THE ARDEN SHAKESPEARE
GENERAL EDITOR : W. J. CRAIG
1899-1906: R. H. CASE, 1909
THE THIRD PART
OF
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
THE WORKS
OF
SHAKESPEARE
THE THIRD PART OF
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
EDITED BY
H. C. HART
I
METHUEN k Co., Ltd.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON
PR
uu
First Published in igio
FEB 11955
ry r.F T
957820
CONTENTS
PAGE
Introduction vii
The Third Part of King Henry the Sixth . . . i
INTRODUCTION
[It is greatly to be regretted that owing to the lamented death
of the Editor, the three Parts of Henry VI. had not the advan-
tage of being printed under his own supervision. But his
work has been preserved with all the fidelity permitted by its
comparatively rough though otherwise complete condition. In
preparing the plays for the press, I have confined my correc-
tions to matters of fact, and where I differed from the Editor
in matters of opinion, I did not feel justified in altering his
words. While I have emended or ascertained the accuracy of
nearly every quotation and reference, a very few remain which
must be taken on his authority. In the third part I have
had the great advantage of advice and help from the General
Editor, Professor R. H. Case.
C. K. Pooler]
The text of j Henry VI. is from the Folio 1623. As was
the case with Part II., it receives a few slight emendations
from the Quarto (Q i, of which it is an expanded form)
known as The True Tragedy (and forming the second part of
The Whole Contention) which was first printed in 1595 with
this title : The true tragedie of Richard | Duke of Yorke, and
the death of \ good King Henrie the Sixt, | with the zuholc
contentio?i hetweene \ the two Houses Lancaster | and Yorke,
as it was sundrie times | acted by the Right Honoura- | ble
the Earle of Pem- | brooke his seruants. | (T. M.'s Device) —
Printed at London by P. S. for Thomas Milling- | ton, and are
to be sold at his shoppe under \ Saint Peters Church in \ Corniual
1595. I This " Quarto" is in fact a small octavo.
The second edition (Q 2) was printed with the same title
in 1600 with the alteration : " Printed at London by VV. VV. for
Thomas . . . 1600."
viii rilK rillUl) VAH'V OF
The third edition ((J 3) is the second part of V'/ie Whole
Contention, without separate title-page. It has a head-page
title : The Second Part | Containing the Tragedie of | Richard
Duke (jf Yorke, and the | good h'ini^ Ilenrie the \ Sixt. | The
date of this edition is not in the original, but was proved by
Capell (see Preface, Cambridge Shakespeare, vol. v. pp. ix.-x.) to
be 1619. The variations in this edition from Q i are few and
unimportant. They relate almost entirely to spelling, or to
single words, and are carefully and beautifully listed in Mr.
Furnival's i)reface, together with the correspondent terms \n
the first Folio.'
As to the date of this play, it is opportune to quote here
from Miss Lee, " On the order of Shakespeare's historical
plays," in a postscript to her main paper {New Shaks. Soc.
Trans. 1 875-1 876, pp. 310, 311). She finds that ''Henry VI.
Parts II. and III. and Richard III. form a distinct and separate
group." She finds in all of them a singular resemblance to the
writings of Marlowe, in their inhumanity and blood-thirstiness
as much as in their versification and style — not necessarily
his actual writing, but (in Richard III. especially) echoes of
his voice. And she believed that Parts II. and III. were
written as early as 1 590-1 591, and Richard III. not later
than 1 592-1 593. She gives, I think, no decision as to date of
/ Henry VI. I find the echoes of Marlowe in Richard III. far
away and dim, " like a cannon in a vault." With reference to
the comparative merits of the two old plays. Grant White says :
" In construction, in characterisation, in rhythm, in poetic
imagery and dramatic diction, The True Tragedy is very much
superior to The Contention. ... It contains much less rubbish
and many more jewels. So, as we have seen, when Shakespeare
came to write Parts II. and III., he adopted or altered for the
former 1,479 of its 3,057 lines (less than one-half) from The
Contention, vAixXo. for the latter he adopted or altered 1,931 of
its 2,877 li'ies (more than two-thirds) from The True Tragedy!'
Malone put these figures in another form : " The total number
of lines in Parts II. and III. is 6,043 '■ of these, as I conceive,
^[On the connection of this undated quarto with other quartos (of plays by
or attributed to Shakespeare) of various dates (1600, 1608, 1619), and the sus-
picion that all were really printed in 1619, see A. W. Pollard, Shakespeare Folios
and Quartos, etc. Methuen, igog. R. H. C]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH ix
1,771 lines were written by some author who preceded
Shakespeare ; 2,373 were formed by him on the foundation
laid by his predecessors; and 1,899 lines were entirely his
own composition " (p. 430, op. cit.). I leave these for the
present with the remark that as to how many were entirely his
own composition " no man can lay down the law." But we
ought to be secure over our totals for any given edition.
How much constitutes a new line is also a matter of opinion.
For example, in the present play, there is a Quarto line (at III. ii.
84) : " Her looks are all repleat with maiestie " ; at IV. vi. 7 1
there is another line : " Thy lookes are all repleat with maiestie."
In the first case the line is rewritten : " Her looks do argue her
replete with modesty " ; in the second it appears as : " His
looks are full of peaceful majesty." One has to ponder a
while when making totals. There are many such cases.
I shall now leave the opinions of others and summarise my
examination of the text, or texts, before us ; and proceed at
once to look for evidence of those other coadjutors, Peele,
Marlowe and Greene, merely premising that there is much
less of any writer (other than Shakespeare) in Part III., as
well as in its foundation play, than was the case in Part II. and
its early form. In The True Tragedy I see a little of Marlowe,
less of Greene, more of Peele and much more of Shakespeare.
And in the final play there is yet more of Shakespeare and
yet less of the others. Whatever may have been the original
plan, the committee seems to have dissolved and left him in
possession, with Peele to advise.
A Running Commentary on the Relationship
BETWEEN the TWO PLAV.S.
Act I. Scene i. Recalls Peele in several places, but is
wholly by Shakespeare. Forty lines are added to Q, the
most important additions being to the Queen's part. There
are continuous slight and unimportant alterations. The Peele
resemblances at " main battle " (l. i. 8), at " unpeople this
my realm " (I. i. 1 26), and at " ground gape, and swallow " (I. i.
161) are common to both plays. The changes are mostly in
order to obtain metrical verse. Note " get thee gone " (258),
said to King Henry, which is placed for " therefore be still "
X THE THIRD TART OF
(Q), The latter occurs, to King Henry, at n. ii. 122 (in both),
hence the alteration, clue to careful work.
Act I. Scene ii. About fifteen lines are added to Q.
Richard's character begins to develop in the most important
addition (i. ii. 26-34). Two lines in this speech are captures!
from Q below (at II. i. 81), lines which have already done duty
in 2 Henry VI. II. ii. 64-66. The next noteworthy addition,
about Kentishmen (l. ii. 42-43), is also traceable to 2 Henry VI.
IV. vii. 60-61. In both those passages the germ is in First
Contention at the place. There is no suggestion of another
hand. The little hall-mark of antiquity, "come let's go,"
I, ii. 54 Q, occurs again at V. iii. 19 Q. It suggests Marlowe
perhaps.
Act I. Scene iii. Practically identical in the two copies.
The last line in Q corrects the last in Folio.
Act I. Scene iv. About fifteen lines are added to Q,
mainly in York's first speech, where the Spenserian "thrice-
happy " (Peele's) is omitted from the final play. The two great
speeches of Margaret and York are very slightly altered, both
undoubtedly Shakespeare's. Margaret recalls again The First
Contention (ill. i. 1 16-1 18) in the passage about " shook hands
with death" in I. iv. 101-102. York's reply to Margaret
is a portion of Margaret's character, Shakespeare's especial
work. It contains the thrice-famous line, " Oh tiger's heart
wrapt in a woman's hide" (l. iv. 137). A Kyd word ("capti-
vates") occurs in both texts (115); and a Marlowe word
("obdurate") also appears (142) (as it did before in 2 Henry
VI.) but not in old texts. There is an interesting con-
nection between Richard III. I. ii. 155-165 and this scene
(157-162) coupled with Rutland's death in the last scene.
The passage in Richard III. is not in the Quartos of that play.
Note in this scene Margaret's blood-thirstiness to poor York.
It recalls the fact that Margaret was the first to demand
Gloucester's murder in 2 Henry VI. III. i.
Act I. is all Shakespeare's in both plays. See notes for
continuous parallels from his undoubted work.
Act II. Scene i. Note the opening line, almost identical
with that of Act I., an oversight when the first speech was re-
written and expanded from two lines to seven. This scene is
lengthened by some thirty lines from the early form. A line,
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xi
"Hercules must yield to odds" (53), has been transferred to
the Messenger's speech from Warwick's own words at his death
(v. ii. 33), in Q. And the " mole-hill " line in the same speech
(Q, II. i. 33) may be regarded as transplanted to li. v. 14 in
the final play. For " Piteous spectacle," a phrase of Spenser's,
which occurs in the Messenger's speech (Q, II. i. 43), "saddest
spectacle" appears in the final play (ll. v. 73). Line 71 ("The
flower of Europe ") is found in The First Contention but was
omitted in 2 Henry VI. There are echoes of Marlowe (" racking
clouds," 27), and of Peele (" latest gasp," 108, "soul's prison,"
74). All in both texts, Richard's character shows further
development in both plays (79-88). Warwick, always all
Shakespeare's, is scarcely altered. Versification and harmony
are conscientiously looked after. In the matter of number-
ing the troops before Towton (i 77-1 81), Q is nearer the
truth. At 128-132 the passage of the "lazy thresher" and
the " night owl's flight," is worthy of Shakespeare at any
time.
Several times what Peele uses he really takes from Marlowe,
as his " soul's prison " above.
Act II. Scene ii. Practically identical in the two plays,
but numerous verbal changes of the slightest nature give polish.
Note alterations to relieve an over-used word, as " lord " to
"liege" (9, 33). One of many so-called proofs of Greene's
work is explained away (47, 48, note), like the " well I wot "
at line 134. Another very stale word, " princely" (58), is ex-
pelled. Grammar is often corrected (1. 70) but by no means
always. Several " continuity passages " occur in this scene.
And constant evidence is given in the notes of Shakespeare's
hand. Line 97 is found in Greene's Alphonsus. It is not in
Q. The transition verb "refrain" (no) recalls Peele. For
the unmetrical confusion of Q, see an instance at 109- 112.
A word of Peele' s, also from Marlowe, is " base-born " (143) in
an altered line. It is also in Part II. (l. iii. 82) but in neither
case in the Quartos. " Stigmatic " (136) also reappears from
Part II., where it is found in the old plays each time and seems
to be Shakespeare's own. One change, " encompass'd " (3)
from " impaled," shows the careful handling. It occurs later
in both plays at III. iii. 189, and in this play at lir. ii. 171.
That is to say twice apiece, not too often. Scansion is set
xii TIIK TIIIHD PAUT OF
right by inserting a few words, " Ah, what a shame were this "
(39), which would ap|X-'ar to have fallen out of Q.
Act II. Scene iii. A short scene not much lengthened, but
considerable transposition and alteration occurs. " Malignant
star" is omitted ; it has been used in / Ilcnry VI. " Fainting
troops " (Marlowe) is omitted, and is paralleled by the omission
of " fainting looks " (or rather conversion) in last scene (138).
" Thickest throngs " (Marlowe and Kyd's Cornelia) is omitted,
and each expression has carried away a line with it. At the
beginning " spite of spite " replaces Shakespeare's older " force
perforce " (or Kyd's). But these three lines (4, 5, 6) are re-
peated in Q (at V. ii. 24-27) where "spite of spites" is found.
Note the parallel " clamor" (V. ii. 44) to "clangor" here (18).
An interesting omission is " to remunerate," which becomes
" rewards " (52). It is often used by Peele, but never by Shake-
speare in a sure place. And he seems to have disliked it,
judging from Loves Labour's Lost, although it was the Chronicle
word (Hall) on this occasion. There are one or two very poor
lines not found in Q, as that which replaces 47, but " dire
mishaps" is in Comedy of Errors ; and "highly promise to
remunerate" (52) is paralleled by "highly hold in hate" in
Two Gentlemen of Verona. Evidence of Shakespeare runs
throughout. Nevertheless Peele had a hand here in the early
play I believe. See Peele parallels (at 23, 47, 55, 191).
Act II. Scene iv. In Q this bloody little scene has a few
Marlowesque lines, which were deservedly expelled : they might
have been anyone's ; but they are a bad imitation of Marlowe
(see notes). We have had many Golding parallels. Marlowe's
" slicing sword " is from Golding. It is very interesting to meet
here two lines (12-13) from 2 Henry VL V. ii. 13. They are in
First Contention, but not in present Q. The " thirst)' sword "
here (Q) is in Peele's Edward L
Act II. Scene v. This scene is doubled in length. There
is little omission of what O contains, but several trivial lines
are altered out of shape. Henry's great soliloquy of fifty-four
lines is merely opened in Q's twelve lines. It is a device to
give the feeling of time elapsing while the battle rages, which
the soldier (father and son) episodes serve to make more real.
It is also a foil speech of Henry against Richard's soliloquy
later on (ill. ii.). Needless to say it is entirely by Shakespeare.
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xiii
It is noticeable that the " mastless ship " line (omitted by
Shakespeare) is borrowed into Kyd's Soliman and Perseda,
several lines of which echo this play. We have Spenser's
"piteous spectacle" here (73) altered to "saddest spectacle"
before (ll. i. 6"]^ Some of the changes are very quaint, as
"son so rude," to "son so rued" (109). Several lines of Q
are shifted about confusingly in the final play, like " lions and
poor lambs " (74-75). See also the transposition of " too soon,
too late " (92, 93), recalling a note from Lticrece which happens
very often in Henry VI. The father's speech is entirely new
(excepting last line 1 22) and contains a thought from Marlowe's
Jew of Malta. But I see nothing of the " base-minded three "
in either version here.
Act II. Scene vi. Very lightly altered and hardly extended.
Some of Peele's expressions appear, as " effuse of blood " (28),
" unstanched thirst " (83), and the " people swarm " (at 8),
occurring also below iv. ii. 2 (see note at 8). And see at " buzz "
(95). A group of adjectives ending in -less appears (23-25).
Repetitions are effaced, as at " I know hee's dead " (79).
Another quaint misprint (?) occurs in Q, " busie to offend " (95).
" Lopped " is used in its proper connection (47), not as at II.
iv. 5 in Q. Golding's Ovid is several times recalled. The
constant identity of Warwick's speeches in the two texts is
very noticeable, even to such poetic expressions as at 62, a line
readapted for Richard III., as frequently happens. The closing
word " possession " is similarly pronounced in King John. At II.
vi. 33 the words in Q, " That now towards Ba)-wicke doth poste
amaine," are omitted ; they have been used in scene v. 128 in
the final play.
Act III. Scene i. Some natural touches are happily added
to the deer-stalking scene. The alteration of " bow and arrow "
to " cross-bow" is instructive. The introduction of Shakespeare's
favourite words of" balm " and " anointed king " (17) is also
characteristic. Line 21 is changed for the worse. This is a
poor scene in Q, relieved only by the deer shooting, and the
faint attempt to arouse sympathy for Henry. The additional
matter (70-96) with the " anointed king " again ijd) is on the
same mediocre level. That addition, with the developed
shooting business, doubled the length. Again Lucrcce is re-
called more than once. The deer shooting is illustrated by
xiv THE TFTIRD PA1?T OF
Loves Labour's Lost, IV. i. and IV. ii. Margaret's troubles are
rehearsed in a pathetic way by her wronged anrl wretched
husband. Shakespeare is thinking of her in Richard IIL in
a passive manner. Henry's simile of the feather (85) is ad-
ditional, and a redeeming passage. History knows no such
Margaret of Anjou as Shakespeare draws, but he took his
hint from the Chroniclers and formed her on the " models of
antique tragedy."
Act III. Scene ii. An important scene, containing the well-
sustained dialogue between Edward and Lady Grey, and also
Gloucester's great soliloquy. We have had an example of
dialogue in alternate lines already in / Henry VL (iv. v. 35-
42). The scene is lengthened by about sixty lines in the re-
writing, mainly in Gloucester's speech, to which forty lines are
additional. The alteration of Catiline to Machiavel, at its
close, is noticeable, and used by the advocates of Marlowe's
authorship. There is not a line of the least consequence in
True Tragedy (Q) that is omitted in j Henry VL in this
scene. Some interesting points occur : the old " godsforbot "
(25) is deleted. Note The Spanish Tragedy passage at 33-
35, and the standard phrase of " in Christendom " (83). Also
the manipulation of the following line (84), which is repeated
later on (IV. vi. 71) and caused a little trouble. "Ghostly
father" (107) recalls Peele. So does " lade" (139). Several
of the old expressions, "basilisk" (187), "play the orator"
(188), "impaled with crown" (171), do duty again, Gloucester's
proverb lore begins to display itself (50).
Act III, Scene iii. This interesting scene is an adroit amal-
gamation of two totally distinct events. See note at 234-242.
Two different " assemblies " before the French king, in both
of which Margaret was chiefly concerned, are welded into one.
See notes at line i and at line 234. The structure is the same
in both plays. The development and improvement are con-
tinuous on the old lines. The scene is lengthened by a full
hundred lines, chiefly to Margaret's credit. She has sixteen
in Q, seventy-two in the final play — from a nonentity' she
has become a striking central figure. Warwick is almost un-
altered. He gets about five lines added to his seventy-five
(192-194, 208-210), and two or three slightly rewritten. The
word " thrust " (190) is expelled (see note), from a harsh usage.
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xv
At the beginning those very poor lines are dropped, containing
a premature promise of the French king's, and containing also
" repossess," so frequently used in this play but not elsewhere.
The addition to Warwick's speech (209) is also important to
the future history, foretelling Clarence's falseness. A sug-
gestion in defence of the untrue statement (81-82) of John of
Gaunt's having " subdued the greater part of Spain " is made.
There is nothing in this scene suggestive of any other hand.
Shakespeare came to it with improved experience, correcting
the faults, amending corrupted verse, and above all designedly
devoting attention to Margaret. Although the scene has a
narrative interest and considerable dramatic life, there is little
to be said of its poetic composition. Lewis's remarks at the
end as well as at the beginning, are furbished up a bit. But
it is all very unworthy of Shakespeare, more so than any
previous scene.
Act IV. Scene i. A needful but very dull scene, with faulty
recapitulations from the last. Edward's unlucky marriage and
Clarence's fickleness grow prominent. The lines are sensibly
rewritten and fulfil their purpose, devoid of mannerism, harsh-
ness, or any particular weakness. In the Quarto the rhythm
is destroyed by simple carelessness of printing sometimes
(36-38), or by actual misprinting of words perhaps (20-23), o*"
by such corruption in the text (at 146) that the lines are
omitted as hopeless. Another omitted phrase, " stragling
troopes " (131), recalls Greene, but it was quasi-technical of
soldier adventurers as \Xi Richard III. V, iii. 327. At 73 Glou-
cester's personal characteristic is noted on. Edward's queen is
accorded more respect and attention here than in Q.
Act IV. Scene ii. This short scene closes with Warwick's
speech to enable the Watchmen's .scene (iii.) to be interjected,
which has no place in Q. In order to close scene ii. Warwick's
speech is added to and rounded off with the classical illustra-
tions, not in Q, but quite in keeping according to the vogue.
The Watchmen's scene has a special interest (see below).
Note " The common people swarm " (2), as above (11. vi. 8).
The addition made to Warwick's speech may be due to Peele.
Sometimes Holinshed's example might have suggested the
classical interpolations.
Act IV. Scene iii. The Watchmen episode, suggested per-
xvi TFIK TFIIHI) PART OF
haps by The Spanish Tragedy (ill. iii. 16-45) adds twenty-two
lines, and a neat bit of stage work. Warwick's speech is
resumed at "This is his tent" (25), where the insertion was
made, and he is allotted a few more Hnes, but his former
ones remain unchanj^ed. This scene shows Kflward Clarence's
disloyalty, and he notes upon it (41 j as important. It is slurred
over in Q. A speech of Clarence's in Q is wholly omitted,
containing an intended dispatch to France, which is in accord-
ance with a passage in III. iii. 235-236 (not in Q) and see IV.
vi. 60, 61. For connection of Spanish Tragedy with Henry VI.,
see introduction to Part II. Feele may have suggested this
insertion.
Act IV. Scene iv. This scene follows the Huntsman's,
with Edward's escape (scene v. here) in Q, and is doubled in
length. It is very thin stuff indeed in Q, but the dialogue is
on the same lines, and the development by Shakespeare is
closely on its foundation. There are several well-marked
Shakespearianisms in the result. The original might be
Peele's, but it is featureless.
Act IV. Scene v. Precedes the last in O. They are almost
identical, but Gloucester's speech is rewritten. The last two
lines, implying that the Bishop is present, are additional.
Shakespeare has here again (in both versions) displayed much
adroitness in weaving Edward's two flights into one effective
whole. See note at line 71, and at IV. vi. 78-79.
Act IV. Scene vi. Follows scene vii. in Q, where it is
allowed only twenty-two lines. In Q it opens with "Thus
from," and the preceding short scene there (our vii.) opens
" Thus far from," favourite starting words with Greene and
Marlowe, but found also in Richard III. and in this play (v, iii.
i). Peele's favourite "princely" (also Marlowe's) is twice
deleted, as is also "replete with" (2, 71, 72). The prophecy
about Henry of Richmond is hardly changed, and Henry's
piety is seriously enforced in Q in a manner of which Greene
was incapable. No sign of Marlowe appears. A slighter earlier
sketch by Shakespeare is what it points to. Henry's request
for his wife and child, and the news of Edward's escape and
flight (to Warwick) are additional, as is all the poetry contained.
The developed scene is entirely Shakespeare's. Peele might
have sketched the first state, which is little more than an
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xvii
argument. Note lines 78-79, " Edward is escaped . . . And
fled ... to Burgundy," welding into one his two flights.
Act IV. Scene vii. Precedes vi. in Q. Edward's speeches
are all increased, extending the scene by nearly thirty lines.
No new matter occurs, so that the old scene is an epitome of
the new. It contains a favourite expression of Shakespeare's,
"But soft!" (at 10). Another proverb for Richard (Glou-
cester) is carried through (25-26). " Stand upon terms" and
" stand upon points " are both in Q ; the last only is preserved.
Both are used by Greene, but are not peculiar to him, and little
in it can be his. The stereotyped expressions, " well I wot "
(82), " salve for any sore " (88), are additional to Q, and both
old and frequent. The " follow me "-ended line (39) appears
again, see IV. i. 123. Shakespeare's "good old man" (31) is
not in Q. Gloucester is given an additional proverbial touch
(11-12). The "good old man" recalls Sidney's King Basilius
in Arcadia.
Act IV. Scene viii. Follows vi. in Q. With the reappear-
ance of Warwick and King Henry some touches of poetry
also appear in the finished play. This scene of sixty-four
lines represents twenty-eight in Q, which is all a speech of
Warwick's, saving ten lines. Warwick's speech practically
remains untouched, but a pretty couplet (20, 21) is added to
him. King Henry does all the additional work. He is
allotted twenty-two lines but has no voice in the correspondent
position in Q. " Hector . . . Troy's true hope " (25) appears for
the second time in this play. Only once in Q. " Dian " for
Diana (21) is often later in Shakespeare. It is in Hawes'
Pastime of Pleasure, 1509. Henry's speeches are thoroughly
characteristic. The term " shame-faced " (modest) applied to
him (52) is from Grafton (or Hall). The proverb " make hay
while the sun shines" (60-61) appears here in transmogrified
form, and is transposed from Q at the end of V. iii.
The writing in this Act in Q is at a very low level of
dulness. But it is coherent narrative, it follows the chronicles
in its modified scheme fairly well, the lines are usually evenly
turned, and there is no offensive bombast or iteration.
Characterisation is hardly attempted.
Act V. Scene i. Follows Q very closely. Most of the
striking expressions are common to both, and it is evident
b
xviii THE THIRD PART OF
Shakespeare had a free hand at the first scene of the Act.
The additional forty lines, or thereabout, arc chiefly Edward's
and Clarence's, in his defiant announcement of oath-breaking.
One interesting line (at 80), " Et tu Ikute, wilt thou stab
Cassar too ? " omitted here, is impanelled into Julius Casar,
III. i. 7y. Gloucester is allowed an extra speech or two, in-
cluding proverbs (49). A curious misprint, " spotful " (98),
occurs in Q, amongst others. But the printing of the play has
improved. " Atlas " (36), applied to Edward, is not again in
Shakespeare. Peele used it similarly. But there is no trace
of Peele or anyone except Shakespeare in this scene in either
play. There are parallels from Lucrece as usual: "weakling"
(37). " ruinate " (83) ; and a few echoes of Golding's Ovid.
The most interesting thing about this scene is its return
to the Quarto — because the latter was more carefully done
here.
Act V. Scene ii. The death of Warwick. Edward is again
brought into prominence to open the scene. He does not
appear in O. Warwick's speech is lengthened by a few lines
on his eyes, but suggested by Henry the Fifth's eyes in /
Henry VI. (I. i. 12-14), from Spenser's old dragon. The tag
at the end in the style of Seneca is transposed from lower
down (at 45), in Q. The " bug that feared us all " (2) is also
Spenserian and not in Q. The fine metaphor of the cedar
and the eagle is paralleled in Marlowe's latest play, Edward
II. Warwick's second speech stood in need of change, since
four lines have all been used already elsewhere. See II. i. 53
(not duplicated in O), and II. iii. 3-5 (duplicated in O). I read
" cannon in a vault " (44) as this text is that of the Folio ;
moreover, I like it better than " clamor," probably suggested
by "clangor" (ll. iii. 17-18). This finely wrought living
scene needed little alteration. " Pangs of death " is varied to
" latest gasp " here, having been used in the clangor passage.
But the latter occurred at York's death (II. i. 108). " Congealed
blood " (37), not in O here, was in both texts earlier (I. iii. 52) ;
four lines here in Q, after (33), "Why, then I would not fly,"
appear to have been trespassing. They have been expelled,
and one is used above at II. i. 53 ; for the others see above at
II. iii. 3-5.
Act V. Scene iii. A brief scene, altered in wording slightly,
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xix
and given a speech from Clarence of four lines. The substance
and the thoughts expressed are identical. Some reminders of
Peele, "I mean" (7) and "easeful" (6), are left unchanged.
" Bigboned," an interesting word (found in Selimus and
Solinian and Perseda), is turned out. Compare " burly boned "
in 2 Henry VI. IV. x. 60. It is probably earliest here, and
Shakespeare's or Peele's, and more likely still a common
vocable.
Act V. Scene iv. Greatly developed and improved from O,
but on exactly the same lines of structure. Margaret's open-
ing speech of eleven by no means bad lines, becomes a splendid
utterance of thirty-eight lines, the metaphor of the " ship with
its tackling and masts " destroyed, the " pilot " and the
" dangerous gulfs or quicksands," remaining as the motive.
The Prince's reply (in Q) is poor stuff, judiciously rewritten,
line for line. The remainder is almost identical with two
rather sickly utterances of thanks from Queen and Prince.
The Prince's speech is the most un-Shakespearian one in Q,
but it is of the stock order of heroics. It has, however, " for
to," " thickest throngs," and a bragging tone recalling Greene
or Peele infected by Marlowe. "Thickest throngs " has been
omitted twice already, at 2 Henry VI. (end of Contention) and
at II. iii. 16. Margaret's character here required modelling,
according to Shakespeare's view, for she is not the Margaret
of history who was completely disheartened by Barnet field.
Her only hope was to save her son after that. In both these
plays she is of undaunted spirit. Another "well I wot" is
here (71) added. Note the "owl" parallel from Golding's
Ovid, but probably elsewhere (56-57). The close of the scene
is but little changed, but Margaret's speech (69-71) is all out
of order in Q, as though it were a memorandum of something
to be attended to — 2i precis mislaid.
Act V. Scene v. Opens in Q with an elaborate stage-
instruction, as was commonly the case in Contention, after
Peele's manner. But not so in TJie True Tragedy, our Q.
The scene is reduced from 122 lines to 90 but about 15 are
new, of which Margaret gets ten, including two startling ones
(7-8) about "sweet Jerusalem," and another (53), "They that
stabbed Ccesar ". Several of the continued phrases (see Table)
occur in this scene, as "twit one with" (40), "fill the world
XX THE THIHl) PART OF
with" C44), "Marry, and shall" (42). Gloucester is placed
on his footing as a proverb-monger in the term "currish
Aesop" (26). He gives the "woman wear the breeches" one
(23-24) which was in 2 Henry VI. I. iii. 144. "Charm one's
tongue" (31) was there likewise. Shakespeare's work in both
plays.
Act V. Scene vi. Very little altered from Q. Henry is
attended to, the Roscius speech (7-10) is new, but his main
utterance, his death-speech, is unchanged. The Icarus illustra-
tion (18-20) was used before of Talbot and his son in Part I.,
at his death. A line, "spark of life" (66), is almost verbatim in
The Spanish Tragedy. Several hints seem to have been taken
from Golding's Ovid. Another passage (61-62), "Aspiring
blood of Lancaster . . . mounted " has been advanced in
favour of Marlowe's hand, from passages in Edward II. If
they prove anything, I believe it cuts the other way, and that
Marlowe was struck by them in the earlier play, The True
Tragedy (Q). Dyce advanced this. In the same speech of
Gloucester's, another line, " Down, down . . . say I sent thee "
(67), has been brought forward in support of Greene's author-
ship from its resemblance to a passage in his A/phonsus. But
the likeness is vague, and the sentiment is frequent, and to be
found where Shakespeare knew it, in The Faerie Queene. No
such hints, even were they well founded, could undermine
Shakespeare's claim from the writing itself.
Act V. Scene vii. Hardly varies in a word from O.
" Fruit " (32) replaces " child," while " tree " replaces " fruit "
in previous line ; and the old " renowmed " (5) is altered to
"renowned". One or two lines are thrown into metre. Com-
pare the last lines with those of Part II. "Waft" (41) is
characteristic of Parts II. and III.
I have endeavoured in the above running comments to
bring the noteworthy differences and agreements in the two
texts into some vividness. It seemed to be feasible here,
although the previous play would not easily admit of it.
The differences are of three sorts, correction, characterisation
and poetisation (if such a barbarous word may be used).
No kind word has been said yet in favour of the Q text.
But it is of value in its own readings a few times.
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
XXI
Q Reading.
I. i. II. Is either slaine or
wounded dangerouslie.
I. i. 261. When I return with
v'lciOTit from the field.
I. iii. 51-52. till thy blood, Con-
gealed with his. (Overlooked,
Cambridge. )
II. i. 113. And very well-ap-
pointed as I thought.
II. i. 130-131. like the night-
Owles lazie flight, Or like an idle
thresher.
II. i. 182. Why via, to London
will we march amaine.
II. ii. 133. Rich. Whoever got
thee . . .
(11. vi. 8. The common people
swarm like summer flies.
III. iii. 124. his love was an
eternall plant.
V. i. 8i. [takes his red rose out
of his hat.
(v. ii. 44. Which sounded like
a clamour in a vault.
V. iv. 75. You see, I drinke the
water of mine eies.
Ff Reading.
Is either slaine or wounded
dangerous.
When I return with victorie to
the field (corrected Ff 2, 3, 4).
till thy blood, Congealed with
this.
Omitted Ff.
like the Night-Owles lazie flight,
Or like a lazie thresher.
Why via, to London will we
march.
War. Whoever got thee . . .
Omitted [But not necessary].
his love was an externall plant.
Omitted.
Which sounded like a cannon
in a vault [I prefer cannon]. . . .)
Ye see I drink the water of my
eye.
Other Q readings are accepted, or were accepted by
different editors, but I have confined myself to those in the
Cambridge Shakespeare (1895). I may have overlooked
some, one or two I reject in favour of the Folio. And I am
not sure "shrimp" (ill. ii. 156) ought not to be accepted.
Compare "writhled shrimp," / Henry VI. II. iii. 23.
Time-analysis.
The following is Mr. P. A. Daniel's summary of his time-
analysis of J Henry VI. {New Shaks. Soc. 1879) : " Time of this
play 20 days represented on the stage ; with intervals : suggest-
ing a period in all of say two months. Day i, Act I. scene i.
Interval ; Day 2, Act I. scenes ii.-iv. Interval ; Day 3, Act II.
scene i. Interval ; Day 4, Act II. scenes ii.-vi. Interval ; Day 5,
Act III. scene i. Interval ; Day 6, Act III. scene ii. Interval ; Day
7, Act III. scene iii. Interval ; Day 8, Act IV. scene i. Interval ;
Day 9, Act IV. scenes ii. and iii. Interval ; Day 10, Act iv.
.scene iv. Interval ; Day 1 1, Act iv. scene v. Interval ; Day 12,
Act IV. scene vi. Interval ; Day 13, Act IV. scene vii. Interval ;
Day 14, Act IV. scene viii. Interval ; Day 15, Act IV. scene \\\\.
xxii THE THIRD PAHT OF
(I. 53 to curl. Bishop's Palace scene) Interval ; Day i6,
Act V. scene i. Interval ; Day 17, Act V. scenes ii. and iii.
Interval ; Day 18, Act V. scenes iv. and v. Interval ; Day 19,
Act V. scene vi. ; Day 20, Act v. scene vii. The historic period
here dramatised commences on the day of the battle of St.
Albans, 23rd May, 1455, and ends on the day on which
Henry VI.'s body was exposed in St. Paul's, 22nd May, 1471.
Queen Margaret, however, was not ransomed and sent to
France till 1475.
And the connection of this play with its successor Ridiard
III. must always be borne in mind. Mr. Daniel says: "The
connection of this {Richard III.) with the preceding play, in
point of time is singularly elastic ; not a single day intervenes,
yet years must be supposed to have elapsed. The murder of
Henry VI. is but two days old — his unburied corpse bleeds
afresh in the presence of the murderer. . . . Edward's eldest
son is now a promising youth. . . . Time has stood still with
the chief dramatis personam . . . they step forward in the new
scene much as when in the last play the curtain fell."
With regard to character development in this part, enough
has been said above, and in my notes. The chief new feature
is of course Gloucester, one of whose traits, his proverbial lore,
is noticed above in this Introduction. For an excellent study
of him see Mr. Thomson's edition of Richard III. in this series.
Grafton gives a very full description in Hardyng's Contitiuation
of this terrible scourge, who might be regarded as an anticipa-
tion of the English view of Machiavel in Elizabeth's time,
with whom Shakespeare makes him compare himself
Parallels from Earlier or Contemporary Writers.
Peele.
Those from Greene are not numerous or important enough
to be made special reference to. Nor is there as much
evidence of Peek's assistance as I expected. He may be re-
ferred to at " main battle " (I. i. 8), " unpeople " (l. i. 1 26), " ground
gape and swallow" (l. i. 161), "soul's palace . . . prison"
(II. i. 74), " hard as steel " (IL i. 201, and at II. i. 199), " refrain "
(II. ii. no), "By him that made us . . . dine to-night"
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxiii
(II. ii. 126), "Spring-time" (ll. iii. 47), "drunken with blood"
(II. iii. 23), "remunerate" (II. iii. 50-52), II. iv. 1-4, "effuse
of blood" (II. vi. 28), "world goes hard" (II. vi. Tj), "un-
staunched thirst" (II. vi. 83), "ghostly father" (ill. ii. 107),
"golden time" (ill. ii. 127), "lade" (ill. ii. 139), III. ii. 16,
" thrust (Q) from " (ill. iii. 190), " With sleight and manhood "
(IV. ii. 20), " Atlas " (V. i. 36), " deck " (v. i. 43-44), " Coal-
black " (v. i. 54), V. iii. i-io, "rids way" (v. iii. 21), "holding
anchor " (v. iv. 4). See, too, note (to Q passage) at " thirsty
sword . . , lop" (II. iv. 1-4).
There are more probably, but this list does not contain
enough solidity to build upon. The passages referred to are
often found in positions where there is no sign of Peele's style.
Sometimes, however, there is. Sometimes, on the other hand,
the references are by no means valuable — only I had no better.
Marlowe's Tamburlaine has a few of the above.
Kyd.
I have, in Introduction to Part II., given an assemblage of
expressions from The Spanish Tragedy that are met with in
Parts I., II. and III., as well as in Contention and True
Tragedie. The examination there made suggests that Kyd's
great play preceded all these plays excepting The First
Contention and possibly / Henry VI. But from other evidence
I believe it did precede / Henry VI. And further it suggested
that The Contention is an earlier play than / Henry VI, which
from other evidence is probably the case.
When we came to 2 Henry VI. , True Tragedy and j
Henry VI, all these betrayed familiarity with The Spanish
Tragedy ; this deduction gives a useful standing-ground. I
am inclined to think some space of time (certainly not less
than a year) elapsed between the composition of The Contention
and The True Tragedy. To return to Kyd. His next work
in order was probably Cornelia, not, I believe, an acted play,
and not perhaps of much note — probably a failure and also only
a translation. But Solinian and Perseda is an excellent play
and admittedly Kyd's. It was entered in the Stationers'
Register, 22nd November, 1592 (Boas), and no doubt printed
very soon afterwards, and possibly an undated edition existing
xxiv THE THIRD PART OF
may be of that issue. Professor Boas thinks it may have
been earlier than Cornelia, and written about 1588, or possibly
a few years later. In this choice of vagueness the latter is
the more worthy of acceptation. There seems to be no
ar^niment for i)lacin^ it earlier than the close of 1592. But
Professor Boas's edition of Kyd must be no more than referrefi
to here.
Let us see how it stands with regard to this later play of
Kyd's and our quintet. Soliman and Perseda, with the ex-
cellent Basilisco and Piston, the former referred to by Shake-
speare in King John, was a very popular play.
I. iv. 136. As opposite . . . as the south to the Scptcntrion. Soliman
and Perseda, ni. iv. 5 : " From East to West, from South to Septcntrion."
In Q.
I. iv. 179. Off with his head, and set it on Yorkc Gates. Soliman and
Perseda, v. iv. 112: "Off with his head and suffer him not to speake."
In Q. And in the earlier Contention, Q, at 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 103. Also
in Selimus, by Greene, etc., later.
II. i. 25. Dazzle mine eyes, or do I see three suns ? Soliman and Perseda,
II. i. 244 : " Dasell mine eyes, or ist Lucinas chaine." In Q.
II. i. gi-92. Nay if thou be that princely eagle's bird, Show thy descent by
gazing 'gainst the sun. Soliman and Perseda, in. i. 85 : " As ayre bred
Eagles, if they once perceiue That any of their broode but close their
sight When they should gase against the glorious Sunne, They straight
way sease upon him." In Q.
II. i. 200. But sound the trumpets, and about our task. Soliman and
Perseda, 11. i. 211 : "Why then, lets make us ready, and about it." Not
in Q. Probably early and frequent ? In Tamhurlaine.
II. ii. 66. Spoken like a toward prince (keen for battle). Soliman and
Perseda, i. iv. 35-36: "Tis wondrous that so yong a toward warriour
Should bide the shock of such approoved knights." In Q. In Tambur-
laine.
II. v. 5 (in Q). How like a mastlesse ship upon the seas. Soliman and
Perseda, i. ii. 2: " But shall I, like a mastlesse ship at sea, Goe every
way."
III. i. 314 (in Q). troops of armed men (and 7 Henry VI. 11. ii. 24).
Cornelia: "huge troops of Armed men" (11. 173).
III. ii. 83. He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom. Soliman and
Perseda, i. iii. 211: "the braginst knave in Christendom." In Q.
V. i. 37. weakling (to a person). Soliman and Perseda, 11. i. 80 : "the
weakling coward." In Q.
V. iii. 3 (in Q). tJie bigboond traytur Warivick. Soliman and Perseda,
I. ii. 59 : " The sudden Frenchman, and the bigbon'd Dane ". In Selimus,
and in Titus Andronicus.
V. iii. II (in Contention, Q). / saw him in the thickest throng Charging
his lance. 11. iii. 14 (in True Tragedy, Q) : Thy noble father in the thickest
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxv
thronges . . . was beset. And again True Tragedy, v. iv. i8 : With my
Sword presse in the thickest thronges. Cornelia, v. i. 183-5 : " Bellona , . .
in the thickest throng Cuts ..." In Marlowe. In Q {Contention and
True Tragedy).
V. iv. 78. His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain. And in
2 Henry VI. in. i. 212 (and iv. iii. 5, literally, by the butcher). Soliman
and Perseda, v. iii. 43: "To leade a Lambe into the slaughter-house."
This example is not, perhaps, of any weight. In Q {Contention).
V. vi. 33. Bloody-minded. Also in 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 36, and
Quartos at both. " Bloody minded cruell men " {Cornelia, iv. ii. 203).
Well-proportioned in 2 Henry VI. ni. ii. 175 (and Q) is also in Soliman
and Perseda, in. i. ig.
Several of the above parallels are undeniably cogent ; and
as they go back to the Quartos in all cases — often to First
Contention — there can be no question where the priority of use
lies. Kyd (if Kyd wrote all Soliman and Perseda, which is an
assumption) picked them out of these earlier works. But to
those who would like to give Kyd a finger in the original
pieces, these are useful weapons. I have given my reasons
for not making that assumption. It would be difficult to
prove or disprove. Hardly any mannerisms can be sworn to
as Kyd's. But on the other side it is to be admitted in his
claim that Kyd had a very nice sense of humour. When this
group is added to The Spanish Tragedy group in Part II.
(Introduction), there is a better array of evidence for Kyd than
for either Greene or Marlowe — of this sort. But of other sorts
— often more weighty, from metre, from style, from pro-
nounced mannerisms — there is none for Kyd. I conclude then
that Kyd in Soliman and Perseda (or some one else) used those
expressions at second-hand. And it is very noticeable that not
one of the best instances, hardly one of any sort, appears for the
first time in j Henry VI., but is there taken from O. So that as
regards the dates of writing we may be right in placing Soliman
and Perseda (as well as Cornelia) after The True Tragedy, but
prior to j Henry VI. The logic is fair. If the writer of
Soliman and Perseda was sufficiently attracted by Q to borrow
from it, he would assuredly have used more of j Henry VI. if
his Q borrowings came from there.
This places J Henry VI. not earlier than the end of 1592.
The above line of reasoning is further established in Part
II. (Introduction), where we have seen that The Contention pre-
xxvi THE THIRD PART OF
ceded The Spanish Tragedy^ although the latter preceded
2 Henry VI. Some order like the following may be set down
tentatively for convenience : —
1588 fi) First Contention : Spanish Tragedy. 15 89- 1 5 90
(2) / Henry VI. 1 590- 1 (3) True Tragedy. 1 59 1 -2 (4)
2 Henry VI. 1592 Soli man and Perseda ; (5) J Henry VI.
Spenser.
Parallels from Spenser are not very striking — not enough
to rank as loans — but sufficient to show how Shakespeare was
imbued with his writings. Reference will be necessary only
to the passages where information is to be found. These are
some : —
Act I.
Entreat fair (i. i. 271); sturdy (i. i. 50) ; lukewarm blood (i. ii. 34) ;
blood. Congealed {i. iii. 51); purple {blood) {i. iv. 12).
Act n.
Morning . . . like a younker prancing to his love {11. i. 21-24); prime
of youth (11. i. 23); younker (11. i. 24); piteous spectacle (11. i. 67, Q) ;
saddest . . . that (11. i. 67) ; the same (11. i. 67) ; coats of steel (11. i. 160) ;
once again (11. i. 183) ; sunshine day (11. i. 187) ; hap . . . hope (u. iii.
8-g) ; piteous spectacle (n. v. 73).
Acts iv. and v.
Coverture (iv. ii. 13) ; night's black mantle (iv. ii. 22) ; single from (at
v. iv. 49 Q); ^0 . . . sent thee to Hell (v. vi. 67); ramping lion (v. ii. 13).
Of these, entreat him fair, lukewarm blood, younker praivcing to his love,
prime of youth, night's black mantle, are not in Q. Enough possibly
remains to show that Shakespeare's acquaintance with the Faerie Queene
preceded both plays.
GOLDING.
Another early love of Shakespeare's figures many times in these
notes. Reference may be made to "Tire on flesh " (eagle) (i. i. 269),
"hearten" (11. ii. 79), "day nor night" (11. v. 4), "breast to breast"
(11. V. 11), " cut the sea " (11. vi. 89), " pass and repass " (seas) (iv. vii. 5),
"owl by day . . . mocked " (v. iv, 56), "currish" (v. v. 26), "owl
shriek'd . . . dogs howled " (v. vi. 44-46).
Poems, and Parts I., II. and III.
Of parallels between the three Parts and Shakespeare's
undoubted work, it is the duty of my notes to speak. A
cullingf was made for reference in the Introduction to Part I.
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxvii
which is more in dispute (as Shakespeare's) than the others.
But it would be absurd to make such an attempt for the later
parts — they are full of Shakespeare. Nevertheless it is
possible to make an exception in favour of the Poems. They
are also very early in his work, they are undoubted, and it is
a fact that there are a number of interesting expressions con-
fined to the Poems and these plays. The later Parts are more
important, on account of the correlation between these passages
in their early state, as well as in the finished plays. Any in-
formation as to the earlier, or parallel history of these expres-
sions must be sought for in the notes. But I only select those
worth selecting, and I feel assured, I regret to say, I have
omitted not a few. Unless mentioned, no other use in
Shakespeare occurs.
Part I.
I. ii. 77. Sim's parching heat. Lucrece, 1145: "That knows not
parching heat nor freezing cold " ; see again in 2 Henry VI. 1. i. 79.
Not in Q.
I. iv. 33. vile-esteemed. Sonnet cxxi. : " 'Tis better to be vile than
vile-esteemed."
I. iv. 74. Martial men. Lucrcce, 200: "A martial man to be soft
fancy's slave."
III. i. 43. lordly (twice again, and twice in 2 Henry VI.). Lucrece,
1731 : "his lordly crew."
IV. ii. 32. Uncnnijuered. And 2 Henry VI. iv. x. 65. Lucrece, 408.
IV. iii. 21. hemmed about with. Venus and Ad. mis, 1022 : "hemmed
with thieves " ; and 229.
IV. vi. 12. bold-faced victory. Venus and Adonis, 6: "bold-faced
suitor."
IV. vii. 45, inhcarsed in. Sonnet Ixxxvi, : " thoughts in my brain
inhearse."
V. iii. 192. natural graces that extinguish art. Lucrece, 313: "the
smoke of it . . . Extinguishing."
V. iv. 7. decrepit miser ("decrepit father," Love's Labour's Lost).
Sonnet xxxvii. : " decrepit father " (and in Venus and Adonis).
V. iv. 8g. gloomy shade (" gloomy woods " in Titus Andronicus). Lu-
crece, 803 : " gloomy place."
Part II.
I. ii. 3. Knit his broitjs (also in 2 Henry VI. and 3 Henry VI.). Lu-
crece, 709 : " With heavy eye, knit brows." In Q {True Tragedy).
I. i. 95. Blotting . . . from hooks (of memory) and Richard II.
Lucrcce, 948 : " blot old books and alter their contents." Not in Q.
III. ii. 141. chafe . . . lips. Venus and Adonis, .\yy : "chafes her
lips." Not in Q.
xxviii THE THIRD PART OF
III. ii. 165. Aidance. I^rwMs ««</ /lrf«;its, 330 : " aidancc." NntinQ.
III. ii. 175. ivell-proportiunal beard. Venus and Adonis, 2rjo: "well-
proportioned steed." In Q.
III. ii. iy8. vengt/u I sxi'ord {and "vengeful waggon, " Titus Androni-
ens). Sonnet xcix. : " A vengeful canker." In Q.
III. ii. 217, and 3 Henry VI. v. v. 67. deathsman (and King Lear).
Lticrece, looi : "deathsman to so base a slave." In Contention.
Part III.
I. i. 47. falcon's hells. Lucrece, 511: "as fowl hear falcon's
bells " (causing terror). In Q.
I. iv. 28. quenchless Jury. Lucrece, 1554: "quenchless fire." In Q.
(Common earlier ? Marlowe.)
I. iv. 34. at the noontide prick. Lucrece, 781: "Ere he arrive his
weary noontide prick." In Q.
II. ii. 15. mortal sting. Lucrece, 7,6^: " mortal sting." In Q.
II. ii. 41. steel thy melting heart. Venus and Adonis, 376: "heart
. . . being steeled." In Q ("thoughts ").
III. i. 37. make battery . . . breast. Venus and Adonis, <\26 : "make
no battery . . . (in) heart." Not in Q. See Antony and Cleopatra, iv.
xiv. 39.
HI. i. 38. tears pierce . . . marble heart. 11. ii. 50. much rainwears
the marble. Lucrece, 560 : " Tears harden lust, though marble wears
with raining." Not in Q.
V. i. 37. iveakling (epithet of contempt). Lucrece, 584 : " thyself
art mighty . . . myself a weakling." In Q.
V. vi. 85. sort ... a day. Lucrece, 899 : ''when wilt thou sort an
hour." In Q.
III. i. 141. brinish (and Titus Andronicus. Lucrece, 1213, and Lover's
Complaint, 284).
The above are of interest, but the results they afford are
very mixed. They help to establish one point ; that the
Greene terms used in the trilogy were discarded (in most
cases) later by Shakespeare. These poems are later than the
quintet.
Marlowe — Tamburlaine and Henry VI.
I have reserved for final consideration the evidences of
Marlowe's hand that appear in these plays from Tanibtirlaine,
Parts I. and II. 1 586-1 587. In some points of view it is a satis-
factory study, since the dates are indisputable, and Marlowe's
play occupies a well-defined position and relationship. It was
earlier work than any of the Hefiry VI. group, and earlier than
The Spanish Tragedy by Kyd, with which it has practically
nothing in common. It was earlier, I imagine, than any of
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxix
Peele's plays except The Arraignment of Paris. And its
effect upon the English stage cannot be better illustrated than
by noting the change in Peele's style, for he seized on Tambur-
laine (as did also Greene) with rapture ; and not unlikely its
appearance instigated Kyd to make his great attempt at
rivalry. Tamburlaine was well worthy of its success and the
stir it caused ; especially Part I. One never can read it
without a fresh sense of joy and amazement, joy at its
untrammelled vigour and beauties, amazement at its superiority
over all preceding and contemporary dramas. One of the first
thoughts that occurs is, can the author of this play, or these
plays, be supposed to have written The Contention or / Henry
VI . after he had written Tamburlaine ? It seems to me there
is only one reply. Tamburlaine may not be dramatically
great, but it is greatness itself in dignity, in poetry, and in
sustained power. It seldom flags and it is continually magnifi-
cent. It is for that reason I see so little of Marlowe's own
self in those two plays. They are far beneath it, continually
flagging, and wherever they can claim any grandeur (even in
2 Henry VI.) or excellence in poetry, it is of a wholly different
kind — more human and true and real perhaps — more dramatic-
ally correct (as representing people not personifications of
qualities or passions) but generally meaner in thought and in
poetic diction.
Greene set himself to rival Marlowe at his own price, with
his own weapons of bounce and bombast. Peele did so in a
less degree {Alcazar), and by no means so slavishly {Old Wives
Tale, Edward /.). Just as they did so, so did Shakespeare
adopt a more true mode, in depicting human beings as they
are. And as Shakespeare was right, and Greene and Marlowe
faulty in this essential principle, so did the latter take up a new
mantle in his later work ; and although a " trick of the old
rage " appears in Edward the Second several times, he has
improved many faults of bombast and unreality out of all
recognition. The measure also in that play has much greater
freedom and fluency. But as its date with regard to the
He7try VI. cycle is open to argument, and can hardly be
determined even relatively (it is usually set down as i 590-1 591),
it is better to consider Tamburlaine alone ; and it will be seen
that such consideration helps to conclusions.
XXX THE Tin HI) VAHT OF
A similar chasteninj^ and purification may even be observed
in Greene's style, if we set his /(7Wf.f ///<» Fourth against his
earlier Orlaudo luirioso anrl Alphonsiis of Arragon. And his
latest jjrose has the same tendency. Probably these arc signs
of a general reactionary movement in the forefront of which
we may set Shakespeare himself
When reading Taiuburlaine carefully for this study with
word lists of my own compilation, of Spenser (up to 1591), of
Peele, of Greene, anrl with the Henry VI. group beside me,
two continual facts enforced themselves. One was the con-
stant evidence of Marlowe's use of Spenser, particularly Faerie
Queene (I., II. and in.) ; and the other was the number of times
Peele's later use of many thoughts and words derived itself
from Taniburlaine. To adapt Margaret's position in j Henry
VI. III. i., Marlowe is between Spenser and Peele : —
Ay, but she 's come to beg ; Warwick to give ;
She on his left side craving aid for Henry,
He on his right side asking a wife for Edward.
The almond-tree on Selinus' Mount, and the herd of
Cynihrian bulls may be mentioned as aids from Spenser in a
prominent way. In my notes will often be found parallels
from Peele side by side with their source in Marlowe (" prison
of my soul," Part III. II. i. 74, occurs to my memory first).
But Peele used Marlowe continually, and it may be suggested
at once that he used him in helping at Henry VI. sometimes,
in order to relieve Shakespeare from doing too much of the
plume-plucking which the following lists disclose. Shakespeare
accepts Marlowe's terms, but not his silly-stately style. Neither
did Peele finally. Shakespeare does not accept his early
dummy and mumming figureheads of men and women. Both
of them seem to have had a different military dictionary from
Marlowe.
In Tatnburlaine, Part II., there is in some ways a falling off.
That high bombastic flight at Xenocrate's death (III. ii.) against
the gods, is more extravagant : and the scene of his death
where he has his sons and his friends around him (v. iii.) in
lengthened conversation, is worse in its unreality than anything
in either play — or in any play. And Tamburlaine himself is
more abominable, but did anyone ever pen a better line de-
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxxi
scriptive of the " thunder of ordnance " in battle than " The
crack, the echo, and the soldiers cry Make deaf the air " ? There
is another departure Shakespeare was prompt to make. He
hardly ever gives us studies of the geography and of the zoology
B.r\d personnel of hell — the dogs, the curs, the hags of Tartarus —
the rivers Phlegethon, Styx, and Cocytus — Lerna and Avernus,
etc. Kyd followed the others in believing these to be neces-
sary adjuncts of tragic writing. I mentioned that there is
little evidence or none of community between Taviburlaine
and The Spanish Tragedy. But that does not at all apply to
Kyd's later plays Cornelia and Soliynayi and Perseda, which
show many signs of Taynlmrlaine. The absence of Tanibur-
laine from Kyd's tragedy is unexpected ; Kyd was not addicted
to self-restraint of that sort. Possibly they were simultaneous,
or else Kyd had no acquaintance with it.
With these preliminary remarks (for the insufficiency and
inadequateness of which I must express my apologies) I will
quote my selected parallels : —
I Henry VL and Tamburlaine.
Act I.
I. i. 3. Comets . . . Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky.
Tamburlaine, Part I. v. i. (32, b) : " Flora in her morning's pride Shaking
her silver tresses in the air."
I. i. 149. " / 'II hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne. Tamburlaine,
Part II. IV. iii. (65, a): " Haling him headlong to the lowest hell."
I. ii. 47. Bastard of Orleans, thrice-welcome to us. Tamburlaine, Part I.
V. i. (36, b) : " O sight thrice-welcome to my joyful soul, To see the
king." See Introduction to Part I. on this figure. "Thrice-valiant"
is in First Contention (at Part II. i. i. 188). In Tamburlaine, "thrice-
noble," " thrice-renowmed " and "thrice-worthy " (Part II.) also occur.
I. ii. 136. With Henry's death the English circle ends. Tamburlaine,
Part I. II. vi. (18, a): "The loathsome circle of my dated life."
I. vi. 12. Why ring not out the bells . . . Command the citizens make
bonfires. Tamburlaine, Part I. m. iii. (25, b): "Now will the Christian
Miscreants be glad, Ringing with joy their superstitious bells. And
making bonfires."
Act II.
II. i. 12. Having all day caroused and bamjueted. Tamburlaine, Part
II. I. i. (end): "Come banquet and carouse with us a while." Tambur-
laine, Part II. Act I. (end): "Come, let us banquet and carouse the
whiles"; and elsewhere. And in Tamburlaine, Part I. iv. iv. 5: " Let
us freely banquet and carouse Full bowls of wine."
xxxii THE THIRD I'AHT OF
II. i. 43. Since first I /oUuw'd arms. Tamburlaine, Part II. i. iii.
(47, a): " But, while my brothers follow arms, my lord, Let mc accom-
pany my f^racious motiier."
11. i. 80. / have loailcn me with many spoils. Tamhurluiue, Part I.
I. i. (8, a): "milk-white steeds of mine all loaden with the heads of
killed men." Note "of mine" here, as "arm of mine" (Tamhurlaine,
Part II. IV. iii. (65, a)); "breast of mine" (Tamhurlaine, Part II. v. i.
(69, a)), frequent in these three plays, but not so, later, in vShakespcare.
Archaic.
II. ii. 48, 49. a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory.
Tambtirlaine, Part II. i. i. (44, a): "He brings a world of people to the
field."
II. iii. 62. These (soldiers) are his substance, sinen'S, arms and strength.
Tamhurlaine, Part II. i. i. (45, a): "stout lanciers of Germany The
strength and sinews of the imperial seat."
II. V. II, 12, 13. pithless . . . sapless . . . strengthless. TawittK-
/rtt;i^, Part II. II. iii. (51, a) : "breathless . . . senseless . . . quenchless."
And II. iv. (same page): "endless . . . ceaseless." Grouping these adjec-
tives (often new) became a vogue.
II. V. 47-49. He used his lavish tongue And did upbraid me with . . .
obloquy. Tamhurlaine, Part I. iv. ii. (27, a) : "You must devise some
torment ... To make these captives rein their lavish tongues."
Earlier in Golding.
Act III.
III. i. 171. I girt thee with. Tamhurlaine, Part II. in. v. (58, a) :
"to girt Natolia's walls with siege."
III. iii. 7. We 'II pull his plumes and take away his train. Tamhurlaine,
Part I. I. 'i. (7, b) : "Tamhurlaine That ... as I hear, doth mean to
pull my plumes."
III. iv, 38. The law of arms is such That whoso draws a sword.
Tamhurlaine, Part I. 11. iv. (16, a): "Thou breakst the law of arms,
unless thou kneel." Probably earlier.
Act IV.
IV. i. 97. Vile and ignominious terms. Tamhurlaine, Part II. v. i.
(69, a): "vile and ignominious servitude." "Ignominious" occurs
also Tamhurlaine, Part I. iv. iii. and 2 Henry VI. in. i. 179. A new
word then.
IV. i. 175. I promise you, the king Prettily, methought, did play the orator
(and in Parts II. and III.). Tamhurlaine, Part I. i. ii. (11, a): "look
you I should play the orator," and " Our swords shall play the orators
for us." See Table of Continued Expressions.
IV. iii. 21. Hemm'd about with grim destruction. Tamhurlaine, Part h
II. iv. (16, a) : "Till I may see thee hemm'd with armed men."
IV. vii. 3. Smear'd with captivity. Tamhurlaine, Part I. v. i. (34, b) :
" Smeared with blots of basest drudgery."
IV. vii. 36. Did flesh his puny sword in Frenchmen's blood. Tamhur-
laine, Part II. IV. i. (61, a): "to flesh our taintless swords."
IV. vii. 72, 73. Here is a silly stately style indeed ! The Turk that two-
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxxiii
and-fifty Kingdoms hath. Tamburlaine, Part II. in. i. (53, a) : " Bajazeth,
by the aid of God . . . Emperor of Natolia . . . and all the hundred
and thirty kingdoms . . . Emperor of Turkey."
Act V.
V. ii. 13. And tneans to give you battle presently. Tamburlaine, Part
II. V. iii. (71, a): "Death with armies of Cimmerian spirits Gives
battle 'gainst the heart of Tamburlaine."
V. iii. II. familiar spirits . . . Out of the powerful regions under earth.
Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. iii. (65, a): "O thou that sway'st the region
under earth ... a king as absolute as Jove."
V. iii. 155. Free from oppression or the stroke of war. Tamburlaine,
Part. I. II. V. (16, b) : " Since he is yielded to the stroke of war."
V. iv. 5, timeless death (and in Parts I. and II.). Tamburlaine, Part
II. (end) : " Let earth and heaven his timeless death deplore." Not in
either Quarto of later Parts. See Table of Continued Expressions.
Earlier in Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra (1578) : "to see Andrugio
tymeles dye" (Part I. 11. i.).
V. iv. 87. May never glorious sun reflex his beams Upon the country.
Tamburlaine, Part I. iii. ii. (20, a): "For neither rain can fall upon the
earth, Nor sun reflex his virtuous beams thereon."
v. iv. 120. boiling choler chokes The holloiv passage of my poison'd voice.
Tamburlaine, Part II. iii. ii. (55, a): "sorrow stops the passage of my
speech."
V. V. 28. How shall we then dispense with that contract ? Tambur-
laine, Part I. V. i. (31, a): "I fear the custom . . . Will never be dis-
pens'd with till our deaths."
2 Henry VI. and Tamburlaine.
Act I.
I. i. 16. The fairest queen that ever king received. Tamburlaine, Part
II. III. V. (59, a): "The worthiest knight that ever brandished sword."
(See Introduction, Part I. Spenser.) In Q.
I. i. 78, 79. lodge in open field In Winter's cold and Summer's . . .
heat. Tamburlaine, Part II. iii. ii. (55, a): "sleep upon the ground
. . . Sustain the scorching heat and freezing cold." Not in Q.
I. i. 98. Blotting your names from books of ntemory. Tamburlaine,
Part II. III. i. (53, b): "all the world should blot his dignities Out of
the book of base-born infamies." Not in Q.
I. iii. 82. base-born calUit. Tamburlaine, Part I. 11. ii. (14, b) :
"base-born Tartars." (Often in both Parts.) Not in Q.
I. iv. 14. To this gear. Tamburlaine, Part I. 11. ii. (14, a): "let us
to this gear." Not in Q.
I. iv. 16. Well said (well done). Tamburlaine, Part II. v. i. (6y, b) :
" Well said " (well done). Not in Q.
Act II.
II. i. 161, 162. you have done more miracles than I; You made . . .
whole towns to fly. Tamburlaine, Part II. ni. ii. (55, a): "to undermine a
c
xxxiv THE THIRD 1\\RT OF
town, And make whole cities caper in the air." (Surely Shakespeare is
mocking at Marlowe here; like the silly-stately style of the Turks.)
Not in Q.
Act III.
III. i. 49. As next the kinf^ he ivas successive heir. Tamburlaine,
Part II. MI. i. (53, a) : "son and successive heir to . . . Bajazeth." Not
in Q.
III. i. 362, 363. his thighs with darts Were almost like a sharp-quilled
porpentine. Tamburlaine, Part II. i. iii. (46, b) : "hair . . . soft as down,
(which should be like the quills of porpentine)." Not in Q. The verb
"to caper" (new) occurs in both passages, but not in Q.
in. ii. 44. Did chase away the first-conceived sound. Tamburlaine,
Part I. III. ii. (20, b) : " As it hath chang'd my first-conceived disdain."
Not in Q.
III. ii. 80. Erect his statue and worship it. Tamburlaine, Part II. 11.
(end) (53, b) : "And here will I set up her statue [Q], And march about
it." Not in Q.
III. ii. 340. That I may dew it with my mournful tears. Tamburlaine,
Part II. IV. ii. (63, b) : " this earth, dew'd with thy brinish tears, Affords
no herbs." ("Brinish" is only in 3 Henry VI. and Titus Andronicus.)
Not in Q.
III. iii. ig. O thou eternal Mover of the heavens ! Tamburlaine,
Part I. IV. ii. (26, b) : "The chiefest god, first mover of that sphere."
Not in Q.
Act IV.
IV. i. 48. Jove sometimes went disguised, and why not I ? Tambur-
laine, Part I. I. ii. (12, a): "Jove sometime masked in a shepherd's
weed." Adopted into 2 Henry VI. from Q. It probably dropt out of F
by some accident.
IV. ii. 121. Rebellious hinds, the filth and scum of Kent. Tamburlaine,
Part I. III. iii. (22, a): "cruel pirates of Argier . . . the scum of
Africa." And iv. iii. (28, a). And Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. i. (62, a).
Not in Q.
IV. ii. 163. Fellow kings, I tell you that. . . . Tamburlaine, Part II.
I. iii. (48, a): "loving friends and fellow kings." And iv. iii. (65, a).
Not in Q.
IV. ii. 180. And you that be the king's friends follow me. Tambur-
laine, Part II. I. iii. (47, a) : " If thou will love the wars and follow me."
See Table of Continued Expressions. Not in Q.
IV. iv. 10. God forbid so many siynple souls Should perish by the sword.
Tamburlaine, Part I. iv. ii. (28, a): " Not one should scape, but perish
by our swords." Not in Q.
IV. vii. 114. if . . . God should be so obdurate as yourselves (and J
Henry VI. i. iv. 92). Tamburlaine, Part I. v. i. (31, a): " Might have
entreated your obdurate breasts." Not in Q.
IV. X. 53-54. As for words . . . Let this my sword report. Tambur-
laine, Part I.I. i. (8, a) : " Go, stout Theridamas, thy words are swords."
(But earlier examples in note to passage.) Not in Q.
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxxv
IV. X. 84. Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon. Tamburlaine,
Part II. II. iii. (51, b) : "We will both watch and ward shall keep his
trunk Amidst these plains for fowls to prey upon." Not in Q.
J Henry VL and Tamburlaine.
Act I.
I. i. 91. with colours spread March' d through the city to the palace
gates. Tamburlaine, Part I. iv. i. (25, a) : " Hath spread his colours to
our high disgrace." Tamburlaine, Part II. i. iii. (48, a): "Under my
colours March ten thousand Greeks." In Q.
I. i. 126. first shall war unpeople this my realm. Tamburlaine, Part
I. III. iii. (22, a) : " Let him bring millions infinite of men, Unpeopling
Western Africa and Greece " ; and Tamburlaine, Part II. i. i. (48, a) :
"To aid thee ... Is Barbary unpeopled for thy sake." In Q. Also
in Peele and Spenser. Of no weight probably.
I. iii. 29-31. To wear a crown Within whose circuit is Elysium . . . bliss
and joy. Tamburlaine, Part I. 11. v. (17, a): " the pleasure they enjoy in
heaven Cannot compare with kingly joys on earth, To wear a crown
. . ." ; and scene vii. (18, b) : " that perfect bliss, The sweet fruition of an
earthly crown." Not in Q. Compare the argument here about breaking
oaths with that in Tamburlaine, Part II. 11. i. (49, 50).
Act II.
II. i. 37. racking clouds. Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. iii. (65, a):
" racking clouds." . In Q (" a Racking cloud ").
II. i. 74, 75. my soul's palace has become a prison : Ah, would she break
from hence ! Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. ii. (63, b): "a passage for my
troubled soul, Which beats against this prison to get out." In Q.
II. i. 91. princely eagle. Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. iii. (66, b) :
" princely eagles." In Q.
II. i. 160. Shall we go throw aivay our coats of steel. Tamburlaine,
Part I. IV. ii. (27, a): "My sword struck fire from his coat of steel."
InQ.
II. i. 200. But sound the trumpets, and about our task. Tamburlaine,
Part II. III. iii. (56, b) : "come, let 's about it." Not in Q.
II. i. 201. as hard as steel. Tamburlaine, Part II. i. iii. (46, b):
"hard as iron or steel." Not in Q.
II. ii. 66. I'll draw it (sword) . . . And . . . use it to the death . . .
spoken like a toward prince. Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. i. (61, a): "My
other toward brother here, For person like to prove a second Mars."
In Q. Promising. Specially refers here to pugnacity.
II. ii. 75. Ay, good my lord, and leave us to our fortune. Tamburlaine,
Part II. in. iv. (57, a): "Come, good my lord, and let us haste from
hence." (Note " from hence " several times in Henry VI.) In Q.
II. V. 106. Shed seas of tears. Tamburlaine, Part II. iii. ii. (55, a) :
" wept a sea of tears." Not in Q.
II. vi. 35. Command an argosy to stem the waves. Tamburlaine,
Part II. I. i. (43, b) : " Beating in heaps against their argosies." Not
inQ.
xxxvi THE THIRD PART OF
Act III.
III. i. 38. Her tears will pierce into a marble heart. Tamburtaine,
Part I. I. ii. (12, b): " Shall want my heart to be with gladness pierced."
Not in Q.
III. iii. 32g. my mourning weeds are laid aside. Tamburlaine, Part
II. I. i. (.^3, a): " wear a woful mourning weed." In Q.
Act IV.
IV. vi. 75. Make much 0/ him, my lords. Tamburlaine, Part I. i. ii.
(12, b) : " Make much of them, gentle Theridamas." In Q.
Act V.
V. iii. I. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course. Tamburlaine,
Part I. H. i. (13, a): " Thus far are we toward Theridamas." Not in Q.
V. iv. 66. Here pitch our battle ; hence we ivill not budge. Tambur-
laine, Part II. III. i. (54, a): "Our battle then, in martial manner
pitched . . . shall bear The figure of the semi-circled moon." Marshal-
ling an army into battle array. Not in Q.
V. iv. 67. the thorny wood (and in. ii. 174). Tamburlaine, Part I.
IV. 1.(25, b) : "As bristle-pointed as a thorny wood " (pine wood). In
Q-
V. vi. 43. And orphans . . . Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast
born. Tamburlaine, Part I. iv. iii. (28, b): " Tamburlaine shall rue the
day, the hour, That ever ..." Not in Q.
There are a few Marlovian expressions, very few, in the
Quartos not found in the final plays, which occur in Tambur-
laine. These occur to my memory : —
" The /at»<tH^ army of that foolish king." Tamburlaine, Part I.
II. iii. (15, b).
"■faintheart fugitives." Tamburlaine, Part II. v. i. (67, b).
"that coward faintheart runaway." Tamburlaine, Part II. in. ii.
(56, a).
"thickest throngs." Tamburlaine, Part II. in. ii. (56, a). See Table
of Continued Expressions.
"Come let us go and banquet." Tamburlaine, Part II. i. ii. (45, a).
Not a satisfactory example, but nearly of the "Come let's go" of the
Quarto. See Table of Continued Expressions.
No doubt there are some of these Quarto parallels over-
looked, but probably none of much significance. Let us see
what information the above lists yield. I find them full of
meaning. But it is interesting to note a few special points
amongst these illustrations. For example, is there not a
mocking intention at 2 Henry VI. II. i. 162, where whole
towns are made to fly ? — a mocking of Marlowe's absurdity of
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxxvii
making " whole cities caper in the air " ? — though of course the
reference is to the French towns. And when Cade calls his
fellow-rebels "fellow-kings" (2 Henry VI . IV. ii. 163), an ex-
pression twice in Tamburlaine, has not Shakespeare again " a
kindly gird " ? And in the reference to the kingdoms of the
Turk in / Henry VI. IV. vii. 72, does not the expression
" Here is a silly-stately style indeed " sum up in a few
admirably chosen words his judgment upon Marlovian
rhodomontade in Tamburlaine ? Sometimes, again, a simile is
borrowed, found steeped in nonsense and transformed into a
happy figure, as in the " porpentine" in 2 Henry VI. III. i. 363.
It is ridiculous to blame a timid lad with hair as soft as down
for not having it like the quills of a porcupine, as a feroci-
ous young son of Mars should have. But the use in
Shakespeare (wholly transfigured) forms a very vivid and not
too extravagant picture.
