QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: King Henry IV Part 2 ACT/SCENE: 1 Prologue SPEAKER: Rumour CONTEXT: But what mean I
To speak so true at first? My office is
To noise abroad that Harry Monmouth fell
Under the wrath of noble Hotspur’s sword,
And that the King before the Douglas’ rage
Stooped his anointed head as low as death.
This have I rumoured through the peasant towns
Between that royal field of Shrewsbury
And this worm-eaten hold of ragged stone,
Where Hotspur’s father, old Northumberland,
Lies crafty-sick. The posts come tiring on,
And not a man of them brings other news
Than they have learnt of me. From Rumour’s tongues
They bring smooth comforts false, worse than true wrongs. DUTCH: Waar Heetspoors vader, graaf Northumberland,
Sluw krank ligt. Moede boden komen aan,
Doch geen brengt ander nieuws dan ik hem leerde,
Elk zoeten schijntroost, komende uit mijn mond,
Veel erger dan een waar bericht, dat wondt. MORE: Schmidt:
To noise abroad=Verb meaning to report or spread rumour
Peasant=Condescending description of village inhabitants as ignorant
Crafty-sick=Feigning illness
Post=Courier, messenger

Compleat:
To noise abroad=Uitbrommen, uittrompetten
Peasant=Landman, boer
Crafty=Loos, listig, schalk, doortrapt, leep Topics: betrayal, deceit, appearance, perception, language