Richard III (Modern Library Classics)

  176 Humphrey Hour unclear: possibly a reference to "dining with Duke Humphrey." which meant going hungry, or perhaps an actual person is meant 176 grace puns on graced

  177 forth out

  186 ordinance law (plays on the sense of "artillery")

  187 turn return

  191 tire may it weigh heavy on, exhaust

  192 complete full, well-equipped

  195 Whisper whisper to

  198 serves supplies/accompanies

  198 doth i.e. will

  205 level aim, set your target sights

  209 manners morals/courteous habits

  210 false unfaithful

  211 veil shroud (usually associated with either modesty or mourning) 212 So provided

  212 of by

  216 safest ... birth only safeguarded by her high birth 218 opposite hostile, antagonistic

  219 friends also "relatives"

  219 contrary opposed

  220 unavoided unavoidable

  220 doom decree/destined judgment/condemnation

  221 avoided grace an absence of God's grace (i.e. Richard) 222 fairer better/nobler/more just

  225 cozened cheated

  227 Whose hand soever whoever's hand

  227 lanched pierced

  228 head brain/instigation/command

  228 all indirectly through indirect means (plays on the sense of "wrongly") 232 But ... use did not the constant experience

  235 bay cove, inlet/point at which the cornered deer turns to face the hounds pursuing it 236 poor bark shabby, ill-equipped ship

  236 tackling rigging

  236 reft deprived

  237 Rush am dashed

  238 thrive I may I thrive

  238 enterprise military undertaking

  239 dangerous success risky outcome

  240 As only as far as

  242 covered ... heaven i.e. concealed by God

  243 discovered revealed

  244 Th'advancement the promotion, favoring (Elizabeth responds to the literal sense) 245 scaffold raised platform on which executions took place 246 dignity honor, high rank

  247 type symbol, emblem

  248 Flatter increase, pander to/alleviate, mollify

  249 state high rank

  250 demise convey, transfer (legal term)

  251 Even exactly

  252 endow bestow upon/give as a dowry

  253 So if

  253 Lethe in Greek mythology, the river in the underworld that induced forgetfulness in any who drank from or were immersed in it 254 remembrance memory

  256 process story, narrative

  257 telling in the telling

  257 date duration, end

  259 thinks i.e. believes

  261 from Elizabeth now shifts the sense to "away from, at variance with"

  264 confound overturn, destroy

  270 How what

  273 humour temperament

  277 engrave inscribe (plays on the sense of "place in the grave") 278 haply probably/perhaps

  279 sometime once, formerly

  282 purple blood-red

  283 withal with it

  286 mad'st away disposed of, killed

  288 conveyance removal, dispatch (playing on the senses of "stealing" and "deceit, trickery") 292 shape appearance/role/disguise

  296 spoil booty gained from plunder

  297 Look what whatever

  298 deal act, behave (plays on the sense of "kill")

  299 after-hours later moments

  302 issue offspring, children

  303 quicken give life to

  303 increase descendants, children

  303 beget conceive

  304 upon by

  308 mettle substance, spirit, temperament

  309 Of all one causing the same amount of

  310 of her by the younger Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth's daughter) 310 bid like sorrow endured similar pain

  315 would would like to

  316 can am able (to offer)

  322 Familiarly as a family member

  328 orient shining

  329 Advantaging adding to the value of

  329 their love the love that caused the tears to be shed 331 mother mother-in-law

  332 bold confident, prepared (with connotations of "sexually ready") 341 retail relate, re-tell

  342 victoress female victor

  342 Caesar's Caesar i.e. the conqueror of the victor 344 lord husband

  349 Infer allege, give as a reason

  350 purchase ... war pay for with everlasting (personal) strife 352 That i.e. a relationship (uncle/niece) considered by the Church as incestuous 352 king's king i.e. God

  354 vail lower (in submission), yield

  356 title claim (plays on the sense of "queen's title") 357 in force in place, active (perhaps with sinister play on "enforce") 358 fairly justly/in safety

