Authors: William Shakespeare
82
profane
sin, commit sacrilege
84
torn
i.e. ruined, damned
turning … us
i.e. betraying me
88
strike
blight, afflict with plague (
pestilence
)
89
unbegot
not yet conceived
90
That
of you who
vassal
servile, slavish
94
ope
open
95
purple testament
bloody legacy
97
crowns
heads (plays on
crown
in the previous line)
99
maid-pale
virgin white, pale as a young girl
101
pastor’s
shepherd’s, i.e. Richard, England’s shepherd or spiritual protector
103
civil
domestic, used in civil war
uncivil
violent, barbarous
109
head
source
113
scope
aim
114
lineal royalties
hereditary rights as one with royal blood
115
Enfranchisement
freedom (from banishment), restoration of rights
116
party
part
117
commend
commit
118
barbèd
armored with barbs (metal protectors)
120
is
and is
121
credit
believe
122
returns
replies
125
accomplished
carried out
126
gracious
courteous, elegant
127
commends
greetings, regards
129
poorly
abject, lowly
134
e’er
ever
136
yond
yonder, i.e. at some distance but within sight
137
sooth
smooth words, appeasing terms
141
scope
room, freedom/a purpose
142
beat
conquer, strike (plays on the sense of a heart beating)
146
be contented
i.e. submit, agree
148
set of beads
rosary
150
almsman
recipient of charity
151
figured
embossed, ornamented
152
palmer
pilgrim
157
trade
commerce/tread
160
buried once
once I am buried
162
despisèd
despicable/to be scorned/unimportant
163
lodge
flatten
164
dearth
famine
revolting
rebellious
165
play the wantons
trifle, frolic
166
make
devise
pretty match
ingenious game
167
still
always
168
fretted us
eroded for us (
fretted
puns on the sense of “been distressed, complained”)
171
ill
affliction
177
base court
lower or servants’ court
attend
wait
179
glist’ring
glistening, glittering
Phaethon
in Greek mythology, the son of Apollo, the sun god; he was unable to control his father’s horse-drawn sun chariot, burned part of the earth and was felled with a thunderbolt hurled by Zeus
180
manage
control
jades
worthless horses
182
do them grace
bow to them courteously/grant them favor
184
night-owls shriek
considered a bad omen
187
fondly
foolishly
frantic
mad, frenzied
189
apart
aside
192
debase
continues the earlier wordplay on
base
194
Me rather had
I had rather
195
courtesy
curtsy, i.e. bow
196
up
i.e. proud, ambitious/rebellious
200
redoubted
dreaded, revered
205
want their remedies
lack remedies for what caused them
208
willing
willingly
2
heavy
burdensome/sad
4
rubs
hindrances (technically, impediments that interrupt the course of a bowling ball)
5
against the bias
contrary to the desired course (a
bias
is the weight in the ball that enables it to be bowled in a curve)
7
measure
due proportion/stately dance step
8
measure
limit
14
wanting
lacking
15
remember
remind
16
being altogether had
as I am entirely possessed by it
17
want
lack
19
boots not
is useless
complain
lament
21
’Tis … cause
i.e. it is a good thing that you are happy enough to do so
28
My
I’ll wager my
row of pins
i.e. insignificant items
29
state
affairs of state, politics
30
Against
in anticipation of
forerun with
heralded by
31
apricocks
apricots
32
sire
father, i.e. tree that bears them
33
oppression
burden
prodigal
excessive
34
supportance
support
36
sprays
shoots
37
lofty
tall/proud, ambitious
38
even
equal
40
noisome
noxious, harmful
41
wholesome
healthy
42
compass
limits
pale
fenced area, enclosure
44
model
copy in miniature
firm estate
settled situation/secure kingdom
48
knots
intricately designed flower beds
51
suffered
permitted/undergone
52
fall of leaf
i.e. autumn
59
seized
taken into custody
60
trimmed
adorned
61
at time of year
in season
63
over-proud
too swollen
64
confound
ruin
68
bearing
fertile, fruit-bearing
69
crown
king’s crown/leafy head of a tree
72
Depressed
humbled, lowered in fortune
73
doubted
feared
76
pressed to death
a punishment that involved pressing suspects with heavy weights until they pleaded innocent or guilty, or died
77
Adam
in the Bible, the first man; he was in charge of cultivating the Garden of Eden until he was tempted into sin by
Eve
, who had been tricked by the devil in the guise of a
serpent
79
suggested
tempted
83
Divine
prophesy
87
hold
grasp/custody
90
vanities
follies
light
of little weight/frivolous
93
odds
advantage
94
Post
hasten
97
embassage
message/errand
belong to
i.e. concern
103
triumph
public festivity, triumphal procession
106
so
provided
state
situation/royal status
109
rue
herb symbolizing repentance and grace
sour
bitter, sad
110
e’en for ruth
for sheer pity
4
wrought
worked/arranged
5
office
task/duty
timeless
untimely/everlasting
9
unsay
deny, retract
10
dead
fatal, deadly/secret, dark/past
11
of length
long
16
crowns
gold coins
17
Than
than have
18
withal
besides
21
base
contemptible/low-born
22
stars
birth, rank/destiny
23
On … chastisement?
To correct/punish him as if we were equals?
25
th’attainder
the dishonorable slur, accusation
26
manual … death
gauntlet (glove thrown down as a
gage
)/death warrant sealed by my hand
30
temper
steely firmness/condition
31
forbear
stop
32
one
i.e. Bullingbrook
33
moved
roused, angered
34
stand
insist
sympathy
equal rank (in an opponent)
35
in gage
engaged
37
vauntingly
boastfully
39
deniest
two syllables (“deny’st”)
40
turn
return
46
appeal
accusation
48
th’extremest … breathing
i.e. the death
50
An if
if
51
more
again
55
in presence
present
61
render
return
65
Engage … trial
accept it and thus pledge yourself to combat (
trial
)
66
fondly
foolishly
forward
eager
68
wilderness
i.e. even somewhere remote or where no help is available
71
tie
bind
correction
punishment, rebuke
78
That
to assert that
79
repealed
called back from exile
try
test in combat
80
differences
disputes
rest under gage
remain challenges
83
signories
estates
84
enforce his trial
make sure that the combat takes place
87
field
i.e. battle
88
Streaming the ensign
flying the banner
90
toiled
exhausted
94
colours
battle flags
97
bosom … Abraham
i.e. heaven
98
appellants
who have made formal accusations