For I believe Shakespeare helped himself to all these
passages from Tainburlaine. As soon as a play was a success,
the language seems to have become known by rote and
common property amongst the dramatists, stored in the
cask of memory, to be turned on tap at will. Not every
one, however, had Shakespeare's memory, or his skill in
adapting its stores. There is no other way out of the
dilemma. These scraps of Marlowe continually occur where
it is obvious Marlowe had no hand whatever, and they are
often used with a different sense and in a context that is
purely Shakespearian.
Possibly these turns of language have led the critics some-
times to attribute the authorship to Marlowe in places. But it
is a wholly fallacious reasoning. There was no reproach in
such usage. All of them did it. But as no one succeeded as
Shakespeare did, it seems more noticeable in him. To Greene,
a dramatic failure, this lent a weapon of abuse. In Greene's
jaundiced and green-eyed orb of jealousy, these are the feathers
Shakespeare beautified himself with, and the plumes he pur-
loined. There were others, but these sufficed for his attack.
In Part I. the parallels tell their own tale. Several of them
(" timeless death," " play the orator ") were thought so well of
that Shakespeare drove them through the whole trilogy, as my
Table of Continued Expressions will exhibit. But with few
xxxviii THK Til I HI) PART OF
exceptions they become moribund, or nearly so, they faint, in
Shakespeare's later work, after the famous attack in 1592 —
after Greene's death.
In the second Part an interesting discovery discloses itself
Not a single one of my selected expressions common to
Tamburlaine and 2 Henry VI. is found in The First Contention
(Q). This is quite parallel to the evidence derived already
from Spenser's and Kyd's {Spanish Tragedy) parallels, and
points to the early date of 7 he Contention (first part). Not
that I believe it to have preceded Marlowe's great play — that
puts it out of Shakespeare's reach and period altogether, and I
maintain he had a considerable hand in it — but Shakespeare
had not learnt or studied that play as he must have done before
he finished / Henry VI. It puts The Contention into its
proper place of first in the series and preceding / Henry VI.
and its own legitimate offspring 2 Henry VI. by some con-
siderable term — one or two years for the former — during which
time Shakespeare set to work in earnest at self-improvement
in dramatic writing and devoured all he could lay hands upon.
Probably his share in The Contention (first part) is the very
earliest effort we have by Shakespeare.
The expressions quoted from Part III. are of no special
significance, excepting that a few of them are unmistakable
echoes. They are more often than not in The True Tragedy
(Q), as must needs be the case, these plays (j Henry VL and
True Tragedy) being more closely identical. The writing of the
third Part agreed in point of time with that of its predecessor
much more nearly than did 2 Henry VI. with its foundation
play, which two are separated by a considerable interval.
I have already given reasons for not going further into
Marlowe's parallelisms. There are several in my notes, down
to the very end. Even in the last scene of j Henry VL
occurs a line ("And made our footstool of security") that
closely resembles one in The Massacre at Paris. The pas-
sage reads to me like a thought developed into Shakespeare's
use, although the dates if anything point the other way. The
parallels from Edward II. have been noticed in Introduction to
Part II. ; and I am not particular as to which way the pendulum
of originality swings, but I may quote Dyce. He says : " Mr.
Collier, who regards it {Edward II.] (and no doubt, rightly) as
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xxxix
one of our author's latest pieces, has not attempted to fix its
date." But that should be 1592 or 1593. See also the pas-
sage from the Jew of Malta (Act III.), "These arms . , .
shall be thy sepulchre," quoted in j Henry VI. II. v. 114.
There is one argument to be adduced here in this connec-
tion. When Marlowe saw Shakespeare helping himself to
phrases from Taniburlaine^ would he not feel fully entitled to
cull a few from Shakespeare in return, if they suited him, for
his Edward 11. , on the principle of give and take which was
generally adopted ? And I think he did, for he has other
expressions in Edward 11. , such as " undaunted spirit," from
/ Henry V/., undoubtedly earlier. This is a view that favours
the lateness of Edward H., and it can be broadened consider-
ably. Some of the well-known Marlovian lines in 2 Henry
VI. are in the First Contention, the Q of that play ; it is not
reasonable to suppose Edzvard II. can have preceded that
Quarto, therefore the assumption would be that Marlowe wrote
those parts of The Contention from which he drew expressions
in Edward II. But it would be easy to furnish a little collection
of / Henry VI. expressions in Edward II., which are most
likely borrowed in the latter from Shakespeare — Marlowe not
having had, I think, anything to do with / Henry VI. And
for that matter his share in The Contention is doubtful, certainly
unimportant.
The whole series of Henry VI. may have been evolved as
follows. Greene, Peele and Marlowe selected, or were allotted,
the Henry VI. period to dramatise. They divided it roughly
(as Caesar did all Gaul) into three parts. Greene was in
command of the wars of France and the death of that brave
Talbot, the terror of the French, together with the exploits of
Joan the Pucelle and the loss of the towns, and his part would
have some such title.
Peele was chief of The First Part of the Contention, and
with the others completed it. In doing so he received much
help from the rising dramatist, Shakespeare.
Marlowe had charge of The True Tragedy. Shakespeare's
success in the assistance he gave Peele, but especially in the
completion of / Henry VI. , acquired for him a yet larger share
in this play.
Meanwhile Greene had failed in his share. Either he
xl THE THIRD PART OF
found it uncongenial, or his platform was rejected, or his
failure in other flramas at this juncture rcnflered him unaccept-
able, and he withdrew. Shakespeare having given sjitisfaction
in his aid to The First Contention was entrusted with the sketch
in an altogether chaotic and unfinished state, for completion.
And his work was .so well approved and of such high [promise,
that it justified the expansion into the full-sized play of /
Henry VI. And as a natural sequence, owing to its immediate
and triumphant success, the others were handed over to him
for expansion into Parts II. and III. All the time he was
on friendly terms with the others, except perhaps Greene,
getting "wrinkles" and "tips" from his seniors, especially
Peele, from time to time if required. Such collaboration would
always occur amongst fellow-workers, leaving an impression of
unity. Perhaps I may quote the words here of a well-known
living actor and playwright as to the methods employed : —
"How was it you collaborated with them? I would tell
them that such and such a situation was not effective, and
must be brought about in a different way. The balancing of
the parts was not equal, and there was insufficient comedy,
and although I never wrote a word of the play I would oc-
casionally take hold of a certain speech and say that it would
not ' speak ' well, and would have no effect. I would suggest
the addition of words, or say that the speech ' worked in this
way' would be effective, that is to say, it would get, what we
actors always want, a round of applause." — The Daily Tele-
graph, 1 8th March, 1908.
This is " parvis componere magna," but the positions and
the practice at the final production of a play must be ever
alike.
Enough has been said upon the development of the lead-
ing characters, Margaret and Henry, in various connections in
my notes and Introduction. But there is one curious point
in connection with Gloucester (the earlier Richard, son of
York, afterwards King Richard III.) that I have never seen
noticed, and for which I have no explanation to offer. For
some reason or other Gloucester's characteristic talent, or
affectation, or mannerism is that of proverb-making. It is no
compliment to the lovers of old said saws. Grafton {Continua-
tion of Hardyfig, p. 548) says : " He had a sharpe and preg-
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xli
naunt witt, subtill, and to dessimule and fayne verie mete " ;
but I find no allusion to this trait in him. It was no new stage
attraction and continued in favour. Lyly set the fashion in
Mother Bombie, where Silena " raked together all the odd
blind phrases that help them that know not how to discourse."
Later Shakespeare and Ben Jonson respectively give us Touch-
stone and Downright (who are leading characters), and are
supposed to beautify and enhance the value of their representa-
tions by the same device. It was becoming the vogue and it
remained so for a couple of centuries — sometimes courtly —
sometimes scholarly — but continually attractive and required
by the audiences. The Prince says of Gloucester —
" Let Aesop fable in a winter's night,
His currish riddles sort not with this place" (v. v. 25-26).
Gloucester has just used a common proverb. He doesn't begin
in his earlier period, but once he is made Duke of Gloucester
the humour develops. He gives " a nine days' wonder " at III. ii.
112, and a little earlier (50) "much rainwears the marble "
appears. In IV. i. 83 he hears little, says not much, and thinks
the more. At IV. vii. 25 he has a fox proverb I have not
traced, and in the first scene of Act v., "strike while the iron
is hot," is his, immediately after a card saying. Later, V. vi.
II- 1 2, an often-quoted distich on the thie^, the bush and
suspicion of an " officer," is his.
Was this a stage tradition ? Has it anything to do with
Burbage's acting the part of Richard III.? It is a sort of
speciality that might be allotted to a favourite actor with a
predilection that way. Burbage w^as a favourite as early as
1588, and Richard III. was one of his great parts. Halliwell
conjectured that Henry calls Gloucester (or Richard III.)
Roscius at V. vi. 10, because he took the part.
However it arose the characteristic is continued, and it is
to be noted the adages used are such as were familiar and
older than Shakespeare's time. In Richard HI., Gloucester
gives " Jack became a gentleman " (l. iii. 72) ; " eyes drop mill-
stones " (l. iii. 354); he boasts of his trick at I. iii. 337 and III.
i. 82-83: "ill weeds grow apace" (ill. i. 103); the maid's
part, "say nay and take it" (ill. vii. 51); "so wise, so young,
never lives long " (ill. t. 79). After his elevation to the throne
xlii THE THIRD PART OF
he is more dignified. Besides these he is several times credited
with proverbs by other speakers in both [jlays.
Lastly, there is the old True Tragedie of Richard the Third
(reprinted in Shaks. Library, Hazlitt) which probably preceded
Richard III., and is a poor production, but apjjcars to have been
remembered by Shakespeare. In it Richard goes at proverbs
at once, as " to find a knot in a rush " (67) ; " a bone to gnaw
upon " {6"]^ ; " ill jesting with edge tools " and " strike while iron
is hot" and "if my neighbour's house be on fire let me seek to
save my own" (68). And more of them later, pp. 76, 86, 1 16, etc.
I think the point is interesting. Is there any other chief
character in Shakespeare deliberately made a proverb-monger?
— one in a dignified position, I mean. Dr. Johnson suggested
that Gloucester was called Aesop in the quoted lines "on
account of his crookedness," but I think he misinterpreted the
passage, and there is a further point in the gibe.
I have just found a character — Nicholas Proverbs in
Porter's Two Angry Women of Abingdon (see Hazlitt's
Dodsley, vol. vii.) — which may have brought the device in ques-
tion into special favour at the time the character of Richard
was in hand. The play can be shown to bear a sufficiently
early date by a quotation from R. Harvey's Plaine Percevall
(1589), a quotation showing its popularity on the stage and
therefore the inherent likelihood of its yielding a suggestion.
The passage is on p. 16 of the reprint in The Marprelate Con-
troversy (J. Petheram, 1847) : " yet I will nicke name no bodie :
I am none of these traft mockado mak-a-dooes : for ' Qui
mochat, moccabitur' quoth the servingman of Abingdon."
This tract is of date i 589. On page 301 of the play, Nicholas
Proverbs, the servingman, says : " it seems to me that you,
Master Philip, mock me : do you not know, qui mocat moca-
bitur? mock age, and see how it will prosper." This date for
this play, full of interesting references and matter, is very use-
ful. No doubt it has been noted but I have not seen it The
earliest reference in Henslowe (to a continuation of the play,
"the 2 pte of the 2 angrey wemen of abengton ") dates 1598 :
I 599 is the date of the earliest known edition. Compare a
passage in it (p. 275) with 3 Henry VI. V. v. 25: "Well,
mistress, well ; I have read Aesop's fables. And know your
moral meaning well enough."
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xHu
Reappearing Passages.
Continuity of authorship evidence : or expressions char-
acteristic of these five plays but not in Shakespeare's later
work. Found here in two or more of the plays, two not in-
cluding a pair of either First Contention and 2 Henry VI.,
or True Tragedy and j Henry VI., since in these cases they
form a single reference. The references to The Contention and
True Tragedy are to the parts of the final plays where these
passages appear in collation. Uncommon, or otherwise un-
known, expressions (at this date) alone are selected.
thread of life. 1 Henry VI. i. i. 34 ; 2 Henry VI. iv. ii. 31.
fight it out. 1 Henry VI. i. i. 99, i. ii. 128, iii. ii. 66 ; True Tragedy,
3 Henry VI. i. i. 117, i. iv. 10 (varied from True Tragedy). And in Titus
Andronicus, v. iii. 102, "fought Rome's quarrel out".
Undaunted spirit. 1 Henry VI. i. i. 127, ill. ii. gg, v. v. 70.
eyes . . . more dazzled . . . as piercing as . . . the mid-day sun. 1 Henry
VI. I. i. 12-14 ; 3 Henry VI. v. ii. 17.
to buckle with. 1 Henry VI. i. ii. 95, iv. iv. 5, v. iii. 28 ; True
Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. i. iv. 50.
replete with. 1 Henry VI. i. i. 12, i. vi. 15, v. v. 17 ; 2 Henry VI. i.
I. 20; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. lu. ii. 84 ; True Tragedy (at 3 Henry
VI. IV. vi. 70). And Love's Labour's Lost.
proud insulting. 1 Henry VI. i. ii. 138 ; True Tragedy (twice) ; 3
Henry VI. 11. i. 168, 11. ii. 84.
parching heat. 1 Henry VI. I. ii. 77 ; 2 Henry VI. i. i. 79.
heart-blood. 1 Henry VI. i. iii. 83; Contention; 2 Henry VI. l\. ii.
66 ; 3 Henry VI. i. i. 223 ; True Tragedy (at 3 Henry VI. n. i. 79-80).
And Richard II. (three times).
last gasp, latter gasp, latest gasp. 1 Henry VI. i. ii. 126, 11. v. 38 ; True
Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. 11. i. 108, v. ii. 41. Last gasp is in Cymbeline, i. v. 53.
gather head. 1 Henry VI. i. iv. 100; Contention; 2 Henry VI. iv. v.
10. And Titus Andronicus.
When I am dead and gone. 1 Henry VI. i. iv. 93 ; Contention ; 2
Henry VI. 11. iii. 37. " Dead and gone," ballad-scrap, Hamlet.
hungry -{hunger-)starved . 1 Hejiry VI. i. v. 16 ; J Henry VI. i. iv. 5-
bells . . . and bonfires. J Henry VI. 1. vi. 11-12 ; Contention; 2 Henry
VI. v. i. 3.
win the day. 1 Henry VI. i. vi. 17; 3 Henry VI. iv. iv. 15. And
Richard III.
in procession sing . . . praise and Solemne processions sung In laud.
1 Henry VI. i. vi. 20 ; Contention (at 2 Henry VI. iv. ix. 23-24).
for every drop of blood . . . five lives, more lives than drops of blood.
1 Henry VI. 11. ii. 8 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. i. i. 97. And Troilus
and Cressida.
troops of armed men. 1 Henry VI. 11. ii. 24 ; Contention (at 2 Henry
VI. III. i. 314).
xliv THE TFIIRD PART OF
perceive {>ny) mind. 1 Henry VI. ii. ii. 59 ; 2 Henry VI. iii. i.
374-
realm of Prance. 1 Henry VI. 11. ii. 36, iv. i. 147, iv. vii. 71, 82, v.
iv. 112 ; 2 Henry VI. i. iii. 160 ; Contention (at i. iii. 160 and 211). And
twice in Henry V.
fill the world with. 1 Henry VI. ir. ii. 43, v. iv. 35 ; True Tragedy ;
3 Henry VI. v. v. 44.
f^ive censure. 7 Henry VI. 11. iii. 10; 2 Henry VI. i. iii. 120. And
Richard III.
White rose dyed in bloody red . . . in lukewarm blood. J Henry VI.
11. iv. 61 ; 3 Henry VI. i. ii. 33-34. (Compare 2 Henry VI. 11. ii. 65-66,
and Contention.)
Shallow judgment (or spirit of judgment). / Henry VI. ii. iv. 16 ;
3 Henry VI. iv. i. 62.
red rose and the white A tltousand souls to death and red rose and the
white ... a thousand lives must wither. J Henry VI. u. iv. 126-127 ; 3
Henry VI. 11. v. 97-102.
book of memory. 1 Henry VI. 11. iv. loi ; 2 Henry VI. i. i. 100.
Out of hand. 1 Henry VI. iii. ii. 102 ; 3 Henry VI. iv. vii. 63. And
in 2 Henry IV. and Titus Andronicus.
blood-drinking (or consuming) sighs, hate. 7 Henry VI. 11. iv. 108
(b. d. h.); 2 Henry VI. m. ii. 61 (b. c. s.), iii. ii. 63 (b. d. s.) (In Titus
Andronicus "blood-drinking pit " occurs, literal meaning) ; blood-sucking
siglis. 3 Henry VI. iv. iv. 22.
choked with ambition. 7 Henry VI. 11. iv. 112, n. v. 123; 2 Henry
VI. III. i. 143.
lavish tongue. 7 Henry VI. n. v. 47 ; Contention (at 2 Henry VI. iv.
i. 64). [Contention (at 2 Henry VI. i. i. 24) " lavish of my tongue ".]
/ girt thee with the sword. 1 Henry VI. in. i. 171 ; Contention; 2
Henry VI. 1. i. 65.
lordly (to people, contemptuously). / Henry VI. iii. i. 43, lU. iii.
62, V. iii. 6; 2 Henry VI. i. i. 11 : Contention,; n. i. 30. And Lucrece
(in good sense).
run a tilt. 7 Henry VI. ni. ii. 51 ; Contention; 2 Henry VI. i. iii.
54-
tiait one with cowardice . . . perjury. 7 Henry VI. in. ii. 55 ; Conten-
tion (at 2 Henry VI. in. i. 178, varied in transition) ; 3 Henry VI. v. v.
40. And (with falsehood) Two Gentlemen of Verona.
late-betrayed, late-deceased. 7 Henry VI. ni. ii. 82, 132 ; the latter
in Titus Andronicus. And late-disturbed, late-embarked occur 7 Henry IV.,
Venus and Adonis.
care is . . . corrosive, parting be a . . . corrosive. 7 Henry VI. in. iii.
3 ; 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 403.
with sugared words. 7 Henry VI. in. iii. 16 ; 2 Henry VI. in. ii. 45.
And Richard III.
with colours spread. 7 Henry VI. in. iii. 31 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry
VI. I. i. 91.
slaughter-man. 7 Henry VI. in. iii. 75 ; 3 Henry VI. 1. iv. 169.
And Titus Andronicus, Henry V. and Cymbeline.
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xlv
dearest blood. 1 Henry VI. ui. iv. 40 ; 3 Henry VI. v. i. 69 ; {dearest
heart-blood), 3 Henry VI. i. i. 223.
broach blood. 1 Henry VI. m. iv. 40 ; 2 Henry VI. iv. x. 40 ; J
Henry VI. n. iii. 15-16.
take exceptions at, or to. 1 Henry VI. iv. i. 105 ; 3 Henry VI. iii. ii.
46. And Two Gentlemen of Verona (twice).
presumptuous {of persons). 1 Henry VI. m. i. 8, iv. i. 125; 2 Henry
VI. I. ii. 42; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. 1. i. 157.
play the orator. 1 Henry VI. iv. i. 175 ; 3 Henry VI. i. ii. 2 (and
True Tragedy), 11. ii. 43 (and True Tragedy), m. ii. 188. And in
Richard III.
timeless death. 1 Henry VI. v. iv. 5 ; 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 187 ; 3 Henry
VI. V. vi. 42. And Richard III.
God and Saint George. 1 Henry VI. iv. ii. 55 ; 3 Henry VI. 11. i.
204 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. iv. ii. 29. And Richard III.
malignant stars. 7 Henry VI. iv. v. 6 ; True Tragedy (at 3 Henry
VI. II. iii. 6).
well I wot. 1 Henry VI. iv. vi. 32 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. u.
ii. 134, IV. vii. 83, V. iv. 71 (first reference only, for True Tragedy).
And Titus Androfticus, Midsummer Night's Dream.
effusion of blood . . . effuse of blood. 1 Henry VI. v. i. 9 ; True
Tragedy (effuse) ; 3 Henry VI. u. vi. 28.
mickle age. 1 Henry VI. iv. vi. 35 ; 2 Henry VI. v. i. 174.
Marry, and shall. 2 Henry VI. i. ii. 88 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI.
v. V. 42. And in 7 Henry IV. and Richard III.
Thou Icarus . . . my Icarus . . . my poor boy Icarus. 1 Henry VI.
IV. vi. 55, IV. vii. 16; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. v. vi. 21.
the woman wears the breeches (varied). 2 Henry VI. i. iii. 145 ; True
Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. v. v. 23.
fro7n ashes . . . rear'd a phoenix . . . ashes . . . bring forth . . .
phoenix. 1 Henry VI. iv. vii. 93 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. i. iv. 35.
And Henry VIII.
stand on a . . . point. 2 Henry VI. 1. i. 216; True Tragedy (at
3 Henry VI. iv. viii. 27, "upon ") ; 3 Henry VI. iv. vii. 58. And Mid-
summer Night's Dream.
sumptuous. 1 Henry VI. v. i. 20 ; 2 Henry VI. 1. iii. 133,1V. vii. 100.
And 1 Henry I V. " Sumptuously" is in Titus A ndronicus. And Henry VIII.
at my depart. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. i. i. 2 ; 3 Henry VI. iv. i. 92.
And Two Gentlemen of Verona.
installed in or into (a state), or shortly installed. 1 Henry VI. 11. v.
89, IV. i. 17, v. i. 28 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. iii. i. 46. And Henry
VIII.
dims mine eyes . . . dimmed eyes {with tears) , . . eyes dimmed. 2 Henry
VI. I. i. 54 ; Contention ; 2 Henry VI. ill. i. 218 ; 3 Henry VI. v. ii. 16
('* and eyes wax dim," / Henry VI.).
force perforce. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. i. i. 256 ; True Tragedy (at
3 Henry VI. 11. iii. 5). And King John.
knit one's brows. 2 Henry VI. i. ii. 3 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry V^I.
II. ii. 20. And in Lucrece.
xlvi THE THIRD 1»ART OF
fiilUn at jars, live at jar, at a jar. Cotilcntion ; 2 Henry VI. i. i. 251 ;
2 Ilrnry VI. iv. viii. 41 ; True Traf^edy (at 3 Henry VI. i. ii. 4).
come let's go. Contention (end of 11. ii., 2 Henry VI.) ; (end of 11. iv.) ;
(in. i. 330); (end of iv. i.); True Tragedy, at end of i. ii. 3 Henry VI.,
and at v. iii. 20.
numher Ave Maries . . . his heads. 2 Henry VI. i. iii. 55; True
Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. il. i. 162.
base-born . . . callat. 2 Henry VI. I. iii. 82 ; 3 Henry VI. 11. ii.
143, 145 ; base-born (again) 2 Henry VI. iv. viii. 47. Not in Q.
sorrows tears . . . griped . . . heart, sorrow gripes . . . soul. Con-
tention (at 2 Henry VI. 11. iii. 15); 3 Henry VI. i. iv. 171 ("anger" in
True Tragedy).
coal-black. Contention (at 2 Henry VI. v. i. 68-71); 2 Henry VI. 11.
i. 112 ; 3 Henry VI. v. i. 54. And in Richard II. and in Titus Androni-
cus (3 times).
thrust from the crown . . . thrust from his home. 2 Henry VI. iv. i.
94 ; True Tragedy (at in. iii. 190).
big-swoln venom . . . of heart, execution of big-swoln heart. Conten-
tion (at 2 Henry VI. i. i. 135) ; 3 Henry VI. 11. ii. in. Used in Titus
Andronicus of a swollen sea, literally.
take my death. 2 Henry VI. 11. iii. 88 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI.
I. iii. 35.
downright blow. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. 11. iii. 90 ; True Tragedy ;
3 Henry VI. 1. i. 12.
Now or never. 2 Henry VI. iii. i. 331 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI.
IV. iii. 24.
hand to hand. Contention {sit 2 Henry VI. iv. x. 50) ; 3 Henry VI. 11.
i. 73, II. v. 56 ; True Tragedy (at v. iv. 46). And in 1 Henry IV.
pangs of death (actual death). Contention; 2 Henry VI. lu. iii. 24;
3 Henry VI. 11. iii. 17 ; True Tragedy (at v. ii. 41). And King fohn and
Twelfth Night.
steel thy thoughts. 2 Henry VI. ni. i. 331 ; True Tragedy (sit 3 Henry
VI. n. ii. 41) ("steel the heart" occurs often and later).
you that love mc . . . are the friends of . . . follow me. 2 Henry VI.
IV. ii. 180; True Tragedy; 3 Henry VI. iv. i. 123, iv. vii. 39. And
Richard III.
shook hands with death. Contention (at 2 Henry VI. in. i. 252) ; True
Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. i. iv. 102.
bloody-minded. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 36 ; True Tragedy ;
3 Henry VI. 11. vi. 33.
curs . . . grin. 2 Henry VI. m. i. 18; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI.
I. iv. 56.
golden circuit . . . crown within whose circuit. 2 Henry VI. in. i. 352 ;
3 Henry VI. i. ii. 30.
Done to death. 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 244 ; Contention; 3 Henry VI. u.
i. 103 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. ni. iii. 103. And in Much Ado About
Nothing.
Kent . . . civille place ; Kent . . . civilUst place . . . people valiant,
liberal, active, wealthy ; Kentishmen . . . witty, courteous, liberal, full of
spirit. Contention; 2 Henry VI. iv. vii. 60-63; 3 Henry VI. i. ii. 41-43-
I
KING HENRY THE SIXTH xlvii
Oft have I heard that. ... 2 Henry VI. iv. iv. i ; True Tragedy ;
3 Henry VI. n. i. 149. And Love's Labour's Lost, Richard III., Titus
Andronicus {Oft have you heard).
charm your tongue. 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 64 ; 3 Henry VI. v. v. 31.
And Taming of the Shrew and Othello.
lizards' stings. Contention ; 2 Hetiry VI. in. ii. 325 ; 3 Henry VI.
11. ii. 138.
deathsman. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 217 ; 3 Henry VI. v. v.
67. And Kiyig Lear and Lticrece.
Off with his head. Contention (at 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 139) ; True
Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. i. iv. 179 ; True Tragedy, i. iv. 107, 11. vi. 85, and
several times in Richard III.
the lyingest knave . . . the bluntest wooer in Christendom. Contention ;
2 Henry VI. 11. i. 124, 125 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. iii. ii. 83. And
in Taming of the Shrew (twice).
foul stigmatic, foul misshapen stigmatic. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. v.
i. 215 ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. 11. ii. 136.
seek out . . . single out . . . Some other chase, For I myself will hunt
this deer . . . wolf . . . to death. Contention ; 2 Henry VI. v. ii. 14, 15 ;
3 Henry VI. 11. iv. 11, 12.
sound drums and trumpets. Contention; 2 Henry VI. v. iii. 32; 3
Henry VI. 1. i. 118; True Tragedy; 3 Henry VI. v. vii. 45. And in
Richard III.
stand . . . stay . . . not to expostulate . . . let's go . . . make speed.
Contention (at 2 Henry VI. v. ii. 72) ; True Tragedy ; 3 Henry VI. 11. v.
135. And in Two Geyitlemen of Verona.
thickest throng. Contention (at 2 Henry VI. v. iii. 11); True Tragedy
(at II. iii. 16) ; at v. iv. 49 in plural in True Tragedy. Always of
fighters.
slaughter-house. 2 Henry VI. iii. i. 212 ; Conter.tion ; 2 Henry VI.
IV. iii. 5 ; 3 Henry VI. v. iv. 78. And in Lucrece, King John, and
Richard III.
THE THIRD PART OF
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
his Sons.
' of the Duke of York's Party.
DRAMATIS PERSON Ai
Kino Hknry tiik Sixth.
ICiAVAKi), Priticc of Wales, his Son.
LiAvis THK Y.\A'MV.\\'VW, King of France.
DUKK OK SOMKRSET,
DuKP: of EXKTIiR,
Earl ok Oxkord, ■ z^- tt . -j
„ XT c '^" King Henry s side.
Earl ok Northumberland, | * -^
Earl ok Westmoreland,
Lord Clikkord,
Richard Plantagknet, Duke of York.
Edward, Earl of March, aftenvards
King Edward the Eourth,
Edmund, Earl of Rutland,
George, aftenvards Duke of Clarence,
Richard, afterwards Duke of Gloucester,
Duke ok Norkolk,
Marquess of Montague,
Earl of Warwick,
Earl of Pembroke,
Lord Hastings,
Lord Stakp^ord,
Sir John Mortimer, i i * 4i r-i u f \z u
^ :i, , , ' ^ uncles to t/ie Duke of York.
Sir Hugh Mortimer, ) -^
YlKHYiy, Earl of Richmond, a Youth.
Lord Rivers, brother to Lady Grey.
Sir William Stanley.
Sir John Montgomery.
Sir John Somerville.
Tutor to Rutlatid.
Mayor of York.
Lieutenant of the Tower.
A Nobleman.
Two Keepers.
A Huntsman.
A Son that has killed his father.
A Fatlier that Jias killed his son.
Queen Margaret.
Lady Grey, afterwards Queen to Edward the Fourth.
Bona, Sister to the French Queen.
Soldiers, Attendants, Messengers, Watchmen, etc.
Scene : During part of the Third Act, in France ; during the rest of
the Play, in England.
2
THE THIRD PART OF
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
ACT I
SCENE I. — London. The Parliament House.
Alarum. Enter the DuKE OF YORK, Edward, Richard,
Norfolk, Montague, Warwick, and Soldiers.
War. I wonder how the king escaped our hands.
York. While we pursued the horsemen of the north,
He slily stole away and left his men :
Whereat the great Lord of Northumberland,
Whose war-like ears could never brook retreat, 5
Cheer'd up the drooping army ; and himself,
Lord Clifford, and Lord Stafford, all abreast,
Charged our main battle's front, and breaking in
Alarum. Enter the Duke of York . . .] Alarum. Enter Plaiitagenet . . . Ff.
and Soldiers] and Sonldiers, with white Roses in their hats Q. [Other dif-
ferences occur in Folio and Quarto stage-direction.] 1-5. War. I wonder
. . . retreat] 1-5. War. I wonder . . . retrait Q. 6. Cheer'd . . . himself]
omitted Q. 7. Lord Clifford . . . Stafford . . . abreast] 6. Lord Stafford
. . . Clifford . . . abreast Q. 8. Charged . . . in] 7. Chargde . . . front,
and therewith him Q.
I. / wonder . . .] See first line of ing. Peele gives us the old spelling (as
Act ii. in Q) in The Honour of the Garter (^8g,
5. brook] put up with. Character- b, Dyce, i^j^i) : —
istic of these three plays, where it "And by and by a loud r^/r<7j7<r he
occurs about a dozen times ; elsewhere rung,
almost confined to Shakespeare's early The train retired."
work. Frequent in Greene's plays. See Grafton, i. 518, quoted at
5. retreat] Used htre with reference "Ascribes the glory to God " {Henry
to the bugle call or sounding of retreat. VL iii. iv. 10-12).
See note at " sound retreat " {^ Henry 8. main battle] Again in Riehard
VI. IV. viii. 4), which expression occurs ///. v. iii. 2gg. This is the earliest
again in 1 Henry IV. and in Henry V. example in New Eng. Diet. It is
Hence the appropriate use of " warlike earlier in Peele's Battle of Aleazar,
ears," " retreat " signifying the sound- iv. i. ; —
4 TiiK 'I'm HI) PAirr of [act i.
Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.
n.dw. Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham, lO
Is either slain or wounded dangerous ;
I cleft his beaver with a downright blow :
That this is true, father, behold his blood.
Mont. And, brother, here 's the Earl of Wiltshire's blood.
Whom I cncounter'd as the battles join'd. i 5
Rich. Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did.
[ 'fit rowing down the Duke of Somerset's head.
York. Richard hath best deserved of all my sons.
But is your grace dead, my Lord of Somerset?
Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt !
Rich. Thus do I hope to shake King Henry's head. 20
War. And so do I. Victorious Prince of York,
Before I see thee seated in that throne
Which now the house of Lancaster usurps,
I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close.
This is the palace of the fearful king, 25
9. Were , . . slain'] 8. Brake in and were by the hands of common soulditrs
slain Q. 10-13. Lord Stafford's . . . doivnright blow: That this is true,
father . . . blood] 9-12. Lord Staffords . . . doivnc right blow : Father that
this is . . . blond Q. 15. battles] 14. battailes Q. i5. [Throwing down
. . . /j<;nrf.] Theobald. 17. Richard . . . 50H5] omitted Q. 18. But is]
16. York. What is Q. 19-26. Such hope . . . the fearful king, And this
. . . York] ij-2^. Such hope . . . that fear efull King, And that . . . YorkeQl.
" ten thousand horse : 12. downright blow] Only again in
The main battle of harquebuze on 2 Henry VI. 11. iii. 92, where see note,
foot, The expression is in Holland's Plinie
And twenty thousand horsemen in {1601) : " let drive and lay at them
their troops." either with full down-right or cross-
The main body of the army. " Main blowes " (bk. xv. ch. iii. p. 431, c).
battle " had an earlier sense of import- 15. as the battles join'd] See below,
ant or great fight as compared with 11. i. 121, the only other example in
skirmishing. So in Greene's Pene- Shakespeare of this old expression for
lope's Web (Grosart, v. 165): " inua- beginning the fight. " To join," in the
sion either by skirmish, Camizado, or sense of entering on any serious busi-
maine battell.'" It is in Grafton's ness, is a common northern provincial-
Chronicle, ism. Joined ploughing or reaping,
9. swords of common soldiers] See joined at the turf, joined to fight,
note at 2 Henry VL v. ii. 58. '1 he joined to rain, are usual. Compare
statement here is an inadvertency Grafton, i. 30: "At the length they
(Malone). See below, line 55 and i. ioyned battaile and met together nere
iii. 5. aRyuer called Stoore " : and again
11. dangerous] So Folio. The Q p. 238. See Genesis xiv. S. And see
gives daugerouslie, adopted by Theo- Grosart's Greene, xiii. 318, yames the
bald, unnecessarily. Shakespeare uses Fourth (" as the Kings arc joyning
adjectives adverbially very often. battaile,'" stage-direction). But taking
12. beaver] helmet, as in 1 Henry "battles" to mean troops simplifies
7F. IV. i. 104, and Richard III. v. iii. the expression. See Kyd, Spanish
50. Elsewhere in Shakespeare it is Tragedy, i. iii. 60: —
the visor of the helmet, as in Faerie "When both the armies were in
Queene, u. v. 6, etc. Fr. baviirc. battell ioynd."
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 5
And this the regal seat : possess it, York ;
For this is thine and not King Henry's heirs'.
York. Assist me then, sweet Warwick, and I will ;
For hither we have broken in by force.
Norf. We '11 all assist you ; he that flies shall die. 30
York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk. Stay by me, my lords ;
And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night.
[ They go up.
War. And when the King comes, offer him no violence.
Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.
York. The queen this day here holds her parliament, 35
But little thinks we shall be of her council :
By words or blows here let us win our right.
Rich. Arm'd as we are, let 's stay within this house.
War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd,
Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king, 40
And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice
Hath made us by-words to our enemies.
York. Then leave me not, my lords ; be resolute ;
I mean to take possession of my right.
War. Neither the king, nor he that loves him best, 45
The proudest he that holds up Lancaster,
Dares stir a wing if Warwick shake his bells.
27-29. For this . . . hither we have . . . force] 25-27. For this . . . hither
are we . . .force Q. 30. yoti ; he] 28. thee, and ht Q. 31, 32. Thanks
. . . stay] 29, 30. Thanks . . . staie you here and lodge this night Q. 33,
34. A7id when . . . thrust you . . . perforce] 31, 32. Afid when . . . put us
out by force Q. 35-37- York. The queen . . . right] omitted Q. 38. as
we are] 33. as we be Q. 39-42. The bloody . . . Henry deposed . . ,
enemies] 2'\-37- The bloudie . . . Henrie be deposde . . . enemies Q. 43-49-
The7i leave . . . be resolute ; I mean . . . nor he that , . . proudest he . . .
26. regal seat] This is the expres- Henry VIII. v. iii. 130. See note at
sion of Holinshed, not of Hall or " the proudest of you all " (i Htvirj F/.
Grafton. The latter uses "throne iv. vii. 84). Peele used it earlier in
roiale," or " siege royal." It is in Edward I. : —
Locrine, " True Honour in her regale " Follow pursue ! spare not the
j^at " (495, b, ed. Tyrrell). proudest he
32. lodge] lie, sleep. See 2 Henry That havocks England's sacred
VI. I. i. 80; and below, iv. iii. 13, royalty"
41. And . . . cotvardice] " Henry " (Dyce, 406, a, 1S74). And Greene,
must be allowed three syllables here jfames the Fourth {GTOs&rt,xii\. 232)' —
with the accent on the last, and " her virtues may compare
" cowardice" with two final unaccented With the proudest she that waits
syllables— for scansion. upon your Queen."
42. by-toords] objects of reproach Halliwell thinks " bird " of the Quarto
and derision, as in Deuteronomy xxviii. carries out the metaphor better. So
37, and Psalms xliv. 14. it docs, but it is far tamer.
46. The proudest he] Occurs Ag3i\n in 47. if Wanvick shake his bells] A
Taming of Shrew, iii. ii. 236, and metaphor from falconry ; a favourite
6 THE TIIIlll) PART OF [act i.
I '11 jjjant Plantagcnet, root him up who dares.
Resolve thee, Richard : claim the English crown.
Flourish. Enter King \\y.^\<\ , Cliffokij, N'(JkTHUMBER-
LAND, Westmoreland, Exetek, ami the rest.
K. 1 1 en. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits, 50
Even in the chair of state ! belike he means,
Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer,
To aspire unto the crown and reign as king.
Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father,
And thine. Lord Clifford ; and you both have vow'd 55
revenge
On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends.
North. If I be not, heavens be revenged on me !
Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.
West. What ! shall we suffer this ? let 's pluck him down :
My heart for anger burns : I cannot brook it. 60
K. Hen. Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.
Clif. Patience is for poltroons, such as he :
He durst not sit there had your father liv'd.
My gracious lord, here in the parliament
Let us assail the family of York. 65
root him up . , . crown] 38-44. Then leave . . . for now I meane . . . nor him
that . . . proudest bnrd . . . root him out . . . crowne Q. 49. Flourish.]
F i; omitted Ff 2, 3, 4; Q. Enter . . . and the rest.] Ff; Enter [some-
what varied] . . . with red Roses in their hats Q. 50. My lords, look] 45.
Looke Lordings Q. 50-56. where the sturdy . . . thine. Lord Clifford . . .
friends] 45-51. tvhere the sturdy . . . thine Clifford . . .friends Q. 57. If
I be] 52. And if I be Q. 57-60. heavens be . . . pluck him . . . burns : I
cannot brook it] 52-55. heavens be . . . Pull him . . . breakes, I cannot speake Q.
61-66. K. Hen. Be patient . . . be it so] 56-61. King. Be patient ... be it so Q.
I
source with Shakespeare. See Othello,
III. iii. 261-3 (in this edition, notes) ;
and As You Like It, in. iii. 89. Com-
pare Lucrece, 510, 511 : —
" Harmless Lucretia, marking what
he tells
With trembling fear, as fowl hear
falcon's bells."
The bell was attached above the foot.
So in Greene's Tnllies Love (Grosart,
vii. 116) : " Lentulus, willing to make
flight at the foule, and yet not to have
a bel at his heele, answered thus."
50. lords] lordings in Q ; see note at
Part II. I. i. 143. Shakespeare dis-
cards this word, later, entirely.
50. sturdy] Only again in Venus
and Adonis, 152, of trees; strong, stout.
Here it has the bad sense of Spenser's
Faerie Qtieene, 11. vii. 40 : —
" therein did wayt
A sturdie villein, stryding stiffe
and bold."
Greene was fond of the word. Com-
pare this speech with the King's in
2 Henry VI. v. i. 161- 174. Backbone
is being put into his construction ; but
uselessly, line 72.
51. belike] as it seems, probably.
No one so fond of this word as Shake-
speare ; it occurs half-a-dozen times
in this play. For the original form.
" by like," see note at " safeguard,"
below, II. ii. 18.
58. mourn in steel] Compare " why
mourn we not in blood " (J Henry VI.
I. i. 17).
62. poltroon] lazy coward. Only
here in Shakespeare. Capell inserts
"and" (F 2) before "such."
sc. I] KING HENKY THE SIXTH 7
North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin : be it so.
K. Hen. Ah, know you not the city favours them.
And they have troops of soldiers at their beck ?
Exe. But when the duke is slain they'll quickly fly.
K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart, 70
To make a shambles of the parliament-house !
Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words and threats.
Shall be the war that Henry means to use.
Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne.
And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet ; 75
I am thy sovereign.
York. I am thine.
Exe. For shame, come down : he made thee Duke of York.
Yor'k. It was my inheritance, as the earldom was.
Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown 80
In following this usurping Henry.
Clif. Whom should he follow but his natural king?
War. True, Clifford : and that 's Richard, Duke of York.
K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne ?
York. It must and shall be so: content thyself. 85
War. Be Duke of Lancaster : let him be king.
6y-6g. K. Hen. Ah, know you . . . quickly fly] 62-6^. King. O know you . . .
quicklie flie Q. 70-74. Far be . . . from Henry's heart . . . frowns, words
. . . the war . . . my throne] 65-69. Far be it from the thoughtes of Henries
heart . . . words, frowns, . . . the warres . . . mythro7:eQ. 75. And . . .
feet] omitted Q. 76. I am . . . thine] 70, 71. / am thy soncraigne. York.
Thou art deceived: I am thine Q. 77, 78. For shame . . . earldom was]
72, 73. For shame . . . 'Twas mine inheritance as the kingdome is Q. 79-
83. Thy father . . . that 's Richard, Duke of York] 74-7*^- Thy father . . .
that is Richard Duke of Yorkc [F i reads that 's (omitting and)] Q. 84, 85.
And . . . and thou sit . . . It must . . . content thyself] 80, 81. And . . .
while thou sittest . . . Content thyselfe it must . . . so Q. 86-88. Be . . .
68. at their beck] Again in Sonnet 76. sovereign. I am thine] Theo-
58 ; Taming of Shrew, Ind. ii. 36 ; and bald, followed by Malone and Steevens,
Hamlet, 111. i. 127. inserted " Thou 'rt deceived," from
69. Exeter] Folios give this speech Q.
erroneously to Westmoreland. Cor- 78. It was my inheritance] If the
rected by Theobald. reading of the Folio is to be altered to
71. shambles] Again in Othello, that of the Quarto, harmony would
IV. ii. 66. The number of butcher demand the whole " 'Twas mine in-
metaphors in these plays has been heritancc." The alteration of " king-
noted in Part II., at "slaughter- dom" to "earldom" here "only exhibits
house" (hi. i. 212). the same meaning more obscurely"
74. factious] rebellious. Often in (Malone).
these plays; see Part I. iv. i. 113, 190; 7S. carldow] the earldom of March,
and Part II. 11. i. 39 (note). by which, through his mother, he
74. descend] climb down, as of a claimed the throne,
hill, or a flight of steps ; the throne 82. «a/i<ra/] rightful.
includes the steps to the dais.
8 THE THIKI) I»Airr OF [act i.
IVesi. He is both kiiifj and Duke of I^ncastcr;
And that the Lord of Westmoreland shall maintain.
War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget
That we are those which chased you from the field 90
And slew your fathers, and with colours spread
March'd through the city to the palace gates.
North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief;
And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it.
West, riantagenet, of thee and these thy sons, 95
Thy kinsmen and thy friends, I '11 have more lives
Than drops of blood were in my father's veins.
Clif. Urge it no more ; lest that, instead of words,
I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger
As shall revenge his death before I stir. 100
War. Poor Clifford ! how I scorn his worthless threats.
York. Will you we show our title to the crown ?
If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.
K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown ?
Thy father was, as thou art, Duke of York. 105
Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March.
I am the son of Henry the Fifth,
Who made the Dauphin and the French to stoop.
And .seized upon their towns and provinces.
War. Talk not of France, sith thou hast lost it all. 1 10
K. Hen. The lord protector lost it, and not I :
When I was crown'd I was but nine months old.
He is . . . the Lord . . . tnaintaiti] 82-84. Be . . . Why ? he is . . . the
Earle . . . mainetaine Q. 89-92. And Warwick . . . those which chased
. . . fathers . . . palace gates'] 85-S8. And Warwike . . . those that chaste
. . . father . . . pallas gates Q. 93, 94. Yes . . . rue it] 89, 90. No . . .
re7v it Q. 95-97. Plantagenet . . . these thy . . . Than . . . veins] 91-93.
Plantagenet . . . of thy . . . Then . . . vaines Q. 98-100. Urge it . . .
that, instead of words . . . stir] 93-95. Urge it . . . i/i revenge thereof . . .
stirre Q. 101-106. Poor Clifford . . . his worthless . . . Will you . . . If
not . . . Earl of March] 96-101. Poore Clifford . . . thy worthies . . . Wil
ye . . . or else . . . earle of March Q. 107-109. I am . . . Who made . . .
stoop . . . provinces] 102-10^. lam . . . who tamde the French, And made the
Dolphin stoopc . . . prouinces Q. 110-114. Talk . . . sith . . . usurper's
head] 105-109. Talk . . . since . . . Vsurper's head Q.
91. colours spread] So in 1 Henry VI. 11. ii. 8 ; and Troilus and Cres-
VI. in. iii. 31 : " There goes the Talbot sida, iv. i. 69 : —
with his colours spread." And below, " For every false drop in her bawdy
11. 251, 252. And Tamburlaine, Part veins
I. IV. i. (Dyce, 25, a) : — A Grecian's life hath sunk."
" The rogue of Volga . . . 107. / am the son] Johnson says
Hath spread his colours to our Henry the Fifth's military reputation
high disgrace. . . ." was the sole support of his son. The
96, 97. more lives Than drops of name dispersed the followers of Cade.
blood . . . veins] Compare 1 Henry 112. When I was croivn'd] Henry
SC. I.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
9
Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks, you lose.
Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head.
Edw. Sweet father, do so ; set it on your head. 1 1 5
Mont. Good brother, as thou lovest and honourest arms.
Let 's fight it out and not stand cavilling thus.
Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king will fly.
York. Sons, peace !
K. Hen. Peace thou ! and give King Henry leave to speak. 120
War. Plantagenet shall speak first : hear him, lords ;
And be you silent and attentive too,
For he that interrupts him shall not live.
K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my kingly throne,
Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? 125
No : first shall war unpeople this my realm ;
Ay, and their colours, often borne in France,
And now in England to our heart's great sorrow.
Shall be my winding-sheet. Why faint you, lords ?
115. Sweet . . . head] 110. Do so sweet father, set . . . head Q. 116-119.
Good brother . . . Sons, peace I] 111-114. Good brother . . . Peace soiines Q.
120. K. Hen. Peace thou ! . . . speak]ii§. Northiim. Peace thou . . . speakeQ.
121-123. War. Plantagenet shall . . . not live] omitted Q. 124. Think'st
thou . . . throne] 116-120. King. Ah Plantagenet, why seekest thou to depose
me? Are we not both Plantagenets by birth, And from two brothers lineallie
discent ? Suppose by right and equitie thou be king, Thinkst thou . . . seate Q.
125-130. Wherein my grandsire . . .father . . . their colours . . . title's good
. . . his] 121-126. Wherein my father . . . grandsire . . . oiir colours . . .
titles better far than his Q.
was crowned at Westminster, Novem-
ber 6, 1429. See 2 Henry VI. 11. iii.
22-24 for the period (1437) when he
assumed the responsibility of govern-
ment. The reference here is to the
proclamation of " Prince Henry beyng
then about the age of ix Moneths with
sounde of Trumpets openly . . . King
of England & of Fraunce, the last daye
of August, 1422," by his uncles and
"the other Lordes of the counsayle "
(Grafton, i. 549). F"or his coronation
at Paris (at nine months old), see
Richard III. 11. iii. 16, 17.
118. lineallie discent] in Q. See
note below at ill. iii. 87.
118. Sound drums and trumpets]See
again Part II. v. iii. 32, and note. And
below, V. vii. 45 ; and in Richard III.
Several times in Locrine.
120. give . . . leave to speak] See
Henry VIII. iv. ii. 32. And below,
I. ii. I (Quarto). This speech is given
to Northumberland in Q. But it
may properly belong to Henry. Like
all weak characters, he is petulantly
authoritative at times.
126. unpeople this my realm] So
Peele in David aiid Bethsabe (472, b,
Dyce, 1874): " Unpeople Rabbah and
the streets thereof." See Antony and
Cleopatra, i. v. 78. The King, in this
whole scene, shows how his vacilla-
tions have been carefully attended to.
And Marlowe, Tamburlainc, Part I. in.
iii. (Dyce, 22, a) : —
" Let him bring millions infinite of
men.
Unpeopling Western .\frica and
Greece."
129. winding-sheet] grave-clothes.
Not again in Shakespeare, except below,
II. v. 114. Nashe (?) uses it in An
Almond for a Parrot (id. M'Kerrow,
iii. 362), 1590: " hee will wrappe all
your cleargie once agayne in Lazarus
winding shecte."
129. Wliy faint you] "why funk
you " would be the synonym. Shake-
speare dropped this use later. He has
10 THE TlIIKl) PART OF [act i
My title's ^oo^i ^'^'^1 better far than his. 130
War. Trove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
/C. Hen. Henry the Fourth by conquest got the crown.
York. 'Tvvas by rebellion against his king.
K. I fen. \ Aside.] I know not what to say: my title's weak.
Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? 135
York. What then ?
A'. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king;
For Richarfl, in the view of many lords,
Resign'd the crown to Henry the F'ourth,
Whose heir my father was, and I am his. 140
York. He rose against him, being his sovereign.
And made him to resign his crown perforce.
War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd,
Think you 'twere prejudicial to his crown?
Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown 145
But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
K. Hen. Art thou against us, Duke of Exeter?
Exe. His is the right, and therefore pardon me.
York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer not ?
Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. 150
K. Hen. [Aside.] All will revolt from me, and turn to him.
North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st,
Think not that Henry shall be so deposed.
War. Deposed he shall be in despite of all.
North. Thou are deceived : 'tis not thy southern power, 155
131-135. Prove it . . . Henry the Fourth . . . agaitist his king . . . ati
heir .^] 127-131. Protie it . . . Why Henrie the fourth . . . gainst his soueraigne
. . . an heire? Q. 136. York. What fhcn!>] 132. War. What then? Q.
137. An if he may] omitted Q. 137-140. then am I . . . For Richard . . .
am his] 133-136.' Then am I . . . For Richard The second . . . am his Q.
141, 142. He rose . . . his crown perforce] 137, 138. I tell thee he rose . . .
the crown perforce Q. 143, 144. Suppose, my lords . . . 'twere . . . his
crown ?] 139, 140. Suppose my Lord . . . that were . . . the Crowne ? Q.
145, 146. No . . . his crown . . . should . . . reign] 141, 142. No . . . the
Crowne . . . must . . . raigne Q. 147, 148. Art thou . . . me"] 143, 144.
Art thou . . . Q. 149, 150. York. Why whisper . . . Exe. My conscience . . # ]
omitted Q. 151-154. All will . . . that Henry . . . so deposed . . . of all]
145-148. Allivill . . . King Henry . . . thus de'posde ? . . . of thee Q. 155-
158. Thou art . . . power . . . Kent, Which . . . of me] 149-152. Tush War-
wike. Thou art . . . powers of Essex, Suffolke, Norffolke, and of Kent that
. . . of me Q.
itinhispoems, in/?ic/jard//., ^J'^^'O'''^ Continuation of Hardy ng, i. 543 (p.
///., Troilus and Cressida, and King 576): " many of Cornyshe men faynted
yohn. This sense is noted on in Part . . . and for feare fled. . . . But this
III. (True Tragedy) at "fainting Michael Joseph was a man of suche
troops" (last scene) ; an expression of stoute courage & valiauntness that he
Marlowe's also. Compare Grafton's never fainted or once gave back."
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 11
Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud.
Can set the duke up in despite of me.
Clif. King Henry, be thy title right or wrong,
Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence : i6o
May that ground gape and swallow me alive.
Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father!
K. Hen. O Clifford ! how thy words revive my heart.
York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown.
What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? 165
War. Do right unto this princely Duke of York,
Or I will fill the house with armed men,
And o'er the chair of state, where now he sits,
Write up his title with usurping blood.
\^He stamps with his foot, and the Soldiers
show themselves.
K. Hen. My Lord of Warwick, hear me but one word : 170
Let me for this my life-time reign as king.
York. Confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs,
And thou shalt reign in quiet while thou liv'st.
K. Hen. I am content : Richard Plantagenet,
Enjoy the kingdom after my decease. 175
159-162. Clif. King Henry . . . shall kneel . . . father] 153-156. Cliff.
King Henrie . . . do kneale . . . father Q. 163-169. O Clifford . . . my
heart . . . And o'er the chair . . . usurping blood] 157-163. O Clifford . . .
my sonic . . . [Enter souldiers] And over the chaire . . . thy usurping blond Q.
170, 171. K. Hen. My Lord . . . king] 164, 165. King. O Warwikc, hcare me
speake. Let me but raigne in quiet whilst I Hue Q. 172-175. Confirm . . .
thou liv'st. K. Hen. I am content . . . decease] i66-i6g. Confirmc . . . thou
livest. King. Conney the souldiers hence, and then I will. War. Captaine
conduct them into Tnthill fieldes Q.
161. ground gape and swallow me] 166. Do right] give justice, a very
Compare Richard IH. i. ii. 65 : " earth, frequent phrase of Shakespeare's,
gape open wide and eat him quick." 166. princely Duke of York]x.\\&U\.\c
Both from Peele perhaps: — King Henry gives him in Fart I. in. i.
" Gape earth and swallow me, and 173 : " And rise created princely Duke
let my soul of York.''' For the repetition of
Sink down to hell." "princely" in these plays, see note at
(Edward /. 408, a.) As it comes off in Part I. v. iii. 176.
Edward I., it would be impressive. 167. armed men] See again 1 Henry
Steevens quotes from Phaer's transla- VL 11. ii. 24.
tion of the fourth ^neid : " But rather 168. f/«a»>t)/i<aff] See above, i. i. 51.
would I wish the ground to gape for 169. Tuthill fieldes] See note at
me below." I have not veritied it. "Saint George's field," Part II. v. i.
See in Kyd, Cornelia: " O earth, why 46.
op'st thou not?" (bad news) (v. iy2, i-j^. Confirm the crown ... thou
39). liv'st] See extract at iv. ix. 2S-30 (Part
162. sle7v mv father] See above, II.) for the opening of York's claim,
line 9, and line 55. and his support by Warwick.
12 riiK rniKi) vahv ok [acti.
C/if. What wroii}^ is this unto the prince your son!
IVur. What good is this to Kn^Mand and himself!
IVesi. Base, fearful, and despairing Henry !
C/i/. How hast thou injured both th)-self and us!
IFcsf. I cannot stay to hear these articles. i 8o
North. Nor 1.
Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these news.
West. Farewell, faint-hearted and degenerate king.
In whose cold blood no spark of honour bides.
North. Be thou a prey unto the house of York, 185
And die in bands for this unmanly deed !
Clif. In dreadful war may'st thou be overcome.
Or live in peace abandon'd and despised !
{Exeunt North., Clif., and West.
War. Turn this way, Henry, and regard them not.
Exe. They seek revenge and therefore will not yield. 190
K. Hen. Ah ! Exeter.
War. Why should you sigh, my lord ?
K. Hen. Not for myself. Lord Warwick, but my son,
W^hom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But be it as it may ; 1 here entail
The crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever; 195
176, 177. What wrong . . . to England . . . himself.'] 170, 171. What
wrong . . . for England and hitnselfe ? 0^. 178-182. West. Base . . . Henry !
Clif. How . . . injured . . . us I . . . articles. North. Nor I. Clif. Come
. . . news'] 172-175. Northum. Base . . . Henry. Clif. How . . . wronged
. . . vs ? . . . Articles. \^Exit.] Clif. Nor I. Come cosen lets go tell the
Qucene Q. 183, 184. West. Farewell . . . bides] omitted Q. 185-18S. Be
thou . . . unmanly deed . . . despised] 176-179. Be thou . . . unkingly deede.
Exit. . . . despisde. Exit. Q. 189. Turn . . . not] omitted Q. 190- 195.
They seek . . . yield . . . thine heirs for ever] 180-186. They seekc . . . yield
my lord . . . thine heires, conditionallie Q.
186. die in bands] in confinement, infringing any point of this Concorde,
Marlowe has it in Edward II. : " Wea- then the sayde Crowne and aucthoritie
ponless must I fall, and die in bands ? " royall should immediately dissende to
(beginning of Act iii.) (Dyce, 202, a). A the Duke of Yorke, if he then lyued,
later play than The True Tragedie. or else to the next heyre of his line or
192-201. Not for myself . . . This linage, and that the Duke from thence-
oath . , .] Grafton says: "After long forth should be Protector and Regent
arguments made . . . among the Peeres, of the land. Provided alway, that if
Prelates, and commons of the realme; the King did closely or apertly studie
upon the vigile of all Saintes, it was or go about to breake or alter this agre-
condescended and agreed, by the three ment, or to compasse or imagine the
estates, for so much as King Henry death or destruction of the sayde Duke
hadbeene taken as King, by the space of or hys bloud, then he to forfeit the
xxxviij. yeres and more that he should crowne, and the Duke of Yorke to take
enioy the name and tytle of king and it. These articles with many other,
haue possession of the realme, during were not only written, sealed and sworne
his life natural! ; And if he eyther died by the two parties; but also were en-
or resigned, or forfeited the same, for acted in the high court of Parliament
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 13
Conditionally that here thou take an oath
To cease this civil war, and, whilst I live.
To honour me as thy king and sovereign ;
And neither by treason nor hostility
To seek to put me down and reign thyself. 200
York. This oath I willingly take and will perform.
War. Long live King Henry ! Plantagenet, embrace him.
K. Hen. And long live thou and these thy forward sons !
York. Now York and Lancaster are reconciled.
Exe. Accursed be he that seeks to make them foes ! 205
[Sennet. Here they come down.
York. Farewell, my gracious lord : I '11 to my castle.
War. And I '11 keep London with my soldiers.
Norf. And I to Norfolk with my followers.
Mont. And I unto the sea from whence I came.
[Exeunt York and his Sons, Warwick, Norfolk,
Montague, Soldiers and Attendants.
K. Hen. And I with grief and sorrow, to the court. 210
Enter Queen MARGARET and the PRINCE OF WALES.
Exe. Here comes the queen, whose looks bewray her anger :
I '11 steal away.
K. Hen. Exeter, so will I.
196-198. that hci'e . . . an oath . . . this civil war . . . sovereign] 187,
188. That here . . . thine oath . . . these ciuill Broiles . . . Soucraigne Q.
199, 200. And . . . thyself] omitted Q. 201-205. This oath . . . and these
thy . . . /o^s] 189-193. That oath . . . and all thy . . . foes, Sound trumpet Q.
206. Farewell . . . castle] 194, 195. My Lord He take my leauc, for lie to
Wakefield To my Castell. Exit Yorke and his sonnes Q. 207-209. And I'll
. . . And I to . . . And I unto . . . came] 196-198. And He . . . Exit. And
He to . . . Exit. And I to . . . came. Exit. Enter the Queene and the Prince
Q. 210. A^. Hen. And I . . . court] omitted Q. 211, 212. Here . . . so
will I] 199, 200. My Lord here comes the Queen, He steale away. King. And
so will I Q.
. . . upon the Saturday next ensuyng, Henrie the Sixt, or to the hurt or
Richard Duke of Yorke, was by the diminishing of his raignes or dignitie
sound of a trumpet, solempnly pro- roiall, by violence or anie other waie,
claimed heyre apparaunt to the crowne against his frccdome or libertie. . . ."
of Englande, and Protectour of the 197. civil war] Very properly re-
realme " (i. 669, 1.461, 39th Yere). places "civil broils " of Q, an expres-
Amongst the many other articles "not sion occurring in I Henry VI. i. i. 53,
given by Hall or Grafton, is York's and 2 Henry VI. iv. viii. 46, but not
oath, given by Holinshed" (i8t)Sed., iii. where the crown is called in question.
266): "I Richard Duke of Yorke pro- 203. S<;/wc/] Only appears as a stage-
mise and swcare by the faith and truth direction in Shakespeare. .\ special
that I owe to almightie God, that I sounding of the trumpets,
will neuer consent, procure, or stirre, 206. wjj' castle] " to Wakefield to tny
directlie, or indirectlie, in priuieor apert castle." Q is useful.
. . . anie thing that may sound to the 211. the queen . . . her anger] "QoXh
abridgement of the naturall life of King texts bring in the queen dramatically,
14 THK THIRD PART OF [act i.
Q. Afar. Nay, ^o not from me ; I will follow thee.
K. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay.
Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes ? 215
Ah ! wretched man ; would I had died a maid,
And never seen thee, never borne thee son,
Seeinj^ thou hast proved so unnatural a father.
Hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus?
Hadst thou but loved him half so well as I, 220
Or felt that pain which I did for him once.
Or nourish'd him as I did with my blood,
Thou would'st have left thy dearest heart-blood there,
Rather than have made that savage duke thine heir, '
And disinherited thine only son. 225
Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me.
If you be king, why should not I succeed ?
K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret ; pardon me, sweet son :
The Earl of Warwick and the duke enforced me.
Q. Mar. Enforced thee ! art thou king, and wilt be forced ? 230
I shame to hear thee speak. Ah ! timorous wretch ;
Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me ;
And given unto the house of York such head
As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance,
213, 214. Nay . , . Be patient . . . and I will stay] 201, 202, Nate state,
or else I follow thee. King. Be . . . then He staie Q. 215, 216. Q. Mar.
Who can . . • man] 203. Qiicene. What patience can there ? ah timorous man Q.
216-229. would I had died a maid . . . enforced me] omitted Q. 230-234.
Enforced thee . . . sufferance] 204-206. Thou hast . . . and me (1. 232) And
giuen our rights unto the house of Yorke. Art thou a king and wilt beforst
toyeeld? Q.
the present one adding " her anger." and dramatic importance, from the
She does not really come at all. "The Quarto, is to be noticed. At her first
Duke of Yorke well knowyng that the entry her first speech is nearly trebled,
Queene would spurne and impugne the with the addition of several poetic
conclusions agreed and taken in this touches. Moreover, the lines which
Parliament, caused her and her sonne have been knocked out of verse and
to be sent for by the King : but she misprinted are rearranged into proper
being a manly woman, vsyng to rule metre. The Queen boasts a good deal
and not to be ruled, and thereto coun- more, being a manly woman, in the
sayled by the Dukes of Excester and developed speech, as at line 254 ; we
Sommerset, not only denyed to come, see at once what Shakespeare's view is,
but also assembled together a great and what he does, given a free hand,
armie, intendyng to take the King by 223. heart-blood] An old expression,
fine force, out of the Lordes handes, revived by Spenser in S/if/A^^arif's Ca/-
and to set them to a newe schoole " ender. Shakespeare has it in each of
(Grafton, i. 670). these three plays, and three times in
211. bewray] betray, as below, iii. Richard II. Also figuratively in
iii. 97, in the sense of expose to view, Troilus and Cressida. It is not in Q.
discover. Occurs again in King Lear, 233. given . . . such head] A term
Coriolanus. and Titus Andronicus. in horsemanship, liberty of motion
215. Q. Mar. Who can . . .] The (Schmidt). See again Tam»;«^o/"SAr«a>,
development of the Queen's character 11. ii. 249, and 2 Henry IV. i. i. 43.
SC. I.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
15
To entail him and his heirs unto the crown, 235
What is it but to make thy sepulchre,
And creep into it far before thy time ?
Warwick is chancellor and the lord of Calais ;
Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow seas ;
The duke is made protector of the realm ; 240
And yet shalt thou be safe ? such safety finds
The trembling lamb environed with wolves.
Had I been there, which am a silly woman.
The soldiers should have toss'd me on their pikes
Before I would have granted to that act ; 245
But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour :
235-238. To entail him . . . Calais] omitted Q. 239-241. Stern Faulcon-
bridge . . . safe?] 209 (^ line)-2i2 (^ line). The Duke is made . . . land:
Sterne . . . seas. And thinkst thou theJiTo sleepe sectirc ? Q. 2^1, 2\2. such
safety . . . wolves] omitted Q. 243-246. Had I . . . honour] 207-209 (^).
Had I beene there, the souldiers should have tost Me on their lances points,
before I would hauc Granted to their wils Q. 246, 247. But thou . . . thou
dost] omitted Q.
238. Warwick . . . Calais] These
appointments are not mentioned by
the Queen in Q. At the parHament
held at Westminster after the first
battle of St. Albans (1455-6), Grafton
tells that " the Erie of Salisbury
(Warwick's father) was appointed to
be Chauncelor, & had the great Scale
to him delivered : and the Erie of War-
wike was elected to the office of the
Capteyne of Calice " (i. 654).
239. Stern Faulconbridge . . . nar-
row seas] This appointment is men-
tioned later after the battle of Tewkes-
bury in "the X Yere " of Edward the
Fourth (Grafton, ii. 43) : " One Thomas
Neuel, Bastard sonne to Thomas Lorde
Fauconbndge the valyaunt capitayne,
a man of no lesse courage than au-
dacitie. . . . Thys Bastarde was before
thys time appoynted by the Erie of
Warwike to be Viceadmyrall of the
Sea, and had in charge so to keepe
the passage between Douer and Calice,
that none which either fauored King
Edward or his friends should escape."
Stone says: " This appointment must
have been made in 1470 after Warwick
had broken with Edward IV." After
Warwick's death he turned robber and
pirate, and was taken and beheaded
at Southampton. Marlowe copies this
line in Edward II. : " The haughty
Dane commands the narrow seas."
See note at iv. viii. 3 below.
239. narrow seas] from Q. See
again below, iv. viii, 3, and Merchant
of Venice, 11. viii. 28 and ni. i. 4. The
expression occurs in Golding's Ovid,
bk. xiv. line 819 : —
" The Lady crueller
Than are the rysing narrowe seas."
The expression occurs in " English
Policy " (in Hakluyt), 1436. See also
J. Aske, Elizabctha Triumphans
(Nichols' Prog. ii. 574), 1588.
240. duke is made protector] For the
Duke's third protectorship, see above,
II. 192-201, extract.
242. lamb . . . wo/z'^] This favour-
ite metaphor occurs about eight times
in these plays. In the two later plays
it is usually absent (as here) from the
Quarto.
243. silly woman] "mere woman."
Occurs again in Two Gentlemen of
Verona. Not in Q. In Faerie Queenc,
1. i. 30, and in Peele's David and
Bethsabe.
244. toss'd me on their pikes] Com-
pare J. Kainoldes Dolarneys Primcrose
(Grosart, p. 106), 1606 : " to manage
amies, To tosse a pike, and how to
wield a lance." " CJrantcd to that act "
is a peculiar construction (consented
to) not in Shakespeare elsewhere. It is
in Q. In the " Irving Shakespeare "
a quotation from Hall (254), " Grauntcd
to their petitions," is given.
16
THE Tiiiiu) I'Aur or
ACT I.
And scciiif^ thfju dost, I here divorce myself
Hf)th frf)in thy table, Henry, and thy \ic(\,
Until that act of parliament be repeal'd
Whereby m)' son is disinherited. 250
The northern lords that have forsworn thy colours
Will follow mine, if once they see them spread ;
And spread they shall be, to thy foul disgrace,
And utter ruin of the house of York.
Thus do I leave thee. Come, son, let's away ; 255
Our army is ready ; come, we 'II after them.
A', //et/. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak.
Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already: get thee gone.
K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?
Q. Mar. Ay, to be murdcr'd by his enemies. 260
Prince. When 1 return with victory from the field
I 'II see your grace : till then I 'II follow her.
Q. Mar. Come, son, away ; we may not linger thus.
{Exeunt Queen Margaret and the Prince.
K. Hen. Poor queen ! how love to me and to her son
Hath made her break out into terms of rage. 265
Revenged may she be on that hateful duke,
Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire.
Will cost my crown, and like an empty eagle
247-250. / here . . . disinherited] 212-214. ^ heere diuorce me Henry Prom
thy bed, vntill that Act . . . rccalde, wherein thou yecldest to the house of
Yorke (^. 251-253. The northern . . . foul disgrace] 215-21J. The Northern
. . . spread they shall vnto thy deepe disgrace Q. 254-256. And utter . . .
Come, son . . . after them] 218. Come sonne, lets atvaie, and leaue him heere
alone Q. 2^7-262. Stay, gentle . . . get thee gone . . . thou wilt . . . follow
her] 219-224. Staie gentle . . . therefore be still . . . wilt thou . . . Exit.
follow her. Exit. Q. 263. Co>ne . . . //»«5] omitted Q. 264-272. Poor queen
. . . messenger] 225-230. Poore Queene, her loue to me and to the prince Her
248. table . . . bed] " bed and board "
in As You Like It and Midsummer
Night's Dream,
250. Whereby . .
lone points out the
tion " from Q after
disinherited] Ma-
' remarkable varia-
' Until that act of
parliament be repeal'd." Here the
Queen is a truer woman, and sets her
divorce from his bed a mensa et thoro
down to the wrong to her son.
258. get thee gone] shows
anger," and is more " manly '
haps than " therefore be still " ; '
ful " (266) is, on the other hand, a
softer word for Henry to use than
"accursed." But the Quarto words
are required below, 11. ii. 122.
261. /row the field] "to the field"
her
per-
hate-
in the first Folio, but corrected in the
later ones, so that it was a mere
printer's error.
264. love to mc] One would have ex-
pected an alteration. This was the last
motive operating in the finished queen.
But Henry's simplicity is sustained.
268. cost my crown] Several early
commentators made a difficulty here,
suggesting "coast." "cote," " truss,"
" souse," because " me " is omitted by
a most natural and Shakespearian
touch. See Steevens' (1793) edition,
X. 226, 227.
265, 269. eagle Tire on the flesh]
Compare Venus and Adonis, 56: "an
empty eagle . . . tires with her beak
on feathers, flesh and bone." Compare
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 17
Tire on the flesh of me and of my son !
The loss of those three lords torments my heart : 270
I '11 write unto them and entreat them fair.
Come, cousin ; you shall be the messenger.
Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all. {Exeunt.
SCENE II. — Sandal Castle.
Enter EDWARD, Richard, and Montague.
Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave.
Edw. No, I can better play the orator.
Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible.
Enter the DUKE OF YORK.
York. Why, how now, sons and brother ! at a strife ?
What is your quarrel ? how began it first ? 5
Edw. No quarrel, but a slight contention.
York. About what ?
Rich. About that which concerns your grace and us ;
The crown of England, father, which is yours.
Sonne, Makes hir hi fnrie thus forget hir selfe. Retienged male shee be on that
accursed Duke. Come cosen of Exeter, stale thou here, For Clifford and those
Northren Lords be gone I feare towards Wakefield, to disturbe the Duke Q.
273. And I . . . them all] omitted Q.
Scene ii.
1-3. Rich. Brother . . . Edw. No . . . orator . . . forcible] 1-3. Edw. Brother,
and cosen Montague, giue mee leaiie to speake. Rich. Nay, . . . Orator . . .
forceable Q. 4-5. Enter York. York. Why . . . first ?] 4. Enter the Duke
of Yorke. Yorke. How nowe sonnes what at a jarre amongst your selves ? Q.
6-9. Edw. No quarrel . . . yours] 5-7. (prose) Rich. No father, but a sweete
Golding's Ovid (x. 44): " Too tyre on full " give me leave to speak" in Q,
Titius growing hart the greedy Grype which has already occurred in both
forbeares " (when Orpheus played), texts (i. i. 120 above). See again, in.
