KING HENRY VI.—PART I.

"The sense of reckoning of the opposed numbers.Pluck their hearts from them not to-day, O Lord!Oh, not to-day!—Think not upon the fault," etc.

"The sense of reckoning of the opposed numbers.

Pluck their hearts from them not to-day, O Lord!

Oh, not to-day!—Think not upon the fault," etc.

So I punctuate. Many editors follow Tyrwhitt in reading 'ifthe' for 'of the' in the first line. Theobald readlestfor 'of.'

"And doubt them with superfluous courage."

For 'doubt' Pope readdaunt; Rowe, followed by Dyce and Cambridge editors,dout. As the 'superfluous courage' seems to be the blood spun out, the word may bedaub.

"I stay but for my guard. On to the field!"

A most happy emendation was that made by Dr. Thackeray, and by an Anon.ap.Rann: "I stay but for myguidon.—To the field!" This is amply confirmed by the following line, and by this passage of Holinshed, "The Duke of Brabant, when his standard was not come, caused a banner to be taken from a trumpet and fastened to a spear, the which he commanded to be borne before him instead of a standard."Guidonis a term still in use in the cavalry service.

"He that shall see this day and livetoold age."

Pope, who has been usually followed, transposed 'see'and 'live.' I rather thinktowas omitted, and see no necessity for transposition.

"They'll be in fresher robes; for they will pluck," etc.

The 4to and folio both, which all the editors follow, read 'or they'; my own and Hanmer's conjecture is 'for they,' which alone gives sense, by explaining how they would be 'in fresher robes.' How easily might thefhave been lost or omitted!

"Calitay! Callinó castorè me!"

I have ventured to change the 'Qualtitie' of the folio toCalitay, the English mode of pronouncingqualité, with the accent on the last syllable; which suggestsCallino, etc., for which seeIndexs. v.The Frenchqualitéwould never suggestqualityto an illiterate Englishman.

"Let us die in ... Once möre back again."

By this punctuation the reading of the folio becomes clear. Knight, whom late editors follow, reads 'inhonour,' which occurs in the 4to.

"To book our dead and then to bury them."

Collier's folio readslook, which might seem preferable.

"Now, Herald, are the deadallnumbered?"

It might be better to read 'the dead onboth sides.'

Chor."Andthe Emperor's coming in behalf of France."

"I eat and eat I swear...."

I read, with Johnson, 'eke' for the second 'eat,' as more Pistolian.

"So happy be the issue, brother Ireland."

I retain this reading of the folio; for I cannot see whatshould make the printer change England to Ireland, while the Queen may have done so to vary the title.

"Is be full of deceits; dat is de princesssay."

"Wanting the scythe all uncorrected, rank."

The folio reads 'withal' for 'all.'

"And as our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges."

The folio has 'allour,' which the context rejects. 'As' is the reading of Capell.

"Sauf votre honneur, me understandnotwell."

Sense and metre seem to demand the negative.

"And Iofthine most truly falsely must needs."

"Notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect of my visage."

I think we should readuntempting, with Warburton.

"His daughter first, and inthesequel all."

"And thereupon giveuntome your daughter."

"Than Julius Cæsar or bright ..."

Johnson proposedBerenice; and, though it was her hair and not herself that was stellified, he may have been right. The punctuation here given, however, removes all difficulty.

"Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans, andRoan."

A little lower we have, "Is Paris lost? is Roän yielded up?"

"A third thinksthatwithout expense at all."

The 2nd folio reads 'A thirdmanthinks.'

"He being in the vaward, placed behind."

Most certainly 'vaward' should be 'rearward'. Introd. p.66.

"Otherwhiles the famish'd English like pale ghosts."

Collier's folio reads 'Thewhiles.'

"Villains, answer you the Lord Protector so?"

The folio has 'answer you so.'

"Gloster, we'll meet,andto thy cost, be sure."

"For I intend to have itoffere long."

"Sheep run not half so treacherous from the wolf."

For 'treacherous,' which must be wrong, Pope readtimorous, Collier's foliotremulous.

"Forrescued is Orleans from the English."

The 2nd folio reads 'Englishwolves.'

"Divinest creäture, Astræa's daughter."

The 2nd folio readsbrightAstræa's.

"Before the kings and queens of Francefor aye."

"Lady, that will I show you presently."

"Or else was wrangling Somerset in the error?"

It should apparently beright, not 'error'; as it is a few lines lower.

"Was for that—youngKingRichard they remov'd."

"Unto King Edward the Third, whëreas he."

"I doubt not but with honour to redress'em."

"Am I notLordProtector, saucy priest?"

"Rome shall this remedy.—Roam thither then."

The folio reads "Rome shall remedy this."

