Daughter to Charlemain, who was the son To Lewis the emperor, and Lewis the son Of Charles the great. Also king Lewis the tenth, Daughter to Charles the foresaid duke of Lorain: So that, as clear as is the summer's sun, Usurp'd from you and your progenitors. K. Hen. May I with right and conscience make this claim? Cant. The sin upon my head, dread sovereign; For in the book of Numbers is it writ, When the man dies, let the inheritance Descend unto the daughter. Gracious lord, Stand for your own; unwind your bloody flag; Look back into your mighty ancestors : Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire's tomb, 1 Than amply to IMBARE their crooked titles] With reference to the word "imbare," it is necessary to state the old readings. The quartos of 1600 and 1602 read imbace, and have causes for "titles:" the quarto, 1608, alters the word to embrace. These are no doubt wrong, and the folio, 1623, substitutes imbarre. The true reading seems that of Malone, supported by Steevens and M. Mason, "imbare," in the sense of expose, lay bare, or lay open. The printer of the first quarto inserted, by mistake, a c for an r, and subsequent compositors, not knowing how to correct the error, the corruption of the text was only varied. From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit, O noble English! that could entertain Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprizes. Exe. Your brother kings, and monarchs of the earth, Do all expect that you should rouse yourself, As did the former lions of your blood. West. They know, your grace hath cause, and means, and might: So hath your highness:-never king of England Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England, Cant. O! let their bodies follow, my dear liege, With blood, and sword, and fire, to win your right: 2 So hath your highness, &c.] Perhaps, says Coleridge, (Lit. Remains, vol. ii. p. 183.) these lines ought to be recited dramatically thus :— "They know your grace hath cause, and means, and might : So hath your highness-never king of England Had nobles, richer," &c. Westmoreland breaks off from the grammar and natural order from earnestness, and in order to give the meaning more passionately. Malone would poorly understand Westmoreland to confirm the opinion of Henry's "brother kings," as to his powers and resources-" So hath your highness." 3 With BLOOD,] The folios, 1623 and 1632, have bloods, an obvious misprint, corrected in the folio, 1664. In aid whereof, we of the spiritualty Will raise your highness such a mighty sum, Bring in to any of your ancestors. K. Hen. We must not only arm t' invade the French, But lay down our proportions to defend Against the Scot; who will make road upon us Cant. They of those marches, gracious sovereign, Our inland from the pilfering borderers. K. Hen. We do not mean the coursing snatchers only, But fear the main intendment of the Scot, Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us: Hath shook, and trembled at th' ill neighbourhood. my liege; For hear her but exampled by herself: When all her chivalry hath been in France, And she a mourning widow of her nobles, The king of Scots; whom she did send to France, 4 4 And make THEIR chronicle, &c.] The folio has "their," the quarto your: "their chronicle" is the chronicle of that time. As is the ooze and bottom of the sea With sunken wreck and sumless treasuries. West. But there's a saying, very old and true,— "If that you will France win, Then with Scotland first begin :" For once the eagle, England, being in prey, Ere. It follows then, the cat must stay at home: Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries, For government, though high, and low, and lower, Cant. Therefore doth heaven divide The state of man in divers functions, Where some, like magistrates, correct at home, 5 TO TEAR and havoc more than she can eat.] The folio reads, "To tame and havoc :" the quartos have spoil. Theobald substitutes taint, but it is very evident that it is a mere misprint of "tame" for tear, which was of old spelt with a final e. Yet that is but a CURS'D necessity;] So the quartos, in reference, perhaps, to the disposition of a cat. The folios read crush'd. It has been suggested to me that we might read "a cur's necessity," or necessity imposed by a cur, Scotland being afterwards called "the dog." 7 Congreeing] i. e. agreeing together, an unusual but expressive word. The quartos have congrueth. Pope substituted congruing, but the change seems for the worse. Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad, The singing masons building roofs of gold, Come to one mark; as many ways meet in one town; As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; As many lines close in the dial's center; So may a thousand actions, once afoot, Without defeat. Therefore, to France, my liege. The name of hardiness, and policy. K. Hen. Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin. [Exit an Attendant. Now are we well resolv'd: and, by God's help, And yours, the noble sinews of our power, 8 END in one PURPOSE,] The folio has And; precisely the same error as that made in "All's Well that Ends Well," Vol. II. p. 252, where "And ere I do begin" is misprinted for "End ere I do begin." The quartos have it "End in one moment." "End" is of course right, but moment seems to have been a mere guess. |