King John & Henry VIII (75 page)

183
Cardinal Campeius
the Pope’s legate sent from Rome to determine the legality of the king’s marriage

186
emperor
Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, Queen Katherine’s nephew

188
purposed
intended, planned

189
have … mark
i.e. are accurate

189
mark
target (in archery)

190
smart
pain

193
open
exposed, public

2.2
Location: the royal court, London

2
ridden
broken in

2
furnished
equipped

5
commission
warrant

5
main
considerable

13
private
on his own

14
sad
serious

18
conscience
Suffolk plays on the sexual sense of “genital expansiveness”

22
blind
without regard for others;
fortune
was commonly depicted as a blind woman who

22
turns
the wheel of people’s fortunes

23
list
pleases

23
know
understand, recognize

25
he
i.e. Wolsey

42
end
purpose/outcome

43
French king’s sister
the Duchess of Alençon, suggested by Wolsey as a second wife for Henry

44
slept upon
failed to notice, not perceived truly

45
bold
daring, overconfident

51
lump
probably lump of clay

52
pitch
height, i.e. stature

53
For
as for

55
made
i.e. successful, of noble rank

55
stand
remain, stand firm

57
breath
i.e. mere words

65
otherwhere
elsewhere

68
curtain
separating the main stage from the discovery space or recess at the back of the stage

76
this way
in this respect

77
estate
state

80
Go to
expression of impatient dismissal

81
temporal
worldly, secular

81
commission
warrant (from the Pope)

83
quiet
calm

84
cure
physical remedy (but with connotations of spiritual care)

87
talker
i.e. man of words rather than action

92
priest
i.e. Wolsey

94
sick
envious

97
have-at-him
thrust, attack (fencing term)

99
precedent
example

101
scruple
doubt

101
voice of Christendom
i.e. the Pope and the various clergymen who were consulted over Henry’s problem of conscience

102
envy
malice

103
Spaniard
i.e. Charles V (Katherine’s nephew), or the Spanish in general

103
her
i.e. Queen Katherine

104
confess
admit, allow

105
clerks
scholars

107
Have … voices
may vote as they please

109
general tongue
i.e. representative spokesperson

113
conclave
body of cardinals (in Rome)

115
strangers
foreigners

117
tender
submit

117
virtue
power

120
unpartial
impartial

124
that
that which

125
place
rank

130
fit
suitable, able

144
stick
hesitate

146
Kept … still
i.e. always had him traveling abroad (on diplomatic missions)

149
murmurers
gossips, rumormongers/troublemakers

152
appointment
order

153
none … else
i.e. no one else so close to the king

154
griped
seized, clutched at

154
meaner
lower ranking

155
Deliver
tell, report

155
modesty
propriety/consideration

157
For … learning
to receive, play host to such a learned discussion

157
Blackfriars
Dominican monastery in London

159
furnished
equipped

160
able
(sexually) vigorous

161
bedfellow
i.e. Katherine

161
conscience
perhaps playing on “con-science” meaning “knowledge of the vagina” (i.e. Anne Bullen’s)

1
Not … neither
Anne and the Old Lady enter mid-conversation

1
pinches
torments

4
Pronounce
declare/utter

6
courses … sun
i.e. years

9
process
course (of events)

10
avaunt
order to be gone

10
pity
pity-provoking situation

12
temper
substance, hardness/disposition

15
temporal
worldly (rather than heavenly)

16
quarrel
quarreler

17
sufferance panging
hardship as tormenting

20
stranger
outsider/foreigner

24
range
roam/live/be ranked

24
humble livers
those of low rank

25
perked up
decked out

25
glist’ring
glittering, sparkling

28
having
possession

29
troth
faith

29
maidenhead
virginity

31
Beshrew
curse

33
spice
dash, touch

34
so fair parts
such beauty/such good qualities

36
Affected
likes, is drawn to

37
sooth
truth

38
Saving
despite

38
mincing
pretentious manner, affectations

39
cheverel
kid leather (noted for its softness)

41
troth
truth, faith

44
bowed
bent, i.e. worthless (puns on “bawd”)

45
queen it
play the queen; puns on “quean” meaning “prostitute”

47
bear
endure/support during sex/give birth to

47
load of title
title of duchess/duke himself/duke’s child

49
pluck off
come down (in aspiration; literally “undress”)

50
count
i.e. rank lower than a duke; puns on “cunt”

50
way
path/condition (of being a virgin)

51
For … to
i.e. on account of sexual modesty

52
vouchsafe
permit, accept

52
burden
i.e. of a man’s body during sex

53
get
beget, conceive

57
little England
affectionate term for England itself/Pembrokeshire, south Wales, where most people spoke English rather than Welsh/Westminster Hall

58
emballing
to be invested with the orb of sovereignty (as queen)/ sexual intercourse

59
Caernarvonshire
a poor rural county in north Wales

59
longed
belonged

62
conference
conversation

64
values not
is not worth

66
gentle
noble/kind

74
Commends
declares, offers

75
purpose
intend

78
grace
favor

80
kind
manifestation

80
tender
offer (in return)

81
More … nothing
more than all I am able to offer is still insufficient (
nothing
may pick up on the sense of “vagina,” which is of course what Anne is required to supply)

82
hallowed
blessed, sanctified

83
More
of more

85
Vouchsafe
agree

89
t’approve
to corroborate, confirm

89
conceit
opinion, notion

90
perused
observed, examined

93
gem
i.e. an heir (anticipating Elizabeth’s birth)

94
lighten
illuminate (some jewels were thought to emit light)

99
beggarly
still poor

100
Come … late
i.e. ask at the appropriate time

100
pat
neatly

101
suit of pounds
request for money

101
pound
plays on the sense of rags/(fish) ponds

102
fresh
young/blooming

102
fish
woman/whore

102
fie
expression of reproach

103
compelled
enforced/unsought

103
have … it
i.e. to get plenty without even needing to ask (probably also refers to oral sex)

105
strange
odd, incomprehensible/new, unfamiliar

106
tastes
probably continues to play on the idea of oral sex

106
Forty pence
i.e. I’ll bet a small amount

108
queen
continues to pun of “quean” (i.e. prostitute)

109
mud
i.e. wealth, since

109
Egypt
was known for its rich soil

110
pleasant
merry, joking

111
your theme
your subject (i.e. the same advancement as you)

112
O’ermount
rise higher than

115
honour’s … foreskirt
i.e. more rewards will follow, just as the train of a dress is longer than the front of the skirt (perhaps with some sexual suggestion of lifting one’s skirt)

117
your … duchess
i.e. you will marry a duke and bear his children

120
particular fancy
personal imaginings

121
on’t
of it

122
salute
affects, excites

122
blood
passions, spirits (perhaps with play on “sexual desires”)

122
faints me
makes me faint

125
deliver
report

2.4
Location: Blackfriars (a Dominican monastery in London)

2.4
sennet
trumpet fanfare signaling a procession

2.4
Vergers
officials carrying rods of office who process in front of Church dignitaries

2.4
habit of doctors
academic robes worn by Doctors of Law, i.e. black gowns and flat hats

2.4
St Asaph
Llanelwy, an ancient bishopric in north Wales

2.4
purse
it contained the
great seal
of England, used by the king to authenticate documents; the Lord Chancellor (Wolsey) was its official keeper

2.4
cloth of state
canopy over a throne

2.4
consistory
ecclesiastical court

5
th’authority allowed
its authority recognized

16
stranger
foreigner

18
indifferent
impartial

19
equal
fair

19
proceeding
course of action/legal proceedings

22
proceed … off
go about to dismiss me/take legal action to discard me

23
grace
favor/royal person