# Henry IV Part 2 (1921) Yale/Text/Act V

Notes originally placed at the bottom of each page appear below, following Act V. Where these notes gloss a word in the text, the gloss can also be found by hovering over the text.
Where these notes refer to an end note (cf. n. = confer notam; "consult note"), a link to the accompanying end note is provided from the Footnotes section. The end notes accompanying Act V begin on page 135 of the original volume.
Layout 2
ACT FIFTH
Scene One
[Justice Shallow's House in Gloucestershire]
Enter Shallow, Falstaff, Bardolph [and Bardolph's boy].
Shal. By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night. What! Davy, I say.
Fal. You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow. 4
Shal. I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused; excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be ex- cused. Why, Davy! 8
Enter Davy.
Davy. Here, sir.
Shal. Davy, Davy, Davy, Davy, let me see, Davy; let me see: yea, marry, William cook, bid him come hither. Sir John, you shall not be 12 excused.
Davy. Marry, sir, thus; those precepts can- not be served: and again, sir, shall we sow the headland with wheat? 16
Shal. With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook: are there no young pigeons?
Davy. Yes, sir. Here is now the smith's note for shoeing and plough-irons. 20
Shal. Let it be cast and paid. Sir John, you shall not be excused.
Davy. Now, sir, a new link to the bucket ​must needs be had: and, sir, do you mean to 24 stop any of William's wages, about the sack he lost the other day at Hinckley fair?
Shal. A' shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of 28 mutton, and any petty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.
Davy. Doth the man of war stay all night, sir? 32
Shal. Yea, Davy. I will use him well. A friend i' the court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy, for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite. 36
Davy. No worse than they are back-bitten, sir; for they have marvellous foul linen.
Shal. Well conceited, Davy: about thy busi- ness, Davy. 40
Davy. I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of Wincot against Clement Perkes o' the hill.
Shal. There is many complaints, Davy, 44 against that Visor: that Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.
Davy. I grant your worship that he is a knave, sir; but yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave 48 should have some countenance at his friend's request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. I have served your worship truly, sir, this eight years; and if 52 I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have but a very little credit with your worship. The knave is ​mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I beseech your 56 worship, let him be countenanced.
Shal. Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy. [Exit Davy.] Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come; off with your 60 boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.
Bard. I am glad to see your worship.
Shal. I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph:—[To the Page.] and wel- 64 come, my tall fellow. Come, Sir John.
Fal. I'll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow. [Exit Shallow.] Bardolph, look to our horses. [Exeunt Bardolph and Page.] If I 68 were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermit's staves as Master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his: 72 they, by observing him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like serving-man. Their spirits are so married in conjunction with the 76 participation of society that they flock together in consent, like so many wild-geese. If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humour his men with the imputation of being near their master: 80 if to his men, I would curry with Master Shallow that no man could better command his servants. It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of 84 another: therefore let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Harry in continual ​laughter the wearing out of six fashions,— which 88 is four terms, or two actions,—and a' shall laugh without intervallums. O! it is much that a lie with a slight oath and a jest with a sad brow will do with a fellow that never had the ache in 92 his shoulders. O! you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up!
Shal. [Within.] Sir John!
Fat. I come, Master Shallow: I come, Master 96 Shallow. [Exit.]
Scene Two
[Westminster. The Palace]
Enter the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Chief Justice.
War. How now, my Lord Chief Justice! whither away?
Ch. Just. How doth the king?
War. Exceeding well: his cares are now all ended.
Ch. Just. I hope not dead.
War. He's walk'd the way of nature; 4 And to our purposes he lives no more.
Ch. Just. I would his majesty had call'd me with him: The service that I truly did his life Hath left me open to all injuries. 8
War. Indeed I think the young king loves you not.
Ch. Just. I know he doth not, and do arm myself To welcome the condition of the time, Which cannot look more hideously upon me 12 ​Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.
Enter John of Lancaster, Gloucester, Clarence [Westmoreland, and others].
