16 banns public notice of the intention to marry, announced in church on three successive Sundays; the
bachelors here are to be married soon
commodity portion, quantity
17 warm comfortably off/sexually eager
lieve soon
drum i.e. customarily sounded to enlist recruits or call men to battle
18 caliver musket, lightweight firearm
19 toasts-and-butter milksops, pampered fellows
20 hearts…heads i.e. those with little appetite for fighting
22 charge command, unit
ancients ensigns, i.e. soldiers who carried military banners (plays on the sense of “elderly people”)
23 gentlemen of companies gentlemen soldiers without formal rank
Lazarus…sores refers to the biblical story of the beggar Lazarus and the contemptuous rich man (Luke 16:19–21)
24 painted cloth cheap wall hanging depicting the biblical tale
25 discarded unjust servingmen dismissed dishonest servants
26 younger…brothers i.e. those with no hope of a substantial inheritance
revolted tapsters apprentice barmen who have run away from their masters
27 ostlers trade-fallen out-of-work stablemen
cankers ulcers/parasites
29 ancient military banner
rooms places
31 prodigals in the biblical parable, the prodigal (extravagant) son wasted his inheritance and was reduced to feeding with the pigs
32 draff and husks pigswill and corn husks
34 gibbets gallows
37 gyves leg-irons, shackles
40 herald’s…sleeves the tabard was a sleeveless outer garment open down the sides
42 Saint Albans town along Watling Street about twenty-five miles north of London
Daventry Northamptonshire town southeast of Coventry
43 find…hedge i.e. they’ll steal clothes left to dry on hedgerows
44 blown swollen/short of breath
quilt padded covering/fat man (plays on Falstaff’s name, Jack, which could also mean a padded tunic worn instead of armor)
47 cry you mercy beg your pardon
51 looks for expects
52 fear doubt
55 butter i.e. fat
59 toss throw away/impale on a pike
food for powder cannon fodder
60 pit mass grave
as well as better just as well as better men would
Tush exclamation of contempt
63 bare poorly clothed/inadequately equipped (Falstaff shifts the sense to “bare-boned, thin”)
69 field battlefield
71 stay delay
73 To…guest i.e. the end of a fight and the beginning of a feast is the best time to arrive for one keener on eating than fighting (proverbial)
1 him i.e. the king
3 then in that case, if you wait
5 Looks…supply? Is he not expecting reinforcements?
13 maintain justify, support, prove
14 well-respected well-considered
bid me on urges me forward
15 counsel conference
23 leading leadership
25 Drag hold
expedition speedy action
horse horses, cavalry
28 pride and mettle spirit and liveliness
30 That…himself so that none of the horses is even a quarter of its normal strength
32 journey-bated exhausted by traveling parley trumpet summons to negotiation between enemy forces
37 vouchsafe permit
respect consideration
39 determination mind, conviction
40 even those some those very people
42 quality party
44 defend forbid
45 out of limit past the bounds of natural order and allegiance
46 anointed i.e. rightful, legitimate (having been marked with holy oil as part of the coronation ceremony)
47 charge duty, task
48 griefs grievances, complaints
whereupon on what grounds
49 conjure call forth (with connotations of magical invocation and bewitchment)
51 If that if
52 deserts deservings, merits
55 with interest and more in addition
57 suggestion prompting, incitement
62 was…strong had fewer than twenty-six followers
63 Sick…regard suffering poor public reputation
64 unminded disregarded
outlaw Richard II had banished Henry Bullingbrook; he returned following his father’s death and Richard’s seizure of his land and titles
68 sue his livery legally claim his right to inherit his father’s lands and title
beg his peace seek reconciliation with King Richard
69 terms of zeal i.e. eager assurances of loyalty
74 more…knee those of higher and lower social status offered him allegiance—with cap in hand and knees bent in a bow/kneeling
76 Attended awaited/accompanied
lanes paths/rows
78 heirs…followed punctuated thus in Folio, but most editors emend to “heirs as pages, followed,” thus altering the sense
80 presently soon
greatness knows itself those in power come to understand their situation
81 Steps…higher becomes more ambitious
82 his…poor he was still humble/before he was king
84 forsooth in truth, perhaps used ironically here
85 strait harsh, strict
87 Cries…abuses condemns corruption, draws attention to wrongs
91 cut…favourites Richard’s favorite courtiers were beheaded
cut me cut
me is emphatic)
93 In deputation as his deputies
94 was personal in went in person to
99 in…of on the strength of/immediately after
tasked taxed
100 March the Earl of March, Edmund Mortimer
101 if…placed if every claimant were entitled to occupy their rightful position
102 engaged held hostage
103 forfeited abandoned
104 Disgraced…victories i.e. by demanding my prisoners, the King turned my triumphs into disgrace
105 intelligence spying
106 Rated chided angrily, dismissed
110 head of safety defensive army
withal furthermore
pry…title examine his claim (to the throne)
112 indirect insufficiently direct in the line of succession/devious, irregular
for long continuance to last long
115 impawned pledged, held in pawn
116 surety guarantee
119 accept…love i.e. be reconciled.
