible punishment

  wait on us are at my command

  113 office duty, task

  115 fair fairly, fair terms

  take it advisedly consider it carefully

  119 charge command/ company, unit/responsibility

  120 on their answer once we've had their answer, i.e. refusal of the terms 122 bestride stand astride a fallen man in order to defend him 123 so thus--presumably Falstaff demonstrates the gesture 124 colossus giant; the Colossus of Rhodes, a gigantic statue of Apollo, supposedly stood astride the entrance to the harbor 127 death proverbial; puns on "debt"

  129 forward eager

  130 pricks spurs

  131 prick me off marks me down (for a dead man)

  132 set...leg join together, set a broken leg

  133 grief pain

  135 trim fine, neat

  137 insensible cannot be felt by the senses

  138 Detraction slander

  139 scutcheon heraldic shield, decorated with coats of arms and often used at funerals 140 catechism set series of questions and answers (used as a form of instruction by the Church) 4 undone ruined

  7 still always

  9 Supposition notions, uncertainty, speculation

  stuck...eyes always watching, suspicious

  11 ne'er so tame however tame he appears

  12 trick trait

  13 Look...can however one appears

  or sad either sad

  14 misquote falsely report, misinterpret

  16 The...death refers to the fact that

  oxen are fattened up before being killed

  17 trespass wrongdoing, transgression

  19 adopted...privilege nickname which gives him license (i.e.

  Hotspur, signifying rash impulsiveness)

  20 hare-brained reckless, rash

  spleen violent bad temper (from the abdominal organ regarded as the location of strong emotion) 21 live upon shall be blamed on

  22 train lead

  23 ta'en derived, caught (like an infectious disease)

  24 spring source

  26 In any case whatever happens

  27 Deliver...so say what you like, I'll agree

  30 Deliver up release--Westmorland has been held as surety for Worcester's safe return 32 battle to engage in battle

  33 Defy him by send our defiant response through

  36 seeming apparent

  38 gently with dignity, like a gentleman

  39 mended improved on, contributed to

  40 forswearing...forsworn falsely swearing that he had not broken his word 41 scourge punish

  43 Arm prepare, put on your armor

  45 engaged held as hostage

  bear convey

  49 would...heads if only the quarrel was just between the two of us 50 draw short breath become out of breath (from fighting)/die 51 Monmouth nickname for the prince; the name of the town on the Welsh-English border where he was born 54 urged proposed

  56 gentle honorable/not excessively violent

  proof of arms trial of fighting skills

  57 duties of respect due to

  58 Trimmed...praises adorned his praise of you

  59 chronicle factual historical account

  60 Making...you increasing your worth since no praise of his could do justice to your merits 63 blushing cital modest account

  64 chid rebuked, condemned

  truant neglectful, misspent

  65 double...instantly two sides of himself, both teacher and pupil, at the same time 68 envy malice, hostility

  69 owe own

  70 wantonness wild, dissolute behavior

  72 On of

  73 so...liberty who indulged in so much lawless freedom, wild behavior 76 shrink...courtesy be overwhelmed by my degree of courtesy/collapse, be wounded by me 78 Better...persuasion you are better off thinking for yourselves about what you have to do than expecting me, who lacks the gift of eloquence, to try to rouse your spirits 85 If even if

  dial's point hand of a clock

  84 To...hour a life spent basely goes on for too long even if it only lasts an hour 88 brave glorious

  89 fair justifiable

  91 apace swiftly

  92 cuts me forces me to break off

  93 profess not don't claim to be expert at

  95 temper character/degree of hardness

  97 adventure risky venture

  98 Esperance! hope (French; part of the Percy family motto) 99 instruments i.e. trumpets, drums

  101 heaven to earth I'll wager heaven against earth (i.e. something eternal and valuable against something transitory and unimportant) [and exeunt] most editions introduce a scene break here, but Folio does not have one and the action continues, with the imaginary location shifting seamlessly from rebel camp to battlefield Alarum call to battle (played on a trumpet) [dressed like the King] wearing the king's colors, Blunt is acting as a decoy. Most editors introduce a scene break at this stage direction, since the stage is momentarily bare and the imaginary location shifts from the rebel camp to the battlefield, but in the early texts and onstage the action is continuous 107 haunt follow

