In Search of Shakespeare
In Search of Shakespeare
The Glossary
Language is constantly changing and evolving, not least because of writers like Shakespeare and his passion for adding new words to our vocabularies. The Glossary defines some of the lesser known Elizabethan words that appear in this site.
Alderman - An Anglo-Saxon term for a person of rank or authority.Angels' Food, Dragon's Milk, Mad Dog and Left Leg - These were popular ales of sixteenth-century London. Beer was an important part of the Elizabethan diet, providing much-needed protein. The public houses, inns and taverns that served these drinks played an equally important part in Tudor social life. Traditional pubs are still open for business in the UK to this day, many of them dating back to the Tudor period, and a few even older. There are still English beers with colorful names. "Dog Bolter," "Fursty Ferret" and "Tanglefoot" are all brewed in the UK today. Sadly "Left Leg" is no longer produced.
Bear Baiting - By modern morality, the sport of bear-baiting is a repugnant form of blood sport: a bear would be chained to a post in the ring, still able to move, but not escape, and dogs would be set on the animal. Spectators would bet on whether it would be the dogs or the bear that would survive the vicious fight that ensued. Some of the bears were unfortunate enough to have long and bloody careers, becoming stars in their own right. Sackerson was one such animal and was immortalized in Shakespeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor."
Bedlam -The Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem stood just outside Bishopsgate in London, and served as asylum for the mentally ill. Mental health care in Elizabethan England was frequently cruel and, by modern standards, unusual. Conditions within the hospital were said to be extraordinarily noisy and chaotic. The hospital was commonly known simply as "Bedlam," and the name has survived to the present day as a description of any scene of chaos and disorder.
Brogger - A Brogger was a freelance wool dealer, working without the necessary license.
Catholic - The Catholic church was the largest and most powerful branch of the Christian religion. It was, and still is, led by the Pope, with power centered in the Vatican, in Rome, Italy. Until the reign of Henry VIII (Elizabeth I's father) England had been a predominantly Catholic country. When the Pope refused to grant Henry a divorce, Henry decided to take matters into his own hands and formed the Church of England. The new church was run without any trace of Catholic influence and made England an officially Protestant country.
Codpiece - In Elizabethan England, men were prone to wearing very tight-fitting breeches. A codpiece was a conspicuous pouch worn on top of the breeches, covering the crotch.
Doublet - An item of clothing, popular among fashion-conscious Elizabethan men. The sleeveless, tight-fitting jacket was a worn on top of a shirt and waistcoat, and underneath a cloak or cape.
Excommunicated - To be expelled from the Church.
Jesuit - A member of the Society of Jesus, a religious order founded by Ignatius Loyola in 1540. Jesuits took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They were extremely loyal to the Pope and would be regularly sent out into the world to perform Missionary Duty, spreading the Catholic word of God among the heathens.
Lascivious - Wanton, salacious, lecherous or lewd. To be driven by lust.
Ovid - Publius Ovidius Naso, born March 20th, 43 B.C., died 17 A.D. Ovid, as he was known to the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet. He wrote on the topics of love, abandoned women, and mythological transformations.
Papist - A Roman Catholic, a supporter of the Pope.
Petty school -Petty school was the name given to elementary, or primary, school in Shakespeare's England.
Protestant -A non-Catholic Christian. Specifically, a member of the branch of the Western Christian church that adheres to the theologies of Luther, Calvin, or Zwingli.
Puritan -Puritans were radical Protestants. They were extraordinarily devout, dedicated to doing away with the pomp and ceremony of the Roman Catholic Church. They believed that worship should be simple and regular.
Scrivener - A scribe whose job was to write out documents. In the days before printing presses all copies of documents had to be written by hand.
In Elizabethan England printing presses were in use, but most official documents were still written by scribes.
Sedition -Conduct, or the use of language, that incites rebellion against the authority of the state. Calling for insurrection or rebellion.
Virgil - Publius Vergilius Maro, born October 15th, 70 B.C., died 19 B.C.Known in English as Virgil (or Vergil) this Latin poet is the author of the Eclogues, the Georgics, and the Aeneid.