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Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for fo foul effect. Muft you with irons burn out both mine eyes? Hub. Young boy, I must.

Arth. And will you?

Hub. And I will.

Arth. Have you the heart? when your head did but ake,

I knit my handkerchief about your brows;
(The best I had, a princefs wrought it me)
And I did never ask it you again;

And with my hand at midnight held your head;
And, like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon chear'd up the heavy time,
Saying, what lack you? and where lyes your grief?
Or what good love may I perform for you?
Many a poor man's fon would have lain ftill,
And ne'er have fpoke a loving word to you;
But you at your fick fervice had a prince.
Nay, you may think, my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning. Do, an if you will:
If heav'n be pleas'd that you must use me ill,
Why then, you must. -Will you put out ming
eyes?

These eyes, that never did, nor never shall,
So much as frown on you.

Hub. I've fworn to do it;

And with hot irons must I burn them out.

Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it. The iron of itself, tho' heat red-hot,

Approaching near thefe eyes, would drink my tears, And quench its fiery indignation,

Even in the matter of mine innocence:

Nay, after that, confùme away in rust,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.

Are you more stubborn-hard, than hammer'd iron ?
Oh! if an Angel fhould have come to me,
And told me, Hubert fhould put out mine eyes,

I

I would not have believ'd him: no tongue, but

Hubert's.

Hub. Come forth; do, as I bid you.

[Stamps, and the men enter. Arth. O fave me, Hubert, fave me! my eyes are out, Ev'n with the fierce looks of these bloody men.

Hub. Give me the iron, I fay, and bind him here. Arth. Alas, what need you be fo boift'rous-rough? I will not ftruggle, I will ftand ftone-ftill.

For heav'n's fake, Hubert, let me not be bound.
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will fit as quiet as a lamb.

I will not ftir, nor wince, nor fpeak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily:

Thruft but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.

Hub. Go, ftand within; let me alone with him.
Exec. I am beft pleas'd to be from fuch a deed.
[Exeunt:
Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend;
He hath aftern look, but a gentle heart;
Let him come back, that his compaffion may

1 I would not have believed â tongue BUT HUBERT'S.] Thus Mr. Pope found the line in the old editions. According to this reading it is fuppofed that Hubert had told him, he would not put out his eyes; for the angel who fays he would, is brought in as contradicting Hubert. Mr. Theobald, by what authority I don't know, reads,

I would not have believ'd him: no tongue, but Hubert's. which is fpoiling the meafare, without much mending the Senfe. Shakespear, I am perfuaded, wrote,

I would not have believed a tongue 'BATE HUBERT; i.. abate, difparage. The blunder feems to have arifen thus, bate fignifies except, faving; fo the tranfcribers, taking it in this fenfe, fubftituted the more ufual word but in its place. My alte ration greatly improves the fenfe, as implying a tenderness of affection for Hubert; the common reading, only an opinion of Hubert's veracity; whereas the point here was to win upon Hubert's pailions which could not be better done than by fhewing affection towards him.

Give life to yours..

Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself.
Arth. Is there no remedy?

ལྟ་ན

Hub. None, but to lofe your eyes.

Arth. O heav'n! that there were but a moth in yours, A grain, a duft, a gnat, a wandring hair, Any annoyance in that precious fense:

Then, feeling what fmall thngs are boift'rous there, Your vile intent muft needs feem horrible..

Hub. Is this your promife? go to, hold your

tongue.

Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Muft 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 fpare mine eyes! Though to no ufe, but ftill to look on you. Lo, by my troth, the inftrument is cold, And would not harm me.

Hub. I can heat it, boy.

Arth. No, in good footh, the fire is dead with grief, Being create for comfort, to be us'd

In undeferv'd extreams; fee elfe yourself,
There is no malice in this burning coal

The breath of heav'n hath blown its fpirit out,
And ftrew'd repentant afhes on its head.

X

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.
Arth. And if you do, you will but make it blush,
And glow with fhame of your proceedings, Hubert:
Nay, it, perchance, will fparkle in your eyes:
And like a dog, that is compell'd to fight,
Snatch at his mafter that doth tarre him on.
All things, that you should ufe to do me wrong,
Deny their office, only you do lack

That mercy which fierce fire and iron extend,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking ufes.

Hub. Well, fee to live; I will not touch thine eye,

For

For all the treasure that thine uncle owns:
Yet am I fworn; and I did purpose, boy,
With this fame very iron to burn them out.

Arth. O, now you look like Hubert. All this while You were disguised.

Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu,

Your uncle muft not know but you are dead.
F'll fill these dogged fpies with falfe reports:
And, pretty child, fleep doubtless, and secure,
That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee.

Arth. O heav'n! I thank you, Hubert.

Hub. Silence, no more; go closely in with me. Much danger do I undergo for thee.

[Exeunt.

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Changes to the Court of England.

Enter King John, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other

K. John. H

Lords.

ERE once again we fit, once again crown'd,

And look'd upon, I hope, with chearful eyes.

Pemb. This once again, but that your highness pleas'd,

1

Was once fuperfluous; you were crown'd before,
And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off:
The faiths of men ne'er ftained with revolt:

Fresh expectation troubled not the land
With any long'd-for change, or better state.

Sal. Therefore to be poffefs'd with double pomp,

To guard a title that was rich before
"To gild refined gold, to paint the lilly,
"To throw a perfume on the violet,

To fmooth the ice, or add another hue

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" Unto

"Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

"To feek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish,' Is wafteful and ridiculous excefs.

Pemb. But that your royal pleasure must be done, This act is as an ancient tale new told, And in the last repeating troublesome; Being urged at a time unfeafonable.

Sal. In this the antique and well-noted face "Of plain old form is much disfigured; "And, like a fhifted wind unto a fail,

"It makes the courfe of thoughts to fetch about; "Startles and frights confideration;

"Makes found opinion fick, and truth fufpected, "For putting on fo new a fashion'd robe."

Pemb. When workmen ftrive to do better than
well,

They do confound their skill in covetousness;
And oftentimes excufing of a fault

Doth make the fault the worse by the excufe:
As patches, fet upon a little breach,

Difcredit more in hiding of the flaw,

Than did the flaw before it was so patch'd.

Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd, We breath'd our counfel; but it pleas'd your highnefs To over-bear it; and we're all well pleas'd; Since all and every part of what we would, Muft make a stand at what your highness will. K. John. Some reafons of this double coronation I have poffeft you with, and think them ftrong. And more, more ftrong (the leffer is my fear) I fhall endue you with: mean time, but ask What you would have reform'd, that is not well,

2 skill in covetoufnefs;] i. e. coveting to reach a higher excellence.

3 -in hiding of the FAULT,

Than did the FAULT] We fhould read FLAW in both places.

And

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