Sir Michael presumably a priest or a knight; “sir” can be a courtesy title for clergymen
1 Hie go quickly
brief letter, dispatch
4 directed addressed
5 much…import much information they contain/important they are
7 tenor substance, drift
8 Like likely
11 bide the touch be put to the test (as gold is tested with a touchstone)
14 Lord Harry i.e. Hotspur
16 power…proportion army was of the greatest size/importance
18 rated firmly considered to be strong, a powerful source of support
19 comes not in does not participate
o’er-ruled by prophecies i.e. he is staying away due to unfavorable predictions of events
21 instant trial immediate test of strength
26 head force, army
29 special head exceptional military leadership
32 corrivals partners
dear honorable/valuable
33 estimation worth, reputation
37 thrive flourish, succeed
39 confederacy league, conspiracy (with the rebels)
40 make strong strengthen ou
r defenses
2 busky bush-covered
3 distemperature unhealthy, unnatural appearance
5 the trumpet part of trumpeter or herald
9 foul gloomy, bad (weather)
13 doff take off
easy comfortable
14 ungentle steel hard, uncomfortable steel armor
16 unknit undo
17 churlish rude, ungracious, base
18 orb orbit, sphere
20 exhaled meteor meteors were believed to be formed of vapors drawn from the earth (“exhaled”) by the sun; they were considered bad omens
21 prodigy omen/unnatural thing
22 broachèd already begun
mischief evil, calamity
unborn times future
25 entertain occupy
lag-end latter part
27 dislike animosity, discord
30 chewet chough, jackdaw, i.e. chatterer/minced meat or fish pie
33 remember remind
35 staff of office Worcester had been steward of the king’s household
36 posted rode speedily
39 Nothing nowhere near
41 brought escorted, accompanied
outdare defy
43 Doncaster town in the northeast of England
44 did…state had no intention of threatening the realm
45 new-fall’n right recently inherited title (after his father’s death)
46 seat estate
Gaunt John of Gaunt, Henry’s father
51 injuries abuses, wrongdoing
wanton ungoverned, poorly managed
53 contrarious opposing, unfavorable
54 unlucky ill-fated
55 repute believe him to be
57 occasion the opportunity
wooed persuaded
58 gripe grip, grasp
general sway overall power
61 ungentle gull cruel/dishonorable young bird
cuckoo’s…sparrow the cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds’ nests to be hatched and fed; cuckoo chicks are much bigger and eventually take over the nest
64 our love those of us who loved you
durst not did not dare
65 swallowing being eaten
68 opposèd…means in opposition to you as a result of such factors
70 unkind cruel/unnatural
71 troth honesty, integrity
72 younger earlier, original
75 face adorn, cover
76 colour hue/pretexts, pretense
77 changelings turncoats, changeable people
discontents discontented persons
78 rub the elbow hug themselves in pleasure
79 hurly-burly chaotic
innovation novelty, change, revolution
80 want need, lack
81 water-colours watery deceptions
impaint paint, color
82 moody sullen, angry
83 havoc plundering, violent disorder
84 both our i.e. the king’s and the rebels’
86 trial battle
88 by my hopes i.e. of salvation
89 set…head not counted against him
90 braver finer/more courageous
93 latter recent, present
97 this I say this
98 odds advantages
99 estimation reputation
102 venture hazard, risk
103 Albeit despite the fact that
104 make weigh, argue
106 cousin’s relative’s (i.e. nephew’s)
107 grace pardon
112 Rebuke shame, disgrace
dread correction terrible punishment
wait on us are at my command
113 office duty, task
115 fair fairly, fair terms
take it advisedly consider it carefully
119 charge command/ company, unit/responsibility
120 on their answer once we’ve had their answer, i.e. refusal of the terms
122 bestride stand astride a fallen man in order to defend him
123 so thus—presumably Falstaff demonstrates the gesture
124 colossus giant; the Colossus of Rhodes, a gigantic statue of Apollo, supposedly stood astride the entrance to the harbor
127 death proverbial; puns on “debt”
129 forward eager
130 pricks spurs
131 prick me off marks me down (for a dead man)
132 set…leg join together, set a broken leg
133 grief pain
135 trim fine, neat
137 insensible cannot be felt by the senses
138 Detraction slander
139 scutcheon heraldic shield, decorated with coats of arms and often used at funerals
140 catechism set series of questions and answers (used as a form of instruction by the Church)
4 undone ruined
7 still always
9 Supposition notions, uncertainty, speculation
stuck…eyes always watching, suspicious
11 ne’er so tame however tame he appears
12 trick trait
13 Look…can however one appears
or sad either sad
14 misquote falsely report, misinterpret
16 The…death refers to the fact that
oxen are fattened up before being killed
17 trespass wrongdoing, transgression
19 adopted…privilege nickname which gives him license (i.e.