War. Here come the heavy issue of dead Harry: O! that the living Harry had the temper Of him, the worst of these three gentlemen. 16 How many nobles then should hold their places, That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!
Ch. Just. O God! I fear all will be overturn'd.
Lanc. Good morrow, cousin Warwick, good morrow. 20
| Glo. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | Good morrow, cousin. |
| Cla. | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | Good morrow, cousin. |
Lanc. We meet like men that had forgot to speak.
War. We do remember; but our argument Is all too heavy to admit much talk. 24
Lanc. Well, peace be with him that hath made us heavy!
Ch. Just. Peace be with us, lest we be heavier!
Glo. O! good my lord, you have lost a friend indeed; And I dare swear you borrow not that face 28 Of seeming sorrow; it is sure your own.
Lanc. Though no man be assur'd what grace to find, You stand in coldest expectation. I am the sorrier; would 'twere otherwise. 32
Cla. Well, you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair, Which swims against your stream of quality.
Ch. Just. Sweet princes, what I did, I did in honour, ​Led by the impartial conduct of my soul; 36 And never shall you see that I will beg A ragged and forestall'd remission. If truth and upright innocency fail me, I'll to the king my master that is dead, 40 And tell him who hath sent me after him.
War. Here comes the prince.
Enter the Prince and Blunt.
Ch. Just. Good morrow, and God save your majesty!
Prince. This new and gorgeous garment, majesty, 44 Sits not so easy on me as you think. Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear: This is the English, not the Turkish court; Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds, 48 But Harry Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers, For, by my faith, it very well becomes you: Sorrow so royally in you appears That I will deeply put the fashion on 52 And wear it in my heart. Why then, be sad; But entertain no more of it, good brothers, Than a joint burden laid upon us all. For me, by heaven, I bid you be assur'd, 56 I'll be your father and your brother too; Let me but bear your love, I'll bear your cares: Yet weep that Harry's dead, and so will I; But Harry lives that shall convert those tears 60 By number into hours of happiness.
Brothers. We hope no other from your majesty.
Prince. You all look strangely on me: [To the Chief Justice.] and you most; ​You are, I think, assur'd I love you not. 64
Ch. Just. I am assur'd, if I be measur'd rightly, Your majesty hath no just cause to hate me.
Prince. No? How might a prince of my great hopes forget 68 So great indignities you laid upon me? What! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison The immediate heir of England! Was this easy? May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten? 72
Ch. Just. I then did use the person of your father; The image of his power lay then in me: And, in the administration of his law, Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth, 76 Your highness pleased to forget my place, The majesty and power of law and justice, The image of the king whom I presented, And struck me in my very seat of judgment; 80 Whereon, as an offender to your father, I gave bold way to my authority, And did commit you. If the deed were ill, Be you contented, wearing now the garland, 84 To have a son set your decrees at nought, To pluck down justice from your awful bench, To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword That guards the peace and safety of your person: 88 Nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image And mock your workings in a second body. Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours; Be now the father and propose a son, 92 Hear your own dignity so much profan'd, See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted, ​Behold yourself so by a son disdain'd; And then imagine me taking your part, 96 And in your power soft silencing your son: After this cold considerance, sentence me; And, as you are a king, speak in your state What I have done that misbecame my place, 100 My person, or my liege's sovereignty.
Prince. You are right, justice; and you weigh this well; Therefore still bear the balance and the sword: And I do wish your honours may increase 104 Till you do live to see a son of mine Offend you and obey you, as I did. So shall I live to speak my father's words: 'Happy am I, that have a man so bold 108 That dares do justice on my proper son; And not less happy, having such a son, That would deliver up his greatness so Into the hands of justice.' You did commit me: 112 For which, I do commit into your hand The unstained sword that you have us'd to bear; With this remembrance, that you use the same With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit 116 As you have done 'gainst me. There is my hand: You shall be as a father to my youth; My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear, And I will stoop and humble my intents 120 To your well-practis'd wise directions. And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you; My father is gone wild into his grave, For in his tomb lie my affections; 124 And with his spirit sadly I survive, ​To mock the expectation of the world, To frustrate prophecies, and to raze out Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down 128 After my seeming. The tide of blood in me Hath proudly flow'd in vanity till now: Now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea, Where it shall mingle with the state of floods 132 And flow henceforth in formal majesty. Now call we our high court of parliament; And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel, That the great body of our state may go 136 In equal rank with the best govern'd nation; That war or peace, or both at once, may be As things acquainted and familiar to us; In which you, father, shall have foremost hand. 140 Our coronation done, we will accite, As I before remember'd, all our state: And, God consigning to my good intents, No prince nor peer shall have just cause to say, 144 God shorten Harry's happy life one day. Exeunt.