Craig quotes from Sidney's Astrophel iii. 22 below.
and Stella, Sonnet 14, where this 2. play the orator]See note, 1 Henry
same gripe tires on Prometheus. Also VI. iv. i. 175. The expression occurs
in Marlowe's Tamburlainc, Part I. there, and twice later in the present
271. entreat them fair] be courteous play. Also in Richard HI. Gabritl
to them. Occurs again Richard III. Harvey has " his constant zeale to play
and Trollus and Crcsslda. Compare the Diuels Oratour " {Pierces Supcr-
" Speak him fair" (aJ Henry VI. iv. erogatlon (Grosart, ii. 75), 1593).
i. 120). Spenserian language : — " Devil's orator " is a favourite ex-
" He them with speaches meet pression of Harvey's.
Does faire entreat ; no courting 4. at a strife] " at a jar " in Quarto
nicetee, here is paralleled in Part H. 1. i. 251 :
But simple, trew and eke unfained " the peers be fall'n at jars." The
sweet " lines 6 to 9 omitting " About what ? "
(Faerie Qiieenc, i. x. 7). are printed as prose in Q, but are obvi-
<> ously verse. The careless printing
of that copy is to be borne in
I. give me leave] Shortened from the mind.
2
18 TIIK rillHI) PART OF [act i.
York. Mine, boy? not till King Henry be dead. lo
Rich. Your right depends not on his life or death.
Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now :
By giving the house of I^ncaster leave to breathe.
It will outrun you, father, in the end.
York. I took an oath that he should quietly reign. i 5
Edw. But for a kingdom any oath may be broken :
I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year.
Rich. No ; God forbid your grace should be forsworn.
York. I shall be, if I claim by open war.
Rich. I 'II prove the contrary, if you 'II hear me speak. 20
York. Thou canst not, son ; it is impossible.
Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took
Before a true and lawful magistrate
That hath authority over him that swears:
Henry had none, but did usurp the place ; 25
Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose,
Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous.
Therefore, to arms ! And, father, do but think
How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown,
contention, about that which conccrnes your zelfe and vs. The crowne of
England father Q. 10-15. York. Mine, boy? . . . quietly reign]S-io. York.
The crowne boy, why Henries yet alive. And I have sworne that he shall
raigne in quiet till His death Q. 16, 17. But . . . one year] 11, 12. But I
would breake an hundred othes to raig7ie one yeare Q. 18-20. No . . . speak]
13-15. And if it please your grace to giue me leaue, I 'II shew your grace the
wale to saue yovr oath. And dispossesse King Henrie from the crowne Q. 21.
Thoti . . . impossible] 16. / prethee Dicke let me heare thy deuise Q. 22, 23.
An oath . . . took , . . magistrate] 17, iS. Then thus my Lord. An oath . . .
sworne before a lawfull magistrate Q. 24, 25. That . . . place] 19. Henry
is none but doth vsurpe your right Q. 26-34. Then, seeing . . . Hcnry\
heart] 20-22. And yet yovr grace stands bound to him by oath. Then noble
14. outrun yoxi] escape from you. v. i. 28. Hall has the word in York's
Compare 2 Henry VI. v. iii. 73 : " Can speech to the lords of parliament
we outrun the heavens ? " See note. above: "without these two poyntes
17. break . . . oaths to reign]'iri3.\\'\- knowen and understanded, your iudge-
well quotes from Cicero here, in his ments may be voyde and your cogita-
edition of True Tragedie (Q i) : cions/r»«o/o«s " (p. 245, ed. 1548).
" Nam si violandum est jus, regnandi 29. to wear a crown] Compare with
gratia Violandum est." York obtained Tamburlaine, Part I. 11. v. (17, a) : —
a dispensation from the Pope to re- " A god is not so glorious as a king,
lease him from his oath. See extract I think the pleasures they enjoy
below from Holinshed at i. iv. 100- in heaven
102. Cannot compare with kingly joys
iS. your grace] Note the omission in earth :
from the finished play of a redundancy To wear a crown enchased with
of titles : " your grace," " noble pearl and gold . . .
father," crowded in Quartos. To ask and have."
27. frivolous] Occurs again in Part And a little later in the same play
I. IV. i. 112 ; and in Taming of Shrew, (18, b) : —
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 19
Within whose circuit is Elysium, 30
And all that poets feign of bliss and joy.
Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest
Until the white rose that I wear be dyed
Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart.
York. Richard, enough: I will be king, or die. 35
Brother, thou shalt to London presently,
And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.
Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk,
And tell him privily of our intent.
You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, 40
With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise :
In them I trust ; for they are soldiers.
Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit.
While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more,
father resolue your selfe, And once more claime the crowne Q. For lines 33, 34
here, rose . . . dyed . . , in . . , blood, seehe\o\v a.t 11. 1.81-&S. 35. Richard
. . . die] 23, 24. /, saist thou so boie ? why then it shall be so. I am resolude
to win the crowne, or die Q. 36, 37. Brother . . . enterprise'^ 30-33. And
Richard thou to London strait shalt post, And bid Richard Nettill Earle of
Warwike To leave the cittie and with his men of warre, To meet me at Saint
Albons ten dales hence Q. 38, 39. Thou, Richard . . . intent] 27-29. Thou
cosen Montague, shalt to Norffolke straight, and bid the Duke to muster uppe
his souldiers, And come to me to Wakefield presentlie Q. 40, 41. You . . .
Lord . . . rise] 25, 26. Edward, thou shalt to Edmtind Brooke Lord . . . rise Q.
42-47. In them . . . Lancaster] omitted Q.
" the ripest fruit of all 40. tny Lord Cobham] A " special
That perfect bliss and sole felicity, friend " of York's. Grafton associates
The sweet fruition of an earthly him with him at the first battle of St.
crown." Albans: "So he (Duke of York)
30. circuit] " circlet " or " circulet " beyng in the Marches of Wales, asso-
is Spenser's word in Mother Hubberds ciate with his speciall friendes, the
Tale: "Circulet of (iolde " and Erles of Sarisbury, and Warwike, the
" golden Circlet " both occur (11. 640- Lorde Cobham and other, assembled
643). See " golden circuit on my an army, and . . . marched toward
head " (i? Henry VI. iir. i. 352 and see London " (i. 653). See line 56.
note). "Round" and " rigol " are 41-43. Kentishmen will willingly
other Shakespearian words for the rise . . .full of spirit] See note at 2
diadem. " Circuit " is not in the old Henry VI. iv. vii. 60, 61. When
versions of these plays. York wished " to cause his great com-
34. lukewarm blood] "lukewarm motion," time of Jack Cade, "the
water" occurs in Timon of Athens, overture of this matter was put forth
" Lukewarm blood " is an expression in Kent," " because the Kentishemen
of Spenser's Faerie Quecne, i. ix. 36, be impacient in wronges, disdeyning
and Visions of Bcllay, Sonnet 6, 1591. of to much oppression, and ever desir-
It is also in Locrine. But the sarcas- ous of newe change, and newe fangle-
tic touch here is Shakespeare's. The nesse " (Grafton, i. 640). For the
speech here has been magically trans- " wise and very good policy " by
formed. which the Kentishmen only, in all
37. 7i'hct on] See King jfohn, in. iv. England, preserved their ancient
i8i, and 2 Henry VI. 11. i. 34. Not liberties an. 1067, see Grafton, i. 155-6.
the common use, as in " whet your 44. what resteth more] See below,
wits," " whet your malice " (Spenser), iv. ii. 13 ; v. vii. 42, and Taming of
20 THK rHIHI) PART OF [act i.
Hut that I seek occasion how to rise, 45
And yet the king n(jt privy to my drift,
Nor any of the house of Lancaster ?
littler a Messenger.
l)Ut, stay : what news ? why com'st thou in such post ?
Mess. The queen with all the northern earls aiul lords
Intend here to besiege you in your castle. 50
She is hard by with twenty thousand men,
And therefore fortify your hold, my lord.
York. Ay, with my sword. What ! think'st thou that we fear
them ?
Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me ;
My brother Montague shall post to London : 55
Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest,
Whom we have left protectors of the king,
With powerful policy strengthen themselves,
And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths.
47. Enter . . . ] Enter Gabriel Ff. 48. Enter . . . But . . . poit ?] 36,
Now, what newes ? Enter . . . Q. 49-52. The queen . . . my lord] 37-41.
My lord, the Queene with thirtie thousand men, Accompanied with the Earles
of Cumberland, Northumberland and Weitmcrland, and others of the House of
Lancaster, are marching towards Wakefield, To besiedge you in your castell
heere Q. 53-6i- Ay, with . . . leave] 42, 43. Enter sir John and sir Hugh
Shrew, i. i. 250. And Promos and
Cassandra, Part I. iv. ii. : " It restelh
nowe (unlesse I wronge her much) I
keepe my vowe."
46. privy to my drift] So '■ privy to
the plot " (Two Gentlemen of Verona,
III. i. 12). " Drift," meaning intention,
purpose, is common in Shakespeare.
47. Enter a Messenger] " Enter
Gabriel " in Folio. Perhaps Gabriel
Spencer, an actor in Henslowe's com-
pany in 1598. See again, iii. i. i
(note).
49. The queen with all the northern
earls] Hall (or Grafton) is closely
followed : " The Duke by small iour-
neys came to his Castell of Sandall
besyde Wakefielde on Christmasse
eue, and there began to assemble his
tenantes and friendes. The Queene
beyng thereof asserteyned, determined
to couple with him while his power
was small and his ayde not come :
And so, hauyng in her companie, the
Prince her Sonne, the Dukes of Excester
and Sommerset, the Erie of Deuonshire,
the Lorde Clifforde, the Lorde Rosse,
and in effect all the Lordes of the
Northpart, with xviij thousand men,
or, as some write, xxij thousand,
marched from Yorke to Wakefield and
bad base to the Duke, euen before his
Castell, he hauyng with him not fully
five thousand persons, determined in-
continent to issue out, and to fight
with his enemies, and although Sir
Dauy Hall, his olde seruaunt and chiefe
Counsaylor, aduised him to keepe his
Castell and to defend the same . . .
a Dauy, Dauy, hast thou loved me so
long, and nowe wouldest haue me dis-
honoured . . . lyke a birde inclosed in
a cage . . . wouldest thou that I for
dread of a scoldyng woman, whose
weapon is onely her tongue and her
navies should enclose myselfe . . . my
mind is rather to die with honor, than
to Hue with shame. . . . Therefore
auaunce my Banner, in the name of
God and saint George, for surely I \nll
fight with them, though I should fight
alone " (Grafton, i. 670).
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 21
Mon. Brother, I go ; I '11 win them, fear it not : 60
And thus most humbly I do take my leave. {Exit.
Enter Sir JOHN and Sir HUGH MORTIMER.
York. Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles.
You are come to Sandal in a happy hour ;
The army of the queen mean to besiege us.
Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in the field. 65
York. What ! with five thousand men ?
Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need.
A woman 's general ; what should we fear ?
\A inarch afar of.
Edw. I hear their drums : let 's set our men in order,
And issue forth and bid them battle straight. 70
York. Five men to twenty ! though the odds be great,
I doubt not, uncle, of our victory.
Many a battle have I won in France,
Whenas the enemy hath been ten to one :
Why should I not now have the like success ? 75
{Alarum. Exeunt.
Mortimer. Yorkc. A Gods name, let them come, Coseii Montague post yon hence :
and boies stale yon with me (prose) Q. 62-64. Sir Jfohn . . . Yon are come
. . . mean . . . us] 44-46. (continued from 43 to York verse) Sir jfohfi . . .
Your welcome . . . an happie . . . mcanes . . . us Q. 65-67. She . . .
need, we'll . . . men ? Ay, with . . . for a need] 47-50. She . . . neede my
Lorde, weele . . . souldiers uncle ? I father . . . hundred for a need 0^. 68.
A . . . we fear] $0. A . . . you feare Q. 69, 70. / hear . . . straight] 55.
Lets martch awaie, I heare their drums. Exit Q. 71, J2.. Five men . . .
victory] omitted Q. 73-75- Many a battle . . . France . . . Why . . .
success] ^i-^^i. Indeed, manic brave battles . . . Normandie . . . and why should
I HOW doubt Of the like successe ? I am resolved. Come lets goe Q.
70. bid them battle] Compare " bid it becomes unintelligible to modern
base" in extract at line 49. Offer readers.
battle. Occurs thrice later in this 75. Come lets goe] in Q here; ha=;
play, III. iii. 235 ; v. i. 63 and 77. been noted upon already. It occurs
Marlowe uses the old phrase similarly : four times in Contention, but is always
" What should we do but hid them omitted in :i Henry VI. It belongs to
battle straight " (Tamburlaine, Part the dismissal of the actors and seems
I. II. ii. (14, a)). to be a form of stage-direction to be
74. Whenas] when. A very common filled up, as it continually is. " Come,
word at this date; when divided up as my lords, let's go," etc. See note in
it sometimes is, in old and new editions, if Henry VI. iv. i. 141.
22 THK TIIIHl) PART OF [act i.
SCENK \\\.— Field of battle hetiueen Sandal Castle and
Wakefield.
Alarums. Enter RUTLAND, and his Tutor.
Rut. Ah, whither shall 1 fly to 'scajxi their hands ?
Ah, tutor, look, where bloody Clifford comes !
Enter Clikkord and Soldiers.
Clif. Chaplain, away ! thy priesthood saves thy life.
As for the brat of this accursed duke,
Whose father slew my father, he shall die. 5
Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company.
Clif. Soldiers, away with him !
Tut. Ah, Clifford, murder not this innocent child,
Lest thou be hated both of God and man !
{Exit, dragged off by Soldiers.
Clif. How now ! is he dead already ? or is it fear i o
That makes him close his eyes? I '11 open them.
Rut. So looks the pent-up lion o'er the wretch
That trembles under his devouring paws ;
Scene hi. Alarnms\ Alarmes Q (omitted Ff except at close of last scene).
Enter . . .] Ff ; and then Enter the yons; Earle of Rutland and his Tutor Q.
I. Rut. Ah, whither . . .] i, 2. Tutor. Oh fie my Lord, lets leave the Castell,
Andjiie to Wakefield straight Q. 2. Ah, tutor . . . comes !] 3. Enter Clif-
ford. Rut. O Tutor . . . comes Q. 3-5. Clif. Chaplain . . . die] 4-6. Clif.
Chaplain . . . that accursed . . . die Q. 6. Tut. And . . . company]
omitted Q. 7. Soldiers . . . him] g, 10. Soldiers, awaie and drag him hence
perforce : Awaie with the villaine. Exit the Chaplain Q. 8, 9. Ah, Clifford
. . . God and man .'] 7, 8. Oh Clifford spare this tender Lord, least Heaven
revenge it on thy head : Oh sane his life Q. 10, 11. How now ! is he dead
. . . them] II, 12. How now, what dead , . . them Q. 12. So . . . wretch]
13. So . . . lambe Q. 13. That . . . paws] omitted Q.
$. father slew my father] See zhove, quotation from Ovid may easily have
I. i. 9, and note. been dropped in Q. I do not believe
12. pent-up lion] The idea is of the "pent-up" means desperate except in
lion and the captive : — the sense that he is a captive lion and
" For spectacle untoimperiall Rome, fiercer than in a natural state. " Pent up"
To be according to their barbarous is in King Lear of " guilt." But here
laws The Contention Quarto may have sug-
Bloudily torn with greedy lions gested it (See at :.' Henry VL 11. iv.
paws" -4) : "And in thy pent up studie rue
(Sylvester's Di< Boreas, The Sixt Day my shame"— a passage by Shakespeare,
of the First Week). The " properties who loved such transpositions — mean-
of the lion " in Hall, quoted below, ing " And pent up in thy study." etc.
are more gentle. The change from See Richard IIL iv. iii. 36 ; " The
lamb (Q) is very effective. There is son of Clarence have I pent up
hardly another alteration. Rutland's close."
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 23
And so he walks, insulting o'er his prey,
And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder. 15
Ah ! gentle Clifford, kill me with thy sword,
And not with such a cruel threatening look.
Sweet Clifford, hear me speak before I die :
I am too mean a subject for thy wrath ;
Be thou revenged on men, and let me live. 20
Clif. In vain thou speak'st, poor boy ; my father's blood
Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter.
Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again :
He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him.
Clif. Had I thy brethren here, their lives and thine 25
Were not revenge sufficient for me ;
No, if I digg'd up thy forefathers' graves.
And hung their rotten coffins up in chains,
It could not slake mine ire, nor ease my heart.
The sight of any of the house of York 30
Is as a fury to torment my soul ;
And till I root out their accursed line.
And leave not one alive, I live in hell.
Therefore — ^Lifting his hand.
Rut. O, let me pray before I take my death ! 35
To thee I pray ; sweet Clifford, pity me !
Clif. Such pity as my rapier's point affords.
Rut. I never did thee harm : why wilt thou slay me?
Clif. Thy father hath.
Rut. But 'twas ere I was born.
Thou hast one son ; for his sake pity me, 40
Lest in revenge thereof, sith God is just.
He be as miserably slain as I.
Ah, let me live in prison all my days ;
14, 15. And . . . o'ev . . . comes . . , asunder] 14, 15. And . . . otter . . .
turnes airaine . . . in sunder Q. 16, 17. Ah ! gentle Clifford . . . look] 16,
17. Oh Clifford . . . looke Q. i8. Sweet . . . die] omitted Q. 19-24. I
am too . . . open it . . . cope with him] 18-23. ^ «'" too . . . ope it . . . cope
with him Q. 25-34. ■f^«'^ I . . . No, if I . . . hung . . . their accursed
. . . alive . . . hell. Therefore . . .] 24-32. Had I ... Or should I dig . .
hang . . . that cursscd . . , on earth . . . He . . . hell therefore Q. 34
{Lifting his hand] Johnson ; omitted Q, Ff. 35-3S. O, let me . . . Such . .
hartn : ivhy wilt thou slay me ?] j,yi(y. Oh let me . . . I such . . . hurt, where
fore wilt thou kill mcc ? Q. 39-45. Thy father . . . Ah, let me . . . m
cause] 37-44. Thy father . . . Oh, let me . . . no cause Q.
35. before I take my death] See 2 37. rapier] See note on " Spanish
Henry VI. u. iii, 88. Nowhere else in rapier," Love's Labour 'i Lost, i. ii. 167
Shakespeare. (in this edition).
24
TFIK TiniM) PART OF
[act I.
And wlu-ii I pive occasion of offence,
Then let mc flic, for now thou hast no cause. 45
Clif. No cause !
Thy father slew my father; therefore, die. {Stabs him.
Rut. ])i faciant laudis summa sit ista tua; ! [Dies.
Clif. rianta^'eiiet ! I come, IMantafjenet !
And this thy son's blood cleaviiij:; tf) my blade 50
Shall rust upon my weapon, till thy blood,
Congeal'd with his, do make me wipe off both. [Exit.
SC EN E I M.— Another part of the field.
Alarum. Enter Rl(Jil.\Ki), Duke of York.
York. The army of the queen hath got the field :
My uncles both are slain in rescuing me ;
46-52. No cause . . . (his. . . wipe off both] No cause . . . (Rutland's latin
verse omitted) , . . his . . . 7vipe off both Q. [Stabs him, Dies, omitted Q,
Ff.]
SCEXE If.
1-5. The army . . . hunger-starved wolves']!-^. Ah Yorke, post to thy castell,
save thy life. The goalc is lost thou house 0/ Lancaster, Thrise happie chance is
it for thee and thine. That heauen abridgde my daies and cals me hence Q.
47. therefore, die] Rutland's brutal
murder is thus told by Hall : " While
this battaile was in fightyng, a prieste
called sir Robert Aspall, chappelain
and schole master to the yong erle of
Rutland, ii sonne to the aboue named
duke of Yorke, scace of ye age of xii
yeres, a faire getlema, and a mayden-
like person, perceivyng yt flight was
more sauegard . . . conveyed therle
out of ye felde . . . but ... he was
by the sayd lord Clifford espied, folowed
and taken. . . . The yong gentelman
dismaied, had not a word to speake,
but kneled on his knees imploryng
mercy, and desiryng grace, both with
holding up his handes and making
dolorous countinance, for his speeche
was gone for feare. Saue him sayde
his Chappelein, for he is a princes
Sonne, and peraduenture may do you
good hereafter. With that worde, the
Lord Cliftbrd marked him and sayde :
by Gods blode, thy father slew myne,
and so wil I do the and all thy kyn,
and with that woord, stacke the [strake
in Grafton] erle to ye hart with his
dagger, and bad his Chappeleyn here
the erles mother & brother worde what
he had done, and sayde. In this acte
the lord ClytTord was accompted a
tyraunt, and no gentelman, for the
properties of the Lyon, which is a
furious and vnreasonable beast, is to be
cruell to them that withstande him,
and gentle to such as prostrate or
humiliate them selues before him "
(p. 251, ed. 1S09).
4S. Di . . . tuu-] " This line is in
Ovid's Epistle from Phyllis to Detno-
phoon. I find the same quotation in
Nashe's Haue with you to Saffron
IValden, or Gabriell Harvey's Hunt is
up, etc." (Steevens, i. 596).
51, 52. thy blood, Congeal'd] Sec
again v. ii. 37. Spenser uses the same
expression : " His cruell wounds with
cruddy bloud congeald" {Faerie
Queene, i. v. 29).
52. CongeaVd with his] Undoubtedly
the Quartos are correct here. The
Cambridge editors have the collation
" this] his Anon, conj." Confirmation
strong ; but " Anon." wasn't far to seek.
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 25
And all my followers to the eager foe
Turn back and fly, like ships before the wind,
Or lambs pursued by hunger-starved wolves. 5
My sons, God knows what hath bechanced them :
But this I know, they have demean'd themselves
Like men born to renown by life or death.
Three times did Richard make a lane to me,
And thrice cried "Courage, father! fight it out!" lo
And full as oft came Edward to my side,
With purple falchion, painted to the hilt
In blood of those that had encounter'd him :
And when the hardiest warriors did retire,
Richard cried " Charge ! and give no foot of ground ! " 15
And cried " A crown, or else a glorious tomb !
A sceptre, or an earthly sepulchre ! "
With this, we charged again : but, out, alas !
6-8. My sons . . . thetn : But this . . . death'} 5-7. But God knowes what
chance hath betide my sonnes : But this . . . death Q. 9-10. Three times
. . . it ouf] 8-9. Three times this daie came Richard to my sight. And cried
courage Father : Vic torie or death Q. 11-13. And full . . . side, With . . . those
that . . . him] 10-12. And twise so oft came Edward to my view. With . . .
whom he had slaughtered Q. 14-21. And when . . . waves'] omitted Q.
3. eager foe] Compare Golding's 9. make a lane] Compare The Trou-
Ovid (xi. 462, 463) : — blesome Raigne "f King John. ^^ Make
" For anon the woolfe . . . lanes of slaughterd bodies through
Persisted sharpe and eager still, thine hoast " (Shakespeare Library,
untill that as he stood Hazlitted. p. 246, 1591). And Sylvester,
Fast byghting on a Bullocks Du Bartas (p. 18, ed. 1621), First Day
necke, she turned him intoo of First Week : —
stone." " Whose two-hand sword . . .
4. Thrisc happie] of Q. See Intro- Slyces through whole Troops at
duction to Part I. upon this. See also once,
"thrice famed," 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. And heaws broad Lanes before it
157 (note) ; a Spenserian expression. and behinde " (1591).
5. hunger - starved^ See note on 9, 10. Three times . . .And thrice]
" hungry-starved men " (i Henry VI. See note to 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 358
I. V. 16). Not met with again in Shake- for a parallel from .Spenser. Another
speare. Frequent with writers of this is at Faerie Qucene, 11. i. 46 ; " Thrise
date, especially Nashe. It is in Gold- he her reard, and thrisc she sunck
ing's Ovid (xiv. 241-243) : — againe." The Quarto extends the
" And lying lyke a I.yon feerce or figure : " And twise so oft," a non-
hungcr sterucd hownd crescendo touch, judiciously altered.
Uppon them, very eagerlie he 12. purple falchion] falchion, a cur-
downe his greedy gut ved sword; " purple" is used of blood
Theyr bowwells . . . put." again, 11. v. 99 and v. vi. 64. Also in
New Eng. Diet, has earlier examples Romeo and yulict. Lucrece, Venus and
of the verb " to hunger starve," and the Adonis, Richard //.and Richard III.
part. adj. " hunger-starven." Not in A favourite term with Spenser (Faerie
Q. Queene, i. ii. 17). Upton quotes from
6. bechanced] See Two Gentlemen Chaucer, in Todd's Spenser. Used
of Verona, i. i. 61, and Merchant of by Pecle and Greene also, but perhaps
Venice, i. i. 38. one of Spenser's many revivals.
26 VWV. TIIIHI) 1»AHT OF [acti.
Wc bfjcl^cd again : as 1 have sc-cn a swan
With bootless labour swim against the tide, 20
And sfXind her strength with over-matching waves.
[A short alarum within.
Ah, hark ! the fatal followers do pursue ;
And I am faint and cannot fly their fury ;
And were I strong I would not shun their fury :
The sands are numbcr'd that make up my life ; 25
Here must I stay, and here my life must enrl.
Enter Queen MARGARET, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND, the
young Prince, and Soldiers.
Come, bloody Clifford, rough Northumberlanrl,
I dare your quenchless fury to more rage :
I am your butt, and I abide your shot.
North. Yield to our mercy, proud Plantagenet. 30
Clif. Ay, to such mercy as his ruthless arm
22-26. Ah, hark I . . . Here must I . . . end] 13-15. Oh harke, I hear e the
drums ! No waie tojlie : No waie to saue my life ? And heere I . . . end Q.
27. Enter . . .] 16. Enter the Quecne, Clifford, Northumberland, and souldiers
Q. 27-30. Come . . . rage: I am your . . . shot . . . mercy . . . Plan-
tagenet] 16-19. Came . . . blond, This is the But and this abides your shot . . .
mercies . . . Plantagenet Q. 3I-34' Ay . . . ruthless . . . show'd . . .
prick] 20-23. I . . . ruthfull . . . lent . . . pricke Q.
19. bodged] Johnson would read matching foes " in Tamburlainc, Part
"budge," Collier suggested "botch." \. Compare Golding's Ovid, viii. 257 :
In support of the latter Nashe spells " over matching still eche quill with
the tailor's word (which is hardly used one of larger sort." A different sense,
without "up," or without an accusa- See also Grosart's Greene, xiii. 10,81.
tive), " botch," " bodge " in his Dedica- 25. sands . . . life] The hour-glass
tion prefixed to Greene's Menaphon is a favourite metaphor with Shake-
(Grosart, vi. 16) : " to bodge vp a blank speare. Compare Pericles, v. ii. i ;
verse with ifs and ands"(i5S9). But Cymbeline, iii. ii. 74; Merchant of
in spite of this no doubt the word Venice, i. i. 25 ; 1 Henry VI. iv. ii.
should be " budge," meaning " flinch," 36; Henry V. Prologue,
or "give way" (Schmidt), often used 28. quenchless] Again in Lucrece,
by Shakespeare. See Coriolanus, i. 1554. See Introduction on adjectives
vi. 44 and 1 Henry IV. 11. iv. 388. with suflix -less. Spenser has " Phlege-
19. as I have seen] Compare Gold- ton with quenchless flames " in Virgils
ing's Ovid, ix. 58: "So have I scene Gnat (Globe ed. 511, a). Peele uses
two myghtie Bulles," etc. Spenser it in A Tale of Troy (557, b, Dyce,
uses " Like as," " As when " to intro- 1874). Marlowe has it also in Edward
duce his numerous similitudes. Gold- //. and in Massacre at Paris (later),
ing has also : " So have I seene a brooke 29. / am your butt] Compare Henry
ere this," etc., iii. 721. See " Oft have V. i. ii. 186. And Sylvester's Du
I seen " (2 Henry VI. in. ii. 161). Bartas. Second Day of First Week : —
20. bootless] One of the oldest words " And chiefly Phoebus, to whose ar-
in -less. rows bright
21. over-matching] " o'ermatched " Our Globy Grandame serues for
occurs I Henry VI. iv. iv. 11 and below But and White "
in this scene, line 64 ; but not again (p. 28, ed. 1621) 1591.
in Shakespeare. Marlowe has "over 31. ruthless]' tuthfall" in Q. Gold-
sc. iv] KING HENRY THE SIXTH
27
With downright payment shovv'd unto my father.
Now Phaethon hath tumbled from his car,
And made an evening at the noontide prick.
York. My ashes, as the phcenix, may bring forth 35
A bird that will revenge upon you all ;
And in that hope I throw mine eyes to heav^en,
Scorning whate'er you can afflict me with.
Why come you not? what! multitudes, and fear?
CLif. So cowards fight when they can fly no further ; 40
So doves do peck the falcon's piercing talons ;
So desperate thieves, all hopeless of their lives,
Breathe out invectives 'gainst the officers.
York. O Clifford, but bethink thee once again.
And in thy thought o'errun my former time ; 45
And, if thou canst for blushing, view this face,
35-39. My ashes, as . . . revenge upon . . . throw . . . come you not? . . .
fear?] 24-28. My ashes like . . . revenge it on . . . cast . . . stale you Lords?
. . . feare ? Q. 40-43. So cowards . . .further . . .falcon's . . . officers']
29-32. So cowards . . . longer . . . Ravens . . . officers Q. 44, 45. O Clif-
ford, but . . . thought . . . time] 33, 34. Oh Clifford, yet . . . minde . . .
time. Q. 46. And . . . face] omitted Q.
ingand Spenser (Shepheard's Calender,
August) both use " ruthful." In Rich-
ard III. IV. iii. 5, "ruthless" of the
earliest Quartos is altered to " ruthful "
of the Folios (a rarer word) by some
editors. " Ruthless " though commoner
is later. Peele uses it. " Ruthful "
occurs below (see note), 11. v. 95.
33. Phaethon] " Phoebus' fairest
childe," as Spenser names him, who
tried to drive his father's chariot, is
mentioned again below, 11. vi. 12 ; in
Romeo and yuliet, in. ii. 2. Such
trite classical illustrations belong to
Shakespeare's early work. The tale
is nowhere better told than in the
second book of Golding's Ovid. The
passage here is unmercifully lugged
in. It is in the Quarto in the same
predicament. Both are Shakespeare's
work.
34. noontide prick] Compare Luc-
rece, 781 : " Ere her arrive his weary
noontide prick.''"' See also Romeo and
yuliet, II. iv. 119. " Prick " is a mark
or point.
35. 36- phoenix . . . bird] : —
" Th' immortall Phcenix . . . out
of her ashes springs
A Worm, an Egg then, then a
bird with wings
Just like the first "
(Sylvester's Du Bartas, Fift Day of
the First Week, p. 104, 1591). The
expression has already occurred in 1
Henry VI. iv. vii. 93 (note). See also
Henry VIII. v. v. 41; and that most
strange poem The Phoenix and the
Turtle. " Bird," meaning young bird,
chicken, formerly common, is still used
provincially.
41. So doves do peck] See below, n.
ii. 18. And Antony and Cleopatra, iii.
xiii. 197 ; " In that mood the dove will
peck the estridge " (goshawk). The
parallels from other undoubted Shake-
spearian plays adduced in this scene,
which is practically identical with Q,
set the reader on firm ground at once.
Both are by Shakespeare.
41. falcon's . . . talons] The reading
" ravens" in Q seems almost an error.
The alteration was necessary.
43. invectives] Only again in Luc-
rcce, Arg. 24. " Invectively " is in
As You Like It. See Harvey's Letters
to Spenser, 15S1.
45. o'errun] survey, review, run
over. Instanced in New Eng. Diet.
back to the year 1000. Not again in
Shakespeare.
46. for] on account of. Common in
Shakespeare.
2H TIIK Tin HI) PART OF [act i
And bite thy tongue, that slanders him with cowardice
Whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this.
Clif. 1 will not bandy with thee word for word,
Hut buckle with thee blows, twice two for one. 50
Q. Mar. Mold, valiant Clifford! for a thousand causes
I would ])r()lonf,' awhile the traitor's life.
Wrath makes him deaf: speak thou, Northumberland.
North. Hold, Clifford! do not honour him so much
To prick thy finger, though to wound his heart. 55
What valour were it, when a cur floth grin,
l^'or one to thrust his hand between his teeth,
When he might spurn him with his foot away?
It is war's prize to take all vantages.
And ten to one is no impeach of valour. 60
[ They lay hands on York, who struggles.
Clif. Ay, ay, so strives the woodcock with the gin.
North. So doth the cony struggle in the net.
York. So triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty ;
So true men yield, with robbers so o'ermatch'd.
North. What would your grace have done unto him now? 65
Q. Mar. Brave warriors, Clifford and Northumberland,
Come, make him stand upon this molehill here.
That raught at mountains with outstretched arms,
47. 48. And . . . slanders . . . Whose . . . Jly ere this] 36, ^y. And . . .
slandcrst . . . whose verie looke hath made thee quake ere this Q. 49-53-
/ will not . . . prolong . . . life . . . deaf . . . Northumberland] 37-4I. /
tvill not . . . prolong the traitors life a while . . . death (deafe Qq 2, 3) . . .
Northumberland Q. 54-60. Hold, Clifford! . . . valour . . . It is war's
. . . vantages . . . of valour] .\2-^S. Hold Clifford . . . valure . . . Tiswarres
. . , advantages . . . in H'arrts : Fight and take him Q. 61, 62. Ay, ay
. . . cony . . . net] 49, 50. 1,1... cunnie with the net Q. 63-65. So
triumph . . . with . . . overmatched . . . would . . . unto him now.'] 51-53.
So triumphs . . . by robbers overmatcht . . . will . . with him? Q. 66-69.
Brave warriors . . . arms, Yet . . . hand] 54-57. Brave warriors . . . That
aimde . . . arme. And , . . hand Q.
48. faitit] See above, i. i. 129. 61. woodcock . . . gin] See Twelfth
49. handy . . . word for icord] Night, 11. v. 92.
Again in Taming of Shrew, v. ii. 172. 67, 6S. molehill . . . mountains] An
Shakespeare is very partial to this old antithesis, or proverb. Again in
metaphor from tennis. Compare Shakespeare in Coriolanus. New
Marlowe's Erfwani //. (Dyce, 185, a) : Eng. Diet, gives an example from
" I '11 bandy with the barons and the Foxe's Acts and Monuments, 1570.
earls"; where the meaning is exchange See Pecham's True Discourse (Hak-
blows but no more words. luyt ed. iSii, iii. 223), 1583: "They
50. buckle with thee] grapple or will take upon them to make 3/o«;i/a»«i
couple with in combat. See note to seeme Molehilles and flies elephants."
1 Henry VI. 1. ii. 95. Greene, Nashe and Harvey all use it,
53. deaf] misprinted "death," Q. the latter in 1573.
60. impeach] accusation, reproach, 68. raught] reached.
as in Comedy of Errors, v. 269. Else-
where " impeachment."
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 29
Yet parted but the shadow with his hand.
What ! was it you that would be England's king ? 70
Was 't you that revell'd in our parliament,
And made a preachment of your high descent ?
Where are your mess of sons to back you now ?
The wanton Edward, and the lusty George ?
And where 's that valiant crook-back prodigy, 75
Dicky your boy, that with his grumbling voice
Was wont to cheer his dad in mutinies ?
Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland?
Look ! York : I stain'd this napkin with the blood
That valiant Clifford with his rapier's point 80
Made issue from the bosom of the boy ;
And if thine eyes can water for his death,
I give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal.
Alas ! poor York, but that I hate thee deadly,
I should lament thy miserable state. 85
I prithee grieve, to make me merry, York.
What, hath thy fiery heart so parch'd thine entrails
That not a tear can fall for Rutland's death ?
Why art thou patient, man ? thou should'st be mad ;
And I, to make thee mad, do mock thee thus. 90
Stamp, rave, and fret, that I may sing and dance.
Thou would'st be fee'd, I see, to make me sport :
York cannot speak unless he wear a crown.
70. What.' . . . king PI omitted Q. 7I-77. Was'tyou . . . And where 's
. . . crook-back . . . mutinies ?] 58-64. Was it you . . . Or where is . . .
Crookbackt' . . . mutinies? Q. 78-85. Or, with . . . stain'd . . . with the
. . . the boy . . . deadly . . . state] 65-72. Or amongst . . . dipt . . . in the
. . . thy boy . . . much . . . state ? Q. 86-88. I prithee . . . Rutland's death .•']
73-76. / prethee . . . Yorke ? Stamp . . . dance (1. 91 transposed) . . .
Rutland's death ? Q. 89-90. Why art thou . . . thee thus] om\iiQA(^. 91.
Stamp . . . dance] 74. Stamp . . . dance Q. 92-95. Thou would'st . . .
Hold you . . . it on] 77-80. Thou wouldst . . , So : hold . . . it on Q.
71. revell'd] rioted. Hardyng (468), 1543, says of Richard :
72. preachment] sermon. Not again " he was lytic of stature, euill feautured
in Shakespeare ; Marlowe has it twice of lymms, crokc backed, the left shulder
in Edward 11. , but it was an old word, much higher then the right, harde fau-
illustrated in New Eng. Diet, back to oured of . . . warlike visage."
1330 and 1400. 91. Stamp . . . dance] The trans-
73. tness] set of four. See Love's position of this line from its position
Labour 's Lost, iv. iii. 204, in this after " make me merry, York " (86) in
edition, and note. the Quarto in consequence of the addi-
75. crook-back] " crooktbackt vil- tion of the two new lines, "Why art
laine " has occurred already in First thou . . . mock thee thus " (Sg, go)
Contention, v. ii. 59 ; but not in Part has been a disputed point. Malone
II. Grafton in Continuation of replaced it.
'M)
'V]\K iiiun) I'Ain" OF
[act I,
A crown for York ! and, lords, bow low to him :
Hold ycHi his h.iiids whilst I do set it on. 95
Pufs a pa/>er crown on his htad.
Ay, marry, sir, now looks he like a kinjj !
Ay, this is he that took Kinj^ Henry's chair :
And this is he was his adopted heir.
But how is it that ^reat I'lanta^enet
Is crown'd .so soon, and broke his solemn oath? 100
As I bethink me, you should not be king
Till our Kinj^ Henry had shook hands with death.
And will you pale your head in Henry's glory.
And rob his temples of the diadem,
Now in his life, against your holy oath? 105
O I 'tis a fault too too unpardonable.
Off with the crown ; and, with the crown, his head ;
And, whilst we breathe, take time to do him dead.
95. Puti . . .] omitted Q, Ff. 96-100. Ay, marry, sir, now . . . king I
Ay, this . . . solemn oath?] 81-85. / nottf . . . King? This . . . holie oath,
Q. 101-108. As I bethink . . . pale your head in . . . do him dead] 86-93.
As I bethinke . . . Till our Henrv . . . impale your head with . . . doe him
dead Q.
loi, 102. As I bethink . . . with
dtath] Margaret quotes here Suffolk's
words to her in Contention, about the
murder of the good Duke Humphrey
(hi. i. 116-118) : —
"And so thinke I, Madame . . .
If our King Henry had shooke
hands with death.
Duke Humphrey then would looke
to be our King."
See note at 3 Henry VI. in. 1. 265.
Peele comes near it with " shook hands
with sin," in David and Bethsabt.
Seems to have escaped Schmidt.
Shakespeare quoting his own words
from The Contention into the finished
3 Henry III. is an interesting pheno-
menon.
103. />a/^] enclose in the pale or circle
of a crown. The same as " impale "
below, HI. ii. 171, and in. iii. i8g.
Compare .4 M^oiv and Cleopatra, 11. vii.
74. Elsewhere " pales in."
106. too too] A very common mode
of intensification at this time and
earlier.
108. do him dead] Not again in
Shakespeare. " Done to death " and
"do him to dye" are frequent in
Spenser, and the latter is in Chaucer.
Spenser has "doe her dye" {Fairie
Queene, I. viii. 45). Compare " dead-
95. paper crown] The passage quoted
from Hall at the death of Rutland
above (Scene iii. 1. 47) continues :
" Yet this cruell ClifTord, and deadly
bloud supper not content with this
homicyde, or chyld killyng, came to
ye place wher the dead corps of the
duke of Yorke lay, and caused his head
to be stryken of, and set on it a crounc
of paper, & so fixed it on a pole, & pre-
sented it to the Quene, not lyeng farre
from the felde . . . but many laughed
then that sore lamented after " (p. 251,
ed. 1S09). This paper crown is referred
to again in Richard III. i. iii. 175.
100-102. broke his . . . oath . . .
death] Holinshed writes here (iii. 269,
ed. 1808) : " Manie deemed that this
miserable end chanced to the duke of
York, as a due punishment for breaking
his oth of allegiance unto his Souer-
eigne lord King Henrie : but others
held him discharged thereof, because
he obteined a dispensation from the
pope, by such suggestion as his pro-
curators made vnto him, whereby the
same oth was adiudged void, as that
which was receiued vnaduisedlie, to
the preiudice of himselfe, and disherit-
ing of all his posteritie." ..." A
purchase of Godscursse with the popes
blessing" (margin).
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 31
Clif. That is my office, for my father's sake.
Q. Mar. Nay, stay; let's hear the orisons he makes. no
York. She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of France,
Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth !
How ill-beseeming is it in thy sex
To triumph like an Amazonian trull.
Upon their woes whom fortune captivates ! 115
But that thy face is, vizard-like, unchanging.
Made impudent with use of evil deeds,
I would assay, proud queen, to make thee blush :
To tell thee whence thou cam'st, of whom derived,
Were shame enough to shame thee, wert thou not shame-
less. 120
Thy father bears the type of King of Naples,
Of both the Sicils and Jerusalem,
Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman.
Hath that poor monarch taught thee to insult?
It needs not, nor it boots thee not, proud queen, 125
Unless the adage must be verified.
That beggars mounted run their horse to death.
109, no. That is . . . sake Q. Mar. Nay, stay ; let '5 . . . makes] 94, 95.
Thats . . . death. Queen. Yetstay: and lets . . . makes Q. ni-118. She-
wolf . . . poisons . . . their woes . . . zvith use . . . blush :] 96-103. She wolfe
. . . poison' d . . . his woes . . . by use . . . blush Q. iig-129. To . . .
derived, Were . . . both the . . . needs not, nor . . . knows . . . small] 104- 114.
To tell thee of whence thou art, from whom deriude, Tuere . . . both the . . .
7ieedes not, or . . . that oft makes . . . wots . . . small Q.
io'mghdind'' {Faerie Qneene, u. Vn. ?>). 114. trull] See J Henry VI. 11. ii.
At III. X. 32 is found : " But soone he 28. " Strumpet " usually, here rather a
shall be found, and shortly doen be ramp or female bravoo.
dead." And again later. " Dead-do- 115. captivates] subdues, captures,
ing " is nearer. " Do " means make, or See Love's Labour 's Lost, in. 126, and
cause to be. See note at 11. i. 103 be- Venus and Adonis, 2S1. This verb is
low. several times in Locrine. See Kyd,
no. orisons] prayers. Five times Spanish Tragedy, 11. i. 131 : —
in Shakespeare. " Thus hath he tane my body by his
112. poisons . . . adder's tooth] See force,
again 2 Henry VL iii. ii. 76, Richard And now by sleight would capti-
II. III. ii. 20, and Richard III. i. ii. vate my soule."
19. 116. vizard-like] as expressionally
113. ill-beseeming]\inAecoTOVis. See fixed as a mask.
1 Henry VI. iv. i. 31; and later in j!^ 121. type]ha.dge. Compare Richard
Henry IV. a.nd Romeo and jfuliet. Un- ///. iv. iv. 244. The crown. But per-
hyphened in Quartos and I Henry VI. haps used for title.
See note at the latter reference. See, 127. beggars . . . death] A proverb
too, Cymbeline, v. v. 409. And " well- found in a variety of shapes. " Set a
beseeming " in 1 Henry IV. i. iii. 267, beggar on horse backe they saie, and
and in Titus Andranicus. Shakespeare hee will neuer alight" (Greene, Carde
affected the word " beseem," and com- of Fancie (Grosart, iv. 102), 1587), and
pounds of it. repeated in Greene's Orpharion, a
32 THE TFIIHI) PART OF [act i.
'Tis beauty that doth oft make women proud ;
But, God he knows, thy share thereof is small :
'Tis virtue that doth make them mrjst afltnired ; 130
The Cfjntrary doth make thee wonrler'd at :
'Tis {government that makes them seem divine ;
The want thereof makes thee abominable.
Thou art as opposite to every }^ood
As the Anti|xjdes are unto us, I 35
Or as the south to the Septentrion.
O tiger's heart wrapp'd in a woman's hide !
How could'st thou drain the hfe-blood of the child,
To bid the father wipe his eyes withal,
And yet be seen to bear a woman's face? 140
Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible;
Thou stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless.
Bidd'st thou me rage? why, now thou hast thy wish :
Would'st have me weep? why, now thou hast thy will.
130-140. 'Tis virtue that doth . . . 'Tis government . . . abominable . . .
woman's hide ! . . . woman's face P] 115-125. Tis government that makes . . .
Tis vertue . . . abhominahle . . . H'omans hide ? . . . womans face ? Q.
141-149. Women are soft, mild . . . Thou . . . rough . . . wish ; . . . now
thou . . . will . . . wind . . . showers. And . . . cries . . . death, 'Gainst
. . . Frenchwoman] 126-134. Womett are milde . . . Thou indurate, sterne,
rough . . . will . . . So thou . . . wish . . . uindes hlowes up a storme of
tcares, And . . . begs vengeance as itfals, On . . . French woman Q.
rehash of the former (xii. 36). The tack upon Shakespeare in the Groats-
proverb is in Cyril Tourneur's Re- worth of Wit (Grosart, xii. 144). See
vengcrs Tragedy, Lord Cromwell, Introduction. Nashe has a familiar
Jonson's Staple of News, Camden's expression : " An apes hart with a
Rcmaines, Motteux's Don Quixote, etc. lions case" (Terrors of the Night
Peacham has that old verse : — (Grosart, iii. 231), 1593), in which he
" Asperius nihil est humili, cum probably recalled Spenser's Mother
surgit in altum, Hubbcrd's Tale. Malone quotes
There's nothing more perverse and from Acolastus his Afterwitte, 1600:
proud than She, " O woolvish hart, wrapp'd in a
Who is to Wealth advanced from woman's hide," an obvious recollec-
Beggary " tionofthis. See Introduction to Part II.
(Worth of a Penny, 1641 (Aihei' s Eng- 142. obdurate] See i" Henry VI. iv.
lish Garner, vi. 260)). That old verse vii. 114, in this ed. Always so accented
is from Claudian. in Shakespeare. It does not occur in
131. The contrary doth] Compare First Contention, and here the True
here J Henry T/. v. v. 62-64. Tragedic (Q) has " indurate.' Marlowe
132. government] seemly manners has " Might have entreated your ob-
and discipline. durate breasts " in Tainburlainc, Part
136. Septentrion] "iioTth. Notagain I. v. i. (Dyce, 31, a); and the same
in Shakespeare. This line is recalled expression occurs in Sylvesters Du
in Soliman and Perseda, iii. iv. 5 : Bartas (ed. 1621, p. 37) ; " One single
"From East to West, from South to sigh from thy obdurate brest " (1591).
Septentrion." Marlowe's use is the earliest, applied
137. O tiger's heart . . .] The famous to persons, in New Eng. Diet. " In-
line made use of by Greene in his at- durate " was older.
SC. IV.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
33
For raging wind blows up incessant showers, 145
And when the rage allays, the rain begins.
These tears are my sweet Rutland's obsequies,
And every drop cries vengeance for his death,
'Gainst thee, fell Clifford, and thee, false Frenchwoman.
North. Beshrew me, but his passions move me so 150
That hardly can I check my eyes from tears.
York. That face of his the hungry cannibals
Would not have touch'd, would not have stain'd with blood;
But you are more inhuman, more inexorable,
O, ten times more than tigers of Hyrcania. 155
See, ruthless queen, a hapless father's tears :
This cloth thou dipp'dst in blood of my sweet boy,
And I with tears do wash the blood away.
Keep thou the napkin, and go boast of this ;
And if thou tell'st the heavy story right, 160
150, 151. Beshrew . . . so That . . . tears] 135, 136. Beshrew . . . passions
move me so, As . . . mine eies . . . tearesQ. 152-155. That face . . . Would
not . . . Hyrcania'] 137-140. That face . . . Could not . . . Arcadia Q.
156-166. See, ruthless . . . And I ... do wash . . . of this . . . telVst . . .
145. incessant] See Part I. v. iv.
154 (note). Spenser has it similarly : —
" What hart so stoney hard but
that would weepe
And poure forthe fountaines of
incessant teares ? "
(Daphnaida, st. 36, 1591). The
Quarto has " a storme of teares."
152. cannibals] Again in Othello,
I. iii. 143. See note in this edition.
153. Woitld . . . blood] The second
folio reads " Would not have stayn'd
the roses just with blood " after
" toucht," dividing the lines differently.
This variation has caused many con-
jectural readings, all departing from the
original texts.
154. inexorable] Again in Romeo
and yitliet, and (as a modern reading
of " inexecrable ") in Merchant of
Venice. The word is in Puttenham :
" An inexorable and unfaithful mis-
tress " (Arber, p. 226).
155. tillers of Hyrcania] " the
Hyrcan tiger " occurs in Macbeth,
HI. iv. loi, and " the Hyrcanian
beast " in Hamlet, 11. ii. 472. Also in
Selimus (Grosart's Greene, xiv. 239) : —
" But thou wast borne in desart
Caucasus,
And the Hircanian tygrcs gaue
thee sucke."
Earlier than these is Sylvester's Du
Bartas : " African Panthers, Hyrcan
Tigres fierce, Cleonian Lions, and
Pannonian Bears " (The Sixth Day of
the First Week, p. 123, 1591). And
earlier in Timothie Kendall, Flowers
ofEpigratnines, 1577 : " A Tiger of the
Hyrcan stocke " (rept. p. 20). Eden
pointed out the confusion between
Hyrcania and Herecynia. The Cas-
pian Sea was known as Hyrcanum.
See Richard Eden's Of the North-east
Frostie Seas, 1555 (Hakluyt Soc.
1852). Chiefly from Paulus Jovius.
The Quarto reading is an odd misprint.
156. ruthless qitecti] Marlowe has
" our ruthless governor " {Tambur-
lainc. Part I. v. i., ed. Dyce, 32, a).
157. dipp'dst] Compare " meant-
est," :i Henry VI. iii. ii. 222, and
" suckedst," 1 Henry VI. v. iv. 28.
See Introduction on this inflection,
due to prevalence of " thou " and
" thee ".
i6o. tell'st the heavy story right]
Compare Machin's Dumb Knight : —
" When the sad nurse, to still the
wrangling babe.
Shall sing the careful story of my
death,
Give me a sigh "
(Hazlitt's Dodsley, x. 155). See
'M THE 'I'M I in ) I'AHT OF [act i.
Upon my soul, llic hc-arcrs will shed tears ;
Yea, even my foes will shed fast-fallinf^ tears,
And say " Alas ! it was a piteous deed."
There, take the crown, and with the crown my curse,
And in thy need such comfort come to thee 165
As now I reap at thy too cruel hand !
Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the world ;
My soul to heaven, my blood upon your heads !
North. Had he been slaughter-man to all my kin,
I should not for my life but weep with him, 1 70
To see how inly sorrow gripes his soul.
Q, Mar. What, weeping-ripe, my Lord Northumberland ?
Think but upon the wrong he did us all.
And that will quickly dry thy melting tears.
Clif. Here 's for my oath ; here 's for my father's death. 175
[ Stabbing him.
Q. Mar. And here 's to right our gentle-hearted king.
[Stabbing him.
York. Open thy gate of mercy, gracious God !
My soul flies through these wounds to seek out Thee.
[Dies.
right . . . Yea . . . There, take . . . too cruel hand .'] 141-151. See ruthlesse
. . . And loe . . . I wash . . . of that . . . tell . . . well . . . I {Ay) . . .
Here, take . . . two critell hands Q. 167, 168. Hard-hearted . . . heads]
152, 153. Hard-harted . . . heads Q. 169-171. Had . . . soul] 154-156. Had
he bin . . . of all . . . I could not chuse but weep . . . How . . . his hart Q.
172-180. What, weeping-ripe . . . thy melting . . . Here^s . . . here's . . .
And here's . . . gentle-hearted king . . . gate of . . . flies . . . Thee . . .
town of York] 157-165. What weeping ripe . . . your melting . . . Thears
. . . thears . . . And thears . . . gentle hearted kind . . . gates of . . . flies
foorth to meet with thee . . . toivne of York. Exeunt Omnes Q. [Stabbing
. . . Stabbing . . . Dies] omitted Q, Ff.
Richard III. 1. ii. 155-166 on these omitted in 2 Henry VI. See note,
lines, and note in this edition. The Part II. 11. iii. 21.
standers-by, at the story, " wet their 172. weeping-ripe] Occurs again in
cheeks Hke trees bedash'd with rain." Love's Labour 's Lost, v. ii. 274. See
169. slaughtcr-vian] See Part I. note in this edition. EarHer in
in. iii. 75 (note). In Q. It occurs Sidney's Arcadia. Shakespeare has
in A Manifest Detection of the . . . also " sinking-ripe " and " reeling-
use of Dice-play (Percy reprint, p. 8), ripe."
1532 (?) : "Go to; say on ; lo! how 176. king] kind \n Q is one of many
gentle lambs are led to the slaughter- printer's errors in old texts.
man's fold." 179. Off with his head] Occurred
171. inly] inward. Occurs again earlier in Contention at the murder of
Two Gentlemen of Verona, 11. vii. 18. Suffolk {2 Henry VI. iv. i. 103). It
Elsewhere an adverb. But the dis- is in Richard III. several times. See
tinction is not a sound one. above, i. iv. 107, and below, 11. vi. 85.
171. sorrow gripes his soul] Recalls And in Soliman and Perseda, v. iv.
,^ line in The First Part of Contention, 112: " Offzvith his head and suffer him
SC. IV.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
35
Q. Mar. Off with his head, and set it on York gates :
So York may overlook the town of York. i8o
\Flourish. Exeunt.
not to speake." Earliest in Conten-
tion, and due to Shakespeare. Greene
has the phrase in Selimus.
179, 180. Off with his head . . .
York] " After this victory by ye Quene
and her parte obteyned, she caused the
erle of Salisbury, with all the other
prisoners, to bee sent to Pomfret and
there to be behedded, and sent all
their heddes, and the dukes head of
Yorke, to be set upon poles, ouer the
gate of the citie of Yorke in despite of
them and their lignage " (Hall, p. 251,
ed. 1809). See 11. i. 65. And see
extract at 11. v. 125 for more about
York's head.
86
rilK THIRD PAiri' OF
[act ii.
ACT II
SCENE I. — A Plain near Mortimo^s Cross in
Herefordshire.
A March. Enter YAy\s K\\\\ Rlcww^D, and their power.
Edw. I wonder how our princely father 'scaped,
Or whether he be 'scaped away or no
From Clifford's and Northumberland's pursuit.
Had he been ta'en we should have heard the news ;
Had he been slain we should have heard the news ;
Or had he 'scaped, methinks we should have heard
The happy tidings of his good escape.
How fares my brother ? why is he so sad ?
Rich. I cannot joy until I be resolv'd
Where our right valiant father is become.
lO
A March] Ff; omitted Q. Enter . . .] Fi; Entir Edward and Rkhard,
with drum and Soiildiers Q. 1-7. / wonder how . . . good escape] omitted Q.
8. Hoiv . . . sad?] i, 2. Edw. After this dangerous Jight and haplesse warre
How doth my noble brother Richard fare ? Q. 9, 10. "-'■ ' - '
become] 3, 4. Rich. I cannot . . . is become Q.
Rich. I cannot
I. I zvondcr . . .] When Shakespeare
wrote a new opening for the older one,
in this scene, as he frequently does in
these two plays, he perhaps forgot the
almost identical first line of the first
Act — which was in Q.
4-6. Had he . . . Had he . . . Or
had he'] The repetition of the initial
words in poetical lines was carried to
great excess at this time and earlier.
In this play see Act ii., Scene v., where
(as here) it is part of the finished play,
not the Quarto version. For examples
see H awes' Pastime of Pleasure (1509),
p. 102, reprint, where fourteen lines
have same beginnings. Gascoigne's
Steel Glas is loaded with the trick.
Spenser abounds in iterations and repe-
titions, but in a more measured manner,
and with due regard to eloquence.
10. is become] where he is, or is to
be found ; where he has got to. A
frequent form in early writers, that
Schmidt seems puzzled about. Gold-
ing has : " to have a knowledge where
She is become " (Ovid's Metamorphoses,
V. 646) : and —
" Tell where . . . the wench . . .
That stoode righte nowe uppon this
shore . . . is become "
(viii. 1067). .\nd Grafton, Richard the
Second (rept. i. 416): "They sente
foorth their Currours, to knowe where
they were become." And Spenser,
Faerie Queene, i. x. 16 : " The deare
Charissa, where is she become." And
earlier in Grafton's Continuation of
Hardyng, p. 529, 1543.
SC. I.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
37
I saw him in the battle range about,
And watch'd him how he singled Clifford forth.
Methought he bore him in the thickest troop
As doth a lion in a herd of neat ;
Or as a bear, encompass'd round with dogs,
Who having pinch'd a few and made them cry,
The rest stand all aloof and bark at him.
So fared our father with his enemies ;
So fled his enemies my war-like father :
Methinks 'tis prize enough to be his son.
See how the morning opes her golden gates.
15
20
11-14. / saw him . . . As doth . . . in a . . . tteat] 5, 6. How often did I
see him beare himselfe, As doth . . . midst . . . tieat Q. 15-18. Or as a
. . . enemies] omitted Q. 19, 20. So jled . . . my war-like . . . prize . . .
son] 7, 8. So Jled . . . our valiant . . . pride . . . sonne. Three sonnes appeare
in the aire Q. 21-25. S^^ how . . . glorious sun; How . . . love. Edw.
Dazzle . . . suns P] g-ii. Edw. Loe how . . . glorious sun, Dasell . . .
suns ? Q.
12. singled . . .forth] Not in Q. See
note at "singled," below, 11. iv. i.
13. thickest troop] Not in Q, nor
again in Shakespeare. But at 11. iii. 16
in Quarto we have "in the thickest
thronges " omitted from the present
play. Quid pro quo. See also Con-
tention at the end, where it is also
omitted. And again in this play at v,
iv. 49. It occurs in Kyd's Cornelia,
and in Marlowe. Kyd has : —
" Don Balthazar amidst the thickest
troopes
To winne renowne did wondrous
feats of armes "
(Spanish Tragedy, i. iii. 61). The pas-
sage in Marlowe, in Tambnrlaine, Part
II. III. ii. (Dyce, 56, a) : —
" run desperate through the
thickest throngs,
Dreadless of blows ; "
and in iv. i. (5i, a) : —
" he himself amidst the tliick-
est troops.
Beats down our foes."
14. lion in an herd] So Spenser,
Faerie Quecne, vi. xi. 49: —
" Like as a lion mongst an heard
of dere . . .
So did he fly amongst them here
and there."
" A heirde of Neate " occurs in Geld-
ing's Ovid, ii. 1051. Neat are oxen.
16. pinch\l]h\liQn. See note at the
substantive, 1 Henry VI. iv. ii. 49.
Spenser uses this verb. Golding has : —
" First Slo did pinch him by the
haunch, and next came Kildeere
in.
And Hylbred fastned on his
shoulder, bote him through the
skinne "
(iii. 280, 281) ; and again: —
" The Grewnd pursuing at an inch
Doth cote him, neuer losing
ground : and likely still to
pinch "
(vii. 1018).
20. prize] " pride " of Quartos is pre-
ferable. But compare "prize" (privi-
lege) above, i. iv. 59.
21-24. '^'^ morning . . . prancing
to his love] A variously put metaphor.
See Psalm xix. 4, 5, and Faerie Qutcnc,
I. v. 2, where the " golden orientall
gate " occurs: —
" And Phoebus, fresh as bryde-
groome to his mate,
Came dauncing forth."
And Peele, David and Bethsabe (473,
a), where Dyce gives the reference to
Spenser, as Jortin does on Faerie
Queenc to the Psalm, a reference given
much earlier by SyKester (1621 ed. p.
85) in a margmal note to the lines in
Fourth Day of the First Week of Du
Dartas (1591) : —
" Tliou seem'st (O Titan) like a
Bride groome brave,
Who from his chamber early
issuing out
In rich array," etc.
;{H
THE rmuij rAU'i' of
[act 11.
And takes her farewell of the glorious sun ;
How well resembles it the prime of youth,
Trimm'cl like a younkcr prancing to his love.
Edw. Da/./ic mine eyes, or do I see three suns? 25
Rich. Three j^lorious suns, each one a perfect sun ;
Not separated with the racking clouds,
But sever'd in a pale clear-shining sky.
See, see ! they join, embrace, and seem to kiss,
As if they vow'd some league inviolable : 30
Now are they but one lamp, one light, one sun.
In this the heaven figures some event.
23, 24. How well . . . love] omitted Q. 26-32. Three . . . tum, each
. . . sun; Not . . . with the . . . clouds, But . . . inviolable : Now . . .
figures sortie event] 12-18. Three . . . suns, not . . . by a . . . cloud, but . . .
inuiolatc : Norv . . . heauens doth figure some euent Q.
Warton's note to Faerie Queene picks
the figure to pieces in the most approved
and dry-as-dustiest way.
22. takes her farewell] " Aurora takes
for a time her farewell of the sun, when
she dismisses him to his diurnal course "
(Johnson).
23. the prime of youth] Compare " In
prime of youthly yeares " (Faerie
Queene, i. ii. 35).
24. younker] Again in Henry IV. in.
iii. 92. Spenser (or rather E. K.'s
gloss) has the word " disdainefull
younkers " in The Shephcard's Calender,
Februarie (1579).
25. Dazzle mine eyes] are my eyes
dazed or dimmed. Compare Golding's
Ovid, V. 87 : " Atys lay with dim and
dazeling eyes." And Spenser, Faerie
Queene, n. xi. 40 : —
" His wonder far exceeded reasons
reach,
That he began to doubt his dazeled
sight."
Peele has it twice in Arraignment of
Paris. See also Locrine, i. i. This
line is copied in Soliman and Perseda,
II. i. 244 : " Dasell mine eyes, or ist
Lucinas chaine ? "
25. three suns] The chroniclers place
this portent before Mortimer's Cross.
After the death of his father, " the Duke
of Yorke called Erie of Marche . . .
met with his enemies in a fayre plaine,
neere to Mortimers crosse, not farre
from Herford East, on Candlemasse
day in the mornyng, at which tyme
the Sonne (as some write) appered to
the Erie of Marche like three Sunnes,
and sodainely ioyned all together in
one, and that upon the sight thereof,
he tooke such courage, that he fiercely
set on his enemyes, and them shortly
discomfited : for which cause, men im-
agined that he gaue the sunne in his
full brightnesse for his Cognisance or
Badge" (Grafton, i. 672). Boswell
Stone says : " .\ccording to Chron.
Rich. II. — Henry VI. (Camden Society),
the three suns were seen about 10
A.M., on 2nd P'ebruary, 1461 ; and the
battle of Mortimer's Cross was fought
on the following day." History is not
adhered to in this scene : there is no
room for the battle of Mortimer's Cross,
and Edward was at Gloucester when
he heard of his father's death. There
is much confusion of events.
27. racking clouds] clouds packing
and scudding before the wind. Com-
pare Marlowe's Tamburlaine, Part II.
IV. iii. (Dyce, 65. a): "draw My
chariot swifter than the racking clouds."
Steevens quotes from The Raigne of
King Edward III. (1569) : —
" like inconstant clouds
That, rack'd upon the carriage of
the winds,
Encrease," etc.
The noun is commoner and occurs in
the Sonnets and elsewhere, but the verb
only here.
30. inviolable] Better sense and worse
metre than " inviolate " (Q). See
again King John, v. ii. 7, Richard III.
II. i. 27. Peele (543, b) uses " keep it
inviolate'" {pi ^n oath). Marlowe has
" truce inviolable " (Tamburlaine, Part
II. i. 1).
32. figures] reveals, discloses. Com-
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 39
Edw. 'Tis wondrous strange, the like yet never heard of.
I think it cites us, brother, to the field.
That we, the sons of brave Plantagenet, 35
Each one already blazing by our meeds,
Should notwithstanding join our lights together.
And over-shine the earth, as this the world.
Whate'er it bodes, henceforward will I bear
Upon my target three fair-shining suns. 40
Rich. Nay, bear three daughters : by your leave I speak it.
You love the breeder better than the male.
Enter a Messenger.
But what art thou, whose heavy looks foretell
Some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue ?
Mess. Ah, one that was a woeful looker-on 45
Whenas the noble Duke of York was slain.
Your princely father and my loving lord !
Edw. O, speak no more, for I have heard too much.
Rich. Say how he died, for I will hear it all.
Mess. Environed he was with many foes, 50
And stood against them, as the hope of Troy
Against the Greeks that would have enter'd Troy.
But Hercules himself must yield to odds ;
33. Tis . . . heard of'\ omitted Q. 34-36. / think it . . . Plantagenet,
Each . . . blazing . . . meeds] 18-20. Edw. I think it . . . Plantagenet,
Alreadie, each one shining by his meed Q. 37-40- Should . . . will I bear
. . . suns] 21-23. ^^y ioine in one and over peere the world, As this the earth,
and therefore hence forward lie beare . . . suns Q. 41, 42. Rich. Nay . . .
wa/e] omitted Q. 42. Enter . . .] omitted Q ; Enter one blowing Ff. 43,
44. But . . . tongue ?] 24 {Edw.) But what art thou ? that lookest so heauilie ? Q.
45, 46. Mess. Ah, one . . . slain] 25, 26. Mes. Oh one . . . slaine Q. 47.
Your . . . lord] omitted Q. 48. O, speak . . . have . . . much] 27. O speake
. . . can hear e no more Q. 49. Say . . . for . . . ai/] 28. Tell on thy talc, for
. . . all Q. ^o-sg. Environed . . . Whocrown'd . . . despite] 2g-2'\- When
pare 2 Henry IV. iii. i. 81, and 40,^1. suns ... daughters]?iee Love's
Richard III. i. ii. 194. Labour's Lost, v. ii. 168-171 (in this
34. cites] urges, incites. See Part edition, note).
II. III. ii. 281. 50. Environed . . .] See above, i. i.
36. meeds] merits. Johnson in- 242 : " The trembling lamb environed
cautiously suggested " deeds." with wolves." "Environed about"
40. target] targe, shield. was more usual.
40. shining] This word occurs three 51. the hope of Troy] Hector, as at
times in ten lines in Q. One is elimin- tv. viii. 25 below. See note at 1 Henry
ated here by "blazing" (36). But VI. 11. iii. 19. Hector and Hercules
"over-shine," instead of" over-peer " were Shakespeare's favourite heroes,
(of Q), somewhat defeats the amelior- These lines are not in the Quarto,
ation, but Shakespeare had a great 53. Hercules . . . odds] An old Latin
liking for forming verbs with the prefix proverb in Aulus Gellius : " Ne Her-
" over." In this sense not again in cules c|uidcm contra duos." Lodge
Shakespeare. quotes it in Euphucs Golden Lcgacic
40
THE TIIIIU) PAirr OF
[act II.
And many strokes, though with a little axe,
Hew down and fell the harflest-timlx;r'd oak. 55
By many hands your father was subdu'd ;
But only slauf^hter'd by the ireful arm
Of unrelenting^ Clifford and the (jueen,
Who crown'd the gracious duke in high despite ;
Laugh'd in his face ; and, when with grief he wept, 60
The ruthless queen gave him to dry his cheeks
A napkin steeped in the harmless blood
Of sweet young Rutland, by rough Clifford slain :
And after many scorns, many foul taunts,
They took his head, and on the gates of York 65
They set the same ; and there it doth remain.
The saddest spectacle that e'er I view'd.
as the noble Duke was put to /light, And then pursude by Clifford and the Queene,
And manic souldiers moc, who all at once Let drive at him and for st the Duke
to yield : And then they set him on a molehill there. And cronnd . . . despite Q.
60-63. Laugh'd . . . blood Of . . . slain :] ^S- 39^- Who then with tearcs began
to wailc his fall. The ruthlcsse Queene perceiuing he did weepe, Gaue him a
handkerchcr to wipe his eies, Dipt in the blonde of . . . slaine : Q. 64-67.
And after . . . I view'd] 39^-44. who weeping tooke it vp. Then through his
brest they thrust their bloudy swordes. Who like a lambe fell at the butcher's
fecte. Then on the gates of Yorke they set his head, And there it doth remaine
the piteous spectacle That ere mine eies beheld Q.
(Hazlitt, Shakespeare's Library, p. 96),
1590. And Greene, ^/-/o/Co'iwj Catch-
ing (Grosart, x. 60), 1591 : " But might
overcomes right, and therefore Ne Her-
cules contra duos." See also Greene's
George a Greene (Dyce, 1S74, p. 259).
This line is in Q at v. ii. 33. See
note.
54, 55. ma7iy strokes . . . fell the
. . . oak] An old proverb. See Lyly's
Euphucs (Arber, p. 91), 1579: "Soft
dropps of raine perce the hardest marble,
many strokes overthrow the tallest
oke." And in Whitney's Emblems. To
the Reader (ed. Greene, p. 13), 15S6 :
" Manie droppes perce the stone, &
with manie blowes the oke is over-
throwen." It is in The Spanish Tra-
gedy, taken from Watson. See note at
III. ii. 50 below.
55. hardest - timbered] Compare
" clean - timbered," Love's Labour's
Lost, V. ii. 629, and see note in this
edition.
57. ireful] See note to 1 Henry VL
IV. vi. 16. And its Introduction. Only
in Shakespeare's early work.
58. unrelenting] See 1 Henry VL
V. iv. 59. Also in Titus Andronicus.
Sylvester has " unrelenting eys " in
Du Bartas, Seventh Day of the First
Week, p. 152, 1591. Earlier in Peele ?
59. Who crown'd] For the line in Q :
" And then they set him on a molehill
here," see below, 11. v. 14 : " Here, on
this molehill will I set me down." The
molehill is removed farther from i. iv,
67.
65. head . . . i ork] See at i. iv.
179, 180.
66. They set the same] A note in the
Irving Shakespeare (by Mr. F. A.
Marshall) points out the use of this
circumlocution several times in Mar-
lowe; in Greene's Alphonsus (twenty-
one times); and (earliest) in Peek's
Sir Clyomon (four times). It is ex-
tremely common in Shakespeare's
earliest work (see Schmidt), and was a
sign of the time, not an evidence of
authorship. It occurs nine times in
this trilogy and Richard IIL See
next note for Spenser's use.
(67. The saddest . . . thai e're] A
Spenserian line. See Introduction to
Part I. " Piteous spectacle " of Q is a
favourite expression with Spenser. He
has it in Faerie Queene, i. ix. 37 ; 11.
SC. I.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
41
Edw. Sweet Duke of York ! our prop to lean upon,
Now thou art gone, we have no staff, no stay.
O Clifford, boisterous Clifford ! thou hast slain
The flower of Europe for his chivalry ;
And treacherously hast thou vanquish'd him,
For hand to hand he would have vanquish'd thee.
Now my soul's palace is become a prison :
Ah, would she break from hence, that this my body
70
75
68, 6g. Sweet . . . gone . . . stay] 45, 46. Sweet . . . gone there is no hope
for us Q. 70-73. O Clifford . . . vanquish'd thee] omitted Q. 74-78.
