4.2 Location: Kent [George] ... Holland probably the names of the actors Shakespeare had in mind as he wrote this scene; John Holland is known to have been an actor at the time 4.2 staves staffs used as weapons
1 lath thin strip of wood; a dagger of lath was the conventional weapon of the Vice character in morality plays 2 up in rebellion, up in arms
4 clothier cloth worker, who dealt with cloth after it had been woven 4 dress clothe/reform
5 turn it turn it inside out (as a means of renewing it and prolonging its use)/turn it upside down socially 5 set ... it give it a smooth finish
5 nap projecting fibers, surface texture
7 merry world like the good old days up into fashion 8 regarded noticed, valued
10 think scorn disdain, consider it lowly leather aprons the typical clothing of an artisan 12 'Labour ... vocation' proverbial, i.e. each man must walk in his own calling 13 labouring working (manually)
15 hit it got it, hit the nail on the head
15 brave fine
16 hard hardened, toughened (through manual labor)
17 Best's ... tanner the son of Best, the tanner (leather worker) 18 Wingham village near Canterbury, in Kent
20 dog's leather used for glove making
25 Argo i.e. ergo--"therefore" (Latin)
25 thread ... spun in classical mythology, the three Fates spun, measured out, and cut the thread of a person's life 26 fall in join
26 Sawyer workman who saws timber
26 infinite numbers i.e. a large group of people 27 We Cade uses the royal pronoun
27 termed of named after
28 of for
28 cade barrel
29 fail some editors emend to "fall," thus generating a possible play on Cade's name as cadere is Latin for "to fall"
34 bricklayer puns on Mortimer/mortarer
37 Lacys the family name of the earls of Lincoln
39 laces puns on Lacys
40 travel puns on "travail" (work, labor/have sex, as a roaming whore) 41 furred pack pedlar's pack (made of or trimmed with fur)/vagina covered with pubic hair 41 washes bucks washes laundry/has sex with lecherous men
43 field may play on the sense of "background of a coat of arms"
44 under a hedge proverbial birthplace for the very lowly
45 cage prison for petty criminals and vagabonds
47 A must needs he must be
47 valiant sturdy, capable of work
50 whipped the standard punishment for vagabonds
53 proof tried resistance (i.e. old, much worn; usually applied to impenetrable armor) 54 stand remain
55 burnt branded (with a "T" for "Thief")
59 the ... hoops wooden drinking vessels had hoops around them as a means of measuring their contents; a three-hooped pot contained two pints, so Cade's suggestion means that a drinker would get considerably more for his money 59 small weak
60 be in common become common land, available to all
60 Cheapside market area of London
60 palfrey a horse for riding (as opposed to a warhorse)
61 grass graze
64 score account, expense
64 apparel dress
65 livery servants' uniform
65 agree match/get on
72 wax sealing wax, used on official documents
72 seal agree, put my name (plays on the sense of "have sex") 72 thing i.e. document (plays on the sense of "vagina") 72.1 Clerk parish clerk with secretarial responsibilities as scribe or notary 72.2 Chartham a village near Canterbury, in Kent 75 cast account do arithmetic, add up accounts
76 monstrous unnatural (a lack of literacy and numeracy was very common among country folk) 77 took found, encountered/arrested, captured
77 setting ... copies preparing written exercises for schoolboys 79 red letters in almanacs, the saints' days were printed in red as were the capital letters in school primers 80 conjurer magician (using an almanac to make predictions)
81 make obligations draw up legal bonds
81 court hand the script used in official, legal documents
82 proper fine/handsome
85 Emmanuel meaning "God with us," a phrase often found at the heads of letters or deeds 86 go hard with be the worse
88 Dost ... to do you usually
89 mark to thyself illiterate people "signed" their name by making a mark such as an "X"
90 plain-dealing simple, straightforward
96 inkhorn portable inkwell
