Lew. I muse, your majesty doth seem so cold, Const. O fair return of banish'd majesty! this hour. Bast. Old time the clock-setter, that bald sexton time, Is it as he will? well, then, France shall rue. Blanch. The sun's o'ercast with blood: Fair day, adieu! Which is the side that I must go withal? Lew. Lady, with me; with me thy fortune lies. K. John. Cousin, go draw our puissance together,[Exit Bastard. France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath; A rage, whose heat hath this condition, That nothing can allay, nothing but blood, The blood, and dearest valued blood, of France. K. Phi. Thy rage shall burn thee up, and thou shalt turn To ashes, ere our blood shall quench that fire: let's hie! K. John. No more than he that threats.-To arms [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Plains near Angiers. Alarums; Excursions. Enter the Bastard, with AUSTRIA'S Head. Thy grandam loves thee, and thy uncle will As dear be to thee as thy father was. Arth. O, this will make my mother die with grief. And, ere our coming, see thou shake the bags When gold and silver becks me to come on. For your fair safety: so I kiss your hand. 1 There is a minute description of numerous devils or spirits, and their different functions, in Nash's Pierce Pennilesse his Supplication, 1592, where we find the following passage:-The spirits of the aire will mixe themselves with thunder and lightning, and so infect the clyme where they raise any tempest, that sodainely great mortalitie shall ensue to the inhabitants. The spirits of fire have their mausions under the regions of the moone.' Coz, farewell. [Exit Bastard. Eli. Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word. [She takes ARTHUR aside. K. John. Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert, We owe thee much; within this wall of flesh so yet: But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow, To give me audience :-If the midnight bell Had bak'd thy blood, and made it heavy, thick, Or if that thou cou'd'st see me without eyes, 3 Gold coin of that name. 4 It appears from Johnson's Ecclesiastical Laws, that sentence of excommunication was to be explained in order in English, with bells tolling and candles lighted, that it may cause the greater dread; for laymen have greater regard to this solemnity than to the effect of such sentences." 5 Showy ornaments. 6 The old copy reads into, the emendation is Theobald's. 7 Conception. 8 Pope proposed to read broad-eyed, instead of brood. ed. The alteration, it must be confessed, is elegant, but unnecessary. The allusion is to the vigilance of animals while brooding, or with a brood of young ones under their protection. Brooded may be used for brood 2 Here the king, who had knighted him by the name of Sir Richard, calls him by his former name. Shakspeare has followed the old plays, and the best authen. tiated history. The queen mother, whom King John had made regent in Anjou, was in possession of the town of Mirabeau, in that province. On the approach of the French army, with Arthur at their head, she sent letters to King John to come to her relief, which he imme-ing, as delighted for delighting, and discontented for diately did. As he advanced to the town he encountered the army that lay before it, routed them, and took Arthur prisoner. The queen in the mean while remained in perfect security in the castle of Mirabeau. discontenting, in other places of these plays. To sit on brood, or abrood, is the old term applied to birds during the period of incubation. All the metaphorical uses of the verb to brood are common to the Latin incubo. so ill? Are we not beaten? Is not Angiers lost? Lew. What he hath won, that hath he fortified: K. Phi. Well could I bear that England had So we could find some pattern of our shame. Look, who comes here! a grave unto a soul; Const. Lo, now! now see the issue of your K. Phi. Patience, good lady! comfort, gentle Const. No, I defy all counsel, all redress, 1 King John, after he had taken Arthur prisoner, sent him to the town of Falaise, in Normandy, under the care of Hubert, his chamberlain, from whence he was after. wards removed to Rouen, and delivered to the custody of Robert de Veypont. Here he was secretly put to death. This is one of those scenes (says Steevens) to which may be promised a lasting commendation. Art could add little to its perfection; no change in dramatic taste can injure it; and time itself can subtract nothing from its beauties.' 2 Armado is a fleet of war; the word is adopted from the Spanish, and the recent defeat of the Spanist; arma. do had made it familiar. 3 Convicted is vanquished, overcome. To convince and convict were synonymous. 4 A fierce cause is a cause conducted with precipitation. Fierce wretchedness in Timon of Athens is has ty, sudden misery. And be a carrion monster like thyself: O fair affliction, peace. Const. No, no, I will not, having breath to cry:— Pand. Lady, you utter madness, and not sorrow. I am not mad:-I would to heaven, I were! K. Phi. Bind up those tresses; Ó, what love I it? I tore them from their bonds; and cried aloud, And will again commit them to their bonds, And, father cardinal, I have heard you say, 12 རྦ་ the vile prison of afflicted breath' is the body: the same vile prison in which the breath is confined. 