Henry vi part 2, p.35
Henry VI, Part 2,
p.35
8. due: rightful, proper, fitting
9. Except: unless; sword: sword of state; balance it: counterpoise my action
10. have I: i.e., as I have
11. fleur-de-luce: France’s royal insignia is the heraldic lily called the fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-luce.
14. sure: surely
17. of pleasure: i.e., because you wish to
18. dread liege: revered superior, to whom we owe allegiance and service
19. reason of: i.e., reason for
22. power: army
24. Scarce: i.e., scarcely; choler: anger
26. abject: despicable
27. Ajax Telamonius: son of Telamon and hero of the Trojan War, who, when he lost the contest for possession of the dead Achilles’ armor, went insane and killed a flock of sheep (under the delusion that they were his enemies) before committing suicide
28. spend: expend
29. am far better born: i.e., by birth have a better claim to the throne
31. make fair weather: i.e., be conciliatory
40. to . . . end: i.e., for no other purpose
47. Saint George’s field: an open space between Southwark and Lambeth, across the Thames from London
50. Command: order (that I give)
51. pledges: guarantees; fealty: fidelity
52. willing: i.e., willingly
54. so: provided that
61. intends: i.e., signify, mean
63. monstrous: unnatural
64. since: subsequently; to be discomfited: was defeated
65. rude: unrefined; mean condition: low rank
73. an ’t like: if it please
74. degree: rank
80. marks: coins worth two-thirds of a pound (far more than the thousand crowns of 4.8.69 and 4.10.28)
81. will: order; attend on us: serve me (as an attendant)
83. true: faithful
86. For thousand: i.e., were it for a thousand
87. front: oppose
88. How now: i.e., how is it now
90. be equal with: be of the same (royal) rank as; or, be as courageous as
93. how hardly: i.e., with what difficulty; brook: tolerate; abuse: deceit
96. Which: i.e., who
97. doth not become: i.e., is not suitable for; is not congruous with
98. palmer’s: pilgrim’s (See picture.)
A palmer with his staff. (5.1.98)
From Henry Peacham, Minerua Britanna . . . [1612].
99. awful: awe-inspiring
100. gold: i.e., crown; round engirt: encircle
101. Achilles’ spear: in mythology, this spear could both wound and heal (See longer note.)
102. the change: i.e., from frown to smile
104. act: make; controlling: powerful
108. Of capital treason: i.e., for treason punishable by death
110. these: i.e., York’s attendants
111. brook: i.e., tolerate that; bow: bend; man: anyone
113. bail: persons who procure the release of a prisoner from custody (here, not by offering themselves up as pledges, but rather by offering to fight for his release)
114. ward: prison
115. pawn their swords: i.e., fight pawn: pledge; enfranchisement: release from prison
116. amain: at once
119. Neapolitan: as daughter to Reignier, king of Naples (line 120)
120. Outcast: homeless vagabond (with reference to her failure to provide a dowry); England’s bloody scourge: bloodthirsty and blood-covered instrument of divine punishment of England
122. bane: destruction
124. warrant: predict as certain
124–25. make it good: i.e., (1) pay my bail, or (2) succeed in being your bane (line 122)
129. us: the royal plural
133. mistakes me: have the wrong view of me
134. Bedlam: St. Mary of Bethlehem Hospital for the insane in London
135. bedlam: mad, insane; humor: inclination; mood; whim
137. Let him: i.e., let him be sent; Tower: See picture.
The Tower of London.
From Claes Jansz Visscher, Londinum florentissima Britanniae urbs . . . [c. 1625].
138. factious: seditious; pate: head
145. glass: looking glass, mirror; image: reflection
146. false-heart: false-hearted, treacherous
147. stake: the first of a number of allusions to the blood sport of bearbaiting, in which a bear or bears were chained to a stake and attacked by dogs; bears: See lines 206–7, for Warwick’s allusion to the crest of the rampant bear; and see pictures, below and with note 207.
Bearbaiting. (5.1.147–54)
From William Lily, Antibossicon . . . (1521).
149. astonish: terrify; fell-lurking curs: savage dogs waiting to attack
152. bait: set on the dogs to attack
153. bearherd: bearward, bear keeper (i.e., York)
155. hot: eager, angry; o’erweening: presumptuous
156. Run . . . withheld: i.e., turn around and (1) bite at the leash that restrains it; or, (2) bite the master who restrains him (Proverbial: A man may cause his own dog to bite him.)