Scene Three
[The Garden of Justice Shallow's House in Gloucestershire]
Enter Sir John, Shallow, Silence, Davy, Bardolph, Page.
Shal. Nay, you shall see my orchard, where, in an arbour, we will eat a last year's pippin of ​mine own graffing, with a dish of caraways, and so forth; come, cousin Silence; and then to bed. 4
Fal. 'Fore God, you have here a goodly dwelling, and a rich.
Shal. Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beggars all, Sir John: marry, good air. Spread, 8 Davy; spread: well said, Davy.
Fal. This Davy serves you for good uses; he is your serving-man and your husband.
Shal. A good varlet, a good varlet, a very 12 good varlet, Sir John: by the mass, I have drunk too much sack at supper: a good varlet. Now sit down, now sit down. Come, cousin.
Sil. Ah, sirrah! quoth a', we shall 16
'Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer, And praise God for the merry year; When flesh is cheap and females dear, And lusty lads roam here and there, 20 So merrily. And ever among so merrily.'
Fal. There's a merry heart! Good Master Silence, I'll give you a health for that anon. 24
Shal. Give Master Bardolph some wine, Davy.
Davy. Sweet sir, sit; I'll be with you anon: most sweet sir, sit. Master page, good master page, sit. Proface! What you want in meat 28 we'll have in drink: but you must bear: the heart's all. [Exit.]
Shal. Be merry, Master Bardolph; and my little soldier there, be merry. 32
Sil. 'Be merry, be merry, my wife has all; For women are shrews, both short and tall: 'Tis merry in hall when beards wag all, And welcome merry Shrove-tide. 36 Be merry, be merry.'
Fal. I did not think Master Silence had been a man of this mettle.
Sil. Who, I? I have been merry twice and 40 once ere now.
[Enter Davy.]
Davy. There's a dish of leather-coats for you.
[Setting them before Bardolph.]
Shal. Davy!
Davy. Your worship! I'll be with you straight. 44 A cup of wine, sir?
Sil. 'A cup of wine that's brisk and fine And drink unto the leman mine; And a merry heart lives long-a.' 48
Fal. Well said, Master Silence.
Sil. And we shall be merry, now comes in the sweet o' the night.
Fal. Health and long life to you, Master 52 Silence.
Sil. 'Fill the cup, and let it come; I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom.'
Shal. Honest Bardolph, welcome: if thou want- 56 est anything and wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. [To the Page.] Welcome, my little tiny thief; and welcome indeed too. I'll drink to Master Bardolph and to all the cavaleros about London. 60
​Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die.
Bard. An I might see you there, Davy,—
Shal. By the mass, you'll crack a quart to- gether: ha! will you not, Master Bardolph? 64
Bard. Yea, sir, in a pottle-pot.
Shal. By God's liggens, I thank thee. The knave will stick by thee, I can assure thee that: a' will not out; he is true bred. 68
Bard. And I'll stick by him, sir.
Shal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. [One knocks at the door.] Look who's at door there. Ho! who knocks? 72
[Exit Davy.]
Fal. [To Silence, who drinks a bumper.] Why, now you have done me right.
Sil.'Do me right, And dub me knight: 76 Samingo.'
Is 't not so?
Fal. 'Tis so.
Sil. Is 't so? Why, then, say an old man can 80 do somewhat.
[Enter Davy.]
Davy. An 't please your worship, there's one Pistol come from the court with news.