Now . . . prison . . . more joy] ^ij-^g. Now . . . prison. Oh would she breake
from compasse of my breast, For never shall I haue more ioie Q.
xii. 45 ; IV. iii. 21, etc. And in Astro-
phel, St. 34 (1586-7) : —
" And when that piteous spectacle
they vewed
The same with bitter teares they
all bedewed."
See below, 11. v. 73.
68, 6g. Sweet . . . stay] Compare
Tamburlaine, Part 1. 1. i. (Dyce, 8, a) : —
" The hope of Persia and the very
legs
Whereon our state doth lean as on
a staff."
Furnival (Introduction to Facsimile)
points out that these two lines are
found in Marlowe's Massacre at Paris,
III. iii. (Dyce, 243, b) ; (reading Guise
for York, and the last half line slightly
altered). Of the two I believe Marlowe
is the later.
70. boisterous] The strong sense of
"savage," appropriate here, is ob-
solete. Compare Hawes' Pastime of
Pleasure (rept. p. 48) : —
" Vylayne courage . . .
That is boystrous and rude of
governance."
And Spenser, Faerie Queene, i. viii. 10 :
"His boystrous club" ("his dreadful
club" a few lines earlier).
71. The flower . . . chivalry] Com-
pare Grafton, Edivard the Thirde (i.
332) : " Edward . . . accompted the
Flower of all Chyualrye, throughout
all the worlde, and also some writers
name him the black prince." And in
Hawes' Pastime of Pleasure, p. 116
(1509), rept. But it is more interesting
to find it in Contention, I v. x., and
omitted from Part II.
73. hand to hniid] Occurs again 1
Henry IV. i. iii. gg; and below, 11. v.
56, In single combat. Earlier in Neiv
Eng. Diet. It occurs in The Conten-
tion, IV. X. 50. See Spanish Tragedy,
I. iii. 63 : —
" I saw him, hand to hand,
In single fight with their Lord
General!."
Frequent in Berners' Froissart.
73> 74) 77> 7^- vanquished him . . .
vanquish'd thee . . . joy again . . .
more joy] Here we have some very
limp iteration introduced that is not in
the Quarto — showing the futility of
hard and fast theories. The latter
lines of this speech are much in Peele's
manner. He probably considered him-
self, and indeed was something of an
adept at pathos (see David and Beth-
sabe), and may have been allotted a
finishing touch or two.
74. soul's palace . . . prison] Peele
has this metaphor twice : Edward I.
Sc. XXV. (411, a, Dyce, 1874) : —
" First, in this painful prison of my
soul,
A world of dreadful sins holp there
to fight";
and in Battle of Alcazar, Act v. (439,
a):-
" Whose weapons have made pas-
sage for my soul
That breaks from out the prison of
my brest."
This is directly from Tamburlaine,
Part II. iv. ii. (63, b):—
" draw your sword,
Making a passage for this troubled
soul
Which beats against this prison to
get out."
But earlier in Lyly's Cdiupaspe (1584),
I. ii. : "the bodie is the prison of the
soule . . . to make my bodie immortal,
I put it to prison."
42 THE THIKl) PART OF [act n.
Mij^ht in the ground be closed up in rest !
For never henceforth shall I joy again,
Never, O never, shall I see more joy !
Rich. 1 cannot weep, for all my body's moisture
Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heart ; 8o
Nor can my tongue unload my heart's great burthen ;
For self-same wind that 1 should speak withal
Is kindling coals that fires all my breast,
And burns me up with flames that tears would quench.
To weep is to make less the depth of grief: 85
Tears then for babes ; blows and revenge for me !
Richard, I bear thy name ; I '11 venge thy death.
Or die renowned by attempting it.
Edw. His name that valiant duke hath left with thee ;
His dukedom and his chair with me is left. 90
Rich. Nay, if thou be that princely eagle's bird,
Show thy descent by gazing 'gainst the sun :
For chair and dukedom, throne and kingdom say ;
Either that is thine, or else thou wert not his.
79, 80. / canyxol . . . body's . . . heart] 50, 51. / cannot . . . breasts . . .
hart Q. 81-S8. Nor can . . . Richard . . . I HI venge . . . rcnou-ncd . . .
it] 52-55. / cannot ioie till this white rose be dide, Euen in the hart bloud of the
house of Lancaster. Richard . . . and lie reuenge . . . my selfe in seeking of
renenge Q. 89, 90. His . . . thee ; His . . . left] 56, 57. His . . . thee, His
chairc and Ditkedome that remains for mc Q. 9I-94' Nay, if thou . . . say ;
Either . . . fiot his] sS-6i. Nay, if thou . . . saie : For cither . . . not his ? Q.
76. closed up in rest] Shakespeare 91, 92. eagle's bird . . . gazing
never uses " close up " (verb), except of 'gainst the sun] A very old fancy, aris-
the eyes, elsewhere. ing no doubt from the eagle's power-
79-87. I cannot 'ceep . . . venge thy ful sight. Marshall says Aristotle (lib.
death] Neatly put in Locrine, in. i. 20) is cited as an authority. Pliny
60, 61 : — says (xxix. 6, p. 367, Holland's trans.) :
" He loves not most that doth lament "that ^gle (which I said heretofore,
the most, to prove and trie her yong birds, useth
But he that seeks to venge the to force them for to look directly upon
injury." the sunne) . . . Haliartos, i. the sea-
The two omitted lines here are found ^gle or Orfray " (margin). He refers
almost repeated in Contention and in this passage to bk. x. ch. 3. Halli-
thence to 2 Henry VI. 11. ii. 64-66. well says " Chaucer alludes to this in
See my note. More continuity evidence, the Assemblie of Foules " (his quota-
91. princely eagle] Marlowe calls it tion is insufficient). He also quotes
" princely fowl . . . oi ]o\e" {Tambur- from Spenser's Hymn of Heavenly
/atwf, Part II. I. i. (Dyce, 45, a)) ; and at Beauty, st. 20. An early instance
IV. iii. (66, b), "drawn with princely (1591) is in Sylvester's Du Bartas,
eagles." p. 112, The Fifth Day of the First
91. bird] young of any fowl. See Week: —
above, i. iv. 36, and 1 Henry IV. v. i. "this Damsell . . .
60, and Titus Andronicus, 11. iii. 154. Two tender Eaglets in a nest
Golding speaks of a nest of " eight espies,
byrdes " in Ovid's Metamorphoses, xii. Which 'gainst the sun sate trying
15. And in iv. 524 " bird " means child of their eyes."
(" this harlots burd ").
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 43
March. Enter WARWICK, MARQUESS OF MONTAGUE, and
their army.
War. How now, fair lords ! What fare? what news abroad ? 95
Rich. Great Lord of Warwick, if we should recount
Our baleful news, and at each word's deliverance
Stab poniards in our flesh till all were told,
The words would add more anguish than the wounds.
0 valiant lord, the Duke of York is slain ! 100
Edw. O Warwick ! Warwick ! that Plantagenet
Which held thee dearly as his soul's redemption,
Is by the stern Lord Clifford done to death.
War. Ten days ago I drown' d these news in tears,
And now, to add more measure to your woes, 105
1 come to tell you things sith then befallen.
After the bloody fray at Wakefield fought,
Where your brave father breath'd his latest gasp,
Tidings, as swiftly as the posts could run.
Were brought me of your loss and his depart. IIO
I, then in London, keeper of the king,
95. Enter . . . Montague . . .] Enter the Earle of Warwike, Montague,
with drum, anciejit, and souldiers Q (March omitted) ; Enter . . . Montacute
. . . Ff. 95-100. How now . . . Great . . . recount Our baleful news . . .
O valiant . . . slain /] 62-67. How now . . . Ah Warwike ? should we report
the balefull Newcs . . . Ah valiant . . . slainc Q. 101-103. O Warwick !
. . . dearly as . . . death] 68-70. Ah Warwike . . . deere : I, euen as . . .
death Q. 104-110. Ten days . . . sith then . . . depart] 71-77. Ten daies
, , . those newes . . . since then . . . Was brought . . . departure Q. iri-
119. /, then in . . . intercept . . . oath and your succession] 78-86. / then in
. . . enter cept . . . your late . . . heires and your succession Q.
95. What fare] Not again in Shake- gasp" also occur in the same sense,
speare. See note at 1 Henry VI. 1. ii. 127.
97, 98. word^s . . . Stab poniards] Peele has " the issue of thy damned
Compare //om/;<, iii. ii. 414, zndMuch ghost, Which with thy /airs/ _;5'ai/> theyll
Ado About Nothing, 11. i. 255: "she iake and te^r," in David and Bethsabc,
speaks poniards and every word stabs." sc. x. (479, a).
103. do7te to death]^ee 2 Henry VI. iii et scq. I, then in London . . .]
in. ii. 244, and below, in. iii. 103. Hall describes these events (252, rept.) "
Occurs again in Much Ado About Noth- " The Quene still came forwarde with
ing. And in Whetstone's Promos and her Northern people, entendyng to
Cassandra, Part I. iv. iv. (1578): "Is subuerte and dcfaict all conclusions
my Audrugio dotie to death." Slain, and agrementes, enacted and assented
See I. iv. io8. to in the last Parliament. And so after
104. drown'd , . . in tears] A very her long iorney she came to the town
favourite expression. I find it about of Saiiict .\lbons ; whereof ye duke of
fifteen times in Shakespeare's plays. Northfolke, ye eric of Warwycke, and
It is six times in the dubious Titus other, whom ye duke of Yorke had lefte
Andronicus, however. to gouernc the kyng in his absence,
108. his latest gasp] See again v. ii. being advertised, by the assent of ye
41 below. "Last gasp" and "latter kyng, gathered together a great hoste,
44
THK riiiKi) wwi'i OF
[act II.
Muster'd my soldiers, gathcr'd flocks of friends,
And very well appointed, as I thought,
March'd toward Saint Alban's to intercept the queen,
Bearing the king in my behalf along ; 115
For by my scouts I was advertised
That she was coming with a full intent
To dash our late decree in parliament,
Touching King Henry's oath and your succession.
Short tale to make, we at Saint Alban's met, I20
Our battles join'd, and both sides fiercely fought :
But whether 'twas the coldness of the king.
Who look'd full gently on his war-like queen,
That robb'd my soldiers of their heated spleen ;
Or whether 'twas report of her success ; 125
Or more than common fear of Clifford's rigour,
Who thunders to his captives blood and death,
I cannot judge : but, to conclude with truth.
Their weapons like to lightning came and went ;
Our soldiers', like the night-owl's lazy flight, 130
120-132. Short talc . . . Who look'd
cannot judge . . . like to lightning . .
tale . . . He lookt . . . his successe . ,
sfnote their friends Q.
and set forward toward Sainct Albons,
hauyng the Kyng in their company,
as the head and chefetayn of the warre,
and so not mynding to difterre the
time any further, vpon shrouetuesday
early in the morning, set upon their
enemies. Fortune that day so fauored
the Quene, that her parte preuayled,
& the duke and the erle were discom-
fited and fled . . . after the victorie
obtayned, and the kynge broughte to
the Quene. . . . Happy was the Quene
in her two battayls but unfortunate
was the kyng in all his enterprises,
for where his person was present, ther
victory fled ever from him to the other
parte, and he commonly was subdued
& vanquished." See this passage con-
tinued at " dub him presently," below,
II. ii. 59.
113. And . . . thottght] Introduced
from Q by Steevens. For " well ap-
pointed," see 1 Henry VI. iv. ii. 21 ;
and Golding's Ovid : " a traine Of well
appointed men of warre new levied "
(vii. 1121, 1122).
iiS. dashi frustrate. Compare
Grafton's Continuation of Hardyng,
. . her success . . . captives . . . I
struck their friends] 88-99. Short-
. captaines . . . I cannot tell . . .
540 : " thynkyng that by this means
al his purpose was dashed " (1543)-
120. Short tale to make] Again in
Hamlet, 11. ii. 146. This expression
is in Gascoigne's Steel Glas (Arber, p.
50), 1576 ; and in Whetstone's Promos
and Cassandra, Part I. ill. i. (1578).
Later it is in Greene's Groatsworth of
Wit (Grosart, xii. 122) ; in The Trouble-
some Raigne of King jfohn, and in
Peek's Tale of Troy. See Grafton's
Continuation of Hardyng, 461 (1543) :
"but ye duke, to make a short tale,
would by no meanes deliuer theim."
121. Our battles join'd] See above, i.
i. 15.
130. night-owl] Again in Twelfth
Night and Richard II. Shakespeare
has later a pleasant friendly tone to-
wards the owl, very much truer in
perception than his contemporaries.
Golding's "wicked wretch Nycty-
minee" passage (ii. 742-752) perhaps
told on the poor bird heavily. With
Spenser and Peele he is the " deathful
owl,' the "ghastly owl," the "tragic
owl." Golding calls him elsewhere
" filthy fowl " from Ovid. But Tar-
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 45
Or like an idle thresher with a flail,
Fell gently down, as if they struck their friends.
I cheer'd them up with justice of our cause.
With promise of high pay and great rewards :
But all in vain ; they had no heart to fight, 135
And we in them no hope to win the day ;
So that we fled : the king unto the queen ;
Lord George your brother, Norfolk and myself,
In haste, post-haste, are come to join with you ;
For in the marches here we heard you were, 140
Making another head to fight again.
Edw. Where is the Duke of Norfolk, gentle Warwick?
And when came George from Burgundy to England ?
War. Some six miles off the duke is with the soldiers ;
And for your brother, he was lately sent 145
From your kind aunt, Duchess of Burgundy,
With aid of soldiers to this needful war.
Rich. 'Twas odds, belike, when valiant Warwick fled :
Oft have I heard his praises in pursuit,
But ne'er till now his scandal of retire. i 50
War. Nor now my scandal, Richard, dost thou hear ;
133-141. / cheer'd . . . our cause . . . heart to fight. And we . . . fight again]
100-108. / cheerd . . . the cause . . . harts to fight, Nor we . . . fight againe Q.
142, 143. Where is . . . And when . . . England ?] log-iii. Thankes gentle
Warwike, How farre hence is the Duke with his powr ? And when . . . Eng-
land ? Q. 144-147. Some six . . . the soldiers ; And for . . . to this need-
ful war] 1 12- 1 15. Some fiue . . . his power. But as for . . . gainst this needful I
warre Q. 148-150. 'Twas odds . . . his praises . . . his scandal of retire] 116-
u8. Twasods . . . thy praises . . . thy scandall of retire Q. 151-156. Nor now
. . . this strong . . . prayer] 119-124. Nor now . . . that this right . . . praicr Q.
quin, the night owl, catches the dove 144. the soldiers] Theobald inserted
in Lucrece. the better expression of the Quartos,
131. an idle] Conects the "a lazy" " his power."
of the Folios. Inserted by Capell. 143-146. George from Burgundy
139. haste, post-haste] Written on ... kind aunt] Hall accounts for
dispatches, and hence common in George's absence : " The Duches of
poetry : — Yorke . . . sent her two yonger sonnes,
" he hath vouchsaft George and Richard, ouer the sea to
In hast, post hast, to send the citie of Utrecht in Almayn ; where
Me doune from heaven " they were of Philippe duke of Burgoyne
(Gziicoign, Princely Pleasures (Nichoh' well receyued and fested, and so there
Progresses, i. sio), i^y^). See Othello, thei remayned, till their brother Ed-
I. ii. 37. warde had obteyned the Real me "
141. Making another head] Compare ('^53).
Coriolanus, iii. i. i, and 1 Henry IV. 149. Oft have I heard] See note at
IV. i. 80. And see " gathered head," " Oft have I seen . . ." in ~' Henry 17.
J Henry VI. i. iv. 100 (note). It is a ui. ii. 161. Occurs again in Love's
technical expression in Machiavel's Labour's Lost, Richard III., and Titus
Arte of Warre (trans. Whitehouse, /Juf/roxui/s, " Oft have you heard .. ."
1560), Tudor reprint, p. 84.
46 THE THIin) I^AH'I' OF [act ii.
For thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine
Can pluck the diadem from faint Henry's head,
And wring the awful sceptre from his fist,
Were he as famous and as bold in war i $5
As he is famed for mildness, peace, and prayer.
Rich. I know it well, Lord Warwick ; blame me not :
'Tis love I bear thy glories makes me speak.
But in this troublous time what's to be done?
Shall we go throw away our coats of steel, 160
And wrap our bodies in black mourning gowns,
Numbering our Ave-Maries with our beads?
Or shall we on the helmets of our foes
Tell our devotion with revengeful arms?
If for the last, say ay, and to it, lords. 165
War. Why, therefore Warwick came to seek you out.
And therefore comes my brother Montague.
Attend me, lords. The proud insulting queen.
With Clifford and the haught Northumberland,
And of their feather many moe proud birds, 170
Have wrought the easy-melting king like wax.
He swore consent to your succession,
His oath enrolled in the parliament ;
And now to London all the crew are gone,
157-165. I know it . . . ^Tis . . . makes . . . wrap . . . ay, and to it, lords]
125-133. / know it . . . Twos . . . made . . . clad ... 7, and to it Lords Q.
166-173. Why . . . seek you . . . tnoe . . . swore . . . parliament] 134-141.
Why . . . find yoxi . . . mo . . . sware . . . Parliament Q. 174-177. And
now . . .frustrate . . . beside May ... 7 think . . . strong] 142-145. But
156. famed . . . prayer] See Faitll. He strowde an Ave-Marie after
I. iii. 54-59 (and notes) for King Henry's and before."
disposition. 163, 164. on the helmets . . . Tell
160. coats of steel] See " steeled our devotion] Compare " write upon
coat," 1 Henry VI. i. i, 81. Spenser thy burgonet," Part II. v. i. 200,
has the expression here in Faerie 201.
Queene, i. xi. 9: — 168. proud insulting] See J Henry
" And over all with brasen scales VI. i. ii. 138. Compare " haught in-
was armd, suiting man," Richard II. iv. i. 254.
Like plated cote of Steele." " Haught " is also in Richard III.
It is in the description of that old 169. haught] See last note. Earlier
Dragon often referred to. Kyd uses than "haughty, "often (spelt "hault") in
the term in Cornelia, v. i. 5 : " Whose Golding's Ovid, especially in expression
coates of Steele base Death hath stolne " hault of mind." Hawes has " haute
into." courage," Pastime of Pleasure (rept.
162. Numbering . . . Ave - Maries 132), 1509.
. . . beads] We have had this line in 170. feather . . . birds] See below,
Part II. I. iii. 55. Compare Spenser's " birds of selfsame feather," iii. iii. 161,
Faerie Queene, i. i. 35 : — and " I am not of that feather," Timon
"He tolde of Saintes and Popes, of Athens, i. i. 100.
and evermore
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 47
To frustrate both his oath and what beside 175
May make against the house of Lancaster.
Their power, I think, is thirty thousand strong :
Now, if the help of Norfolk and myself,
With all the friends that thou, brave Earl of March,
Amongst the loving Welshmen canst procure, 180
Will but amount to five-and-twenty thousand,
Why, Via ! to London will we march amain.
And once again bestride our foaming steeds,
And once again cry — Charge upon our foes !
But never once again turn back and fly. 185
Rich. Ay, now methinks I hear great Warwick speak.
Ne'er may he live to see a sunshine day.
That cries — Retire, if Warwick bid him stay.
Edw. Lord Warwick, on thy shoulder will I lean ;
And when thou fail'st, — as God forbid the hour! — 190
Must Edward fall, which peril heaven forfend !
now . . . frustrate his oath or what besides May . . . I gessc them fifty
thousand strong (^. 178-181. Now . . . myself, With . . . March, Amongst
. . . procure. Will . . . thousand] i^d-i^g. Now . . . tny self e. Can but amount
to 48 thousand. With . . . March, Among . . . procure Q. 182-1S5. Why,
Via! . . . upon our foes ! . . . and fly] 150-153. Why via . . . vpon the foe
. . . andflieQ. 186-188. Ay, now . . . if Warwick . . . stay] 154-156. /,
now . . . when Warwike . . . stay Q. 189-191. Lord . . . fail'st, — as
God . . . Must . . . forfend!] 157-159. Lord . . . faints, must . . . forcfend Q.
177-181. thirty thousand . . . five- in this repetition, see again at i. iv. 9
and - twenty thousand] Note the above, and note. A favourite method
wrongly altered numbers from Quarto, with Spenser.
Holinshed gives King Edward's force 183. foaming steeds] Spenser pre-
at 48,660 before the battle of Towton. ceded this with " froth-fomy steed,"
Hequotes Wheathamsted that Henry's Faerie Queene, i. xi. 23. He has
exceeded them by 20,000. The Quarto "foaming tar" earlier, but "foamy"
is nearer. oftener. The latter is once in Shake-
182. Via] See Lovers Labour 'j speare, Twelfth Night.
Lost, V. i. 140, and v. ii. 112, and note 1S7. live to sec . . . day] Compare
(in this edition). Shakespeare has it Spanish Tragedy, m. vi. 5 : —
again in Merry Wives of Windsor, •' But shall 1 never live to see the
Merchant of Venice, and Henry V. day
Whether The True Tragedie, or Love's That I may come."
Labour's Lost claim historical preced- 187. sunshine day] Occurs again in
ence for the use of the term is a Richard H. iv. i. 221. In Spenser's
question. Probably the former. Shephcard's Calender, January (Globe
182. to London] See below, line ed. 446, a) : " AU in a sunneshine day."
207, note. igo. fail'st] Steevens reads " fail'st."
182. march amain] "amain" is in- He had better have taken " faint'st "
troduced from Q (Theobald) ; omitted in of Q. See note at " join'st," I Henry
Ff. The expression " march amain " VI. iii. iii. 75.
occurs again below, iv. viii. 4, iv. viii. 191. heaven forfend] See / Henry
64, and Titus Androniciis, iv. iv. 65. VL v. iv. 65. Again in Othello and
183-185. once again . . . And once Winter's Talc. A thoroughly Shake-
again . . . once again] For the emphasis spearian ejaculation.
48
THE TflllU)
OK
[act II.
War. No lorif^cr Karl of March, but Duke of York :
The next decree is Knglatifl's royal throne ;
For King of Knj^land shalt thou be proclaim'd
In every borouf^h as we pass along ;
And he that throws not up his cap for joy
Shall for the fault make forfeit of his head.
King Edward, valiant Richard, Montague,
Stay we no longer, dreaming of renown,
But sound the trumpets, and about our task.
Ki'c/i. Then, Clifford, were thy heart as hard as steel,
As thou hast shown it flinty by thy deeds,
I come to pierce it, or to give thee mine.
Edw. Then strike up, drums I God and Saint George for us !
195
200
Enter a Messenger.
War. How now ! what news ?
Mess. The Duke of Norfolk sends you word by me,
The Queen is coming with a puissant host ;
205
192-200. No longer . . . throne; For . . . throws not . . . the fault . . .
renown, But . . . task] 160-16S. No longer . . . king : And . . . casts not . . .
the offence . . . renowne, But forward to effect these resolutions Q. 201-204.
Theti . . . for its'] omitted Q. 205-209. Enter . . . War. How . . . news .^
Mess. The . . . counsel. War. Why . . . warriors, let 's away] 169-172.
Enter . . . Mes. The . . . puissant power . . . councell. War. Why . . .
Lordes. Lets march away. Exeunt Omnes Q.
193,196. throne . . . iAroz^s] Capell
reads " king . . . casts " here from Q.
196. throws not up his cap for joy]
From Grafton's Continuation of Hard-
yng, 512 (1543) : " One Nashfeelde, and
other belongyng to the protectoure,
with some prentices and laddes . . .
began ... to crye ' Kyng Richarde,
Kyng Rychard,' and there threwe up
their cappes in token of ioye."
199. Stay we] See Introduction to
Part I. on this form ; and note at
" Embrace we " in that play, 11. i. 13.
" Stay ivc no longer prating here " is
a line in Peek's "jfack Straw (Haz-
litt's Dodsley, v. 383). The following
line in Q contains "resolutions."
Shakespeare never uses this plural.
It is noticeable how scene-endings often
fail in these plays, or have a different
ring. Signs of Peele appear here.
200. about our task] I have no good
parallel in Shakespeare for this expres-
sion, without a verb, and with an ob-
ject after the almost verbal " about."
" Set " or " go " is omitted. " He about
it straight " occurs in Soliman and
Perseda, iv. ii. 82. And elsewhere in
the same play. Compare Marlowe's
Tamburlaine, Part II. in. iii. (Dyce,
56, b) : " Come, let 's about it."
201-203. heart . . . pierce it] See
below, III. i. 38.
201. as hard as steel] Compare
Peele's Old Wives Tale (453, a) :
" Dig, brother dig, for she is hard as
steel." And in Marlowe's Tamburlaine,
Part II. I. iii. (46, b) : "As black as
jet and hard as iron or steel."
202. flinty] See above, i. iv. 142.
Used earlier in Latimer, New Etig.
Diet., and for the word see Part I. 11.
i. 27. Often in Shakespeare both
literally and as a metaphor.
204. God and Saint George] See 1
Henry VI. iv. ii. 55; and below in
this play, iv. ii. 29. So Hall (p. 250
rept.) : " in the name of God and Saint
George ... I will fight . . ."
207. The Queen is coming] The
" march amain " on London is set
aside by this news. That it was
SC. II.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
49
And craves your company for speedy counsel.
War. Why then it sorts ; brave warriors, let 's away.
\Exeunt.
SCENE W.— Before York.
Flourish. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, the Prince
OF Wales, Clifford, and Northumberland, with druin
and trumpets.
Q. Mar. Welcome, my lord, to this brave town of York.
Yonder 's the head of that arch-enemy
That sought to be encompass'd with your crown :
Doth not the object cheer your heart, my lord ?
K. Hen. Ay, as the rocks cheer them that fear their wreck : 5
To see this sight, it irks my very soul.
Withhold revenge, dear God ! 'tis not my fault,
Nor wittingly have I infringed my vow.
Clif. My gracious liege, this too much lenity
Enter . . .] Enter the King, the Queene, Clifford, Northum, . . . and Yong
Prince, with Drumm and Trumpettes F i ; Enter the King and Queene, Prince
Edward, and the Northerne Earles, with drum and Sonldiers Q. 1-4. Wel-
come . . . arch-enemy . . . encompass'd . . . cheer your heart, my lord ?] 1-4.
Welcome . . . ambitious enemie . . . impaled . . . please your eie my lord ? Q.
5-8. Ay, as . . . cheer . . . wreck: To see . . . soul. Withhold . . . vow] 5-7.
Euen as . . . wracke. Withhold . . . vow Q. 9-20. My gracious liege . . .
their den . . . forest bear . . . her young . . . her face. Who ^scapes . . . in
historically correct, see Hall (253) :
*' The erles of Marche and Warwycke,
hauing perfite knowledge that the
kyng and quene with their adherentes
were departed from Saint Albons, de-
termined first to ryde to London as the
chefe Key, and common spectacle to
the whole Realme, thinking there to
assure them selfs of the East and
West parte of the kingdome [Norfolk
and VV^ales], as King Henry and his
faction nestelcd and strengthened him
and his alies in the North regions and
boreal plage : meaning to haue a
buckelar against a sword, and a
southerne byl to countcruayle a
Northern bassard" ["bastard," Graf-
ton]. From this point, history goes
wholly astray in the dramatic sequence.
Mr. Boswell Stone eases the position
by " We may suppose."
207. puissant host] " By reason
whereof he [King Edward the iiij] as-
sembled together a puissant army "
(Hall, p. 252). And on p. 251.
209. it sorts] it is fitting, it fits.
See Troilus and Cressida, i. i. log.
SCEiVB 11.
I. Welcome . . . York] "While
these things were in doyng in the
South part, King Henry beyng in the
North country, thinking because he
had slayn the duke of Yorke . . . that
he had brought all thyng to purpose
. . . assembled a great army. . . . But
he was sore deceiued : for out of the
dead stocke sprang . . . Kyng Edward
the iiij " (Hall, 252).
3. impaled with . . . crown] in Q
is altered here. It occurs below, iii.
ii. 171 and ill. iii. i8y. And in Q at
last reference.
9. liege] Note the change from the
wearisome " lord," so often repeated.
The same has occurred in Part II.(iii. i.).
g. lenity] Compare Grafton's Con-
tinuation of Hardyng {p. 571), 1543:
" yf he should rcmittc that faulte other
would abuse his Icnitce and trespace
50
THK THIRD PART OF
[act II.
And harmful pity must be laid aside. lO
To whom do lions cast their gentle looks?
Not to the beast that would usurp their den.
Whose hand is that the forest bear doth lick ?
Not his that spoils her young before her face.
Who 'scapes the lurking serpent's mortal sting? 15
Not he that sets his foot upon her back.
The smallest worm will turn being trodden on,
And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood.
Ambitious York did level at thy crown ;
Thou smiling while he knit his angry brows : 20
He, but a duke, would have his son a king,
And raise his issue like a loving sire ;
safeguard . . . brows} 8-ig. My gratious lord . . , his den . . . sauage Beare
. . . his young . . . his face. Whose scapes . . . in rescue . . . browes Q.
21-32. He, but a duke . . . yield consent . . . unloving . . . with those . . .
more highly," An earlier use than
any quoted.
13. forest bear] untamed ; more than
usually savage and wild bear. Com-
pare " mountain lioness," Titus An-
dronicus, iv. ii. 13S. And see below,
V. vii. 10-12: "two brave bears . . .
That made the forest tremble." Mar-
lowe speaks of " The forest deer" in
Edward II. (212, b).
15. Who . . . lurking serpent's
mortal stingi Compare Lucrece, 362-
364:—
" Who sees the lurking serpent steps
aside ;
But she . . .
Lies at the mercy of his mortal
sting."
Spenser has " an Adder lurking in
the weeds" (Faerie Queene, 11. v.
34)-
17. The smallest worm will turn be-
ing trodden on] " Tread a worme on the
tayle and it must turne agayn " (Hey-
wood (ed. Sharman), p. in, 1546). It
is in A. Munday's English Romaync
Life, 1590 (Harl. Miscell. ii. 200). The
whole passage might have been sug-
gested by this one in Hall (270), spoken
by Warwick : " what worme is touched,
and will not once turne againe ? what
beast is striken that will not rore
sound ? What innocent child is hurte
that will not crye ? If the poore and
unreasonable beasts : If the sely
babes," etc.
18. doves will peck] See above, i. iv.
41. Compare for the sentiment the
swan and her downy cygnets, v. iii. 56
in Part I.
18. in safeguard of] Compare
Richard III. v. iii. 259 : " in safeguard
o/your wives." And see Measure for
Measure, v. i. 424 (in this edition, note).
Golding has " by like in you Sir
snudge, Consistes the savegard of us
all" (iii. 821, 822).
19. level at thy crown] Compare
" level at my life," 2 Henry VI. in. i.
160. It is said there of " dogged
York" (not in the First Contention).
20. knit his angry brows] " knit his
brows" occurs again in 2 Henry VI.
I. ii. 3 and in. i. 15 ; and see below,
III. ii. 82 ; and Lucrece, " knit brow,"
709. One of the many expressions in
these plays showing continuity and
identity of authorship between them
and known work of Shakespeare's.
In Q. Note always too the identity of
all these important and thoroughly
Shakespearian speeches with those in
Q. And the utter futility of distinguish-
ing writers. New English Dictionary
gives the expression from Chaucer,
Knight's Tale, 1386, and Caxton, Sonnes
of Aymon, 1489, with Shakespeare next.
But Shakespeare read the following :
" The protectoure . . . came in agayn
. . . with a sowre angry countenaunce,
knittynge the browes, frownynge, and
frettyng, and gnawynge on his lyppes "
(Grafton's Continuation of Hardyng, p.
493> 1543)-
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 51
Thou, being a king, bless'd with a goodly son,
Didst yield consent to disinherit him,
Which argued thee a most unloving father, 25
Unreasonable creatures feed their young ;
And though man's face be fearful to their eyes,
Yet, in protection of their tender ones.
Who hath not seen them, even with those wings
Which sometime they have used with fearful flight, 30
Make war with him that climb'd unto their nest,
Offering their own lives in their young's defence?
For shame, my liege, make them your precedent !
Were it not pity that this goodly boy
Should lose his birthright by his father's fault, 35
And long hereafter say unto his child,
" What my great-grandfather and grandsire got
My careless father fondly gave away " ?
Ah, what a shame were this ! Look on the boy ;
And let his manly face, which promiseth 40
Successful fortune, steel thy melting heart
To hold thine own and leave thine own with him.
K. Hen. Full well hath Clifford play'd the orator.
Inferring arguments of mighty force.
But, Clifford, tell me, didst thou never hear 45
That things ill got had ever bad success?
xised with fearful . . . climbed . . . defence ?] 20-31. He but a Duke . . . giue
consent . . . vnnaturall . . . with those same wings Which they haue sometime
vsde in fearefull . . . climes . . . defence? Q. 33-42. For shame, my liege
. . . precedent . . . birthright by . . . away? Ah, . . . this! Look . . .for-
tune, steel . . . heart To hold . . . with him] 32-41. For shame, my Lord . . .
president . . . birth right through . . . awaie ? Locke . . .fortune to vs all,
Steele . . . thoughtes to keepe . . . 7vith himQ. 43-48. Full well . . . But,
, . . hear That things ill . . . always was . . . hell ?] 42-47. Full well . . .
But tell me, didst thou neuer yet heare tell. That things euill . . . euer was
. . . hell ? Q.
33. /i>'<?(;erf^H/] " president" in Ff and this play, i. ii. 2 (and notes). Another
Q, the common spelling? of the time, continuity-phrase.
41. steel thy . . . heart] This ex- 44. Inferring] alleging, adducing,
pression is in Henry V . iv. i. 306, and See below, in. i. 49, " Infcrreth argu
Venus and Adonis, 375, 376. And inents." l^lsewhere several limes in
" steel thy fearful thoughts " occurs in Richard IlL only. An uncommon use
2 Henry VL iii. i. 331. See also outside Shakespeare. Greene often
Sonnet 112, and Richard //. v. ii. uses "infer" — "infer comparison" is
34. Note the improved metre from in Mamillia twice (draw comparisons).
Quarto in 39-42, by insertion of " Ah 46. things ill got . . . ] An old saw.
what a shame were this." Hut it is Compare Spenser's Mother Hubbcrds
more likely these are dropped words Tale (Globe ed. 523, b) : " 111 might it
of a printer from a bad manuscript. prosper that ill gotten was." Heywood
43. play'd the orator] See note has (1546) : " Soone gotten, soone
1 Henry VI. iv. i. 175 ; and above in spent, ill gotten, ill spent " (Sharman's
52 THE THIRD PART OF [act n.
And happy always was it for that son
Whose father for his hoarding went to hell ?
I *11 leave my son my virtuous deeds behind ;
And would my father had left me no more ! $0
For all the rest is held at such a rate
As brings a thousand-fold more care to keep
Than in possession any jot of pleasure.
Ah, cousin York, would thy best friends did know
How it doth grieve me that thy head is here ! 55
Q. Mar. My lord, cheer up your spirits : our foes are nigh,
And this soft courage makes your followers faint.
You promis'd knighthood to our forward son :
Unsheathe your sword, and dub him presently.
Edward, kneel down. 60
K. Hen. Edward Plantagenet, arise a knight ;
And learn this lesson, draw thy sword in right.
Prince. My gracious father, by your kingly leave,
I 'II draw it as apparent to the crown,
And in that quarrel use it to the death. 65
Clif. Why, that is spoken like a toward prince.
49-53. / 7/ leave . . . thousand-fold more . . . Than . . . pleasure^ 48-52.
/ leaue . . . askes a thousand times more . . . Then male the present profit
counteruaile Q. 54, 55. Ah, . . . is here /] 53, 54. Ah . . . stands there Q.
56-60. My lord . . . kneel down] 55-58. My lord, this harmefull pittie makes
your followers faint. You promisde knighthood to your princelie sonne, Vn-
sheath your sword and straight doe dub him knight. Kneele downe Edward Q.
61-66. Edward . . . lesson, draw . , . Clif. Why . . . prince"] 59-64. Edward
. . . lesson boy, draw . . . Northum. Why . . . prince Q.
ed. p. 131). And in Grafton's Con- 1708, iii. 74) refers to a song of the
tinuation of Hardyng, 518: "the proverb, about a fop newly come to his
thynge euell gotten is neuer well estate.
kepte." Halliwell gives Latin parallels 57. soft courage] replaces "harmful
from Erasmus and Juvenal. pity " of Quarto ; a better phrase, but it
47, 48. happy . . . was . . . that has been used above at line 10.
son Whose father . . . to hell] An old 57. faint] See above, i. i. 129.
adage, but "for his hoarding" is 59. dub him presently]Thisoccuired
Shakespeare's insertion, and the appli- after Mortimer's Cross and the second
cation is his own. The original is in battle of vSaint Albans which followed
Latimer's Seven Sermons (Arber, p. 97), close, and is thus told in sequence from
1549: "Happy is the chylde whose Hall, quoted at 11. i. iii : "When
father goeth to the Deuyll." It is also quene Margaret had thus well sped,
in T. Lupton's All for Money (Halli- first she caused the kyng to dubbe
well rept. p. 156), 1578. It is in Har- prince Edward his sonne, knyght, with
ington's Epigrams, Ray's Proverbs, xxx. other persons, which in the morn-
etc. Halliwell and Staunton have ing fought on the queene's side, against
wrongly made this an evidence of his parte " (p. 252).
Greene's work. Greene never came 66. toward] willing, courageous,
where this work grew. Greene has a See Soliman and Perseda (Boas' Kyd),
very silly comment on it in The Royall 1. iv. 35, 36 : " Tis wondrous that so
Exchange (Grosart, vii. 235), quoted by yong a toward warriour Should bide the
Halliwell. Tom Brown (Works, ed. shock of such approved knights." And
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 53
Enter a Messenger.
Mess. Royal commanders, be in readiness :
For with a band of thirty thousand men
Comes Warwick, backing of the Duke of York ;
And in the towns, as they do march along, 70
Proclaims him king, and many fly to him.
Darraign your battle, for they are at hand.
Clif. I would your highness would depart the field :
The queen hath best success when you are absent.
Q. Mar. Ay, good my lord, and leave us to our fortune. 75
K. Hen. Why, that 's my fortune too : therefore I '11 stay.
North. Be it with resolution then to fight.
Prince. My royal father, cheer these noble lords.
And hearten those that fight in your defence.
Unsheathe your sword, good father : cry, " Saint
George ! " 80
67-72. Royal . . . thirty . . . towns . . . along . . . fly to him. Darraign
. . . battle . . . are at hand] 65-70. Royall . . . fiftie . . . townes whereas
they passe along . . . flies to him. Prepare . . . battels . . . be at hand Q.
73-75. / would . . . Ay, good my . . . fortune'] 71-73. / would . . . Do good
my . . . fortunes Q. 76, 77. Why . . . fortune . . . stay. North. Be . . .
fight] 74, 75. Why . . . fortune, therefore lie stay still. Clif. Be . . . fight
Q. 78-80. My . . . George] 76-78. Good father cheere these noble Lords,
Marlowe, Tamburlaine, Part II. iv. i the places where, dififer, but the manner
(Dyce, 61, a) : " my other toward how, is the same.
brother here For person like to prove 72. Darraign] An old expression
a second Mars." occurring in Chaucer several times,
66-69. Enter a Messenger . . . War- and in Spenser's Faerie Queene, i. vii.
wick, backing of the Duke of York] 11 ; 11. ii. 26 ; iii. i. 20. And often in
Immediately after the knighthood of Hall and Grafton. Another form of
Henry's son, and the settling of riots " derrain," set in order, range. Not in
in London between the Commons and Qq (which use " prepare ") and nowhere
the Queen's " Northren horsemen," else in Shakespeare. See note at
Hall writes: " But what soeuer man "hap" and "hope," 11. iii. 8, below,
purposeth, Goddisposeth ; for all these 73, 74. I would . . . absent] See note
deuises were shortly transmuted into at n. i. iii : " where his person was
another forme, because trew report was present, there victory fled."
broght, not onely to the citie, but also 75. good my lord] Shakespeare's
to the quene, that the erle of Marche favourite transposition. We have had
[Duke of York] had vanqueshed the " good my lords " already in Part 1
erles of Pembroke and Wiltshyre ... iv. i. 133. See note at " sweet my
and that the erle of Warwycke . . . child," Love's Labour 's Lost, 1. ii. 65,
had mete with the sayd erle of Marche and " good my knave," ibid. in. i. 144.
at Chippyng Norton . . . and that The expression here is in Marlowe's
they with both their powers were Tamburlaine, Part II. in. iv. (Dyce,
cominge towarde London. These 57, a) : " Come, good my lord, and let
trew tales turned the quenes purpose us haste from hence."
... in so muche that she . . . with 79. hearten] omitted (with the line)
her husband and sonne, departed from in Q, and only again in Lucrecc, 295 :
Saint Albon's into the North Countrey " "heartens up his servile powers."
(pp. 252-255). This is undoubtedly Compare GoJding's Ovid, viii. 290 :
the hint on which Shakespeare spoke : " So heartens he his little son to
54 THE THIRD PAllT OF [act ii.
March. Enter Edward, Gf.orgk, Rkhakd, Warwick,
NORKOLK, MONTAr;UK, atid Soldiers.
Edw. Now, perjur'd Henry, wilt thou kneel for grace,
And set thy diadem upon my head ;
Or bide the mortal fortune of the field ?
Q. Mar. Go, rate thy minions, proud insulting boy ! .
Becomes it thee to be thus bold in terms 85
Before thy sovereign and thy lawful king?
Edw. I am his king, and he should bow his knee ;
I was adopted heir by his consent :
Since when, his oath is broke ; for, as I hear.
You, that are king, though he do wear the crown, 90
Have caused him, by new act of Parliament,
To blot out me, and put his own son in.
Clif. And reason too :
Who should succeed the father but the son ?
Rich. Are you there, butcher ? O ! I cannot speak ! 95
Clif. Ay, crook-back ; here I stand to answer thee.
Or any he the proudest of thy sort.
Rich. 'Twas you that kill'd young Rutland, was it not?
Clif. Ay, and old York, and yet not satisfied.
Vnsheath your sword, S7vcet father crie Saint George. Clif. Pitch we our
battell hecrc, for hence wee will not motie. Enter the house of Yorke Q. 81.
March. Enter Edzvard, George . . . ] March. Enter Edward . . . Clarence
. . . Ff. 81-83. -^0"' • • • kneel for . . . the field?'] 79, 80. Noa" . . .
yealde thy crownc, And kncele for mercie at thy soueraignes feete ? Q. 84-86.
Go, rate . . . bold in terms Before . . . king!'] 81-83. Go rate . . . malapert,
Before thy king and lawfnll soueraigne ? Q. 87, 88. / am . . . bow his . . .
consent'] 84, 85. / am . . . bend his . . . consent Q. 89-92. Since when, . . .
I hear . . . blot out me, . . . own son in] 86-90. George. Since when he
hath broke his oath. For as we heare . . . own son in Q. 93, 94. And
reason too . . ■ son?] 91. And reason George . . . son? Q. 95. Arc . . .
speak /] 92. Are you their butcher ? Qq i, 2 (there Q 3). 96, 97. Ay . . . Or
any . . . sort] g^. I ... or any of your sort] Q. 98, 99. 'Twas you . . .
York, and . . . satisfied] 94, 95. Twas you . . . Yorke too, and . . . satis-
fideQ.
follow." And in Spenser's Ruines of Alphonsus (Grosart, xiii. 396): ''Or
Rome, St. 22. any he. the proudest of you all.'' It may
84. proud insulting] See above, 11. very %vell have amazed Greene to see it
i. 168 (note). here. But that implies that 5 Henry
8g. Since when] A new speech in Q, VI. precedes the Groatstvorth of Wit.
given to "George," begins here. In 97. jor<] set, kind. Usually in a bad
the first Folio this is altered to Clar- sense in Shakespeare. Hawes used
ence. Ff 2, 3, 4 set it right. it : —
97. Or any he the proudest of thy " So fayre and good a sorte
sort] See note at 1 Henry VI. iv. vii. Of goodly knyghtes "
84 ; and above, at " The proudest he," (Pastimr of Pleasure) (Chiswick rept.
I. i. 46. This line occurs in Greene's p. 129), 1509.
sc. II ] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 55
Rich. For God 's sake, lords, give signal to the fight. lOO
War. What say'st thou, Henry, wilt thou yield the crown ?
Q. Mar. Why, how now, long-tongued Warwick ! dare you
speak ?
When you and I met at Saint Alban's last,
Your legs did better service than your hands.
War. Then 'twas my turn to fly, and now 'tis thine. 105
Clif. You said so much before, and yet you fled.
War. 'Twas not your valour, Clifford, drove me thence.
North. No, nor your manhood that durst make you stay.
Rich. Northumberland, I hold thee reverently.
Break off the parley; for scarce I can refrain no
The execution of my big-swoln heart
Upon that Clifford, that cruel child-killer.
Clif. I slew thy father : call'st thou him a child ?
Rich. Ay, like a dastard and a treacherous coward,
As thou didst kill our tender brother Rutland ; 115
But ere sun set I '11 make thee curse the deed.
K. Hen. Have done with words, my lords, and hear me speak.
Q. Mar. Defy them then, or else hold close thy lips.
100, loi. For God's . . . signal . . . the crown ?] g6, 97. For Gods . . . synald
{signall Q 3) . . . thy crowne ? Q. 102-104. Why . . . long-tongued . . .
hands'] 98-100. What, long tongde . . . hand Q. 105-107. Then 'twas . . .
fly, and . . . Clifford . . . thence] 101-103. /, then twas . . . flee, but . . .
Clifford, that . . . thence Q. 108-112. No, . . . manhood . . . make . . . I hold
. . . Upon that Clifford . . . child-killer] 104-109. No, . . . manhood War-
wike, that could make . , . Northumberland, Northumberland, wee holde . . .
against that Clifford there, . . . child killer Q. 113- 116. / slew . . . dastard
. . . sunset . . . deed] iio-ii'^. Why I kild . . . villaine . . . stinne set [Sun-
set F 2, Sxin set Ff 3, 4] . . . deed Q. 117-125. Have done . . . my lords
. . . My liege . . . cured . . . his tongue] 1 14-122. Haue doone . . . great
lordes . . . My Lord cru'd {cur'd Q 3) . • . hangs vpon his tongue Q.
102. long-tongued] Again in Titus iii. ij^-szfo/n] Occurs again (of the
Andronicus, iv. ii. 150. Shakespeare face of the sea) in Titus Andronicus,
was fond of the word tongued. He in. i. 224. Compare " high-swoln,"
uses it with close-, honey-, lewd-, Richard III. i\. ii. 117. Another proof
maiden-, poisonous-, shrill-, trumpet-, of Shakespeare's continued authorship,
and wasp-. He uses -mouthed similarly for this line occurs in The First Part of
(Spenser has " fire-mouthed "), but the Contention : " The big sivolne venome
tongued compound is his own probably, of thy hatefull heart" (i. i. 86), ii. a
He is the monarch of compounds, and speech of the Cardinal's which has no
Schmidt his chiefest exponent. counterpart in :i Henry VI. The word
109-112. Northumberland . . . child- here is in Q.
killer] The unmetrical confusion in Q 112. child-killer] See Hall's words,
is again noticeable. quoted at i. iv. 95.
no. refrain] Nowhere else used n6. sun set] of Q, is certainly to
transitively by Shakespeare. Compare be preferred to "sunset." So I read in
Peele's David and Bethsabe (468, b) : King John, u\. i. no, but not in
" If thou unkindly shouldst rc/ratn her Romeo luui Juliet, ill. v. 128, nor
bed." Nciv Eng. Diet, f^ives the in Sonnet 73. Ff 3, 4 have "sun
passage in text as earliest of " refrain " set."
in sense of " give up (something)."
56 THE THIRD PART OF [act n.
K. Hen. I prithee, give no limits to my tongue :
I am a king, and privileged to speak. I20
Clif. My liege, the wound that bred this meeting here
Cannot be cured by words ; therefore be still.
Rich. Then, executioner, unsheathe thy sword.
By Him that made us all, I am resolv'd
That Clififord's manhood lies upon his tongue. 125
Edw. Say, Henry, shall I have my right or no?
A thousand men have broke their fasts to-day.
That ne'er shall dine unless thou yield the crown.
War. If thou deny, their blood upon thy head ;
For York in justice puts his armour on. 130
Prince. If that be right which Warwick says is right,
There is no wrong, but every thing is right.
Rich. Whoever got thee, there thy mother stands ;
For well I wot thou hast thy mother's tongue.
Q. Mar. But thou art neither like thy sire nor dam. 135
But like a foul misshapen stigmatic,
Mark'd by the destinies to be avoided,
126-132. Say, Henry . . . fasts . . . blood upon . . . If that . . . which
. . . every thing is right] 123-129. What saist thou, Henry . . . fast . . .
bloods be on . . . If all . . . that . . . all things must be right Q_. 133-138.
Whoever . . . dreadful stings] 130-135. Whatsoever . . . fainting lookes Q.
119. //'rt//ifc] A permanent favourite ard III. iii. iv. 79: "I swear I will
with Shakespeare. Over twenty times not dine until I see the same " ; where
in the plays. it is taken verbatim from Grafton's Con-
119. give no limits to my tongue] So tinuation of Hardy ng, p. 495, 1543.
in Richard III. iii. vii. 194 : " for 133. Whoever got thee] See " Mene-
reverence to some alive, I gave a spar- laus," below, 1. 147. At the birth of
ing limit to my tongue." Prince Edward, Hall says (rept. p. 230) :
122. therefore be still] See note at " which was christened & named
" Get thee gone," i. i. 258, above, Edward . . . whose mother susteyned
where the words here are eliminated not a little slaunder and obloquye of
from Q. No doubt due to the careful the common people, saiyng that the
supervision we have continual evidence kyng was not able to get a chyld, and
of. that this was not his sonne, with many
124. By Him that . . . ] So in slaunderous woords, to the quenes dis-
Peele's jfack Straw (Hazlitt's honor, which here nede not to be re-
Dodsley, v. 406) : — hersed." This speech is erroneously
" By Him that died for me, I will (as the answer shows) given to War-
not dine, wick in the Folios.
Till I have seen thee hanged or 134. well I wot] See 1 Henry VI.
made away." iv. vi. 32 (note), and Introduction, p.
In the text the pathos is absurd : can a xxviii.
line be lost ? See note at Part II. i. i. 136. foul . . . stigmatic] These
III. And Kyd's Spanish Tragedy, 11. words, " foul stigmatic," have occurred
ii. 89 : "I sweare to both, by Him that already in Part II. v. i. 215, applied by
made us all." young Clifford to Richard. See note.
128. ne'er shall dine unless] See \zst Drayton remembered to use it in his
note from yack Straw. And in Rich- Epistle from Q. Margaret.
SC. II.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
57
As venom toads, or lizards' dreadful stings.
Rich. Iron of Naples hid with English gilt,
Whose father bears the title of a king, 140
As if a channel should be call'd the sea,
Sham'st thou not, knowing whence thou art extraught,
To let thy tongue detect thy base-born heart ?
Edw. A wisp of straw were worth a thousand crowns.
To make this shameless callat know herself. 145
Helen of Greece was fairer far than thou,
Although thy husband may be Menelaus ;
139-143. Iron . . . whose . . . Sham'st . . . knowing . . . heart?] 136-140. Iron
. . . Thy . . . Shames . . . knowing from whence thou art deriude, to parlie
thus with Englands lawfull heires ? Q. 144, 145. A wisp . . . this shameless
. . . herself] 141, 142. A wispe . . . that shamelesse . . . her selfe Q. 146-
149. Helen . . . by thee] omitted Q.
138. venom] Used adjectively again
in Richard III. i. iii. 291 ; and Luc-
rece, 850.
138. lizards^ dreadful stings] Altered
from " fainting lool<s " of Q. " Lizards
stings " occurs in 2 Henry VI. iii. ii.
325. " Fainting looks," looks that pro-
duce fainting. One would suggest
Lodge's " faintful."
141. channel] gutter, kennel, drain.
142. extraught] derived (the Quarto
word). A participle for extracted, like
distraught for distracted. Spenser has
" from whos race . . . she was lineallie
extract^' {Faerie Quecne, iii. ix. 38).
" Extraught " occurs twice in the Trou-
blesome Raigne of King John, where
Shakespeare read it, probably earlier
than this play : " I beg some instance
whence I am extraught " (Shake-
speare's Library, Hazlitt, p. 234). And
on p. 236. Earlier examples are in
New Eng. Diet.
143. detect] betray, expose. The
oldest sense, and Shakespeare's usual
one. This line completely differs from
Quarto. See next note.
143. base-born] A word of Peele's,
but earlier in Churchyard. See note
in Part IL i. iii. 82 to "base-born
callat." In neither case is this word
in the Quartos. Spenser has "base-
born men " in Ruincs of Time and
Tearcs of the Muses. It is several
times in Marlowe's Tanthurlaine, Part
I.
144. A wisp of straw] the badge of
a scold. See Nares for ample illustra-
tions, culled mostly from the com-
mentators on this passage, as found in
Steevens (1793). It was part of the
ceremony of" Skimmington," not quite
forgotten in the north of Ireland but
confounded with " riding the stang "
by Nares. Steevens gives an early re-
ference from Drant's Horace, Seventh
Satire, 1567 : —
" So perfyte and exacte a scoulde
that women mighte geve place
Whose tatlynge tongues had won
a wispe."
The only early one I can add is from
Gabriel Harvey's Pierces Supereroga-
tion (Grosart, ii. 219), 1593 : " She
hath already put-on her wispen gar-
land"— Harvey's tu quoque to Nashe
in Pierce Penilesse. See, too, Ben
Jonson, The Vision of Delight, 1607.
145. callat] See Part II. i. iii. 82,
and note at "base-born callat." It
is hard to reject the idea that the
repetition here (from Part II.) is
smoothed away by parting the com-
pany of these terms, though only by a
line or two. " Callat " is an old word,
often in Skelton and Golding (Irish,
cailleach). A violent scold, or horrid
old woman.
147. Menelaus] Steevens quotes from
Troilus and Cressida (v. i. 60), where
Thcrsites, speaking of Menelaus, calls
him " the goodly transformation of
Jupiter there, his brother, the bull, —
the primitive statue and oblique me-
morial of cuckolds." Schmidt adds
the reference to Troilus and Cressida,
I. i. 115 : "Menelaus horn," the proto-
type of cuckolds.
58 THE THIRD PART OF [act ii.
And ne'er was Agamemnon's brother wrongfd
By that false woman as this king by thee.
His father revell'd in the heart of France, 150
And tam'd the king, and made the Dauphin stoop ;
And had he match'd according to his state,
He might have kept that glory to this day ;
But when he took a beggar to his bed,
And graced thy poor sire with his bridal day, 155
Even then that sunshine brew'd a shower for him,
That wash'd his father's fortunes forth of France,
And heap'd sedition on his crown at home.
For what hath broach'd this tumult but thy pride?
Hadst thou been meek our title still had slept, 160
And we, in pity of the gentle king,
Had slipp'd our claim until another age.
Geo. But when we saw our sunshine made thy spring,
And that thy summer bred us no increase,
We set the axe to thy usurping root ; 165
And though the edge hath something hit ourselves.
Yet know thou, since we have begun to strike,
We'll never leave till we have hewn thee down.
Or bathed thy growing with our heated bloods.
Edw. And in this resolution I defy thee; 1 70
Not willing any longer conference,
Since thou deniest the gentle king to speak.
150-162. His father . . . the king . . . brew'd a shower . . . That wash'd
. . . sedition . . . broach'd this tumult . . . still had . . . another age"] 143-
155. Thy husband's father . . . the French . . . till this daie . . . bridall
daie. Then . . . bred a showre . . . Which washt . . . seditions . . . mou'd
. . . these tumults . . . yet had . . . an other age Q. 163-169. But . . .
sunshine . . . spring, And thy summer bred . . . We set . . . edge hath . . .
know thou . . . till we . . . bloods] 156-162. But . . . summer brought the
gaine. And . . . the haruest brought . . . We set . . . edge haue . . . know
thou we will neuer cease to strike, Till . . . blouds Q. 170-177. And in
. . . Stay, Edward . . . No . . . we 'II . . . These . . . this day. Exeunt]
163-170. And in . . . stale Edward stale. Hence . . . He . . . Thy . . . to
dale. Exeunt Omnes Q.
156, 157. Even then . . . France] I parallel in Shakespeare ? Compare
venture to call attention to these per- Peele, Anglorum Feria (595, b) : " To
feet and perfectly Shakespearian lines, slip remembrance of those careful
found also in the Quarto. days " (skip, pass by). But this piece
159. 6 >'oac A '<f] Better than " moved " is later, 1595.
ofQ. Started, set going. Shakespeare i-j 2. deniest] forbiddest. Several
has " broached a business" in Antony times in Shakespeare, to deny a person
and Cleopatra, Henry VIII. and in to do something. Compare Golding's
Titus Atidronicus. Ovid : " Delay breedes losses. The
162. slipp'd] left unnoticed. Com- cace rf^-njfs now dowtingvor too stond "
pare Macbeth, u. iii. 52: "I have al- (forbids us to stand in doubt), xi.
most slipped the hour." No other 432.
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 59
Sound trumpets ! let our bloody colours wave !
And either victory, or else a grave.
Q. Mar. Stay, Edward. 175
Edw. No, wrangling woman, we '11 no longer stay :
These words will cost ten thousand lives this day.
{^Exeunt.
SCENE III. — A field of battle between Towton and Saxton,
in Yorkshire.
Alarums. Excursions . Enter WARWICK.
War. Forspent with toil, as runners with a race,
1 lay me down a little while to breathe ;
For strokes received, and many blows repaid,
Have robb'd my strong-knit sinews of their strength,
And spite of spite needs must I rest awhile. 5
Enter Edward, running.
Edw. Smile, gentle heaven ! or strike, ungentle death !
For this world frowns, and Edward's sun is clouded.
War. How now, my lord ! what hap? what hope of good?
Scene ui. A field . . .] Malone, Cambridge. Alarums . . .] Ff; Alannes.
Enter Warwike Q. 1-5. Forspent . . . Have . . . spite of spite . . . awhile.
Enter . . .] 1-5. Sore spent . . . the race . . . Hath robd . . . force perforce
. , . my selfe. Enter Edward Q. 6, 7. Smile . . . heaven . . . death !
. . . clouded] 6-g. Smile . . . heauens . . . death, That we maie die vnlcsse
we gaine the daie : What fatall starre malignant frownes from heanen Vpon
the harmelesse line of Yorkcs true house? Enter George Q. 8. War. How
now . . . good?] 14. War. How now . . . good? Q.
I. Forspent] exhausted. Compare no matter what worse happens. Oc-
2 Henry IV. i. i. 37. Thoroughly curs again in King John, v. iv. 5.
spent. Nothing to do with " fore spent," For the "force perforce" which this
meaning foregone, or previously ex- replaces (in Quarto), and which also
pended. The reading of the Quartos, occurs in King John, iii. i. 142, see
"sore spent" is instructive. It ac- 2 Henry VI. i. i. 258. "Force per-
counts for the Folio "Fore-spent." force'' occurs in The Spanish Tragedy.
Golding gives an example of the sense See Introduction, Part II.
here : " now Am I forspent and worne 7. For . . . clouded] replaced by
with yeeres," (xii. 490, 491). And three different lines in Q. "Malignant
Spenser of the other construction : "Is star" has occurred in Part I. iv. v.
not enough thy euill Wfe forespent ? " 6. "Suns" refers to Edward's badge.
{Faerie Quccne, 1. ix. 43). Sh.-xkespeare rejoiced in this allusion.
4. strong - knit] Compare " well- See below, 11. vi. 8 (note>.
knit " in Love's Labour's Lost, 1. ii. 8, g. hap . . . hope] Compare Whet-
70 (note in this edition). But the stone's Promos and Cassandra, Part I.
three lines (3, 4, 5) occur again in Q iii. ii. (157S) : " 1 nowe will sceke to
at V. ii. 25-28 (omitted in 3 Henry VI.) turne to happe his hope." And Spenser,
where " spite of spite " is the reading. Faerie Quecne, i. vii. 11 ; " Who hap-
5. spite of spile] come what may; lesse, and eke hopelesse, all in vaine
60
THE THIRD I'ART OF
[act II.
Enter GEORGE.
Geo. Our hap is loss, our hope but sad despair,
Our ranks are broke, and ruin follows us. lo
What counsel give you ? whither shall we fly ?
Edw. Bootless is flight, they follow us with wings ;
And weak we are, and cannot shun pursuit.
Enter RlCIlARlx
Rich. Ah, Warwick, why hast thou withdrawn thy.self ?
Thy brother's blood the thirsty earth hath drunk, i 5
Broach'd with the steely point of Clifi'ord's lance;
And in the very pangs of death he cried,
Like to a dismal clangor heard from far,
" Warwick, revenge ! brother, revenge my death ! "
g-ii. Our hap . . . fly'\ 10-13. Come brother, come, lets to the field againt. For
yet theres hope inough to win the date : Then let vs backe to cheere our fainting
Troupes, lest they retire now we haue left the field Q. 12, 13. Bootless . . .
pursuit] omitted Q. 14-22. Ah, Warwick, . . . thyself? Thy . . . The noble . . .
ghost] 15-25. Ah Warwike . . . thy selfe? Thy noble father in the thickest
Did to him pace sad battaile to dar-
rayne." In Q lines 8 and 9 are replaced
by a different speech. Line 8 is there,
however (as 1. 14), in a different con-
text. Kyd sets " hapless " and " hope-
less " in apposition in Spanish Tragedy
and Cornelia.
15. blood . . . earth . . . drunk] See
below, line 23 ; Richard III. i. ii. 63,
65. Compare Genesis iv. 11. See
Marlowe's Edward II. quoted at v. vi.
61 below.
15-24. Thy brother^s blood . . .
I will not fly] These passages are
from Hall's account of the conflict
at Ferrybridge preceding the fight at
Towton (March 28-9, 1461). Hall
says : " the lorde Clifforde determined
with his light horsemen, to make an
assaye to such as kept the passage of
Ferrybridge. . . . The lord Fitzwalter
. . . was slayne, and with hym the
Bastard of Salisbury, brother to the
Erie of Warwycke, a valeaunt yong
gentelman, and of great audacitie.
When the erle of Warwycke was en-
formed of this feate, he like a man
desperate, mounted on his Hackeney,
and came blowj'ng to Kyng Edward,
saiyng : syr I praye God haue mercy
of their soules, which in the beginning
of your enterprise hath lost their lifes
. . . and with that lighted doune and
slew his horse with his swourde, saiyng
let him flie that wil, for sureley I will
tary with him that wil tary with me,
and kissed the crosse of his sword "
(P- 253)-
15, 16. blood . . . Broach'd] Again
in I Henry VI. iii. iv. 40 (note) and 2
Henry VI. iv. x. 40, but not elsewhere.
For " thrise valiant " in Q here, see
Introduction, Part I. It occurs in
Titus Andronicus. Evidences of Peele
appear here in Q.
16. thickest thronges] in Quarto.
See note above, 11. i. 13, at " tliickest
troop." And below, v. iv. 49.
16. steely] "steely harted " occurs
in Golding's Ovid, xiv. S31. Else-
where Shakespeare has it in All^s
Well that Ends Well.
17. pangs of death] Occurs in Pals-
grave's UEsclaircissement, 1530. A
favourite with Shakespeare and in six
plays at least. See 2 Henry VI. in.
iii. 24. But only three times of actual
death specified.
18. clangor] The earliest example
in New Eng. Diet. Ben Jonson has
it in his Sad Shepherd. See v. ii.
44.
19. revenge . . . revenge] This line
recalls the ghost exclamations in those
stilted plays: Peele's.i4 /fasar, Locrine,
and Kyd's Spauish Tragedy.
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 61
So, underneath the belly of their steeds, 20
That stain'd their fetlocks in his smoking blood,
The noble gentleman gave up the ghost.
War. Then let the earth be drunken with our blood ;
I '11 kill my horse because I will not fly.
Why stand we like soft-hearted women here, 25
Wailing our losses, whiles the foe doth rage ;
And look upon, as if the tragedy
Were play'd in jest by counterfeiting actors ?
Here on my knee I vow to God above,
I/ll never pause again, never stand still, 30
Till either death hath closed these eyes of mine.
Or fortune given me measure of revenge.
Ecizv. O Warwick, I do bend my knee with thine ;
And in this vow do chain my soul to thine !
And, ere my knee rise from the earth's cold face, 35
I throw my hands, mine eyes, my heart to Thee,
Thou setter up and plucker down of kings,
thronges, Cride still for Warwike his thrise valiant son, Vntill with thousand
swords he was beset, And manie wounds made in his aged brest. And as he
tottering sate upon his steede, He waft his hand to me and cride aloud : Richard,
commend me to my valiant sonne, And still he cride Warwike reuenge my death,
And with those words he tumbled off his horse, And so the noble Salsbury gaue
up the ghost Q. 23, 24. The7i let . . . our blood . . . tiot Jiy] 26, 27. Then
let . . . his bloud . . . not fiie Q. 25-28. Why stand we . . . actors ?]
omitted Q. 29-32. Hereon my knee . . . revenge^ 28-30. And here to God of
Heauen I make a vow, Neuer to passe from forth this bloudy field Till 1 am full
reuenged for his death Q. 33, 34. O Warwick . . . to thine] 31, 32. Lord
Warwike, . . . knees . . . in that vow now ioine my soule to thee Q. 35, 36.
And, ere . . . to Thee] omitted Q. 37-41. Thou . . . plucker . . . kings,
Beseeching Thee . . . soul I] 33-35. Thou . . . puller . . . kings, vouchsafe a
gentle victorie to vs. Or let us die before we loose the dale Q.
20. tottering] in Q (see Critical Notes v. ii. 804 (in this edition) : " the sudden
above), swaying, swinging uncertainly, hand of death close up mine eye."
Compare A'tM^ John, v. v. 7. And 31. eyes of mine] See note at " arms
Golding's Ovid (Iphis hanged himself): of mine," Part II. i. i. 118, and below,
" And wretchealy did totter on the 11. v. 114. Frequent in Shakespeare,
postc with strangled throte " (xiv. 853). Always recalls " the revolt of mine "
23. earth . . . drunken with our in Merry Wives of Windsor, i. iii.
6Zrjo(i] Spenser has " blades ... dronke in. See "right hand of mine,"
with blood" (Faerie Queene, i. vi. 38); above, 11. i. 152.
and Peele, " sword . . . drunken with 37. Thou setter up . . . kings] The
the blood of Israel " {David and Beth- line addressed here to the Ueity is
sabe, 472, b). And see Faerie Queene, apparently addressed to Warwick in Q.
III. vii. 47. See the passage quoted See Psalm Ixxv. 7 and Daniel ii. 21.
from Sylvester, below, 11. v. 12. See below, iii. iii. 157, where the
27. look upon] " look on," be spec- phrase is unmistakably applied to
tators. Compare Winter's Tale, v. Warwick. Compare also Grafton's
iii. 100, Richard II. IV. i. 237, and Continuation of Hardy ng, p. 524 : "I
Troilus and Cressida, v. vi. lo. purpose not to spume agaynsie the
31. death . . . closed these eyes of prycke, nor laboure to set up that
mine] Compare Lovers- Labour 'i Lost, God pulleth down."
62 THE THIRD PART OF [act n.
Beseeching Thee, if with Thy will it stands
That to my foes this body must be [^rey,
Yet that Thy brazen gates of heaven may ope, 40
And give sweet passage to my sinful sou! !
Now, lords, take leave until we meet again,
Where'er it be, in heaven or in earth.
Rich. Brother, give me thy hand ; and, gentle Warwick,
Let me embrace thee in my weary arms : 45
I, that did never weep, now melt with woe
That winter should cut off our spring-time so.
War. Away, away ! Once more, sweet lords, farewell.
Geo. Yet let us all together to our troops,
And give them leave to fly that will not stay, 50
And call them pillars that will stand to us ;
And if we thrive promise them such rewards
As victors wear at the Olympian games.
This may plant courage in their quailing breasts ;
For yet is hope of life and victory. 5 5
Forslow no longer ; make we hence amain. [Exeunt.
42,43. Now, lords . . . inearth] 42-44. (Rich.) Brothers, giue me your hands,
and let vs part And take our leaues untill we . . . in earth Q. 44-47- Rich.
Brother . . . spring-time so] ^o, ^i. Rich. Come, come, awaie, and stand not to
debate. For yet is hope of fortune good enough, and 45-47. Now I that never
melt, now melt in wo To see these dire mishaps continue so. Warwike farewel Q.
48, War. Away . . . farewell] ^S. War. Awaie . . .farewell. Exeunt Omnes
Q. 49-56. Geo. Yet let . . . And call . . . to us ; And . . . amain] 36-39.
40. brazen gates] difficult of entry, souldiour, which voluntarilie would
See note at " brazen caves," Part II. abide, and in, or before the conflict
III. ii. 89. Peele has : — flye, or turne his backe, that he that
" Lords, these are they will enter could kill him should haue a great
brazen gates remuneracion and double wages " (p.
And tear down lime and mortar 253). Here is the famous " remuner-
with their nails " ation " of Lot/^'s Labour's Lost, the
[Edward I. (378, a)). Compare Kyd, " Latin for three farthmgs." " And
Spanish Tragedy, in. vii. 9: "broken hieiy promise to remunerate " are the
through the brazen gates of hell " words in Q. The verb is only in
(difficult of exit). Titus Androniciis. Shakespeare seems
47. spring-time] Peele uses this to have objected to the word. On the
similarly. " Flowering in pleasant other hand, it is a favourite with Peele.
spring-time of his youth " (David and It is in Edward /., Battle of Alcazar,
Bethsabc (474, b)). and Locrine (in which Peele had a
50-52. fly that will not stay . . . hand).
that will stand . . . rewards] Hall 53. Olympian gafnes] " Olympian
continues from note at 15-23 above : wrestling " is in Troilus and Cressida,
" The lusty Kyng Edward, per- iv. v. 194. See note in Todd's Spen-
ceiuyng the courage of his trusty ser, to Faerie Queene, in. vii. 41.
friend the erle of VVarwycke, made 56. Forsloiv] Not again in Shake-
proclamation that all men, whiche speare. Delay. Compare Golding's
were afrayde to fighte, shoulde incon- Ovid, ii. 529 : " shall feare of chiding
tinent departe, and to all men that make me to forslow ? " It is in Spen-
tarried the battell, he promised great ser, Peele and Marlowe,
rewardes with this addicion, that if any 56. make we hence amain] Peele has
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 63
SCENE W.— Another part of the field.
Excursions. Enter RICHARD and CLIFFORD.
Rich. Now, Clifford, I have singled thee alone.
Suppose this arm is for the Duke of York,
And this for Rutland ; both bound to revenge,
Wert thou environ'd with a brazen wall.
CUf. Now, Richard, I am with thee here alone. 5
This is the hand that stabb'd thy father York,
And this the hand that slew thy brother Rutland ;
And here 's the heart that triumphs in their death
And cheers these hands that slew thy sire and brother,
To execute the like upon thyself; lo
And so, have at thee !
George. Then let us haste to cheere the souldiers harts, And call . . . to vs,
And hiely promise to remunerate Their trustie service in these dangerous warres Q.
Scene iv.
Excursions. Enter . . .] Ff; Alarmes, and then enter Richard at one
dore and Clifford at the other Q. 1-4. Rich. Now . . . brazen wall] 1-6.
