Richard III (40 page)

118
But lately splintered
only recently splinted, reset (though at the same time continuing the imagery of fragmentation)

119
kept
looked after

120
Meseemeth
it seems to me

120
little train
small retinue of attendants and accompanying nobles

121
Forthwith
immediately
Ludlow
Ludlow Castle, in Shropshire, near the Welsh border
fet
fetched

124
multitude
large group

127
estate
state, kingdom
green
new, vulnerable (with suggestions of the prince’s youth)

128
Where … himself
when each horse is in control of his own reins and may go where he pleases (i.e. in the absence of a strong rider to govern)

130
As … apparent
both the fear of possible harm as well as actual harm

132
with
between

133
compact
agreement, contract

135
green
new, not tested

136
apparent
evident, real
breach
breakage, rupture

137
haply
perhaps/probably
urged
encouraged

139
meet
appropriate, suitable

142
post
hasten

144
censures
opinions

147
by
on
sort occasion
arrange an opportunity

148
index
preface
story
plan, business
late
recently

150
counsel’s
innermost thoughts’ (puns on advisory “council”)
consistory
council chamber, meeting place

152
direction
instruction, guidance

Act 2 Scene 3

2.3
Location: a London street

3
abroad
at large, in the outside world

5
by’r lady
by Our Lady (the Virgin Mary)
seldom … better
is rarely followed by better things

6
giddy
inconstant, unstable

7
God speed
God be with you; a standard greeting

8
Give … morrow
God give you good day: a standard greeting

9
Doth … hold
is the news true

10
God … while
i.e. God help us

10
while
age, times

11
masters
sirs
look
expect

15
nonage
minority, youth
council under him
the Privy Council, a group of the king’s ministers, governing for him

20
so
in the same condition
wot
knows

22
politic grave counsel
wise and reverend guidance

23
protect
act as formal guardians for

27
emulation
rivalry
nearest
most closely related to the king/most influential over the king

28
touch … near
affect us all too closely

30
haught
haughty, aspiring

32
solace
take comfort, be happy

36
look for
expect

37
dearth
famine, shortage

38
sort
ordain, arrange

41
cannot reason almost
can scarcely reason

42
heavily
gravely, anxiously

43
still
always

44
mistrust
suspect

45
proof
experience

46
boist’rous
violent

47
Whither away?
Where are you going?

48
justices
justices of the peace; the reason for this is never stated

Act 2 Scene 4

2.4
Location: the royal court, London

1
lay
spent the night

1
Stony Stratford
small town in Buckinghamshire

2
Northampton
Northamptonshire town twelve miles farther from London than Stony Stratford, an apparent confusion explained by Shakespeare’s sources: Richard and Buckingham met the Prince at Stony Stratford, then (Rivers, Vaughan, and Grey having been arrested) took him back to Northampton before resuming the journey to London

9
cousin
general term for a relative

13
grace
virtuous qualities; possibly Richard quibbles on “herb of grace” or rue, an herb with medicinal qualities whose name means “sorrow”

13
apace
quickly

16
hold
apply, prove true

17
object the same
suggest it, apply it

23
troth
faith
been remembered
remembered

24
flout
taunt, mocking insult

25
touch … mine
mock his growth more pointedly than he mocked mine

28
gnaw … old
various historical accounts claim that Richard was born with teeth, something considered abnormal and ominous

30
biting
sharp/to do with teeth

35
parlous
mischievous, wily
Go to
expression of dismissive impatience
shrewd
sharp-tongued, cheeky

37
Pitchers have ears
proverbial; pitchers were jugs with large handles (“ears”)—Elizabeth means that the boy has been eavesdropping on adult conversation

43
Pomfret
Pontefract castle, in Yorkshire

48
can
know, can say

51
house
family

52
hind
female deer

53
Insulting
threatening, harmful/exulting scornfully
jut
thrust, shove/project, encroach

54
aweless
inspiring no awe or dread

54
throne
i.e. Prince Edward

56
map
chart of the world/diagram/summary, epitome

62
seated
in power, having gained the throne
broils
turmoil

63
overblown
blown over

65
preposterous
unnatural (literally, in reverse order)