157. Who: i.e., which; suffered with: injured by; fell: deadly
158. cried: yelped
160. match: fight
161. heap: alluding to the hump on Richard’s back (the first of many references to Richard as a hunchback, the deformity attributed to him in Shakespeare’s historical sources); indigested: shapeless
163. anon: soon
165. bow: bend (in submission to King Henry)
169. spectacles: eyeglasses (associated with old age)
171. frosty: i.e., white-haired
172. harbor: refuge
173. Wilt . . . war: The meaning of this line is uncertain.
175. want’st: lack; experience: i.e., judgment
176. wherefore: why; abuse: misuse
178. That: i.e., you who stoop; mickle: much
181. repute: consider
185. dispense with heaven for: get a dispensation from God to break
190. force: violate
191. reave: rob
192. customed: customary
195. sophister: specious reasoner
198. resolved for: determined on; dignity: high rank (i.e., monarchy)
201. field: battlefield
202. bear: endure
204. burgonet: helmet with a visor
205. badge: distinctive emblem
206. father’s: i.e., father-in-law’s; crest: ornament borne above a knight’s helmet
207. rampant: rearing, standing with forepaws in the air (See picture.) ragged: with protruding lumps or knobs
A rampant bear, being baited.
From Giacomo Franco, Habiti . . . [1609?].
209. cedar: associated with royalty; shows: is seen
211. affright: terrify; view: sight
216. complices: associates
219. stigmatic: physically deformed person (accent on first syllable)
* * *
5.2 York kills Lord Clifford, and York’s son Richard kills the Duke of Somerset. Defeated in battle, King Henry flees to London.
2. An if: i.e., if; bear: See 5.1.206–14.
3. alarum: the call to arms
4. dead: i.e., dying
8. afoot: on foot (rather than on horseback)
9. deadly-handed: murderous
10. match to match: enemy to enemy
11. carrion: i.e., carrion-eating (See picture.)
12. bonny: fine
13. Of . . . come: Proverbial: “One dies when his hour comes.”
14. Hold: stop; some other chase: something else to hunt
21. fast: firmly, fixedly
22. want: lack
23. But that: but for the fact that
25. true right: legitimate claim (i.e., to the throne)
26. My soul: i.e., I bet my soul
27. dreadful lay: formidable wager; Address thee: prepare yourself
28. La fin . . . oeuvres: The end crowns the works (French proverb).
29. still: quiet; motionless
31. confusion: overthrow, destruction; All . . . rout: i.e., the whole army is in disorderly retreat
32. frames: causes, produces
34. minister: agent (in punishing evil humanity)
35. part: party, side
36. fly: flee
37. that: i.e., who; dedicate: dedicated
39. essentially: in his essential nature; by circumstance: only in external conditions
42. premised . . . day: i.e., preordained flames of Doomsday premised: literally, “sent before the time,” but here used proleptically to mean “preordained” (See longer note.)
44. general trumpet: i.e., trumpet proclaiming Doomsday to all; his: its
45. Particularities: individual matters
46. ordained: destined
47. lose: waste
48. silver livery: i.e., gray hair; advisèd: wary, cautious
49. thy reverence . . . chair-days: i.e., your revered old age
52. stony: unfeeling
55. the tyrant oft reclaims: often restrains the tyrant
56. oil and flax: Proverbial: “Put not fire to flax” and “To add oil to the fire.”
59. gobbets: pieces of raw flesh
60. Medea . . . Absyrtis: In mythology, Medea, fleeing by boat with her lover Jason, killed her brother Absyrtis and strewed pieces of his body in the ocean to slow her father’s pursuit of her.
63. Aeneas . . . bear: In Virgil’s Aeneid, book 2, the Trojan Aeneas carries his father Anchises on his back out of burning Troy, thereby becoming a figure of filial piety. (See picture.)
Aeneas carrying his father, “old Anchises.” (5.2.63)
From Geoffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes . . . (1586).
65. bare: bore
68. For underneath: i.e., for by dying underneath
70. the wizard: Roger Bolingbroke (See 1.4.36–40.)
71. hold: maintain; temper: hardness and resiliency (with possible wordplay on “mental balance, composure”) still: always
72 SD. Excursions: sorties, sallies
74. the heavens: i.e., divine wrath; stay: stop
75. nor fight: i.e., neither fight
77. give the enemy way: retreat from the enemy; us: ourselves
78. By what: i.e., in whatever way; which: who
79. ta’en: taken, captured; bottom: lowest point
80. haply: by chance; scape: escape
81. if . . . neglect: i.e., unless your indifference prevents it
85. But: except; mischief: trouble
87. Uncurable discomfit: irreversible defeat
88. present parts: perhaps, remaining forces
89. relief: deliverance
90. see their day: i.e., experience victory; them our fortune give: i.e., give them our misfortune
* * *
5.3 Victorious, York and his followers set out for London.
2. winter: i.e., aged
3. brush of: i.e., hostile encounter with
4. gallant: fine fellow; in the brow of youth: i.e., with an unwrinkled forehead
5. Repairs him: restores himself; occasion: opportunity (i.e., to fight); happy: fortunate
9. holp: helped
10. bestrid him: i.e., stood over him to protect him when he was down
12. But still: but continuously; still there: always there
13. hangings: wall tapestries; homely: humble
21. have not got: i.e., do not (securely) possess; that which we have: i.e., what we have obtained
23. opposites: enemies; repairing nature: i.e., ability to flee; ability to restore themselves
24. safety: means of safety
26. present: immediate
27. writs: summonses (to attend Parliament)
32. eternized: made eternal; immortalized; age: i.e., ages
34. befall: belong
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William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2
