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- Act 5 Scene 2
-
- Worcester has returned to the rebel camp, but he is
- unwilling to tell Hotspur that the King has made an
- offer of peace. War is declared.
- 3 undone: ruined.
- 5 keep . . . us: be friends with us as he
- promised.
- 7 this offence: i.e. the rebellion.
- 8 Supposition: suspicion; Worcester
- imagines a monster with many eyes, watching the
- rebels for the rest of their lives.
- 10 locked up: kept in a cage.
- 11 a wild . . . ancestor: the habit of his wild
- ancestors.
- 12 or . . . or . . .: whether . . . or . . .
- 13 Our appearances will be misinterpreted
- and wrongly reported.
- 14 at a stall: kept in the stable (i.e. being
- fattened for the butcher).
- 15 still: always.
- 16 may . . . forgot: may well be forgotten.
- 18 an adopted name: a nickname (i.e.
- ôHotspurö).
- of privilege: which gives him the privilege of
- being hot-tempered.
- 19 hare-brained: rash, thoughtless.
- spleen: impulsiveness.
- 20 live: lie; Worcester believes that he and
- Northumberland will be blamed for HotspurÆs
- faults.
- 21 train him on: lead him on, encourage him.
- 22 corruption: wickedness.
- taÆen: caught (like an infection).
- 23 spring: source.
- 25 In any case: whatever happens.
- 26 Deliver . . . will: give them whatever
- message you like.
- 28 Deliver up: release (apparently the Earl of
- Westmorland had been kept as the hostage
- demanded in 4, 3, 111).
- 30 bid you battle: challenge you to fight.
- presently: immediately.
- 31 Defy him: return his challenge.
- 34 no seeming mercy: apparently no
- forgiveness.
- 37 mended: corrected (the tone is sarcastic).
- 38 By swearing falsely now that he ever
- swore false in the past.
- 43 engaged: held as hostage.
- 44 Which can only make him advance
- quickly.
- 47 would: I wish.
- lay . . . heads: was our responsibility.
- 48 draw short breath: pant (with fighting).
- 50 How showed: how did it look.
- tasking: challenge.
- 52 urged: presented.
- 54 proof of arms: test of skill with weapons.
- 55 all . . . man: all that is due to a man.
- 56 Trimmed up: elaborated, gave a good
- description of.
- 57 Described your merits as though he were
- writing your life-story (ôchronicleö = history
- book).
- 58 Always saying that he knew no words
- good enough to praise you properly.
- 58 ever: always.
- 59 still: constantly.
- praise: i.e. words of praise.
- valued: compared.
- 60 became him: showed him that he was.
- 61 He gave an account (ôcitalö) of himself,
- blushing with shame.
- 62 chid: reproached.
- truant: disobedient (see the PrinceÆs words in 5,
- 1,94).
- 63 Vernon thinks that the Prince showed the
- ability to teach and the ability to learn, both at the
- same time.
- 63 mastered: was in possession.
- 64 instantly: simultaneously.
- 65 There . . . pause: he stopped there (i.e. did
- not say any more).
- 66 outlive: survives.
- envy: hostility, warfare.
- 67 owe: own, possess.
- 68 misconstrued . . . wantonness:
- misunderstood because of his wild behaviour.
- 69, 70 thou . . . follies: you have fallen in love
- with his crazy ways.
- 70, 71 I Never . . . liberty: I have never heard of a
- kingÆs son who was so irresponsible.
- 72 be . . . will: whatever he is like.
- ere: before.
- 74 So that he will not be so great when I have
- finished with him.
- courtesy: Hotspur is ironic ù the courtesyö of his
- ôsoldierÆs armö will (he threatens) kill Prince Hal.
- 76 You should think about what you 8 have
- to do rather than listen to me, because I canÆt
- speak well enough to inspire you with my words of
- persuasion.
- 77 gift of foligue: cloquence. tongue:
- eloquence
- 78 lift . . . up: excite you.
- 82 To spend . . . hour: if there were only one
- hour to live, it would be too long if we were to
- spend that hour in a dishonourable way.
- 83 a dialÆs point: the hand of a clock.
- 87 for: as for.
- 87 the arms . . . just: it is right to make war
- (bear arms) when there is a good reason (ôintentö)
- for fighting.
- 89 apace: fast.
- 90 cuts . . . tale: shortens my speech.
- 91 I profess not talking: I donÆt claim to be a
- good speaker.
- 93 temper: steel (tempering is a process in
- the hardening of steel).
- 94 withal: with.
- 96 Esperance! Percy! the battle-cry of the
- Percy family; the final e of ôEsperanceö (= Good
- Hope, Good Luck) is pronounced.
- set on: start fighting.
- 97 lofty . . . war: i.e. the martial trumpets.
- 98 by: to the sound of.
- 99 heaven to earth: the odds are as high as
- heaven is from earth.
-