Rich. A Clifford a Clifford. CUf. A Richard a Richard. Rich. Now Clifford,
for Yorke &> young Rutlands death, This thirsty sword that longs to drinke
thy blond. Shall lop thy limmes, and slise thy cursed hart. For to revenge the
murders thou hast made Q. 5-11. Now, Richard . . . their death . . . have
at thee.'] 7-13. Now, Richard . . . their deathes . . ■ haue at thee Q. They
fight . . .] Ff; Alarmes. They fight, and then enters Warwicke and rescues
Richard and then exeunt omnes Q.
"made hence amain" in Anglorum ronicus, 11. i. 117. Elsewhere in 3
FericE. Peele is recalled in this scene Henry VI., with " forth," 11. i. 12
both in Q and independently in the above, and in Titus Andronicus, 11. iii.
finished part. For, "make we" see 69. And with " out " immediately be-
note at "embrace we," Part I. n. i. low, line 12, and in Venus and Adonis.
13 and Introduction. Compare Greene, Alcida (ix. 73) :
" Meribates and my daughter had
Scene iv. singled themselues " (separated them-
1-4. Now, Clifford . . . brazen selves from the rest). Spenser has
wall] The wretched speech here in Q " he had her singled from the crew "
may be credited to Peele. Compare: — (Faerie Queene, iii. iv. 45). Greene
" this thirsty sword has it (oddly used) again in Euphues to
Aims at thy head and shall I hope Philautus. See below, v. iv. 49, note.
erelong 4. iraifw wa//] See note at " brazen
Gage and divide thy bowels and caves," 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 89; and
thy bulk " "brazen gales," above, 11. iii. 40.
(Edward I. Sc. v. (388, a)). And " I Impregnable. Only in these two
must lop his long shanks" (403, a), plays. Often in the Bible, and in
The " slicing sword " (used by Mar- romance, as in Faerie Queene, i. vii.
lowe) is from Goiding's Ovid, v. 132. 44 : —
See I Henry VI. in. i. n6 for " mur- " fast embard in mighty brasen
der " expression. wall,
I. singled] chosen, selected. Com- He has them now four years be-
pare Love's Labour 's Lost, 11. i. 28 : scigd."
"We single you As our best-moving 11. have at thee] See 3 Henry VI.
fair solicitor." And see Titus And- 11. iii. 92.
64
THE THIRD PART OF
[act II.
They fight. WARWICK comes. CLIFFORD files.
Rich. Nay, Warwick, single out some other chase ;
l^^or I myself will hunt this wolf to death.
[Exeunt.
SCENE v.— A nother part of the field.
Alarum. Enter King HENRY alone.
K. Hen. This battle fares like to the morning's war,
When dying clouds contend with growing light,
What time the shepherd, blowing of his nails,
Can neither call it perfect day nor night.
Now sways it this way, like a mighty sea
Eorc'd by the tide to combat with the wind ;
Now sways it that way, like the self-same sea
12, 13. Nay
death'] omitted Q.
Scene v.
Alarum. Enter . . .] Ff; Alarmes still, and then enter Henry Solus
Q. 1-13- This battle . . . fell war] 1-6. Oh gratious God of heaven looke
downe on vs, And set some endes to these incessant grief es. How like a
mastlesse ship vpon the seas, This wofull battaile doth continue still, Now lean-
12, 13. Nay . . . death] This
couplet is in 2 Henry VI. v. ii. 14, 15 : —
" Hold, Warwick I seek thee out
some other chase.
For I myself must hunt this deer
to death."
There it occurs in the old play, but
not here. An overlooked repetition.
12. single oxif] See above, 11. iv. i
(note). See below, in Q, at v. iv. 46 :
" single Edward from his strongest
guard."
12. chase] that which is hunted.
See note in 2 Henry VI. v. ii. 14.
New Eng. Diet, quotes from Gower
and Turberville. The word was
adopted at sea later.
SCSNB V.
I. King Henry alone] " When at
the last King Henry espied the forces
of his foes increase ... he with a
few horsemen removing a little out of
that place, expected the event of the
fight, but beholde, suddenly his souldiers
gave the backe, which when he sawe
he fledd also " (Polydore Vergil, Cam-
den Soc. p. in).
1-54. This battle . . . waits on
him] This great utterance is developed
from thirteen lines in the Quarto, all
the ideas of which (except the mastless
ship) are legitimately worked in, with
very many more. It is an eloquent
sermon upon a fruitful text. Ships,
as a metaphor, dropped out, perhaps
because they are elsewhere in this play
(i. iv. 4, V. iv. 10). In the latter pas-
sage the mastless ship comes first.
3,4. What time . . . day nor night]
Compare Golding's Ovid (iv. 495, 496),
1567 .—
" The day was spent, and now was
come the time which neyther
nyght
Nor day, but middle bound of both
a man may terme of right."
Hall says the battle began at about
nine in the morning on 29th March,
and lasted ten hours. The pursuit
continued all night.
3. blowing of his tiails] See note at
Love's Labour 's Lost, v. ii. 902 (in
this edition). The Spenser quotation
referred to there postdates this. The
operation arises either from idleness or
cold fingers or both combined.
5-^. mighty sea . . . wind] See i.
iv. iS-2Q — a sort of forecast of this
noble passage. Compare here Soliman
sc. v.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
65
Forc'd to retire by fury of the wind :
Sometime the flood prevails, and then the wind
Now one the better, then another best ;
Both tugging to be victors, breast to breast,
Yet neither conqueror nor conquered :
So is the equal poise of this fell war.
Here on this molehill will I sit me down.
To whom God will, there be the victory !
For Margaret my queen, and Clifford too,
lo
15
ing this way, now to that side driue, And none doth know to whom the daie
will fall Q. 14-15. Here . . . victory /] 7, 8. O would my death might stale
these ciiiill {cruell, Q 2) jars I Would I had neuer raind, nor nere bin king ! Q.
16-21. For Margaret . . . happy life] 9-13. Margret and Clifford, chide me
and Perseda, i. ii. 2 : " But shall I
like a mastlesse ship at sea Goe every
way and not the way I would ? "
II. tugging to be victors'] Hall
describes this, in words suggesting the
tides (line 5) and also the father
against son below : " This deadly
battayle and bloudy conflict [Towton]
continued x hours in doubtfull
victorie. The one parte some tyme
flowyng, and some tyme ebbyng, but
in conclusion Kyng Edward so cor-
agiously comforted his men . . . that
the other parte was ouercome. . . .
This conflict was in maner vnnaturall,
for in it the sonne fought against the
father, the brother against the brother,
the nephew against the vncle, and
the tenaunt against his lorde " (p.
256). This battle decided the fate of
the house of Lancaster. Rastell says :
" In this field and chase were slain
30,000 men."
11. breast to breast] Not in Shake-
speare again. Golding has " hrcst to
brest to run " (Ovid's Metamorphoses,
vi. 304).
12. neither conqueror nor conquered]
Joshua Sylvester (a most sensibl)-
sound poet) seems to remember this
part of 3 Henrv VI. in a passage in
The Sixth Day' of the First Week, of
Du Bartas. The date should be 1591,
but the lines are a 1605 insertion. I
quote from the Folio of 162 1, p.
n;:—
" Or, like our own (late) York and
Lancaster,
Ambitious broachers of that Viper
war,
Which did the womb of their own
Dam devour,
And spoil'd the freshest of fair
England's Flowr ;
When (White and Red) Rose
against Rose, they stood.
Brother 'gainst Brother, to the
knees in blood :
While Wakefield, Barnet and S.
Alban's streets
Were drunke with deer blood of
Plantagenets :
Where, either Conquer'd, and yet
neither won ;
Sith, by them both, was but their
Owne undon."
13. equal poise] weight in the
balance. See Measure for Measure,
11. iv. 68: "equal poise of sin and
charity." King Henry had ten hours
for his soliloquy. See note at lines
3.4-
14. on this molehill] The old saying,
"king of a molehill, "probably suggested
this word. The same allusion is in
the account of the death of the Duke
of York in Holinshed (from Whetham-
sted) : " Some write that the duke was
taken aliue, and in derisioti caused to
stand upon a molehill ; on whose head
they put a garland in steed of a
crowne . . . of sedges or bulrushes."
" I had rather be a king of a molehill
than subject to a mountain," was a
saying of Sir Thos. Stucley, quoted
in Simpson's School of Shakespeare,
i. p. 32, from Westcote's V'ieu> of
Devonshire (1563). Ciabriel Harvey
has " discover not the humour of aspir-
ing Stukely, that would rather be the
king of a moulhill, than the second
in Ireland " {Pierces Supererogation
(Grosart, ii. 146), 15S9). See above,
I. V. 67.
66 TIIK THI1{I) PART OF [act n.
Have chifl me from the battle ; swearing both
They prosper best of all when I am thence.
Would I were dead ! if God's good will were so ;
For what is in this world but grief and woe ? 20
O God ! methinks it were a hapjjy life,
To be no better than a homely swain ;
To sit upon a hill, as I do now,
To carve out dials quaintly, point by point,
Thereby to see the minutes how they run, 25
How many make the hour full complete ;
How many hours bring about the day ;
How many days will finish up the year ;
How many years a mortal man may live.
When this is known, then to divide the times : 30
So many hours must I tend my flock ;
So many hours must I take my rest ;
So many hours must I contemplate ;
So many hours must I sport myself;
So many days my ewes have been with young ; 35
So many weeks ere the poor fools will ean ;
So many years ere I shall shear the fleece :
So minutes, hours, days, months, and years,
Pass'd over to the end they were created,
Would bring white hairs unto a quiet grave. 40
Ah ! what a life were this ; how sweet ! how lovely !
Gives not the hawthorn-bush a sweeter shade
To shepherds looking on their silly sheep,
from the fielde, Swearing they had best siiccesse when I was thence. Would God
that I were dead so all were well, Or would my crowne suffice, I were content
To yeeld it them and litie a private life Q. 22-54. To be no better . . . waits
on him] omitted Q.
18. They prosper best . . . thence] line has enough breathings in it to
See above, 11. ii. 73, 74 (note). suffice, taken slowly.
22. swain] shepherd, or shepherd's 40. white hairs . . . grave] "Ye
"hand." See below at " curds." schulen lede forth myn hoore hens
24. To carve out dials] Was there with sorewe to helle " (Wyclif,
a shepherd's device of cutting sun-dials Genesis xlii. 38 (1388)).
on grassy plots, with an erection of a 40. quiet grave] " And layes the
slate or board as a device for a soule to sleepe in quiet grave "
gnomon ? Hence, too, the need to sit (Spenser, Faerie Qucene, i. ix. xl. 7).
on the top of the little hill. 43. silly sheep] silly " fits well a
36. poor fools] simple creatures, sheep." Two Gentlemen of Verona,
Compare " poor dappled fools " (^45 i. i. 81, Love's Labour 's Lost, v. i. 53.
You Like It, II. i. 22). Used of any helpless or irresponsible
36. ean] yean. " Eaning time " is creature, such as woman, or the lark
in Merchant of Venice and Pericles. in the sparrowhawk's clutches
38. days, months] Rowe read " days, (Chaucer). Golding has " sielie
weeks, months " for the metre. The sheep," " sieUe doves" and "sielie
sc. v.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 67
Than doth a rich embroider'd canopy
To kings that fear their subjects* treachery ? 45
O yes ! it doth ; a thousand-fold it doth.
And to conclude, the shepherd's homely curds,
His cold thin drink out of his leather bottle,
His wonted sleep under a fresh tree's shade,
All which secure and sweetly he enjoys, 50
Is far beyond a prince's delicates.
His viands sparkling in a golden cup,
His body couched in a curious bed,
When care, mistrust, and treason waits on him.
Alarum. Enter a Son that has killed his Father^ with the
dead body.
Son. Ill blows the wind that profits nobody. 55
This man, whom hand to hand I slew in fight,
55. Alarum] Ff; omitted Q. Enter . . .] Capell ; Enter a Sonne, that hath
kilVd his Father, at one doore : and a Father that hath kilVd his Sonne at
another doore Ff ; Enter a soiildier with a dead man in his armes Q. 55-5S>
Son. Ill blows . . . man, whom . . . fight. May . . . And I . . . now] 14-17.
Sould. Ill blowes . . . man that I haue slaine in fight to daie, Maie . . . of
some . . . And I will search to find them if I can Q.
hare " in the first Book of his Ovid's to represent the passage of time (ten
Metamorphoses. hours) in the battle ; which the two
47. And to conclude] See :i Henry following episodes, also merely illus-
VI. IV. i. loi. trative, bring home to us realistically.
47. curds] See Winter's Tale, iv. With this speech, founded on the text
iv. 161. And Spenser, Shcpheard's of all pastoral efforts, shepherd's con-
Calendcr, November (Globe, 481, a): — tent, compare Spenser's Mother Hub-
" So well she couth the shepherds tc/'rfs ra/t; " sweete home where mean
entertayne estate ..." (Globe, p. 521, b) ; and
With cakes and cracknells, and particularly his Virgils Gnat : " Oh I
such country chere : the great happiness which shepheards
Ne would she scorne the simple have " (505, b). Cf. seq. p. 505. See
Shepheards swaine ; below, iii. i. 66 (note).
For she would cal him often 55. Enter a Son . . .] See extract
heame (home) from Hall above, at line 11.
And giue him curds and clouted 55. /// blmcs . . .] An old proverb,
Creame " taken in two senses : —
(1579)- " ^n y" wynd that blowth no man
51. delicates] luxuries. Examples good
in New Eng. Diet, date back to 1450. The blowes of whych blast is she "
53. curious] elaborate, exquisite. (Heywood, Marriage of Wit and
54. 7vaits OH him] The close of this Siieme (Song against Idleness), 1540).
great soliloquy reminds us that it has Merely a statement of a fact. Corn-
nothing to do with furthering the pare A Knack to know a Knave (Haz-
action of the play. Soliloquies in litt's Dodsley, vi. S-'H) : " It is an ill
Shakespeare are naturally vehicles wind blowcth no man to profit." And
for unfolding or developing the plot, in Heywood's Proverbs (ed. Sharman,
Here, this one is merely a stop-gap p. T58), 15.(6.
(like a song) to allow a seemly space 56. hand to hand] See above, 11. i. 73.
68 THE TIIIRI) I'AHT OF [act m.
May be possessed with some store of crowns ;
And I, that ha[)ly take them from him now,
May yet ere ni^ht yield both my life and them
To some man else, as this dead man doth me. 60
Who 's this ? O God ! it is my father's face,
Whom in this conflict I unwares have kill'd.
O heavy times ! begetting such events.
From London by the king was I press'd forth ;
My father, being the Earl of Warwick's man, 65
Came on the part of York, press'd by his master ;
And I, who at his hands received my life.
Have by my hands of life bereaved him.
Pardon me, God, I knew not what I did !
And pardon, father, for I knew not thee ! 70
My tears shall wipe away these bloody marks ;
And no more words till they have flow'd their fill,
K. Hen. O piteous spectacle ! O bloody times !
Whiles lions war and battle for their dens,
Poor harmless lambs abide their enmity. 75
Weep, wretched man, I '11 aid thee tear for tear ;
And let our hearts and eyes, like civil war,
Be blind with tears, and break o'ercharg'd with grief.
Enter a Father who has killed his Son^ with the body in
his aruis.
Fath. Thou that so stoutly hast resisted me,
Give me thy gold, if thou hast any gold, 80
For I have bought it with an hundred blows.
But let me see: is this our foeman's face?
Ah, no, no, no ; it is mine only son !
59,60. May yet . . . doth me] omitted Q. 61-63. Who ^s this . . . events]
18, 19. But stay, Me thinkes it is my fathers face, Oh I its he whom I have
slaine in fight Q. 64-68. From . . . him] 20-22. From London was I prest
out by the King, My father he came on the part of Yorke, And in this conflict I
haue slaine my father : Q. 69, 70. Pardon me . . . not thee] 23, 24. Oh
pardon . . . thee not Q. 71-78. My tears . . . with grief] omitted Q. (but
see at 96 below). 79. Enter . . .] Capell ; Enter Father, bearing of his
Sonne, Ff ; Enter another souldier ivith a dead man Q. 79-S3. Fath. Thou
that . . . only son] 25-2S. 2 Soul. Lie there thou that foughtst with me so
stoutly, Now let me see what store of gold thou haste. But staic, me thinkes this
is no famous face : Oh no it is my sonne that I have slaine in fight Q.
62. unwares] Only here in Shake- phrase. See note at " saddest spec-
speare. In Golding's Ovid : " Un- tacle," 11. i. 67 above. Spenser has
wares hereat gan secret sparkes " pitiful spectacle " (Faertf Qu^fn^, 11.
within his breast to glow" (iv. 828). i. 40) also.
And often in Spenser's Faerie Queenc, 74. battle] The only example of the
as I. vi. 30, and twice in iii. vi. 27. verb in Shakespeare. Greene had used
73. piteous spectacle] A Spenserian it. See note in 1 Henry VL i. iii. 13.
sc. v.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
69
Ah, boy, if any life be left in thee,
Throw up thine eye, see, see what showers arise, 85
Blown with the windy tempest of my heart,
Upon thy wounds, that kill mine eye and heart !
O, pity, God, this miserable age !
What stratagems, how fell, how butcherly,
Erroneous, mutinous, and unnatural, 90
This deadly quarrel daily doth beget !
O boy, thy father gave thee life too soon,
And hath bereft thee of thy life too late !
K. Hen. Woe above woe ! grief more that common grief!
O, that my death would stay these ruthful deeds! 95
O, pity, pity ; gentle heaven, pity !
The red rose and the white are on his face,
The fatal colours of our striving houses :
%a,-%']. Ah,hoy . . . and heart] omitted Q. 88-90. O, pity . . . unnatural']
29, 30. O monstrous times begetting such euents (cf. line 62 above) How cruel
bloudy, and ironious, (ironous Q 3) Q. 9I-93- This deadly . . . O boy . . .
soon . . . late] 31-33. This deadly . . . Poore boy . . . late . . . bereaude
. . . sone Q. 94, 95. Woe . . . ruthful deeds'] 34. fVo . . . griefe (compare
line 7 (Q) ending ct;«7/yar5, for 95) Q. 96. 0, pity. . . . pity] 35, 36. Whilst
Lyons warre and battaile for their dens, Poore lambs do feele the rigor of their
wraths Q. 97, 98. The red . . . houses] 37, 38. The red . . . houses Q.
90. Erroneous] The earliest example
in New Eng. Diet, meaning criminal
(astray from right). Not a common
word at this time and only once else-
where in Shakespeare (Richard III. i.
iv. 200) meaning misled. It is interest-
ing to see the form in Q, " ironious,"
and later " ironous." " Ironous " was
in use, meaning ironical, earlier. But it
is not the word intended. Folio r gives
it " erroneous."
92, 93. too soon . . . too late] These
words are transposed, very likely by
mere accident, in Q ; " too late " means
too recently, perhaps, as in Lucrece,
\. 1801 ; and Richard III. in. i. 99 ;
"Too late he died that might have
kept that title" (Steevens). I think it
matters very little, although there is a
dissertation on the question amongst
editors in Steevens. It is a sort of
playing on the words in both passages,
the sense being, both his life and death
were misfortunes. Does not tlie Luc-
rece passage —
" I did give that life
Which she too early ( = too soon)
and too late hath spilled,"
bear out this simple explanation which
suits both texts ? The coincidence of
passages in this play with identical
ones in Lucrece is often before us.
Rolfe has a tedious note. Halliwell
gets an amazing literal meaning : " Thy
father begot thee at too late a period of
his life. . . not old enough to fight him."
The industrious Halliwell applies this
to the Quarto. I suppose in this text
the son is getting too old to fight !
94. Woe above tvoc] The Bible fur-
nishes most of the variant phrases
of "woe," but this seems unique.
"Above" has the common use of
" upon," as in " loss upon loss " {Mer-
chant of Venice, in. i. 96), and "jest
upon jest " {Much Ado About Nothing,
II. i. 252). A very common form. " On
top of."
95. ruthful] See note at " ruthless,"
above, i. iv. 31. The latter is in this
play five times. Conipare " pitiful "
and " pitiless." Demanding pity on
account of cruelty ; and cruel because
devoid of pity.
97-102. red rose and white . . .
thousand lives] Compare / Henry VI.
II. iv. 126, where this " brawl " begins
in the Temple Garden. In the Quartos
70 THE THIRD PAHT OF [act m.
The one his purple blood right well resembles ;
The other his pale cheeks, methinks, presenteth : lOO
Wither one rose, and let the other flourish !
If you contend, a thousand lives must wither.
Son. How will my mtjther for a father's death
Take on with me and ne'er be satisfied !
Fath. How will my wife for slaughter of my son 105
Shed seas of tears and ne'er be satisfied !
K. Hen. How will the country for these woeful chances
Misthink the king and not be satisfied !
Son. Was ever son so rued a father's death ?
Fath. Was ever father so bemoan'd his son ? 1 10
K. Hen. Was ever king so grieved for subjects' woe?
Much is your sorrow ; mine ten times so much.
Son. I '11 bear thee hence, where I may weep my fill.
{Exit with the body.
Fath. These arms of mine shall be thy winding-sheet ;
99, 100. The one . . . presenteth] omitted Q. loi, 102. Wither . . . If
you . . . wither] 39, 40. Wither . . . For if you striue, ten thousand lives
must perish Q. 103-106. Son. How . . . a father's . . . satisfied! How
. . . son Shed . . . satisfied !] 41-44. i Sould. How . . . my fathers . . .
satisftde ? 2 Sol. How . . . son, Take on with me and nere be satisfide ? Q.
107, 108. How . . . satisfied] 45, 46. How will the people now misdeeme their
Kings, Oh would my death their mindes could satisfie Q. 109. Son. Was . . .
rued . . . death ?] 47. i Sould. Was . . . rude his fathers bloud to spil ? Q.
no. Fath. Was . . . so . . . son] 48. 2. Soul. Was . . . so unnaturall his
son to kill ? Q. Ill, 112. Was . . . much] 50. Was cner King thus greeud
and vexed still ? Q. 113. Son. I 'II . . . fill] 51, 52. i Sould. lie bcare thee
hence from this accursed place. For wo is me to see my fathers face. Exit with
his father Q. 114-120. These arms . . . valiant sons] omitted Q.
these two speeches of Henry's are re- is used in Antony and Cleopatra, v. ii.
presented by one; the more conspicuous 176.
ideas are common to both versions, but 109-ni. Was ever . . . Was ever
amplified in the final text. . . . Was ever] See Introduction to
99. purple blood] See " purple Part I. ; similar line-beginnings occur
falchion," i. iv. 12, above (note). in Locrine, iv. ii, " Was never " is
104. Take on with me] chafe, rave, commoner in Spenser,
fret furiously. See Merry Wives of log. son so rued] " Son so rude " in
Windsor, in. v. 40 (in this edition, Q is a very odd change ; it is like that
note). Compare Nashe, Pierce Peni- of " buzz," below, for " busie." Pro-
lesse (Grosart, ii. 55), 1592 : " Some bably from bad caligraphy.
will take on like a mad man, if they see 114. arms of mine] See "eyes of
a pigge come to the table." The mine," 11. iii. 31 above (note). See
provincial meaning is applied to any next note.
violent mood, but especially loud la- 114. winding-sheet] See above, i. i.
mentation. 129. Only there besides in Shakespeare.
106. seas of tears] " wept a sea of Compare this line with Marlowe's jfew
tears" is in Tamburlaine, Part II. q/"3/a//a, iii. i (Dyce, 161, a, Routledge,
III. ii. 1859) : " What sight is this ! my Lodo-
108. Mis</it«^] replaces " misdeem " vico slain I These arms of mine shall
of Q, which Shakespeare has not else- be thy sepulchre." "Sepulchre" is
where. "Misthought" (misjudged) used figuratively again, v. ii. 20.
sc. v.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 71
My heart, sweet boy, shall be thy sepulchre, 1 1 5
For from my heart thine image ne'er shall go :
My sighing breast shall be thy funeral bell ;
And so obsequious will thy Father be,
Son, for the loss of thee, having no more,
As Friam was for all his valiant sons. 1 20
I'll bear thee hence; and let them fight that will,
For I have murder'd where I should not kill.
\Exit with the body.
K. Hen. Sad-hearted men, much overgone with care.
Here sits a king more woeful than you are.
Alarums. Excursions. Enter Queen MARGARET, the PRINCE
and Exeter.
Prince. Fly, father, fly! for all your friends are fled, 125
And Warwick rages like a chafed bull.
Away ! for death doth hold us in pursuit.
121, 122. /'//... kill'\ 53, 54. lie . . . kill. Exit with his sonne Q.
123, 124. Sad-hearted . . . you are] 55, 56. Weepe wretched man, lie lay
thee tear e for teare, Here sits a king as woe begone as thee Q. 125. Alanmis
. . .] Ff. 57. Alarmes and enter the Qneene Q. 125-127. Prince, Fly . . .
pursuit] 59, 60. Enter Prince Edward. Prince. Oh father flic, our men haiie
left the field. Take horse sweet father, let us saue our selucs Q.
123. overgone with care] Compare this great victorie, Kyng Edward rode
Sidney's Arcadia, Book v. (iii. 53, ed. to Yorke, where he was with all
1739) : " Philanax nothing the milder solempnitie receyued : and first he
for Pyrocles purging himself, but rather caused the heddes of his father, the
. . . being so overgon with rage that erle of Salisbury, and other his frendes
he forgat in this oration his precise to be taken from the gates and to be
method of oratory." "Overcome" in buried with their bodies. And there
our use. Shakespeare made many com- he caused the erle of Devonshyre and
pounds with " over " in various senses iii other to be behedded and set their
of the word. But here Sidney precedes heddes in the same place. After that
him. Not in Q. he sent out men on light horses, to
124. woeful] replaces "woe-be- espye in what parte King Henry lurked,
gone " of Q, a word occurring once in which hearinge of the irrecuperable
Shakespeare, :i Henry IV. i. i. 71. losse of his frendes, departed incon-
" He lay thee teare for teare," in Q, tincnt with his wife and sonne, to the
meaning " lie stake thee," etc., is towne of Barwycke, and leauynge the
Shakespearian language. duke of Somerset there, came to tl.e
125. Fly, father, Jly] Hall says of kynges courte of Scotland, requiryng
this long contest : "the great riuer of of him and his counsaill, ayde, succor,
Wharfe [from the " dead carcassis "] relefe and comfort " (p. 256).
broke, and all the water comyng from 126. rages like a chafed hull] Com-
Towton was coloured with bloude. pare Taming of the Shrew, i. ii. 203 :
The chace continued all night, and the " Rage like an angry lx)ar chafed with
most parte of the next day, and euer ye sweat." "The chafed boar" occurs
Northren men, when they saw or per- in Titus Androniciis, iv. ii. 138. " The
ceiued any aduauntage, returned again chafed (chautTed) Hoar " occurs several
and fought with their enemies to the times in Golding's Ovid,
great losse of both partes. . . . After
72 THK THIRD PAirP OF [act m
Q. Mar. Mount you, my lord ; towards Berwick post amain.
Kdwarfl and Richarrl, like a brace of greyhounds
Having the fearful flying hare in sight, 130
With fiery eyes sparkling Utr very wrath.
And bloody steel grasp'd in their ireful hands,
Are at our backs ; and therefore hence amain.
Exe. Away ! for vengeance comes along with them.
Nay, stay not to expostulate ; make speed, 135
Or else come after : I '11 away before.
K. Hen. Nay, take me with thee, good sweet Exeter :
Not that I fear to stay, but love to go
Whither the queen intends. Forward ; away !
[Exeunt.
SCENE V\.— Another part of the field.
A loud alariivi. Enter CLIFFORD, wounded.
Clif. Here burns my candle out ; ay, here it dies.
Which, whiles it lasted, gave King Henry light.
O Lancaster, I fear thy overthrow
More than my body's parting with my soul.
My love and fear glued many friends to thee ; 5
And, now I fall, thy tough commixture melts,
128-133. Q- Mar. Mount you . . . hence amain] ^6-^^. Queen. Awaic my lord
to Barwicke presentlie. The daie is lost, our friends are murdered, No hope is left
for vs, therefore auiaie Q. 134-136. Away ! for . . . them. Nay, stay . . .
speed . . . before] 61-63. Enter Exeter. . . . Awaie my lord for . . . him. Nay
stand . . . hast . . . before : Q. 137-139. Nay . . . away .'] 64. Nay state
good Exeter, for lie along with thee Q.
Scene vt.
A loud . . .] Ff; Enter Clifford wounded with an arrow in his necke Q.
1-7. Here . . . out ; ay . . . Which . . . O . . . thy . . . with my . . . I
fall, thy . . . strengthening . . . York ;] i-g. Heerc . . . out. That whilst
. . . Ah . . . thine . . . from my ... J die, that . . . strengthened . . . Yorke
128. towards . . . amain] After the tions in and additions to the Quarto than
words " bloody-minded queen " (11. vi. have occurred yet. '• Expostulate,"
32) there occurs in Q " That now meaning dilate, discuss, is an obsolet-
towards Barwike doth poste amaine." ism. Peele uses the word (not com-
129-132. brace of greyhounds . . . mon) at the beginning of David and
bloody steel] The images get too much Bethsabe.
on one another's necks here. ScEVE VI.
132. ireful] See above, 11. i. 57.
135. stay not to expostulate] Com- i. with an arrow in his necke] See
pare this line with First Contention, v. Hall's account of Clifford's death, at
ii. 64 (omitted in 2 Henry VI.) : " Come 1. 41 below.
stand not to expostulate, lets go." This 6. commixture] See Love's Labour ^s
scene furnishes more extensive altera- Lost, v. ii. 296, where the word is used
SC. VI.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
73
Impairing Henry, strengthening misproucl York :
[The common people swarm like summer flies, . . .
And whither fly the gnats but to the sun ?
And who shines now but Henry's enemies ?
0 Phoebus, hadst thou never given consent
That Phaethon should check thy fiery steeds,
Thy burning car never had scorch'd the earth ;
And, Henry, hadst thou sway'd as kings should do,
Or as thy father and his father did.
Giving no ground unto the house of York,
They never then had sprung like summer flies ;
1 and ten thousand in this luckless realm
lo
15
9. And . . . SU71 ?] 8, 9. The common people swarme like summer Jlies, And
. . . Jlies . . . sun ? Q. 10-16. And who . . . enemies? . . . swayed . . .
never had scorch'd ... Or as ... no ground . . . York'] 10- 1 6. And who
. . . enemy.' . . . had netter scorch' t . . . litied . . . And as . . . no foot . . .
Yorke Q. 17. They . . . flies'] omitted Q. iS-30. / and . . . luckless
realm . . . death . . . chair . . . too much lenity . . . nor strength . . . hold
out . . , pity ; For . . . hath got . . . deadly . . . fathers' bosoms . . . breast]
17-29. / and . , . wofull land . . . deathes . . . throne . . . lenity . . . no
strength . . . hold our pittie me, And . . . is got . . . bleeding . . . fathers,
now come split my brest Q.
again. Spenser uses the word in Colin
Clouts Come Home againe, 1. 802, of
the union of male and female. This
would perhaps precede any example in
New Eng. Diet. (1591), for the 158S
date of Love's Labour 's Lost is impos-
sible. Greene has the word in his
Farewell to Follic, about the same
date.
7. misprond] Peele uses this word,
" this misproud malcontent," Descensus
AstracE (542, b), 1593. But the word
is very old though uncommon at this
time. Wrongly proud, arrogant.
8. The . . . Jlies] Theobald, followed
by most editors (includmg Cambridge),
introduced here this Quarto line. The
following line, " And who," etc.,
serves to introduce the metaphor how-
ever, albeit abruptly, but not unpoeti-
cally. There are reasons for its omis-
sion. The line, " The common people
by numbers swarm to us," below, iv. ii.
2, is very nearly a repetition of it. And
again, in Peele's David and Bethsabe
(477, a) : " To whom the people do by
thousands swarm," preceded both.
Shakespeare wearied of it. Shakespeare
used " common people " in 2 Henry VL
I. i. 158, not elsewhere, excepting in the
two passages. Very possibly Shake-
speare intended to transpose 9 and 10,
and forgot. Moreover, " summer flies "
is much too near in 19 below. A strong
argument in favour of the omission is
that "sun" is equivalent here to York,
being the badge, as in Richard IIL i.
i. 2. See above, 11. i. 40, and below, v.
vi. 23.
12. Phaethon] See above, i. iv. 33.
12. fiery steeds] Golding has (of
Phoebus) : " His fierifoming Steedes
full fed with juice of Ambrosie " (ii.
160). Shakespeare has " fiery steed"
in All's Well that Ends Well, and
Richard 77. " Check " here means con-
trol, drive. Milton used the word
similarly in H Penseroso {i\ew Eng.
Diet.). Here it seems an unhappy term.
17. summer flies] See Love's La-
bour 's Lost, V. ii. 408, and Othello, iv.
ii. 66. See below, iv. ii. 2. This line
is not in Q, giving a luriher argument
against insertion of line at 8.
18. luckless] See again below, v. vi.
45 (but not elsewhere in Shakespeare),
and note the assemblage of words with
-less in these lines : merciless, bootless,
cureless and luckless. " Luckless " is
in Golding's Ovid, xiv. 603 ; Spenser, i.
vi. ig; and Pcc\c, .Arraignment of Paris,
Act iv.
74
THE Til I HI) PAUT OF
[act n.
Had left no mourning widows for our death,
And thou this flay hadst kept thy chair in fxrace, 20
For what ci(jth cherish weeds but gentle air ?
And what makes robbers bold but too much lenity ?
Bootless are plaints, and cureless are my wounds ;
No way to fly, nor strength to hold out flight :
The foe is merciless, and will not pity ; 25
For at their hands I have deserved no pity.
The air hath got into my deadly wounds,
And much effuse of blood doth make me faint.
Come, York and Richard, Warwick and the rest ;
I stabb'd your fathers' bosoms, split my breast. 30
[He faints.
Alarum atid retreat. Enter EDWARD, GEORGE, RiCHARD,
Montague, Warwick, and Soldiers.
Edw. Now breathe we, lords : good fortune bids us pause,
And smooth the frowns of war with peaceful looks.
Some troops pursue the bloody-minded queen,
31. Alarum . . .] Ff ; 30. Enter Edward, Richard and Warwike,and souldiers
Q. 31,32. Now . . . /o()^s]30, 31. Thus farre our fortunes keepes an vpward
Course, and we are grast with wreathes of victorie Q^. 33-37' Some troops . . .
queen. That . . . But think . . . with them ?] 32-34. Some troopes . . . Queene,
19. mourning widows for our death'\
A good example of Shakespeare's trick
of transposing words — widows mourn-
ing for our death (or deaths, as Q read
preferably). There is an early instance
in Hall's Chronicle, quoted above at i.
iv. 80: "the dukes head of York."
See note at "blind bitch's puppies"
(Merry Wives of Windsor, iii. v. 11,
in this edition).
22. lenity] See 1 Henry VI. v. iv.
125, and above, 11. ii. 9. This asinine
line is better in Q, omitting " too much."
23. cureless'] Again in Merchant of
Venice, iv. i. 142. Incurable. Com-
pare Sylvester's Du Bartas (Sixt Day
of the First Week, p. 136) : " a surgeon
minding off-to-cut Som cureless limb."
An early case of amputation under an-
aesthetics (1591).
28. effuse of blood] Nowhere else in
Shakespeare. Compare the beginning
of Peele's Tale of Troy (1589) :—
" whose
. . . bosom bleeds with great effuse
of blood
That long war shed " (550, a, Dyce).
Again we have signs of Peele (mis-
proud). Needless to say he was not
capable of this speech. New Eng.
Diet, has only this example and one
later from Heywood (1631).
31. breathe zee] See " Make we "
above, 11. iii. 55. Let us rest and refresh
ourselves. See extract from Polydore
Vergil at 1. 32.
32. frowns of war] Not in Q. Com-
pare Richard III. i. i. 9: " Grim-
visaged war hath smoothed his wrinkled
front."
33. Some troops pursue . . .] " Ed-
ward, that he might use well the vic-
tory, after he had a litle refreshed his
souldiers from so great travaile and
payne, sent out certaine light horsemen
to apprehend King Henry or the queene
in the flight " {Polydore Vergil, Cam-
den Soc. p. III).
33. bloody-minded] Only in 2 Henry
VI. IV. i. 36. In the Quartos both
here, and there. After this line occurs
the " post amain to Berwick " (Q)
transferred to 11. v. 128.
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 75
That led calm Henry, though he were a king,
As doth a sail, fill'd with a fretting gust, 35
Command an argosy to stem the waves.
But think you, lords, that Clifford fled with them ?
War. No, 'tis impossible he should escape ;
For, though before his face I speak the words,
Your brother Richard mark'd him for the grave ; 40
And wheresoe'er he is, he 's surely dead.
\Clifford groans and dies.
Edw. Whose soul is that which takes her heavy leave ?
Rich. A deadly groan, like life and death's departing.
Edw. See who it is : and, now the battle 's ended,
If friend or foe let him be gently us'd. 45
Rich. Revoke that doom of mercy, for 'tis Clifford ;
Who not contented that he lopp'd the branch
In hewing Rutland when his leaves put forth,
But set his murdering knife unto the root
From whence that tender spray did sweetly spring, 50
I mean our princely father, Duke of York.
War. From off the gates of York fetch down the head,
Your father's head, which Clifford placed there ;
That now towards Baywike doth poste amaine, But thinks you that Clifford is
fled awaie with than? Q. 38-41. No ... he is, he's . . . dead] 35-38. No
. . . he be I warrant him dead. Clifford grones and then dies Q. 42-45'
Whose soul is that . . . her . . . departing . . . If friend . . . gently us'd]
39-42. Harke, what soule is this . . . his , . . departure . . . Friend . . .
friendlie vsed Q. 46-51. Revoke . . . Clifford; Who . . . our princely . . .
York] 43-45. Reverse . . . Clifford, Who kild our tender brother Rutland, And
stabd our princely . . . York Q. 52-55. From . . . Instead whereof let this
. . . answered] 46-49. From . . . Instead of that, let his . . . answered Q.
36. argosy] A merchant ship of the with an arrowe (as some say without
largest kind, especially Venetian. In an hedde) was striken into the throte
Marlowe's Tamhnrlaine, Part II. 1. i. and incontinent rendered hys spirit
40. mark'd him for the grave] See . . . not farr from Towton. This ende
Richard II. iv. 236 and Part II. iv. ii. had he, which slew the yong erle of
131 : " mark'd for the gallows." Rutland, kneling on his knees " (p. 255).
41. Clifford groans and dies] Hall 43. departing] parting, separating,
describes Clifford's death : "After this See Cymbelinc, 1. i. 108: "the loath-
proclamacion [Scene 11. iii. 50-52, note] ness to depart would grow." So, in
ended, the lord Fawconbridge . . . with the Marriage Service [until 1662], " Till
the iorward . . . entended to haue en- death us depart."
vironed and enclosed the lord Clyfford 49-51. root ... spray . . . York]Com-
and his company, but they bcyng there- pare Part 1. 11. v. 41 : " Sweet stem from
of aduertised, departed in great haste York's great stock."
toward Kyng Henric's army, but they 51. / mean] See below, iv. vi. 51,
met with some that ihcy loked not for, and v. in. 7. This poor sort of filling
and were attrappcd or they were ware, has been noted on in Part I. v. v. 20.
For the lord Clilforde, either for heat It occurs several times in Locriue.
or payne, putting off his gorget, sodainly Peele uses it.
70 THE TIIIIU) TAirr OF [act .r.
Instead whereof let this supply the room :
Measure for ineasure must be answered. 55
Edw. Bring forth that fatal screech-owl to our house,
That nothinjT sung but death to us and ours :
Now death shall stop his dismal threatening sound,
And his ill-boding tongue no more shall speak.
War. I think his understanding is bereft. 60
Speak, Clifford ; dost thou know who speaks to thee?
Dark cloudy death o'ershades his beams of life,
And he nor sees nor hears us what we sa)'.
Rich. O, would he did ! and so perhaps he doth :
'Tis but his policy to counterfeit, 65
Because he would avoid such bitter taunts
Which in the time of death he gave our father.
Geo. If so thou think'st, vex him with eager words.
Rich. Clifford, ask mercy and obtain no grace.
Edw. Clifford, repent in bootless penitence. 70
War. Clifford, devise excuses for thy faults.
Geo. While we devise fell tortures for thy faults.
Rich. Thou didst love York, and I am son to York.
Edw. Thou pitied'st Rutland ; I will pity thee.
Geo. Where 's Captain Margaret, to fence you now ? 75
56-59. Bring . . . sung . . . ill-boding . . . speak] 50-52. Bring . . . sung
to vs but bloud and death. Now his euill boding . . . speake Q. 60-63. ^
think . . . Speak, Clifford . . . we say] 53-56. / think . . . Say Clifford . . .
we saie Q. 64-67. O, would . . . 'Tis but . . . father] 57-60. Oh would
. . . And tis his policie thai in the time of death. He might auoid such bitter
storms as he In his houre of death did giue vnto our father Q. 68-73. If • ■ ■
vex him . . . son to York] 61-66. Richard if thou thinkest so, vex him . . .
fault . . . fault . . . pittiedst Yorke and I am sonne to Yorke Q. 74-77.
Thou pitied'st : . . I will . . . not an oath ?] 67-70. Thoti pittiedst . . . and
I will . . . not an oth ? Q.
56. screech-owl"] Variously written "all my senses were bereaved
at this time as skritch owl, shrieke owl, quight."
or, as here, in Golding's Ovid, xv. 8S7. 62. Dark . . . life] Compare this
" A signe of mischiete unto men, the poetic line with Richard III. i. iii.
sluggish skreching Owle" (Golding, v. 268 : —
682) ; " The messenger of death, the " my son . . .
ghastly owle" (Spenser, Faerie Quecne. Whose bright out-shining beams thy
I. V. 30). Properly the screech-owl is cloudy wrath
the white owl : not the hooter or tawny. Hath in eternal darkness folded
59. ill-boding] OccMxs, 3.g?L\n 1 Henry up."
VI. IV. V. 6 and see note. See " night- 68. eager] " full of asperity, bitter "
owl" above, 11. i. 130; a real bird. (Schmidt). Compare " the bitter clam-
The owl here is rather a poet's or folk- our of two eager tongues " {Richard II.
lore imagination. Q has " evill-bod- i. i. 49). See above, i. iv. 4. An
ing." applied use of the literal sense, sour,
60. bereft] destroyed, annihilated, as in Sonnet 118, and Hamlet, i. v. 69.
Compaie Spenser, Faerie Quecne, i. ii. 75. /o/^mc^-] to protect. So Golding's
42 : — Ovid : " As if they had bene plates of
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH
77
War. They mock thee, Clifford : swear as thou wast wont
Rich. What ! not an oath ? nay, then the world goes hard
When Clifford cannot spare his friends an oath.
I know by that he 's dead ; and, by my soul,
If this right hand would buy two hours' life, 80
That I in all despite might rail at him,
This hand should chop it off, and with the issuing blood
Stifle the villain whose unstaunched thirst
York and young Rutland could not satisfy.
War. Ay, but he 's dead : off with the traitor's head, 85
And rear it in the place your father's stands.
And now to London with triumphant march.
There to be crowned England's royal king.
From whence shall Warwick cut the sea to France,
And ask the Lady Bona for thy queen. 90
77-84. nay, then . . . hours'' . . . despite . . . him, This . . . chop . . .
unstaunched . . . satisfy] 70-77. Nay, then I know hees dead. Tis hard, when
Clifford cannot foord his friend an oath. By this I know hees dead, and by my
sowle, Would this right hand buy hut an huwres . . . contempt . . . him, Ide
cut . . . ifistanched . . . satisfy Q. 85-go. Ay, but he '5 . . . royal king
. . . cut the sea . . . queen] 78-83. /, but he is dead . . . lawfull king . . .
From thence . . . crosse the seas . . . Qucene Q.
mayle did fence him well inough " (iii.
76). And Peele's Edzvard I. sc. ii. (384,
b):-
" not to guard her safe
Ox fence her sacred person."
See again, iii. iii. 98. And Timon of
Athens, iv. i. 3.
77. the world goes hard] Compare
*' the world goes well " {Coriolanus,
IV. vi. 5). Compare Peele's Old Wives
Tale (449, b) : "Yet, father, here is a
piece of cake for you, as hard as the
world goes." Dyce quotes from the
Return from Parnassus (1606), at
the passage in Peele.
78. Clifford . . . oath] Probably an
allusion to the swearing habits of the
Northerns, taken as a whole. It is
often referred to. See note to Othello,
V. ii. 218 (in this edition).
79. I know by that he 's dead] The
removal of the repetition in Q is to be
noted.
82. This hand . . . blood] Capell
altered to " I 'd chop it off," following
the Quarto's " Ide cut it off," nearly.
But Richard meant that with his left
hand he'd chop off his right. He must
not be denied this delicate attention,
especially as it occurs below, v. i. 50, 51.
83. unstaunched thirst]un(\uencha.h\c
thirst. Compare Peele, David and
Bethsabe, Chorus, sc. iv. (470, a) : —
" Pursues with eager and unstanched
thirst
The greedy longings of his loath-
some flesh."
And Lyly's Endymion, 11. ii. 70 : " teare
the flesh with my teeth ... so eger
is my unstaunched stomacke." " In-
stanched " in Q.
85,86. Aca<f . . . place your father's
stands] See extract at 11. v. 125.
87, 88. triumphant march . . .
croivncd . . . king] Hall says, after
the " glorious victory " at Towton :
" the commons of the Keahne began to
drawe to hym, and to take his parte
. . . after the fashion and maner of a
triumphant conqueror and victorious
champion, with great pompe (he) re-
turned to London . . . and the xxix
dale of June, was at Westminster with
all solempnitie crouned and anoynted
Kyng " (p. -'57).
8g, go. \\'ar7t<ick . . . Lady Bona
for thy queen] See below at in. i. 89,
90.
89. cut the sea] cleave the sea.
Compare Spenser, Faerie Queene, 11.
viii. 5 : "to cut his airy ways." Gold-
ing has, however, " Cut over the Ionian
78
THE TIIIHI) PA1{T OF
[act II.
So shah thou sinew botli these lands together;
And, havinj^ I*rancc thy friend, thou shalt not dread
The scatter'fl foe that hopes to rise again ;
For though they cannot greatly sting to hurt,
Yet look to have them buzz to offend thine ears.
First will I see the coronation ;
And then to Brittany I '11 cross the .sea,
To effect this marriage, so it please my lord.
Edw. Even as thou wilt, sweet Warwick, let it be ;
For in thy shoulder do I build my .seat,
And never will 1 undertake the thing
Wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting.
Richard, I will create thee Duke of Gloucester ;
And George, of Clarence ; Warwick, as our.self,
Shall do and undo as him pleaseth best.
Rich. Let me be Duke of Clarence, George of Gloucester,
For Gloucester's dukedom is too ominous.
War. Tut, that 's a foolish observation :
95
lOO
ro;
91-98. So shalt . , , shalt not . . . For though . . . buzz to . , . will I
. . . To effect . . . so it . . . lord] 84-91. So shalt . . . needst not . . . And
though . . . busie to . . . He see the coronation done, And afterward He crosse
the seas to France, To effect . . . i/it . . . Lord Q. 99. Even as . . . sweet
. . . be] 92. Etien . . . good . . . be Q. 100-102. For in . . . wanting]
omitted Q. 103-105. Richard . . . ourself, Shall . . . best]gyg^. But first before
we goe, George kneelc downe. Wee here create thee Duke of Clarence, and girt
thee with the sword. Our younger brother Richard Duke of Gloucester, War-
wikc,as my sclfe shal . . . bestQ. io6-iio. Let me be . . . Tut, . . .foolish
sea " (xv. 56). And a few lines previ-
ously " lucky cut " means sea voyage.
91. sinew both . . . togcfher]Comp3.Te
2 Henry IV. iv. i. 172 : —
" All members of our cause both
here and hence.
That are insinewed to this action."
Knit together strongly, as if with
sinews. A portmanteau word.
95. buzz] See note to this verb at
Part II. I. ii, 99. " Busie " (Q) is an
odd misprint.
97. Brittany] France, in Q.
100. in thy shoulder] on thy back.
Shoulder is often " back " in Shake-
speare.
103, 104. Richard . . . of Gloucester ;
And George, of Clarence] .\fter his
coronation, Hall says : " In the whiche
yere, he called his high Court of Parlia-
ment. . . . And afterward he created
his two younger brethren Dukes, that
is to saie : Lorde George, Duke of
Clarence, Lorde Richard, Duke of Glou-
cester, and Lorde Ihon Nevell, brother
to Richard erle of Warwike, he first
made Lorde Mountacute and afterwards
created hym Maiques Mountacute "
(p. 258).
107. Gloucester's dukedom . . . omin-
ous] At the death of the good duke
Humphrey in " the XXV Yere," Hall
says: " It seemeth to many men, that
that name and title of Gloucester haih
been vnfortunate and vnluckie todiuerse
... as Hugh Spenser, Thomas of
Woodstocke . . . and this duke Hum-
frey ... So that this name of Gloucester
is taken for an vnhappie and\Tifortunate
style, as the prouerbe speaketh of
Seianes horse, whose rider was euer
vnhorsed and whose possessor was euer
brought to miserie."
loS. obscrt'otion] remark. Nowhere
else in Shakespeare, and the earliest in
New Eng. Diet., so that the stereotyped
expression, " that's a foolish observa-
tion,'' without which con\eTS3Uon\\ou\d
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 79
Richard, be Duke of Gloucester. Now to London,
To see these honours in possession. no
\ Exeunt.
. . . possession] 97-101. Let me be . . . Tush . , . childish . . . possession.
Exeunt Omnes Q.
be impossible, belongs to Shakespeare. 1 10. ^05i<?55/f<«] receives similar quadri-
In Q it is " that 's a childish observa- syllabic weight in King John, 11. i.
tion." 266.
80 THE THIRD PART OF [act in.
ACT III
SCENE I. — A forest hi the north of Etigland.
Enter tivo Keepers, ivith cross-bows in their luinds.
First Keep. Under this thick-grown brake we'll shroud our-
selves ;
For through this laund anon the deer will come;
And in this covert will we make our stand,
Culling the principal of all the deer.
Second Keep. I '11 stay above the hill, so both may shoot. 5
First Keep. That cannot be ; the noise of thy cross-bow
Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
Here stand we both, and aim we at the best :
And, for the time shall not seem tedious,
I'll tell thee what befell me on a day 10
In this self place where now we mean to stand.
Second Keep. Here comes a man ; let's stay till he be past.
Act III. Scene /.] omitted Q, FT Enter . . .] Malone; Enter two keepers
with bow atid arroives Q ; Enter Sinklo, and Humphrey Ff. 1-12. First
Keep. {Sink. Ff) . . . Second Keep. (Hum. Ff) . . . Here comes ... let's .. .
past] 1-3. Keeper. Come, lets take ottr stands vpon this hill. And by and by
the deere will come this waie. But staie, here comes . . . lets listen him a
while Q.
Enter tjvo Keepers]TheFolio reading, speare evidently prefers the cross-bow
" Enter Sinklo, and Humfrey," pro- (with its bolts) in spite of the noise, to
bably refers to two actors. Sinklo is the bow and arrow of his earlier days,
mentioned in the stage-directions of the 2. laund] A common early form of
Taming of the Shrew (Ind. i. 86). " lawn," occurring again in Venus and
Malone suggested Humphrey Jeaffes Adonis. " Lawn " is not in Shake-
as the other. A similar variation has speare. "Laund" is common in Gold-
taken place already at i. ii. 47. The best ing's Ovid.
parallel I am aware of for this hunting 3. stand] See Love's Labour 's Lost,
scene in our early drama, is Shake- iv. i. 10, and Merry Wives of Windsor.
speare's own one in Love's Labour's v. v. 247, and notes, in this edition.
Lost, IV. i. and iv. ii. I must refer to the And Cymbeline, iii. iv. iii.
edition in this series, Introduction, xlvi. 11. self] same. Often in Shake-
I, and notes at the passages. Shake- speare.
SC. I.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
81
Enter King HENRY, disguised^ with a prayer-book.
K. Hen. From Scotland am I storn, even of pure love
To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.
No, Harry, Harry, 'tis no land of thine ;
Thy place is fill'd, thy sceptre wrung from thee.
Thy balm wash'd off wherewith thou wast anointed :
No bending knee will call thee Caesar now,
No humble suitors press to speak for right,
No, not a man comes for redress of thee ;
For how can I help them, and not myself?
First Keep. Ay, here 's a deer whose skin 's a keeper's fee :
This is the quondam king ; let 's seize upon him.
15
20
13. Enter . . .] Malone ; Enter the king with a Prayer booke Ff ; Enter King
Henry (UsguisdeQ. 13-15- From . . . love To . . . sight. No . . . 'tis . . .
thine] 4-6. From . . . lone, And thus disgnisde to greet my native land. No,
Henrie no, It is ... thine Q. 16, 17. Thy place . . . anointed] omitted Q.
18-21. No bending , . . press . . . right, No, not . . . For how . . . myself?]
7-9. No bending . . . sues to thee for right. For how canst thou helpe . . , thy
selfe? Q. 22, 23. First Keep. Ay, here's . . . whose skin's . . . fee . . .
tipon him] 10-12. Keep. I marrie sir, here is . . . his skin is . . . fee. Sirra,
stand close, for as I thinke. This is the king. King Edward hath deposde Q.
1^. Enter . . . disguised]The¥ o\\o?>
have not " disguised," which Malone
inserted from Q, where it occurs both
as a stage-direction and in the text.
Hall narrates {Edward the III I., Third
Yere, 1463) : " Kyng Henry . . .
■whether he wer past all feare, or was
not well stablished in his perfyte
mynde ... in a disguised apparrel
boldly entered into linglande. He
was no sooner entered, but he was
knowen and taken of one Cantlowe
and broughte towarde the kyng, whom
the erle of Warwycke met . . . and
brought hym through London to the
toure " (261). Cantlow and Sinclo are
two strange names.
14. wishful] longing. Spenser
uses the word somewhat differently,
meaning "much-needed," very desir-
able : —
" Therefore to dye must needes be
joyeous,
And wishfull thing this sad life to
foregoe"
{Daphnaida, st. 65). Not in Q, nor
elsewhere in Shakespeare.
17. balm . . . anointed] Again in
Richard II. in. ii. 55 : " wash the
balm off from an anointed king."
6
Anointed king, queen, majesty, deputy,
head, etc., are all met with in Shake-
speare : the present is in many places.
Not in Q.
21. For how can I . . . mysclf]This
line is more poetical as well as gram-
matical in Q: "For how canst thou
helpe them and not thy selfe ? "
22. skin . . . keeper's fee] See
Harrison's Description of England,
11. xix. (1587) ; quoted in a note to " my
shoulders for the fellow of this walk "
[Merry Wives of Windsor, v. v. 28,
m this edition). The expression is
not to be taken literally here, of course.
The right shoulder was the keeper's fee,
according to the Bokc of St. Albans.
Harrison includes the skin, etc. Nashe
says (with a quibble) " diuers keepers
[shall] kill store of Buckes, and reserue
no other fees to their selues but the
homes " (explained by context) [A Prog-
nostication (Grosart, ii. 15s), iSQi)-
23. quondam king] late or former
king. See iii. iii. 153 and Henry V.
II. i. 82. Here it is trom Q. See also
Love's Labour 's Lost, v. i. 7. Greene
addresses his famous attack on Shake-
speare " To those gentlemen his Quon-
dam acquaintance."
82
THR THIKI) PAHI' OF
[act III.
K. Hen. I.ct me embrace thee, sour adversity,
For wise men say it is the wisest course.
Second Keep. Why linj^er we? let us lay hands upon him.
First Keep. Forbear awhile ; we '11 hear a little more.
K. Hen. My queen and son are gone to France for aid ;
And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone, to crave the French king's sister
To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
Poor queen and son, your labour is but lost ;
For Warwick is a subtle orator.
And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
By this account then Margaret may win him,
For she 's a woman to be pitied much :
Her sighs will make a battery in his breast ;
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart ;
The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn ;
30
35
24-27. Let me . . . little more] omitted Q.
France . . . And .... Warwick] 13, 14. My .
France, and . . . Warwike Q. 30-34. Is thither
. . . but lost; For Warwick . . . And Lewis . .
mariagc with the Iodic Bona, If this be true
Lewis is a . . . with words. And Warwick . .
account . . . Warwick, to give] omitted Q.
28, 29. My . . . son . . .
. Sonne poore soules . . .
. . Edward. If . . . true
. words] 15-19. To intreat a
. . but spent itt vaine. For
orator Q. 35-42. By this
24. sour adversity] Compare Cos-
tard's " welcome the sour cup of
prosperity" (Love's Labour's Lost, 1.
i. 316). Some old joke lies hidden
here. Shakespeare was probably
adding to Love's Labour 's Lost at
this date. Note line 32. But the read-
ing here is Dyce's conjecture. The
Folio has the "sower Adversaries."
30, 31. to crave the French king's
sister To wife for Edward] See 11. 89,
90, last scene. And below, in. iii. 50.
Hall writes on this subject of Edward's
proposed match : " at length in the same
yere (1463), he (Warwick) came to
Kyng Lewes the XI. then beyng
French Kyng, living at Tours, and
with greate honour was there receiued
and interteined; of whom, for Kyng
Edward his master, he demaunded to
haue in mariage the lady Bona,
doughter to Lewes duke of Savoy and
sister to the lady Carlot, then French
Quene, beyng then in the Frenche
court. This mariage semeth polliti-
quely deuised . . . Kyng Edward there-
fore thought it necessary to haue
affinitie in France . . . trusting by this
mariage, quene Margaret . . . should
haue no aide, succor, nor any comfort
of ye French Kyng . . . wherefore
Quene Carlot much desirous to ad-
uance her bloode ... to so greate a
prince as Kyng Edward was, obteyned
both the good will of the kyng her
husband, & also of her syster, so that
the matrimony on that syde was
clerely assented to " (253, 254). For
the immediate continuation, see belo%v,
scene ii., line 2, at "This lady's
husband."
37. sighs . . . make a battery] Com-
pare Venus and Adonis, 425, 426 : —
" Dismiss . . . your feigned tears
For where a heart is hard they
make no battery."
38. tears . . . pierce . . . marble
heart] Compare " Much rain wears the
marble " (iii. ii. 50 below). And
Lucrece, 560: "Tears . . . through
marble wear with raining." " Pierce
the heart " was a set expression, often
in Shakespeare. Compare Tambur-
laine, Part \. i. ii. (Dyce, 12, b) : "my
heart to be with gladness pierced."
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 83
And Nero will be tainted with remorse, 40
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she 's come to beg ; Warwick, to give ;
She on his left side craving aid for Henry,
He on his right asking a wife for Edward.
She weeps, and says her Henry is deposed ; 45
He smiles, and says his Edward is install'd ;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more :
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength.
And in conclusion wins the king from her, 50
With promise of his sister, and what else,
To strengthen and support King Edward's place.
O Margaret ! thus 'twill be ; and thou, poor soul,
Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn.
Second Keep. Say, what art thou that talk'st of kings and
queens? 55
K. Hen. More than I seem, and less than 1 was born to :
A man at least, for less I should not be ;
And men may talk of kings, and why not I ?
Second Keep. Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king.
K. Hen. Why, so I am, in mind ; and that 's enough. 60
43-46. She on . . . He on . . . she weeps . . . He smiles . . . instalVd] 20-
23. He laughes . . . instalde, she weepes . . . He on his right hand . , . She
on . . . Henry Q. 47-54- That she . . . went'st forlorn] omitted Q. 55-
58. Say, what . . . and less . . . A man . . .be; And . . . not I?] 24-27.
What . . . for lesse I should not be. A man . . . and more I cannot be, And
. . . not I ? Q. 59, 60. Ay, but . . . mind . . . enough] 28, 29. / but . . .
mind though not in shew Q.
40. tainted with remorseYwn'pxo^^xXy Marlowe, Tnmburlai)u-, Part II. in. v.
touched with pity. See " tainted with (Dyce, 58, b) : " Which washeth Cyprus
such shame" (Part I. iv. v. 46), and with his brinish waves." Earlier in
" tainted with a thousand vices " (ibid. Euphues.
V. iv. 45). And " taint with love " 43-46. She on his left . . . He on
{ibid. V. iii. 1S3) means impure love, his right . . . She weeps . . . He
Always the term has the sense of a smiles . . .] Kyd has similar lines :
blemish. Pity would be a blemish in " He spake . . . this other . . . He
such a conception as Nero's character, promisde . . . this otlier . . . He
He is a type with Shakespeare. See wan my love, this other conquered
" You bloody Neroes " (A't«jrr yoAM, V. me" (Spanish Trugedie, i. 11. 162-165
II. 152, and above, Part I. i. iv. 95). (Boas)).
The view of Marf^aret here is to be 49. Inferreth tirgununts of mighty
remembered. Shakespeare is not nearly strength] Sec " Inferring arguments of
done with her in this play. mighty force" (above, u. ii. 44).
41. brinish tears] salt tears. See 57. less I should not be] Kyd has a
" brinish bowels " (of the surge) (7"t7»i similar line in The Spanish Tragedy,
Andronicus, 111. i. 97). And Lucrece, i. iv. 40: "Yet this I did, and lesse I
1213 ; Lover's Complaint, z'S^. Shake- could not doe: 1 saw him honoured
speare has not " briny." See Intro- with due funerall."
duction to Part I., on adjectives. And 60. in mind] Malone fancied an
84 THK Til I HI) TART OK [act iii.
Second Keep. But if thou be a kirij^, where is thy crown?
K. Hen. My crown is in my heart, not on my head ;
Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian stones,
Nor to be seen : my crown is call'd content ;
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy. 65
Second Keep. Well, if you be a king crown'd with content,
Your crown content and you must be contentefi
To go along with us ; for, as we think,
You arc the king King Kdward hath deposed ;
And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance, 70
Will apprehend you as his enemy.
K. Hen. But did you never swear, and break an oath ?
Second Keep. No, never such an oath ; nor will not now.
K. Hen. Where did you dwell when I was king of England?
Second Keep. Here in this country, where we now remain. 75
K. Hen. I was anointed king at nine months old ;
My father and my grandfather were kings.
And you were sworn true subjects unto me :
And tell me then, have you not broke your oaths?
First Keep. No; 80
For we were subjects but while you were king.
K. Hen. Why am I dead ? do I not breathe a man ?
Ah ! simple men, you know not what you swear.
Look I as I blow this feather from my face,
61, 62. But if . . . my head] 30, 31. And if . . . my head Q. 63, 64.
Not deck'd . . . be seeti] omitted Q. 64^-67. my crown . . . it is that . . .
enjoy . . . Well, if . . . contented] 32-35. My crownc . . . that kings doe
seldome times enioy . . . And if thou . . . content Q. 68, 69. To go . . .
for, as . . . the king . . . deposed] 36, 37. To go with us vnto the officer, for
as . . . our quondam king . . . dcposde Q. 70-96. And we his subjects . . .
King Edward is] omitted Q.
allusion here to 'My mind to me a And Lodge, Wounds of Civil Warre : —
kingdom is," an old ballad. " If there content be such a pleasant
64. my crown is call'd content] thing
Compare' Henry's speech on shepherd's Why leave I country life to live a
content (" methinks it were a happy king?"
life") at II. V. 20-54. Elsewhere (Hazlitt's Dodsley, vii. 1S7).
in Shakespeare, Henry VIII. 11. iii. 20 ; 69. You are . . . deposed] This line
and Othello, iii. iii. 172-4 may be re- recalls the famous one in 2 Henry VI.
called. And "crown and content" i. iv. 33: "The duke yet lives that
are denied association in 2 Henry IV. Henry shall depose," minus the am-
iii. i. 30-31. See Iden's speech in Part biguity.
II. IV. X. 18: " This small mheritance 76. anointed king] See above, 1. 17,
. . . Contenteth me and worth a note. This Biblical expression is again
monarchy." Compare Kyd's Cornelia, additional to Q.
IV. i. 246-248 : — 84-89. / blow this feather . . . light-
" He onely lives most happily ness of you common men] Shakespeare
That, free and farre from maiestie, often has this figure : " I am a feather
Can Hue content." for each wind that blows " (Winter's
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 85
And as the air blows it to me again, 85
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows.
Commanded always by the greater gust ;
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths ; for of that sin 90
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king shall be commanded ;
And be you kings : command, and I '11 obey.
First Keep. We are true subjects to the king. King Edward.
K. Hen. So would you be again to Henry, 95
If he were seated as King Edward is.
First Keep. We charge you, in God's name, and the king's,
To go with us unto the officers.
K. Hen. In God's name, lead ; your king's name be obey'd :
And what God will, that let your king perform ; 100
And what he will, I humbly yield unto. [Exeunt.
SCENE II. — London. The palace.
Enter King Edward, Gloucester, Clarence, and
Lady Grev.
K. Edw. Brother of Gloucester, at Saint Alban's field
This lady's husband. Sir Richard Grey, was slain,
97,98. We charge . . . go with . . . officers] 2^, ^g. And therefore we charge
you in Gods name &• the kings To go along with us vnto the officers Q. 99-101.
In God's name . . . yield unto] 40, 41. Gods name be fnljild, your kings name
be Obaide, and be you kings, command and He obey. Exeunt Omnes.
SCE^E II.
Enter . . .] Ff; Enter King Edward, Clarence, and Gloster, Montague,
Hastings, and the Lady Gray Q. i, 2. Brother . . . slain] 1-3.
Brothers of Clarence, and of Glocester, This ladies husband heere Sir Richard
Gray, At the battaile of saint Albones did lose his life Q.
Tale, li. iii. 154). And "Was ever on hunting in the forest of VVychwooil
feather so lightly blown to and fro as besyde stonny strattord. came for his
this multitude ? " ('J Henry VI. iv. recreacion to the mannor of Grafton,
viii. 57). where the duches of Bedford soiorned,
_ then wyfe to Syr Richard Woduile,
bCBXE II. ]qi.j Ryuers, on whom then wasattend-
2. This lady's husband, Sir Richard yng a doughier of hers, called dame
Grey] Hall continues (see extract at Elizabeth Greye, wydow of syr Ihon
III. i. 30) : " But now consider the old Grey knight, slaine at the last battell
prouerbe to be true that saieth : that of saincie Albons. by the power of
mariage is destinie. For during yc Kyng Edward. This wydow hauyng
time that the erle of Warwickc was a suite to ye kyng" (continued at
thus in Fraunce, concludyng a mariage " too good to be \'our concubine," 1. 93,
for Kyng Edward, the Kyng being below). The death of Ihon Grey,
86 TIIK THIllI) VAH'V OF [act iii.
His lands then sciz'fl on by the conqueror:
Her suit is now to repossess those lands ;
Which we in justice cannot well (Wny, 5
Because in (juarrel of the house of York
The worthy gentleman did lose his life.
G/(W. Your highness shall do well to grant her suit ;
It were dishonour to deny it her.
K. Eihv. It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause. lO
Glou. {Aside to Clar.\ Yea ; is it .so?
I see the lady hath a thing to grant,
Before the king will grant her humble suit.
Clar. {Aside to Glou.] He knows the game; how true he
keeps the wind !
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Silence! 1 5
K. Edw. Widow, we will consider of your suit ;
And come some other time to know our mind.
L. Grey. Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay :
May it please your highness to resolve me now,
And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me. 20
3, 4. Hh lands . . . lands] 4, 5. His lands thin were . . . lands Q. 5-7.
Which we . . . Because in . . . The worthy . . . life] 6-8. And sith in . . .
The noble . . . life. In honor we cannot denie her sute Q. 8, 9. Your . . .
her] 9. Your . . . it then Q (9 omitted). 10. It . . . but . . . pause] 10. /,
so I will, but . . . pause Q. 11-13. Glou. Yea . . . I see . . . a thing . . .
suit] 11-13. Glo. I, is the winde in that doore ? Clarence, I see . . . some thing
. . . sute Q. 14, 15. He knows . . . the wind ! Glou. Silence .'] 14. He
knowes . . . how well . . . the wind Q. 16, 17. Widow . . . And come . . .
mind] 15. Widow come . . . mind Q. 18-20. L. Grey. Right . . . satisfy
me] 16, 17. La. May it please your grace I . . . delaies, I beseech your highnesse
to dispatch me now Q.
knighted the same day, at Colney, is 11. Yea; is it so.^] "is the winde
in Hall, p. 252. Malone pointed out in that doore ? " (Q) is verj- properly
the falsification of history in the words, omitted, being a confusion of metaphors.
" quarrel of the house of York." Grey It is a very old expression, occurring in
fell on the side of King Henry, and his Heywood's Proverbs (ed. Sharman, p.
lands were seized, not by the con- iiS), 1546; in Udall's Erasmus
queror (Queen Margaret) but by Ed- (Roberts' rept. p. 318), 1542; in Gas-
ward after Towton. This is truly coigne, The Supposes, 1566, etc. And
stated in Richard III. 1. ii. : " You and see 1 Henry IV'. in. iii. 102.
your husband Gray were factious for 14. game . . . wind] The com-
the house of Lancaster," and " In Mar- parison is to a dog in pursuit of his
garet's battle at Saint Albans slain." prey. " Wind " is scent. See Hamlet,
Malone may be right, but it is not in. ii. 362. King Edward bore this
easy to follow the chronicles. Henry character. Polydore Vergil saj-s : "for
made knights of thirty /()«, in obedience as muche as the King was a man who
to Margaret on that occasion. See wold readyly cast an eye uppon young
above, II. ii. 59. But also the dates ladyes, and loove them inordinately"
are astray. (Camden Soc. rept., Three Books, etc.,
4. repossess] Only in 3 Henry V'l. p. 117).
See note at in. iii. 2-16 below.
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 87
Glou. [Asz'de to Clar.] Ay, widow? then I'll warrant you all
your lands,
An if what pleases him shall pleasure you.
Fight closer, or, good faith, you '11 catch a blow.
Clar. [Aside to Glou.] I fear her not, unless she chance to fall.
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] God forbid that ! for he'll take van-
tages. 2 5
K. Edw. How many children hast thou, widow? tell me.
Clar. \ Aside to Glou.] I think he means to beg a child of her.
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Nay, whip me then ; he '11 rather give
her two.
L. Grey. Three, my most gracious lord.
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] You shall have four, if you '11 be
ruled by him. 30
K. Edw. 'Twere pity they should lose their father's lands.
L. Grey. Be pitiful, dread lord, and grant it then.
K. Edw. Lords, give us leave ; I '11 try this widow's wit.
Glou. [Aside to Clar.] Ay, good leave have you ; for you
will have leave.
Till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch. 3 5
[Glou. and Clar. retire.
21-23. ^yi liiidow ? . . . blow] 33-36. Naie then widow lie warrant you all
your Htisbajids lands, if you grant to do what he Commands. Fight close
or in good faith, You catch a clap Q. 24, 25. / fear . . . she . . . fall . . .
for . . . vantages] 37, 38. Naie I feare . . . she fall. Glo. Marie, godsforbot
man, for . . . vantage then Q. 26-30. How many . . . of her . . . you 'II
be ruled by him] 22-26. Come hither widdow, how many children haste thou ?
. . . on her . . . and you wll be rulde by him Q. 31, 32. 'Twere pity . . .
dread . . . it then] 27, 28. Were it not pittie . . . then dread . . . it than Q.
33-35- Lords . , . I 'II try . . . Glou. Ay . . . the crutch] i8-2i. Lords . . .
wee meane to trie . . . Cla. I, good . . . you. Glou. For you . . . your crouch Q.
