3 obsequiously in a manner proper to the dead
4 Lancaster i.e. Henry VI, former head of the House of Lancaster
5 key-cold cold as a metal key (proverbial)
6 ashes i.e. remains, lifeless body
8 Be it let it be
8 invocate invoke, call upon
12 Lo look
12 windows vents, i.e. wounds
13 balm healing ointment/substance with which the dead are anointed (i.e. tears)
17 direful hap dreadful fortune
17 betide befall, happen to
19 spiders, toads thought to be poisonous
21 abortive monstrous, deformed
22 Prodigious unnatural/ill-omened
23 aspect appearance
25 that may that (child)
25 unhappiness ill fortune/misery
29 Chertsey on the River Thames, in Surrey; site of a famous monastery
30 Paul’s St. Paul’s Cathedral in London
31 still as whenever
35 devoted holy, devout
40 Advance raise
42 spurn upon kick
46 Avaunt be gone
49 curst ill-tempered/cursed, damnable
50 hence get hence, go away
52 exclaims outcries, exclamations
54 pattern example, model
58 thy … blood it was popularly believed that the wounds of a murder victim would bleed in the presence of the murderer
58 exhales draws forth
71 so is so
73 wonderful extraordinary, astonishing
73 devils … truth Anne interprets Richard’s am no beast to mean that, as neither man nor beast, he must be a devil
75 Vouchsafe permit, consent
76 leave permission
77 circumstance detailed explanation
78 defused dispersed, spreading
82 leisure time, opportunity
84 current genuine, valid
85 despair spiritual hopelessness (thought to precede suicide)
87 worthy … thyself i.e. committing suicide (a highly sinful act)
88 unworthy dishonorable, contemptible/causeless, unjustified
91 slave villain, wretch
95 In … liest i.e. you lie outrageously
96 falchion curved sword
97 once at once
102 aught anything
105 hedgehog a contemptuous reference to Richard’s crest, which featured a wild boar
110 holp helped
115 bedchamber like hell, “chamber” could also be euphemistic for the vagina
118 I hope so i.e. I certainly hope it will, as I shall never lie with you (in an ironic anticipation of future events, however, the phrase may also be construed as “I hope to lie with you”)
120 keen sharp/eager
120 encounter … wits plays on the sense of “sexual encounter of our genitals”
122 timeless untimely, premature
125 effect agent, perpetrator (Richard then shifts the sense to “outcome”)
130 homicide murderer
137 thou art both i.e. day and life
138 would wish
146 He lives i.e. there is a man
148 Plantagenet the name was used by Richard Duke of York, Richard’s father
157 infected mine both disease and love were thought to enter through the eyes
158 basilisks mythical reptiles whose gaze could kill
159 die plays on the sense of “achieve sexual orgasm”
162 aspects appearance/looks, gazes
164 No, when not even when
165 Rutland Richard’s younger brother; his death is depicted in 3 Henry VI, Act 1 Scene 3
166 black-faced evil, threatening, devilish
167 father i.e. the Earl of Warwick (originally a Yorkist, although he later changed sides)
170 That so that
171 bedashed splattered
172 humble lowly
173 exhale draw out
175 sued entreated, begged (for favor)
176 smoothing flattering
177 fee payment, reward
186.1 lays … open bares his chest
186.2 offers aims, makes to thrust
190 set me on this probably has connotations of sexual arousal like provokèd
190.1 falls lets fall
191 take up me accept me (perhaps with connotations of “possess me sexually/make my penis erect”; Anne interprets “raise me from my kneeling position”)
192 dissembler deceiver
199 truer love i.e. Richard himself (supposedly a truer lover than the murdered Edward)
202 figured in represented by
212 Even so in just such a way
220 presently immediately
220 Crosby House Richard’s London house, in Bishopsgate Street; later referred to as Crosby Place
224 expedient duty dutiful haste
225 divers various, several
225 unknown private, that cannot be divulged
229 Tressell and Berkeley minor characters, not mentioned again in the play
235 Whitefriars a priory in London
236 humour manner, style, way
242 bleeding witness i.e. Henry’s body
242 by nearby
243 bars obstacles
244 suit courtship/formal supplication
244 withal with
246 all … nothing i.e. against huge odds, with everything stacked against me
248 brave splendid, noble
250 mood fit of fury
250 Tewkesbury site of the Gloucestershire battle where the Lancastrians were defeated; Edward’s murder took place after the battle and is dramatized in 3 Henry VI, Act 5 Scene 5
252 Framed … nature created when nature was most generous, lavish
253 royal majestic, noble
256 prime youthful manhood/springtime
258 whose … moiety the entirety of whom is not worth half of Edward
259 halts limps
259 misshapen deformed
260 denier small coin worth one tenth of a penny
263 proper handsome, fine
264 be … for buy, spend money on
265 entertain employ
265 score … of twenty or forty
