King Lear

³⁴’temnest most despised (contemnest)

³⁵pilf’rings petty thefts

³⁵trespasses crimes

³⁸eyeless blind

³⁹Catch seize

⁴²cubdrawn drained of milk by her cubs, ravenous

⁴²couch take cover, lie in its lair

⁴³belly-pinchèd starving

⁴⁴unbonneted bare-headed

⁴⁵bids … all invites anyone who wishes to do so to take everything

⁴⁶power army

⁴⁷scattered divided

⁴⁸Wise in aware of/taking advantage of

⁴⁸feet footholds

⁴⁹at … show on the point of displaying

⁵²on … far i.e. if you trust me so far as

⁵²credit trustworthiness

⁵⁴making just report for making an accurate report

⁵⁵bemadding madness-provoking

⁵⁶’plain complain, lament

⁵⁷blood noble family

⁵⁸assurance certainty

⁵⁹office task

⁶³arraign indict, put on trial

⁶³straight straight away

⁶⁴justice judge

⁶⁵sapient wise

⁶⁷Want’st thou do you lack

⁶⁷eyes may signify “spectators”

⁶⁹Come … me a snatch of popular song

⁶⁹bourn stream

⁷⁰Her … leak i.e. she is menstruating (or possibly “she has gonorrhea”)

⁷¹speak say

⁷²come over i.e. for sex

⁷³foul possible pun on “fool”

⁷⁴Hopdance a devil associated with music (like all of the fiends Edgar mentions, taken from Samuel Harsnett’s 1603 Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures)

⁷⁶black angel i.e. the fiend in Tom’s belly, which is causing it to rumble

⁷⁷do are

⁷⁷amazed stunned, overwhelmed

⁷⁸cushings cushions

⁸¹yoke-fellow of equity partner in fairness

⁸²Bench sit on the bench

⁸²o’th’commission of the panel of judges

⁸⁷for … mouth i.e. if the shepherd summons his sheep back by playing his pipe

⁸⁷minikin dainty/shrill

⁸⁹Purr Harsnett mentions a devil called Purr, though devils were popularly thought to assume the shape of cats

⁹⁵Cry you mercy I beg your pardon

⁹⁵joint-stool a well-made stool

⁹⁶another i.e. Regan

⁹⁶warped looks contorted facial expression/warped wood

⁹⁷store material/tradesman’s stock

⁹⁷on of

⁹⁹False justicer corrupt judge

⁹⁹scape escape

¹⁰⁰Oppressed overwhelmed/afflicted

¹⁰¹balmed … sinews soothed your shattered nerves

¹⁰²convenience opportunity

¹⁰³Stand … cure will be hard to heal

¹⁰⁵bearing our woes enduring the same suffering as us

¹⁰⁷Who … i’th’mind mental anguish is worst for those who suffer alone

¹⁰⁸free carefree

¹⁰⁸happy shows displays of happiness/visions of good fortune

¹⁰⁹sufferance suffering

¹⁰⁹o’erskip pass over, not notice

¹¹⁰bearing endurance (of affliction)

¹¹¹portable bearable

¹¹²bow i.e. bow down under a truly heavy weight (with suggestion of servile bowing, inappropriate to a king)

¹¹³He … fathered his children have treated him as my father has treated me

¹¹⁴high noises important rumors/what is being said among the powerful

¹¹⁴bewray reveal

¹¹⁶In … proof in proving you to be just

¹¹⁷What … king whatever else happens tonight, may the king escape safely

¹¹⁸Lurk i.e. stay out of sight

¹²²old … death i.e. die naturally, in old age

¹²⁴Bedlam Bedlam beggar, i.e. Poor Tom

¹²⁵where he would wherever he wants to go

¹²⁶Allows itself to enables him to do

¹²⁷flax … eggs both were conventionally used to soothe damaged eyes

¹³⁰Obidicut … Flibbertigibbet more fiends mentioned by Samuel Harsnett; “flibbertigibbet” can also mean “a gossip” or “a flighty, frivolous woman”

¹³¹mopping and mowing grimacing, making faces

¹³⁵contemns i’th’origin despises its originator (father)

¹³⁶bordered certain safely contained

¹³⁷sliver and disbranch split and break off (like a branch from a tree)

¹³⁸material essential, substantial

¹³⁸perforce necessarily

¹³⁹come … use be destroyed (like firewood)

¹⁴⁰text sermon

¹⁴²savour but only enjoy, appreciate

¹⁴⁴gracious generous/good/(as a king) possessed of divine grace

¹⁴⁵reverence position deserving respect, venerable condition

¹⁴⁵head-lugged that has been pulled about by its head, i.e. enraged

¹⁴⁶madded sent mad

¹⁴⁷brother brother-in-law, i.e. Cornwall

¹⁴⁷suffer allow

¹⁴⁹visible spirits spirits in visible form, avenging angels

¹⁵⁰tame crush

¹⁵⁴Fools … mischief i.e. only fools pity villains (like Lear) who are punished as a preventative measure before they have done wrong

¹⁵⁶France the King of France