23. Fight closer] Must be taken de- (516, a) : " But I may say to you, my
void of the literal sense of" close," i.e., neighbour Hodge's maid had a clap, —
near. Fight, or resist better. Com- well, let them laugh that win ! "
pare "close fighting" (in serious con- 25. God forbid] The old " Godsfor-
flict) {Romeo and Juliet, i. i. 118). bot" (Q) does not occur elsewhere in
23. catch a blow] come to disgrace. Shakespeare. It was formerly very
"Catch a clap" (Q) came to be used common, and is found in Golding's
expressly of women being "in trouble." Ovid (xiii. 891). It is used by Nashe
Hawes has it in a proper context : — (Have unth you, etc.), and by Nicholas
" My hearte was in a trap Breton (several times) in Shakespeare's
By Venus caught, and wyth so time. Generally with the sense of some-
sore a clap " thing wholly anathema — beyond God's
(Pastime of Pleasure, rept. p. 64, 1500). forbod.
Nashe has it more generally: — 28. u'hip me then] Compare Othello,
" Martin, your mast(er) alas hath 1. i. 49 and v. ii. 277. .'ind Pericles,
caught a clap, iv. ii. gi. When the whip was in its
And is . . . like to fall " glorv it gave rise to several expressions
(Martins Months Minde, Grosart, i. now forgotten.
197). Peele gives an example of the 33-35- give us leave . . . good leave
vulgar use (meant here) in Sir Clyomon . . . take leave and leave you] There
88
TiiK riiiHi) VAH'v or
[act III.
K. Edw. Now tell mc, madam, do you love your chiUiren?
L. Grey. Ay, full as dearly as I love myself.
K. Ediu. And vvoukl )'ou not do much to flfj them f^ood ?
L. Grey. To do them ^(xxl I would sustain soine harm.
K. Edw. Then ^et your husband's lands, to fi(; them good. 40
L. Grey. Therefore I came unto your majesty.
K. Edw. 1 '11 tell you how these lands are to be got.
L. Grey. So shall you bind me to your highness' ser\'ice.
K. Edw. What service wilt thou do me, if I give thern ?
L. Grey. What you command, that rests in me to do. 45
K. Edw. But you will take e.xcepticjns to my boon.
L. Grey. No, gracious lord, e.xcept I cannot do it.
K. Edw. Ay, but thou canst do what I mean to ask.
L. Grey. Why, then I will do what }our grace commands.
Glou. [Aside to Ciar.] He plies her hard : and much rain
wears the marble. 50
Clar, [Aside to Glou.] As red as fire! nay, then her wax must
melt.
L. Grey. Why stops my lord ? shall I not hear my task .'
K. Edw. An easy task ; 'tis but to love a king.
L. Grey. That's soon perform'd, because I am a subject.
K. Edw. Why then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee. 55
L. Grey. I take my leave with many thousand thanks.
36-41. Now tell me . . . your majesty] omitted Q. 42-45. / '// tell you
. . . give them? . . . to do] 29-32. He tell thee . . . grant it them? La.
Euen what your highnesse shall .ommand Q. 46-51. But you will . . . wax
titust melt] omitted Q. 52-57. Why stops my lord . . . a c«r<in] 39-44. Why
stops my lord . . . Know my taske ? . . . cursie Q.
is a passage in The Spanish Tragedy
very strongly resembling this. It is
broken in two by the arrival of Jonson's
additions : —
" By your leave, Sir.
Hier. Good leave have jou : nay,
I pray you goe.
For ile leave you if you can leave
me so " (III. xi. 1-3).
36-59.] These lines are another ex-
ample of the method of alternate dia-
logue in lines ((rnxotivQia) already
noted upon in 1 Henry VI. iv. v. 35-42,
a practice in the classic drama. Kyd's
Cornelia is largely framed on this plan,
which is frequent in Shakespeare's
early work.
46. take exceptions] disapprove. See
1 Henry VI. iv. i. 105 (note) ; and Two
Gentlemen of Verona, i. iii. 81.
50. He plies her hard] urges her
hard. See Merchant of Venice, in. ii.
279. And see note at "well said"
{:i Henry VI. i. iv. 13) for an example
from Peele.
50. tnuch rain wears the marble] See
above, 11. i. 54, 55 (note). Compare T.
Howell, Devises (Grosart, ii. 217),
1581 : " The Marble stone in time by
waterie drops is pierced deepe." And
T. Watson, Passionate Cen'.urie, xlvi.
(Arber, p. S3), 15S2 : " In time the
Marble weares with weakest sheures."
Kyd, when he appropriated Watson's
lines in The Spanish Tragedy (Hazlitt's
Dodsley, v. 36) turned marble to flint.
The old form is -'Constant dropping
wears a stone." Gloucester's proverb-
loving speech is displayed here. See
Introduction, and below, in. ii. 113,
IV. vii. 25. etc.
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 89
Glou. {Aside to Clar.] The match is made; she seals it with
a curtsey.
K. Edw. But stay thee ; 'tis the fruits of love I mean.
L. Grey. The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege.
K. Edw. Ay, but, I fear me, in another sense. 60
What love think'st thou I sue so much to get?
L. Grey. My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers :
That love which virtue begs and virtue grants.
K. Edw. No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.
L. Grey. Why, then you mean not as I thought you did. 65
K. Edw. But now you partly may perceive my mind.
L. Grey. My mind will never grant what I perceive
Your highness aims at, if I aim aright.
K. Edw. To tell thee plain, I aim to He with thee.
L. Grey. To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison. 70
K. Edw. Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's
lands.
L. Grey. Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower ;
For by that loss I will not purchase them.
K. Edw. Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.
L. Grey. Herein your highness wrongs both them and me. 75
But, mighty lord, this merry inclination
Accords not with the sadness of my suit :
Please you dismiss me, either with ay or no.
K. Edw. Ay, if thou wilt say ay to my request ;
No, if thou dost say no to my demand. 80
L. Grey. Then, no, my lord. My suit is at an end.
Glou. {Aside to Clar.] The widow likes him not, she knits
her brows.
58-60. But stay . . . sense] omitted Q. 61-63. What love . . . virtue
grants'] •45-47- Stale widdow stale, what lone dost thou thlnke . . . get ? La.
My humble seruice, such as sublccts owes and the lawes commands Q. 64-69.
No . . . with thee] 48, 49. K. Ed. No. . . . I meant no such lone. But to tell
thee troth, I . . . with thee Q {65 to 68 omitted). 71-78. Why, . . . shalt not
have . . . Why, then . . . Therein . . . Accords not . . . Please you . . . ay
or no] 50-58. Why . . . canst not get . . . Then . . . Herein . . . Agrees not
. . . Please it your highnes to . . . I or no Q. 79-82. Ay . . . wilt sav . . .
dost say . . . knits her brows] 59-6-2. I . . . sale I . . . sate . . . bends the
brow Q.
58. / mean] See below, iv. vi. 51, and " Come, we agree to let you prove
see Part I. v. v. 20. Without a fee, thefruites of love "
59. Tlie fruits of love] See Kyd's (1578).
Spanish Tragedy : " Lorenzo. I thus, 66. perceive my mind] grasp my
and thus : these are the fruits of love, meaning. Sec note at 1 Henry VL 11.
(They stab him) " (11. iv. 55). And in ii. 59.
Part II. of Whetstone's Promos and 82. *;i»/i //<r fcrows] See note at " he
Cassandra (11. ii.) ; — knit his angry brows " (u. ii. 20, above).
90
THE THIRD PART OF
[act III.
Clar. {Aside to Glou.\ He is the bluntest wooer in Christen-
dom.
K. Edw. [Aside.] Her looks do argue her re[)lete with
modesty ;
Her words do show her wit incomparable; 85
All her perfections challenge sovereignty :
One way or other, she is for a king ;
And she shall be my love, or else my queen. —
Say that King lulward take thee for his queen ?
L. Grey. 'Tis better said than done, my gracious lord : 90
I am a subject fit to jest withal.
But far unfit to be a sovereign.
K. Edzv. Sweet widow, by my state I swear to thee
I speak no more than what my soul intends ;
And that is, to enjoy thee for my love. 95
L. Grey. And that is more than I will yield unto.
I know I am too mean to be your queen,
And yet too good to be your concubine.
83, 84. He is . . . modesty] 63, 64. Why he is . . . lookes are all repleat
with maiestie Q. 85, 86. Her words . . . sovereignty] omitted Q. 87-gg.
One way . . . take thee . . . swear . . . I speak . . . soul . . . mean . . .
my queen] 6$-Tj. One waie . . . tooke thee . . . sweare I speake . . . bad . . .
my Qiieene Q.
Q has here " she bends the brow " with
the same meaning, frowns. See below,
v. ii. 22: "when Warwick bent his
brow." And 1 Henry VI. v. iii. 34.
Also in Lucrece, 709, and King John.
83. the bluntest wooer in Christen-
dom] A standard expression. See note
at " the lyingest knave in Christendom "
in 2 Henry VI. 11. i. 126. A very old
set phrase. Kyd (?) has "the braginst
knave in Christendom " in Soliman and
Perseda. And m Hall's Chronicle (p.
267), " the metest matrimony in Chris-
tendome " occurs. And Holinshed's
England, iii. 292 (rept.) : " The greatest
prince in Christendom." Shakespeare
drew it from the chroniclers.
84. replete with] See note " replete
with wrathful fire" {J Henry VI. i. i.
12). "Majesty" to "modesty" is a
very suitable alteration. When the two
texts are practically identical, as in this
dialogue and its asides, the alterations
are very instructive. Slight touches of
improvement by the author or a re-
perusal for a fresh performance, or some
other reason — such as to expunge
Greeneries I The line here in Q occurs
again below at iv. vi. 71 (Q). Hence
the alteration here.
90. better said than done] where we
say " easier said than done." Oliphant
(New English) gives a reference to
Religious and Love Poems (Early Eng-
lish Text Soc), circa I450: "better
saide thanne doou." I have not verified
it.
98. too good to be your concubine]
Hall continues (see above at " Sir Rich-
ard Gray," 1. 2) : " This wydow . . .
founde such grace in the Kynges eyes,
that he not only fauoured her suvte, but
muche more phantasied her person, for
she was a woman more of formal
countenaunce then of excellent beautie,
but yet of such beautie and fauor, that
with her sober demeanure, louely
iokyng, and femynyne smyh-ng (neither
to wanton nor to humble) besyde her
tongue so eloquent, and her wit so
pregnant, she was able to rauish the
mynde of a meane person, when she
allured and made subiect to her, ye hart
of so great a Kyng. After that Kyng
Eduard had well considered all the
lineamentes ... he determined . . .
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 91
K. Edw. You cavil, widow : I did mean, my queen.
L. Grey. 'Twill grieve your grace my sons should call you
father. i oo
K. Edw. No more than when my daughters call thee mother.
Thou art a widow, and thou hast some children ;
And, by God's mother, I, being but a bachelor,
Have other some : why, 'tis a happy thing
To be the father unto many sons. 105
Answer no more, for thou shalt be my queen.
Glou. \Aside to Clar.] The ghostly father now hath done his
shrift.
Clar. [Aside to Glou.A^ When he was made a shriver, 'twas for
shift.
K. Edw. Brothers, you muse what chat we two have had.
Glou. The widow likes it not, for she looks very sad. 1 1 o
K. Edw. You'd think it strange if I should marry her.
Clar. To whom, my lord ?
K. Edw. Why, Clarence, to myself
100-106. ^Twill . . . my sons . . . father unto . . . Answer . . . queen'] 78-
84. Your grace would be loath my sonnes . . . father of manie children. Argue
. . . Queene Q. 107-iog. The ghostly . . . what chat . . . Aa;^] 85-88^. The
ghostly . . . what talke the Widdow And I have had (^. no. The . . . very
sa^f] omitted Q. 111-114. You'd . . . marry her. Clar. To whom . . . That's
a . . . lasts] 88^-93. yotc would . . . marrie her. Cla. Marrie her my Lord,
to whom ? . . . Why that 's . . . lastes Q.
that yf she would therunto condiscend, her husband had geuen her in ioynture.
she might so fortune of his peramour . . . And finally after many a metyng
and concubyne to be chaunged to his and much avowyng . . . the Kyng . . .
wyfe and lawfull bedfellow ; whiche so muche esteemed her constancy and
demaunde she so wisely, and with so chastitye, that ... he determined in
couert speache answered and repugned, haste to marry her." For the historical
affirmynge that as she was for his honor falseness, see note above at 1. 3.
farre vnable to be hys spouse and bed- 104. other some] another lot or set.
fellow : so for her awne poore honestie, See again Measure for Measure, ill. ii.
she was too good to be either hys con- 94, and Midsiimnitr Night's Dream, i.
cubyne, or soueraigne lady : that where i. 226. It occurs twice at least in
he was a littell before heated with the Golding's Ovid (books iv. and viii.).
darte of Cupido, he was nowe set all on Not uncommon in early poetry,
a hole hurnyng fire ... & without 106. my queen] Johnson says of this
any further deliberacion, he determyned dialogue, closing here, that it is " very
with him seltc clerely to marye with lively and spritely; the reciprocation is
her, after that askyngcounsaill of them, quicker than is common in Shake-
which he knewe neither woulde nor once speare."
durst impugne his concluded purpose. 107. ghostly father] Occurs again in
But the duches of Yorke hys mother Measure for Measure and Komeo and
letted it as much as in her lay. . . . Juliet. "I'll \\^\& no ghostly fathers
And so, priuilye in a mornyng he out of France " (Feele, ii(/a'arJ /. (410,
maried her at Grafton, where he first a)).
phantasied her visage " (p. 264). Later 107, 108. shrift . . . shriver] Com-
in Hall (365) the story of this courtship pare this passage with J Henry VI. i.
is again told, and how " she made suyte ii. iig.
to be restored to suche smal landes as
1)2 TIIK rniHl) VAH'l OF [act m.
(7/ou. That would be ten days' wonder at the least
C7tir. That 's a day I(;ii<ier than a wonder lasts.
G/ot4. By so much is the wonder in extremes. i i 5
A', /{t/zv. Well, jest on, brothers : I can tell you both
Her suit is granted for her husband's lands.
Enter a Nobleman.
Nob. My gracious lord, Henry your foe is taken.
And brou<;ht your prisoner to your palace gate.
K. Edw. See that he be convey'd unto the Tower : i 20
And go we, brothers, to the man that took him.
To question of his apprehension.
Widow, go you along. Lords, use her honourably.
[Exeunt all hut Gloucester.
Glou. Ay, Edward will use women honourably.
Would he were wasted, marrow, bones, and all, 125
That from his loins no hopeful branch may spring,
To cross me from the golden time I look for !
115. B_)' . . . extrcmei\ g^. And so much moreare the wondera in extreames Q.
116, 117. Well . . . you both . . . lands] g^,, 96. Well . . . you . . . lands Q.
iiS, 119. Enter a Nobleman. Nob. My . . . Henry . . . your prisoner . . .
gate] 97, 98. Enter a Messenger. Mes. And it please your grace, Henry . . . as
prisoner . . . gates Q. 120-123. Sec that . . . honourably] 99-102. Amaie
with him and send him to the Tower, And let us go question with the man about
His apprehension. Lords along, and vse this Ladie honourablie. Exeunt Omnes.
Manet Gloster and speakes Q. 124-127. Ay, Edward . . . no hopeful . . .
cross me . . . look for] 103-106. /, Edward , . . no issue might succeed To
hinder me . . . looke for Q.
113, 114. ten days' . . . wonder] A Amplification, addition and improve-
wonder lasts nine days. Occurs again ment take place, but only in such a way
in As You Like It, iii. ii. 185, and as an author would deal with his own
:i Henry VL n. iv. 69 (see note). See work — which he approved of and im-
note at line 60 above. proved. The two kings' characters,
118-120. Henry . . . taken . . . Tower] Henry VI. and Richard III., as Shake-
See above, in. i. 13 (note). speare conceived them, are sketched and
122. a.^'prehension] seizure, arrest, contrasted in these two speeches.
Again in King Lear, in. v. 20. 126. loins . . . branc,\] "issue" of
124-195. Ay, Edward . . . I 'II pluck Q is preferable, and occurs in Richard
i< rfozrnj Compare with n. V. 1-72. Here ///. i. iii. 232 and in Cymbeline, v. v.
we have another great soliloquy, but it 330.
is full of import with regard to the 127. golden time] Again in Twelfth
subsequent history, and of character Night, v. i. ^gi. " Golden day " occurs
display in him that sptaks it. When in i Henry VL i. vi. 31, and below, in.
Henry VI. made his oration we knew iii. 7. Peele has " My golden days,
all about him amply already, but not so my younger careless years" (Battle
here. They are meant to beset in con- of Alcazar, Act v. (439, a)); and he
trast, these two speeches. It is very has
important to compare this with Q. "thzt golden time . . .
The version here is more than double of The blooming time, the spring of
that in Q, but every line in the latter is England's peace "
used up in the present composition. {Polyhymnia, 572, b).
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 93
And yet, between my soul's desire and me —
The lustful Edward's title buried —
Is Clarence, Henry, and his son young Edward, 1 30
And all the unlook'd for issue of their bodies.
To take their rooms, ere I can place myself —
A cold premeditation for my purpose !
Why then, I do but dream on sovereignty ;
Like one that stands upon a promontory, 135
And spies a far-off shore where he would tread,
Wishing his foot were equal with his eye ;
And chides the sea that sunders him from thence.
Saying, he '11 lade it dry to have his way :
So do I wish the crown, being so far off, 140
And so I chide the means that keeps me from it.
And so I say, I '11 cut the causes off.
Flattering me with impossibilities.
My eye 's too quick, my heart o'erweens too much.
Unless my hand and strength could equal them. 145
Well, say there is no kingdom then for Richard ;
What other pleasure can the world afford ?
I '11 make my heaven in a lady's lap.
And deck my body in gay ornaments.
And witch sweet ladies with my words and looks. 150
128-132. And yet . . . their rooms] 107-110. For I am not yet lookt for in the
world. First is there Edward, Clarence and Henry And his sonne, and all they
lookt for issue Of their loines Q. 132, 133. ere I can place . . . purpose /]
no, III. ere I can plant . . . purpose Q. 134-146. Why then, I do but
dream . . .for Richard] omitted Q. 147-150. What other . . . I 'II make
. . . And deck . . . And witch . . . looks] 112-115. What other pleasure is there in
the world beside ? I will go clad my • • • And lull my self c within a . . . And
witch . . . lookes Q (2 lines transposed).
133. A cold premeditation] " Cold " (475, a) : " Weep Israel, for David's
has the sense of hopeless, comfortless, as soul dissolves, Lading the fountains
in "coldest expectation " (iJ/Zt-H/'j)' /F. of his drowned eyes." In use still
V. ii. 31) and " where hope is coldest " provincially. Not a^^ain in Shakespeare.
{AlVs Well that Ends Well, 11. i. 147). To load or carry out water with buckets.
Properly set forth in Schmidt. " Cold etc. (or ladle). " Load " and " lade "
comfort " and " cold news " differ very are douhlets.
slightly in their sense of "cold," and 148. in a lady's lap] Compare Scli-
are both frequent. Compare Peele, /I mws (Greene and Feele) : —
Tale of Troy (556, a) : — " For he that never saw a foe man's
" The Troyans' glory now gan waxen face,
dim, But alwaies slept upon a Ladies
And cold their hope." lap,
Compare " Henry, my lords, is cold Will scant endure to lead a
in great affairs" (.i? Henry VL iii. i. souldiers life "
224). (Grosart, xiv. 227). " Kntombcd in
139. lade] drain, empty of water. /n(/«ts /(i/>" occurs m Spenser (reference
Compare Peele, David and Bethsabc mislaid).
«J4
THE TUWii) I'AltT OF
ACT III.
C) iniscrablc thought ! aiul more unlikely
Than to accomplish twenty j^oMen crowns.
Why, love forswore ine in my mother's womb:
And, for I should not deal in her soft laws,
She did corrupt frail nature with s<jme bribe, i 55
To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub ;
To make an envious mountain on my back,
Where sits deformity to mock my body ;
To shape my legs of an unequal size ;
To disproportion me in every part, 160
Like to a chaos, or an unlick'd bear-whelp
That carries no impression like the dam.
And am I then a man to be belov'd ?
O monstrous fault ! to harbour such a thought
Then, since this earth affords no joy to me 165
But to command, to check, to o'erbear such
As are of better person than myself,
151, 152. O miserable . . . crowns] 125. Easier for me to compasse licentie
crownes Q. I53-I59- Why . . . forswore me . . . soft laws . . . with some
bribe. To shrink mine . . . shrub ; To make an . . . my body ; To shape . . .
s»2f] 117-123. Why . . . did scorne mc . . . affaires . . . in the flesh And plaste
an . . . my backe, Where . . . >ny bodie, To drie mine . . . shrimpe. To make
. . . size Q (two lines transposed). 160-162. To disproportion . . . the dam]
omitted Q. 163, 164. And am . . . thought] 116 and 124. Oh monstrous man
. . . thought, And am . . . belou'd? Q. 165-181. Then, since this earth . . ,
bloody axe] omitted Q.
153. love forswore me in my mother's
womb] Malone found this line in Wily
Beguiled, a play printed in Hazlitt's
Dodsiey from the earliest known edition
of 1606. But Malone says it had been
exhibited on the stage soon after 1590.
A most unworthy implication over a
trifling line. This play "of 1590"
contains a whole passage from The
Merchant of Venice, and was of course
rewritten after that play. It is an
empty little piece.
156. To shrink mine arm . . .
wither'd] According to Grafton this
was witchcraft in the views of Glou-
cester: " Then sayde the protectoure,
' ... as Shores wyfe wyth her affynitee
haue by theyr sorcerye and wychcrafte
thys wasted my bodye,' and therewyht
plucked up hys doublet cleane to hys
elbowe on his lyfte arme, where he
showed a weryshe wythered arme, and
small as it was neuer other " (Continua-
tion of Hardyng, 494). Shakespeare
very properly rejected this fable, using
the descriptive word only.
156. shrub] "shrimp" in Q may
safely be regarded as another quaint
misprint (from an e%nl manuscript
probably).
161. chaos] Compare " Misshapen
chaos " {Romeo and Juliet, i. i. 185).
And Golding's Ovid : —
" all the worlde . . .
Which chaos hight, a huge rude
heape."
161. unlick'd bear-whelp] An old be-
lief. See Pliny (Holland's trans.
160 1 ), X. 63 : " she Beares . . . whose
whelpes are more misshapen than the
rest . . . when they are delivered of
them, with their licking ... by little
and little bring them to some forme
and fashion." And again, Book viii.
ch. 36. See also Golding's Ovid's
Metamorphoses, xv. 416-419 : " The
Bearwhelp also which The Beare hath
newly littred . . . like an euill favored
lump of flesh alyue dooth lye. The
dam by licking shapeth out his mem-
bers orderly."
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 95
I '11 make my heaven to dream upon the crown ;
And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell,
Until my mis-shaped trunk that bears this head 170
Be round impaled with a glorious crown.
And yet I know not how to get the crown,
For many lives stand between me and home :
And I, like one lost in a thorny wood.
That rents the thorns and is rent with the thorns, 175
Seeking a way and straying from the Way ;
Not knowing how to find the open air,
But toiling desperately to find it out.
Torment myself to catch the English crown :
And from that torment I will free myself, 1 80
Or hew my way out with a bloody axe.
Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile.
And cry " Content " to that which grieves my heart.
And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occasions. 185
I '11 drown more sailors than the mermaid shall ;
I '11 slay more gazers than the basilisk ;
I '11 play the orator as well as Nestor,
Deceive more slyly than Ulysses could.
And, like a Sinon, take another Troy. 190
I can add colours to the chameleon,
Change shapes with i'roteus for advantages,
182, 183. Why . . . whiles . . .And cry . . . my heart] 126, 127. Tuf . . .
when . . . I crie . . . vie most Q. 184-190. And wet . . . another Troy']
omitted Q. 191- 195. / can . . . Change . . . for advantages, And set . . .
170. mis-shaped] Notagainin Shake- 184. nr/t//cjn/] feigned, false,
speare. Severa.1 timei^m Faerie Qinenc, 187. basilisk] Has occurred twice
Book I. (viii. 16; viii. 46) ("misshaped already in i? Henry VI. in. ii. 52 and
parts "). III. ii. 324. And note at the first pass-
170, 171. this head . . . impaled] age. Also in Richard III., Cymbcline
See note at "pale your head" (i. iv. and Henry V. Pliny tells this (%'iii. 21) :
103 above). Compare Peele, Edward " A wild beast called Catoblepes . . .
/. Sc. xxiv. 410, b; — there is not one that looketh upon his
" And see alott Lluellen's head, eyes, but hee dyeth presently. The like
£»t/'rtZ<;(Z with a crown of lead." propertie hath the serpent called a
175. rents] rends. See again Mid- Basiliskc."
summer Night^s Dream, in. ii. 215; 188. /i/a)/ /A« ora/or] See above, i. ii.
Lover's Complaint, 55 ; Titus Androni- 2 ; 11. ii. 43 .nnd note.
cus, HI. i. 261, and in Richard III. igo. Sinon] Again in Titus Androni-
Compare " girt," Part I. in. i. 171, and cus and Cymbcline.
Part II. I. i. 63 (and notes). Peele has igi. chameleon] Twice in Two
"My heavt doth rent to ihink" (Edward Gentlemen of Verona. See Holland's
/. Sc. XXV. 412, a). Very often in Plinie (1601), xxvni. viii. p. 315.
Greene. And elsewhere in Peele, and 192. Proteus] Not again in Shake-
in Locrinc and Marlowe. speare. See Golding's Ovid, viii. 916-
«JG
THE THIRD 1»AHT OF
[act III.
And set the murderous Machiavcl to school.
Can I do this, and cannot gt-'t a crown ?
Tut ! were it further off, I 'II pluck it down.
195
[ Exit.
SCENE III. — France. The King's palace.
Flourish. Enter Lkwls the French King, his sister Bona, his
Admiral, called BOUKHON ; Prince Edwakd, Queen
Mai<(;arkt, and the Earl of OXFORU. Lewi.S sits, and
riseth up again.
K. Lew. Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret,
Tul . . . down\ I can . . . And for a need change . . . Prothtiis, And set the
aspirinf^ Catalin . . . the crownc ? Tush, vocre it ten times higher, lie pull it
doiinc. Exit Q.
ScBNJ-: 111.
Flourish. Enter . . .] Ff; Enter King Lewis and the Ladic Bona, and Qneene
Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford and others Q. 1-3. Fair Queen . . .
doth sit] 1-6. Welcome Qneene Margaret to the Court of France, It fits not Lewis
922. And Spenser, Faerie Queenc, i.
ii. 10; HI. viii. 30, 40, 41. Marlowe
has " Proteus, god of shapes" (Edward
II. 193, a).
193. murderous Machiavcl] Again in
1 Henry VI. v. iv. 74 ; " Alcncjon that
notorious Machiavel," and in Merry
Wives of Windsor : " Am I politic, am
I subtle, am I a Machiavcl ? " (iii. i.
104). Nashe uses similar language in
Summer's Last Will (Grosart, vi. 146) :
" The arte of miirthcr Machiavcl hath
pend." He couples him with Aretine
two or three times. He uses this lan-
guage : " As though the Church of
England were vpheld and Atlassed
by corruption, Machauelisme, aposta-
tisme, hipocrisie and treacherie " (Have
with you, etc. (Grosart, iii. 205)). And
worse in other places in Nashe. In
Marlowe he is introduced as the pro-
logue speaker in jfcw of Malta, advo-
cating poisoning, and counting " re-
ligion but a childish toy." Greene in
Mamillia (Grosart, ii. 205) gives him
the rankest vituperation earlier. Nicho-
las Breton seems to have been very
familiar with " The Prince." In Wit's
Trenchmour he gives a good deal of
his policy. These writers, except the
last perhaps, and also Harvey who
speaks of him before 15S0 (Grosart's
Harvey, i. 138), omit to mention to the
credit of the "great statesman" that
if he did hold religion as a toy, it was
because he set patriotism before it.
Machiavcl died in 1527. His greatest
work, // Principe, appeared in 1513.
See note at 1 Henry VI. v. iv. 74.
The anachronism is saved in the
Quarto's reading. Cataline. For " Ca-
taline " compare Edward II. (Marlowe,
Dyce, p. 210, a).
Scene hi.
I. Hall continues from the passage
quoted at the end of 11. v. 1. 125, " Fly,
father, fly" : " When Kynge Henr>- was
somewhat settled in the realme of Scot-
land [whose King he bribed with the
town of Berwick], he sente his wj-fe
and hys sonne into Fraunce, to Kyng
Rene her father, trustmg by his ayde
... to assemble a greate army (257). . . .
She remained with Duke Keyner her
father, till she toke her infortunate
iorney into England again (261). . . .
(Edward's marriage takes place). . . .
When this mariage was once blowen
abrode, forren kyngs and pr\nces
maruayld . . . noble men detested . . .
common people grudged. . . . The
French Kyng and his Quene were not
a little discontent to haue their sister
. . . apparantly mocked. . . . But
when the erle of Warwycke had perfit
knowledge by the letters of trusty
friends, that Kyng Edward had gotten
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 97
Sit down with us : it ill befits thy state
And birth that thou should'st stand while Lewis doth sit.
Q. Mar. No, mighty King of France ; now Margaret
Must strike her sail, and learn awhile to serve 5
Where kings command. I was, I must confess.
Great Albion's queen in former golden days ;
But now mischance hath trod my title down.
And with dishonour laid me on the ground,
Where I must take like seat unto my fortune, lo
And to my humble seat conform myself
K. Lew. Why, say, fair queen, whence springs this deep
despair?
Q. Mar. From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears
And stops my tongue, while heart is drown'd in cares.
K. Lew. Whate'er it be, be thou still like thyself, 1 5
And sit thee by our side : [seats her by hitn] yield not
thy neck
To fortune's yoke, but let thy dauntless mind
Still ride in triumph over all mischance.
Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief;
It shall be eas'd, if France can yield relief. 20
Q. Mar. Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts,
And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak.
to sit while thou dost stand. Sit by my side, and here I vow to thee, Thou shalt
haue aide to reposscssc thy right. And beat proud Edward from vsurped seat. And
place King Henry in his former rule Q (compare line 20). 4-20. Q. Mar. No
. . . relief] omitttd Q. 21,22. Those . . . speak]-j-g. I humblie thanke your
royale niaicstie. And pray the God of heaven to blesse thy state. Great King of
France, that thus regards our wrongs Q.
hym a new wyfe, & that all he had omitted here. " Beat proud Edward
done ... in his ambassade . . . was from usurped seat " is in the regular
both frustrate and vayn, he was . . . diction of Greene and Peele on such
sore chafed . . . and thought it neces- occasions, " Repossess " here (Q) occurs
sarye that King Edward should be de- above, m. ii. 4, and three times later
posed from his croune " (265). The in this play, but not again in Shake-
dramatic scene here between Margaret, speare.
Lewis, Warwick, Oxford is imaginary. 5. strike her sail] humble herself.
But Margaret "did obteyn and im- Hee :i Flenry IV.v.ii.i6. See below,
petrate of the yong Frenche Kynge v. i. 52 (note).
[Lewis] that all fautors and louers of 7. golden days] Sec note at " golden
her husbande and the Lancastreall time," above, iii. ii. 127.
bande, might . . . haue resorte into 17. (/fJH;j//<ss »»«(/] refers, not to her
any parte ... of Fraunce, prohibiting present condition, but to Margaret's
all other of the contrary faccion " (257). famous character.
2-i6. Sit doivn . . . sit thee] There 22. give . . . leave to speak] Sec
is only one bidding to sit down in Q, note at i. ii. i above,
after which Lewis utters three prepos- 22. tongue-tied] See i Henry VI. 11,
terously bad and ill-limed lines wiiolly iv, 25, and note.
7
OH THE TimU) VAHV OF [act m.
Now, therefore, he it known to noble l>cwls,
That Henry, sole jjossessor of my love,
Is of a kin^ become a banish'd man, 25
And forced to live in Scotland a forlorn ;
While j)roud ambitious Kdward Duke of York
Usur[)s the re^al title and the seat
Of England's true-anointed lawful king.
This is the cause that I, poor Margaret, 30
With this my son, Prince Edward, Henry's heir,
Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid ;
And if thou fail us, all our hope is done.
Scotland hath will to help, but cannot help ;
Our people and our peers are both misled, 35
Our treasure sei/.'d, our soldiers put to flight,
And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight.
K. Lew. Renowned queen with patience calm the storm,
While we bethink a means to break it off.
Q. Mar. The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe. 40
K. Lew. The more I stay, the more I '11 succour thee.
Q. Mar. O ! but impatience waiteth on true sorrow :
And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow.
Enter Warwick.
K. Lew. What 's he approacheth boldly to our presence ?
Q. Mar. Our Earl of Warwick, Edward's greatest friend. 45
K. Lew. Welcome, brave Warwick ! W^hat brings thee to
Erance ? \He descends. She ariseth.
23-43. Now, therefore . . . the breeder of my sorrow'^ omitted Q. 44-46.
Enter . . . K. Lew. What 's he . . . presence? . . . Our Earl . . . France.']
10-12. Enter Lew. How now, who is this.' . . . Our Earle . . . chiefest
friend . . . France.' Q. [He . . .] Ff; omitted Q.
26. a forlorn] New Eng. Diet, has it aside, an unhappy expression, as if the
one early example of this word, as a storm was to be cut short, like a con-
noun, from Dunbar. Several such versation, by human means : especially
Scotticisms appear in these plays. as the Queen is about to calm it.
27. proud ambitious] See below, v. v. Compare " break off the parley " above,
17. II. ii. no. There is very poor writing
29. true-anointed] For *' anointed in this scene. It is quite insipid, such
king" see in. i. 17 and 76. Shake- as Kyd could have wTitten ; but al-
speare has about fifteen such com- though unworthy of Shakespeare it
pounds, true- preceding a participle, does not recall any other wTiter to me.
Whether they are hyphened or not 43. Enter Warwick] Ritson enu-
appears to be a toss-up. They belong merates four considerable reasons for
chiefly to his early work. Peele's Warwick's displeasure with the King,
"true-succeeding" is not in Shake- all wholly independent of this " fabulous
speare. See Part II., Introduction, on story of Warwick and the lady Bona "
y^ack Straw. as told by " our common histories "
38, 39. storvi . . . break it off] turn (Steevens' Shakespeare, 1793).
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 99
Q. Mar. Ay, now begins a second storm to rise ;
For this is he that moves both wind and tide.
War. From worthy Edward, King of Albion,
My lord and sovereign, and thy vowed friend, 50
I come, in kindness and unfeigned love,
First to do greetings to thy royal person ;
And then to crave a league of amity ;
And lastly to confirm that amity
With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant 55
That virtuous Lady Bona, thy fair sister,
To England's king in lawful marriage,
Q. Mar. [Aside.] If that go forward, Henry's hope is done.
War. [To Bona ] And, gracious madam, in our king's behalf,
I am commanded, with your leave and favour, 60
Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue
To tell the passion of my sovereign's heart ;
Where fame, late entering at his heedful ears.
Hath plac'd thy beauty's image and thy virtue,
Q. Mar. King Lewis and Lady Bona, hear me speak, 65
Before you answer Warwick. His demand
Springs not from Edward's well-meant honest love,
47, 48, Ay, now . . . tide] omitted Q, 49-57. From worthy . . . Albion
. . . lawful marriage] 13-21. From worthy . . . England . . . Lawfull marriage
Q. 58. // that . . . Hejiry^s . . . done] 22. And if this . . . all our . . .
doneQ. 59-64, And . . . your leave . . . passion . . . beauty's . . . virtue]
23-28, And . . . your love . . . passions . . . glorious . . , vcrtues Q, 65,
66. King Lewis . , . Warwick]2g-2i. King Lewes . . . Warwike or his words,
For hee it is hath done vs all these wrongs Q. t6-Tj. His demand . . . sup-
presseth wrongs] omitted Q.
58. go forward] take place, come to this line, Malone says, the former
pass. Occurs again in /Is FoM LfAtf //, speech is by Shakespeare, He liked
I. ii, 193 ; Coriolanus, iv, v. 228 and this line when he met it here, and
elsewhere. Compare Kyd's Spanish having borrowed it there, he forgot to
Tragedy, 11. iii. 18 : — scratch it out here. Malone found him-
"And this it is: in case the match self in some very tight corners in pur-
goe forward suit of his theory.
The tribute which you pay shall be 60. leave] Surely a correction of a
releast." misprint (love) in Q.
58. // that . . . Henry's hope is 6.4, /)tnM/v '5 »wio^<;] Improves " glori-
done] Compare line 33 above. " And ous image " sensibly. Margaret's
if thou fail us, all our hope is done," following speech, excepting the first
To be regarded as an omission on few words, is additional. There is some
Shakespeare's part, in avoiding a re- power in it. The use of "danger" is
petition, when developing and extending Shakespearian. "Well-meant" is
Margaret's speeches as he does, almost paralleled by " well-meaning " {Richard
invariably, "Hope is done " does not //, 11. i. 128). But there is no doubt
sound Shakespearian somehow, but I at all of Shakespeare immediately
should not like to accept this passage below.
as evidence that the old play is not 65. Ln(/v i?o«a] Seem. i. 30, 31, and
Shakespeare's. With the e.xception of extract from Hall,
100
THK 'I'lllin) I'AI{'I' OF
[act III.
But from deceit bred by necessity ;
For how can tyrants safely govern home,
Unless abroad they purchase great alliance? 70
To prove him tyrant this reason may suffice,
That Henry liveth still ; but were he dearl,
Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henry's son.
Look, therefore, Lewis, that by this league and marriage
Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour ; 75
l"'or though usurpers sway the rule awhile.
Yet heavens are just, and time suppresseth wrongs.
IVar. Injurious Margaret !
Prince. And why not queen ?
War. Because thy father Henry did usurp,
And thou no more art prince than she is queen. 80
Oxf. Then Warwick disannuls great John of Gaunt,
Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain ;
And, after John of Gaunt, Henry the F"ourth,
Whose wisdom was a mirror to the wisest ;
And after that wise prince, Henry the Fifth, 85
Who by his prowess conquered all France :
From these our Henry lineally descends.
78-87. Injurious . . . Gaunt, Henry . . . the wisest . . . that wise . . . Who
by his . . . Henry . . . descends] ^2-42. Injurious . . . Gaunt wise Henry . . .
the world . . . this wise . . . Who with his . . . Henries linealli/: discent Q.
78. Injurious] detractory, insulting.
See i) Henry VI. r. iv. 51. Used again
in address similarly in Coriolanus and
Cymbelinc.
81. rf/ianM«/s] cancels. Occurs again
Comedy of Errors, i. i. 145. A common
word at this time.
81, 82. John of Gaunt . . . subdue
. . . Spain] Boswell Stone says War-
wick might well have exposed this
misrepresentation. John of Gaunt
claimed Castile in right of his wife
Constance, daughter of Pedro. But he
failed to dethrone the son of Pedro's
bastard brother, and obtained only a
few slight successes by his invasion.
Mr. Daniel suggests that popular belief
is concerned, since a play was bought
by Henslowe entitled " The Conquest
of Spayne by John a Gant." More to
the point still, than either Stone's
history or Daniel's suggestion, is a
passage I find in Kyd's Spanish
Tragedy, i. vi. 4S-52, ed. Boas) : —
"a valiant Englishman,
Brave John of Gaunt, the Duke of
Lancaster,
As by his Scutchin plainely may
appeare.
He with a puisant armie came to
Spaine,
And tooke our King of Castile
prisoner."
He is represented on the stage. Kyd's
historical scenes are fanciful and inept,
but this play of his has hardly been
ever surpassed in popularity. We have
had a passac^e (immediately succeeding
this one) from it already in 2 Henry
VI. : " From depth of under ground."
No play was more, or nearly so much,
quoted from.
87. lineally descends] Compare with
omitted line above at i. i. iiS (Q),
where the words are " lineallie discent."
as here in Q. " Lineally " is not again
in Shakespeare. It is in the Lay of
Clorinda, on Sydney's death, appended
to Spenser's Astrophel, " linealiie de-
rived." "Discent" is "descended."
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 101
War. Oxford, how haps it, in this smooth discourse,
You told not how Henry the Sixth hath lost
All that which Henry the Fifth had gotten ? 90
Methinks these peers of France should smile at that.
But for the rest, you tell a pedigree
Of threescore and two years ; a silly time
To make prescription for a kingdom's worth.
Ox/. Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against thy liege, 95
Whom thou obeyedst thirty and six years.
And not bewray thy treason with a blush ?
War. Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right.
Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree?
For shame ! leave Henry, and call Edward king. 100
Ox/. Call him my king, by whose injurious doom
My elder brother, the Lord Aubrey Vere,
Was done to death ? and more than so, my father.
Even in the downfall of his mellow'd years,
When nature brought him to the door of death? 105
88-94. Oxford, how haps it . . . hath lost . . . that which . . . pedigree . . .
worth] 43-49. Oxford, how haps that . . . had lost . . . that . . . pettigree
{pedigree Q 3) . . . worth Q. 95-97- Why, . . . speak . . . liege. Whom
. . . six years. And not . . . blush ?"] 50-52. Why . . . denie thy king. Whom
. . . eight yeeres. And bewray . . . treasons . . . blush ? Q. 98-108. Can
Oxford . . . pedigree ? . . . by whose . . . elder . . . When nature . . . to the door
. . . house of York] 53-63. Can Oxford . . . pettigree ? {pedigree Q 3) • . • fc^'
whom mine elder . . . when age did call him to the dore . . . whilst . . , house
of Yorke Q (lines wrongly divided for verse).
89, go. hath lost All that] Warwick door of death] Hall tells in the first year
rubs this into poor Henry on suitable of Edtvard the IV. (1461) : " In the
occasions. See i. i. no and the previ- which yere he called his high Court of
ous lines. Parliament. . . . Inthewhiche Parlia-
96. thirty andsixyears^ " thirty and ment, the erle of Oxford farre striken in
eight yeares " in Q. Boswell Stone age and the Lord Aubrey Vere, his
reconciles this discrepancy as follows : Sonne and heire, whether it were for
Warwick was attainted by the Lan- malyce of their ennemies, or thei wer
castrian parliament at Coventry, 1459, suspected or had offended, thei both and
and his allegiance was merely formal diuers of their counsailors, wcr at-
after the attempt made on his life ten tainted and put to execution, whiche
months previously (1458) ; witli which caused Ihon erle of Oxford ever after
however we have nothing to do in the to rebell " (p. 258).
play. The date in the Quarto is per- 103. done to death] See note at i. iv.
haps a mere misprint — but the reduced 108 above ; and at n. i. 103.
time here may refer to the period ex- 104. milloiv'd] See again Richard
elusive of the wars, while that in Q ///. in. vii. 16S. Kyd applies the word
brings the date down to the time of the similarly in The Spanish Tragedy (i.
speaker. iii. 41, ed. Boas) : " My yeeres were
98. /f;u<'] defend, guard. See 11. vi. mellow, his but young and greene "
75 above. (ante 1589).
99. buckler] defend. See 3 Henry 105. door of death] Compare Gold-
F/. III. ii. 2x6. Also in Taming of the ing's Ovid (vii. 225): "Now at
Shrew, iii. ii. 241. dcathes doore and spent with yeares "
101-105. whose injurious doom . . . (1567).
102 THE TiniU) I'Airr of [act hi.
No, Warwick, no ; while life upholds this arm,
This arm u[)hoIf]s the house of I^ncaster.
War. And I the house of York.
A'. Leiv. Queen Margaret, I'rince Kflwarf], and Oxford,
Vouchsafe at our request to stand aside, i lo
While I use further conference with Warwick.
[ 77/rj' stand aloof.
Q. Mar. Heavens grant that Warwick's words bewitch him
not I
K. Lew. Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,
Is Edward your true king? for I were loath
To link with him that were not lawful chosen. 1 1 5
War. Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour.
K. Lew. But is he gracious in the people's eye ?
War. The more that Henry was unfortunate.
K. Lew. Then further, all dissembling set aside.
Tell me for truth the measure of his love I20
Unto our sister Bona.
War. Such it seems
As may beseem a monarch like himself.
Myself have often heard him say and swear
That this his love was an eternal plant.
Whereof the root was fixed in virtue's ground, 125
The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's sun,
109-113. Queen . . . Vouchsafe . . . with Warwick. Q. Mar. Heavens . . .
him not I K. Lew. Now, Warwick] 64-67. Queene . . . vouchsafe to forbeare a
while Till I doe talke a word with Warwike. Now Warwike Q (Queen's speech
omitted). 113-115. tell me . . . for I . . . were not lawful chosen] 67-69.
euen vpon thy honor tell me true : Is Edward law full king or no ? For I . , .
is not lawful heire Q. 116-11S. Thereon . . . my . . . honour. K. Lew. But
is . . . eye ? . . . was unfortunate] 70-72. Thereon . . . mine honour and my
credit. Lew. But . . . eies ? . . . is unfortunate Q. 119-121. Then further
. . . Bona] 73. What is his lone to our sister Bona? Q. 121-128. Such it
. . . Whereof the root . . . fixed . . . quit his pain] 74-81. Such it . . . The
root whereof . . . fixt . . . quite his paine Q.
106. upholds] supports, sustains. w-ayes : the fyrste as sonne and hejTC
115. /att^/w/ c/iosfw] " lawful heir " in to Duke Richard his father, right
Q. The words here refer to one claim enheritor to the same : the second by
to the crown ; those in the Quarto to aucthoritie of Parliament and forfeiture
the other. Hall tells these details at committed by K\Tig Henry. Wherupon
considerable length ; a few words suffice it was agayne demaunded of the com-
on this point : " after Te Deum sung mons, if they would admitte, and take
with great solempnitie, he was conueyed the sayd erle as their prince & soue-
to Westmynster, and there set in the raigne lord, which al with one voice
hawle, with the sceptre royall in his cried yea, yea " (p. 252).
hand, where, to all the people whiche 124. eternal] Here Qq correct the
there in a great number were assembled, Folio, which reads " externall." War-
his title and clajTne to the croune of burton made the change.
England was declared by ii maner of
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 103
Exempt from envy, but not from disdain
Unless the Lady Bona quit his pain.
K. Lew. Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.
Bona. Your grant, or your denial, shall be mine. 130
[To Warwick.'] Yet I confess that often ere this day,
When I have heard your king's desert recounted.
Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.
K. Lew. Then, Warwick, thus : our sister shall be Edward's ;
And now forthwith shall articles be drawn 135
Touching the jointure that your king must make,
Which with her dowry shall be counterpoised.
Draw near. Queen Margaret, and be a witness
That Bona shall be wife to the English king.
Prince. To Edward, but not to the English king. 140
Q. Mar. Deceitful Warwick ! it was thy device
By this alliance to make void my suit :
Before thy coming Lewis was Henry's friend.
K. Lew. And still is friend to him and Margaret :
But if your title to the crown be weak, 1 4 5
As may appear by Edward's good success.
Then 'tis but reason that I be releas'd
From giving aid which late I promised.
Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand
That your estate requires and mine can yield. i 50
War. Henry now lives in Scotland at his ease.
Where having nothing, nothing can he lose.
And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,
You have a father able to maintain you,
And better 'twere you troubled him than France. 155
129-133. Now, sister . . . Yet I . . . this day, When I . . . desert . . . ear
hath . . . ifmre] 8286. Then sister . . . But ere this daie I must conf esse. When
I . . . deserts . . . eares haiie . . . desire Q. 134-137. Then, War7vick . . .
counterpoised] omitted Q. 138-140. Draiv near . . . not to the English king]
87-89. Then draw neere . . . not the English King Q. 141-150. Deceitful
Warwick . . . mine can yield] omitted Q. 151-155. Henry now . . . main-
127. Exempt from envy, but not from (from others), unless the Lady Bona
<fis^ajn C/«/fss] Not anywhere explained quit his pain. It is quite in Shake-
satisfactorily, though several explana- speare's manner to depart from one
tions are given. It is a complicated antecedent, and substitute its neighbour,
sentence with its many clauses. Per- in the midst of a passage,
haps Warwick harks back to the prin- 128. tfuit ///s /"ai';/] requite his sorrow
cipal " his love." " Envy " means ill- or trouble, satisfy him.
feeling, hate, usually with Shakespeare. 153. quondam (jueen] Sec ahovc, lu.
His love is secure from the feeling of i. 23, and note.
dislike (to Bona), no matter what 154. You have a father . ..] Johnson
happens, so well rooted is it. But it is said " this .seems ironical." Margaret's
not safe from the attacks of disdain angry reply shows how it went iiome.
104 I'HK Till HI) PAK'l' OF [act iii.
Q. Mar. Tcacc, impudent and shameless Warwick, peace,
Proud setter up and puller down of kings !
I will not hence, till, with my talk and tears,
Both full of truth, I make Kin^ Lewis behold
Thy sly conveyance and thy lord's false love ; i6o
For both of you are birds of self-same feather.
{Post blowing a horn within.
K. Lew. Warwick, this is some post to us or thee.
Enter a Post.
Post. My lorrl ambassador, these letters are for you,
Sent from your brother, Marquess Montague :
These from our king unto your majesty ; 165
And, madam, these for you ; from whom I know not.
[ They read their letters.
Oxf. I like it well that our fair queen and mistress
Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his.
Prince. Nay, mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled :
I hope all 's for the best. 1 70
K. Lew. Warwick, what are thy news ? and yours, fair queen ?
Q. Mar. Mine, such as fill my heart with unhoped joys.
War. Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discontent.
K. Lew. What ! has your king married the Lady Grey ?
And now, to soothe your forgery and his, 175
tain you, . . . you troubled . . . France] 90-94. Henry now . . . mainetaine
your state . . . to trouble . . . France Q. 156-161. Peace . . . feather]
omitted Q. 161. Post blowing . . .] Ff (after /a/se love) ; Sound for a post
ic'ithin Q (after France). 162. Warwick . . . thee] 95. Here comes some post
Warwike to thee or vs Q. 163-166. My lord . . . these letters are . . .
Marquess . . . These . . . And . . . from . . . not] 96-99. My Lord . . . this
letter is . . . Marquis This . . . And these to you Madcitn, from . . . not Q.
167-170. I like . . . while . . . his . . . Nay, mark . . . nettled: I . . . best]
100-102. I like . . . when Warwike frets at his . . . Andmarke . . . nettled Q.
171. Warwick . . . queen] 103. Now Margaret and Warwike, what are your
news? Q. 172, 173. Mine . . . heart . . . joys . . . discontent] 104, 105.
Mine . . . heart full of ioie . . . discontent Q. 174-17S. What ! has . . .
157. Proud. . . ^tMg'i] See II. iii. 37, 169. nettled] Not again in Shake-
above, and note. Malone makes this speare, except metaphorically :" N<-//W
repetition an argument in his case, and stung w-ith pismires " {1 Henry
This speech of Margaret's is entirely IV. i. iii. 240). Compare Greene's
additional to Q. Pinner of Wakefield (Grosart, xiv. 139) :
160. conveyance] jugglery, fraud, de- " so netted with loue."
ceit. See 1 Henry VI. i. iii. 2. Spenser 175. soothe] enter into the humour of
has the word in Mother Hubberds Tale, it, act in agreement or conformity with.
And it is in Kyd's Spanish Tragedy (11. Often used by Shakespeare, in our sense
i. 47, ed. Boas): "thy conveiance in of " to humour."
Andrea's loue For which thou wert 175. forgery] deceit. Spenser has
adiudg'd to punishment." "womanish fine forgery" (Faerie
161. birds . . . feather] See 11. i. 170 Quecne. 11. xii. 28). And compare Kyd's
above, and note. Spanish Tragedy, i. iii. 72 (ed. Boas),
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 105
Sends me a paper to persuade me patience ?
Is this the alliance that he seeks with France?
Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?
Q. Mar. I told your majesty as much before :
This proveth Edward's love and Warwick's honesty. i8o
War. King Lewis, I here protest, in sight of heaven,
And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss.
That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's ;
No more my king, for he dishonours me ;
But most himself, if he could see his shame, 185
Did I forget that by the house of York
My father came untimely to his death ?
Did I let pass the abuse done to my niece ?
Did I impale him with the regal crown ?
Did I put Henry from his native right? 190
And am I guerdon'd at the last with shame?
Shame on himself! for my desert is honour:
And to repair my honour lost for him,
I here renounce him and return to Henry.
My noble queen, let former grudges pass, 195
to soothe . . . in this manner ?] 106-108. What hath . . . to excuse himselfe
sends vs a post of papers How dares he presume to vse us thus ? Q. 179, 180.
/ told . . . before : This . . . honesty] 109. This . . . honesty (179 omitted) Q.
181-190. King Lewis . . . But most . . . Did I put . . . native right] iio-iig.
King Lewis . . . And most . . . And thrust King Henry from his Jiatiue home
Q. 191-194. And am I . . . return to Henry] 120. And most vngratefull
doth he vse me thus? Q. 195-198. My . . . pass, And . . . his wrong to
. . . state] 121-124. My gratious Queene pardon wlmt is past, Atid . . . the
wrongs done to . . . state Q.
ante 1589: "O wicked forgerie : O his satisfaction, of the difterent author-
traiterous miscreant." ships — plucl<ing the flower guess from
176. persuade me patience] advise me the nettle confusion,
patience. An unusual construction for 188. Did I . . . niece?] From Hall:
this verb. " To " or " into" is omitted. "And further it erreth not from ye
186, 187. Did I . . . death] We have treuth that Kjng Edward did attempt
here Warwick's reasons, as Shake- a thyng once in the erles house which
speare viewed the subject, for his was much against the erles honestie
abandoning the king. Ritson's col- (whether he woulde haue deflowred his,
lection, alluded to above, are all differ- doughter or his niece, ye certainty was
ent : see note at iii. iii. 43; and ex- not for both their honours openly
tract from Hall, at the first line of this knowen)."
scene. Warwick's father (Karl of Salis- 189. impale . . . crown] See ill. ii.
bury in this play) was taken prisoner 171 above (note).
at the battle of Wakefield and executed igo. put Henry from] " thrust King
by the Lancastrians at Pomfret. See Henry from his native home" is the
Hall, p. 251; the passage is already reading in Q. For this use of " thrust,"
quoted at the setting of York's head see i? Henry VL iv. i. 94:- —
on a pole at York (i. iv. 179, 180). See "thrust from the crown
Boswell Stone, p. 247, on this War- By shameful murder,"
wick. See also Malone's note here, where I have quoted an example from
where he derives " another proof," to Peele's David and Bethsabc.
100 THE 'I'HIKD I'AICr OF [act m.
And henceforth I am thy true servitor.
I will revetif^e his wron^ to Lady Bona,
And replant Henry in his former state.
Q. Mar. Warwick, these words have turn'd my hate to love ;
And I forgive and quite forget old faults, 2CX)
And joy that thou becom'st King Henry's friend.
War. So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,
That if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us
With some few bands of chosen soldiers,
1 '11 undertake to land them on our coast, 205
And force the tyrant from his seat by war.
'Tis not his new-made bride shall succour him :
And as for Clarence, as my letters tell me,
He 's very likely now to fall from him,
For matching more for wanton lust than honour, 210
Or than for strength and safety of our country.
Bona. Dear brother, how shall Bona be reveng'd
But by thy help to this distressed queen?
Q. Mar. Renowned prince, how shall poor Henry live.
Unless thou rescue him from foul despair? 215
Bona. My quarrel and this English queen's are one.
War. And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours.
K. Lew. And mine with hers, and thine and Margaret's.
Therefore at last I firmly am resolv'd
You shall have aid. 220
199-201. Warwich . . . becom'st . . .friend] 125, 126. Yes Warwicke I doe
quite forget thy former Faults, if now thou ivilt become . . . friend Q. 202-
207. So much . . . succour him :] 127-132. So much . . . succour him. Q.
208-218. And as for Clarence . . . and Margaret's] omitted Q. 219-225.
Therefore . . . aid. Q. Mar. Let me . . . once. K. Lew. Then, England's
. . . masquers . . . bride] 133-137. Then at the . . . aide : and English . . .
Maskers . . . bride (Queen's speech omitted) Q.
196. servitor] See 1 Henry VI. u. i. all such wronges ... til he might
5. The word occurs in Hall in this spye a time conuenient ... he sayled
connection. Warwick " obtained li- into England, and with reuerence,
cense of the king, to depart to hys saluted the kyng as he was wont to do,
Castel of VVarwycke . . . with diuers and declared his Ambassade ... as
of the kyngs familar servitors ... as though he were ignorant of the new
though none inward grudge . . . had matrimony " (pp. 255-266).
been hidden . . . during which tyme, 200. forgive and quite forget] Com-
the queue was deliuered of a yonge (!) pare Winter's Tale, iii. iii. 125 : " I
and fayre lady, named Elizabeth have forgotten and forgiven all." These
which afterward was wyfe to . . . words occur in the famous speech in
Henry the VII. and mother to Kyng Kyd's Spanish Tragedy, that begins :
Henry the VIII." (p. 266). So far "It is not now as when Andrea lived
from Warwick at once declaring . . . We have forgotten and forgiven
against King Edward, he "determined that" (in. xiv. iii). But the coUocu-
himself, couertly dissimulyng, to suffer tion is likely to be older.
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH
107
Q. Mar. Let me give humble thanks for all at once.
K. Lew. Then, England's messenger, return in post.
And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over masquers
To revel it with him and his new bride. 225
Thou seest what 's past ; go fear thy king withal.
Bona. Tell him, in hope he 'II prove a widower shortly,
I '11 wear the willow garland for his sake.
Q. Mar. Tell him, my mourning weeds are laid aside,
And I am ready to put armour on. 230
War. Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,
And therefore I '11 uncrown him ere 't be long.
There 's thy reward : be gone. [Exit Post.
K. Lew. But, Warwick,
Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men,
226. Thou . . . withal] omitted Q. 227-233. Tell him . , . he 'II prove
, . . are laid . . . be gone] 138-144. Tell him . . . heele be ... be laide . . .
begone Q. 233-237. But, Warwick . . . fresh supply] omitted Q.
223-225. tell false Edward . . .
masquers To revel] This is developed
later into the tennis ball speech in
Henry V. i. ii. 249 et seq. of the First
Ambassador : —
" the prince our master . . . bids
you be advised there's nought in
France
That can be with a nimble galli-
ard won,
You cannot revel into dukedoms
there."
The passages here are repeated below,
IV. i. 104, etc. From Q here.
226. fear] fright, scare.
228. / HI wear the willow garland]
Compare Othello, iv. iii. 51: "Sing
all a green willow shall be my garland ' ;
and see my note in Arden edition on line
42. Spenser has " The willow worne
of forlorne Paramours'' {Faerie Queene,
I. i. 9). The willow and poplar were
hardly discriminated. Peele has,
" CEnone entereth with a wreath of
poplar on her head" (Arraignment of
Paris, III. i. 42 (360, a), 15X4). Else-
where in Peele's play it is "willow." See,
too, Lodge's Euphucs Golden Legacie
(Shakespeare Library, rept. p. 133),
1390: "apparelled all in tawny, to
signifie that he was forsaken : on his
heade hee wore a garland of willow."
229. mourning weeds] Again below;
and in Titus Andronieus, i. i. 70. The
expression is in Peele's David and
Bethsabe (473, b) ; and in Locrine
(near the end).
234-243. Oxford, with five thousand
men . . . eldest daughter . . . holy
wedlock] Here we are to skip every-
thing for several years until Warwick
proclaims open war and roll the doings
then backwards to this juncture. In
the ix. year (1470), Hall, 281 : " War-
wicke and the Duke of Clarence . . .
came to the kyngs (Lewi?) presence
... at Amboyse, and . . . was with all
kyndes of curtesie and humanitie re-
ceiued . . . when Margaret, which so-
iorned with Duke Reyner her father . . .
harde tell that the erle of \V'ar\vicke and
the Duke . . . wer come to the Frenche
Court . . . hopyng of neue comforte
with all diligence came to Amboyse,
with her onely son Prince Kdward.
And with her came Jasper erle of Pem-
broke, and Ihon erle of Oxenford,
whiche after diuerse long imprison-
mentcs lately escaped . . . and came
to this assembly . . . they determined
to conclude a league . . . .And first to
begin withal, for the more sure founda-
cion of the newe amitie, l-'dw.ird . . .
wedded Anne second daughter to therle
of VVarwicke . . . After this marriage
the duke and therles took a solempne
othe that they shoulde neuer leaue the
warre, until . . . Henry or his sonne,
I OH
THE Tin HI) PART OF
[act III.
Shall cross the seas, and bid false Edward battle ; 235
And, as occasion serves, this noble queen
And prince shall follow with a fresh su[)ply.
Yet ere thou gf), but answer me one doubt :
What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?
War. This shall assure my constant loyalty: 240
That if our queen and this young prince agree,
I '11 join mine eldest fiaughter and my joy
To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.
Q. Mar. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.
Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous, 245
Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick ;
And, with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine.
Prince. Yes, I accept her, for she well deser\'es it ;
And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand. 250
[He gives his hand to Warwick.
K. Lew. Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied.
And thou. Lord Bourbon, our high admiral,
Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.
238, 239. Yet ere . . . loyalty] 145, 146. But now tell me Warwike, what
assurance I shall haue of thy true loyaltie Q. 240-243. This . . . That if
. . . bands] 147-150. This . . . If that . . . bandes Q. 244-248. Yes, I
agree . . . be thine] 151-153. IVithall my heart, that match I like full wel, Loue
her Sonne Edward, shee is /aire and yong, And giue thy hand to Warwike for
thy lone Q. 249, 250. Yes, I accept . . . my hand] omitted Q. 251-255.
Why stay we . . . thou. Lord . . . them over . . . mischance. For . . . dame
of France] 154-159. It is enough, and now we will prepare. To Icuie souldiers
were restored . . . When the league
was concluded, the Frenche kyng lent
them shippes, monie, and men, and . . .
appoynted the Bastard of Burgoyn, Ad-
mirall of Fraunce with a greate nauie,
to defende them . . . that thei might
the surer saile into England . . . Kyng
Reyner also did help his daughter, to
his small power" (2S0-1). A happier
or more skilful feat than the welding
together of these two historic assemblies
into one dramatic whole, coupled with
annihilation of much dreary and feature-
less historic time, could not possibly
have been hit upon. See extract above
at line i.
235. bid . . . battle] See above, i.
ii. 70, and note. It is in Faerie Queene :
" Bad that same boaster . . . leave
to him that lady ... Or bide him
batteile." In a note to this, Upton
quotes Lord Bacon's Life of King
Henry VII. p. 93 : " Threatening to
bid battle to the king " (a gem for
the Baconites) ; and he further com-
pares Faerie Queene, "bidding bold
defyaunce to his foeman " (i. xi. 15). I
find an earlier example in Gosson's
Schoole of Abuse (Arber, p. 42), 1579:
" bidde them battayle." But Shake-
speare took it from Hall (p. 293) most
likely. See extract below at the be-
ginning of Act V.
242. eldest daughter] See" Clarence
will have the younger," below, iv. i.
118.
250. pledge . . . hand] So in Faerie
Queene,!. ix. 18: " And eke, as pledges
firme, right hands together joynd."
252. Lord Bourbon . , . admiral] See
last extract from Hall.
253. ti'aft them over] See 2 Henry
VI. IV. i. 114, 116; and below, v. vii.
41.
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 109
I long till Edward fall by war's mischance,
For mocking marriage with a dame of France. 255
^Exeunt all but Warwick.
War. I came from Edward as ambassador,
But I return his sworn and mortal foe :
Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me.
But dreadful war shall answer his demand.
Had he none else to make a stale but me ? 260
Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow,
I was the chief that raised him to the crown,
And I '11 be chief to bring him down again :
Not that I pity Henry's misery,
But seek revenge on Edward's mockery. 265
[Exit.
for to go with you. And you Lord . . . them safelie to the English coast, And
chase proud Edward from his slumhring trance. For . . . the name of France (^.
256-265. / came from . . . Edward's mockery] 160-169. ^ came from . . .
Edwards mockerie Q.
260. make a stale] Not in Q. Com- then Thersandro see the traine, and
pare " was there none else in Rome to yet fall into the trappe ? shall I spie
make a stale But Saturnine " {Titus the nettes and yet strike at the stale ? "
Andronicus, i. i. 304,305); and "To (Carrf^ o/FaKcfe (iv. 147)). And James
make a stale of me amongst these the Fourth (xiii. 216) : " the court is
raa-tts," {Taming of the Shrew, \.\. ^1%). counted Venus net, Where gifts and
The phrase occurs in Menechmus by vowes for stales are often set." The
W. W. {Six Old Plays), v. i: "He "stale" was some ludicrous object to
makes me a stale and a laughing stocke attract the victim. Or (as in Ben Jon-
to all the world." A " stale " was a decoy, son) a stalking arrangement. See Caft-
an arrangement which made a fool of line, in. iv. : —
one. It is very commonly used in " dull stupid Lentulus,
Greene. Spenser has the word in My stale, with whom I stalk."
Faerie Qucene, 11. i. 4: "Still as he The expression is in £»/•/( «fi (Arber, p.
went he craftie stales did lay." A few 96), 1579 : " I was made thy stale and
examples from Greene explain the Philautus thy laughing stocke.' Stee-
double sense, or transference of sense : vens has collecttd an array of parallels
" he had bin too sore canuased in the in his notes on this word in Comedy of
Nettes, to strike at euery stale" Errors and Taming of a Shrew.
{Mamillia (Grosart, ii. 17)) ; " Shall I
110 THE THIRD PART OF [act iv.
ACT IV
SCENE I. — London. The palace.
Enter GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE.
Glou. Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?
Hath not our brother made a worthy choice ?
Clar. Alas ! you know 'tis far from hence to France ;
How could he stay till Warwick made return ? 5
Soni. My lords, forbear this talk ; here comes the king.
Glou. And his well-chosen bride.
Clar. I mind to tell him plainly what I think.
Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, attended ; Lady Grey, as
Queen ; PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, Hastings, and others.
K. Edw. Now, brother of Clarence, how like you our choice,
That you stand pensive as half malcontent? 10
Act IV. Scene /.] omitted Ff, Q. Enter . . .] Ff (reading Richard for
Gloucester) ; Enter King Edward, the Queene and Clarence, and Gloster, and
Montague and Hasti}igs, and Pembrooke, with souldiers Q. i-8. Glou, Now
tell me . . . Clar. I mitid . . . think] omitted Q. 8. Flourish. Enter . . ,]
Flourish, Enter King Edward, Lady Grey, Pembrooke, Stafford, Hastings:
foure stand on one side, and foure on the other. Ff (for Q, see above at 1. i).
9, lo. K. Edw. Now . , . vialcontenf] i, 2. Edw, Brothers of Clarence, and of
Glocesfer, What thitike you of our marriage with the ladie Gray ? Q.
g. brother of Clarence, how . . . him like a frende, nor kept promise
c/zotce] Shakespeare has here transferred with hjTn . . . the duke in a greate
to King Edward the substance of War- fury answered, why, my lorde, thynke
wick's interview with Clarence, as told you to haue hym kynd to you that is
in Hall and Grafton — but not in Holin- vnkjnd, yea, and vnnatural to me be-
shed : " the erle of Warwicke . . . per- ynge his awne brother. . . . This j'ou
ceiued by other, or had perfect know- knowe well enough, that the heire of
ledge of hymself, that the duke of the Lorde Scales he hath maried to his
Clarence bare not the best will to Kyng wifes brother, the heire also of the lorde
Edward his brother. ... So at time Bonuile and Haryngton, he hath geuen
and place conuenient, the erle began to his wifes sonne, and theire of the
to complain to the duke of the ingrati- lorde Hungerford, he hath graunted to
tude and doublenes of Kyng Edward, the lorde Hastynges : thre mariages
saiyng that he had neither handled more meter for his twoo brethren and
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 111
Clar. As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,
Which are so weak of courage and in judgment
That they '11 take no offence at our abuse.
K. Edw. Suppose they take offence without a cause,
They are but Lewis and Warwick : I am Edward, 1 5
Your king and Warwick's, and must have my will.
Glou. And shall have your will, because our king :
Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.
K. Edw. Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too ?
Glou. Not 1 : 20
No, God forbid that I should wish them severed
Whom God hath join'd together ; ay, and 'twere pity
To sunder them that yoke so well together.
K. Edw. Setting your scorns and your mislike aside.
Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey 25
Should not become my wife and England's queen.
And you too, Somerset and Montague,
Speak freely what you think.
Clar. Then this is mine opinion : that King Lewis
Becomes your enemy for mocking him 30
About the marriage of the Lady Bona.
Glou. And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,
Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.
K. Edw. What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd
By such invention as I can devise? 35
11-13. As well . . . in judgment . . . at our abuse] 3-5. My Lord, we thinke
as Warwike and Lewes, That are so slacke in iudgement . . . at this suddaine
marriage Q. 14-16. Suppose . . . They are .,./... Warwick's . . .
will] 6-8. Suppose they doe, they are . . , and I am your . . . \Var7t'ike''s And
will be obaied Q. 17, 18. And . . .your . . . well] 9, 10. And shall, because our
king, but yet such Sudden marriages . . . well Q. 19. Yea . . . offended
too?] II. Yea . . . against its too? Q. 20-23. Not I . . . ay, and ... to-
gether] 12-14. ^"^ ^ "*>■ Lord, no God for/end that I should Once gaine saie
your highnesse pleasure, !,&•... together Q. 24-28. Setting . . . mislike
aside, Tell . . . reason . . . Should . . . wife and . . . think] 15-19. Setting
. . . dislikes aside. Shew . . . reasons . . . Maie not be my louc and England.':
Queene ? Speake freclic Clarence, Glostcr, Montague and Hastings Q. 29-31.
Then this . . . Bona] 20, 21. My Lord then this is my opinion. That Warwike
being dishonoured in his embassage, Doth seekc reuengc to quite his iniuries Q.
32, 33. And Warwick . . . marriage] 23, 24. And Lewes in regard of his
sisters wrongs. Doth ioine with Warwike to supplant your state Q. 34, 35.
What . . . Lewis . . . invention . . . devise] 25, 26. Suppose that Lewis . . .
kynne, then for such newe foundlynges. Quartos and Folios are unanimously
• . . But by swete saincte George, I against the interpolation,
sweare, if my brother of Gloucester 18. //(js/v W(irr»ij/,v. ..] "sudden mar-
would ioyne with me, we would . . . riages," Q. Compare Greene (Mamillia
make hym knowe, that we were all (Grosart, ii.53, 54), 1583) : " How often-
three one mannes sonnes " (p. 271). times they which sued to marrye in
17. Andshall] Kowe read " And you haste, did finde sufHcient time to re-
shall," and is followed by some editors, pent them at Icasure ? "
112 THE THIIU) IVXKT OF [act iv
Mont. Yet to have join'd with France in such aUiance
Would more have strenfjthen'ci this our commonwealth
'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.
Hast. Why, knows not Montague that of itself
England is safe, if true within itself? 40
Mont. Hut the safer when 'tis back'd with F" ranee.
Ilast. 'Tis better using France than trusting France.
Let us be back'd with God and with the seas
Which he hath given for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves : 45
In them and in ourselves our safety lies.
Clar. For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves
To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.
K. Edw. Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant ;
And for this once my will shall stand for law. 50
Glou. And yet methinks your grace hath not done well,
To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales
Unto the brother of your loving bride :
She better would have fitted me or Clarence ;
But in your bride you bury brotherhood. 55
Clar. Or else you would not have bestow'd the heir
Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife's son,
And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.