Fal. From the court! let him come in. 84
Enter Pistol.
How now, Pistol!
Pist. Sir John, God save you, sir!
​Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol?
Pist. Not the ill wind which blows no man to good. 88 Sweet knight, thou art now one of the greatest men in this realm.
Sil. By 'r lady, I think a' be, but goodman Puff of Barson. 92
Pist. Puff! Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base! Sir John, I am thy Pistol and thy friend, And helter-skelter have I rode to thee, 96 And tidings do I bring and lucky joys And golden times and happy news of price.
Fal. I prithee now, deliver them like a man of this world.
Pist. A foutra for the world and worldlings base! 100 I speak of Africa and golden joys.
Fal. O base Assyrian knight, what is thy news? Let King Cophetua know the truth thereof.
Sil. 'And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John/ 104
Pist. Shall dunghill curs confront the Helicons? And shall good news be baffled? Then, Pistol, lay thy head in Furies' lap.
Shal. Honest gentleman, I know not your 108 breeding.
Pist. Why then, lament therefore.
Shal. Give me pardon, sir: if, sir, you come with news from the court, I take it there's but 112 two ways: either to utter them, or to conceal them. I am sir, under the king, in some authority. ​Pist. Under which king, Bezonian? speak, or die. 116
Shal. Under King Harry.
Pist.Harry the Fourth? or Fifth?
Shal. Harry the Fourth.
Pist.A foutra for thine office! Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is king; Harry the Fifth's the man. I speak the truth: 120 When Pistol lies, do this; and fig me, like The bragging Spaniard.
Fal. What! is the old king dead?
Pist. As nail in door: the things I speak are just. 124
Fal. Away, Bardolph! saddle my horse. Master Robert Shallow, choose what office thou wilt in the land, 'tis thine. Pistol, I will double charge thee with dignities. 128
Bard. O joyful day! I would not take a knighthood for my fortune.
Pist. What! I do bring good news.
Fal. Carry Master Silence to bed. Master 132 Shallow, my Lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am Fortune's steward. Get on thy boots: we'll ride all night. O sweet Pistol! Away, Bardolph! [Exit Bardolph.] Come, Pistol, utter more to 136 me; and withal devise something to do thyself good. Boot, boot, Master Shallow: I know the young king is sick for me. Let us take any man's horses; the laws of England are at my 140 commandment. Blessed are they which have been my friends, and woe to my lord chief justice!
​Pist. Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also! 144 'Where is the life that late I led?' say they: Why, here it is: welcome these pleasant days!
Exeunt.
Scene Four
[London. A Street]
Enter Hostess Quickly, Doll Tearsheet, and Beadles.
Host. No, thou arrant knave: I would to God that I might die that I might have thee hanged; thou hast drawn my shoulder out of joint.
First Bead. The constables have delivered 4 her over to me, and she shall have whipping- cheer enough, I warrant her: there hath been a man or two lately killed about her.
Dol. Nut-hook, nut-hook, you lie. Come on; 8 I'll tell thee what, thou damned tripe-visaged rascal, an the child I now go with do miscarry, thou wert better thou hadst struck thy mother, thou paper-faced villain. 12
Host. O the Lord! that Sir John were come; he would make this a bloody day to somebody. But I pray God the fruit of her womb miscarry!
First Bead. If it do, you shall have a dozen 16 of cushions again; you have but eleven now. Come, I charge you both go with me; for the man is dead that you and Pistol beat amongst you.
Dol. I'll tell you what, you thin man in a 20 censer, I will have you as soundly swinged for ​this, you blue-bottle rogue! you filthy famished correctioner! if you be not swinged, I'll for- swear half-kirtles. 24
First Bead. Come, come, you she knight-errant, come.
Host. O God, that right should thus overcome might! Well, of sufferance comes ease.
Dol. Come, you rogue, come: bring me to 28 a justice.
Host. Ay; come, you starved blood-hound.
Dol. Goodman death! goodman bones!
Host. Thou atomy, thou! 32
Dol. Come, you thin thing; come, you rascal!
