King John & Henry VIII (79 page)

86.3
vizards
masks

86.2
bays
bay-tree leaves, a symbol of triumph

86.4
congee
make a formal bow

86.5
changes
turns or stages of the dance

86.6
in their
i.e. still

102
fancy
imagination

103
music leave
musicians cease

104
heavy
oppressive/sorrowful

111
An’t like
if it please

112
saucy
insolent

115
lose
give up

115
wonted
accustomed

118
staying
waiting

122
emperor
Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Katherine’s
nephew

137
physic
medicine

137
had
would have

148
willing
willingly

150
model
image

150
daughter
i.e. Mary

152
breeding
upbringing

159
both my fortunes
i.e. good and bad, as queen and subsequently

163
honesty
chastity/virtue

163
carriage
behavior

165
happy
fortunate

169
over
extra

171
able
sufficient

178
fashion
form, nature, character

179
honest
honorable

187
used
treated

188
maiden flowers
i.e. those flowers befitting chastity

190
forth
i.e. out for burial

192
can
i.e. say or do

5.1
Location: the royal court, London

3
necessities
essential activities, i.e. sleep

7
Whither
where are you going

9
primero
gambling card game

11
must
must go

14
an if
if

15
offence
harm

16
touch
sense, hint

16
late
recent/late night

21
durst commend
dare entrust

22
this work
i.e. what he has been engaged in

23
feared
it is feared

25
fruit
i.e. child

25
goes with
carries/is in the throes of labor with

27
time
delivery, outcome

27
stock
tree that bore the fruit, i.e. Anne

28
grubbed up
uprooted

30
Cry the amen
i.e. agree

35
way
of thinking, i.e. Catholic religious views

38
hands
i.e. assistants, supporters

41
remarked
notable/conspicuous

42
Master O’th’Rolls
a high-ranking legal position

44
gap and trade
opening and path

45
time
age, state of affairs/time to come/opportunity

49
are
are those

52
Incensed
angered

54
arch-heretic
major, principal holder of unorthodox religious views (puns on “archbishop”)

55
moved
angered, stirred

56
broken
broached (the matter)

58
fell
fierce, terrible

58
mischiefs
evils, misfortunes

61
convented
summoned to appear

61
rank
rapidly growing, abundant

64
rest
remain

66
hard
strong (a player)

69
fancy
mind, inclination

78
suff’rance
suffering

81
God
may God

81
quit
release, relieve

82
travail
labor

82
gladding
delighting

86
estate
state, situation

99
attends
awaits

101
bishop
i.e. Gardiner

102
happily
fortunately, opportunely

103
Avoid
leave

103
gallery
long room used for walking in

106
aspect of terror
angry expression

118
grievous
serious

120
moved
prompted, decided

122
with such freedom
so freely, easily

122
purge
clear, exonerate

124
take … you
be patient

126
Tower
Tower of London

126
brother of us
being a fellow member of the council

127
fits
is fitting

131
throughly
thoroughly

131
winnowed
i.e. cleared of impurity, as
corn
is exposed to wind in order to separate it from worthless husks (
chaff
)

133
stands under
endures/is subject to

133
calumnious
slanderous

138
my halidom
all I consider holy

139
looked
anticipated

140
given … petition
requested

143
endurance further
further hardship/forthcoming imprisonment

144
dread
revered

147
triumph
exult (at the downfall of)

147
weigh
value

148
Being
should it be

148
nothing
not at all

152
small
insignificant

152
practices
plots

153
bear … proportion
be correspondingly powerful

153
ever
always

155
The dew o’th’verdict
i.e. a successful outcome

155
at
with

157
swear
testify

159
Ween you of
do you expect

160
perjured witness
false testimony

160
your master
i.e. Christ

162
naughty
wicked

163
take … danger
behave as though jumping off a cliff were not dangerous

164
woo
invite, court

167
is
that is

169
give way to
i.e. allow

171
chance
happen

172
commit
imprison

186
Now
now may

190
Is … delivered?
Has the queen given birth?

194
girl
may apply either to Anne or to the newly born Elizabeth

195
Promises
i.e. who promises to give birth to

196
and
and for you

201
marks
a mark was a monetary unit (rather than a coin) worth two thirds of a pound

203
groom
servingman

203
for
suitable for

206
hot
“to strike while the iron is hot” was proverbial

207
put … issue
undertake it, insist on it (
issue
may play on the sense of “child”)

3
fast
locked up

4
Sure
surely

9
So
so be it/I see

11
happily
fortunately/by chance

12
understand it presently
be informed of it at once

16
sound
perceive/proclaim

17
laid
arranged (like a trap)

18
turn
alter

22
attend
wait

22.1
above
i.e. on the upper staging level or gallery

26
Body o’me
upon my body (i.e. life)

29
Who … state
who maintains his dignity/is detained according to his status (ironic)

29
pursuivants
state messengers

30
footboys
boy servants, often assistants to footmen

33
one above ’em
i.e. the king/God

34
parted
divided

34
honesty
integrity/decorum

35
suffer
permit

36
place
status

37
dance attendance
be kept waiting

38
post
courier

38
packets
i.e. of letters

40
close
shut

40.1
state
throne

40.2
above
next to, at the upper end of the table; the seating arrangements reflect the men’s positions

49
Without
outside

56
present
present time

57
chair
i.e. Cranmer’s vacant chair next to the Lord Chancellor

58
capable Of
susceptible to

59
flesh
bodily urges, mortal weakness

60
want
lack

61
misdemeaned yourself
behaved improperly

65
Divers
various/different/perverse, cruel

65
heresies
views contrary to orthodox religious opinion

66
pernicious
destructive

69
Pace … hands
do not train them gently, by hand

70
stubborn
unyielding

71
obey the manage
perform the specific movements correctly (from French
manège
, “horsemanship”)

71
suffer
permit

72
easiness
indulgence, leniency

74
physic
medicine

75
taint
corruption/infection

77
upper
higher/inland

77
upper … witness
a reference either to the Saxony peasants’ revolt of 1524 or to the rising of the Anabaptists in Münster in 1535

82
course
current/series of undertakings

85
single
united, honest

87
place
official public position

95
urge
make allegations

98
by that virtue
by virtue of that

99
moment
importance

100
short
brief

103
private
i.e. not exercising public office

105
provided
prepared

107
pass
be approved, prevail

109
end
aim, purpose

111
Become
befit, suit

115
doubt
i.e. of my innocence

115
conscience
i.e. trouble your conscience

118
sectary
follower of a heretical sect

119
painted
counterfeit/superficial

119
discovers
reveals

120
words
i.e. mere words

122
By … favour
if you will permit me (to say so)

127
cry … mercy
beg your honor’s pardon

127
worst
least

131
sound
orthodox, honest

136
bold
audacious, impertinent

140
Forbear
stop, desist