So many captains, gentlemen, and soldiers War. Be patient, York: if we conclude a peace Enter CHARLES, attended; ALENÇON, the Bastard of Orleans, Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed What the conditions of that league must be. York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes The hollow passage of my prison'd (154) voice, By sight of these our baleful enemies. Car. Charles, and the rest, it is enacted thus: To ease your country of distressful war, And still enjoy thy regal dignity. Alen. Must he be, then, a shadow (155) of himself? Adorn his temples with a coronet, And yet, in substance and authority, (154) prison'd] So Theobald.-The folio has "poyson'd." (155) a shadow] The folio has "as shadow."-Corrected in the fourth folio. (Compare note 42 on King John.) Retain but privilege of a private man? Char. 'Tis known already that I am possess'd That which I have than, coveting for more, Be cast from possibility of all. York. Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret means Us'd intercession to obtain a league, And, now the matter grows to compromise, Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison? Either accept the title thou usurp'st, Of benefit proceeding from our king, Or we will plague thee with incessant wars. Reig. [aside to Charles] My lord, you do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract: If once it be neglected, ten to one We shall not find like opportunity. Alen. [aside to Charles] To say the truth, it is your policy To save your subjects from such massacre And ruthless slaughters as are daily seen By our proceeding in hostility'; And therefore take this compact of a truce, Although you break it when your pleasure serves. War. How say'st thou, Charles? shall our condition stand? Char. It shall; Only reserv'd, you claim no interest In any of our towns of garrison. York. Then swear allegiance to his majesty; As thou art knight, never to disobey Nor be rebellious to the crown of England, Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England. (156) [Charles and the rest give tokens of fealty. So, now dismiss your army when ye please, [Exeunt. SCENE V. London. A room in the palace. Enter King HENRY, in conference with SUFFOLK; GLOSTER and K. Hen. Your wondrous rare description, noble earl, Do breed love's settled passions in my heart: Suf. Tush, my good lord,—this superficial tale K. Hen. And otherwise will Henry ne'er presume. (156) Nor be rebellious to the crown of England,— Walker (Crit. Exam., &c., vol. i. p. 277) "suspects" that there is an error here, in the repetition. VOL. V. G That Margaret may be England's royal queen. Glo. So should I give consent to flatter sin. How shall we, then, dispense with that contract, Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths; A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds, And therefore may be broke without offence. Glo. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that? Her father is no better than an earl, Although in glorious titles he excel. Suf. O, yes, my lord,(157) her father is a king, The King of Naples and Jerusalem; And of such great authority in France, As his alliance will confirm our peace, Glo. And so the Earl of Armagnac may do, Because he is near kinsman unto Charles. Exe. Beside, his wealth doth warrant a liberal dower, Where Reignier sooner will receive than give. Suf. A dower, my lords! disgrace not so your king, That he should be so abject, base, and poor, To choose for wealth, and not for perfect love. Henry is able to enrich his queen, And not to seek a queen to make him rich: . (158) (157) O, yes, my lord,] The folio has "Yes my lord."-The editor of the second folio printed, for the metre's sake, "Yes my good lord,” which Mr. Collier says "we can have no hesitation in accepting," because Suffolk has used the words "my good lord" a little before: but there he is speaking to the King; here, to Gloster. But (168) warrant a liberal dower,] The second folio omits " a. "warrant" is usually a monosyllable in our early poets: see Walker's Shakespeare's Versification, &c., p. 65, where the following line is cited from The Third Part of King Henry VI. act iii, sc. 2 ; "Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all your lands." As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse. Than to be dealt in by attorneyship; Not whom we will, but whom his grace affects, And therefore, lords, since he affects her most, Whom should we match with Henry, being a king, As is fair Margaret he be link'd in love. Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with me K. Hen. Whether it be through force of your report, My noble Lord of Suffolk, or for that (159) Marriage] The second folio reads "But marriage." (160) It] Added by Rowe. (161) Whereas the contrary bringeth bliss,] The editor of the second folio printed". bringeth forth bliss," not being aware that " contrary" is here a quadrisyllable: see Walker's Shakespeare's Versification, &c., P. 55. (162) Will answer our hope in issue of a king;] Here Pope omitted "Will."-"Dele 'our' with Steevens." W. N. LETTSOM. |