INDUCTION. Warkworth. Before Northumberland's Castle. Enter Rumour,' painted full of Tongues. That the blunt monster with uncounted heads, 1 Enter Rumour.] This speech of Rumour is not inelegant or unpoetical, but it is wholly useless, since we are told nothing which the first scene does not clearly and naturally discover. The only end of such prologues is to inform the audience of some facts previous to the action, of which they can have no knowledge from the persons of the drama. JOHNSON. BB 3 VOL. V. Among my houshold? Why is Rumour here? Who, in a bloody field by Shrewsbury, Hath beaten down young Hotspur, and his troops, But what mean I Than they have learn'd of me; From Rumour's tongues They bring smooth comforts false, worse than true [Exit. wrongs. The Porter before the Gate; Enter Lord BARDolph. Bard. Who keeps the gate here, ho?-Where is the earl? Port. What shall I say you are? Tell thou the earl, Bard. Port. His lordship is walk'd forth into the or chard; Please it your honour, knock but at the gate, And he himself will answer. Bard. Enter NORTHUMBERLAND. Here comes the earl. North. What news, lord Bardolph? every mi nute now Should be the father of some stratagem:2 The times are wild; contention, like a horse some stratagem:] Some stratagem means here some great, important, or dreadful event. A gentleman almost forspent3 with speed, North. Ha! Again. Said he, young Harry Percy's spur was cold? Had met ill luck! Bard. My lord, I'll tell you what ; If my young lord your son have not the day, Upon mine honour, for a silken point* I'll give my barony: never talk of it. North. Why should the gentleman, that rode by Travers, Give then such instances of loss? Bard. Who, he? He was some hilding fellow," that had stol'n life, Spoke at a venture. Look, here comes more news. rate. 6 Enter MORTON. North. Yea, this man's brow, like to a titleleaf, forspent To forspend is to waste, to exhaust. like to a title-leaf,] It may not be amiss to observe, that, in the time of our poet, the title-page to an elegy, as well |