King John & Henry VIII (69 page)

190
wondrous
bizarre, unbelievable

192
beldams
old women

193
prophesy upon it
make predictions based on it

196
one
to one

198
fearful action
frightened gestures

205
Had … feet
he had mistakenly put on the wrong feet

206
a many thousand
i.e. many thousands of

207
embattailèd
drawn up in battle array

207
ranked
arranged in ranks

208
artificer
artisan

210
possess
acquaint/occupy

211
urgest thou
do you present, bring forward

211
oft
often

212
cause
reason

214
No had
had none

214
provoke
incite

216
humours
whims, moods

217
bloody … life
i.e. the body

218
winking
i.e. subtle signal

219
understand a law
interpret it as a mandate

220
dangerous
threatening

220
perchance
perhaps

221
upon humour
because of a whim

221
advised respect
careful deliberation

222
hand
signature

223
account
judgment

226
means to do
ways of doing, instruments for

227
by
at hand

228
marked
physically blemished/taken note of

229
Quoted
noted, specified

229
signed
marked distinctively

231
aspect
face/appearance

233
liable
suitable

234
faintly
halfheartedly/tentatively

234
broke
spoke

236
conscience
i.e. matter of moral dilemma

239
darkly
obscurely

241
As
as though to

241
express
specific

242
had
would have

243
wrought
created

245
parley
negotiate

247
rude
violent/unkind

250
state
authority, sovereignty

250
braved
challenged, defied

252
body … land
refers to England as a body, as well as to the king’s own body (the popular metaphor of monarch as microcosm of state)

253
confine
territory/limit/prison

254
tumult
disturbance, insurrection/confused and violent emotion

259
maiden
unblemished/virginal (a similarity continued in the idea of hymenal/murderous
blood
)

262
motion
suggestion/impulse

263
form
appearance

264
rude exteriorly
outwardly harsh-looking

268
Throw
cast (as if water on the fire of their
rage
)

269
tame
submissive

272
imaginary
imaginative/nonexistent

272
eyes of blood
passionate, angry eyes/bloodshot eyes

274
closet
private room

276
conjure
entreat, ask earnestly

4.3
Location: England, a prison

4
semblance
appearance

4
quite
totally

5
venture
risk

7
shifts
stratagems (possibly puns on the sense of “changes of clothing”)

8
die … stay
i.e. risk death by escaping than stay and face certain death

11
him
i.e. Lewis the dauphin

11
Saint Edmundsbury
Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk

12
safety
best safeguard

13
gentle
courteous/noble

16
private
confidential talk

17
general
universal, all-embracing

20
or ere
before

20
we
i.e. the English lords and Lewis

21
distempered
vexed, discontented

22
straight
straight away

23
dispossessed himself
caused himself to lose possession, i.e. lost our support

24
line
supply a lining for, i.e. fortify

24
bestainèd
marked with stains

24
cloak
cover for his deeds

25
attend the foot
i.e. serve one

29
griefs
grievances, complaints

29
reason
speak, debate (the Bastard shifts the sense to “good sense, rationality”)

32
impatience
anger

32
privilege
freedom/advantage

33
’Tis … else
refers to the proverbial saying “anger punishes itself”

37
as
as if

38
lay it open
reveal the deed openly

39
he
i.e. murder

41
Sir Richard
i.e. the Bastard

41
beheld … think
i.e. ever encountered or imagined (anything like this)

43
think
wonder

44
That … see
what you see in front of you/that your eyes are functioning correctly

44
object
sight (of Arthur’s body)

46
crest
heraldic device in the upper portion of a coat of arms (sense has shifted from “pinnacle”)

47
arms
coat of arms

49
wall-eyed
pale-eyed/squinting

50
remorse
pity

51
excused
pardoned

51
in
i.e. in comparison to

52
sole
unique, unrivaled

54
times
the future

56
Exampled
compared with the precedent of

56
heinous
infamous, wicked

58
graceless
ungodly/coarse

58
heavy
oppressive/clumsy

61
light
foresight, indication

63
practice
plot

66
breathless
dead/inexpressible

67
incense
perfumed smoke/breath

69
infected
affected, stirred

71
set
added

72
worship
honor

73
religiously
solemnly/devoutly

73
confirm
strengthen, support

77
Avaunt
be gone

79
rob the law
i.e. by taking the law into my own hands and killing you myself

81
bright
i.e. unused

81
up
away

81
murderer’s skin
animal leather was the usual material used for sword scabbards

85
tempt
test

85
danger
damage/peril

85
defence
legal defense/self-defense in a fight

86
marking
paying sole attention to

88
brave
challenge, defy

92
prove me so
i.e. by making me kill you

93
Yet
so far

93
Whose tongue soe’er
whoever’s tongue

97
by
aside

97
gall
injure

100
spleen
temper/spirit

101
betime
at once

102
toasting-iron
i.e. sword (contemptuous)

105
Second
support/act as deputy to

110
date
duration

112
rheum
watery matter/tears

113
traded
practiced

116
savours
smells

119
inquire us out
seek us

126
black
traditionally the color of the devil

127
Prince Lucifer
the rebel archangel who fell from heaven to hell, i.e. Satan, the devil

131
but
nothing but

132
want’st
lack

132
cord
rope (to hang yourself)

134
rush
reed

135
wouldst
should you/if you wish to

138
stifle
suffocate, drown

139
grievously
strongly

142
embounded
enclosed

142
clay
i.e. Arthur’s flesh

143
want
lack

146
amazed
confused

148
take … up
i.e. lift up Arthur’s body (playing on the sense of “cause the English nation to take up arms”)

152
scamble
scramble, struggle, make shift

152
part
tear apart

153
unowed interest
portion not owned by a universally recognized king (plays on the financial senses of the words: the nobles do not owe the king allegiance, imagined as monetary interest to be fought over)

154
for
on behalf of

154
bare-picked … majesty
sovereign authority that has been almost stripped bare of dignity and grandeur by being fought over like dogs with a bone

155
doggèd
fierce/cruel/doglike

155
crest
hackles/heraldic device on a coat of arms

157
powers
armies

157
from
away from

157
discontents
discontented persons

158
line
i.e. united purpose

158
confusion
disaster/chaos/destruction

160
wrested pomp
majesty seized by force

161
he
is he

161
cincture
belt

162
Hold out
weather, endure

164
brief in hand
will soon be underway/must be dealt with urgently

5.1
Location: England, the court of King John

2
circle … glory
i.e. my stately crown

4
as holding of
in tenure, leasehold from (i.e. John must recognize papal authority once more)

8
inflamed
consumed by fire

9
counties
shires/counts, i.e. noblemen

11
love of soul
deepest love

12
stranger
foreign

13
inundation
flood

13
mistempered humour
anger, ill-temper/bodily imbalance

14
Rests
remains

14
only
alone

14
qualified
calmed

16
present
instant, taking immediate effect

16
ministered
administered, given

17
overthrow
bodily collapse (with political connotations)

19
usage
treatment

20
convertite
convert/penitent

22
blust’ring
turbulent, stormy

28
give off
give up, hand over

29
constraint
compulsion

34
hear
listen to, take notice of

37
doubtful
fearful/untrustworthy