  362 loathes puns on low

  363 in on

  364 speeds succeeds

  364 plainly honestly/in simple terms, without adornment 367 quick hasty (Elizabeth plays on the sense of "alive" when she responds with its opposite: dead) 368 too puns on "two"

  368 deep profound, learned (sense then shifts to "deep down, buried") 371 heart-strings tendons or nerves supposed to brace the heart, hence intense feelings (puns on "harp strings") 372 my George the image of Saint George, patron saint of England, that formed part of the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of knighthood in England 372 garter band tied around the leg to keep up hosiery: Knights of the Garter wore a blue and gold one below the left knee 376 his its

  382 self-misused disgraced, abused by yourself

  389 him i.e. God

  390 unity i.e. reconciliation between court factions in Act 2 Scene 1

  391 hadst would have

  400 o'erpast past

  402 Hereafter time the future

  404 Ungoverned parentless, without a father's control

  404 wail ... age lament it in their maturity/throughout their lifetime 406 with along with

  410 So thrive I to the same extent may I thrive

  411 Myself myself confound may I destroy myself

  414 opposite hostile, adversarial

  415 proceeding course of action

  417 tender not do not love, hold dear

  417 princely royal

  425 attorney representative, pleader of a cause

  426 Plead offer as a plea in court

  427 my deserts what I deserve

  428 times affairs/the present time

  429 great designs important affairs, the business of state (plays on the sense of "schemes aimed at attaining power") 430 of by

  432 forget ... myself forget my anguish and the wrongs done to me in order to be mother of a monarch 433 if ... yourself if remembering yourself (i.e. collecting your wits/remembering your wrongs) compromises your future 436 spicery spices

  437 recomforture new comfort

  441 mind opinion, intention

  446 puissant mighty, powerful

  447 doubtful fearful/unreliable

  447 hollow-hearted false, insincere

  449 their i.e. the attacking navy's

  450 hull float with sails furled

  452 light-foot swift-footed

  452 post hurry

  458 unmindful inattentive

  463 strength and power army

  464 suddenly immediately

  464 Salisbury town in Wiltshire, southwest England

  472 well easily, readily

  473 Hoyday exclamation of contemptuous impatience

  475 nearest most direct

  479 White-livered runagate cowardly renegade, runaway

  484 chair throne

  484 sword official sword of office

  484 unswayed not wielded

  485 empire kingdom

  485 unpossessed not inherited/not ruled

  488 makes he is he doing

  489 that i.e. the crown

  490 for that because

  491 the Welshma
n i.e. Richmond, grandson of the Welsh Owen Tudor and Katherine of Valois (widow of Henry V) 494 power army

  495 tenants who would have been required to undertake military service for their lord 499 Cold unfriendly, distant (plays on the fact that the north of England often undergoes cold weather) 502 Pleaseth if it please

  508 hold consider, deem

  511 Look make sure

  512 assurance safety

  515 advertised informed

  520 competitors associates, allies

  523 owls thought to be birds of ill omen, whose cry portended death 526 fall of waters i.e. heavy rain, storms

  530 cry thee mercy beg your pardon

  532 well-advised prudent

  541 assistants supporters

  543 his party Richmond's faction

  544 Hoised hoisted

  548 taken captured

  550 Milford Milford Haven, on the coast of southwest Wales 551 colder less welcome

  552 reason talk

  Act 4 Scene 5

  4.5 Location: unspecified; possibly Stanley's home in the north of England, to which Richard sent him to muster troops, or his London residence

  2 sty pen

  2 boar i.e.Richard

  3 franked penned

  3 hold custody

  8 espouse marry

  10 Pembroke town in southwest Wales, just south of Milford Haven 10 Ha'rfordwest Haverfordwest, a town north of Milford Haven 11 name rank/reputation

  11 resort gather

  14 redoubted revered/feared

  14 Pembroke Earl of Pembroke (Richmond's uncle)

  15 Rice i.e. Rhys

  17 bend direct

  18 by on

  20 resolve ... mind explain my intentions

  Act 5 Scene 1

  5.1 Location: Salisbury

  5 miscarried come to harm, died

  7 moody angry

  10 All Souls' day November 2, the day in the Church calendar devoted to prayer for the souls of the dead 13 This ... allies Buckingham refers to his speech in Act 2 Scene 1, in which, following the formal reconciliation of court factions, he wished to be punished with treacherous friends if he was ever disloyal to Elizabeth and her allies 19 determined respite of ordained end to the postponement in punishing 20 all-seer i.e. God