98 particular private (playing on opposite of general)
100 hard close
102 encountered i.e. in combat
103 a he
104 No i.e. no, nothing but a knight
105 presently immediately
105 Drum drummer
108 hinds peasants
110 groom servant (i.e. Cade)
111 revolt turn back (to your former allegiance)
114 pass care
119 shearman one who shears excess fiber from woolen cloth as it is made 120 Adam in the Bible, the first man; he looked after the Garden of Eden 125 two ... birth i.e. twins
127 question problem
128 put to nurse given to a wet-nurse to be breastfed (noble women did not generally breastfeed their own babies) 135 alive still there
142 Go to expression of impatient dismissal
144 span-counter game in which a player tried to throw a counter or coin as close to that of his opponent as possible (and within the distance of the span of a hand) French crowns coins/syphilitic baldness/monarch's crowns (refers to the campaigns against the French under Henry V) 145 Protector legal and political guardian
148 mained maimed (puns on Maine)
149 fain to go obliged to walk
149 puissance power
150 gelded castrated
153 miserable contemptible, pitiable
156 tongue language
158 gentle peaceable
161 up up in arms
162 That so that
164 for as
169 clouted shoon patched or hobnailed shoes (i.e. workingmen's footwear) 170 thrifty respectable, worthy
172 order battle formation
173 out of order rebellious
Act 4 Scene 3
7 Lent ... one during Lent, the forty-day period before Easter when Christians were to eat fish rather than meat, butchers required a special license to slaughter animals; Cade promises to double the length of Lent and grants Dick the right to kill ninety-nine animals/supply ninety-nine customers/hold a license for ninety-nine years 19 brigandine body armor
10 monument memorial trophy
16 Fear doubt
16 warrant assure
Act 4 Scene 4
4.4 Location: the royal court, London
4.4 supplication formal petition
12 parley negotiate
15 wandering unfixed, having its own motion
17 That who
26 Southwark area just south of the Thames, on the outskirts of the City 36 false caterpillars treacherous parasites
37 graceless rough, ignorant/lacking divine grace
37 they ... do echoes Christ's words from the cross (Luke 23:34) 38 Killingworth Kenilworth Castle, near Coventry in Warwickshire 39 power army
41 appeased pacified
44 So then
50 rascal people rabble
52 spoil plunder, loot
Act 4 Scene 5
4.5 Location: the Tower of London
3 the bridge i.e. London Bridge
4 craves requests/begs
9 gather head raise an army
10 Matthew Gough historically a very experienced soldier
Act 4 Scene 6
4.6 Location: Cannon Street, London
4.6 London Stone central City landmark located in Cannon Street 2 of at
3 Pissing Conduit the nickname for Little Conduit, a water fountain used by the lower-class Londoners Act 4 Scene 7
4.7 Location: Smithfield, London
1 Savoy
the London residence of the Duke of Lancaster
2 Inns of Court series of buildings west of the City where young men studied law 4 lordship title and estate of a lord
8 whole healed, healthy
14 biting severe/gnawed, bitten with teeth
18 towns i.e. Anjou and Maine
19 pay ... fifteens a tax of 140 percent on each person's assets 19 subsidy levying of taxation to meet a special requirement, e.g. war 21 say fine part-silk fabric (puns on Saye)
21 serge hard-wearing woolen fabric
21 buckram coarse linen
22 point-blank direct range
24 Basimecu i.e. baise mon cul, French for "kiss my ass"
25 Be ... presence the standard legal phrase used at the beginning of a document (where "these presents" refers to the document) is confused with the royal "presence"
26 besom broom (puns on "basimecu")
30 score ... tally means of keeping accounts where sticks were scored, or notched, with a total, then split into halves (tallies) so that debtor and creditor had one each 30 printing ... paper-mill an anachronism: the printing press (1476) and the paper mill (1495) were not established in England until the late fifteenth century 33 usually habitually
