King John

Share
First folio
Modern text

Definitions

Key line

Alarums, excursions, Retreat. Enter Iohn Alarums, excursions, retreat. Enter King John, KJ III.iii.1.1
Eleanor, Arthur / Bastard, Hubert, Lords.Queen Eleanor, Arthur, the Bastard, Hubert, lords KJ III.iii.1.2
and soldiers KJ III.iii.1.3
Iohn. KING JOHN  
(to Queen Eleanor) KJ III.iii.1
So shall it be: your Grace shall stay behindeSo shall it be – your grace shall stay behind, KJ III.iii.1
So strongly guarded: Cosen, looke not sad,So strongly guarded. (to Arthur) Cousin, look not sad!sad (adj.)
downcast, distressed, mournful, gloomy
KJ III.iii.2
Thy Grandame loues thee, and thy Vnkle willThy grandam loves thee, and thy uncle willgrandam (n.)

old form: Grandame
grandmother
KJ III.iii.3
As deere be to thee, as thy father was.As dear be to thee as thy father was. KJ III.iii.4
Arth. ARTHUR 
O this will make my mother die with griefe.O, this will make my mother die with grief! KJ III.iii.5
Iohn.KING JOHN  
(to the Bastard) KJ III.iii.6
Cosen away for England, haste before,Cousin, away for England! Haste before, KJ III.iii.6
And ere our comming see thou shake the bagsAnd ere our coming see thou shake the bags KJ III.iii.7
Of hoording Abbots, imprisoned angellsOf hoarding abbots; imprisoned angels KJ III.iii.8
Set at libertie: the fat ribs of peaceSet at liberty. The fat ribs of peace KJ III.iii.9
Must by the hungry now be fed vpon:Must by the hungry now be fed upon. KJ III.iii.10
Vse our Commission in his vtmost force.Use our commission in his utmost force. KJ III.iii.11
Bast. BASTARD 
Bell, Booke, & Candle, shall not driue me back,Bell, book, and candle shall not drive me back KJ III.iii.12
When gold and siluer becks me to come on.When gold and silver becks me to come on.beck (v.)
beckon, nod, call
KJ III.iii.13
I leaue your highnesse: Grandame, I will prayI leave your highness. Grandam, I will pray –  KJ III.iii.14
(If euer I remember to be holy)If ever I remember to be holy –  KJ III.iii.15
For your faire safety: so I kisse your hand.For your fair safety. So I kiss your hand. KJ III.iii.16
Ele. QUEEN ELEANOR 
Farewell gentle Cosen.Farewell, gentle cousin.gentle (adj.)
well-born, honourable, noble
KJ III.iii.17.1
Iohn. KING JOHN 
Coz, farewell.Coz, farewell. KJ III.iii.17.2
Exit the Bastard KJ III.iii.17
Ele. QUEEN ELEANOR 
Come hether little kinsman, harke, a worde.Come hither, little kinsman. Hark, a word. KJ III.iii.18
She takes Arthur aside KJ III.iii.19.1
Iohn. KING JOHN 
Come hether Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,gentle (adj.)
courteous, friendly, kind
KJ III.iii.19
We owe thee much: within this wall of fleshWe owe thee much! Within this wall of flesh KJ III.iii.20
There is a soule counts thee her Creditor,There is a soul counts thee her creditor, KJ III.iii.21
And with aduantage meanes to pay thy loue:And with advantage means to pay thy love;pay (v.)
repay, requite, recompense
KJ III.iii.22
advantage (n.)

old form: aduantage
interest, bonus, addition
And my good friend, thy voluntary oathAnd, my good friend, thy voluntary oath KJ III.iii.23
Liues in this bosome, deerely cherished.Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished. KJ III.iii.24
Giue me thy hand, I had a thing to say,Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say, KJ III.iii.25
But I will fit it with some better tune.But I will fit it with some better tune.fit (v.)
adapt, conform, accommodate
KJ III.iii.26
tune (n.)
state of mind, mood
By heauen Hubert, I am almost asham'dBy heaven, Hubert, I am almost ashamed KJ III.iii.27
To say what good respect I haue of thee.To say what good respect I have of thee.respect (n.)
regard, admiration, favour, opinion
KJ III.iii.28
Hub. HUBERT 
I am much bounden to your Maiesty.I am much bounden to your majesty.bounden (adj.)
indebted, obliged, grateful
KJ III.iii.29
Iohn. KING JOHN 
Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet,Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet, KJ III.iii.30
But thou shalt haue: and creepe time nere so slow,But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow, KJ III.iii.31
Yet it shall come, for me to doe thee good.Yet it shall come for me to do thee good. KJ III.iii.32
I had a thing to say, but let it goe:I had a thing to say – but let it go. KJ III.iii.33
The Sunne is in the heauen, and the proud day,The sun is in the heaven, and the proud day, KJ III.iii.34
Attended with the pleasures of the world,Attended with the pleasures of the world,attend (v.)
accompany, follow closely, go with
KJ III.iii.35
Is all too wanton, and too full of gawdesIs all too wanton and too full of gaudsgaud (n.)