Hotspur, signifying rash impulsiveness)
20 hare-brained reckless, rash
spleen violent bad temper (from the abdominal organ regarded as the location of strong emotion)
21 live upon shall be blamed on
22 train lead
23 ta’en derived, caught (like an infectious disease)
24 spring source
26 In any case whatever happens
27 Deliver…so say what you like, I’ll agree
30 Deliver up release—Westmorland has been held as surety for Worcester’s safe return
32 battle to engage in battle
33 Defy him by send our defiant response through
36 seeming apparent
38 gently with dignity, like a gentleman
39 mended improved on, contributed to
40 forswearing…forsworn falsely swearing that he had not broken his word
41 scourge punish
43 Arm prepare, put on your armor
45 engaged held as hostage
bear convey
49 would…heads if only the quarrel was just between the two of us
50 draw short breath become out of breath (from fighting)/die
51 Monmouth nickname for the prince; the name of the town on the Welsh-English border where he was born
54 urged proposed
56 gentle honorable/not excessively violent
proof of arms trial of fighting skills
57 duties of respect due to
58 Trimmed…praises adorned his praise of you
59 chronicle factual historical account
60 Making…you increasing your worth since no praise of his could do justice to your merits
63 blushing cital modest account
64 chid rebuked, condemned
truant neglectful, misspent
65 double…instantly two sides of himself, both teacher and pupil, at the same time
68 envy malice, hostility
69 owe own
70 wantonness wild, dissolute behavior
72 On of
73 so…liberty who indulged in so much lawless freedom, wild behavior
76 shrink…courtesy be overwhelmed by my degree of courtesy/collapse, be wounded by me
78 Better…persuasion you are better off thinking for yourselves about what you have to do than expecting me, who lacks the gift of eloquence, to try to rouse your spirits
85 If even if
dial’s point hand of a clock
84 To…hour a life spent basel
y goes on for too long even if it only lasts an hour
88 brave glorious
89 fair justifiable
91 apace swiftly
92 cuts me forces me to break off
93 profess not don’t claim to be expert at
95 temper character/degree of hardness
97 adventure risky venture
98 Esperance! hope (French; part of the Percy family motto)
99 instruments i.e. trumpets, drums
101 heaven to earth I’ll wager heaven against earth (i.e. something eternal and valuable against something transitory and unimportant)
[and exeunt] most editions introduce a scene break here, but Folio does not have one and the action continues, with the imaginary location shifting seamlessly from rebel camp to battlefield
Alarum call to battle (played on a trumpet)
[dressed like the King] wearing the king’s colors, Blunt is acting as a decoy. Most editors introduce a scene break at this stage direction, since the stage is momentarily bare and the imaginary location shifts from the rebel camp to the battlefield, but in the early texts and onstage the action is continuous
107 haunt follow
110 dear at great cost
bought Thy likeness paid for appearing like you (i.e. Stafford was also dressed like the king)
117 Holmedon town in Northumberland
122 full extremely
124 Semblably furnished similarly dressed and armed
128 marching…coats wearing the same clothing as him
coats sleeveless outer garments adorned with heraldic arms, worn over armor
133 stand…day seem likely to win the battle solus alone
134 shot-free without paying the tavern bill/without getting shot
135 scoring adding to tavern bill/being wounded
pate head
136 Here’s no vanity! There’s no self-conceit or concern for frivolity in death!
137 molten melted
138 keep lead i.e. bullets
139 bowels guts, stomach
ragamuffins i.e. his ragged company of soldiers
peppered shot and killed; this would enable Falstaff to pocket his soldiers’ pay
141 town’s end outskirts of the town where beggars congregate
144 vaunting bragging, vainglorious
148 Turk Gregory Pope Gregory VII or XIII; both had violent reputations
Turk violent barbarian
149 paid repaid, settled with (i.e. killed
sure i.e. dead, but the prince shifts the sense to “out of danger”
154 case holster
155 hot Falstaff claims it has recently been fired frequently
sack destroy out i.e. from Falstaff’s holster
157 pierce pronounced “perse”—the word puns on “Percy”
158 so so be it/thus—presumably miming his action
159 carbonado dish of scored, grilled meat
grinning honour i.e. the sort of honor Blunt has earned, whose expression is now fixed as death stiffens his facial muscles