Authors: William Shakespeare
102
plume-plucked
humbled, stripped of his glory
105
descending
i.e. being passed to an heir
108
Marry
by the Virgin Mary
109
Worst
of lowest rank
110
beseeming
befitting (as he is a clergyman)
113
noblesse
nobility
114
Learn
teach
117
by
present
118
apparent
obvious
119
figure
image
122
subject
i.e. of a subject
125
heinous
grave/wicked
obscene
repulsive, foul
131
manure
fertilize (after being spilled)
135
kind
countrymen
confound
bring to ruin
138
field
battlefield
Golgotha
Calvary (called “the place of skulls”), the hill outside Jerusalem where Christ was crucified
139
house
royal family/Parliament
148
suit
request (that the terms of Richard’s abdication be declared publicly to Parliament)
150
surrender
abdicate
152
conduct
escort
154
sureties
guarantors (who will vouch for your appearance)
answer
trial
155
beholding
indebted
156
little looked for
little expected your
love
regalia
crown and scepter
160
insinuate
ingratiate myself
163
favours
faces/support, kindness/gifts
164
sometime
formerly
165
twelve
i.e. the twelve disciples
168
priest and clerk
in church services the priest said prayers to which the clerk responded “Amen”
171
service
puns on the sense of “church service”
173
tired majesty
exhausted, weary dignity/sovereign power
176
seize
grasp/take legal possession of/arrest
179
owes
owns, possesses
filling one another
the rising of the full bucket causes the other to be lowered and filled
189
Your … down
your assumption of the anxieties and obligations of kingship does not detract from my grief; in the following lines Richard plays on several senses of
care
: kingly responsibility/personal grief/concern
190
by … done
caused by my former inadequate responsibility
193
tend
attend, follow
195
Ay
puns on “I”
no
puns on “know”
197
mark me
note
undo
bring to naught, destroy, unmake
200
sway
rule
204
release … oaths
release my subjects from their oaths of allegiance to me
205
forswear
reject
210
with nothing grieved
not grieved at all/grieved with the fact that I have nothing
223
ravel out
unravel
224
Gentle
noble/kind
226
troop
company
227
read a lecture
read out an account (as though preaching a lesson)
228
article
item forming part of an accusation
230
warrant
guarantee
233
bait
harass, torment (like a bear being baited for sport)
234
Pilate
Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Judaea involved in the crucifixion of Christ, but who washed his hands before the discontented crowd as a means of exonerating himself from blame
236
sour
bitter, harsh
238
dispatch
make haste, get on with it
241
sort
pack, gang
245
T’undeck
to undress, to strip of ornament
pompous
splendid, ceremonially dressed
249
haught
haughty, arrogant
251
at the font
i.e. at my christening
255
mockery
imitation/subject of ridicule
259
An if
if
sterling
valid currency
261
what
what kind of
262
his
its
263
some
i.e. one
glass
mirror
276
beguile
deceive
278
keep
maintain
279
wink
blink, shut their eyes
280
faced
covered over/countenanced, sanctioned
281
out-faced
defied, challenged/replaced by
284
shivers
shards, fragments
285
moral
significance, true meaning
287
shadow
reflection/dark, gloomy shade (Richard develops the sense to include delusive semblance, “thing without substance”)
292
manner
forms
298
boon
favor
305
to
as
313
convey
escort (Richard goes on to play on the sense of “steal”)
316
set down
appoint the time for
322
pernicious
destructive
324
take the sacrament
receive Holy Communion (as a means of confirming your word)
325
bury
conceal
2
Julius Caesar
it was a popular notion that the Roman emperor built the Tower of London; in fact, it was erected by William the Conqueror
ill-erected
built for wicked ends and with evil consequences
3
flint
i.e. hard
4
doomed
judged/consigned to some adverse fate
11
model
ground plan, outline
Troy
supposedly founded by the Trojan Brutus, London was often referred to as the New Troy
12
map
outline, image
13
inn
house/place of temporary lodging
14
hard-favoured
ugly
15
ale-house
cheap, lowly place of lodging
18
state
situation/kingship
20
sworn brother
the devoted, loyal friend
22
league
bond of friendship, allegiance
Hie
hurry
23
cloister
seclude, conceal
religious house
convent
24
new world’s
i.e. heaven’s
26
shape
physical appearance
31
To be
at being
32
rod
punishment cane
35
beasts
beastly men
aught but
anything other than
36
still
yet/always
happy
fortunate
37
sometime
former
42
long ago betid
that happened long ago
43
quit
requite, repay
grief
i.e. mournful
tales
46
why
this cause
brands
burning logs
sympathize
feel for, respond to
47
heavy accent
sorrowful tone
moving
talking/affecting, stirring to sorrow
48
weep
literally, exude resin as they burn
49
some
i.e. of the firewood (
brands
)
52
Pomfret
Pontefract Castle, in Yorkshire
53
order ta’en
instructions issued, arrangements made
55
wherewithal
by means of which
57
many … age
i.e. older
58
head
to a head (of a boil, with play on the sense of “insurrection”)
59
corruption
pus (plays on the sense of “sin, destruction”)
60
Though he
even if he were to
61
helping
you having helped
62
which
who
63
unrightful
illegitimate
67
one or both
i.e. either usurping king or his collaborator
68
worthy
well-deserved
70
part
separate (from the queen; sense then shifts to “depart”)
72
’twixt
betwixt, between
74
unkiss
annul with a kiss
77
pines
afflicts, wastes away
78
from whence
from where; Isabel was daughter to the French king
80
Hallowmas
November 1, All Saints’ Day
short’st of day
the winter solstice, shortest day of the year
84
were
would show
88
be … near
not being together
near
nearer
92
piece … out
lengthen the journey
95
stop
stop up, silence
97
’Twere … me
it would do no good to take it upon myself (
part
plays on the sense of “parting” and “body part, organ”)
98
kill
i.e. with sorrow
101
wanton
playful, unrestrained, self-indulgent
fond
foolish/doting
102
adieu
goodbye
3
cousins
kinsmen, i.e. Richard and Bullingbrook; York was their uncle
4
leave
break off
6
rude
unkind, uncivilized, rough
misgoverned
unruly, unrestrained
windows’ tops
upper windows
10
Which
i.e. which horse
aspiring
ambitious
15
casements
windows
17
painted imagery
the people, or speaking figures in painted wall-coverings
20
Bareheaded
removing one’s hat was a sign of respect or deference
21
Bespake
addressed
22
still
continually
23
the whilst
during this
25
well-graced
attractive/skilled/well-regarded, favored
26
idly
unenthusiastically/inattentively
33
combating with
fighting between
34
badges
signs/livery
36
perforce
of necessity
39
bound
bind/limit, confine
contents
contentment