39 only ... live if a criminal could prove that he could read Latin he could claim "benefit of clergy" and avoid being hanged 40 foot-cloth stately ornamental cloth draped over the back of a horse 42 Marry by the Virgin Mary
43 hose and doublets breeches and jackets (with no outer garment) 49 'bona ... gens' "a good land, bad people" (Italian catchphrase used of England and the English) 51 bear (then) take
52 commentaries Caesar writ Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico describes his campaigns from 58 to 52 BC; in Golding's 1564 translation the people of Kent are described as the "civilest" in England 55 liberal generous
59 favour leniency, compassion
61 aught anything
61 exacted enforced (payment of taxes)
63 clerks scholars
64 book learning, education
64 preferred me gained me preferment, recommended me
68 forbear desist, refrain
69 parleyed unto negotiated with
70 behoof benefit, advantage
71 field battlefield
72 reaching far-reaching, influential
74 come behind a dishonorable way to attack an enemy
75 watching remaining awake, on guard
78 sitting i.e. as a judge
78 determine settle, decide
78 causes lawsuits, cases
80 hempen caudle i.e. hangman's rope
80 caudle strengthening medicinal gruel
81 hatchet the executioner's axe
83 palsy illness characterized by trembling
84 who one who
84 even fair, forthright/steady, unwavering
88 affected loved, aimed at
92 guiltless bloodshedding the shedding of innocent blood
95 remorse pity
96 bridle restrain
96 an ... but if only
97 familiar attendant spirit, demon
98 a in
104 obdurate unyielding
109 tribute payment made to a monarch as an act of homage
110 pay ... it alludes to the "droit de seigneur," the right of a feudal lord to have sex with the bride of a vassal on her wedding night 110 maidenhead virginity
111 hold hold property
111 in capite directly from the crown (legal term); puns on Latin caput, i.e. "head/maidenhead"
112 free sexually available
115 take ... bills acquire goods on credit or by means of force/spear decapitated heads on our weapons/have sex with whores 115 bills financial accounts/long-handled bladed weapons/penises 117 brave marvelous, fine
122 spoil looting, plunder
123 maces staffs of office
Act 4 Scene 8
4.8 Location: near London Bridge, on the north side of the River Thames rabblement riotous followers 1 Fish Street on the north side of London Bridge, across the river from Southwark 1 St Magnus' Corner site of St. Magnus' Church, by London Bridge at the bottom of Fish Street 1 parley trumpet summons for negotiation between opposing sides, during which fighting was to stop 8 pronounce formally declare, proclaim
13 Who whoever
17 Shake he let him shake (in defiance)
19 brave audacious
23 White Hart an inn on Borough High Street in Southwark, south of the Thames, at which Cade had lodged; its name plays on the sense of "coward"
24 out up
25 recreants deserters
26 dastards cowards
28 ravish rape
29 make ... one look out for myself
35 meanest lowliest, most humble
37 the spoil looting, plunder
39 at jar in discord
40 fearful frightened
41 start sudden invasion
42 broil turmoil, battle
44 'Villiago!' version of the Italian (here generally "foreign") word for coward, vigliacco
45 miscarry perish, come to harm
51 A to
53 hales hauls, drags
55 surprise capture
56 despite spite
57 have through here I come through
60 betake me take
64 mean way, means
Act 4 Scene 9
4.9 Location: unspecified, presumably Kenilworth Castle terrace i.e. the upper staging level or gallery 1 joyed enjoyed
8 surprised seized
9 retired retreated
9 halters nooses
10 powers forces, soldiers
12 Expect await
12 doom judgment, sentence
13 ope open
14 entertain receive
18 infortunate unfortunate
21 several countries various regions
23 advertised warned
24 newly recently, just
25 puissant powerful
26 galloglasses Irish soldiers armed with axes
26 stout bold, hardy
26 kerns lightly armed Irish foot soldiers
27 array readiness for combat
28 still continually
31 state situation/country/kingship distressed afflicted with adversity 33 calmed becalmed