66
frantic outrage
insane violence
spleen
fury (the spleen was thought to be the seat of extreme emotion)

68
sanctuary
churches and their precincts provided sanctuary from arrest; Elizabeth went to Westminster Abbey

75
seal
great seal of England, used by the king to authenticate documents; the Archbishop was its official keeper
so … you
may my fortunes depend on the care I show you

Act 3 Scene 1

3.1
Location: London; exact location unspecified, possibly a street

1
chamber
London was known as the
camera regis
, Latin for the “king’s chamber”

2
my thoughts’ sovereign
my chief concern/head of my thoughts

4
crosses
troubles (i.e. the arrests of Rivers, Vaughan, and Grey)

5
heavy
laborious, burdensome, sorrowful

6
want
lack/desire

11
jumpeth
accords, agrees

13
attended
paid attention, listened

21
ere
before

22
slug
sluggard, lazy fellow

26
On what occasion
for what reason

28
tender
young
prince
i.e. Edward’s younger brother, Richard

29
fain
willingly

30
perforce
forcibly

31
indirect
devious/oblique, lengthy/erroneous
peevish
obstinate/perverse

34
presently
immediately

36
jealous
suspicious, mistrustful, overprotective

37
oratory
rhetorical skill

39
Anon
shortly
obdurate
inflexible, determined

44
senseless
unreasonably, foolishly

46
Weigh … with
if you only judge it by
grossness
low standards, coarseness

48
benefit
protection

49
dealings
actions, conduct

50
wit
intelligence, mature judgment

53
thence … there
a place that cannot really be considered as sanctuary in his case

54
charter
privilege, legal right

62
sojourn
stay, reside

65
repose you
settle yourself, rest

65
Tower
a royal residence as well as a much-feared prison

68
any place
all places

71
re-edified
rebuilt, developed

72
upon record
written down

75
registered
recorded

77
retailed
recounted, retold

78
general ending day
universal doomsday, the end of the world

79
So … long
proverbial: “too soon wise to live long”

81
characters
written records

82
formal Vice
conventional Vice figure of morality plays, an allegorical character named after a particular sin and known for wordplay and grim humor
niquity
sinfulness; a stock name for a Vice figure

83
moralize
interpret (perhaps playing on the idea of expounding God’s word for the purpose of moral teaching)

85
With … live
i.e. he used his intellect to write down the courageous military exploits that had enriched it, in order to ensure that his reputation lived on

87
his conqueror
the one who conquers death

91
An if
if

94
lightly
usually
forward
early

98
grief
Edward refers to the death of his father

99
late
recently

103
idle
useless

108
beholding
beholden, indebted

110
as
in in that I am

111
dagger
perhaps maintaining the link between Richard and the medieval Vice figure, who traditionally carried a dagger

112
With … heart
very willingly (but also implying that he would gladly stab York with it)

115
toy
trifle
grief
hardship

117
to it
that goes with it

118
light
not heavy (York shifts the sense to “trifling, cheap”)

120
a beggar nay
no to a beggar

122
weigh it lightly
consider it a trifle/do not think it weighs very much

122
were it
even if it were

123
have
continues the grim play on “receive as a gift/receive in death”

127
still
always
cross
contrary, perverse

131
like … shoulders
professional fools or same bears carried apes on their backs at fairs; attention is drawn here to Richard’s hunched back
bear
puns on the name of the animal

133
sharp-provided
quick and ready

134
mit gate
moderate, lessen

135
prettily
cleverly, charmingly

136
cunning
crafty, clever

151.1
sennet
trumpet call signaling the continuation of a procession

152
prating
chattering, prattling

153
incensèd
urged on, incited
subtle
cunning

154
opprobriously
scornfully, insultingly

155
perilous
wily, dangerous, mischievous