Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Undertake (impf. undertook; partic. “undertook:” Merch. II, 4, 7. Oth. V, 2, 311. “underta'en:” Wint. III, 2, 79) 1) to take upon one's self; a) to assume: “his name and credit shall you u.” Shr. IV, 2, 106.
b) to have to do with: “you'll u. her no more,” Wiv. III, 5, 127. “I would not u. her in this company,” Tw. I, 3, 61. “Sir Nicholas Vaux, who --s you to your end,” H8 II, 1, 97 (takes charge of you). “it is not fit your lordship should u. every companion that you give offence to,” Cymb. II, 1, 29 (give him satisfaction). “for this twelvemonth she'll not u. a married life,” Per. II, 5, 3.
c) to engage one's self to, to charge one's self with, to promise to perform (German: übernehmen); with an accus.: --s them (quarrels) “with a most Christian-like fear,” Ado II, 3, 199. “you must needs play Pyramus. Well, I will u. it,” Mids. I, 2, 92. “you will be schoolmaster and u. the teaching of the maid,” Shr. I, 1, 197. I undertook it (to tender a petition) All's V, 3, 132. “to u. the business for us,” Wint. IV, 4, 836. “your beauty, which did haunt me in my sleep to u. the death of all the world, so I might live one hour in your sweet bosom,” R3 I, 2, 123 (i. e. to charge my conscience with the death of all the world). “since first he undertook this cause of Rome,” Tit. I, 31. “and do u. these present wars against the Ottomites,” Oth. I, 3, 234. “the one of them imports the death of Cassio to be undertook by Roderigo,” V, 2, 311. “wherefore then didst u. it?” Cymb. III, 4, 105. “full weak to u. our wars against the Britons,” III, 7, 5.
With an inf.: “then you must u. to slander him,” Gent. III, 2, 38. “will u. to woo curst Katharine,” Shr. I, 2, 184. “which you hear him so confidently u. to do,” All's III, 6, 22. “will you u. to betray the Florentine?” IV, 3, 326. “I'll show it the king and u. to be her advocate,” Wint. II, 2, 38. “what you have underta'en to do,” III, 2, 79. “who undertook to sit and watch by you,” H4B IV, 5, 53. “I'll u. to make thee Henry's queen,” H6A V, 3, 117. “will they u. to do me good?” H6B I, 2, 77. “I'll u. to land them on our coast,” H6C III, 3, 205. “I'll go to him and u. to bring him where he shall answer,” Cor. III, 1, 324. “I will u. all these to teach,” Per. IV, 6, 196.
d) to warrant, to answer for, to guarantee: “that strong-bonded oath that shall prefer and u. my troth,” Compl. 280. “I will u. your ben venuto,” LLL IV, 2, 163. “those two counties I will u. your grace shall well and quietly enjoy,” H6A V, 3, 158. “those . . . I'll u. may see away their shilling richly,” H6A V, 3, 158. “on mine honour dare I u. for good Lord Titus' innocence,” Tit. I, 436.
2) to attempt, to do, to perform; absol. (== to act, to be active): “it is the cowish terror of his spirit that dares not u.” Lr. IV, 2, 13. “I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to u. for me,” Oth. II, 3, 337. “either he so --ing, or they so suffering,” Cymb. IV, 2, 142. With an accus.: “how I may u. a journey to . . .,” Gent. II, 7, 6.60. “I will u. one of Hercules' labours,” Ado II, 1, 380. “and better in my mind not undertook,” Merch. II, 4, 7. All's III, 6, 76. All's III, 6, 76 IV, 1, 37. Tw. III, 1, 119. III, 4, 272. John III, 3, 56. R2 II, 2, 145. H4A II, 3, 7. H6C II, 6, 101. R3 I, 4, 197. V, 3, 42. Troil. III, 3, 36. Cor. V, 1, 47. Rom. IV, 1, 73. Hml. IV, 7, 64. Hml. IV, 7, 64 Per. I, 1, 2.