Henry vi part 3, p.34
Henry VI, Part 3,
p.34
24. stol’n . . . Lancaster: i.e., assumed Henry’s authority breech: breeches, trousers
25–26. Let . . . place: a heated response to Richard’s mockery of Henry and Margaret’s marriage Aesop: ancient Greek teller of fables fable: tell fictitious tales, talk idly in a winter’s night: when fictions are enjoyed currish: mean-spirited, base sorts not: does not fit or agree
27. plague: harass, torment; word: speech
28. plague: pestilence, scourge
29. scold: woman who uses abusive language
30. scolding crookback: quarreling hunchback
31. Peace: be quiet; charm: put a spell on
32. Untutored: boorish; malapert: impudent
34. perjured: oath-breaking
38. this railer here: i.e., Queen Margaret
39. Sprawl’st thou: i.e., do you struggle convulsively
40. twitting: taunting
42. Marry, and shall: proverbial Marry: a mild oath
42 SD. Offers: attempts
43. Hold: stop
46. excuse me: i.e., make my excuses
48. be sure: i.e., expect
50. The Tower: See note to 3.2.122.
51. Ned: i.e., Prince Edward
53. Caesar: i.e., Julius Caesar
55. If . . . it: i.e., in comparison to this foul deed
56. He: i.e., Caesar; this, in respect: Prince Edward, in comparison
57. spend: expend
62. cropped: reaped, cut down
66. Look: expect
67. deathsmen: executioners; rid: killed
68. perforce: forcibly
69. Dispatch: kill
70. Here: i.e., in my body
72. do . . . ease: give you so much pleasure or assistance
75. usest . . . thyself: are accustomed to perjuring yourself
79. Hard-favored: ugly
80. alms-deed: act of charity
81. putt’st back: refuse
82. charge: order
84. So . . . prince: i.e., may what happened to this prince happen to you and yours
86. all in post: in extreme haste
87. bloody supper: possible wordplay on “blood-supper,” a bloodthirsty person
89. common sort: ordinary soldiers
92. By this: i.e., by now
* * *
5.6 Richard kills King Henry in the Tower, and then begins to plot his own way to the crown, now that King Henry and Prince Edward are dead. He decides that his brother Clarence will be the next to go.
1. at your book: reading (presumably a prayer book)
3. little better: i.e., little better than flattery
4. were: would be
6. Sirrah: a term of address to a social inferior
7. So: in the same way; flies: flees; reckless: i.e., uncaring, negligent
8. harmless: innocent; yield: give up
10. Roscius: a famous Roman actor, often associated with tragedy
11. Suspicion . . . mind: proverbial
12. doth fear: is afraid that; an officer: i.e., is an arresting officer
13–14. The bird . . . bush: proverbial limèd: trapped by birdlime, a sticky substance smeared on bushes to catch birds misdoubteth: is suspicious of, mistrusts
15. hapless: unfortunate; male to: i.e., begetter of
16. the fatal object: i.e., the limed bush
17. young: i.e., fledgling bird
19–21. what . . . drowned: Richard compares Henry to Daedalus (line 22), whose son, Icarus, was lost when his wax wings, made for him by his father, melted as he flew over the sea (line 25). peevish: silly Crete: the island on which Daedalus was trapped office: function fool: simpleton (For Icarus’s fall, see picture.)
Icarus falls into the sea. (5.6.22)
From Geoffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes . . . (1586).
23. Thy father Minos: i.e., Richard, Duke of York, played the role of Minos; course: i.e., escape from Crete (line 19)
24. sun: For King Edward and the sun, see longer note to 2.3.7.
26. envious: malicious
28. brook: endure
29. history: story
36. presume: take liberties, act presumptuously
39. Which: who; mistrust . . . fear: i.e., suspect nothing of what I fear parcel: particle
41. water-standing: i.e., tearful
43. timeless: untimely
46. cried: crowed loudly; aboding luckless time: i.e., prophesying an ominous future
48. rooked her: i.e., rucked, crouched
49. pies: magpies
50. a mother’s pain: i.e., the normal pains of childbirth
52. To wit: namely; indigested: shapeless
58. in thy speech: i.e., in the middle of your discourse
59. ordained: appointed (by Providence), predestined
62. aspiring: wordplay on (1) ambitious; (2) soaring
65. purple: crimson
70. true that: true what
72. forward: foremost, first
75. wondered: marveled
78. should: i.e., would
80. crook’d: twisted, tortuous; answer it: i.e., correspond to my body
83. Be resident: reside
86. sort: i.e., arrange, contrive; pitchy: pitch-dark
88. fearful of: afraid for
89. purge: get rid of
92. Counting . . . bad: regarding myself as worthless
* * *
5.7 King Edward celebrates the Yorkist triumph by having Richard and Clarence kiss his infant son. Richard, while outwardly loving the new prince, makes clear his intention of destroying him.
1. sit in: i.e., sit on
3. like to autumn’s corn: like autumn wheat
4. in tops: i.e., at the peak
6. For: as
7. as: namely
9. coursers: horses ridden in battle and tournaments (See picture.)
A courser. (5.7.9)
From Jan van der Straet, Eqvini generis . . . [c. 1580?].
10. the two brave bears: In Henry VI, Part 2 (5.1.147), Richard, Duke of York, calls Warwick and his father-in-law, Salisbury, his two brave bears, alluding to the Neville family crest of a rampant bear.
12. the kingly lion: i.e., royalty (As king of beasts, the lion was associated with kings.) See picture.
14. suspicion: apprehension of evil; seat: throne
15. made . . . security: i.e., made security our footstool (See longer note.)
17. for thee: i.e., it was for you that
18. watched: stayed awake throughout
21. reap: obtain, procure (Richard’s comment on the infant’s harvest [line 22] is in response to the primary meaning of reap, “to gather a crop by cutting down grain.”)
22. blast: blight, wither, ruin; if your head were laid: (1) i.e., if you were buried in the ground; (2) if the tops of grain in the potential harvest were beaten down by wind and rain
23. looked on: respected, regarded
24. ordained: devised, made; to heave: i.e., so that it can heave
25. some weight: perhaps the weight of the crown
26. Work thou the way: contrive the best course of action (addressed to himself); that shalt execute: perhaps, my deformed shoulder will carry it out (But see longer note.)
27. Gloucester: i.e., Richard
30. seal: confirm as if by affixing a seal
32. sprang’st: grew
34–35. Judas . . . harm: an allusion to Judas’s betrayal of Jesus with a kiss (line 33) whenas: whereas (See Matthew 26.49.)
38. What . . . Grace: i.e., what does your Grace wish to
40. the Sicils: See longer note to 1.4.125.
41. sent it: i.e., sent the money they got
42. waft: convey, carry
43. rests: remains
44. triumphs: celebrations, pageants; shows: i.e., entertainments
46. sour annoy: bitter trouble or vexation
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William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 3