K. Edw. Alas ! poor Clarence, is it for a wife
That thou art malcontent ? I will provide thee. 60
meanes . . . best devise Q. 36-38. Yet . . . such . . . marriage] But yet . . .
this AUiance . . . marriage Q. 39, 40. Why . . . itself?] 31, 32. Let Eng-
land be true within it selfe Wc need not Prance nor any alliance with them Q.
41-46. But the . . . safety lies] omitted Q. 47, 48. For this . . . Lord . . .
heir . . . Hungerford]},},, 34. For this . . . the Lord . . . daughter and heire
. , . Hungerford Q. 49, 50. Ay, what . . . law] 35. And what then? It
was our will it should be so? Q, 51-58. Glou. And yet . . . brotherhood.
Clar. Or else . . . elsewhere] 36-40. Clar. I, and for such a thing too the Lord
Scales Did well dcserue at your hands, to haue the Daughter of the Lord Bon-
field, and left your Brothers go sceke elsewhere, but in Your madnes you burie
brotherhood Q, 59, 60. Alas . . . malcontent . . . thee] Alasse, . . . mal-
38. home-bred] Occurs again, Rich- " I ouercome ray adversaries by land
ard II. I. iii. 187. and by sea,
40. England is safe, if true , . . it- I do feare no man, all men fearyth
self] An old sentiment. See again, me,
King John, v. vii. 117. It is also in I had no peere, yf to myselfe I
the old play on which King jfohn is were trewe,
founded, date 1591:— Because I am not so, diuers times
" Let England live but true within I do rew "
it selfe (Andrew Borde, Bokc of Knowledge,
And all the worlde can neuer wTong 1542. Spoken by " The Englyshman ").
her State " 41. But the safer] Some Editors
(Hazlitt's Shakespeare's Library, p. 320). follow F 2, reading " Yes, but."
The following seems to be the same : —
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 113
Clar. In choosing for yourself you show'd your judgment,
Which being shallow, you shall give me leave
To play the broker in mine own behalf;
And to that end I shortly mind to leave you.
K. Edw. Leave me, or tarry, Edward will be king, 65
And not be tied unto his brother's will.
Q. Eliz. My lords, before it pleased his majesty
To raise my state to title of a queen.
Do me but right, and you must all confess
That I was not ignoble of descent ; 70
And meaner than myself have had like fortune.
But as this title honours me and mine.
So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,
Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.
K. Edw. My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns: 75
What danger or what sorrow can befall thee.
So long as Edward is thy constant friend,
And their true sovereign, whom they must obey ?
Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too,
Unless they seek for hatred at my hands ; 80
Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe.
And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.
Glou. I hear, yet say not much, but think the more. [Aside.]
content, Why man be of good cheere, I will proiiide thee one Q (male-content
Q 3). 61-64. ^" choosing . . . And to . . . end . . . mind . . . you'\ 44-47.
Nate y OH plaide the broker so ill for your selfe. That you shall giue me leaue to
make my Choise as I thinke good. And to . . . intent . . . meane . . . you Q.
65,66. Leave . . . Edward . . . not be . . . wi/Z] 48, 49. Leaue . . . I am full
resolued, Edward will not be tied to . . . wils Q. 67-70. My lords . . . queen,
Dome . . . all confess . . . of descent] 50-53. My lords doe me . . . Confesse,
before it pleased his highnesse to aduancc, My state . . . Queenc,That I . . . in
my birth Q. 71-74. And meaner . . . with sorrow] omitted Q. 75-82. My
love . . . my wrath] 54-56. Forbeare my lone to . . . frownes. For thee they
must obey, naie shall obaic And if they looke for fauour at my hands Q. S3.
Glou. I hear . . . more] omitted Q.
61, 62. judgment . . . shallow] Com- my own business, be factor or agent for
pare "shallow spirit of judgment" myself. Similar to a favourite expres-
(1 Henry VI. 11. iv. 16). And Kyd's sion of Shakespeare's, "be my own
Soliman and Perscda, iv. ii. 8, g, attorney."
(Boas) : — 72. me and mine] myself and my
"Alas, the Christians arc but very people or family. See again Tempest,
shallow I. ii. 125. It occurs in Locrine (i. i.) :
In giuing iudgement of a man at "In pitched field encountered me and
armes." mine.''' "Thee and thine" is in the
In view of the name of the famous same play (v. iv.) and several times in
Justice of a few years later, these col- Shakespeare's early work.
lections are interesting. Needless to 83. 1 hear, yet say . . . more] An old
say, 1 Henry VI. preceded Kyd's play, and varied phrase. Heywood has :
63. play the broker . . . behalf] do " 1 see much, but 1 say little and do
8
114
THE THlilD PART OF
[act IV.
Enter a Post.
K. Edw. Now, messenger, what letters or what news
From France ? 85
Post. My sovereign liege, no letters ; and few words,
But such as I, without your sjiecial pardon.
Dare not relate.
K. Edw. Go to, we pardon thee : therefore, in brief,
Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them. 90
What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?
Post. At my depart these were his very words :
" Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,
That Lewis of France is sending over masquers
To revel it with him and his new bride." 95
K. Edw. Is Lewis so brave ? belike he thinks me Henry.
But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?
Post. These were her words, utter'd with mild disdain :
"Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,
I'll wear the willow garland for his sake." 100
K. Edw. I blame not her, she could say little less ;
84, 85. Enter . . . Now . . . France ?] 57, 58. Mont. My lord, heere is the
messe7iger returned from France. Enter a Messenger. Edw. Now Sirra, what
letters or what newes? Q. 86-88. My . . . relate] Mes. No letters my lord,
and such newes as without your highnesse speciall pardon I dare not relate
(prose 3 lines Q 3) Q. 89-91. Go to . . . letters?} 61, 62. We pardon thee,
and as neere as thou canst Tell mee what said Lewis to our letters } Q. 92-95.
Post. At my depart . . . bride] 63-66. Mes. At my departure . . . bride Q.
96, 97. Is Lewis . . . my marriage P\ 67, 68. Is Lewis . . . these wrongs? Q.
98-100. These . . . in hope . . . sake] 69, 70. Tel him, quoth she, in hope . . .
sake Q. 101-103. / blame . . . place] 71-73. She had the wrong, indeed she
could saie little lesse. But what . . . as I heare, she was then in place ? Q.
less " (Proverbs, ed. J. Sharman, p. 72,
1546) ; and at p. 98 [ibid.) : " I say
little but I think the more." And Jack
Juggler {Hazlitt's Dodsley, ii. 137),
1563: "I say nothing, but I think
somewhat." And in Carle of Carlile
(Percy Folio, ed. Furnival, iii. 288),
circa 1500: —
*' I said nought,
Noe said the carle, but more thou
thought."
Swift put it (1738) : "he says nothing
but he pays it off with thinking."
Earliest I have met is Malory's Morte
d' Arthur (Globe, p. 209): "He says
little but he thinks the more." Glou-
cester's appearance (Richard's before)
is usually the signal for some proverbial
illustration. This speech is not in Q,
where he is only allotted three remarks
against seven in this scene, here.
Gloucester has need to be a worked out
character, in view of future develop-
ments. He and Queen Margaret re-
ceive special attention. See Introduc-
tion upon Gloucester's use of proverbs.
See above, iii. ii. 113 ; iii. ii. 50.
92. At my depart] "At my depar-
ture " ; the words in Q. " At my de-
part " occurs again in Two Gentlemen
of Verona, v. iv. 96, and 2 Henry VI.
I. i. 2. See note at latter for examples
from Greene. It occurs several times
in the Spa)!ish Tragedy, always as
here, or with the personal pronoun
varied.
96. belike] See above, i. i. 51, and 11.
i. 14S. A favourite \vith Shakespeare
all the time. Seven examples occur in
this play.
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 115
She had the wrong. But what said Henry's queen ?
For I have heard that she was there in place.
Post. " Tell him," quoth she, " my mourning weeds are done,
And I am ready to put armour on." 105
K. Edw. Belike she minds to play the Amazon.
But what said Warwick to these injuries ?
Post. He, more incens'd against your majesty
Than all the rest, discharg'd me with these words :
"Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong, 1 10
And therefore I '11 uncrown him ere't be long."
K. Edw. Ha ! durst the traitor breathe out so proud words ?
Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd :
They shall have wars, and pay for their presumption.
But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret ? 115
Post. Ay, gracious .sovereign; they are so link'd in friend-
ship.
That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter,
Clar. Belike the elder ; Clarence will have the younger.
Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast,
104, 105. Tell him . . . are done . . . on] 74, 75. Tell him . . . be Doone
. . . on Q. 106, 107. Belike . . . minds . . . injuries] 76, 77. Then belike
. . . meanes . . . iniuries Q. 108-111. He . . . Tell . . . that . . . long]
78-80. He more incensed then the rest my Lord, Tell him quoth he, that . . .
long Q. H2-115. Ha! . . . so . . . Well . . . me, being . . . But say . . .
Margaret ?] 81-83. ■^*' • • • •S"^^' • • • ^"' • • • '"<^ '" prevent the worst. But
what , . . Margaret ? Q. ri6, 117. Ay .. . they are . . . daughter] 8^,8$.
I my good Lord, theare . . . daughter Q. ii8. Belike . . . younger] 66, Sj^,
The elder, belike, Clarence shall . . . Yonger Q. iig-122. Now . . . your-
self] omitted Q.
103. therein place] i\\ex& in person, 113. arm me . . .forewarned] fore-
there. " Hir armes in place again did warned is forearmed, a translation of
come" (Golding's Ovid, i. 929). "Then " praemonitus, praemiinitus." Occurs
was she iayre alone, when none was in Greene's Tritameron (Grosart, iii.
faire in place " (Fai'rw' Q;aY'H<', I. ii. 38). 119), 1587, and again in his Penelopes
" Ate, from lowest hell . . . Web (v. 208). Not in Q. The say-
Behold I come in place " ing occurs in Arden of Feversham
(Peele, Arraignment of Paris, 351, a), also.
" Here in place," and " there in place," 118. elder: Clarence will . . .
meaning simply " present," both occur younger] Sec above, in. iii. 242; and
in The Contention and True Tragedie. extract from Hall, where the younger
See Measure for Measure, V. 50^. See daughter (Anne) is allotted to Prince
below, IV. vi. 31. It occurs also in Edward (iv. ii. 12).
Taming of the Shreiv (both the old 119. s»/ ro»< /as/] keep your position
play and Shakespeare's). It is cpiite firmly, "sit tight," mind yourself,
common, and hardly noteworthy, but Compare Peele, Battle of Alcazar,
Steevens says : " In place, a gallicism." iii. i. : " Sit fist, Sebastian, and in this
104. done] useless, no longer needed, work God and good men labour for
106. play the Amazon] See J Henry Portugal." Hence the name of one of
VI. I, ii. 104. Margaret has already the most troublesome garden weeds,
received this appropriate compellation Ranunculus repens (crowfoot or
in more vigorous terms (i. iv. 114). buttercup) in northern districts, "sit-
116
THE THIRD I'ART OF
[act IV.
For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter; 120
That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage
1 may not prove inferior tcj yourself.
You that love me and Warwick follow me.
[Exit Clarence, and Somerset follows.
Glou. [Aside.] Not I :
My thoughts aim at a further matter; I 125
Stay not for the love of Edward, but the cnnvn.
K. Edw. Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick I
Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen,
And haste is needful in this desperate case.
Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf 130
Go levy men, and make prepare for war ;
They are already, or quickly will be landed :
Myself in person will straight follow you.
{Exeunt Pe^nbroke and Stafford.
But, ere 1 go, Hastings and Montague,
123. You . . . me\ 87J, 88. All you . . . me Q. Exit . . . follows] Exit
Clarence and Summerset Q. 124-126. Glou. Not I . . . crown] omitted Q.
127. Clarence . . . Warwick] 89. Clarence and Summerset fled to Warwike Q.
128, 129. Yet am I . , . case] omitted Q. 130-133. Pembroke . . . follow
you] 96-100. Edw. Pembrooke, go raise an armie presentlie, Pitch vp my tent,
for in the field this night I meane to rest, and on the morrow morne. He march to
meet proud Warwike ere he land. Those stragling troopes which he hath got in
France Q. 134-139. But . . .friends] 101-106. But ere I goe Montague and
Hastings, You of all the rest are necrest allied In bloud to Warwike, therefore tell
me, if You fauour him more then me or not : Speake truelie, for I had rather
haue you open Enemies than hollow friends Q.
3 : " Now,
. follow me]
See " You
follow me "
fast." See below, v. ii.
Montague, sit fast."
123. You that love . .
A stereotyped expression,
that be the king's friends,
(^ Henry VI. iv. ii. 180, and note to
passage). See Richard III. in. iv.
81, And a similarly formed line below,
IV. vii. 39. See also Lodge, Wounds
of Civil War (Hazlitt's Dodsley, vii.
114) :—
" Therefore they that love the Senate
and Marius
Now follow him.
Sylla. And all that love Sylla
come down to him."
And Kyd, Cornelia, in. i. 113 : —
" expert Souldiours
That lou'd our liberty and follow'd
him."
130, 131. Pembroke and Stafford
. . . Go levy meii] " When Kyng Ed-
warde (to whom all the dooynges of
the Erie of Warwike, and the Duke
his brother, were manifest and ouerte)
was by diuerse letters sent to him,
certified that the great armie of the
Northren men, wer v.ith all spede
commyng towarde London ... he
sent to Wylliam lorde Herbert, whom,
within twooyeres before, he had created
erle of Pembroke, that he should with-
out delaye encountre with the Northren
men. . . . Wherupon he accompagnied
with . . . aboue vi or vii thousande
Welshemenne, well furnished, marched
forward. . . . And to assiste and fur-
nishe hym with archers, was appoynted
Humpfray lorde Stafford of South\vike
. . . with hym he had eight hundred
archers " (Hall, p. 273).
131. prepare] preparation. This is
a trick of Lodge's. " Stragghng
troops " in Q here recalls Greene, who
uses the adjective contemptuously
very often. Compare " stragglers "
(soldiers from France) in Richard III,
V. iii. 327.
sc. II.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 117
Resolve my doubt. You twain, of all the rest, 135
Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance :
Tell me if you love Warwick more than me ?
If it be so, then both depart to him ;
I rather wish you foes than hollow friends :
But if you mind to hold your true obedience, 140
Give me assurance with some friendly vow,
That I may never have you in suspect.
Mont. So God help Montague as he proves true !
Hast. And Hastings as he favours Edward's cause.
K. Edw. Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us? 145
Glou. Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.
K. Edw. Why so ! then am I sure of victory.
Now therefore let us hence ; and lose no hour
Till we meet Warwick with his foreign power. \Exeunt.
SCENE II. — A plain in Warwickshire.
Enter Warwick and Oxford with French Soldiers.
War. Trust me, my lord, all hitherto goes well ;
The common people by numbers swarm to us.
Enter CLARENCE and SOMERSET.
But see where Somerset and Clarence comes !
Speak suddenly, my lords, are we all friends?
140-142. But if . . . 5?/j/>fc<] omitted Q. 143,144. So God . . . ta«i«] 107,
108. So God . . . cause Q. 145, 146. Now, brother . . . by us . . . despite
. . . you] go-g^. What saic your brother . . . to us ? Glo. I my Lordin dcspight
. . . you. For why hath Nature Made me halt downe right, but that I should
he valiant and stand to it, for if I would I cannot runne awaic Q. 147-149.
Why so . . . power] 109. It shall suffice, come then lets march await. Exeunt
Omnes Q (for two last lines of Scene see 96-100 Q).
SCF.XE II.
Enter . . .] Enter Warwick and Oxford in England, . . . souldiers Ff;
Enter . . . with souldiers Q. 1-15. Trust me, my lord . . . to7ciis about]
1-15. Trust me, my lords . . . town about Q.
139. hollow friends] See above, Scbvf
2 Henry VI. III. ii. 66; and Hamlet, iii.
ii. 218. " Better an open enemy than i- Trust me] A favourite ejaculation
a false friend " was perhaps a proverb. '" Shakespeare. It occurs in Feelc's
" Open " in Q here (undisguised) has y"'-'k Straw.
occurred at i. ii. 19, " open war," and -• common people . . . sicarm] See
elsewhere in Shakespeare. note at 11. vi. 8. Compare Hall :
142. suspect] suspicion. Common " noysed and published to the common
in these plays, but not in Shakespeare's people " (p. 275).
better work.
1 18
THE THIRD PART OF
[act IV.
Clar. Fear not that, my lord.
War. Then, gentle Clarence, welcome unto Warwick :
And welcome, Somerset : I hold it cowardice
To rest mistrustful where a noble heart
Hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love ;
Else might I think, that Clarence, Edward's brother.
Were but a feigned friend to our proceedings :
But welcome, sweet Clarence ; my daughter shall be
thine.
And now what rests, but in night's coverture,
Thy brother being carelessly encamp'd.
His soldiers lurking in the town about,
And but attended by a simple guard,
We may surprise and take him at our pleasure ?
Our scouts have found the adventure very ea.sy :
lo
15
16-18. And but
very easy] 16-18. And but . . . vcrie easie Q.
12-24. my dauf;hter shall be thine
. . . night's black mantle . . . seize
himself] See iv. i. 118, and note. The
marriage (with the eldest) is thus told
by Hall : " the erle and the duke
sailed directly to Calais : where they
were solempnely receiued and ioyously
interteined of the Countesse and her
twoo daughters. And after that the
duke had sworne on the Sacrament
to kepe his promise and pacte inuiolate
made and concluded with the erle of
Warwike, he maried the lady Isabel!,
eldest daughter to the saied erle in our
Lady Church at Caleis " (The VIII Yere,
p. 272). The event following immedi-
ately here overpasses a few minor
affairs, Shakespeare as usual seizing on
the dramatic positions. Hall says :
" The Kyng . . . marched toward
Warwicke with a great armye. . . .
The erle of Warwicke had by his
espyalls perfyt knowledge. . . . The
duke. . . came and encamped himselfe
with the erles host ... by the meanes
of frendes a meane was found how to
commune of peace . . . the king con-
ceyuing a certayne hope of peace toke
both lesse hede to himselfe, and also
lesse feared the outward attemptes of
his enemyes . . . Warwycke, lyke a wise
and politique capitayne emending not
to lose so great an auauntage . . . but
onely . . . trustyng to . . . this enter-
prise : in the dead of the nyght, with
an elect company of men of warre,^as
secretly as was possible set on the
Kynges felde, kylling them that kepte
the watche, and or the Kynge were
ware (for he thought of nothing lesse
then of that chance that happened) at
a place called Wolney, iiij myle from
Warwycke, he was talcen prysoner, and
brought to the Castell of Warwycke.
And to the entent that the Kynges
frendes myghte not knowe where he
was . . . caused him by secret iourneys
in the nyght to be conueyed to Myddel-
ham Castell in Yorkeshire, and there
to be kepte under the custody of the
Archbishope of Yorke his brother "
(The Vin Yere, p. 275).
13. rests] remains to be done. See
above, i. ii. 44.
13. coverture] shade. Compare " the
woodbine coverture'' (Much Ado About
Nothing, III. i. 30). The word has
been mixed up with " overture "' in
Coriolanus, i. ix. 46 ; and here also by
Warburton. Compare Spenser, Shep-
heard's Calender, July : —
" Where hast thou coverture ?
The wasteful! hylls unto his threate
Is a playne overture "
(Globe, 466, a).
15. town] Q and Ff. Nevertheless
Theobald's alteration to " towns " seems
to have been universally adopted. Ac-
cording to Hall, the " town " was " a
place called Wolney, four miles from
Warwick." But see below, iii. 13.
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 119
That as Ulysses and stout Diomede
With sleight and manhood stole to Rhesus' tents, 20
And brought from thence the Thracian fatal steeds,
So we, well cover'd with the night's black mantle,
At unawares may beat down Edward's guard,
And seize himself; I say not, slaughter him,
For I intend but only to surprise him. 25
You that will follow me to this attempt.
Applaud the name of Henry with your leader.
[They all cry " Henry ! "
Why, then, let 's on our way in silent sort.
For Warwick and his friends, God and Saint George !
{Exeunt.
SCENE III. — Edward's camp near Warwick.
Enter three Watchmen, to guard the King's tent.
First Watch. Come on, my masters, each man take his stand :
The king by this is set him down to sleep.
19-25. That as Ulysses . . . surprise him] omitted Q. 26, 27. You that
. . . leader] 19-20. Theti crie King Henry tvith resolued mindes, And breake we
presentlie into his tent Q. 28, 29. Why, then . . . George] 21, 22. Clar.
Why then . . . George Q.
Scene in.
Enter three . . .] omitted Q. 1-22. First Watch. Come on . . . night-foes?]
omitted Q.
19-21. Ulysses . . . Thracian fatal 22. night's black mantle]Seel Henry
jfeeii] Rolfe tells the tale from the tenth VI. 11. ii. 2, and note. From Faerie
book of Homer's //tarf. The oracle had Queene, i. i. 39: "Whiles sad Night
declared that Troy could not be taken ouer him her mantle black doth spred."
if the horses of Rhesus once drank of 28. in silent sort] in silent manner,
the Xanthus and grazed on the Trojan silently. This was an orthodox use of
plains. The Greeks therefore sent " sort " before Shakespeare's time.
Diomede and Ulysses [manhood and Kyd, for example, hardly uses the word
wit] to intercept the Thracian prince otherwise.
when he came to bring help to Priam ;
and they killed him on the night of his
SCEXE III.
arrival and carried off the horses. It i. Enter three Watchmen . . .] The
is referred to in Ovid's Metamorphoses episode of the Watchmen has no
(Golding, xiii. 122-124 ; 306-310). And counterpart in Q. Shakespeare may
in Virgil's ^'Encid, i. 469-473. Craig have taken a hint for it from 77i<vS/>rt;i«i/i
quotes from Marlowe and Nashe's Tragedy, in. iii. 16-45 i^^- Hoas).
Dido, I. i. 70-73, another reference There is a remarkable similarity in the
to this tale. The wording in Golding positions, and several expressions there
and Nashe affords no illustration worth are used by Shakespeare. Kyd has
quoting. " For other jades of Thrace," three Watchmen set in the King's own
see note at 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 3. name, with a result in view of great im-
20. sleight and manhood] Compare portance to the working of the plot.
Peele's Talc of Troy, 20, 21 (551, a, There is a struggle with the watch,
Dyce) : — and the reijuircd event takes place, an
" All knights-at-arms, gay, gallant, important prisoner being captured in
brave and bold, both cases.
Of w't and manhood." i. ecu h man take his stand] " Hetre
120 TIIK TflllU) PART OF [act iv.
Second VVatcJi. What ! will he not to bed ?
First Watch. Why, no ; for he hath marie a solemn vow
Never to lie and take his natural rest 5
Till Warwick or himself be (juite supjjressVI.
Second Watc/i. To-morrow then belike shall be the day,
If Warwick be so near as men report.
Third Watch. But say, I pray, what nobleman is that
That with the kin^ here resteth in his tent ? 10
First Watch. 'Tis the Lord Hastings, the king's chiefest
friend.
Third Watch. O ! is it so ? Hut why commands the king
That his chief followers lodge in towns about him,
While he himself keeps in the cold field ?
Second Watch. 'Tis the more honour, because more danger-
ous. I 5
Third Watch. Ay, but give me worship and quietness ;
I like it better than a dangerous honour.
If Warwick knew in what estate he stands,
'Tis to be doubted he would waken him.
First Watch. Unless our halberds did shut up his passage. 20
Second Watch. Ay ; wherefore else guard we his royal tent,
But to defend his person from night-foes ?
therefore will I stay and take my stand " The more the danger, still the more
(Spanish Tragedy, ill. iii. 16). This the honour."
line opens the Watchmen's scene in And again in Woman Pleased, in. ii.
Kyd's play, though not spoken by one 16. worship] ease and dignity, attend-
ofthem. ance. The Third Watchman's opinion
13. lodge'] lie, sleep. See 2 Henry coincides with FalstaflTs and Steevens'
VI. I. i. 80, and above, i. i. 32. Com- remarks. Compare Caxton's Reynard
pare Peele, " Lodge with the common the Fox (Arber, p. 12), 1481 : " And
soldiers in the field " (David and Beth- tho thought reynart in hym self how
sabe, ix. 109 (477, b)). he myght best brynge the beere in
13, 14. lodge in towns . . . While charge and nede, and that he abode in
. . . field ?] reversing the usual com- worship.'' And see Marlowe, Taw-
plaint, as spoken by the First Sentinel, burlaine. Part II. iv. i. (61, a) ; —
1 Henry VI. 11. i. 5-7 : — " Take you the honour I will take
" poor servitors, my ease,
When others sleep upon their quiet My wisdom shall excuse my
beds, cowardice."
Constrained to watch in darkness, 20. halberds] battle - axes on long
rain and cold." poles. Again in Richard III. i. ii. 40
15. the more honour . . . dangerous] and Comedy of Errors. May be used
An old sentiment. It is in Fuller's here of the bearers of them, halberdiers,
Gnomologia, 1732. And in Beaumont as in Kyd's S/fl^ii/i Tragedy, lu. i. ^o:
and Fletcher's /?h/^ a Wife, etc. (.\ct " Enter .\lexandro with a noble man and
IV. i. 42) : — Halberts," but I believe it simply refers
"I remember'd your old Roman to the weapons of the Watch. Kyd has
axiom, " halberdiers " three times in his play.
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 121
Enter Warwick, Clarence, Oxford, Somerset, and
Forces.
War. This is his tent ; and see where stand his guard.
Courage, my masters ! honour now or never !
But follow me, and Edward shall be ours. 25
First Watch. Who goes there?
Second Watch. Stay, or thou diest.
[ Warwick and the rest cry all, " Warwick ! Warwick ! "
a7id set upon the Guard; who fly, crying, ''Arm!
Arjn!" Warwick and the rest following thejn.
The drum playing and trumpet sounding, re-enter WARWICK,
Somerset, and the rest bringing the KiNG out in his gown,
sitting in a chair. GLOUCESTER and HASTINGS fly over
the stage.
Som. What are they that fly there ?
War. Richard and Hastings : let them go ; here is
The duke. 30
K. Edw. The duke ! Why, Warwick, when we parted
Thou call'dst me king !
War. Ay, but the case is alter'd :
When you disgraced me in my embassade,
23-25. War. This is . . . where . . . stand . . . my . . . honour now . . .
me . . . ours] 23-26. War. This is . . . ivhere his guard doth stand . . . my
snuldiers, now . . . me now . . . ours. All. A Warwike,aWartcike. Q. 26.
First Watch. Who goes there ?] 27. Alarmes, and Gloster and Hastings flies. Oxf.
who goes there ? Q. ■zj. Second Watch. Stay . . . rftts/l omitted Q. War-
wick and . . . The drum . . . over the stage] Ff; omitted Q (except as at 1. 27).
28. Som. What . . .] omitted Q. 29-32. Richard . . . parted . . . alter'd]
28-31. Richard . . . parted last . . . altered now Q. 33-41' When you . . .
embassade . . . degraded . . . come now . . . know not . . . Nor now . . .
24. now or never] See 2 Henry VI. vii. 45), 1588, and y antes the Fourth by
HI. i. 331, and note. Occurs in Kyd's the same writer; in Sir J. Harington's
Spanish Tragedy, in the Watchmen's Orlando Furioso (iv. 18), 1591 ; in G.
scene: "Now, Pedringano, or never Harvey's Fowrc Lt/^T5 (Grosart, i. 185),
play the man " (1. 2g). And a little 1592 ; in Dekker, Hen Jonson, etc.
below (ill. iv. 78, 79, Boas' ed.) : — The earliest example 1 have met is in G.
" Now stands our fortune on a tickle Whetston's Promos andCassandra, Part
point, I. V. iv. 157S : —
And now or neuer ends Lorenzo's " A Syr, in fayth the case is altered
doubts." quight,
For the first line here, see 2 Henry VI. My mistris late that lived in
I. i. 216. wretched plight
^1. parted] Capell inserted "last" Bids care adue."
from Q, which Malone confidently says 33. embassade] embassy. Not again
was " inadvertently omitted in the in Shakespeare. The word is that
Folio." It is much better out of it. used by Hall, of this occurrence. See
32. the case is alter'd] A common extract from his Chronicle at the begin-
saying, but not again in Shakespeare, ning of in. i., above. It is found a little
It is in Greene's Perimedcs (Grosart, later again in Hall (ii. 278).
122 rilK TIIIHI) VAHT OF [act rv.
Then I degraded you from being l<''ig,
And come now to create you Duke of York. 35
Alas! how should you govern any kingdom,
That know not how to use ambassadors,
Nor how to be contented with one wife,
Nor how to use your brothers brotherly,
Nor how to study for the people's welfare, 40
Nor how to shroud yourself from enemies ?
K. Edw. Yea, brother of Clarence, art thou here too?
Nay, then I see that Edward needs must down.
Yet, Warwick, in despite of all mischance,
Of thee thyself and all thy complices, 45
Edward will always bear himself as king :
Though fortune's malice overthrow my state,
My mind exceeds the compass of her wheel.
War. Then, for his mind, be Edward England's king !
[ Takes off his crown.
But Henry now shall wear the English crown, 50
And be true king indeed, thou but the shadow.
My Lord of Somerset, at my request.
See that forthwith Duke Edward be convey'd
Unto my brother, Archbishop of York.
When I have fought with Pembroke and his fellows 55
encmic%\ 32-38. When you . . . embassage . . . disgraste . . . now am come
. . . knowes not . . . Nor how to vse . . . Nor how to shrowd . . . enemies
Q (38 and 40, lines ending wife, welfare, omitted Q). 42, 43. Yea, brother
. . . down] omitted Q. 44-48. Yet, Warwick . . . her wheel] 39-40. Edw.
Well Warzi'ike, let fortune do her worst. Edward in mind will beare himselfe
a King Q. 49, 50. Then, for . . . crown] 41-42. Then for . . . crowne Q.
51, 52. And be . . . request] omitted Q. 53-58. See that . . . Now, for a
. . . York] 43-46. Go convaie him to our brother archbishop of Yorke, And when
45. complices] See Part II. v. i. 212. rerewarde: but the Northren men
Also twice in Richard II. with such agilitie so quickly turned
54. Unto my brother. Archbishop of aboute, that in a moment of an houre,
York] to Middieham Castle in Yorkshire, the Welshemen wer clene discomfited "
See Hall, quoted above, iv. ii. 12-24. (Hall, p. 273). Warwick was not prc-
55. fought with Pembroke] See sent in person. Another engagement
above, iv. i. 130, 131, where Hall is immediately afterwards resulted in " a
quoted in this connection. The meeting great slaughter of Welshemen" and
between Pembroke's and Warwick's Pembroke was taken and beheaded at
forces preceded the capture of King Banbury. He had been deserted by
Edward in Hall's narration: " When Stafford, for which the king caused the
these two Lordes [Pembroke and Staf- latter " found hyd in a village in Brent-
ford] were met at Cottisolde . . . they marche " to be "brought to Bridg-
were ascertained by their explorators water, and ther cut shorter by the
that thei [the Northren men] were hedde." "This was the order, man-
passyng towarde Northampton, wher- ner and end of Banbury Field, fought
upon . . . they couertly espied them the morrow after St. James' day. in the
passe forward, and sodainely set on the viii yere of King Edward ... a con-
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 123
I '11 follow you, and tell what answer
Lewis and the Lady Bona send to him.
Now, for a while farewell, good Duke of York,
K. Edw. What fates impose, that men must needs abide :
It boots not to resist both wind and tide. 60
[ They lead him out forcibly.
Oxf. What now remains, my lords, for us to do
But march to London with our soldiers ?
War. Ay, that 's the first thing that we have to do ;
To free King Henry from imprisonment.
And see him seated in the regal throne. 65
\Exeunt.
SCENE IV. — London. The palace.
Enter Queen ELIZABETH and RiVERS.
Riv. Madam, what makes you in this sudden change ?
Q. Eliz. Why, brother Rivers, are you yet to learn
What late misfortune is befall'n King Edward ?
Riv. What ! loss of some pitch'd battle against Warwick ?
Q. Eliz. No, but the loss of his own royal person. 5
/ have fought with Pembrooke &• his followers, lie come and tell thee what the
ladie Bona saies, And so for a . . . Yorke. Exeunt some with Edward Q. 6i,
62. Oxf. What . . . soldiers] ^-j-^o. Cla. What follow es now all hithcrtoo goes
well, But we must dispatch some letters to France, To tell the Queene of our
happy fortune And bid hir come zoith speed to ioine with vs Q. 63-65. Ay,
that's . . . To free . . . in the . . . throne] 51-55. / thats . . . And free . . .
in his regale throne. Come let us haste awaie, and hauing past these cares, He
post to Yorke, and see how Edward fares. Exeunt Omnes Q.
Scene iv.
Scenes n\ and v. transposed in Q. i. Madam . . . change] i, 2. Tel me
good maddam, why is your grace So passionate of late ? Q. 2, 3. Why . . .
are you . . . Edward] 3,4. Why . . . heare you not the ncwes. Of that successe
King Edward had of late? Q. 4. What . . . Warwick] 5. What . . .
Warwike Q. 5-12. Q. Eliz. No, but . . . our foe] 9-14. Queen. If that tvere
all, my grief cs were at an end : But greater troubles will I feare befall. Riu.
What, is he taken prisoner by the foe, To the danger of his royall person then ^
tinual grudge between the Northren- line numbers in transferred passages
men and the Welshemen " (pp. 274, has occurred several times).
275). This is the last of Pembroke and
Stafford. ScENB /r.
61, 62. letters to France, To tell the
Queen] Omitted here, with the rest of 4. pitch'd battle] Not again in Shake-
Clarence's speech ill {^. Clarence's speare. See " pitch our battle," below,
remark about sending despatches to v. iv. 66, and see note at " sharp
France, would be properly included, on stakes . . . pitched" (/ Henry VI. i.
account oflines 235,236 in ni. iii. But i. 118). The line here implies a know-
these lines are made use of by Henry ledge of the reverses to Pembroke and
at IV. vi. 60, 61 (this odd identity of StatTord dealt with above.
124 I'lIK IIIIHI) PART OF [act iv.
Riv. Then is my sovereign slain?
Q. Eliz. Ay, almost slain, for he is taken prisoner;
Either betray'd by falsehood of his ^uard,
Or by his f<jc surprised at unawares :
And, as I further have to unrlerstand, lo
Is new committed to the Bishop of York,
Fell Warwick's brother, and by that our foe.
Riv. These news I must confess are full of ^rief;
Yet, gracious madam, bear it as you may :
Warwick may lose, that now hath won the day. i 5
Q. Eliz. Till then fair hope must hinder life's decay :
And I the rather wean me from despair
For love of Edward's offspring in my womb :
This is it that makes me bridle passion,
And bear with mildness my misfortune's cross; 20
Ay, ay, for this I draw in many a tear,
And stop the rising of blood-sucking sighs,
Lest with my sighs or tears I blast or drown
King Edward's fruit, true heir to the English crown.
Riv. But, madam, where is Warwick then become? 25
Q. Eliz. I am informed that he comes towards London,
To set the crown once more on Henry's head.
Queen. I, thears my grief e King Edward is surprisde. And led awaie, as prisnor
vnto Yorke Q. 13-15. Riv. These news . . . the day'\ 15-18 and 6-8. Riu. The
nezves is passing strange, I must confesse : Yet comfort your selfe, for Edward
hath more friends. Then Lancaster at this time must perceiue That some will set
him in his throne againe. (6-8 Riu.) Tush,feare not f aire Queene, but cast those
cares aside. King Edwards noble mind his honours doth display : And Warwike
maie loose, though then he got the day Q. 16-35. Q- Eliz. Till then . . . sure
to die] 19-22. Queen. God grant they maie, but gentle brother come, And let me
Icane vpon thine arme a while, Vntil J come vnto the sanctuarie (cf. I. 31) There
to preserue the fruit within my wombe {cf. 1. 18) K. Edwards seed true hcire
to Englands crowne {cf. 1. 24) Exit. Q.
15. won the day] altered from " got summer Night's Dream, iii. ii. 97).
the day" (not used by Shakespeare). Craig writes it was formerly believed
See 1 Henry VI. i. vi. 17; and that each sigh took a drop of blood
Richard III. v. iii. 145. Peele has from the heart. I have not found
" bear away the day " in The Tale of confirmation of this pathetic pathology.
Troy, 293 (^55, a). Not in Burton. The idea is exunt in
ig. bridle] restrain. See 2 Henry folklore. A Yorkshire lady tells me she
VI. I. i. 200 and iv. vii. 112. Also in is familiar with the belief that "every
Comedy of Errors. sigh costs a drop of blood," and also
22. blood-sucking sighs] See note at that the belief holds good in Scotland in
•' blood-drinking sighs " {2 Henry VI. several places.
III. ii. 63), and " blood-consuming 23. blast] blight, wither, destroy,
sighs " {2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 61). Com- See 2 Henry VI. in. i. 89; and below,
pare " a spendthrift sigh " {Hamlet, v. vii, 21.
IV. vii. 123) ; and " with sighs of love 25. where is . . . become] See note
that cost the fresh blood dear " {Mid- at this construction, 11. i. 10 above.
sc. v.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 125
Guess thou the rest ; King Edward's friends must down :
But to prevent the tyrant's violence, —
For trust not him that hath once broken faith, — 30
I '11 hence forthwith unto the sanctuary.
To save at least the heir of Edward's right :
There shall I rest secure from force and fraud.
Come, therefore ; let us fly while we may fly :
If Warwick take us we are sure to die. 35
[Exeunf.
SCENE V. — A park near Middleham Castle in Yorkshire.
Enter GLOUCESTER, Lord HASTINGS, Sir WILLIAM STANLEY,
and others.
Glou. Now, my Lord Hastings and Sir William Stanley,
Leave off to wonder why I drew you hither.
Into this chiefest thicket of the park.
Thus stands the case. You know our king, my brother,
Scenes v. and iv. transposed in Q. 1.13. Enter . . . Glou. Now . . . cap-
tivity] 1-9. Enter Gloster, Hastings, and Sir William Stanly. Glo. Lord Hast-
ings and Sir William Stanly, Know that the cause I sent for you is this. I looke
my brother with a slender traine. Should come a hunting in this forrcst heere.
The Bishop of Yorke befriends him much. And lets him vse his pleasure in the
chase. Now I haue priuilie sent him word. How I am come with you to rescue
him. And see where the huntsman and he doth come Q.
31. I'll . . . unto the sanctuary] Hall at iv. ii. 12-24 above. Immediately
Much has happened, and a year elapsed follows (p. 275) the account of the
before this takes place, since the king's escape : " Kyng Edward beyng thus in
capture: " innumerable people resorted captiuitie, spake euer fayre to the
to the erle of Warwycke [after Ed- Archebishop and to the other kepers,
ward's escape and flight] to take his (but whether he corrupted them with
parte, but all kyng Edwardes trusty money or fayre promises) he had libertie
frendes went to diuers sentuaries, dayly diuers days to go on huntynge, and
loking ... to hear of his . . . pros- one day on a playne there met with
perous return. Emongst other, Queue hym syr William Stanley, syr Thomas
Elizabeth his wyfe, allmoste desperate of Borogh, and dyuers other of hys
of all comfort, took sentuary at West- frendes with suche a great band of men,
mynster, and there in great penurie that neither his kepers woulde, nor once
forsaken of all her frendes was deliuered durst moue him to retorne to prison
of a fayre sonne called Edward [Edward agayn." King Edward then "went
the V. borne in sentuary], the god- streyghte to York, where he was with
mother the lady Scrope " (p. 285). grete honor receyued . . . from Yorke
to Lancaster, where he found the Lord
Scene f.] This scene precedes the Hastynges hys ch.imberlayne, well
last in Q, which gives time for the accompanyed. . . . He then . . . came
queen's accouchement, and for the news safe to the cytye of London " (p. 276).
of the king's capture to reach her. But 4. Thus stands the casr] Sec Cym-
the present arrangement enables this tf/p/<", i. v. 67 ; and in Greene's hobbling
scene to fit in with the subsequent trend manner : " Especially as now the case
of events more homogeneously. For doth stand " (/I //"/lowiHj (Grosart, xiii.
the placingofthisscene, see excerpt from 347) ).
126 THK rillltl) TAirr of [activ.
Is prisoner to the bishop here, at whose hands 5
He hath {^ood usage and great liberty,
And often but attended with weak guard,
Comes hunting this way to disport himself.
I have advcrtis'd him by secret means
That if about this hour he make this way, 10
Under the colour of his usual game,
He shall here find his friends with horse and men
To set him free from his captivity.
Enter King Edwakd and a Huntsman with him.
Himt. This way, my lord, for this way lies the game.
K. Edw. Nay, this way, man : see where the huntsmen
stand. 1 5
Now, brother of Gloucester, Lord Hastings, and the rest,
Stand you thus close, to steal the bishop's deer ?
Glou. Brother, the time and case requireth haste.
Your horse stands ready at the park corner.
K. Edto. But whither shall we then? 20
Hast. To Lynn, my lord ;
And ship from thence to Flanders.
Glou. Well guess'd, believe me; for that was my meaning.
K. Edw. Stanley, I will requite thy forwardness.
Glou. But wherefore stay we? 'tis no time to talk. 25
K. Edw. Huntsman, what say'st thou ? wilt thou go along?
14-17. Enter . . . Hunt. This way . . . deer] 10-13. Enter Edward and
Huntsman. Hunts. This wnie my Lord the deere is gone. Edw. S'o this waie
huntsman, see ivhere the Keepers stand. Now brother and the rest. What, are
you prouided to depart ? Q. 18-30. Glou. Brother . . . crown] 14-23. Glo.
I, I, the horse stands at the parke corner, Come, to Lynne, and so take shipping
into Flanders. Edw, Come then ; Hastings and Stanlie, I will Requite your
loues. Bishop farewell, sheeld thee from Warwikes frowne. And . . . crowne
21. To Lynn] The battle of Loscote sible passed the wasshes and came to
field, ending in a victory for Edward, the toune of Lynne, where he found
the flight of Warwick and Clarence to an English ship and ii Hulkes of
France and their favourable reception Holland . . . wherupon, he . . . with
by the French king Lewis, the intrigu- his brother the duke of Gloucester, the
ing of the Duke of Burgundy, the Lord Scales, and diuers other his
triumphant landing of Warwick on his trusty frendes, entered into the ship,
return and his Proclamation in the name without bag or baggage . . . and smal
of Henry the VL, all take up space and store of money, sailed toward Hol-
time, until King Edward is "much land." "This was in the yere . . .
abashed at these tydings . . . his nere ^LC.lxx. and in the ix yere of Kynge
frendes aduised and admonished him Edwarde " (Hall, 283). Shakespeare
to flye ouer the sea to the duke of has amalgamated Edward's two flights
Burgoyne . . . the erle of Warwyckes into one whole. He attaches Hastings
power was within a halfe dayes iorney to him throughout, for which there is
[the king having ' departed ' into no authority. See below, vi. 78-82.
Lyncolnshyr] . . . with all hast pos-
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH
127
Hunt. Better do so than tarry and be hang'd.
Glou. Come then, away ; let 's ha' no more ado.
K. Edw. Bishop, farewell : shield thee from Warwick's frown,
And pray that I may repossess the crown. 30
{Exeunt.
SCENE VI. — London. The Tower.
Flourish. Enter King HENRY, CLARENCE, WARWICK,
Somerset, young Richmond, Oxford, Montague, and
Lieutenant of the Tower.
K. Hen. Master lieutenant, now that God and friends
Have shaken Edward from the regal seat,
(last line) Now huntsman what will you doe ? Hunts. Marrie my Lorde, I thinke
I had as good Gee with you, as tarrie heere to be hangde. Edw, Come the7i lets
awaie with speed. Exeunt Omnes Q.
Scene vi.
Scenes vi. and vii. transposed in Q. Enter . . . Ff (nearly); Cambridge ;
Enter Warwike and Clarence, with the Crowne, and then King Henry, and Ox-
ford, and Summerset, and the yong Earle of Richmond Q. 1-4. K. Hen.
Master . . . joys] i, 2. King. Thus from the prison to this princelie seat. By
Gods great mercies am I brought Againe Q.
27. Better . . . hang'd] Marlowe
may have remembered this line in Ed-
ward II. (Dyce, 211, b) : " As good be
gone, as stay and be benighted."
30. repossess the crown] repeated be-
low, IV. vi. 99 and v. vii. 19. It seems
to occur in Q only in the last passage.
Scene vi.
I. Enter King Henry , Clarence, War-
wick . . .] This scene is placed after
Scene vii. (the return of Edward to
Ravenspur) in Q, following immediately
upon the Queen's taking sanctuary. In
;he present play, see back to the end of
Scene iii. (Warwick's last words there)
for the chain of events. In Hall the
release of Henry follows immediately
upon the account of the birth of Edward
the V. in sanctuary, (p. 285), and is thus
told : " the xxv. daye of the sajd moneth
(October), the duke of Clarence accom-
panied with the Erles of Warwycke,
Shrewsbury, and the lorde Stanley, and
other . . . some onely to gase at the
waueryng world, resorted with a greate
company to the towre of London, &
from thence with great pompe brought
Kyng Henry the VI appareled in a
longe goune of bicwe veluet, through the
high streetes of London, to the cathe-
dral church of Sainct P.iule . . . Kyng
Henry the VI thus readepted (by the
meanes onely of the erle of Warwycke)
his croune and dignitie Royall in the
yere ofoure lorde I471 . . . he called
his high court of Parliament to begin
ye xxvi day of Nouember at West-
minster, in the whiche King Edward
was declared a traitor to his countrey
... & all his goodes were confiscate
& adiudged forfayted : & like sen-
tence was geuen agaynst all his par-
takers. . . . Beside this, the erle of
Warwycke . . . was made Ruler, &
Governor of the Realme, with whom . . .
was associated, George duke of Clar-
ence his sonne-in-Iaw " (286). In this
passage, King Henry is said to be "a
man of no great wit, such as men
comonly call an Innocent man, neither
a fonle, neither very wyse, whose study
always was more to cxcell ... in
Godly liuynge, then in worldly regi-
ment. . . . But his enemies ascribed al
this to his coward stommach."
In the same parliament the crown of
England and France was ''tntaylcd to
King Henry the VI «S: the hcyres
males of his body lawfully begotten,
& for default ... to George, duke
of CLirence, & to the heyres males of
his bodye."
This .scene of too lines replaces one
128 TIIK nil HI) I'AK'l OF [ACT IV.
And turn'd my captive state tfj liberty,
My fear t(j h(jjje, my sorrows unto joys,
At our enlargement what are thy due fees ? 5
Lieu. Subjects may challenge lujthing of their sovereigns ;
But if an humble jjrayer may prevail,
I then crave pardon of your majesty.
K. lien. For what, lieutenant? for well using me?
Nay, be thou sure I '11 well requite thy kindness, 10
F"or that it made my imprisonment a pleasure ;
Ay, such a pleasure as incaged birds
Conceive, when after many moody thoughts
At last by notes of household harmony
They quite forget their loss of liberty. i 5
But, Warwick, after God, thou sett'st me free.
And chiefly therefore I thank God and thee ;
He was the author, thou the instrument.
Therefore, that I may conquer fortune's spite
By living low, where fortune cannot hurt me, 20
And that the people of this blessed land
May not be punish'd with my thwarting stars,
Warwick, although my head still wear the crown,
I here resign my government to thee.
For thou art fortunate in all thy deeds. 25
War. Your grace hath still been fam'd for virtuous.
And now may seem as wise as virtuous.
By spying and avoiding fortune's malice ;
For few men rightly temper with the stars :
Yet in this one thing let me blame your grace, 30
5-37. At our enlargement . . . Clarence only for protector] omhled Q.
of 25 in Q, of which it is a legitimate speare. Note, also, the frequent men-
development with one or two important tion of snares, limed twigs, and the
additions, such as Henry's entreaty for fowler's art.
his wife and son to be sent for, and the 19. fortune's spite] Again in Sonnets
news (to Warwick) of Edward's escape 37 and 90. " Fortune's spite and
and flight to Burgundy. These are not malice " (Peele, A Tale of Troy, 558, a),
in Q. Also the deleting of repetition "Fortune's malice" occurs nine lines
words close together (princely, pretty), down. These Peele coincidences were
as usual, may be noticed ; and that tire- collected when I thought he had a
some " replete with " is finally dropped, hand in this play, but that idea was a
" full of" being read (1. 70). hasty one. See also iv. iv. 46 above,
12. incaged] The word occurs, in for " fortune's malice."
metaphoric use, twice in Shakespeare, 29. temper tcith the stars] A bold and
Venus and Adonis and Richard II. thoroughly Shakespearian expression
Cage birds for singing are mentioned with a back reference to " thwarting
again in Cymbeline, iii. iii. 43, and in stars," above (22). Warwick means
King Lear, v. iii. 9. A love for the few men adapt themselves to the spite
songs of birds is very marked in Shake- and malice of Fortune.
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 129
For choosing me when Clarence is in place.
Clar. No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway.
To whom the heavens in thy nativity
Adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown,
As likely to be blest in peace and war ; 35
And therefore I yield thee my free consent.
War. And I choose Clarence only for protector.
K. Hen. Warwick and Clarence give me both your hands :
Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts,
That no dissension hinder government : 40
I make you both protectors of this land,
While I myself will lead a private life.
And in devotion spend my latter days.
To sin's rebuke and my Creator's praise.
War. What answers Clarence to his sovereign's will ? 45
Clar. That he consents, if Warwick yield consent ;
For on thy fortune I repose myself.
War. Why then, though loath, yet must I be content.
We '11 yoke together, like a double shadow
To Henry's body, and supply his place ; 50
I mean, in bearing weight of government,
While he enjoys the honour and his ease.
And, Clarence, now then it is more than needful
Forthwith that Edward be pronounced a traitor.
And all his lands and goods be confiscate. 55
Clar. What else? and that succession be determin'd.
War. Ay, therein Clarence shall not want his part,
K. Heti. But, with the first of all your chief affairs.
Let me entreat, for I command no more.
That Margaret your queen and my son Edward 60
38-44. Warwick and Clarence . . . Creator's praise] 3^-7. Clarence, and War-
wike doe you Kecpe the croune, and gouerne and protect My realme in peace, and
I will spend the Remnant of my daies to sinnes . , . praise Q. 45. What . .
will ?] 8. what . . . will ? Q. 46, 47. That he . . . myself] g. Clarence
agrees to what King Henry likes Q. 48-64. Why then, though loath . . .
with all speed] omitted Q.
31. in place] See above, iv. i. 103. 49. yoke together]See above, iv. i. 23.
43. latter days] last days. A fre- 5i. ^ mean] Sec below, v. iii. 7, and
quent use in Shakespeare. Compare above, iii. ii. 38.
Grafton's Continuation of Hardyng, 54, 55, 56. traitor, confiscate, succes-
i543> P- 544i rept. : " his conscience sion] See Hall's words at the opening
pricked with the sharpe stynge of his extract to this scene. The insertion of
mischeuous offences, which although " be " before " confiscate," omitted in the
they dooe not pricke ahvaye, yet most first Folio, is due to Malone. " Confis-
commenly they wil byte moste towarde cated " is in Ff 2, 3, 4.
he latter day.'' 60, 61. That Margaret . . . with
i;jo
THE TIirRD PAR r OF
[act IV.
Be sent for, to rL-turn from F'rance with speed :
P'or, till I see them here, by fioubtful fear
My joy of liberty is half eclips'd.
Clar. It shall be done, my sovereign, with all speed.
K. Hen. My Lord of Somerset, what youth is that 65
Of whom you seem to have so tender care ?
Sovi. My liege, it is young Henry, Karl of Richmond.
K. lien. Come hither, England's hope.
yLays his hand on his head.
If secret powers
Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts.
This pretty lad will prove our country's bliss. 70
His looks are full of peaceful majesty.
His head by nature fram'd to wear a crown,
His hand to wield a sceptre, and himself
65-67. My Lord . . . youth . . . liege, it . . . Richmond] 10-13. My lord
. . . prettic Boic is that you scenic to he so careful I of? Sum. And it please
your grace, it . . . Richmond Q. 68-76. Come hither . . . Make much . . .
Must help . . . by me} 14-22. Henry of Richmond, come hither pretie ladde. If
heauenly powers doe aime aright To my divining thoughts, thou pretie boy. Shall
proue this Countries blisse. Thy head is made to weare a princelie crotene. Thy
lookes arc all repleat with Maicstie, Make much . . . shall helpe . . . by me. Q.
speed] These lines account for the omis-
sion of Clarence's (in Q) at iv. iii. 61
(see note).
63. joy . . . eclips'd] So Greene,
Orlando Furioso (Grosart, xiii. 170) : —
" That wanton maide, that hath
eclipst the joy
Of royal 1 France."
A little of his minor plumage.
67. young Henry] Afterwards Henry
VII. This anecdote is from Hall (copied
as usual into Grafton and Holinshed) :
" lord Henry, Sonne to his [Pembroke's]
brother Edmund erle of Richmond,
hauyng not fully ten yeres of his age,
was . . . brought vp, by the Lady
Herbert, wyfe to Willyam erle of Pem-
broke, beheded at Banbury . . . sent
from God, and of hym onely to be
prouided for a Kyng, for to extinguish
bothe the faccions. . . . This Henry
was borne of Margaret, the onely
daughter and heire to Ihon the first
Duke of Somerset. . . . lasper erle of
Pembroke toke this child beyng his
nephew ... to London, to Kyng Henry
the sixte, whom, when the Kyng had a
good space by himselfe, secretly be-
holden and marked, both his wit and
his likely towardnes, he said to suche
princes, as were then with hym : Lo
surely this is he, to whom both wee and
our aduersaries leujTig the possession
of all things, shall hereafter geue rome
and place. So this holy man shewed
before, the chaunce that should happen,
that this erle Henry so ordeined by God,
should in tyme become (as he did in
deede) haue and enioy the kingdome,
and the whole rule of the realme "
(287).
69. divining thoughts] Compare
"divining eyes" (Sonnet 106); and
"true-divining heart" {Titus Androni-
cus, II. iii. 214).
71. His . . . majesty] The line in Q
here is identical (reading Thy for His)
with the Q line at in. ii. 84. The
dropping of " repleate with " sufficed
here, because " majesty " was changed
to " modesty " there.
73. wield a sceptre] carry or bear the
sceptre. A favourite use of the verb but
not so common as " sway." Spenser
has it in Faerie Queene, 11. xi. 2 : " her
that ought the sceptre weeld." Spenser
has it of the crown in the pre\nous Canto,
II. X. 32 ; and " weld the awful crown "
{Shepheard's Calender, October (Globe,
477, a), 1579) ; and in Colin Clout, 130.
Greene seized on it. Kyd, in the
Spanish Tragedy, " I tooke him up and
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 131
Likely in time to bless a regal throne.
Make much of him, my lords, for this is he 75
Must help you more than you are hurt by me.
Enter a Post.
War. What news, my friend ?
Post. That Edward is escaped from your brother,
And fled, as he hears since, to Burgundy.
War. Unsavoury news ! but how made he escape ? 80
Post. He was convey'd by Richard Duke of Gloucester
And the Lord Hastings, who attended him
In secret ambush on the forest side,
And from the bishop's huntsmen rescued him ;
For hunting was his daily exercise. 8$
War. My brother was too careless of his charge.
But let us hence, my sovereign, to provide
A salve for any sore that may betide.
{Exeunt all but Somerset, Rickniond, and Oxford.
Som. My lord, I like not of this flight of Edward's ;
For doubtless Burgundy will yield him help, 90
And we shall have more wars before 't be long.
As Henry's late presaging prophecy
Did glad my heart with hope of this young Richmond,
So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts
77-102. What news . . . about it speedily'^ omitted Q.
wound him in mine armes, And welding 82. attended hini] waited for him.
him into my private tent there laid him The commonest sense in Shakespeare,
down " (i. iv. 35), affords an uncommon 88. A salve for any sore . . .] Corn-
use, pare Spenser, Faerie Queene, iii. ii.
75. AfaA«mMcAo/Atw) Frequent later 36: —
in Shakespeare. See Marlowe's Tarn- " and though no reason may
btirlaine, Part I. ii. : "Make much of ^pply
them, gentle Theridamas " (Dyce, 12, Salve to your sore, yet loue can
b). And in Grafton's Continuation of higher stye."
Hardyng, p. 563 : " Hadrian . . . taried And again, Shepheard's Calender,
here in England for a space, and was August (Globe ed. 471, a) : " Nc can I
veray muche made of." find salve for my sore. Willie. Love
77. Enter a Post] In the correspond- is a curelesse sorrowe " (1579). Todd
ing situation, immediately after " hurt quotes from Lydgate, and from Surrey's
by me," in Q occurs, " Enter one with Sonf^s and Sonnets. Greene uses the
a letter to Warwike," and Scene viii. phrase ad nauseam. Not again in
begins with Warwick's speech announc- Shakespearf. Sidney has it in Arcadia,
ing Edward's return from instead of his Book i. And see Whetstone's Promos
departure, as here, to Burgundy. and Cassandra, Fart 1. 11. i : " marriage
78,79. Edward is escaped . . . Bur- salves his sore" (amends his error), 1578.
gundy] Here the dramatist ties the two 90. Burgundy will yield him help]
flights together unmistakably. See iv. See below, vii. 6.
V, 21 (note). 94. So doth my heart misgive me]
132
THE Tiniin part of
[act IV.
What may befall him to his harm anfi ours : 95
Therefore, Lord Oxfrird, to prevent the worst,
I'"()rthwith we'll send him hence to Brittany,
Till storms be past of civil enmity.
Oxf. Ay, for if Edward repossess the crown,
Tis like that Richmond with the rest shall down. 100
Som. It shall be .so ; he .shall to Brittany.
Come, therefore, let 's about it speedily. [Exeuni.
SCENE Vn.—Be/ore York.
Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, GLOUCESTER, Ha.stings,
and Soldiers.
K. Edw. Now, brother Richard, Lord Ha.stings, and the rest.
Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends.
And says that once more I shall interchange
My waned state for Henry's regal crown.
Well have we pass'd, and now repass'd the seas, 5
And brought desired help from Burgundy :
What then remains, we being thus arrived
From Ravenspurgh haven before the gates of York,
Scene vji. Enter . . .] Ff ; Enter Edward and Richard, and Hastings with
a troope of Hollanders Q. 1-7. Now, brother . . . remains] omitted Q.
7J-10. u'e being thus . . . this] 1-3. Edw. Thus far from Belgia haue we past
the seas. And ^narcht from Ratinspur hauen unto Yorke : But soft the gates are
shut, I . . . this Q.
Compare Merry Wives of Windsor, v.
V. 226 : " my heart misgives me."
97. we'll send him hence to Brittany]
" When lasper erle of Pembroke was
credibly asserteyned that quene Mar-
garete had lost the battayle at Tewkes-
burye, and that there was no more . . .
reliefe to be had for the parte of poore
Kyng Henry. . . . The erle in good
hast departed to Pembroke . . . thence
to Tynbye a hauen toune in Wales,
where he getting conuenient shyppes
for to transport hym and hys ouer the
sea into Fraunce \vith hys nephew lord
Henry erle of Rychemounde, and a few
of his familiers toke ship, and by for-
tunes leadyng, landed in Brytayne"
(Hall, pp. 302, 303).
ScEiVE VII.
4. waned] Occurs again in Antony
and Cleopatra, 11. i. 21. Ff read
" wained." Steevens made the change.
5. pass'd, and now repass'd] Golding
has this expression : " shyppes may
passe And repasse saufly " (Ovid's
Metamorphoses, xiii. 908, 909). It is in
Locrine.
6. help from Burgundy] The Quarto
tells " with a troop of Hollanders," as
below, viii. 2. Hall says (p. 290) :
" when the duke saw that Kyng Eduard
upon hope of his frendes, would nedes
repaire into England again, he caused
priuily to be deliuered to him fiftie M.
Florence, of the crosse of Saincte
Andrew, and further caused foure greate
shyppes to be appoynted for him . . .
and xiiij shippes of the Easterlynges,
well appointed ... to serue him truly.
. . . The Duke of Burgoyne as men
reported, cared not much on whose side
the victory fell, sauing for paiment of
his money ... he was frend to bothe
partes and eche parte was frend ly to
hym."
8. From Ravenspurgh . . . York]
Hall continues in the tenth year : " Kyng
sc. vii] KING HENRY THE SIXTH
133
But that we enter, as into our dukedom ?
Glou. The gates made fast ! Brother, I like not this ; lo
For many men that stumble at the threshold
Are well foretold that danger lurks within.
K. Edw. Tush, man ! abodements must not now affright us :
By fair or foul means we must enter in.
For hither will our friends repair to us. 15
Hast. My liege, I '11 knock once more to summon them.
11-15. For many meti . . . repair to us] omitted Q. i6. Hast. My liege
. . . them} 4. Rich. Sound vp the drum and call them to the wals Q.
Edward beyng thus furnished . . .
hauyng with hym onely ii M. men of
warre beside mariners . . . sailed into
England and came on the cost of Yorke-
shire, to a place called Rauenspurr . . .
Kyng Edward beyng a wise and cir-
cumspecte Prince, would not haue been
so foolisshe hardy, as to enter Eng-
lande with halfe a handfull of men of
warre . . . but that the Duke of Clar-
ence and he, were secretly agreed be-
fore, and that the Marques Montacute
had secretly procured his fauor, of
which priuie signs and cloked work-
ynges, open tokens and manifest do-
ynges, afterward appered . . . the touns
round about were permanent and stilTe
on the part of King Henry ... for
fere of the Erie of Warwycke. Which
annswer [to his ' light horsemen ' who
felt the people's minds] when Kynge
Edward had perfectly digested ... he
caused it to be published that he onely
claymed the Duchie of Yorke . . . this
new imaginacion (although it were but
fayned) sorted and tooke immediately.
. . . The erle of Warwycke . . . wrote
to the Marquess of Montacute his
brother . . . geuyng him warnyng . . .
and he wrote to all the townes of Yorke-
shyre, and to the citie also commaund-
yng all men ... to shutte their gates
. . . Kyng Edward came peacably
nere to York . . . when the citizens
. . . sendyng to hym two of the chiefest
Aldermen . . . admonished hym not lo
come one foote nearer . . . Kyng Ed-
ward . . . determined to set lorwarde,
neither widi army nor with weapon :
but with lowly wordes ... to decl.ire
to ye citizens that he came to demaunde
. . . onely the duchie of Yorke his
olde inheritance. .\nd so with fayre
wordes and flatteryng speche he dis-
missed the messengers, and ... he
and his . . . were almost at the gates
as soone as the Ambassadours . . .
All the whole day was consumed in
doutful communicacion and ernest in-
terlocution. The citizens . . . fell to
this pact and conuencion that if King
Edwarde would swere . . . to be fayth-
full to all Kyng Henrys commaunde-
ments that then they would receyve him
into their citie. Kyng Edward . . .
a priest beyng redy to say masse . . .
receyuing the body of our blessed
Savior, solemnly swearyng etc. . . .
entered into the citie, and clerely for-
gettinge his othe, he first set a garri-
son of soldiers in the town " (Hall,
290-292). " Stands upon . . . points"
is in Greene's Friar Bacon (Grosart,
xiii. 12).
9. But soft] in Q, omitted here, is
very common in Shakespeare. It is
found, as well as " soft you ! " in
Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra.
And in Peele and Kyd.
II. stumble at the threshold] very un-
lucky. See Reginald Scot, Discovery of
lV»icAcra/< (Nicholson's reprint, p. 164),
1584 : " he that receiveth a mischance
wil consider whether he met not a cat,
or a hare, when he first went out of his
doores in the morning; or stumbUd
not at the threshold at his going out,"
etc. See Golding's Ovid, x. 520, 521.
And Grafton's Continuation of Hard-
yng, p. 496: " Certeyn it is also that in
ryding . . . the same morning . . . his
horsse stumbled with hym twise or
thrysc ... an olde ciuill token."
ij. abodements] forebodings, evil
omens. " Botlements " occurs in Troiius
and Cressida, v. iii. So. The example
here is the earliest in New Eng. Diet.
Craig quotes from Turberville, Ovid's
Heroic al Epistles, Laodamia to Pro-
testlaus (1567) :—
" Let all abodements go. 1 pray
the windes
And calmed seas to favour thy
intent."
\'M TIIK THIKI) PART OK [activ.
Enter, on the walls, the Mayor of York, and his brethren.
May. My lords, wc were forewarned of your coming,
And shut the gates for safety of ourselves ;
For now we owe allegiance unto Henry.
K. Edw. But, master mayor, if Henry be your king, 20
Yet Edward at the least is Duke of York.
May. True, my good lord ; I know you for no less.
K. Edw. Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom,
As being well content with that alone.
Glou. [Aside.] But when the fo.x hath once got in his
nose, 2 5
He '11 soon find means to make the body follow.
Hast. Why, master mayor, why stand you in a doubt ?
Open the gates ; we are King Henry's friends.
May. Ay, say you so ? the gates shall then be open'd.
[ They descend.
Glou. A wise stout captain, and soon persuaded ! 30
Hast. The good old man would fain that all were well,
So, 'twere not long of him ; but being enter'd,
I doubt not, I, but we shall soon persuade
Both him and all his brothers unto reason.
Enter the Mayor a?id two Aldermen, below.
K. Edw. So, master mayor : these gates must not be shut 35
17-19. Enter . . . May. My lords . . . Hmry] 5-8. Enter the Lord Moire
of Yorke upon the wals. Mair. My Lords we had notice of your comming,
Atid thats the cause we stand upon our garde, And shut the gates for to
preserue the towne. Henry now is Kyng, and we are sworne to him Q.
20, 21. But . . . mayor, if . . . king. Yet . . . least . . . York] g, 10. IV hy
my Lord Maire, if . . . King, Edward I am sure at least . . . Yorke Q.
22-29. ^''«<^ • • • k/iow . . . nothing . . . dukedom . . . But . . . got . . . nose,
He HI . . .follow . . . Open . . . Ay, say . . . open'd] 9-17. Truth my Lord,
we know . . . lesse. Edw. I crane nothing . , . Dukedome. Rich. But . . .
gotten . . . head Heele quicklie make the body follow. Hast. Why my Lord
Maire, what stand you vpon points ? Open . . . Sate you so, then He open them
presentlie. Exit Maire Q. 30. Glou. A wise . . . persuaded!] iS. Ri. By
my faith, a wise . . . persuaded Q. 31-34. Hast. The goodold . . . reason]
omitted Q. 35-39- Ent^ . . . So, master . . . But . . . war . . . follow
25, 26. fox . . . nose . . . body follow] An uncommon expression. Nothing to
There is a saying like this of a mouse in do with the " tickle point " phrase in 2
cheese. But I cannot get any nearer. Henry VI. i. i. 216. A variant of
"Give him an inch and he'll take an terms, "stood in a doubt," occurs in
ell." This is in Q, and like the " thres- Hall's Chronicle (295), quoted at " well-
hold passage " above, illustrates Glou- minded " below.
cester's addiction to proverbs, as noticed 11. good old man] Words Shake-
before, speare delighted in. They are often in
27. stand you in a doubt] Q has Sidney's Arcadia, Book i.
"stand you upon points," which is 32. /o/jg-o/ A»w»j See notes at J //f wry
transferred to Gloucester below, 1. 58. VL iv. iii. 33, 46.
sc. vii] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 135
But in the night or in the time of war.
What ! fear not, man, but yield me up the keys ;
[ Takes his keys.
For Edward will defend the town and thee,
And all those friends that deign to follow me.
March. Enter MONTGOMERY and forces.
Glou. Brother, this is Sir John Montgomery, 40
Our trusty friend, unless I be deceiv'd.
K. Edw. Welcome, Sir John ! but why come you in arms ?
Montg. To help King Edward in his time of storm,
As every loyal subject ought to do.
K. Edw. Thanks, good Montgomery ; but we now forget 45
Our title to the crown, and only claim
Our dukedom till God please to send the rest.
Montg. Then fare you well, for I will hence again :
I came to serve a king and not a duke.
Drummer, strike up, and let us march away. 50
\The drum begins to march.
K. Edw. Nay, stay, Sir John, awhile ; and we '11 debate
By what safe means the crown may be recover'd.
me\ 19-22. The Maire opens the dore, and brings the keies in his hand. Edw.
So my Lord . . . But in the time of warre, giue me the keies : What, feare
not man for Edward will defend the towne and you, despight of all your foes Q.
40-45. March. Enter . . . Glou. Brother . . . Our . . . but why . . . his . . .
storm . . . good Montgomery] 23-29. Enter Sir lohn Mountgommery with
drumme and souldiers. (Edw.) How now Richard, who is this? Rich. Brother
. . . A . . . Wherfore . . . this . . . stormes . . . braue Mountgommery Q.
45J-47. but we . . . claim Our . . . rest] 30, 31. But I onlie claime my . . .
Vntil it please God . . . rest Q. 48-50. Then . . . well, for ... I came
. . . duke. Drummer . . . away] 32, 33. Sir lohn (and throughout) Then . . .
wel? Drum . . . away, I came . . . duke Q (two lines transposed). S^-S^-
Nay, . . . recover'd] 34, 35. Nay staie Sir lohn, and let vs first debate. With
what security we maie doe this thing Q.
39. friends . . . folloiv me] Similar owne name, Kyng Edward the \.\)
to the line above, iv. i. 123. boldely saying to hym, that they would
40. Sir John Montgomery] Ahei Ed- serue no man but a kynge. . . . This
ward had set his garrison of soldiers in Proclamacion cast a great shame and
York "he thought it necessarie . . . dolor to the hartcs of the citizens of
to make haste toward London ... he Yorkc " (292). Shakespeare seems to
lefttheright way toward Pomfret, where be purposely forgetful of men's Chris-
the Marques Montagew with his army tian names ; his authority here gives
lay , . . and came safely to Netting- Thomas, not John. And at the begin-
ham, where came to him syr William ning of iii. ii. Sir Richard Gray is Sir
Parre . . . syr Thomas Montgomerie, John Gray in Hall. And in Fart II. 11.
and diuers other of his assured frcndes ii. 13, he has Sir John Stanley where
. . . whych caused hym at the fyrst Holinshcd gives Sir Thomas,
comming to make Proclamacion in hys
I'M rilK rillHl) IWR'V OK [ACTiv.
Mon((^. What, t.ilk you of debating ! in few words,
If you 'II not here proclaim yourself our king,
I '11 leave you to your fortune, and be gone 55
To keejj them back that come to succour you.
Why shall we fight, if you pretend no title?
Glou. Wily, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?
K. Eihv. When we grow stronger, then we'll make our claim.
Till then, 'tis wisdom to conceal our meaning. 60
Hast. Away with scrupulous wit I now arms must rule.
Glou. And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.
Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand ;
The bruit thereof will bring you many friends.
K. Edw. Then be it as you will ; for 'tis my right, 65
And Henry but usurps the diadem.
Montg. Ay, now my sovereign speaketh like himself;
And now will I be Edward's champion.
Hast. Sound, trumpet! Edward shall be here proclaim'd.
Come, fellow-soldier, make thou proclamation. 70
[Gives hivi a paper. Flourish.
Sold. Edward the Fourth, by the grace of God, King of
England and France, and lord of Ireland, etc.
Montg. And whosoe'er gainsays King Edward's right,
By this I challenge him to single fight.
[ Throws down his gauntlet.