6 To defy formerly signified to refuse, to reject. I do defy thy commiseration.'-Romeo and Juliet. 7 i. e. this mouth. 8 i. e. common. 9 Probably Constance in despair means to a postro phize the absent King John :-Take my son to England if you will.' 10 To suspire Shakspeare uses for to breathe. 11 Gracious is used by Shakspeare often in the sense of beautiful, comely, graceful. Florio, in his Italian Dictionary, shows that this was no uncommon signifcation; he explains gratioso, graceful, gracious, also comely, fine, well-favoured, gentle. 12 To the same purpose Macduff observes :- 13 Perfruitur lachrymis, et amat pro conjuge luctu Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me; [Tearing of her head-dress. When there is such disorder in my wit. 1) lord, my boy, my Arthur, my fair son! My life, my joy, my food, my all the world! My widow-comfort, and my sorrow's cure! [Exit. K. Phi. I fear some outrage, and I'll follow her. [Exit. Lew. There's nothing in this world can make me joy i Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale,' And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste, That it yields nought, but shame, and bitterness. Lew. All days of glory, joy, and happiness. Lew. But what shall I gain by young Arthur's fall? Pand. You, in the right of Lady Blanch your wife, John lays you plots; the time conspires with you: 1 'For when thou art angry, all our days are gone, we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told. Psalm xc. 2 The old copy reads trord's. The alteration was made by Pope. Malone thinks that it is unnecessary; and that by the sweet word, life is meant. Steevens prefers Pope's emendation, which is countenanced by Hamlet's To check his reign, but they will cherish it: Lew. May be, he will not touch young Arthur's life, But hold himself safe in his prisonment. Pand O, sir, when he shall hear of your approach, If that young Arthur be not gone already, Even at that news he dies: and then the hearts Of all his people shall revolt from him, And kiss the lips of unacquainted change; And pick strong matter of revolt, and wrath, Out of the bloody fingers' ends of John. Methinks, I see this hurly all on foot; And, O, what better matter breeds for you, Than I have nam'd!-The bastard Faulconbridge Is now in England, ransacking the church, Offending charity: If but a dozen French Were there in arms, they would be as a call To train ten thousand English to their side; Or, as a little snow," tumbled about, Anon becomes a mountain. O noble Dauphin, Go with me to the king: 'Tis wonderful, What may be wrought out of their discontent: Now that their souls are topfull of offence, For England go; I will whet on the king. Lew. Strong reasons make strongs actions: Let us go; If you say, ay, the king will not say, no. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I. Northampton. A Room in the Castle. Enter HUBERT and two Attendants. Hub. Heat me these irons, hot: and, look thou stand Within the arras:10 when I strike my foot Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth: And bind the boy, which you shall find with me, Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch. 1 Attendant. I hope, your warrant will bear out the deed. to't. Hub. Uncleanly scruples! Fear not you look [Exeunt Attendants. Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you. Enter ARTHUR. Arth. Good morrow, Hubert. Hub. Good morrow, little prince. Arth. As little prince (having so great a title To be more prince,) as may be.-You are sad. Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier. Arth. Methinks nobody should be sad but I: 7 Bacon, in his History of Henry VII. speaking of Simnel's march, observes that their snowball did not gather as it went. 8 The first folio reads strange; the second folio strong. 9 There is no circumstance, either in the original play or in this of Shakspeare, to point out the particu lar castle in which Arthur is supposed to be confined. The castle of Northampton has been mentioned merely because, in the first act, King John seems to have been in that town. It has already been stated that Arthur was in fact confined at Falaise, and afterwards at Rouen, 'How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! 3John lays you plots. A similar phrase occurs in where he was put to death. the First Part of King Henry VI. : He writes me here.' 4 The old copy reads scope. The emendation is Pope's. Shakspeare finely calls a monstrous birth an escape of nature, as if it were produced while she was busy elsewhere, or intent upon some other thing. 5 Hurly is tumult. 6 The image is taken from the manner in which birds 10 Tapestry. 11 This is a satirical glance at the fashionable affectation of his time by Shakspeare: which Lyly also ridi cules in his Midas-Now every base companion, being in his muble-fubles, says he is melancholy.' Again: Melancholy is the crest of courtiers, and now every base companion says he is melancholy. 