QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: King Henry VI Part 3
ACT/SCENE: 4.8
SPEAKER: King Edward IV
CONTEXT:
Seize on the shame-faced Henry! Bear him hence:
And once again proclaim us King of England.
You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow:
Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry,
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.
Hence with him to the Tower! let him not speak.
And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
Where peremptory Warwick now remains:
The sun shines hot; and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hop’d-for hay.

DUTCH:
Heet schijnt de zon, verzuim gaav’ licht het hooi,
‘t Gehoopte, aan snerpend winterweer ter prooi.

MORE:

Proverb: Make hay while the sun shines

Another reference to the York family symbol of the sun (see 2.6, ‘gnats to the sun’).
Shamefaced=Ashamed, bashful (also shamefast)
Peremptory=Positive, bold
Hoped-for hay=Anticipated harvest

Compleat:
Shame-faced=Schaamachtig, beschaamd, bloode
Peremptory=Volstrekt, uitvoerig, volkomen, uiteindig

Topics: delay, proverbs and idioms, still in use, achievement, preparation