"And Henry born in Windsorshouldlose all."

The 2nd folio addedshould.

"As looks the mother on her lowly babe."

For 'lowly' Collier's folio readslovely.

"This dastard at the battle of Patay."

The folio reads Poictiers; Steevens made the correction. The error must have been the printer's.

"But always resolute in most extremes."

I adopt the correction ofworstfor 'most.'

"And now,myLord Protector, view the letter."

"My lord, how say you? Are you not content?"

The folio reads "How say you, my lord?"

"To wilful disobedience and rebellion."

The end had certainly been effaced. Introd. p.57.

"An if I wist he did ... but let it rest."

So Steevens corrected thewishof the folio.

"But that it doth presage some ill event."

For 'that' we should readsees, or some other verb.

"Swearing that you withhold his levied host."

For 'host' Hanmer readhorse, which the next speech would seem to prove to be right.

"But if I bow they'll say it was for fear."

For 'bow' I readdo.

"Great Märshal to Henery the Sixth."

So Lucy must have pronounced it, in a slow measured tone. See on Rich. II. i. 3.

"For God's sake let him have 'em."

For ''em' the folio readshimhere, and five lines lower down.

"And lay them gently on thy tender side.I kiss these fingers for eternal peace."

"And lay them gently on thy tender side.

I kiss these fingers for eternal peace."

I approve of this transposition made by Malone.

"Hast not a tongue? is she not here?"

The 2nd folio, which all follow, addsthy prisoner;alonemight be better.

"Confounds the tongue and makes the senses rough?"

Various attempts have been made to amend 'rough,' but with little success. We might perhaps readdull; but 'rough' may have been used in the sense of rugged, insensible.

"And here I will expect thy comingdown."

"Mad natural graces that extinguish art."

For 'Mad,' which makes no sense, Capell readAnd.

"Used intercession to obtain a league."

I think we should readtruceorpeacefor 'league.'

"Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide."

I incline to readPropelsfor 'Provokes.'

"Yes, mygoodlord, her father is a king."

"Themost of all these reasons bindeth."

"Whëreas the contráry bringeth bliss."

The 2nd folio reads 'bringeth forth.'

"They please us well. Lord Marquess, kneeltheedown."

"And hath his Highness in his infancyBeencrowned in Paris, in despight of foes?"

"And hath his Highness in his infancy

Beencrowned in Paris, in despight of foes?"

Capell also addedBeen.

"That my mistress was? No forsooth."

For 'mistress' Malone very properly readmaster. (See on Tam. of Shr. i. 2.) In the Contention the only word used here ismaster.

"God and King Henry govern England's realm.Give up your staff, sir, and the King his realm."

"God and King Henry govern England's realm.

Give up your staff, sir, and the King his realm."

One of these 'realms' must be wrong. (Introd. p.60.) Johnson proposedhelmfor the first; I make that change in the second. "And you yourself shall steer the happyhelm" (i. 3).

"She's tickled now; her fumenowneeds no spurs,She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction."

"She's tickled now; her fumenowneeds no spurs,

She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction."

The 2nd folio reads 'canneed'; 'fast' is Pope's correction forfarof the folio.

"Forwith such holiness you can do it."

In 'The Contention,' etc., 4to, it isdotefor 'do it'; the folio reads 'can you.'

"Forto present your Highness with the man."

"How cam'st thou so?—A fallfromoff a tree."

"Then, Saunder, sittheethere, the lyingest knave."

"And would you not think it to be great cunning?"

The folio reads "it cunning to be great."

"Alas, alas! sir, we did it for pure need."

"Until they come to Berwick, whence they came."

"My lord, I long to hear it at fulllength."

"Father, the Duke has told the truthin this."

"Despatch;forthis knave's tongue begins to double."

"Go,andtake hence this traitor from our sight."

"And in his simple show he harbours treason."

The proper place of this line is at the end of the speech, where I have placed it in my Edition. It then, it will be seen, refers to the fox, and the preceding line to the brook.

"That you will clear yourself from all suspense."

Capell and Collier's folio readsuspect.

"I thank thee, Nell; these words content me much."

So the name was written evidently by the poet, andElianorin a following speech of the Queen's. AsMargarethad only occurred in the beginning of the play, and she is always simplyQueen, Shakespeare, when making the additions, had probably forgotten her real name. Editors are therefore not justified in making alterations.

"Of ashy semblance, meagre, pale, and bloodless,Being all descended to the labouring heart."

"Of ashy semblance, meagre, pale, and bloodless,

Being all descended to the labouring heart."

There is evidently a line lost between these.

"Madam, be still! with reverence may I sayit."

So it is given in The Contention.

