66 no lean wardrobe i.e. no small amount (because hangings were common;
wardrobe may pun on “wardrope,” a type of thick rope
gib cat tom cat?
67 lugged bear baited bear, pulled by the ears and tugged on a chain
68 lute the stringed instrument was associated with lovers
69 bagpipe musical instrument/tedious, moaning speaker
70 hare a proverbially melancholy animal
71 Moorditch notoriously filthy drainage ditch outside the northern walls of the City of London
73 comparative prone to making comparisons
rascalli’st most rascal-like
74 vanity foolishness, trifles
75 commodity supply
names reputations
76 rated scolded
77 marked him not took no notice of him
80 no…it biblical allusion, “Wisdom crieth without…and no man regarded” (Proverbs 1:20–4), truncated in Folio because of the 1606 Parliamentary “Act to restrain the Abuses of Players”
81 damnable iteration a way of constantly quoting Scripture that will lead to damnation
82 saint puritan term for a person chosen by God to be saved
86 An if
87 never a no
88 Jack affectionate form of “John”
89 make one make up one of the party
90 baffle publicly disgrace (a knight) me.
91 amendment reformation
93 vocation calling (from God)
95 Gadshill named after Gad’s Hill in Kent, a notorious place for highway robberies
set a watch surveyed the targeted area, conducted a recce (as part of planning a robbery; some editors emend to “set a match”—slang for “plan a robbery”
saved by merit had their souls saved through good works and personal desert (as opposed to divine grace)
97 omnipotent unparalleled, almighty
‘Stand’ stand and deliver—highwayman’s command
true honest
100 Monsieur Remorse teasing reference to Falstaff
101 Sir…Jack i.e. Falstaff; another mocking reference, apparently alluding to Falstaff’s taste for sweetened wine
103 Good Friday the Friday before Easter Sunday, a strict fast day
Madeira a strong white wine
107 give…due proverbial
110 Else he had Otherwise he had been
cozening cheating
112 Gad’s Hill the notorious spot for robberies was situated on the Dover road near
Rochester in Kent; pilgrims traveling to
Canterbury were often targets
114 vizards masks
115 lies lodges
bespoke ordered
116 Eastcheap London street running from the junction of Cannon and Gracechurch streets to Great Tower Street
secure safely
117 crowns gold coins
118 tarry stay
119 Yedward dialect form of “Edward”
120 hang you i.e. report it and get you hanged
121 chops fat cheeks
125 blood royal regal descent (Falstaff goes on to play on the sense of “gold coin worth
ten shillings”)
126 stand for stand and fight for/be worth
135 Well…believed Falstaff parodies the language of a Protestant sermon on the power of God’s word to move the congregation
138 abuses wrongdoings, sins
139 want countenance lack recognition and support
141 latter…summer late spring and summer lasting until All Hallows’ Eve (31 October); the suggestion is that Falstaff’s youthful behavior is not in keeping with his age!
146 waylaid set an ambush for
152 pleasure preference, decision
fail i.e. to turn up
155 like likely
156 habits clothes
appointment piece of gear
160 sirrah sir (familiar form often used to inferiors, jocular here
cases of buckram suits of coarse cloth
nonce purpose, occasion
immask disguise
161 noted well-known
162 doubt fear
hard tough, powerful
164 turned back turned their backs to flee
165 forswear swear to give up
166 incomprehensible boundless, unlimited
168 wards defensive maneuvers (fencing term)
169 reproof disproving, refutation/shame, reprimand
173 sup have supper (the last meal of the day)
175 uphold carry on with/support
176 unyoked humour unrestrained behavior, wild whim
177 sun common symbol of royalty
178 contagious noxious, infectious;
clouds were thought to harbor disease
181 wanted missed, lacked
185 sport play, entertain oneself
187 rare accidents unusual events
191 falsify men’s hopes prove expectations of me false
192 sullen ground dark background
195 foil contrast, background (technically, setting for a jewel)
196 so offend misbehave in such a way
197 Redeeming time making up for lost time
Redeeming has religious connotations)
1 temperate calm, restrained
2 Unapt not inclined or ready to
3 found me found me to be so
4 tread upon try, take advantage of
5 myself my royal self
6 condition natural disposition
8 title of claim to
9 proud fine, splendid, possessed of self-respect
10 house family
11 scourge punishing whip
13 holp helped
portly prosperous, majestic/overweight, too comfortable
17 peremptory determined/imperious
19 moody frontier threatening look
frontier literally, military fortification
20 good leave full permission
21 use services
26 with…denied refused so emphatically
27 delivered reported
28 envy or misprision malice or misunderstanding
32 dry with rage thirsty after the fury of battle