12 i. e. by my baptism, The use of this word for So I were out of prison, and kept sheep, I should be as merry as the day is long; And so I would be here, but that I doubt My uncle practises more harm to me : He is afraid of me, and I of him: Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son? som. bo Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect: Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? Hub. Young boy, I must. And will you? Arth. Hub. And I will. Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did but ake, I knit my handkerchief about your brows And with my hand at midnight held your head; Or, What good love may I perform for you? And I will sit as quiet as a lamb : I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word; Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him, Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself Arth. Is there no remedy? A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wand'ring hair, Hub. Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue. Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes; Let me not hold my tongue; let me not, Hubert! Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue, So I may keep mine eyes: O, spare mine eyes, Though to no use, but still to look on you! Lo, by my troth, the instrument is cold, And would not harm me. I can heat it, boy. Hub. Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief, Being create for comfort, to be us’d In undeserv'd extremes: See else yourself; Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy. Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eyes For all the treasure that thine uncle owes:* Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy, With this same very iron to burn them out. Arth. O, now you look like Hubert! all this while You were disguis'd. Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu: Your uncle must not know but you are dead: I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports. And, pretty child, sleep doubtless, and secure, That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world, Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron? bert's. Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron I say, and bind him here. Arth. Alas! what need you be so boist'rousrough? にな Arth. O heaven!-I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence; no more: Go closely in with me, Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt SCENE II. The same. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter KING JOHN, crowned; PixBROKE, SALISBURY, and other Lords. The King takes his State. K. John. Here once again we sit, once agan crown'd, And look'd upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes. 1 The participle heat, though now obsolete, was use in Shakspeare's time. He commanded that should heat the furnace one seven times more than 4 was wont to be heat.-Daniel, iii. 19. I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still. For heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound! Nay, hear me, Hubert! drive these men away, christening or baptism is not peculiar to Shakspeare; it was common in his time. Hearne has published a Prone from a MS. of Henry the Seventh's time, in the imagine no evil so great as that which is near us." 2This is according to nature,' says Johnson. W glossary to Robert of Gloucester in a note on the word 3 The fire being created, not to hurt, but to comfort, midewinter, by which it appears that it was the ancient is dead with grief for finding itself used in acts of de orthography. The childer ryzt schape & chrystyn-elty, which, being innocent, I have not deserved.' dome. It is also used by Lyly, Fanshaw, Harington, and Fairfaxe. 4 i. e. stimulate, set him on. 5 Owns. 6 i. e. secretly, privately. Pem. This once again, but that your highness | Than whereupon our weal, on you depending, pleas'd, Was once superfluous: you were crown'd before, ན་ Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp, To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Pem. But that your royal pleasure must be done, This act is as an ancient tale new told ;3 Sal. In this, the antique and well-noted face It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about: Makes sound opinion sick, and truth suspected, Pem. When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness: 4 Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd, We breath'd our counsel: but it pleas'd your high ness To overbear it; and we are all well pleas'd; The enfranchisement of Arthur; whose restraint Counts it your weal, he have his liberty. To your direction.-Hubert, what news with you? Lives in his eye, that close aspect of his Sal. The colour of the king doth come and go, His passion is so ripe it needs must break. Pem. And when it breaks, I fear, will issue thence The foul corruption of a sweet child's death. K. John. We cannot hold mortality's strong Good lords, although my will to give is living, Sal. Indeed, we fear'd his sickness was past cure. Think you, I bear the shears of destiny? Sal. It is apparent foul-play; and 'tis shame, And find the inheritance of this poor child, That blood, which ow'd12 the breadth of all this isle, [Exeunt Lords. A fearful eye thou hast; Where is that blood, For any foreign preparation, Was levied in the body of a land! The copy of your speed is learn'd by them; K. John. O, where hath our intelligence been drunk? |