"Myself no joy in nought, but that thou livest."

For 'no' Collier's folio readsto, which seems to be right.

"Yes, Poole.—Poole?—Poole, sir Poole, lordPoole."

"Jove sometime went disguis'd, and why not I?"

This line, so essential to the sense, is not in the folio; to obtain it recourse has been had to The Contention.

"As hating thee, are rising up in arms."

For 'are,' Rowe's correction, the folio hasand.

"Advance our half-fac'd sun, striving to shine."

For 'our' we should readaoran; for the Captain does not seem to have had any connexion with the House of York. See on Hen. V. ii. Chor.

"Exempt is true nobility from fear."

The folio reads 'True nobility is exempt.' We might also, with a loss of force however, read 'Fortrue,' etc. Still the choice is difficult.

"I'll make myself a knightherepresently."

"Trust nobody for fear youbebetray'd."

The 2nd folio suppliedbe.

"And the help of hatchet."

For 'help' Farmer readpap. "Pap of hatchet" was a common phrase. In the preceding line there is in the folio a misprint ofcandlefor 'caudle.'

"Or let a rabble lead you to your deaths."

Both Collier's and Singer's folio properly readrebel.

"Of Gallowglasses and stout Kerneshe."

"I pray thee, Buckingham,togo and meet him."

"Contenteth me andisworth a monarchy."

"Andas for words whose greatness answers words."

"Alexander Iden, that's my name,my liege."

"They may astonish these fell lurking curs."

We should perhaps readlurching.

"Who being suffered with the bear's fell paw."

For 'being' it might be better to readhaving.

"And so to arms,myvictorious father!"

"To cease! Wast thou ordainedOdear father."

"Of Salisbury, who can report of him?"

I have followed Collier's folio in readingOldfor 'Of'.

"Aged contusions and all brush of time,And like a gallant in the brow of youth."

"Aged contusions and all brush of time,

And like a gallant in the brow of youth."

For 'brush' and 'brow' Collier's folio readsbruiseandbloom.

"Prove itso, Henry, and thou shalt be King."

"Before I would have granted to that act."

This use of 'granted' is unusual; we might readassented.

"Will cost my crown, and like an empty eagleTire on the flesh of me."

"Will cost my crown, and like an empty eagle

Tire on the flesh of me."

I do not understand 'cost' here. Singer readscoast.

"Thou, Richard, shaltuntothe duke of Norfolk,And tell him privily of our intent.You, Edward, shall unto my lordofCobham."

"Thou, Richard, shaltuntothe duke of Norfolk,

And tell him privily of our intent.

You, Edward, shall unto my lordofCobham."

"Courteous, witty, liberal, full of spirit."

The folio reads 'Witty, courteous.'

"The Queen with all the Northern earls and lordsIntend here to besiege you in your castle."

"The Queen with all the Northern earls and lords

Intend here to besiege you in your castle."

We might incline to read 'Intends'; but see Jul. Cæs. iv. 3, and Hen. VIII. i. 3.

"And this soft courage makes your followers faint."

For 'courage' M. Mason gave from the original playcarriage, which perhaps is right.

"So minutes, hoürs, days,weeks, months, and years."

The printer evidently omittedweeks.

"And so obsequious will thy father beMen, for the loss of thee."

"And so obsequious will thy father be

Men, for the loss of thee."

For 'Men,' which makes no sense, I readSon; Rowe hasLad, CollierMan, DyceE'en. It is possible also that a prep., as 'foreorto, may have been effaced before 'Men.'

"Let me embrace the sour adversaries."

I read, with Pope,adversities.

"We charge you in God's name andinthe King's."

"Saying he'll lade it dry, to have his way."

We should probably readlayorladle.

"Queen Margaret, prince Edward, andlordOxford."

"Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,peace!"

"Thou andlordOxford, with five thousand men."

"Ay, but the safer when 'tis back'd by France."

"Go tell false Edward thy supposed King."

The folio hasthefor 'thy.'

"While he himself keeps in the cold fieldhere."

"I'll follow you, and tellhim thenwhat answer."

"And all his lands and goods confiscated."

"I' faith, a wise, stout captain, and soon persuaded."

"Take that, the likeness of this railer here."

For 'the' I incline to read 'thou.'

"Men for their sons, wives for their husbands,Andorphans for their parents' timeless death."

"Men for their sons, wives for their husbands,

Andorphans for their parents' timeless death."

In the first line the 2nd folio addsfate, as it doesAndin the second line. Forfatewe might perhaps better read, as I have done,mourning.

"Antony Woodeville, her brother there."

Here we must read 'Woodeville' as a trisyllable, like Catesby sometimes in this play, and Colleville in 2 Hen. IV. iv. 3.

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