269 in into
271 glass mirror, looking-glass
272 shadow also means “reflection”; the shadow cast by the sun will substitute for the mirror’s image
Act 1 Scene 3
1.3 Location: the royal court, London
3 brook it ill endure it with difficulty, take it badly
4 entertain good comfort take comfort, be cheerful
6 betide on happen to, befall
8 includes incorporates, is the sum of
9 goodly splendid, fine
14 concluded legally finalized
14 Protector guardian, who ruled on behalf of a king who was too young to do so
16 miscarry die
20 Countess Richmond Margaret Beaufort, Derby’s wife; by her first husband, Edmund Tudor, she was mother to Henry, Earl of Richmond (later Henry VII)
20 good my my good
26 envious malicious
29 wayward obstinate, willful
36 atonement reconciliation
37 brothers only one brother, Anthony Woodville (Earl Rivers), appears in the play, but Shakespeare may have thought of him as two characters: Rivers and Woodville are listed separately in the opening stage directions at Act 2 Scene 1, and are addressed separately later in that scene
39 warn summon
41 happiness good fortune
44 forsooth indeed, in truth
44 stern harsh, unfriendly
45 lightly little
46 dissentious inflammatory, quarrelsome
47 fair pleasing, charming
48 smooth flatter
48 cog fawn, flatter, deceive
49 Duck … nods i.e. bow
in an affected, courtly manner
49 apish idiotic/imitative
51 plain unaffected, simple, honest
53 silken smooth-tongued, ingratiating/elaborately dressed
53 jacks knaves, low-born men; plays on Jack, a common name
54 presence company/royal presence
55 nor neither
55 grace virtue/propriety/nobility (picking up on grace as a form of address in the previous line)
60 breathing-while time to draw breath
61 lewd wicked/ignorant/lowly
65 belike probably/perhaps
68 to send summon (you)
70 wrens small, gentle birds (unlike large, predatory eagles)
74 friends relatives
77 brother i.e. George, Duke of Clarence
81 noble gold coin worth about a third of a pound (puns on ennoble)
82 careful full of cares
83 hap fortune
88 draw me implicate me/represent me
88 suspects suspicions
90 late recent
94 preferments promotions, advancements
96 desert deserving, merit
97 marry by the Virgin Mary (Richard goes on to shift the sense to “wed”)
100 stripling young man
101 Iwis indeed, certainly
101 grandam grandmother
105 gross base/wicked/excessive
108.1 Queen Margaret historically, the widow of Henry VI was imprisoned after the battle of Tewkesbury, and later exiled to her native France
111 state rank
111 seat throne
112 Threat threaten
113 avouch’t affirm, declare it
114 adventure risk
115 pains efforts (made on behalf of the king)
116 Out exclamation of outrage and impatience
119 Ere before
120 packhorse workhorse
121 proud ambitious, arrogant
126 factious for on the side of, promoting dissent in the interests of
127 husband … slain historically, Elizabeth’s first husband, Sir John Grey, was killed fighting for the Lancastrians, although in 3 Henry VI (Act 3 Scene 2) he is depicted as having fought for the Yorkists
128 battle army
130 ere this before now
131 Withal moreover
133 Clarence … Warwick Clarence and the Earl of Warwick deserted the Yorkists; Clarence married Warwick’s daughter, but later returned to the Yorkist cause, events that are depicted in 3 Henry VI
133 father father-in-law
134 forswore himself broke his oath (of loyalty)
137 meed reward
139 pitiful full of pity, compassionate
140 childish-foolish innocent, inexperienced
141 Hie hurry
142 cacodemon evil spirit
144 urge bring forward, offer as evidence
157 pilled pillaged, robbed
159 If … rebels Even if you do not bow to me as your queen, then you tremble like the rebels who deposed me
161 gentle noble, high-born/kind
161 villain low-born, rustic/scoundrel: the phrase is oxymoronic
162 mak’st thou are you doing
163 But repetition of merely recounting
163 marred destroyed
164 make do
167 abode remaining
169 thou i.e. Elizabeth
172 curse … paper before his death, Richard Duke of York curses Margaret after she mockingly places a paper crown on his head (see 3 Henry VI, Act 1 Scene 4)
175 clout cloth
176 pretty youthful, fine-looking
176 Rutland York’s young son; the episode with the cloth also appears in 3 Henry VI, Act 1 Scene 4
179 plagued punished ceaselessly
181 that babe i.e. Rutland
184 No … prophesied there was no man who did not prophesy
187 catch seize
192 but answer for merely equal
192 peevish foolish, childish/obstinate
194 dull thick, dark, sluggish
194 quick vigorous, lively, sharp
195 surfeit sickness resulting from overindulgence
199 like the same
204 Decked adorned, dressed
204 stalled installed
208 standers-by bystanders, lookers-on
212 unlooked unforeseen, unexpected
213 charm magic spell, curse
213 hag witch
217 them i.e. the heavens
220 still constantly
220 begnaw eat away at, gnaw