All. Long live Edward the Fourth! 75
53-57- What, . . . proclaim . . . king, I'll . . . keep . . . shall we ... if
. . . title] 36-40. What stand you on debating, to be brief c, Except you presently
proclaime . . . King, lie hence againe, and keepe . . . should we fight when
You . . . title ? Q, 58. Why . . . points ?] 41, 42. Fie brother, fie, stand
you upon tearmes ? Resolue your selfe. and let us claime the crowne Q. 59-
64. When we . . . many friends] omitted Q. 65,66. Then be it , . . diadem]
43, 44. / am resolude once more to claime the crowne. And win it too, or else to
loose my life Q. 67, 68. Montg. Ay, . . . champion] 45, 46. Sir lohn. I . . .
champion Q. 69-75. Hast. Sound . . . Fourth .'] 47-52. {Mont.) Sound Trum-
pets, for Edward shall be proclaimd Edward the fourth . . . Ireland, and whosO'
ever . . . fight, long . . . fourth. All. Long . . . fourth Q.
58. stand you on nice points] See note IV. in. i. 107 and Part I. iii. ii. 102
at line 27 above. " Stand upon terms " (note). Elsewhere only in Titus An-
in Q occurs in Henry V. iii. vi. 78 ; and dronicus.
in Pericles, iv. ii. 37. It is in Spenser's 68-75. champion . . . Edward the
Mother Hubberds Tale, and Peele's Fourth] See Grafton, Continuation of
Arraignment of Paris, but not ab- //ar<f)'«o- {518) :" As the seconde course
solutely as here. Compare The Spanish came into ye hall, sir Robert Democke
Tragedy, in. x. 20 : " to stand on terms the Kynges champion, making a pro-
with us ? " (argue, debate). It is in clamation, that whosoeuer would saye
Greene's Orlando (Grosart, xiii. 127) that kyng Richarde was not lawfullye
exactly as in Q. Kyng, he would fight with hym at the
63. out of hand] See again 2 Henry utteraunce, and threwe downe his
sc. viii] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 137
K. Edw. Thanks, brave Montgomery, and thanks unto you all :
If fortune ser\'e me, I '11 requite this kindness.
Now, for this night, let 's harbour here in York,
And when the morning sun shall raise his car
Above the border of this horizon, 80
We '11 forward towards Warwick and his mates ;
For well I wot that Henry is no soldier.
Ah, fro ward Clarence, how evil it beseems thee
To flatter Henry, and forsake thy brother !
Yet, as we may, we'll meet both thee and Warwick. 85
Come on, brave soldiers : doubt not of the day :
And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay.
{Exeunt.
SCENE VIII. — London. The palace.
Flourish. Enter King Henry, Warwick, Montague,
Clarence, Exeter, and Oxford.
War. What counsel, lords ? Edward from Belgia,
With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,
76-82. Thanks . . . no soldier'] 53-58. We thanke you all. Lord Maire leade
on the waie. For this night wcele harbour here in Yorkc, And then as earlie as
the morning sunne liftes up his beanies ahoue the horison Weele march to London,
to meete with Warwike: And pull false Henry from the Regall throne. Exeunt
Omnes Q. 83-87. Ah,froward . . . pay] omitted Q.
Scene vin.
Flourish] F 1 ; omitted Q, Ff 2, 3, 4. Enter King Henry . . .] Enter the
King . . . Ff. 1-5. War. What . . . Hath pass\i . . . doth . . . to London
. . . flock to him] 23-27 (follows than you are hurt by me, 1. 76, scene vi. above,
or 1. 22, Q). Enter one ie>ith a letter to War7i<ike. War. What . . . Is past
. . , doe . . . towardes London . . . follow him Qq (Q 3 ttz^s giddy headed).
gauntlet, & then all the hall cried A Treaty se of Fysshynge wyth an
kyng Richard. And so he did in thre .Angle, 1496 : " But well I wote that the
partes of the halle and then one redde worme and the menow bee good
broughte hym a cup of wyne couered, bayte for hym [thecarpe] at all tymes."
& when he had dronke he caste oute
the drinke, & departed with the cuppe.
After that the herauldes cryed a largesse i. What counsel] See note at " Enter
thryse in the halle." The occasion is a Post," above, iv. vi. 77, on the mani-
not the same, but the formula is. See pulation here in Q.
also Marlowe's Edward IL (Dyce, i. yif/^-nj J Older than Belgium for the
218, b). country of the Belgae. See again
80. horizon] Not elsewhere in Shake- Comedy of Errors, ill. ii. 14 J, a passage
speare. Pronounced as orison. Not which is recalled by another in Nashe's
in common use at this time, though old. An Almond for a Parrot, 15S9: "Be-
In Q. hold the state of the low Countryes
82. well I wot] See Part I. iv. vi. 3.J, . . . suppose Martin to be the map
and above, 11. ii. 134, and below, v. iv. of Belgia dilacerata" (McKcrrow, iii.
71. Here is another early example from 354).
SCEJVE VIII.
ViH TIIK TIIIUl) \\\\{T OF [Ac-r.v.
Hath pass'd in safely through the narrow seas,
And with his troops doth inarch amain to London ;
And many giddy people flock to him. 5
A' Hfti. Let's levy men, and beat him back again.
C/ar. A little fire is quickly tnjdden out,
Which, being sufTer'd, rivers cannot quench.
War. In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,
Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war ; 10
Those will I muster up : and thou, son Clarence,
Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk and in Kent,
The knights and gentlemen to come with thee :
Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
Northampton, and in Leicestershire, shalt find 15
Men well incHn'd to hear what thou command's! :
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved
In Oxfordshire, shalt muster up thy friends.
My sovereign, with the loving citizens,
Like to his island girt in with the ocean, 20
Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs,
Shall rest in London till we come to him.
Fair lords, take leave, and stand not to reply.
Farewell, my sovereign.
K. Hen. Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy's true hope. 25
Clar. In sign of truth, I kiss your highness' hand.
6-8. K. Hen. Let's . . . again. Clar. A little . . . quench] 2S-20. Oxf. Tis
best to looke to this betimes, For if this fire doe kindle any further. It will be hard
for vs to quench it out Q. 9-24. Iti Warwickshire . . . Those . . . Shalt
stir . . . Suffolk . . . Kent, The . . . thee: Thou . . . shalt . . . command'st
. . . beloved . . . muster . . . the loving . . , Like . . . nymphs, Shall . . . sovereign]
31-44. In Warwickshire . . . Them . . . shalt In Essex, Suffolke . . . Kent,
Stir lip the . . . thee. And thou . . . in Leistershire, Buckingham and Nor-
thamptonshire shalt finde . . . to doe . . . commands. And . . . belou'd, shalt
in thy countries muster . . . his louing citizens. Shall rest . . . soueraigne Q.
25. Farewell . . . hope] 45. Farewell . . . Hector, my . . . hope Q. 26-31.
Clar. In sign of . . . happy farewell] omitted Q.
3. narrow seas] See i. i. 239 (note). g. true-hearted]. \gz\n\n Henry VIII.
These events are in the extract at the and King Lear. Spenser has " vile
beginning of last scene. Compare here hearted cowardice " in .Mother Hub-
Grafton, Continuation of Hardyng, berds Tale (Globe, 522, a).
p. 601 (1543) : " In the thirde yere of 21. Dian] Shakespeare is very fond
his reigne (Henry VIII) ... the Scottes of Dian for Diana. I find it (of the
. . . had out certain shippes well moon) in Hawes' Pastyme of Pleasure
manned and vitayled, and kepte with (p. 76 rept.), 1509: " Dyane derlynge,
theim the naroive seas . . . whiche pale as any leade."
rouers were named to be bannyshed 21. circled with] See 2 Henry VI.
men." i. ii. 10.
4. march amain to London] See 11. i. 25. Hector . . . Troy's true hope] We
182. have had this already 11. i. 51.
sc. viii] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 139
K. Hen. Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate !
Mont. Comfort, my lord ; and so I take my leave.
Oxf. And thus I seal my truth, and bid adieu.
K. Hen. Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague, 30
And all at once, once more a happy farewell.
War. Farewell, sweet lords : let 's meet at Coventry.
[Exeunt all but King Henry and Exeter,
K. Hen. Here at the palace will I rest awhile.
Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship?
Methinks the power that Edward hath in field 35
Should not be able to encounter mine.
Exe. The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.
K. Hen. That 's not my fear ; my meed hath got me fame :
I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands,
Nor posted off their suits with slow delays ; 40
My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs,
My mercy dried their water-flowing tears ;
I have not been desirous of their wealth,
Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies, 45
Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd.
Then why should they love Edward more than me ?
32. War. Farewell . . . Coventry] 46, 47. War. Farewell . . . Couentrie.
All. Agreed, Exeunt Omnes Q. 33-51. Here at the . . . shouts are these?]
omitted Q.
27. W cll-tninded] This compound is driven to its last stronghold of ab-
paralleled by " high-minded " (1 Henry surdity.
VI.) ; " bloody-minded " {2 and 3 40. posted off] Compare " posted
Henry VI.) \ " noble-minded " (i //e/try over" (2 Henry VI. m. i. 255); and
VI. and Titus Andronicits). " Proud- "o'er-posting " {2 Henry IV. i. ii. 171).
minded" is in Taming of Shrew. Hurried over. These words occur in
" Tender-minded " in King Lear ; and The True Tragidie of Richard Third
" motley minded" in As Yon Like It. (but not in Shakespeare's play Richard
But the use belongs to his younger work. ///.) : " But they that knew how inno-
" Well-minded " is in Hall's Chronicle cent I was, did post him ofl" with many
(p. 295) at this historical time : " Mon- longdelayes" (Hazlitt's Shaks. Lib. p.
tacute, whom the erle his brother well 126). An example from Hakluyt (" they
knewe not to be well mynded (but posted the matter off so often ") is given
sore agaynst his stomacke) to take in the Irving Shakespeare by Mr.
parte with these Lordes, and therefore Marshall. Compare Lodge's Euphues
stode in a doubt, whether he at this Golden Lti^uiic (Shaks. Lib. p. 129):
tyme niight trust him or no." The " posted off to the will of time."
Lords were Exeter, Somerset and Ox- Literally it occurs in A. Day, English
ford: and the time Barnetfield. Secretary, 1586: "The compasse of
38-50. That's not . . .follow him] your writing . . . makes me post off
Henry's characteristically effeminate the answer " {New Eng. Diet.).
speech, in the midst of these blood- 43. water-flowing tears] " water-
thirsty wars, has no counterpart in Q. flowing pipes" occurs in Locrine, iv.
In the last two lines " foolish pity" is iii., in a literal sense.
140
THK TlflKI) VAH'V OF
[act IV.
No, I^lxc'tcr, these graces challcn^^c {^race :
And when the lion fawns ujxmi the lamb,
The Iamb will never cease to follow him. $o
[ Shout within, " A Lancaster ! A Lancaster ! "
Exe. Hark, hark, my lord ! what shouts are these?
Enter King liDWAKD, GL0UCI<>^TP:k, and Soldiers.
K. Edw. Seize on the shame-faced Henry ! lx;ar him hence,
And once again proclaim us King of England.
You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow :
Now stops thy spring ; my sea shall suck them dr>', 55
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.
Hence with him to the Tower ! let him not speak.
[Exeunt so»ie with King Henry.
And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
Where peremptory Warwick now remains :
The sun shines hot ; and, if we use delay, 60
Cold biting winter mars our hop'd for hay.
Glou. Away betimes, before his forces join,
Enter . . .] Enter Edward and his souldiers Ff ; Enter Edward and his traine
Q (new scene of five lines). 52-64. Seize on . . . Coventry] 1-5. Seaze on
the shamefast Henry, And once againe conuaye him to the Tower. Await
with hinie, I will not heare him speake. And now towards Couentrie let
vs bend our course To meet with Warwike and his confederates. Exeunt
Omnes Q.
49, 50. lion . . . lamb] Is Shake-
speare poking fun at Henry VI. here ?
— digging him a little in the ribs ?
" Well-minded Clarence " might be re-
garded also as cynical.
52. Seize on . . . Henry] Hall de-
scribes Henry's capture: "When the
Duke of Somerset and other of Kynge
Henryes frendes, saw the world thus
sodaynly changed euery man fled and
in haste shyfted for hym selfe, leuyng
Kyng Henry alone, as an host that
should be sacrificed, in the Bishops
palace of London ... in whiche place
he was by Kynge Edward taken and
agayne committed to prison and
captiuitie " (p. 294).
52. shame-faced] modest, bashful,
shy. See note, Part II. i. iii. 54 : " In
him raigned shamefestnesse " (Grafton,
628).
54-56. small brooks . . . my sea shall
. . . swell . . .] May have been sug-
gested by Hall : " Kyng Edward did
dayly encrease hys power (as a runnyng
riuer by goyng more and more aug-
menteth)," 293.
60,61. sunshines . . . hay] \ some-
what awkward development of the
proverb " Make hay while the sun
shines." " Who that in July whyle
Phoebus is shynynge about his hay is
not besy labourynge shall in the winter
his negligence bewayle " (Barclay,
Ship of Fooles (Jamieson edn. li. 46),
1509) ; " When the sunne shineth,
make hay " (Heywood (Sharman, p. 11),
1546). Not a very old said saw. But
these lines are really from Q, modified.
See below, at the end of Scene iii. in
Act V. Malone has an ingenious "sus-
pect " here, that "hay" should be
"aye"; and the reading "hope for
aye." To him replied Steevens with
the true proverb, in a note which I had
not read when I wrote the above. He
gave it only from Ray.
sc. viii] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 141
And take the great-grown traitor unawares :
Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.
\Exeunt.
63. great-gYOwn'\ Compare "thick- play which affords a number of evi-
grown brake," above, in. i. i. Shake- dences of early work,
speare has " rough-grown " in Lucrece 64. Coventry'\ See above, line 32,
and " long- grown " in 1 Henry IV. where Warwick announces he is col-
And " high-grown " in King Lear ; a lecting his army at Coventry.
142
THE THIRD PAHT OF
[act v.
ACT V
SCENE I. — Coventry.
Enter Warwick, the Mayor of Coventry, two Messengers, and
others upon the walls.
War. Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow ?
First Mess. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
1-3. War. Where is . . . mine . . . First Mess. By . . . Dunsmore , . .
hitherward] 1-3. Enter Warwike on the walles. War. Where . . , my . . .
Oxf. post. By . . . Daintrie marching hitherward Q.
Enter Warwick, the Mayor of
Coventry . . .] The Coventry events
are transposed from their sequence in
Hall. They took place (as iv. viii. 58
implies) before Edward's capture of
Henry, and while he was on his way
to London. After the meeting with
Montgomery, and the evading of
Montague (see iv. vii. 8 and 41 ex-
tracts), Hall writes : " War\vycke was
displeased, and grudged against his
brother the Marques, for lettynge Kyng
Edward passe ... ye Marques . . .
neuer moved fote, nor made resistence
as he was commaunded . . . the erie
... in all haste sent for the duke of
Clarence to ioyne with hym. But when
he perceiued that the duke lingered . . .
he then began to suspect that the
duke was of hys bretherne corrupted
... & therefore without delay marched
toward Couentrie. ... In the meane
season Kyng Edward . . . avaunced
his power toward Couentrie, & in a
playne by the citie he pytched his felde.
And the next day ... he valiantly bad
the erle battayle : which mistrustyng
that he should be deceaued by the duke
of Clarence (as he was in dede) kept
hym selfe close within the walles. And
yet he had perfect worde ye duke of
Clarence came . . . \vith a great army,
Kynge Edward being also thereof en-
formed, raysed hys campe, & made to-
ward the duke ... as though he would
fight. When eche hoste was in sight
of other, Rychard duke of Glocester,
brother to them both, as though he had
beene made arbiter . . . rode to the duke
. . . from him he came to Kyng Ed-
ward ... in conclusion . . . both the
bretheren louingly embraced & com-
moned together . . . thys marchandyse
was labored ... by a damsell, v.hen the
duke was in the French court, to the
erles utter confusion . . . Clarence
sent diuers frendes (to the earl) to ex-
cuse him of the act he had done . . .
(and) ... to take some good ende
now while he might with kyng Ed-
ward. When the erle had hard
paciently the dukes message, lord,
howe he detested & accursed him . . .
he gaue aunswere . . . that he had
leuer be always lyke hym selfe, then
like a false & a periured duke, and
that he was fully determined neuer to
leue war tyll either he had lost hys owne
lyfe, or . . . put under his foes and
enemies " (p. 294). Warwick then
hurries toward London hoping to over-
take and fight King Edward on the
way, the latter having proceeded there
at once. On his way he learns that
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 143
JVar. How far off is our brother Montague ?
Where is the post that came from Montague ? 5
Second Mess. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
En^er Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE.
War. Say, Somerville, what says my loving son ?
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
Som. At Southam I did leave him with his forces,
And do expect him here some two hours hence, 10
[Drum heard.
War. Then Clarence is at hand ; I hear his drum.
Som. It is not his, my lord ; here Southam lies :
The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
War. Who should that be? belike, unlook'd-for friends.
Som. They are at hand, and you shall quickly know. 1 5
March. Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, GLOUCESTER,
and forces.
K. Edw. Go, trumpet, to the walls, and sound a parle.
Glou. See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
War. O unbid spite ! is sportful Edward come ?
Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
That we could hear no news of his repair ? 20
K. Edw. Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
Speak gentle words, and humbly bend thy knee,
Call Edward king, and at his hands beg mercy ?
And he shall pardon thee these outrages.
4, 5. How . . . our . . . from Montague ?] 4, 5. Where is our . . . from
Montague ? Q. 6. Second Mess. By . . . troop] 6. Post. I left him at Dons-
more with his troopes Q. 7, 8. Enter . . . War. Say . . . my . . . nigh
. . . now ?] 7, 8. War. Say Summerjield where is my . . . far re . . . hence ? Q.
9-11. Som. At . . . with . . . forces . . . here some two . . . hence. War.
Then Clarence . . . drum] 9-1 1. Summer. At Southham my Lord I left him
. . . force . . . him two hourcs hence. War. Then Oxford . . . drum Q.
12-15. Som. It is not . . . quickly know] omitted Q. 16. A'. Edw. Go . . .
parle] omitted Q. 17-20. See how . . . his repair] 12-15. Enter Edward and
his power. Glo. See brother, where the . . . spotfull . . . haue no newts of
their repaire Q. 21-24. ^ow . . . outrages] 16, 17. Now Waricike wilt thou
be sorrie for thy faults. And call Edward king and he will pardon thee Q.
he is late and Henry is taken prisoner. 18. j/'()r(/"«/] Occurs in Sylvester's Dm
He determines therefore to hazard all Bartas (Third Day), p. 52, ed. 1621 :
on one battle and "pitched his field" "Som sport-full Jig." See Introduc-
on an hill at Barnet, ten miles distant tion, Part I. I think (as the lawyers
from both London and Saint Albans, say) " you may take it from me " that
For his allies, see note at " well- " spotful " in Qq is a misprint. Edward
minded," above, line 27. was a great carouser.
6. Daintry] Daventry. These two ig. Where slept our scouts] Steevens
are transposed in Q. parallels King John, iv. ii. 116.
144 THE THIRD PART OF [act v.
IVar. Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence, 25
Confess who set thee up anrl pluck 'd thee down,
Call Warwick patron, and be [x^nitent ?
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.
G/ou. I thought, at least, he would have said the king;
Or did he make the jest against his will ? 30
JVar. Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift ?
G/ou. Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give :
I'll do thee service for so good a gift.
n^ar. 'Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.
K. Edw. Why then 'tis mine, if but by Warwick's gift 35
War. Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight :
And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again ;
And Henry is my king, Warwick his subject.
K. Edw. But Warwick's king is Edward's prisoner ;
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this : 40
What is the body when the head is off?
Glou. Alas ! that Warwick had no more forecast,
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was slily finger'd from the deck.
25-28. Nay . . . hence . . . pluck'J . . . York] 18-21. Naie . . . backe . . .
pidd . . . Yorke Q. 29, 30. / thought . . . will] 22, 23. I had thought . . .
will Q. 3I-34' ^^ w< . . . thy brother] 24. War. Twas Warwike gaue the
kingdome to thy brother Q. 35-38. Why then . . . Thou art . . . And Henry
. . . subject] 25-28. Why then . . . I but thou art . . . Henry . . . subiect
Q. 39. But . . . ^n'sowrr] omitted Q. 40-46. And, gallant . . . What is
. . .forecast . . . whiles . . . slily . . . i't the Tower] 29-35. Edw. I prithee
gallant . . . tell me this, what is . . .foresight . . . whilst . . . finelie . . .in
the Bishops . . . Tower Q.
3^. I ^11 do thee service]'Te.c\m\c3\\2,n- adjective in Soliman and Perseda, 11. i.
guage of feudalism, used mockingly? 80: " the weakling coward."
It cannot be military here. 43. the single ten] simple ten. The
36. Atlas] Shakespeare has not this nearest card to a court or royal card,
illustration elsewhere. Peele used it of But there may be a reference here to a
England's ruler (Elizabeth) in Poly- special game. Gloucester is so fond of
hymnia, 1590: — proverbial allusions; or as Prince
" Britannia's y4i/a5, star of England's Edward calls them below, " his currish
globe riddles " (v. v. 26).
That sways the massy sceptre of 44. finger'd] stolen. See again,
her land Hamlet, v. ii. 15.
And holds the royal reins of 44. <ffc*] pack of cards. Still in use
Albion." in Ireland (especially in Galway). The
37. wifaJt/xH^] " Thyself art mighty; earliest I have met is in Three Lords
for thine own sake leave me: Myself a and Three Ladies of London (Hazlitt's
weakling'' {Lncrece, 584). Nowhere Dodsley, vi. 422), a«<f 1590 : "I am one
else in Shakespeare. I have no earlier more (knave) than is in the deck.''
example. Both Sylvester (1591) and Peele is very fond of cards : " since the
Spenser used words in -ling : the latter King hath put us among the discarding
has " nursling," "worldling"; the for- cards, and as it were, turned us wi»-h
mer "godling," " lambling," "starve- deuces and treys out of the deck"
ling," "riverling." It is used as an {Edward I. ed. Bullen, Sc. ^^i. 29-31).
sc. I] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 145
You left poor Henry at the bishop's palace, 45
And, ten to one, you '11 meet him in the Tower.
K. Edw. 'Tis even so : yet you are Warwick still.
Glou. Come, Warwick, take the time ; kneel down, kneel
down.
Nay, when ? strike now, or else the iron cools.
War. I had rather chop this hand off at a blow, 50
And with the other fling it at thy face.
Than bear so low a sail, to strike to thee.
K. Edw. Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend.
This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair.
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off, 55
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood ;
" Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more."
Enter OXFORD, with drum and colours.
War. O cheerful colours ! see where Oxford comes !
Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster !
yHe and his forces enter the city.
Glou. The gates are open, let us enter too. 60
K. Edw. So other foes may set upon our backs.
47. 'TJs . . . stilV^ 36. Tis even so, and yet you are aide Warwike still Q.
48-57. Come, Warwick . . . change no more'\ omitted Q. 58-60. Enter . . .
O cheerful . . . enter too'] 37-40. O cheereful . . . comes. Enter Oxford with
drum and souldiers &> al crie. Oxf. Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster. Exit. Edw.
The gates are open, see they enter in, Lets follow them and bid them battaile in
the streetes Q. 61-65. ^^ other . . . same] 41, 42. Glo. No, so some other
might set xipon our backs, Weele staie till all be entered, and then follow them Q.
47. you are Warrvick still] Nearly bonnet, to lower the ensign or topsail
Warwick's own words at the end of in saluting. " Made the highest strike
extract from Hall above. sail and vayle bonnet " (Court and Times
49. strike . . . iron cools] " strike of y antes /. ii. 38, Letter of Carleton,
while the iron is hot." It is in Hey- 1617).
wood (ed. Sharman, p. ii), 1546. 53. wind and tide thy friend] Seems
50,51. hand . . . with the other to have been a saying about Warwick;
fling it] See above, 11. vi. 81, 82. see above, in. iii. 48 : " For this is he
52. bear so low a sail] Not in Shake- that moves both wind and tide." The
speare again, but a common old expres- expression " wind and tide " is also in
sion : " he makyth them to here babyllcs, Comedy of Errors, but in the applied
and to here a low sayW' (Skelton, Spcke use here it seems uncommon. It occurs
Parrot (I. 422), circa 1515). And in in The Proverbs of John Heywood
Tusser, 500 Points (Kng. Dial. Soc. p. (Early Eng. Dramat.cA.Viiimci,^!. },&),
211), 1580: " beare lowe saile, least 1546: " Let this wind overblow : a time
stocke should quaile." To go modestly, I will spy To take wind and /«i/t' with
humbly, or like a craven. The converse me, and speed thereby."
wasalso used, and is in North's P/MCarc/i, 54. coal-black] Sec "coal-black as
1579 (Tudor Trans, iii. 37). jet" (^ Henry VL 11. i. iii, note, and
52. to strike to thee] strike sail at thy v. i. 6g, note). Often in Peele.
appearance, see above, in. iii. 5. To 61. backs] rear (of army). Sec 2
strike sail was the same as to vail Henry IV. i. iii. 79.
140 TIIK Til I HI) I'Ain OF [act v.
Stand wc in ^(jod array ; for they, no doubt,
Will issue out again and bid us battle :
If not, the city being but of small defence,
We'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same. 65
IVar. O, welcome, Oxford ! for we want thy help.
Enter MONTAGUE, wM drum and colours.
Mont. Montague, Montague, for Lancaster !
\He and his forces enter the city.
Glou. Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason
Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.
K. Edw. The harder match'd, the greater victory: 70
My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
Enter SOMERSET, with drum and colours.
Sam. Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster I
{He and his forces enter the city.
Glou. Two of thy name, both Dukes of Somerset,
Have sold their lives unto the house of York ;
And thou shalt be the third, if this sword hold. 75
Enter CLARENCE, with drum and colours.
War. And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along.
Of force enough to bid his brother battle ;
66. War. 0, . . . help'\ omitted Q. 67. Enter Montague . . .] 47. Enter
Montague . . . and souldiers. Mont. Montague . . . Lancaster. Exit Q.
68, 69. Glou. Thou . . . bear] 48, 49. Edw. Traitorous Montague, thou and
thy . . . Shall deerely abie this rebellious act Q. 70,71. K.Edw. The hard^r
. . . conquest] omitted Q. 72. Enter Somerset . . . Som. Somerset . . .] 43.
Enter Summerset . . . and soldiers. Sum. Summerset . . . Lancaster. Exit. Q.
73-75. Two of ... if this sword hold] 44-46. Two of . . . and my sword hold
Q. 76-80. War. And lo, . . , force . . . battle , . . Come, Clarence . . .
63. bid us battle] See extract from quickly. Golding speaks of " Apollo
Hall at beginning of scene. And see . . . sweeping through the ayre "
III. iii. 235. (Ovid's Metamorphoses, xi. 218) in
68, 69. buy this treason . . . with] flight,
exchange it for. Compare Locrine, 11. 77. Of force enough to . . . battle]
iv. 13 : " thou shalt buy thy rashness Phillip de Commines says (Danett's
with thy death. And rue too late thy trans, p. 89, 1596): " as they stood in
overbold attempts." The word "abie " order of battelle, the one in face of the
{i.e. pay for) in Q here, occurs twice in other, suddenly the D. of Clarence
Midsummer Night^s Dream (in. ii. the King's brother (who was reconciled
I75i 335) in forms aby and abie, Qq, to the King as before you have heard)
abide, Ff. reuolted to the King with twelue
73. Two of thy name] "Edmund, thousand men and better, which no lesse
slain at the battle of St. Alban's, 1455, astonied the Earle than encouraged the
and Henry, his son, beheaded after King, whose force was not great."
the battle of Hexham, 1463 " (Ritson). 77. bid his brother battle] See note
76. sweeps along] goes along at line 63 above.
SC. I.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
147
With whom an upright zeal to right prevails
More than the nature of a brother's love !
Come, Clarence, come ; thou wilt, if Warwick call. 80
Clar. Father of Warwick, know you what this means ?
[ Taking his red rose out of his hat.
Look here, I throw my infamy at thee :
I will not ruinate my father's house,
Who gave his blood to lime the stones together,
And set up Lancaster. Why, trow'st thou, Warwick, 85
That Clarence is so harsh, so blunt, unnatural,
To bend the fatal instruments of war
Against his brother and his lawful king ?
Perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath :
To keep that oath were more impiety 90
Than Jephthah's, when he sacrificed his daughter.
1 am so sorry for my trespass made
That, to deserve well at my brother's hands,
I here proclaim myself thy mortal foe :
With resolution, wheresoe'er I meet thee, — 95
As I will meet thee if thou stir abroad, —
calV\ 50-55. Enter Clarence . . . souldiers. War. And he . . . power . . .
battell. Cla. Clarence, Clarence, for Lancaster. Edw. Et tu Brute, wilt thou
stab Ccesar too ? A parlie sirra to George of Clarence. Sound a Parlie, and
Richard and Clarence whispers together, and then Clarence takes his red Rose
out of his hat, and throwes it at Warwikc. War. Com, Clarence, come, . . .
call Q. 81-88. Clar. Father . . . means . . . I throw . . . Lancaster . . .
lawfil king ?'] 56-62. Cla. Father . . . meanes ? I throw mine . . . Lancaster,
Thinkest thou That Clarence is so harsh Hintaturall, To lift his sword against
his brother's life Q. 89-97. Ferhaps thou wilt . . . misleading mc'\ omitted Q.
80. Et tu Brute, wilt thou stab
Casar too] This line (Q) is made use of
in yulius Ccesar, iii. i. 77, although
omitted here.
81. Taking his red rose . . .] Not in
Ff, but inserted from Q by Theobald,
and absolutely necessary. The Quarto
follows Hall closely in the parley
of Richard and Clarence.
83. ruinate'] Only here and in Titus
Andronicus in the plays. Also in
Lucrece, 944; and Sonnet 10. It is in
Spenser's Faerie Queene, 11. xii. 7, v.
X. 26. And in his Mothrr lliibberds
Tale (Globe, 522, b). Very often in
Greene. Still used provincially in
Ireland.
84. to lime] to cement. The verbal
use readily sugj^ested itself from the
common verb "to lime" (from bird
lime).
87, 88. To bend . . . Against) to
direct them against. Compare Richard
//. in. ii. 116, and Richard lU. 1. ii.
95. Feele has
" That bends his force, puflf'd up with
Amurath's aid,
Against your holds"
(Battle of Alcazar, Act i. ii. iS (424, a,
Dyce)).
91. Jephthah] See Judges xi. 30.
Again in Hamlet. There were at least
two Latin, or University plavs on
Jephthah considerably before this date ;
and two English ones later.
95, 96. meet thee . . . meet thee]
Something near Pcele's way of writ-
ing :—
" And haste they make to meet and
meet they do,
And do the thing for which they
meet in liasle "
148
THE THIRD PART OF
[act v.
To plague thee for thy foul misleading me.
And so, proud-hcartcd Warwick, I defy thee,
And to my brother turn my blushing cheeks.
Pardon me, Edward, I will make amends: lOO
And, Richard, do not frown upon my faults.
For I will henceforth be no more unconstanL
K. Edw. Now, welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate.
Glou. Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like. 105
War. O passing traitor, perjured and unjust !
K. Edw. What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town, and fight ?
Or .shall we beat the stones about thine ears?
War. Alas, I am not coop'd here for defence !
I will away towards Barnet pre.sently, 1 10
And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou darest.
K. Edw. Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way.
Lords to the field : Saint George and victory !
{^Exeunt. March. Warwick and his company follow.
98-102. And so . . . Edward . . . And, Richard . . . For . . . unconstant]
63-67. And so ... my brothers . . . Edward, for I have done amisse. And . . .
upon me, For henceforth I will prone no more vnconstant Q. 103, 104. Now
. . . and . . . beloved . . . hate] 68, 69. Welcome Clarence, and . . . welcome,
. . . hate Q. 105, 106. Welcome . . . brother-like . . . unjust] 70, 71.
Welcome . . , brotherlic . . . vniust Q. 107, 108. What, Warwick . . .
ears ?"] 72-74. Now Warwike . . . eares ? Q. 109-111. Alas, I . . . here
. . . towards . . . darest] 75-77. Why I . . . vppe heere . . . to . . . darest
Q. 112, 113. Yes . . . Edward dares . . . victory] 78, 79. Yes . . . he
dares . . . victorie. Exeunt Omnes. Q.
(Polyhymnia, 141 (571, a)). At a
riper age, Shakespeare writes " 'tis
true, 'tis pity, And pity 'tis 'tis true.
A foolish figure."
98. proud-hearted] Not elsewhere in
Shakespeare. See note at "great-
grown," IV. viii. 63, and at "well-
minded," IV. viii. 27. There are many
combinations, with " -hearted," mostly
in the early plays and poems.
106. passing] surpassing. For this
line, see extract from Hall at the be-
ginning of the Act.
108, about thine ears] about thy
head. Frequent in Shakespeare, as
in Henry V. iii. vii. 91 ; Romeo and
Juliet, III. i. 84; and Coriolanus, iii. ii.
I, IV. vi. 99. Always with reference
to combat, or damage done, and helped
no doubt by the phrase " by the ears,"
from animal-fighting, especially bear-
baiting.
109. Alas] Used in mockery ; not an
uncommon sense. Compare G. Har-
vey, Trimming of Thomas Nashe
(Grosart, iii. 48); ''Alas, I could do
anie thing with thee now " ; and again
{ibid. 63) : " Alas, have thy writings
such efficacie." And Greene, Philomela
(Grosart, xi. 122) : " such pleasant
Lessons, alas it were amorous loue
vowed in honour of Venus." I have
noted it elsewhere in Shakespeare.
log. coop'd] confined. See King
John, II. i. 25. Compare Locrine, 11. i.
92: " Penthesilea . . . Coop'd up the
faint-heart Grecians in the camp."
Lodge has it similarly in Wounds of
Civil War (Hazlitt's Dodsley, vii.
179) :—
" Here in Praeneste am I cooped up
Amongst a troop of hunger-starved
men."
Both later than 3 Henry VI.
SC. II.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
149
SCENE II. — A field of battle near Barnet.
Alarums and excursions. Enter King EDWARD, bringing forth
Warwick wounded.
K. Edw. So He thou there : die thou, and die our fear ;
For Warwick was a bug that fear'd us all.
Now, Montague, sit fast : I seek for thee.
That Warwick's bones may keep thine company. {Exit.
War. Ah, who is nigh ? come to me, friend or foe, 5
And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick ?
Why ask I that ? my mangled body shows.
My blood, my want of strength, my sick heart shows
That I must yield my body to the earth.
And, by my fall, the conquest to my foe. 10
Thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge,
Whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle,
Scene it. Alarums . . . ] Ff ; Alarmes, and then enter Warwike wounded Q.
1-4. K. Edw. So lie . . . cow/aH_v] omitted Q. 5-14. War. Ah, who is nigh ?
. . . to my foe . . . spreading tree] i-g. War. Ah, who is nie ? ... to my foes
. . . top branch . . . spreading tree (rampant (oi ramping Q^) {Vine S omitted) Q.
I. Enter King Edward, bringing forth
Warwick woiinded]Q has only "enter
Warwick wounded." Hall writes
here: " Kyng Edward beyng wery of
so long a conflict . . . caused a great
crewe of fresh men ... to set on
their enemies . . . the erle . . . know-
ing perfitly that there was all Kyng
Edwardes power, comforted his men
. . . desyring them with hardy stom-
ackes, to bear out this last and finall
brunt of the battaile . . . his souldiers
beyng sore wounded . . . gave little
regard to his worde, he beyng a man of
a mynde inuincyble, rushed into the
middest of his enemies, where he was
. . . striken doune and slainc. The
marquis Montacute, thynkyng to succor
his brother, was likewise ouer ihrowen
and slain. After the crle was ded, his
parte fled" (p. 296). . . . "Some
aucthors write, that this b.ittaill was
fought so nere hande, that Kyng I''d-
ward was constrained to fight his
awne person, and fought as sore as
any man of his partie, and that the
erle of Warwicke, whiche was wont
euer to ride on horsebacke . . . com-
fortyng his men was now aduiscd by
the Marques his brother to rclynquishe
his horse, and try the extremitie by
handie strokes " (296). Shakespeare
has therefore excellent reason for these
personal encounters.
2. bug that fear'd us all] From
Spenser's Faerie Queenc, 11. xii. 25 : —
" For all that hereon earth we dread-
full hold,
Be but as bugs to fearen babes
withall,
Compared to the creatures in the
seas entrall."
And again, 11. iii. 20: "ghastly bug
does greatly them aff'eare." See again
in The Taming of the Shrew, i. ii. 113.
Goiding speaks of " The barking bug
Anubis " in his Oxnd's Metamorphoses,
Book ix. 814. Craig quotes from As-
cham's Toxophiltts.
3. sit fast] See iv. i. 119 (note).
II, 12. cedar . . . princely eugle]
Compare Marlowe's Edward II. (Dycc,
195, a) :• " A lofty cedartrec fair flourish-
ing, On whose top branches kingly
eagles perch." "Princely eagle" has
occurred already in this play, 11. i. 91.
One of the parallels adduced by Dyce
to show th.^t Marlowe had ;i share in the
writing of the True Tragedie (Q).
1 1- 15. cedar , . . low shrubs'\ This
150
THE THIRD PAllT OF
[act v.
Under whose shade the ramping lion slept,
Whose top branch overpcer'd Jove's spreading tree
And kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind. i 5
These eyes, that now are dimm'rl with flcath's black veil,
Have been as piercing as the mid-day sun
To search the secret treasons of the world :
The wrinkles in my brows, now fill'd with blood,
Were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres ; 20
For who liv'd king but I could dig his grave?
And who durst smile when Waru'ick bent his brow ?
Lo ! now my glory smear'd in dust and blood ;
My parks, my walks, my manors that I had,
Even now forsake me ; and of all my lands 25
Is nothing left me but my body's length.
15-18. And kept . . . the world] omitted Q. 19-26. The wrinklti
body's length] 10-17. ^^'^ wrinkles , . . bodies length Q.
additional metaphor is very dexterously
woven into the first writing in Q. It
is in Titus Andronicus, iv. iii. 45 : "we
are but shrubs, no cedars we " ; in a
different usage Greene has it as here:
" high Cedars are crushed with tem-
pests, when low shrubs are not touched
with the winde " (Pti)idosto (Grosart, iv.
249), 1588). And in Perimedes : " poore
men like little shrubs . . . escaped
many blastes, when high and tall
Ceaders were shaken with euerie tem-
pest " (Grosart, vii. 42), 1588. See also
Soliman and Perseda (Hazlitt's Dods-
ley, V. 364), 1592 : '• But the shrub is
safe when the cedar shaketh." Later it
is one of the commonest figures. See
Beaumont and Fletcher, Rollo, ii. 3 ;
Lover's Progress, 1. i. ; Vnlentinicvt, 11.
vi. And Chapman's Byrons Tragedie,
V. (Pearson, ii. 306) ; Dryden, Rival
Ladies, vii. t (1664), etc. Much varied
but substantially identical. Nashe has
it in Foure Letters Confuted (Grosart,
ii. 236), 1593. Were we to assign this
image of a necessity to Greene, and the
preceding lines to Marlowe, we arrive
at this result : Marlowe wrote the True
Tragedie here, and Greene furbished it
up for the first Folio ! This, I think, is
a new view, but it is as legitimate as
some of the arguments (Malone's e.g.)
one meets. I see nothing but Shake-
speare in this noble speech, seizing on
noble thoughts.
13. the ramping lion] Compare Spen-
ser, Faerie Qucene, 1. iii. 5 : —
" It fortuned, out of the thickest wood
A ramping lyon rushed suddeinly."
Peele has "a ramping lioness," and
"ramping lion-like."
14. Jove's . . . tree] Marlowe has
"Jove's huge tree" in Edward IL
(near the end). Golding lells of the
tree, Ovid's Metamorphoses, xW. 802,
803 ;—
" This tree (as all the rest of Okes)
was sacred unto Jove
And sprouted of an .\corne. which
was fet from Dodon grove."
See again As You Like It, iii. ii. 249.
Greene says " The Oake is called Arbor
Jovis for the strength " (Grosart, ix.
174)-
16, 17. These eyes . . . as piercing
. . . wi/rf-f/aj 5Hn] See Part II. III. i. 216
(note). Peele has "piercing eyes" in
David and Bethsabe (466, a). Compare
1 Henry VI. 1. i. 12-14 ■ " His sparkling
eyes . . . More dazzled and drove back
his enemies. Than midday sun." An
interesting parallel, or unconscious con-
tinuation of an older thought, through
the time of the whole three Parts.
Compare Kyd's Spanish Tragedy (end
of Act iii.): "torches . . . As brightly
burning as the mid-daies sunne."
20. sepulchres] See 11. v. 115.
23. glory smear'd in dust] Compare
" Triumphant death, smear'd \\-ith
captivity " (I Henry VI. iv. vii. 3).
Smirched, besmeared. See Contention,
Part I. at v. ii. 46 ; " Smeared . . .
with . . . blood,"
sc. II ] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 151
Why, what is pomp, rule, reign, but earth and dust ?
And, live we how we can, yet die we must.
Enter Oxford and SOMERSET.
Som. Ah, Warwick, Warwick ! wert thou as we are.
We might recover all our loss again. 30
The queen from France hath brought a puissant power ;
Even now we heard the news. Ah ! could'st thou fly.
War. Why, then I would not fly. Ah ! Montague,
If thou be there, sweet brother, take my hand.
And with thy lips keep in my soul a while. 35
Thou lov'st me not ; for, brother, if thou didst.
Thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood
That glues my lips and will not let me speak.
Come quickly, Montague, or I am dead.
27, 28. Why, what . . . we musf] 35, 36. War. What is ... we must Q.
29-32. Enter . . . Som. Ah, . . . Jly] 18-22. Enter . . . Oxf. Ah . . . cheere
vp thy selfe and line. For yet thears hope enough to win the daie. Our warlike
Queene with troopes is come from France, And at South-hampton landed all hir
traine, And mightst thou Hue, then would we neuer flie Q. 33-39. War. Why,
then . . . I am dead} 23-27. War. Whie then I would not flie, nor haue I now,
But Hercules himselfe must yeeld to ods, For manie wounds receiu'd, and manie
moe repaid. Hath robd my strong knit sinews of their strength. And spite of
spites needs must I yeeld to death Q.
27, 28. Why, what is pomp . . . we 33. Why, then I would not fly] In Q
miist\ These lines are put into Warwick's there is a strange medley here. We
lips in his final speech (before " Sweet have first a missing line, " For Hercules
rest his soul ") in Q. himself must yield to odds," that has
31. The queen from France] This been already made use of at ti. i. 53 in
passage is neatly narrated by Commines this play. But stranger still remains.
(Danett, 89): "The Prince of Wales The three lines following in Q, have
was landed in England when this battcll already appeared above at 11. iii. 3-5,
above mentioned was fought, having in and more exactly than in their ap-
his company the Dukes of Excester and pearance at that place in Q. " Spite of
Sommerset (our Chronicles report that spite," for example, replaces there the
the Duke of Sommerset was at Barnet Q " force perforce" (used in 2 Henry
field with the Earle of Warwicke and VI. i. i. 258). These puzzling confu-
repaired afterward to the Queene, and sions cannot possibly be explained cx-
was taken in the second battle, and then cept in the one way — identity of
beheaded), with diuers others of his authorship and a natural carelessness
kinsfolkes. . . . His army was to the in using his own matter when rewriting,
number of forty thousand, as I have Texts and memories now mixed. The
been informed by diuers that were with words following here in Q show an un-
him : and if the E.irle of Warwicke meaning break-off. There was perhaps
would haue staled for him it is very some erasure, or mark to show one was
like tiie victory should haue been theirs, needed. I see Malone has not failed
But the Earle feared both the Duke of to see these repetitions. The Hercules
Sommerset, whose father and brother line he is therefore compelled to with-
he had slaine, and also Queene Margaret draw from Shakespeare. It is Malone's
the Princes mother, wherefore he fought position that nothing in Q can be by
alone and would not tarie for them." Shakespeare.
This is much nearer the dramatic 37. congealed blood] See above, i. iii.
arrival than Hall's account. 52 (note).
152 THE THIRD PAllT OF [aci v.
Som. Ah, Warwick ! Montaj^ue hath breath'rl his last ; 40
And to the latest gasp cried out for Warwick,
And said " Commend me to my valiant brother."
And more he would have said ; and more he spoke,
Which sounded like a cannon in a vault,
That mought not be distinguish'd ; but at last 45
I well might hear, deliver'd with a groan,
" O, farewell, Warwick ! "
War. Sweet rest his soul ! Fly, lords, and save yourselves ;
For Warwick bids you all farewell, to meet in heaven.
[Dies.
Oxf. Away, away, to meet the queen's great power ! 50
[Here they hear away his body. Exeunt.
SCENE III.— Another part of the field.
Flourish. Enter King EDWARD in triumph ; with ClarencEi
Gloucester, and the rest.
K. Edw. Thus far our fortune keeps an upward course,
And we are graced with wreaths of victory.
40-47. Som. Ah, , . . Montague ... And to ... And said . . . have said
. . . spoke, Which , . . mought . . . Warwick I] 28-34. Som. Thy brother Mon-
tague . . . And at the pangs of death I heard him crie And saie . . . haue
spoke . . . said, which . . . could not be distinguisht for the sound, And so the
valiant Montague gaue vp the ghost Q. 48, 49. War. Sweet . . . heaven] 37,
38. Sweet . . . Heauen. He dies Q (for 35, 36, Q, see above at 27, 28). 50.
Oxf. Away . . . power] 39-44. Oxf. Come noble Summerset, lets take our horse,
And cause retrait be sounded through the campe. That all our friends that yet
remaine aliue. Mate be awarn'd and saue themselues by flight. That done, with
them weele post unto the Queene, And once more trie our fortune in the field. Ex.
Ambo. Q.
Scene ///.
Enter . . .] Enter Ed^vard, Clarence, Gloster, with souldicrs Q. i, 2.
Thus . . , victory] 45-48. Thus still our fortune gities vs victoric. And girts
our temples with triumphant ioies. The bigboond tray tor Warwike hath breathde
his last. And heauen this daie hath smilde vpon vs all Q.
41. latest gasp] See 11. i. 108 (note). Scene hi.
43, 44. more he spoke . . . cannon
in a vault] Compare the passage at the 1-9. Thus far . . . fight with us]
death of Warwick's brother, 11. iii. 17, Shakespeare has altered the wording
18 : — here, but the substance and even the
" in the very pangs of death figures of speech are identical,
he cried " Girts " is paralleled and noted on both
Like to a dismal clangor heard in Part L and Part IL (iii. i. 171 and
from far, i. i. 63). "Bigboned" occurs in Titus
' Warwick, revenge !' " Andronicus, iv. iii. 46. "Bright-
Many editors read " clamour " here from some " is in Marlowe's jfew of Malta ;
Q, which is to be regretted. " Beames " (in Q) is apparently a
45. moMjg'Ai] Old form of " might." It mistake. The unpleasant "I mean,"
is in Spenser's Shepheard's Calender, already noted on, is common to both.
March. Peele uses it later, "Easeful" is twice in Peele, David
sc. Ill] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 153
But, in the midst of this bright-shining day,
I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud
That will encounter with our glorious sun, 5
Ere he attain his easeful western bed :
I mean, my lords, those powers that the queen
Hath raised in Gallia, have arrived our coast.
And, as we hear, march on to fight with us.
Clar. A little gale will soon disperse that cloud, lO
And blow it to the source from whence it came :
Thy very beams will dry those vapours up.
For every cloud engenders not a storm.
Glou. The queen is valued thirty thousand strong.
And Somerset, with Oxford, fled to her : 1 5
If she have time to breathe, be well assured
Her faction will be full as strong as ours.
K. Edw. We are advertis'd by our loving friends
That they do hold their course toward Tewksbury.
We, having now the best at Barnet field, 20
3-6. But, in . . . day, I spy . . . threatening cloud That . . . sun, Ere . . .
his . . . bed] 50-52. But in this clecre and brightsome daie, I see . . . cloud
appeare That . . . sunne Before he gaine his . . . beames Q. 7-9. / mean
. . . with tts] 53, 54. / mean those powers which the Queen hath got in Frdce
Are landed, and meane once more to menace vs Q. 10-13. Clar. A little gale
... a storm] omitted Q. I4-I7. The queen . . . If she . . . breathe . . .
Her . . . ours] 55-57. Oxford and Summerset are fled to hir, And tis likelie if
she . . . breath, Her . . . ours Q. 18, 19. IVe . . . Teivksbury] 58, 59. We
. . . towards Tewxburie Q. 20. We . . . field] omitted Q.
and Bethsabe (464 and 466), though 14. thirty thousand] Commines said
nowhere else in Shakespeare. But forty thousand. See extract at hne 31,
it was long in use. " Bigboned " is also last scene.
in Soliman and Perseda, and in Me- 15. Oxford] See below, v. v. 2.
nechmus,\. i. With " bigboned " com- 20, 21. Wc, having now . . . Barnet
pare " burly boned" [2 Henry VI. iv. x. field. Will thither straight] Commines
57). The second act of Tamburlaine, continues exactly as here :" So soone as
Part I. begins, " Thus far are we towards King Edward had obtained this victory,
Theridamas." he marched incontinent against the
6. attain] Used transitively again in Prince of Wales, where another cruell
Coriolanus, Julius Casar,2inALucrece, battell was fought (Tewkesbury): for
781. For the last passage see quota- the Princes forces was greater than the
tion at " noontide prick," above, Kings, notwithstanding the lot of the
I. iv. 34. victorie fell to the King" (p. 89,
7. / wi'aM] See above, IV. vi. 51. Danett). In Hall's account much
10. A little gale] Compare Faerie time and change of scene is expended
Querne, in. iv. 10: "At last blow up before Queen Margaret and Prince
some gentle gale of ease." See this use Edward meet the King at Tewkesbury,
in Taming of Shrew, i. ii. 48, and Tewkesbury was pressid on, against
Tempest, \. \. ii'\. Wind: now a high her will, by Somerset. She had taken
wind. sanctuary "at Bcaulieu in Hamshire "
10. disperse that cloud] Compare with Prince Edward "for the wealth
Kyd's Spanish Tragedy (iii. xiv. 97, and conseruucion of hir one iucll the
Boas): " Disperce those clouds and Prince her sonne." She was completely
melanchollie lookes." cowed and disheartened by Barnet field.
154 THE THIRD PART OV [act v.
Will thither straight, for willingness rids way ;
And, as we march, our strength will be augmented
In every county as we go along.
Strike up the drum ! cry " Courage ! " and away.
f Flourish. Exeunt.
SCENE IV. — Plains near Tewksbury.
March. Enter Queen MARGARET, Prince Edwari^, SOMERSET,
Oxford, and Soldiers.
Q. Mar. Great lords, wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss,
But cheerly seek how to redress their harms.
What though the mast be now blown overboard.
The cable broke, the holding-anchor lost,
21-24. Will . . .for . . . way; And . . . awa>'] 60-65. Thither will we, for
. . . waie, And in eueric countie as we passe along Our strengthes shall be
augmented. Come lets goe, for if we slacke this faire Bright Summers daie,
sharpe winter Showers will marre our hope for haie. (See iv. viii. 60, 61.) Ex.
Omncs Q.
Scene iv.
Enter . . .] Enter the Qucene, . . . Oxford and Summerset, with drum and
souldicrs Q. i-i3. Great lords . . . Say Warwick . . . that] 1-5. Wel-
come to England my louing friends of Frdce, And welcome Summerset, and
Oxford too. Once more haue we spread our sailcs abroad, And though our tcukling
be almost consumde And Warwike as our maine mast overthrowne Q.
But of all this (Hall, pp. 297, 298) there and knewe that Kyng Edward followed
is no word here. Her behaviour was her . . . she was sore abashed and
not in accordance with Shakespeare's wonderfully amased and determined in
"manly woman," and he models her her selfe to five into Wales to Jasper
accordingly in her first speech — one of erle of Pembroke. But the Duke of
the finest of her many great utterances. Somerset, willyng in no wyse to flye
21. rids WO)'] annihilates or destroys . . . determined there to tarye, to take
the journey ; drives away the road, such fortune as God should send. . . .
Peele uses the same phrase. "My When all these battayles were thus
game is quick and rids a length of ordered and placyd, the Queene and her
ground" (Arraignment of Paris, Act sonne prince Edward rode about the
iii. (1584) ). Craig quotes from Cot- field, encouragyng their souldiers pro-
grave (161 1) : " Semelles, & du vin pas- mising to them (if they did shew them
sent chemin : Prov. Wine is the foot- selfe vaiyaunt) . . . greate rewardes
man's caroche; a strong foot and a ... bootie . . . and renoune " (Hall,
light head rid way apace." The p. 300). From this last paragraph
French expression was proverbial. Shakespeare takes his cue. The de-
22. augmented] After this word Q has velopment from Q here is a complete
three lines (containing " come lets swamping of the old text.
goe ") obviously misplaced. They are 4. holding-anchor] Compare Peele,
set back to the end of iv. %nii. 60, 61 in Honour of the Order of the Garter : —
the present text. For " come lets goe," " great Machabee
seeaboveat close of I. ii. And 2 Henry Last anchor-hold and stay of
VI. at end of 11. ii., iv., etc. lacob's race "
(1593). I imagine Shakespeare meant
Scene iv. the last anchor that held. For the ship
I. Q. Mar. Great lords .. .]^'Wh&n splits. Schmidt says confidently "sheet
the Queene was come to Tewkesbury, anchor," which must be wrong. Ad-
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 155
And half our sailors swallow'd in the flood ; 5
Yet lives our pilot still : is 't meet that he
Should leave the helm and like a fearful lad
With tearful eyes add water to the sea,
And give more strength to that which hath too much ;
Whiles in his moan the ship splits on the rock, 10
Which industry and courage might have saved ?
Ah ! what a shame, ah ! what a fault were this.
Say Warwick was our anchor ; what of that ?
And Montague our topmast ; what of him ?
Our slaughter'd friends the tackles ; what of these ? 1 5
Why, is not Oxford here another anchor ?
And Somerset another goodly mast ?
The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings ?
And, though unskilful, why not Ned and I
For once allow'd the skilful pilot's charge? 20
We will not from the helm to sit and weep.
But keep our course, though the rough wind say no,
From shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck.
As good to chide the waves as speak them fair.
And what is Edward but a ruthless sea ? 25
What Clarence but a quicksand of deceit ?
And Richard but a ragged fatal rock ?
All these the enemies to our poor bark.
Say you can swim ; alas ! 'tis but a while :
Tread on the sand ; why, there you quickly sink : 30
14-23. And Montague . . . with wrcck^d-ii. Yet warlike Lords raise you that
stnrdie post. That heares the sailes to bring vs vnto rest, And Ned and I as will-
ing Pilots should For once with carefull mindcs guide on the sterne. To beare vs
through that dangerous gulfe That heretofore hath swallowed vp our friends Q.
25-38. And ivhat is . . . lament or fear"] omitted Q.
miral Smith has no such term in his i8. The friends of France] Margaret
Dictionary; nor is there any recognition has " my loving friend of France" in
of the term (except as here) in New her first line (Q).
English Dictionary: nor in Captain 23. 5/«r/r(5] shoaly places, sandbanks.
Smith's Accidence for Young Seatnen. Again in Lucrece, 335. Greene has it
The hyphen (like many others) would several times : " He fetch from Albia
be better erased. i/ic/MjMof Margarites"(,'l looking glasse,
8, g. tearful eyes . . . too much] etc. (Grosart, xiv. 11)). .Xnd "suffer
The Irving Shakespeare (juotes i4i You shipwrack on a shclfe" (Selimus (xiv.
Lt^tf /<, II. i. 46-49: " weeping into the 257)). And elsewhere,
needless stream . . . giving thy sum 26. quicksiind of deceit] The earliest
of more To that which liad too much." example of this familiar use in New
I have no other example (e.irly) of Fng. Diet.
"tearful." Ste ci\so Romeo and Juliet, 27. ragged . . . rock] Sec Part II.
I. i. 138. MI. ii. gS (note). See also Two Gentle-
16. Oxford']v/^i not at Tewkesbury, men of Verona, i. ii. 121. The Folios
See below, v. 2. here read " raged." Corrected by Rowe.
l.^G THE THIRD PART OF [act v.
Bestride the rock ; the tide will wash you off",
Or else you famish ; that 's a threefolcl death.
This speak I, lords, to let you understand.
If case some one of you would fly from us.
That there's no hoped-for mercy with the brothers 35
More than with ruthless waves, with sands and rocks.
Why, courage then ! what cannot be avoided
'Twere childish weakness to lament or fear.
Prince. Methinks a woman of this valiant spirit
Should, if a coward heard her speak these words, 40
Infuse his breast with magnanimity.
And make him, naked, foil a man at arms.
I speak not this as doubting any here ;
For did I but suspect a fearful man.
He should have leave to go away betimes, 45
Lest in our need he might infect another,
And make him of like spirit to himself.
If any such be here, as God forbid !
Let him depart before we need his help.
Oxf. Women and children of so high a courage, 50
And warriors faint I why, 'twere perpetual shame.
O brave young prince ! thy famous grandfather
Doth live again in thee : long may'st thou live
To bear his image and renew his glories !
39-42. Methinks a woman . . . man at arms] omitted Q. 43-49. I speak
. . . his help"] 12-21. Prince. And if there be, as God forbid there should.
Amongst vs a timorous or fear c full man, let him depart before the battells ioine.
Least he in time of need intise another. And so withdraw the souldiers harts
from vs. I will not stand aloofe and bid you fight. But with my sword presse in the
thickest thronges. And single Edward from his strongest guard, And hand to hand
enforce him for to yeeld, Or leave my bodie as witnesse of my thoughts Q. 50-54.
Women . . . a courage . . .famous . . . and . . . ^/ort«j] 22-27. ^^omen . . . resolue
. . . noble . . . ^M<i <o rf/KTZf Aw ^/ortVj Q (lines arranged variously in Quartos).
34. //ca5«] Unhappily altered to " In Henry V., before Agincourt (f/^wry V.
case" by many editors, after F 4. It iv. iii. 35-37).
was a recognised use, and occurs a 49. L^/Atw cf^/ar/] After the counter-
number of times in Peele's Sir Clyomon part of these lines in Q the prince's
(probably his earliest effort), as at 498, bragging utterance in four lines (in Q)
a, and 529, a, in Dyce. It is also in is very wisely omitted, whoever wrote
Kyd's Spanish Tragedy (11. i. 58): " // it. For the verb "single," see 11. iv.
case it lye in me to tell the truth." above, where Shakespeare twice uses
41. magnanimity] Only here in it. But the lines are of the order of
Shakespeare. It occurs in the second stock property in mock heroics of the
and third books of Faerie Qucene, and time. More like Greene's than the rest
a couple of times in Peele. {cf. "for to"). "Thickest throng"
42. naked, foil a man at arms] Com- occurs in Kyd's Cornelia, v. i. 1S4,
pare 2 Henry VI. in. ii. 234. where Bellona runs up and down. See
45-49. He should . . . Let him de- also in Co«/<'n itow at the end; and above
part] Craig compares the prince's words in this Q, at 11. iii. 16.
here with those of his grandfather, 54. image] likeness.
sc. IV.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 157
Som. And he that will not fight for such a hope, 55
Go home to bed, and like the owl by day,
If he arise, be mock'd and wonder'd at.
Q. Mar. Thanks, gentle Somerset : sweet Oxford, thanks.
Prince. And take his thanks that yet hath nothing else.
Enter a Messenger.
Mess. Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand, 6o
Ready to fight ; therefore be resolute.
Oxf. I thought no less : it is his policy
To haste thus fast, to find us unprovided.
Som. But he 's deceived ; we are in readiness.
Q. Mar. This cheers my heart to see your forwardness. 65
Oxf. Here pitch our battle ; hence we will not budge.
Flourish and march. Enter King Edward, CLARENCE,
Gloucester, and forces.
K. Edw. Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood,
Which, by the heavens' assistance and your strength,
55-57. And he . . . wonder'd at] 28-^0. And he that tiirnes and Jiies when such
dojight, Let him to bed, and like the Owle by daie Be hist, and wondered at if he
arise Q. 58,59. Thanks . . . nothing else] omitted Q. 60,61. Enter . . .
Mess. Prepare . . . resolute]'ii,i2. Enter . . . Mes. Afy Lords, Duke Edward
with a mighty power, Is marching hitherwards to fight with you Q. 62, 63.
/ thought . . . unprovided] 33, 34. / thought it was his policie, to take vs
vnprouided. But here will we stand and fight it to the death Q. 64-66. But
he's . . .not budge] omitted Q (see Oxford's last line). 67. Enter . . . Glou-
cester, and forces] 35. Enter . . . Glo. Hast, and Souldiers Q. 67-72. Brave
. . . yonder . . . by . . . and to it, lords !] 35-37. See brothers, yonder . . .
by Gods assistance and your prowesse. Shall with our swords yer (ere Qq 2, 3)
night be cleane cut downe Q.
56, 57. owl by day . . . mock'd] This would haue drawen aside for a whyle tyl
is twice in Golding's Ovid's Metamor- therle of Pembroke with hys armye were
phases: "The wicked wretch Nycty- with hym associate" (Hall, p. 300).
minee . . . The beast is now become a The expression here means "arrangeour
bird . . . she dares not come in sight, army for the conflict." Compare Mar-
Nor shewe hir selfe abrode a dayes . . . lowe's Tamburlaine, I'art II. 111. i.
and everie other birde Doth in the Ayre (54, a): "Our battle then, in martial
and Ivie toddes with wondring at hir manner pitched, . . . shall bear The
girde" (ii. 742-752). And again :" They figure of the semicircled moon."
flockt about him like as when a sort of 67. thorny wood] See above, in. ii.
birds haue found An Owle a day tymes 174. And Taming of the Shrew, Ind.
in a tod" (xi. 25, 26). ii. 59. Marlowe uses it of troops: " As
66. Here pitch our battle]Th\ss.hou\d bristle-pointed as a thorny wood"
historically be spoken by Somerset, (Tamburlaine, Part I. iv. i. (25, b).
who " fixed in a i'ayre parke, adioyn- Prob.ibly a pine wood is intended. See
ynge to the towne, he pytched his felde the diagrams of ranks of pikes in VVhite-
agaynst the will and content of many home's translation of Machiavcl's i-lr/ 0/
Other Capiiaynes which would that he War (1560).
158
THE THIRD PART OF
[act v.
Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.
I need not add more fuel to your fire, 70
For well I wot ye bla/.e to burn them out :
Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords !
Q. Mar. Lords, knights and gentlemen, what I should say
My tears gainsay ; for every word I speak,
Ye see, I drink the water of mine eyes. 75
Therefore, no more but this : Henry, your sovereign.
Is prisoner to the foe ; his state usurp'd.
His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain,
His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent ;
And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil. 80
You fight in justice : then in God's name, lords,
Be valiant, and give signal to the fight.
[A/arum. Retreat. Excursions. Exeunt.
73-76. Lords . . . Henry, your sovereign] 38-41. Lords . . . gaine sate, for
as you see, I drinke . . . eies. Then no . . . Henry your King Q. 77-79.
Is prisoner . . . spent] 41^-43^. is prisoner In the tower, his land and all our
friendes Are quite distrest Q. 80-82. And yonder . . . fight] 43^-46. and
yonder standes The Wolfe that makes all this. Then on Gods name Lords togither
cry Saint George. All. Saint George for Lancaster (^.
70. add . . . fuel to your fire] A
standard phrase. It occurs in Kyd's
Spanish Tragedy, in. x. 74, 75 (Boas).
Indeed it may be regarded as a quota-
tion here from it : " That were to adde
more fewell to your fire Who burnt like
^tne for Andreas losse." See also
Greene (and Peele), Selimus (1. 490) :
" My lenity adds fuel to his fire.^^
75. mine eyes] Capell inserted this
change from Folio reading, "my eye."
78. slaughter-house] See note in 2
Henry VI. in. i. 212. It is not in Q
there, nor is it here. But at iv. iii. 5
it is in Q (Contention) used by a butcher.
Kyd used it (but later) in Soliman and
Perseda. It is in Arden of Fever sham.
Shakespeare uses it in Lucrece, King
John, and Richard III.
79. His statutes cancell'd, and his
treasure spent] In his third year (Hall,
p. 262) King Edward, " beyng clerely
out ot doubt . . . fyrst of all, folowyng
the old auncient adage which saith that
the husbandman ought first to tast
of the new growe frute . . . distributed
the possessions of suche as toke parte
with Kyng Henry the vi. . . . Thelawes
of the realme, in parte he reformed
and in parte he newly augmented."
But King Henry, in his second reign,
proclaimed Edward traitor, " all his
possessions were confiscate. . . . More-
over all thinges decreed, enacted and
done by KjTig Edward were abrogated "
(Polydore Vergil, p. 134, Camden Soc).
So that sauce for the goose was sauce
for the gander, and Margaret had no
unfair treatment.
sc. v.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 159
SCENE N.— Another part of the field.
Flourish. Enter King EDWARD, CLARENCE, GLOUCESTER,
and Soldiers ; with Queen MARGARET, OXFORD, and
Somerset, prisoners.
K. Edw. Now here a period of tumultuous broils.
Away with Oxford to Hames castle straight :
For Somerset, off with his guilty head.
Go, bear them hence ; I will not hear them speak.
Oxf. For my part, I '11 not trouble thee with words. 5
Som. Nor I ; but stoop with patience to my fortune.
[Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded.
Q. Mar. So part we sadly in this troublous world.
To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
K. Edw. Is proclamation made, that who finds Edward
Shall have a high reward, and he his life ? 10
Glou. It is : and lo ! where youthful Edward comes.
Enter Soldiers, with Prince EDWARD.
K. Edw. Bring forth the gallant : let us hear him speak.
What ! can so young a thorn begin to prick ?
Scene k. Flourish. Enter . . .] Ff (prisoners omitted) ; Alarmes to the
battell, Y or ke flies then the chambers be discharged. Then enter the King, Cla.
Glo. &• the rest, &• make a great shout and crie, for Yorke for Yorke, and then
the Qiieene is taken, &• the prince, <S- Oxf. &• Sum. and then sound and enter all
againe Q. 1-4. Noiv here . . Go . . . I . . . speak] 47-50. Lo here . . .
Awaie I . . . speake Q. 5,6. For . . . words . . . fortune] 51, ^2. For . . .
words. Exit Oxford. Nor . . . death. Exit Sum. 7, 8. So . . . Jerusa-
lem omitted Q. 913- Is proclamation . . . to prick ?] omitted Q.
1. tumultuous broils] See Part I. 1. 7, 8. So part we . . . Jerusalem]
iii. 70, and Part IL in. ii. 239. Com- This is an extraordinarily ineffective
pare Faerie Queene, 11. vii. 21 : — and unsuitable remark. Is it meant to
" By that wayes side there sate in- portray her complete downfall ? She is
ternall Payne, more like herself below. These words
And fast beside him sat tumultuous are not in Q, and seem to belong to
Strife." some other situation. Margaret's father
2. Away with Oxford to Hames was " King of Naples, Sicilia and Jeru-
castle] John, Earl of Oxford, escaped salcm " (Part II. i. i. 48), if that is any
from Barnet but did not join Margaret assistance. The next two speeches arc
(v. iii. 15). Polydore Vergil says (Cam- also omitted in Q.
den, p. 158): "Also the king found g. Is proclamation made] See below
meanes to coom by John Krle of Oxford, at " Take that," I. 38.
who not long after the discomfyture re- 13. so young a thorn , . . priik] An
ceayved at Barnet fled into Cornewall, old saying : " Early sharp that will be
and both tooke and kept Saint Mychaels thorn " (Nice Wanton (Ha/litt's Dods-
Mount, and sent him to a castle beyond ley.ii. 161), 1560). " Young doth it prick,
Sea caulyd Hammes (Calais), where he that will be a thorn " (Jacoh and Esau,
was kept prysoner more than xii yeres (Hazlitt's Dodsley, ii. 196, J34). 1568).
after." Lylyi Endymion, m. i. It is in John
IGO
THE Til I HI) PART OF
[act v.
Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make
For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects, 15
And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?
Prince. Speak like a subject, j^nnid ambitious York.
Suppose that I am now my father's mouth :
Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou.
Whilst I propose the self-same words to thee, 20
Which, traitor, thou would'st have me answer to.
Q. Mar. Ah, that thy father had been so resolv'd !
Glou. That you might still have worn the petticoat,
And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
Prince. Let ^^sop fable in a winter's night ; 25
His currish riddles sort not with this place.
Glou. By heaven, brat, I '11 plague ye for that word.
Q. Mar. Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
Glou. For God's sake, take away this captive scold.
Prince. Nay, take away this scolding crook-back rather. 30
14-16. Edward, what . . . me to ?] 53, 54. Now Edward what . . . make
for stirring vp my subiects to rebellion .> Q. 17-21. Speak . . . answer to]
55-59. Speak . . . answere to Q. 22-30. Ah, that . . . crook-back rather]
60-69. Oh that . . . kept your Peticoie . . . plague ye . . . Crooktbacke rather Q.
Heywood (Sharman's ed. p. 159), 1549:
" It pricketh betimes that will be a
good thorne." Montaigne says (Florio) :
" They say in Dauphine —
' Si I'espine non picque quand nai,
A peine que picque jamai ' "
(end of the first Book of Essays).
16. And . . . turn'd me to ?] Malone
says here : " This line was one of Shake-
speare's additions to the original play."
We have almost the same words in The
Tempest : " To think o' the teen that I
have turn'd you to " (i. ii. 64). Schmidt
gives several other examples in Shake-
speare (" to put to"). None so blind as
Malone when he will not see.
17. proud ambitious York] See above,
III. iii. 27. And see note at " proud
insulting" (i. ii. 138, Part I.). Kyd
often turns these or like words the other
way. He has " ambitious proud " in
Spanish Tragedy, and "tjTannous
proud " in Cornelia. I make use of
Mr. Crawford's admirable concordance
here. " Proud insulting " is in Soliman
and Perseda (from Shakespeare) at v.
iii. 59, in Boas' arrangement.
18. father's mouth] So in Coriolanus,
in. i. 271 : "The noble tribunes are the
people's mouths." Used as if meaning
"representative."
23, 24. petticoat . . . breech] See 2
Henry VI. i. iii. 145 and note. " Breech "
means "breeches." Nowhere else in
Shakespeare, but there also applied to
Margaret.
25. JEsop] Johnson (a most unlucky
commentator) says : " The prince calls
Riciiard, for his crookedness, jEsop ;
and the poet, following nature, makes
Richard highly incensed at the re-
proach." This is all astray I feel con-
vinced. " That word " that incensed
the king was " currish." i^sop is in-
troduced on his proper merits. Several
commentators (Marshall, Rolfe) accept
Johnson's far-fetched conjecture. How-
ever, they can have it as a second aid.
^sop is said to have been deformed.
See Introduction for a parallel reference
to ^sop from Two Angry Women of
Abingdon (ante 15S9).
26. His currish riddles] Gloucester's
predilection for proverbial illustration
is here enforced.
26. currish] Goldinghas " The currish
Helhounde Cerberus" (0%id's Meta-
morphoses, vii. 524, 1567). Spenser
uses the word in Mother Hubberds
Tale (Globe, 523, b) : " crueltie the
signe of currish kind." Often in
Greene.
30. crook-back] Twice before in this
play (i. iv. 75 ; 11. ii. 96), but only in
sc. v.]
KING HENRY THE SIXTH
161
K. Edw. Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
Clar. Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
Prince. I know my duty ; you are all undutiful.
Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George,
And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all 35
I am your better, traitors as ye are ;
And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.
K. