SCENE III. Gosford Green, near Coventry. Lists set out, and a Throne. Heralds, &c. attending. 8 Enter the Lord Marshal, and AUMERLE. MAR. My lord Aumerle, is Harry Hereford arm'd? AUM. Yea, at all points; and longs to enter in. MAR. The duke of Norfolk, sprightfully and bold, Stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet. AUM. Why then, the champions are prepar'd, and stay For nothing but his majesty's approach. Lord Marshal,] Shakspeare has here committed a slight mistake. The office of Lord Marshal was executed on this occasion by Thomas Holland, Duke of Surrey. Our author has inadvertently introduced that nobleman as a distinct person from the Marshal, in the present drama. Mowbray Duke of Norfolk was Earl Marshal of England; but being himself one of the combatants, the Duke of Surrey officiated as Earl Marshal for the day. MALONE. 9 Aumerle.] Edward Duke of Aumerle, so created by his cousin german, King Richard II. in 1397. He was the eldest son of Edward of Langley Duke of York, fifth son of King Edward the Third, and was killed in 1415, at the battle of Agincourt. He officiated at the lists of Coventry, as High Constable of England. MALONE. Flourish of Trumpets. Enter King RICHARD, who takes his seat on his Throne; GAUNT, and several Noblemen, who take their places. A Trumpet is sounded, and answered by another Trumpet within. Then enter NORFOLK in armour, preceded by a Herald. K. RICH. Marshal, demand of yonder champion The cause of his arrival here in arms: Ask him his name; and orderly proceed To swear him in the justice of his cause. MAR. In God's name, and the king's, say who thou art, And why thou com'st, thus knightly clad in arms: Against what man thou com'st, and what thy quarrel : Speak truly, on thy knighthood, and thy oath 2 ; NOR. My name is Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk; Who hither come engaged by my oath, (Which, heaven defend, a knight should violate!) Both to defend my loyalty and truth, To God, my king, and my succeeding issue, 1 And so-] The old copies read-As so—. STEEVENS. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALONE. 2. Norfolk.] Mr. Edwards, in his MS. notes, observes, from Holinshed, that the Duke of Hereford, appellant, entered the lists first; and this, indeed, must have been the regular method of the combat; for the natural order of things requires, that the accuser or challenger should be at the place of appointment first. STEEVENS. 3 my succeeding issue,] His is the reading of the first folio; other editions read-my issue. Mowbray's issue, was by this accusation, in danger of an attainder, and therefore he Against the duke of Hereford that appeals me; And, by the grace of God, and this mine arm, To prove him, in defending of myself, A traitor to my God, my king, and me: And, as I truly fight, defend me heaven! [He takes his seat. Trumpet sounds. Enter BOLINGBROKE, in armour; preceded by a Herald. K. RICH. Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms, Both who he is, and why he cometh hither Thus plated in habiliments of war; And formally according to our law Depose him in the justice of his cause. MAR. What is thy name? and wherefore com❜st thou hither, Before King Richard, in his royal lists? might come, among other reasons, for their sake: but the read- To prove him, in defending of myself, STEEVENS. and my succeeding issue,] Thus the first quarto. The folio reads his succeeding issue. The first quarto copy of this play, in 1597, being in general much more correct than the folio, and the quartos of 1608, and 1615, from the latter of which the folio appears to have been printed, I have preferred the elder reading. MALONE. * Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms,] Why not, as before: Marshal, demand of yonder knight in arms. The player, who varied the expression, was probably ignorant that he injured the metre. The insertion, however, of two little words would answer the same purpose: Marshal, go ask of yonder knight in arms. RITSON. Against whom comest thou? and what's thy quar rel? Speak like a true knight, so defend thee heaven! BOLING. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, Am I; who ready here do stand in arms, To prove, by heaven's grace, and my body's valour, To God of heaven, king Richard, and to me; MAR. On pain of death, no person be so bold, BOLING. Lord marshal, let me kiss my sovereign's hand, And bow my knee before his majesty: MAR. The appellant in all duty greets your highness, And craves to kiss your hand, and take his leave. K. RICH. We will descend, and fold him in our arms. Cousin of Hereford, as thy cause is right, Farewell, my blood; which if to-day thou shed, As confident, as is the falcon's flight Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight.- Of you, my noble cousin, lord Aumerle :- The daintiest last, to make the end most sweet: 6 GAUNT. Heaven in thy good cause make thee prosperous! Be swift like lightning in the execution; 5 waxen coat,] Waxen may mean soft, and consequently penetrable, or flexible. The brigandines or coats of mail, then in use, were composed of small pieces of steel quilted over one another, and yet so flexible as to accommodate the dress they form to every motion of the body. Of these many are still to be seen in the Tower of London. STEEvens. The object of Bolingbroke's request is, that the temper of his lance's point might as much exceed the mail of his adversary, as the iron of that mail was harder than wax. HENLEY. And furbish-] Thus the quartos, 1608 and 1615. The folio reads furnish. Either word will do, as to furnish in the time of Shakspeare signified to dress. So, twice in As you like it: "furnished like a huntsman."-"-furnished like a beggar." STEEVENS. |