221 for to be
223 deadly murderous
226 elvish-marked physically marked by evil elves at birth
226 abortive monstrous, deformed
226 rooting hog i.e. hunched and greedy; alludes to the boar on Richard’s crest
227 sealed … nativity branded at birth
228 slave of nature slave to bestial natural impulses/one irredeemably marked out by nature
229 slander disgrace, shame
229 heavy pregnant, weighty/sorrowful
230 issue offspring
231 rag discarded scrap
232 Margaret Richard makes Margaret the subject of her insults to him
236 cry thee mercy beg your pardon
238 looked for expected
239 period end
242 painted artificial/made-up with cosmetics
242 vain flourish meaningless, frivolous adornment
242 fortune (rightful) position
243 bottled swollen (with venom), rounded, bottle-shaped
245 thou whet’st you are sharpening
247 bunch-backed hunchbacked
248 False-boding falsely prophesying
248 frantic deranged, mad
251 well served treated as befits you (Margaret maintains the sense of “treated” and adds the sense of “obeyed, paid respect to”)
252 duty respect, deference
256 Master Marquis Margaret contemptuously prefaces the aristocratic “marquis” with the form of address for an untitled man
256 malapert impertinent
257 fire-new brand new, newly minted
257 current valid, legitimate
258 nobility continues the coining imagery with a quibble on “noble” (a gold coin)
264 so high this high (i.e. noble)
265 eyrie nest/brood of young birds of prey (especially eagles, king of birds)/noble stock of children
266 dallies with teases, plays with
266 scorns the sun eagles were thought to be able to gaze unblinkingly into the sun
267 sun puns on son
272 suffer endure, permit
278 My charity the charity I feel/the charity I am shown
278 outrage violence, hostility
278 life my shame the only life I am allowed is a dishonorable one/I am ashamed to live
279 still perpetually
283 fair good fortune
285 compass bounds
286 pass go any further than
288 but anything other than that
291 Look when whenever
292 venom poisonous
292 rankle inflict a festering wound
294 marks blemishes/identifying insignia/aims, sights
297 respect deem worthy of listening to
299 soothe flatter, humor
311 vantage advantages, benefits (i.e. being queen)
311 her wrong the wrong done to her
312 hot eager
312 do somebody good i.e. help Edward to the crown
313 cold ungrateful, indifferent
315 franked … fatting penned in to be fattened up (for slaughter)
318 scathe harm
319 well advised cautious
324 wait upon attend
326 mischiefs wicked, evil deeds
326 abroach in motion
327 lay … of impose as a serious accusation against (i.e. blame on)
328 cast in darkness caused to be imprisoned (with connotations of death)
329 beweep cry over
329 gulls idiots, gullible people
331 allies supporters, relatives
332 stir incite, stir up
333 whet encourage, incite
338 ends scraps
341 hardy bold
342 dispatch carry out (plays on the sense of “kill”)
346 repair make your way
347 sudden swift
348 obdurate inflexible, determined
349 well-spoken articulate, persuasive
350 mark pay attention to, listen to
351 prate chat
354 eyes drop millstones proverbial image of hard-heartedness
354 fall let fall, drop
355 straight straightaway
Act 1 Scene 4
1.4 Location: the Tower of London
1.4 Keeper guard (this role could be conflated with Brackenbury)
1 heavily sadly
5 spend pass/expend (like money)
6 Though ’twere even if it were
7 dismal ominous, sinister
13 hatches deck
14 cited up recalled
17 giddy swaying, unstable
19 stay steady, restrain
20 main sea
27 Inestimable impossible to count or value
27 unvalued priceless
37 yield the ghost die
37 envious flood malicious sea
38 Stopped in shut up, blocked in
39 vast boundless/empty
40 bulk body
42 sore serious, extreme
45 melancholy flood the River Styx, which had to be crossed to get to Hades, the classical underworld
46 sour ferryman Charon, who ferried souls to Hades
47 kingdom … night Hades, the underworld
48 stranger foreign, newly arrived
50 perjury oath-breaking; Clarence broke his oath of allegiance to Warwick by returning to fight for the Yorkists after he and Warwick had changed sides to support the Lancastrians
51 monarchy kingdom (the underworld)
51 afford offer, give to
53 shadow ghost (of Prince Edward, Henry VI’s son)
54 shrieked ghosts were traditionally supposed to speak in shrill voices
55 fleeting fickle, capricious
56 field battlefield
57 Furies in classical mythology, three female spirits of vengeance
58 legion army
59 Environed surrounded
61 season while, time
64 though if
68 requites rewards, repays
73 prithee beg you (literally “I pray thee”)
74 heavy oppressed, burdened, sorrowful
76 breaks cracks, disrupts
76 seasons natural rhythms of time
76 reposing hours time for rest
77 noontide midday
78 for as
79 for at the cost of, as the result of
80 for in exchange for