  110 dear at great cost

  bought Thy likeness paid for appearing like you (i.e. Stafford was also dressed like the king) 117 Holmedon town in Northumberland

  122 full extremely

  124 Semblably furnished similarly dressed and armed

  128 marching...coats wearing the same clothing as him

  coats sleeveless outer garments adorned with heraldic arms, worn over armor 133 stand...day seem likely to win the battle solus alone 134 shot-free without paying the tavern bill/without getting shot 135 scoring adding to tavern bill/being wounded

  pate head

  136 Here's no vanity! There's no self-conceit or concern for frivolity in death!

  137 molten melted

  138 keep lead i.e. bullets

  139 bowels guts, stomach

  ragamuffins i.e. his ragged company of soldiers

  peppered shot and killed; this would enable Falstaff to pocket his soldiers' pay 141 town's end outskirts of the town where beggars congregate 144 vaunting bragging, vainglorious

  148 Turk Gregory Pope Gregory VII or XIII; both had violent reputations Turk violent barbarian

  149 paid repaid, settled with (i.e. killed

  sure i.e. dead, but the prince shifts the sense to "out of danger"

  154 case holster

  155 hot Falstaff claims it has recently been fired frequently sack destroy out i.e. from Falstaff's holster 157 pierce pronounced "perse"--the word puns on "Percy"

  158 so so be it/thus--presumably miming his action

  159 carbonado dish of scored, grilled meat

  grinning honour i.e. the sort of honor Blunt has earned, whose expression is now fixed as death stiffens his facial muscles 160 so all well and
good

  161 unlooked for without being sought, unexpectedly

  an end death/of my speech

  Excursions outbursts of fighting moving across the stage 5 make up advance, bring up your forces

  6 retirement retreat, insufficiently aggressive strategy

  amaze alarm, bewilder

  13 stained bloodstained (may play on sense of "dishonored") 15 breathe rest, pause

  21 point i.e. of his sword

  22 lustier maintenance more vigorous bearing

  23 ungrown immature; historically, John was thirteen at the time of the battle 24 mettle courage, spirit

  25 Hydra's heads in Greek mythology, the Hydra was a monster that grew two heads for every one that was cut off 27 colours i.e. the king's

  28 counterfeit'st impersonates

  30 shadows reflections/those in disguise, actors

  31 very real, true

  32 Seek who seek

  34 assay test

  37 mine my victim, conquest

  39 like likely

  41 are...arms lend strength to my arms

  43 pay settle the debt/kill

  flieth runs away

  44 Cheerly expression of encouragement

  48 opinion reputation

  49 mak'st...life have some care for my life

  52 hearkened waited eagerly for, sought

  54 insulting threatening, harmful/boastful, contemptuous 58 Make up to move your forces forward

  66 motion course, trajectory, orbit

  sphere orbit; stars and planets were thought to be contained within crystalline spheres 67 brook endure

  71 name in arms military reputation

  73 budding...crest literally, chivalric favors decorating his helmet; figuratively, his glorious reputation 75 vanities vain boasts

  76 said done

  killeth i.e. fatally wounds

  79 brittle fragile

  80 titles claims to honor

  84 prophesy conventional belief held that the dying were able to foretell the future 89 Ill-weaved devious, tangled

  91 too...bound insufficient to contain it

  94 stout strong, valiant

  95 sensible aware

  96 show of zeal expression of feeling

  97 favours chivalric tokens worn on his helmet

  101 ignominy shame

  106 heavy...thee miss you greatly (heavy plays on the sense of "weighty, fat") 109 dearer more noble/more valuable

  110 Embowelled disemboweled (in preparation for embalming) 111 in blood in his own blood (plays on hunting term; a deer that was in blood was vigorous and full of life) 113 powder embalm/preserve in salt (like venison)

  114 termagant savage, violent

  scot and lot in full

  120 discretion good judgment

  121 gunpowder i.e. fiery, explosive

  125 confutes refutes, contradicts

  128 fleshed initiated into fighting (plays on sense "sexually initiated"; from the practice of feeding hunting dogs raw meat to excite them) 129 maiden virgin, previously unused

  sword with phallic connotations

  134 fantasy illusion, imagination

  138 double man ghost/two men (referring to the fact he carries Hotspur on his back) 139 jack knave