  20 dallied with trifled with, mocked

  21 feigned insincere, pretend

  22 in jest in pretense

  28 block execution block

  Act 5 Scene 2

  5.2 Location: Tamworth, in the East Midlands

  3 bowels center, inmost part

  5 father stepfather

  8 spoiledstripped, despoiled

  9 Swills gulps

  9 wash pig food

  10 embowelled disemboweled

  12 Leicester chief town of Leicestershire, east of Tamworth 14 cheerly cheerfully, hopefully

  16 sharp harsh, merciless

  18 homicide murderer

  22 vantage advantage

  24 meaner humbler

  Act 5 Scene 3

  5.3 Location: Bosworth Field, to the east of Leicester

  2 sad solemn, grave

  6 knocks hard blows

  9 all's ... that it doesn't matter, it makes no difference

  10 descried discovered, seen

  12 battalia army

  12 account number

  14 want lack

  16 vantage ... ground best position for military action

  17 sound direction good tactical judgment

  21 tract traces, streaks

  21 car chariot (which in classical mythology was driven by the sun god) 23 standard flag, military banner

  25 form and model arrangement and ground-plan

  26 Limit appoint, designate

  26 several separate, respective

  26 charge duty

  27 part ... proportion distribute evenly

  30 keeps stays with

  35 quartered encamped

  36 colours identifying battle flags

  42 needful urgent

  52 beaver helmet's visor

  52 easier looser, moving more efficiently

  53 into in

  55 hie hasten

  55 charge duty post

  59 warrant assure, guarantee

  62 pursuivant at arms officer attendant on a herald, i.e. messenger 66 watch watch light, a slow-burning candle or one maeked regular divisions to measure the passing of time/guard, watchman 67 Surrey the name of a horse

  68 staves staffs used as weapons

  68 sound in good condition

  73 cockshut time dusk, twilight (when poultry are cooped up) 74 cheering up encouraging, rallying

  76 alacrity readiness, sharpness

  77 wont used, accustomed

  78 it presumably the wine

  82 arm me put on my armor

  83 helm helmet

  85 father-in-law stepfather

  87 attorney proxy

  90 flaky streaked with light

  91 season time of day

  93 th'arbitrement the decision, final judgment

  94 mortal-staring deathly-faced, with fatal gaze

  95 that ... would what I would like to do (i.e. fight openly on your side) 96 With ... time with every opportunity I get, I will be strategically duplicitous (toward Richard) 97 doubtful shock clash of forces, the outcome of which is uncertain/frightening military encounter 98 forward eager

  99 brother stepbrother

  99 tender young

  101 leisure time available

  103 ample interchange full exchange

  103 sweet discourse pleasant conversation

  104 sundered separated

  108 with against

  109 peise weigh

  112 account consider

  113 gracious filled with divine grace/favorable

  114 irons swords

  119 watchful wakeful

  121.1 Prince Edward son of Margaret and Henry VI 124 despair experience spiritual hopelessness (thought to precede suicide) 127 issue child, offspring

  128 anointed marked with holy oil, the sign of monarchy 129 punched punctured, pierced

  130 Tower of London, where Henry was murdered (see 3 Henry VI, Act 5 Scene 6) 136 washed i.e. drowned (in a butt of malmsey, a strong sweet wine) 136 fulsome nauseating/an abundant quantity of

  139 fall drop, let fall

  139 edgeless blunt, useless

  142 battle army

  156 laid buried

  160 annoy injury, harm

  164 quiet peaceful

  176 Fainting staggering, losing consciousness/losing heart 176 yield give up

  180 Richard may Richard

  182 Soft wait

  184 lights burn blue thought to be a sign of the presence of ghosts 185 drops i.e. of sweat

