Richard III (42 page)

60
haply
perhaps

61
Misconster
misconstrue

61
us in him
our role in or motives for his death

63
as
as if

68
carping
fault-finding, dissatisfied

69
of
regarding

70
witness
testify to

73
Guildhall
central building in which civic affairs were conducted

73
hies … post
hurries as quickly as possible

74
meetest vantage
best opportunity

75
Infer
allege

78
house
both home and either shop or inn

79
sign
i.e. sign bearing the name (The Crown) of the shop or inn

80
luxury
lechery, last

81
change of lust
constantly requiring new sexual partners

83
Even where
wherever

85
for a need
if necessary

85
come … person
i.e. tell a tale that will affect me too

86
went … Of
was pregnant with

89
true
exact, accurate

90
his begot
conceived by him

91
well … lineaments
was obvious in Edward’s features, appearance

93
sparingly
carefully, discreetly, with restraint

96
golden fee
i.e. the crown (
fee perhaps
plays on the legal sense of “inherited estate”: the sense of “payment” anticipates the reward Buckingham expects for his services)

98
thrive well
are successful

98
Baynard’s Castle
London residence owned by the Duchess of York, situated by the River Thames near Blackfriars

103
Shaw … Penker
both clergymen who supported Richard

106
take … order
make some secret arrangements

108
manner
manner of

109
recourse
means of access

Act 3 Scene 6

3.6
Location: London

3.6
Scrivener
professional scribe, particularly of legal documents

1
indictment
formal statement of charges

2
a set hand
formal handwriting

2
fairly
elegantly

2
engrossed
written in large characters appropriate for legal documents (“gross” in its sense of “wicked, reprehensible” may pick up on its moral opposite, “fair”)

3
Paul’s
St. Paul’s Cathedral (where public proclamations were often made)

4
the sequel
the following/the sequence of events/subsequent scribal copy he produced

7
precedent
preceding document, first draft (from which the final copy has been made)

9
Untainted
unstained by accunation

9
unexamined
not questioned, interrogated

9
free at
liberty/innocent/untroubled

10
the while
these days

10
gross
stupid

11
palpable device
obvious contrivance

14
seen in thought
i.e. not acknowledged openly

Act 3 Scene 7

3.7
Location: Baynard’s Castle, London

3.7
several
separate

3
mum
silent

4
Touched you
did you mention

5
contract
betrothal

6
contract … France
in
3 Henry VI
(Act 3 Scene 3) the Earl of Warwick goes to France as Edward’s sister-in-law; he and the French king are furious and humiliated when word comes that Edware has abruptly married Elizabeth instead

6
deputy
to secure a betrothal with the King of France’s

8
enforcement
coercion/rape

9
tyranny for trifles
severe punishment of minor crimes/oppressive behavior even with regard to trivialities

10
got
begot, conceived

15
Laid open
revealed/described/elaborated on

16
discipline
strategic skill

17
bounty
generosity
fair
honorable

18
fitting for
relevant to

19
slightly
neglectfully

30
recorder
civic official in the City of London

32
inferred
alleged

33
in … himself
on his own authority

35
hall
i.e. the Guildhall

37
the vantage
advantage

39
general
/files/11/63/30/f116330/public/widespread

40
Argues
demonstrates

41
even here
at this point

41
brake
broke

42
blocks
blockheads, idiots

43
brethren
members of the town corporation

44
Intend
pretend, feign

44
fear
an intimidating manner/religious veneration/fearfulness

45
suit
request, entreaty

46
look
make sure

48
ground
base melody

48
descant
accompaniment to or improvised variation on the
ground
, or underlying melody

49
won
persuaded

50
maid’s
young woman’s/virgin’s

50
still
constantly, repeatedly

50
and take it
yet have sex all the same

52
for myself
on my own behalf/for my own advantage

53
issue
outcome

54
leads
lead-covered flat roof

55
dance attendance
am being kept waiting, am eager to be seen

61
bent
occupied, concerned/bent over (in prayer)

62
suits
affairs, petitions (especially legal)

63
exercise
prayers

66
deep
very important, profound

66
moment
significance

67
No less importing
concerning no less a matter

71
lulling
lolling, reclining

73
dallying
toying sexually, having sex

73
brace
pair

74
deep
learned, profoundly wise

74
divines
priests

75
engross
fatten

76
watchful
alert/awake

77
Happy
fortunate

78
his grace
plays on the ducal title and on the sense of “divine grace” (suggesting a God-given right to the crown)

80
defend
forbid

89
perfect
complete

92
beads
rosary beads

93
zealous
pious, devout

93.1
aloft
i.e. on the upper staging level, or gallery

95
props
supports

96
stay
keep fall of moral fall caused by

102
right
rightful/genuine, true/extremely

106
visitation
visit (especially by an ecclesiastical body); Richard is deliberately employing language with religious connotations

111
disgracious
disilked

112
reprehend my ignorance
rebuke me for the fault I am unaware of

115
Else … land?
Why else do I live as a Christian (if not to amend my faults)?

118
sceptred
involving the bearing of a royal scepter

119
state
position, rank/kingship

119
of fortune
to which fortune entitles you

120
lineal
hereditary

121
blemished
morally tainted (through illegitimacy)

121
stock
family tree (sense subsequently shifts to “tree trunk”)

124
want
lack

124
proper
rightful, own

125
infamy
bad reputation, disgrace

126
graft
grafted, i.e. united (as in horticulture)

126
plants
may pun on “Plantagenet”

127
shouldered
shoved (possibly “immersed up to the shoulders”)

127
gulf
abyss/whirlpool

129
recure
redress, cure

133
factor
agent

134
successively
by right of succession

135
empery
sovereign dominions

136
consorted
united, in league

137
worshipful
honorable/respectful

139
move
persuade

142
degree
rank or perhaps “spiritual condition”

142
condition
social status

143
not to
I do not

143
haply
perhaps

144
yielded
consented

146
fondly
foolishly

149
checked
(would have) rebuked

153
desert Unmeritable
unworthiness

155
cut away
with sinister connotations of “cut off, killed”

156
even
direct, smooth

157
revenue
possession/yield, income

160
greatness
i.e. kingship

161
bark
ship

161
brook
endure, withstand

162
in … hid
desire to be enveloped by greatness

163
vapour
mist/spray

165
much I need
I would need a great deal (i.e. I am inadequate)

166
royal tree
i.e. King Edward IV

167
mellowed
matured

167
stealing
creeping (forward)

168
become
suit, befit

168
seat
throne

170
that
what

171
happy
auspicious, favorable

172
defend
forbid

172
wring
wrench

173
argues
shows, is evidence of

174
respects thereof
factors in your argument

174
nice
unimportant, trifling

178
contract … vow
the verbal contract entered into at betrothal was considered binding

180
substitute
deputy, delegate

181
sister
sister-in-law

182
petitioner
Elizabeth Grey catches Edward’s eye when she entreats him for the return of her dead husband’s lands (see
3 Henry VI
, Act 3 Scene 2)

183
care-crazed
fraught, worn out with anxiety

186
purchase
booty, plunder

186
wanton
lustful

187
pitch
height (literally, the highest point in a falcon’s flight)

188
base declension
descent to baseness

188
bigamy
i.e. because Edward had been engaged to two other women previously

190
our manners
courtesy

191
expostulate
expound on, argue about

192
some alive
i.e. Richard and Edward’s mother, the Duchess of York

193
sparing
considerate, forbearing

195
benefit
benevolent bestowal