King John & Henry VIII (66 page)

17
prodigiously
with ill omen, i.e. with the birth of a deformed child

17
crossed
thwarted

18
But
except

18
wreck
shipwreck

19
No … made
break only agreements made on this day

24
pawned
pledged

24
majesty
royal dignity, i.e. his word

25
beguiled
deceived

26
touched and tried
put to the test

27
forsworn
perjured, guilty of breaking your word

28
in arms
with weapons/in friendship

29
arms
coat of arms (Blanche and Lewis’s heraldic emblems will now be united)

29
yours
i.e. your arms/blood

31
painted
superficial/feigned

32
our
i.e. Constance and Arthur’s

32
made up
composed, accomplished

32
league
alliance

36
Wear out
survive/waste

36
days
some editors emend to “day”

41
Limoges
i.e. Austria (Shakespeare combined two historical figures in one character, Duke Leopold of Austria and Viscount Vidomar of Limoges)

42
bloody spoil
i.e. the lion’s skin

42
spoil
plunder, booty

45
champion
one who fights on behalf of another

46
humorous
temperamental

46
by
nearby

47
safety
i.e. the best course of action, how to avoid getting injured

48
sooth’st up greatness
flatter powerful people

49
ramping
rampant/roaring/excessive

49
swear … party
declare your support for my cause

54
fall over
defect

55
Doff
remove

56
calf’s-skin
associated with fools and cowards

56
recreant
cowardly

61
Pandulph
a fusion of two historical figures, one a cardinal, the other a
legate

62
legate
papal representative

66
Pope Innocent
Innocent III

67
religiously
solemnly/in the name of religion

69
spurn
rebel, kick

69
force perforce
with violent compulsion

70
Stephen Langton
elected Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope Innocent, but rejected by John

71
see
bishopric/the seat of a bishop in his church

72
foresaid
aforementioned

74
earthy
earthly

74
interrogatories
questions put to an accused person

75
test
put to the proof

78
charge
order

81
tithe
levy a tax (specifically the tenth of one’s goods owed to the Church)

81
toll
exact a payment

83
great supremacy
highest authority or power

84
Where
in which

84
uphold
maintain/rule

86
set apart
discarded, ignored

88
blaspheme
speak irreverently

90
grossly
foolishly

90
meddling priest
i.e. the Pope

91
the curse
i.e. excommunication

91
buy out
cancel

92
vile
base

92
dross
impure substance

93
of
from

94
sells … himself
incurs his own damnation/sells pardons that do not come from God

96
juggling
cheating, deceiving

96
cherish
nourish, maintain

97
me oppose
place myself in opposition

100
excommunicate
excommunicated

102
heretic
one who maintains unorthodox religious views

108
room
space (puns on
Rome
)

110
keen
eager/sharp

110
my wrong
the wrong done to me (my motivation)

111
right
properly, correctly, rightfully (plays on the sense of “good”)

112
warrant
authority

114
bar no wrong
does not prevent retaliation, i.e. cursing

116
holds
maintains, controls

117
perfect
completely

120
arch-heretic
chief rebel to the Christian Church

121
power of France
i.e. army

121
his head
him/his army

124
Look to that
beware of/consider that possibility

128
pocket up
endure/swallow (the Bastard plays on the literal sense of pockets in
breeches
)

132
as the cardinal
i.e. as the cardinal says

133
Bethink you
consider carefully

133
difference
disagreement/choice

134
purchase
acquisition

135
light
minor

139
untrimmèd
unadorned/unbedded, i.e. virgin

142
need
appeal for help

143
but by
because of

143
faith
i.e. King Philip’s promise

144
needs
necessarily

148
moved
affected with sympathy/angered

149
be removed
stand apart/separate yourself from his plans/be estranged (plays on
moved
)

151
Hang
i.e. wear

155
make … yours
i.e. put yourself in my position

156
bestow yourself
behave

161
latest
last

164
even
right

164
but new
just immediately

166
clap
strike hands reciprocally in token of a bargain

166
bargain
transaction

167
overstained
covered with stains/dyed

168
pencil
paintbrush

169
fearful
awesome, fear-inducing

169
difference
dispute, discord

172
Unyoke this seizure
unclasp this grasp (of hands)

172
regreet
return of salutation

173
fast and loose
i.e. gamble (literally, game of betting whether the end of a rope was fastened or not)

173
so
in the same manner

174
unconstant
changeable, fickle

177
bloody
bloodstained/violent

177
host
army

178
brow
forehead

181
ordain
establish

188
revolting
rebelling

189
hold … tongue
“take a serpent by the tongue” (proverbial; a snake’s venom was thought to be located in the tongue)

190
casèd
wearing a skin, i.e. living

190
mortal
fatal, lethal

193
faith
promise (to King John)

194
faith
religious faith, i.e. the Church

195
to
against

199
since
subsequently, i.e. since swearing allegiance to the Church

199
swor’st
i.e. allegiance with John

202
truly done
i.e.
not done
at all

203
to
toward

205
act
action

205
purposes mistook
misguided aims, erroneous outcomes

206
mistake again
i.e. break your oath to John

206
indirect
roundabout, devious

208
fire … burned
“one heat drives out another” (proverbial; heat was used to treat burns)

210
religion
religious belief, obligation or fear

212
By … swear’st
i.e. you swear against the very faith by which you swear (in the making of your second oath to John)

213
And … truth
i.e. in making an oath that apparently guarantees your loyalty and integrity, you in fact violate your faith

214
unsure
uncertain, hesitant

215
swears … forsworn
you swear never to break your word

224
part
side

226
light
descend (heavy creates a play on the sense of “of little weight”)

227
as
that

228
black
deadly

229
Rebellion
i.e. Philip’s rebellion against the Church or against himself

229
flat
outright

230
be
i.e. be still and silent

231
stop
fill/silence

234
blood … marrièd
i.e. as Blanche is John’s niece

235
kept
celebrated

237
measures
melodious accompaniment

245
doom
judgment/destiny

245
forethought
anticipated, planned

248
that thee upholds
who supports you

250
muse
wonder

251
profound respects
important considerations

252
denounce
proclaim

253
fall from
desert/renounce

256
rue
grieve for/regret

257
bald
proverbially, Time was hairless

259
adieu
good-bye

263
dismember
mutilate, tear limb from limb

266
Father
i.e. father-in-law

272
Cousin
i.e. kinsman

272
puissance
power/army

274
condition
nature/stipulation

276
dearest-valued
i.e. royal/life-sustaining

280
threats
threatens

280
hie
hasten

3.2
Alarums
calls to battle

3.2
excursions
fighting (across the stage)

2
airy devil
aerial demons were associated with storms and, here, battle

4
Philip
i.e. the Bastard

4
breathes
catches his breath

4.1
Hubert
probably based on Hubert de Burgh, chief judicial officer under King John

5
keep
look after/guard

5
make up
move forward, press on

6
assailèd
attacked

7
ta’en
taken, captured

10
liege
lord, superior entitled to feudal allegiance and service

10
pains … labour
a birth metaphor

11
happy end
fortunate outcome/pleasing conclusion

11.1
retreat
call for withdrawal of army

12
stay behind
i.e. remain behind in charge of John’s territories

17
Haste before
hurry ahead (of us)

19
angels
gold coins (playing on the sense of “heavenly angels”)

22
commission
warrant/authority

22
his
its

23
Bell … candle
items involved in the ceremony of excommunication