First Bead. Very well. Exeunt.
Scene Five
[A public Place near Westminster Abbey]
Enter two Grooms, strewers of rushes.
First Groom. More rushes, more rushes.
Sec. Groom. The trumpets have sounded twice.
First Groom. 'Twill be two o'clock ere they 4 come from the coronation. Dispatch, dispatch.
Exeunt Grooms.
Trumpets sound, and the King and his train pass over the stage. After them, enter Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, Bardolph, and the Boy.
Fal. Stand here by me, Master Robert Shal- low; I will make the king do you grace. I will ​leer upon him, as a' comes by; and do but mark 8 the countenance that he will give me.
Pist. God bless thy lungs, good knight.
Fal. Come here, Pistol; stand behind me. O! if I had had time to have made new liveries, 12 I would have bestowed the thousand pound I borrowed of you. But 'tis no matter; this poor show doth better: this doth infer the zeal I had to see him. 16
Shal. It doth so.
Fal. It shows my earnestness of affection.
Shal. It doth so.
Fal. My devotion. 20
Shal. It doth, it doth, it doth.
Fal. As it were, to ride day and night; and not to deliberate, not to remember, not to have patience to shift me. 24
Shal. It is best, certain.
Fal. But to stand stained with travel, and sweating with desire to see him; thinking of nothing else; putting all affairs else in oblivion, 28 as if there were nothing else to be done but to see him.
Pist. 'Tis semper idem, for absque hoc nihil est: 'Tis all in every part. 32
Shal. 'Tis so, indeed.
Pist. My knight, I will inflame thy noble liver, And make thee rage. Thy Doll, and Helen of thy noble thoughts, 36 Is in base durance and contagious prison; Hal'd thither By most mechanical and dirty hand: ​Rouse up revenge from ebon den with fell Alecto's snake, 40 For Doll is in: Pistol speaks nought but truth.
Fal. I will deliver her.
[Shouts within and trumpets sound.]
Pist. There roar'd the sea, and trumpet-clangour sounds.
The trumpets sound. Enter King Henry the Fifth, Brothers, Lord Chief Justice.
Fal. God save thy grace, King Hal! my royal 44 Hal!
Pist. The heavens thee guard and keep, most royal imp of fame!
Fal. God save thee, my sweet boy! 48
K. Hen. V. My lord chief justice, speak to that vain man.
Ch. Just. Have you your wits? know you what 'tis you speak?
Fal. My king! my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart!
K. Hen. V. I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers; 52 How ill white hairs become a fool and jester! I have long dream'd of such a kind of man, So surfeit-swell'd, so old, and so profane; But, being awak'd, I do despise my dream. 56 Make less thy body hence, and more thy grace; Leave gormandising; know the grave doth gape For thee thrice wider than for other men. Reply not to me with a fool-born jest: 60 Presume not that I am the thing I was; For God doth know, so shall the world perceive, ​That I have turn'd away my former self; So will I those that kept me company. 64 When thou dost hear I am as I have been, Approach me, and thou shalt be as thou wast, The tutor and the feeder of my riots: Till then, I banish thee, on pain of death, 68 As I have done the rest of my misleaders, Not to come near our person by ten mile. For competence of life I will allow you, That lack of means enforce you not to evil: 72 And, as we hear you do reform yourselves, We will, according to your strength and qualities, Give you advancement. Be it your charge, my lord, To see perform'd the tenour of our word. 76 Set on. Exit the King [with his Train].
Fal. Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pound.
Shal. Yea, marry, Sir John; which I beseech you to let me have home with me. 80
Fal. That can hardly be, Master Shallow. Do not you grieve at this: I shall be sent for in private to him. Look you, he must seem thus to the world. Fear not your advancements; I 84 will be the man yet that shall make you great.
Shal. I cannot perceive how, unless you give me your doublet and stuff me out with straw. I beseech you, good Sir John, let me have five 88 hundred of my thousand.
Fal. Sir, I will be as good as my word: this that you heard was but a colour.
Shal. A colour that I fear you will die in, Sir 92 John.