34 neat elegant
trimly finely, immaculately
35 new reaped freshly shaven
36 stubble-land at harvest-home shorn stalks of crops at the end of the harvest
37 milliner seller of fancy goods (originally those from Milan)
39 pouncet-box small box with a perforated lid, used for holding perfume or snuff
ever and anon time and again
40 gave held up to
41 Who therewith angry at which (removal of the box) his nose became angry
42 Took…snuff inhaled/took offense
still continually
44 untaught ignorant, ill-mannered
45 slovenly dirty, untidy
unhandsome unattractive, unbecoming
46 nobility elegant, aristocratic personage
47 holiday…terms refined, genteel expressions
48 questioned conversed with/asked questions of
50 cold untended/congealing
51 popinjay parrot (i.e. gaudy prattler)
53 neglectingly unthinkingly, carelessly
55 brisk sprucely, smartly
56 waiting-gentlewoman woman of good family attending on a great lady
57 God…mark! conventional expression of apology
58 sovereign’st best, most healing
59 parmaceti corruption of “spermaceti”—fat from the head of a sperm whale, used for treating bruises
61 saltpetre potassium nitrate, the chief ingredient of gunpowder, also used medicinally
63 tall fine, valiant
66 bald unjointed chat empty, incoherent chatter
67 indirectly inattentively
68 beseech beg
69 Come current be accepted at face
value
74 retold related, explained
75 die i.e. be forgotten
76 impeach discredit, accuse
77 so provided that
78 yet he still Hotspur (the king does not reply to him directly
deny refuse (to hand over)
79 proviso and exception terms and conditions
80 charge expense
straight straightaway
85 Earl of March i.e.
Mortimer; in fact, Shakespeare confuses two Edmund Mortimers: one was indeed the Earl of March, but it was his uncle of the same name who married Glendower’s daughter
86 coffers money chests, treasury
88 indent make a contract
fears those traitors who give us cause for fear/cowards
93 revolted rebellious
95 fall off abandon loyalty
98 mouthèd open, gaping/famous, spoken of
99 Severn’s sedgy bank reed-covered bank of the River Severn, which divided England and south Wales
101 confound spend, consume
102 changing hardiment exchanging valiant blows
103 breathed broke off to catch their breath
104 Upon agreement by mutual consent
flood water, torrent
105 affrighted frightened
107 crisp wavy, rippled (personifies the river as curly-haired
hollow empty, sunken
109 base…policy lowly and corrupt plotting
110 Colour disguise/dye
113 slandered “sland’red” in Folio
revolt i.e. the accusation of being a rebel
114 belie misrepresent, lie about
115 encounter fight
116 durst (would have) dared
121 kind manner
123 license formally authorize
125 An if if
126 after follow
128 with hazard of at the risk (of losing)
129 choler anger
133 Want mercy lack God’s mercy, i.e. be damned
136 downfall downfallen
138 ingrate ungrateful
cankered diseased, corrupted
Bullingbrook Henry’s surname before he was king (taken from the castle in which he was born—Hotspur refuses to acknowledge Henry’s royal status)
140 heat anger
141 forsooth in truth
142 urged pressed, brought forward
144 eye of death fearful look, perhaps also threatening
146 he i.e. Mortimer
147 Richard Richard II, deposed by Henry
next of blood nearest blood relation, i.e. heir to the throne; confusion between the two Mortimers continues—it was in fact the younger man who was proclaimed heir, rather than his uncle (husband of Glendower’s daughter and the man who is meant here)
149 unhappy unfortunate
150 in us i.e. at our hands—the Percy family had supported Henry against Richard
152 intercepted interrupted (in the middle of his Irish campaign)
156 soft wait a moment
157 brother brother-in-law
160 cousin may pun on “cozen” (i.e. “cheat”)
164 blot (moral) stain
165 subornation incitement (to Richard’s murder)
167 second means agents, instruments
170 line status (plays on the sense of “rope”
predicament category/dangerous situation
171 range move/are ranked
subtle crafty
175 gage pledge
178 canker wild rose/worm that destroys plants/ulcer
180 fooled made fools of/duped, frustrated
186 studies reflects, plans, endeavors
187 answer repay
191 unclasp i.e. open
192 quick-conceiving ready, quick to understand
193 deep deep-rooted/grave/cunning
195 o’er-walk cross
196 unsteadfast unsteady
spear i.e. used as a bridge
197 goodnight i.e. he’s dead
or…swim whether he sinks or swims/he’ll either sink or swim
199 So provided
cross meet/thwart, oppose
207 fathom-line weighted line used for measuring the depth of water
209 redeem rescue, restore
thence from there
210 corrival rival, competitor
211 out upon away with
half-faced fellowship partial, unsatisfactory partnership
212 apprehends conceives of, perceives
figures images/forms/figures of speech
213 form essential principle
