King John & Henry VIII (80 page)

156
Receive
take into custody

157
safe
securely confined

161
gripes
grips, clutches

163
CHAMBERLAIN
some editors reassign this line to the Chancellor

172
in … him
of value to the king

173
on’t
of it (the present business)

174
gave
misgave, prompted fearful doubts (in)

175
informations
pieces of intelligence/accusations/tales

175.1
seat
throne

183
aim
i.e. beneficiary

184
dear respect
earnest regard (for the Church)

187
sudden
hasty/spontaneous

190
They
i.e. the
commendations

194
bloody
bloodthirsty, destructive

196
He
i.e. man

197
starve
die

203
discretion
prudence, wisdom

209
try
put on trial (sense then shifts to “afflict, torment”)

212
mean
the means

215
like
please

216
purposed
intended

219
purgation
clearing of his name

222
use
treat

226
ado
fuss

229
wants
lacks

234
spoons
a set of spoons was a common christening gift

244
voice
opinion

246
shrewd
injurious, vicious

249
one
united

5.3
Location: by a gate of the royal court, London

5.3
cudgel
club

5.3
Man
servant

1
leave
cease

2
Paris Garden
bear-baiting arena on London’s Bankside, near the Globe theater

2
rude
rough, uncivilized

3
gaping
shouting

4
belong to
i.e. work in

6
crab-tree
i.e. made from the tough wood of a crab-apple tree

7
these
i.e. these cudgels

7
switches
slim, flexible shoots cut from a tree

8
scratch
i.e. beat

14
May-day morning
traditional day of early rising for dawn festivities

15
Paul’s
St. Paul’s Cathedral

16
and be hanged
an oath

20
made no spare
didn’t hold back (when beating the crowd)

22
Samson
biblical character possessed of legendary strength

22
Sir … Colbrand
Colbrand was a Danish giant killed by
Sir Guy
of Warwick

25
cuckold
man with an unfaithful wife

26
chine
cut of meat from the backbone of an animal (possibly quibbles on the sense of “chink, fissure,” i.e. “vagina”)

27
for a cow
a slightly obscure phrase, apparently meaning “for anything,” though
cow
may play on the sense of “prostitute”

29
presently
shortly

29
puppy
impertinent young man

30
close
closed tightly

30
sirrah
sir (used to an inferior)

33
Moorfields
an area of open ground just outside London’s city walls, at one point used for training militia

33
muster
assemble (soldiers)

34
strange
foreign

34
Indian
native Americans had been known to be exhibited to London’s paying public (although “Indian” could also signify a person from the East or West Indies, or the Far East)

34
great tool
large penis

35
fry
seething brood

38
spoons
spoons given as christening presents/penises

39
brazier
brass-worker (working in high temperatures)

40
dog-days
hottest days of the year, associated with the dog-star Sirius

40
in’s nose
i.e. his nose is red as if from heat (presumably from drinking)

41
under the line
at the Equator

42
fire-drake
dragon/fiery meteor

43
discharged
fired off (like a gun)

44
mortar-piece
small cannon

44
blow us
blow us up/blow his nose all over us

45
haberdasher
seller of small items relating to clothing, such as thread and ribbon

45
railed upon
ranted at

46
pinked
ornamented with small holes or slits

46
porringer
hat shaped like a soup dish

46
kindling … combustion
provoking such a tumult/lighting such a fire

47
meteor
i.e. the red-nosed
brazier

48
‘Clubs!’
rallying cry to summon apprentices to a fight

49
truncheoners
cudgel-carriers

49
succour
aid, assistance

50
hope o’th’Strand
strapping apprentices from workshops on the Strand, a London street near the Thames

50
was quartered
lodged/lived

51
fell on
attacked

51
made good
secured, defended

51
came … me
fought at close quarters with me (literally, close enough to use broomsticks)

53
loose shot
marksmen not attached to a company

54
fain
obliged

55
work
earthwork, i.e. fort

56
youths
i.e. apprentices

58
tribulation
troublemakers, rabble

58
Tower Hill
site of public executions and a rough residential area

58
limbs
members, residents/fighters, fists

58
Limehouse
rough dockyard area in London’s East End (puns on
limb
)

59
limbo patrum
i.e. prison (literally, the name of the dwelling place for the souls of the unbaptized and of those who had died before Christ’s coming; continues the pun on
limb
)

60
like
likely

61
running banquet
i.e. a whipping through the streets (literally, hasty meal)

61
beadles
parish constables

65
made … hand
done a fine job (sarcastic)

66
trim
fine/smartly dressed (sarcastic)

67
friends
plays on the sense of “lovers” (i.e. whores)

67
o’th’suburbs
in the areas outside the City walls and its jurisdiction, known for lawlessness and prostitution

68
Great … room
plenty of space

70
An’t
if it

73
rule
control

75
lay … th’heels
put you in the stocks or shackles

76
suddenly
straight away

77
round
heavy

78
baiting of bombards
drinking from leather jugs/harassing drunkards/giving drinks to drunkards

79
service
your job

81
break among
push through

81
press
crowd

82
troop
christening procession

82
fairly
easily

83
Marshalsea
prison in Southwark

83
hold ye play
keep you from amusement

86
close up
i.e. back

87
camlet
fabric made from silk and goat hair

87
o’th’rail
off the railing (possibly the rail around the stage, suggesting that the groundlings in the yard took the part of the crowd)

88
peck
fling

88
pales
railings

5.4
Trumpets
trumpeters

5.4
Garter
i.e. Garter King-at-Arms, an important ceremonial post

5.4
Marshal’s staff
the rod of office belonging to the Earl Marshal, a high-ranking state official

5.4
standing bowls
bowls supported by legs or a base

5.4
habited
clothed

5
partners
fellow godparents

7
laid
stored

16
gossips
godparents

16
prodigal
lavish (with christening gifts)

22
heaven … her
may God always be at her side

27
pattern
exemplary model

28
Saba
the Queen of Sheba, who tested Solomon’s wisdom with difficult questions (1 Kings 10:1–10)

31
mould up
form, make up

31
piece
masterpiece, work of art

33
still
always

35
own
own people

36
beaten
(presumably) wind-beaten

41
God
i.e. religion

42
read
learn

43
greatness
power/honor/nobility

43
blood
inheritance

44
sleep
i.e. die

45
maiden phoenix
mythical Arabian
bird
that was consumed by fire every five hundred years, then resurrected from the
ashes
; only one existed at a time

47
admiration
the inspiring of wonder

48
one
i.e. James I, who succeeded Elizabeth in 1603

49
cloud of darkness
i.e. earthly life

52
fixed
constant/established/unswayed by varying fortune

52
terror
the power to inspire awe

64
deed
beneficial action

65
Would
I wish

71
get
beget, conceive/gain, achieve

76
beholding
indebted

80
sick
unhappy, hurt

81
H’as
he has

81
stay
remain/cease (work)

82
holiday
derived from “Holy-day” (as originally spelled in the Folio), emphasizing the word’s origins as a spiritual as well as celebratory time

5
nought
worthless

5
city
London and its citizens

7
that
so that

10
construction
interpretation, judgment, appraisal

11
such a one
could refer to either Katherine, Anne, or Elizabeth

13
ill hap
bad luck

14
hold
refrain, refuse