Fal. Fear no colours: go with me to dinner. ​Come, Lieutenant Pistol; come, Bardolph: I shall be sent for soon at night. 96
Enter Justice and Prince John.
Ch. Just. Go, carry Sir John Falstaff to the Fleet; Take all his company along with him.
Fal. My lord, my lord!
Ch. Just. I cannot now speak: I will hear you soon. 100 Take them away.
Pist. Si fortuna me tormenta, spero contenta.
Exeunt. Mane[n]t [Prince John of] Lancaster and Chief Justice.
Lanc. I like this fair proceeding of the king's. He hath intent his wonted followers 104 Shall all be very well provided for; But all are banish'd till their conversations Appear more wise and modest to the world.
Ch. Just. And so they are. 108
Lanc. The king hath call'd his parliament, my lord.
Ch. Just. He hath.
Lanc. I will lay odds, that, ere this year expire, We bear our civil swords and native fire 112 As far as France. I heard a bird so sing, Whose music, to my thinking, pleas'd the king. Come, will you hence? Exeunt.
Footnotes to Act V
Scene One
​1 cock and pie; cf. n. 14 precepts: summonses 21 cast: reckoned ​29 kickshaws: fancy dishes 39 Well conceited: cleverly put 41 countenance: favor ​69 quantities: small pieces 72 semblable coherence: approach to likeness 78 consent: agreement ​89 terms: i.e., of court actions: legal actions for debt 90 intervallums: intervals 91 sad: sober 94 ill laid up: carelessly put away
Scene Two
​ ​14 heavy: sorrowful 23 argument: subject of conversation 31 coldest: most hopeless 34 Cf. n. ​38 ragged: beggarly forestall'd remission: pardon that is sure not to be granted 48 Cf. n. ​71 easy: trivial 72 Lethe: the river of oblivion 73 use the person: make use of my position as personal representative 79 presented: represented 84 garland: crown 90 second body: deputy 92 propose: imagine ​98 considerance: consideration 103 balance and the sword: emblems of Justice 109 proper: own 115 remembrance: admonition 123, 124 Cf. n. 125 sadly: soberly ​
Scene Three
​129 After my seeming: according to appearances 132 state of floods: majesty of the ocean 137 In equal rank: step by step 141 accite: summon 142 remember'd: mentioned 143 consigning to: confirming ​3 graffing: grafting caraways: confection made with caraway seeds 9 said: done 11 husband: husbandman 22 ever among: all the while 28 Proface: may it do you good (Italian 'pro vi faccia') 30 heart: intention ​36 Shrove-tide: a time of special merriment at the close of the carnival 42 leather-coats: russet apples 47 leman: sweetheart 60 cavaleros: cavaliers ​66 liggens: an original oath of Shallow's 68 will not out: will not fail (sporting term) 74 done me right: a common expression in drinking healths 76 dub me knight; cf. n. 77 Samingo: San Domingo, a common refrain in drinking songs ​91 but: except 92 Barson: Barston in Warwickshire 98 price: value 100 foutra: exclamation of contempt 103, 104 These lines refer to popular ballads 105 Cf. n. ​115 Bezonian: base beggar 121 fig: to thrust the thumb between two closed fingers, or into the mouth, a vulgar insult, imported from Spain 124 just: correct ​145 Quotation from another ballad
Scene Four
​8 nut-hook: slang for beadle; cf. catchpole 20, 21 in a censer: i.e., a figure embossed on a censer 21 swinged: whipped ​22 blue-bottle: the reference is to the beadle's blue livery 24 half-kirtles: waists or skirts 27 of sufferance: out of suffering 32 atomy: Dame Quickly's confusion of 'atom' with 'anatomy' = skeleton
Scene Five
​ ​31, 32 Cf. n. 39 mechanical: common, vulgar ​40 ebon: black Alecto: one of the Furies 47 imp: child 49 vain: foolish ​92 colour: pun on collar, halter 94 Fear no colours: have no fear; originally, fear no enemy ​97 the Fleet: a London prison 106 conversations: habits