attend consider
214 list listen
215 cry you mercy beg your pardon
219 Scot puns on the sense of “small payment”
229 holla shout
232 still constantly
234 defy renounce
235 gall and pinch irritate and torment
236 sword-and-buckler weapons associated with servants; a gentleman carried rapier and dagger
buckler small shield
237 But that were it not for the fact that
238 mischance accident
241 better…attend in the right frame of mind to listen
244 Tying…own listening to no one but yourself
246 pismires ants
247 politician crafty plotter
250 duke his uncle i.e. Edmund of Langley, Duke of York
kept lived
253 Ravenspurgh Spurn Head on the Yorkshire coast
254 Berkeley Castle a castle in Gloucestershire, near Bristol
256 candy deal sickly sweet (flattering) quantity
258 Look when wait for the time when, as soon as
infant…age i.e. I come into my inheritance
260 cozeners deceivers (puns on “cousin”)
263 stay await
264 sooth truth
267 the Douglas’ son i.e. Mordake
mean For powers agent or means of raising an army
268 divers various
272 bosom i.e. confidence, trust
273 prelate church dignitary
276 bears hard takes badly
277 Lord Scroop William Scroop, Earl of Wiltshire, executed by Bullingbrook in 1399; in fact the archbishop’s cousin
278 estimation guessing,
281 stays waits
face…occasion i.e. opportunity
283 smell it catch the scent, as in hunting
285 Before…slip you always release the dogs before the prey has been sighted
287 power army
290 aimed devised, directed
292 head army
293 even steadily, patiently
296 pay us home repay us in full/administer a fatal blow
302 suddenly soon
303 steal go secretly
304 at once all at the same time
305 happily fortunately
310 fields battlefields
1 by the day in the morning
2 Charles’ wain Charlemagne’s wagon, old name for the constellation of the Plow
3 packed loaded
ostler groom at an inn
4 Anon soon, in a moment
5 Tom presumably the Second Carrier, though possibly the Ostler
beat Cut’s saddle beating a saddle would soften it; Cut is the horse’s name
flocks tufts of wool (for padding)
6 point pommel of saddle
jade worn-out old horse
wrung…withers rubbed sore between the shoulders
out…cess beyond measure
8 Peas and beans i.e. horses’ food
dank…dog damp
9 bots intestinal worms
house inn
11 joyed was happy
14 tench freshwater fish with spots said to resemble fleabites
17 first cock first cockcrow, midnight
18 jordan chamber pot
19 leak urinate
chimney fireplace
cham
ber-lye urine
20 loach small freshwater fish, thought to harbor
fleas
21 Come away come along
23 gammon of bacon ham
razes either “races” (roots) or “rasers” (a measure amounting to four bushels)
24 Charing Cross village between London and Westminster, site of a market
25 pannier one of a pair of baskets
27 An…thee if cracking your skull were not as good a thing as drinking
29 Hast have you
faith honesty, trustworthiness
31 two o’clock either an error, since the First Carrier earlier said that he thought it was four o’clock, or a lie to mislead Gadshill (who may have aroused suspicion)
32 gelding castrated horse
34 I know…that i.e. I’m not so stupid as to fall for such an old trick
37 Ay…tell? What time is it? Do you know? (repeating Gadshill’s earlier request); or proverbial phrase meaning “you must be joking”
38 quoth a did you say
41 Time…candle i.e. sometime tonight
42 warrant assure
neighbour Mugs i.e. the First Carrier;
neighbour is a friendly form of address
call wake
43 along…charge want to travel in a group because they’re carrying valuable goods
Chamberlain inn attendant in charge of the bedrooms
46 At…pick-purse I’m ready, as the pickpocket says
47 That’s…fair as i.e. you might as well have said
49 giving…labouring giving orders does from working
50 lay’st…how devise the plan, direct the thief
51 current movement, onward flow
heady violent, swiftly moving
52 franklin small landowner
wild of Kent Kentish weald, wooded country between the North and South Downs of southern England
55 auditor treasury official
abundance of charge a lot of baggage
56 eggs and butter i.e. breakfast
57 presently immediately
58 Saint Nicholas’ clerks thieves, highwaymen;
Saint Nicholas was supposedly their patron saint
65 starveling skinny, starving person
66 Trojans fine fellows (slang
the which who
67 profession i.e. of robbery
69 make all whole put everything right, sort things out
foot-land rakers thieves who operate on foot (as opposed to on a horse)
70 long-staff sixpenny strikers thieves who, merely to steal sixpence, strike their victims with a long stick
mustachio purple-hued malt-worms purple-faced drunkards with large mustaches
71 tranquillity those living a peaceful life
72 burgomasters town officials
oneyers exact meaning uncertain, perhaps “ones,” i.e.
great personages
hold in hold firm/keep silent
75 commonwealth nation