  191 Wherefore? Why?

  197 several different, separate

  198 brings in introduces (as evidence)

  202 used ... degree committed at every degree of severity 203 th'bar i.e. of the court

  204 creature person/minion created through favor, i.e. not a genuine supporter 209 threat threaten

  217 shadows something Insubstantial (Richard shifts the sense to "ghosts") 221 proof impenetrable armor

  224 shrink from i.e. desert

  226 Cry mercy forgive me

  226 watchful alert/protective, guarding

  227 ta'en caught

  233 cried on invoked, called out to

  234 jocund lively, joyful

  239 said already said, said before

  240 leisure time available

  240 enforcement constraints

  244 bulwarks fortifications

  245 except excepted

  249 raised promoted (to the throne)

  249 established confirmed in power

  250 made means contrived, grasped opportunities, used any resource 252 stone jewel

  252 foil setting for a jewel (designed to highlight the jewel's beauty) 253 chair throne

  253 falsely wrongfully, treacherou
sly/artificially

  256 ward protect

  260 fat wealth, prosperous growth

  260 hire recompense

  264 quits requites, repays

  264 age old age

  266 Advance your standards raise your battle flags

  267 the ... face i.e. if I fail the only ransom to be paid for me shall be my death (noblemen captured in war were often released on payment of a ransom) 269 thrive succeed/live

  272 Saint George patron saint of England

  273 touching regarding

  278 Tell count (the chimes of)

  278 calendar almanac, containing astrological predictions that dealt with meteorology 281 book almanac

  282 braved made splendid/challenged

  282 braved the east i.e. risen

  283 black dark, gloomy/evil, disastrous

  286 lour glower, threaten darkly

  287 from not on

  290 sadly solemnly

  291 vaunts flaunts itself proudly

  292 Caparison harness, equip

  296 foreward vanguard, front line of troops

  296 drawn extended

  297 horse and foot cavalry and infantry, horsemen and foot soldiers 301 directed positioned, deployed

  302 puissance power

  303 winged flanked

  303 chiefest horse best cavalry

  304 to boot (to support us) as well

  307 Jockey contraction of "John-kin." a nickname for "John" (Norfolk's first name) 308 Dickon diminutive of Dick, i.e. Richard

  308 bought and sold betrayed for a bribe

  315 join join battle

  315 pell-mell with headlong haste/at close quarters, with hand-to-hand combat 317 inferred stated

  318 cope fight, grapple

  319 sort gang

  321 o'er-cloyed overfull and sickened

  325 restrain deprive you of

  325 distain defile, soil, rape

  326 fellow with lower-class connotations

  327 Bretagne Brittany

  327 mother's an error (for "brother's") that appears in the second edition of Shakespeare's major source, Holinshed's Chronicles; just conceivably "mother" might refer to "mother England"

  328 milksop weak, cowardly person/infant still on a milk diet 329 over-shoes in snow when snow is above the level of one's shoes 330 whip these stragglers i.e. as vagabonds were whipped out of the parish by a local official 331 Lash hence whip away from here

  331 overweening ambitious, overreaching

  331 rags vagrants/old scraps

  333 but were it not for

  333 fond exploit foolish military undertaking

  334 want lack

  337 land with connotations of "sexual territory," i.e. wives and daughters 337 bobbed and thumped beaten, pounded/had sex with, raped (their women) 338 on record as is officially recorded

  338 the ... shame in disgrace/illegitimate children

  339 Lie have sex with

  340 Ravish rape

  341 yeomen property-owning men below the level of gentlemen 343 proud splendid/rearing

  343 blood i.e. the blood drawn from spurring the horses so hard 344 Amaze terrify, alarm, bewilder

  344 welkin sky

  344 broken i.e. shattered from energetic use

  346 deny refuse

  348 past the marsh i.e. advancing

  350 great full of emotion

  352 word of courage i.e. battle cry

  353 spleen fury

  353 dragons Saint George was famed for the legendary killing of a dragon 354.1 Alarum, excursions trumpet call to arms and bouts of fighting across the stage 356 a man is humanly possible