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A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1
A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 is here in full — 384 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1
Context Illustration Reading 1/76 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_Nimph_.
That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.
_Nero_.
A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.
I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 is here in full — 384 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/76 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_Nimph_.
Line 2
That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.
Line 3
_Nero_.
/ˈnɪroʊ/
Line 4
A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.
Line 5
I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

blame verb US /bleɪm/

put or pin the blame on

From this reading “That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.”

dangerous adjective US /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading “That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.”

devises noun US /dɪˈvaɪzɪz/

plural of “devise” — a will disposing of real property

From this reading “I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.”

enterprise noun US /ˈentərpraɪz/

a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)

From this reading “I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.”

fault noun US /fɔːlt/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading “That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.”

Nero noun US /ˈnɪroʊ/

Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Roman Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68)

Princes noun US /ˈprɪnsəz/

plural of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading “A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.”

weakened adjective US /ˈwiːkənd/

impaired by diminution

From this reading “A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.”

All words in this reading · 53

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

93

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

amaz'd

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

beames

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

blameverbUS /bleɪm/

put or pin the blame on

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

contemn'd

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

couragenounUS /ˈkɜːrədʒ/

a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

dangerousadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

devisesnounUS /dɪˈvaɪzɪz/

plural of “devise” — a will disposing of real property

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

enterprisenounUS /ˈentərpraɪz/

a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

faintadjectiveUS /feɪnt/

deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

faultnounUS /fɔːlt/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

feare

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

knowes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

Maiestie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

NeronounUS /ˈnɪroʊ/

Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Roman Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68)

From this reading _Nero_.

Nimph

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _Nimph_.

nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/

impressive in appearance

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

PrincesnounUS /ˈprɪnsəz/

plural of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

prodigall

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

royall

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

selfe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

soule

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

weakadjectiveUS /wiːk/

wanting in physical strength

From this reading I at first contemn'd Their weak devises and faint enterprise.

weakenedadjectiveUS /ˈwiːkənd/

impaired by diminution

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A Princes mind knowes neither feare nor hope: The beames of royall Maiestie are such As all eyes are with it amaz'd and weakened, But it with nothing.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading That was your fault: Your Maiestie might give us leave to blame Your dangerous courage and that noble soule To prodigall[93] of it selfe.

Chapter 5 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) [Editor] Bullen holds 384 sentences, grouped into 77 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 5 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 contain?

Chapter 5 holds 384 sentences of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1, unabridged, divided into 77 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) [Editor] Bullen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 384 sentences, grouped into 77 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 5 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1?

Work through the 77 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 77 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1

Common questions about reading A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) [Editor] Bullen on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1?

Yes. All 7531 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10388 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #10388, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1507 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 section by section

How to work through A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Bullen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Plays
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Present
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Collection
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.