old form: gawdes
gaudy toy, showy plaything, trinket
KJ III.iii.36
wanton (adj.)
gay, lively, cheerful
To giue me audience: If the mid-night bellTo give me audience. If the midnight bell KJ III.iii.37
Did with his yron tongue, and brazen mouthDid with his iron tongue and brazen mouth KJ III.iii.38
Sound on into the drowzie race of night:Sound on into the drowsy race of night;race (n.)
course, passage
KJ III.iii.39
If this same were a Church-yard where we stand,If this same were a churchyard where we stand, KJ III.iii.40
And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs:And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs;possess (v.)
fill, imbue
KJ III.iii.41
Or if that surly spirit melancholyOr if that surly spirit, melancholy,melancholy (n.)
ill-temper, sullenness [thought to be the result of too much ‘black bile’ in the blood]
KJ III.iii.42
Had bak'd thy bloud, and made it heauy, thicke,Had baked thy blood, and made it heavy, thick,heavy (adj.)

old form: heauy
slow-moving, sluggish, laggard
KJ III.iii.43
bake (v.)

old form: bak'd
harden, make solid
Which else runnes tickling vp and downe the veines,Which else runs tickling up and down the veins,tickle (v.)
tingle, run in a thrilling way
KJ III.iii.44
Making that idiot laughter keepe mens eyes,Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyesidiot (n.)
jester, clown, fool
KJ III.iii.45
And straine their cheekes to idle merriment,And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,strain (v.)

old form: straine
constrain, force, press
KJ III.iii.46
A passion hatefull to my purposes:A passion hateful to my purposes;passion (n.)
powerful feeling, overpowering emotion [often opposed to ‘reason’]
KJ III.iii.47
purpose (n.)
intention, aim, plan
hateful (adj.)

old form: hatefull
repulsive, obnoxious, incompatible [with]
Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes,Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes, KJ III.iii.48
Heare me without thine eares, and make replyHear me without thine ears, and make reply KJ III.iii.49
Without a tongue, vsing conceit alone,Without a tongue, using conceit alone,conceit (n.)
notion, idea, thought
KJ III.iii.50
Without eyes, eares, and harmefull sound of words:Without eyes, ears, and harmful sound of words; KJ III.iii.51
Then, in despight of brooded watchfull day,Then, in despite of brooded watchful day,brooded (adj.)
[unclear meaning] full of brooding
KJ III.iii.52
I would into thy bosome poure my thoughts:I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts.bosom (n.)

old form: bosome
inward thoughts, personal counsel
KJ III.iii.53
But (ah) I will not, yet I loue thee well,But, ah, I will not. Yet I love thee well, KJ III.iii.54
And by my troth I thinke thou lou'st me well.And, by my troth, I think thou lovest me well.troth, by my
by my truth [exclamation emphasizing an assertion]
KJ III.iii.55
Hub. HUBERT 
So well, that what you bid me vndertake,So well that what you bid me undertake, KJ III.iii.56
Though that my death were adiunct to my Act,Though that my death were adjunct to my act,adjunct (adj.)

old form: adiunct
attendant [upon], inevitable result [of]
KJ III.iii.57
By heauen I would doe it.By heaven, I would do it. KJ III.iii.58.1
Iohn. KING JOHN 
Doe not I know thou wouldst?Do not I know thou wouldst? KJ III.iii.58.2
Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert throw thine eyeGood Hubert! Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye KJ III.iii.59
On yon young boy: Ile tell thee what my friend,On yon young boy. I'll tell thee what, my friend, KJ III.iii.60
He is a very serpent in my way,He is a very serpent in my way, KJ III.iii.61
And wheresoere this foot of mine doth tread,And whereso'er this foot of mine doth tread KJ III.iii.62
He lies before me: dost thou vnderstand me?He lies before me. Dost thou understand me? KJ III.iii.63
Thou art his keeper.Thou art his keeper.keeper (n.)
gaoler, warden, custodian
KJ III.iii.64.1
Hub. HUBERT 
And Ile keepe him so,And I'll keep him so KJ III.iii.64.2
That he shall not offend your Maiesty.That he shall not offend your majesty. KJ III.iii.65
Iohn. KING JOHN 
Death.Death. KJ III.iii.66.1
Hub. HUBERT 
My Lord.My lord. KJ III.iii.66.2
Iohn. KING JOHN 
A Graue.A grave. KJ III.iii.66.3
Hub. HUBERT 
He shall not liue.He shall not live. KJ III.iii.66.4
Iohn. KING JOHN 
Enough.Enough. KJ III.iii.66.5
I could be merry now, Hubert, I loue thee.I could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee. KJ III.iii.67
Well, Ile not say what I intend for thee:Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee. KJ III.iii.68
Remember: Madam, Fare you well,Remember. Madam, fare you well.fare ... well (int.)
goodbye [to an individual]
KJ III.iii.69
Ile send those powers o're to your Maiesty.I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.power (n.)
armed force, troops, host, army
KJ III.iii.70
Ele. QUEEN ELEANOR 
My blessing goe with thee.My blessing go with thee. KJ III.iii.71.1
Iohn. KING JOHN 
For England Cosen, goe.For England, cousin, go. KJ III.iii.71.2
Hubert shall be your man, attend on youHubert shall be your man, attend on youattend (v.)
serve, follow, wait [on/upon]
KJ III.iii.72
With al true duetie: On toward Callice, hoa.With all true duty. On toward Calais, ho!true (adj.)
loyal, firm, faithful in allegiance
KJ III.iii.73
Exeunt.Exeunt KJ III.iii.73
 Previous Act III, Scene III Next  
x

Jump directly to