35 second support, reinforce
37 of for
38 Duke Edmund i.e. Somerset
44 rough in terms harsh in your choice of language
45 brook tolerate
46 deal negotiate
47 redound unto turn out for
49 yet so far, up until now
Act 4 Scene 10
4.10 Location: Iden's garden, Kent
1 Fie expression of angry impatience
2 famish starve
3 durst dared
3 laid set with traps
5 stay wait, delay
7 sallet salad (leaves and vegetables)
7 while time
8 stomach appetite
8 word possible pun on "wort," i.e. edible herb or vegetable 10 sallet light helmet
10 brain-pan skull
10 brown bill long-handled weapon with an axe-like blade, either painted or varnished brown, or stained with dried blood 11 dry thirsty
14 turmoiled harried, in a state of upheaval
18 wax grow
18 waning diminishing, loss
19 I ... envy regardless of others' envy or malice
20 Sufficeth that it is enough that what
21 well pleased i.e. with plenty of food
22 lord ... soil i.e. owner of the estate
23 stray trespasser
23 fee-simple land or property that is owned outright, and may be passed on to heirs in such a condition 24 of from
26 eat ... ostrich it was popularly thought that ostriches did so; Cade means that he will stab Iden 28 rude companion lowly, rough fellow
33 brave defy
33 saucy insolent
35 broach
ed shed
35 beard defy (literally, pull insultingly by the beard)
35 eat eaten
36 meat food
40 esquire a gentleman ranking below a knight
41 Took odds accepted such an unequal challenge
43 outface defy
46 truncheon thick staff, i.e. Iden's leg
49 if ... earth i.e. if I but raise my arm, you are as good as dead 50 whose ... words either "whose power is only inflicted upon mere words" or "the power of this (my sword) answers them"
51 forbears refrains from, cannot express
52 complete consummate, accomplished champion defender of a person or cause 53 turn the edge fail to cut
54 chines joints
55 turned to hobnails melted down and turned into the nails used in boots 62 monstrous unnatural
63 hallow consecrate, bless
66 herald's coat heraldic device
67 emblaze set forth by means of a heraldic device
73 bare bore, gave birth to
74 thrust ... sword thrust my sword into your body
78 ungracious lacking divine grace
80 trunk body
Act 5 Scene 1
5.1 Location: St. Albans
5.1 Drum drummer
5.1 Colours flagbearers
4 entertain welcome
5 sancta majestas "sacred majesty" (Latin)
7 gold i.e. the official regalia of kingship
9 Except unless
10 have I as sure as I have
11 toss impale
11 flower-de-luce fleur-de-lis, the heraldic lily of the French royal coat of arms 13 dissemble deceive, disguise the truth
16 of pleasure on your own initiative, to please yourself
23 choler anger
25 abject lowly, despicable
26 Ajax Telamonius a hero of the Trojan war, Ajax, son of Telamon, flew into a mad fit of rage when the armor of Achilles was awarded to Odysseus rather than himself; in his frenzy he slaughtered a flock of sheep, thinking they were his enemies 27 spend expend
28 better born i.e. have a superior claim to the throne 30 make fair weather pretend to be agreeable
46 St George's Field area between Southwark and Lambeth on the south side of the Thames 49 Command demand, send for
50 fealty loyalty
53 so provided that
54 kind proper, noble
55 twain two
63 discomfited defeated
64 rude ... condition ignorant and of such low rank
70 wrought created for
72 an't like if it please
73 degree rank
79 marks a mark was an accounting unit, rather than a coin, worth two thirds of a pound 80 will desire
86 front confront
92 how hardly with what difficulty
92 brook abuse tolerate deception, abide insult
95 Which who
96 become befit
97 palmer's pilgrim's; carrying a staff signaled that one had visited the Holy Land 98 awful awe-inspiring
99 engirt encircle
100 Achilles' spear having received a fatal wound from the spear of the Greek hero, Telephus was able to cure it with rust from the same weapon 103 act enact, bring about
103 controlling i.e. firm, effective
107 capital punishable by death
109 these may refer to attendants/sons/weapons