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Sir John Oldcastle
Sir John Oldcastle

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Sir John Oldcastle is here in full — 259 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/51 · 5 lines
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BISHOP.
But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.
KING.
How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?
If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Sir John Oldcastle

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Sir John Oldcastle is here in full — 259 sentences across 52 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/51 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BISHOP.
/ˈbɪʃəp/
Line 2
But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.
/bʌt ɪn hɪz neɪm ðə ˈkwɔːrəl dɪd bɪˈɡɪn əˈbaʊt ðə əˈpɪnjən wɪtʃ hiː held maɪ liːdʒ/
Line 3
KING.
/kɪŋ/
Line 4
How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?
Line 5
If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

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.

abet verb US /əˈbet/

assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

From this reading “How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?”

bishop noun US /ˈbɪʃəp/

a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ

From this reading “BISHOP.”

cups noun US /kʌps/

plural of “cup” — a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading “If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?”

fiery adjective US /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading “If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?”

liege noun US /liːdʒ/

a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord

From this reading “But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.”

quarrel noun US /ˈkwɔːrəl/

an angry dispute

From this reading “But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.”

quarrels noun US /ˈkwɔːrəlz/

plural of “quarrel” — an angry dispute

From this reading “If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?”

veins noun US /veɪnz/

plural of “vein” — a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart

From this reading “If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

abetverbUS /əˈbet/

assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

amongstprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋst/

surrounded by; in the company of

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

beginverbUS /bɪˈɡɪn/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

BISHOPnounUS /ˈbɪʃəp/

a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ

From this reading BISHOP.

bloodnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

brabling

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

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

cupsnounUS /kʌps/

plural of “cup” — a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

faultnounUS /fɔːlt/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

fellowsnounUS /ˈfeloʊz/

plural of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

fightverbUS /faɪt/

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

guiltyadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪlti/

responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

How

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

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

inkindled

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

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

KINGnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading KING.

liegenounUS /liːdʒ/

a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

MakingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

needsadverbUS /niːdz/

in such a manner as could not be otherwise

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

quarrelnounUS /ˈkwɔːrəl/

an angry dispute

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

quarrelsnounUS /ˈkwɔːrəlz/

plural of “quarrel” — an angry dispute

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

Seethes

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

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

veinsnounUS /veɪnz/

plural of “vein” — a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading But in his name the quarrel did begin, About the opinion which he held, my liege.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading How if it did? was either he in place, To take part with them, or abet them in it?

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

yourspronounUS /jʊrz/

the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to

From this reading If brabling fellows, whose inkindled blood, Seethes in their fiery veins, will needs go fight, Making their quarrels of some words that past Either of you, or you, amongst their cups, Is the fault yours, or are they guilty of it?

Chapter 1 of Sir John Oldcastle by William [Dubious author] Shakespeare holds 259 sentences, grouped into 52 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 1 of Sir John Oldcastle contain?

Chapter 1 holds 259 sentences of Sir John Oldcastle, unabridged, divided into 52 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Sir John Oldcastle by William [Dubious author] Shakespeare exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 259 sentences, grouped into 52 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 1 of Sir John Oldcastle?

Work through the 52 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 52 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Sir John Oldcastle

Common questions about reading Sir John Oldcastle by William [Dubious author] Shakespeare on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Sir John Oldcastle?

Yes. All 1546 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1788 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Sir John Oldcastle is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1788, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Sir John Oldcastle take to read?

About 128 minutes of reading across 310 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Sir John Oldcastle section by section

How to work through Sir John Oldcastle section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of Sir John Oldcastle to begin.

  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 Sir John Oldcastle

Words and structures a reader meets early in Sir John Oldcastle, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Bishop
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sir John Oldcastle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quarrel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sir John Oldcastle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Begin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sir John Oldcastle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Opinion
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sir John Oldcastle; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.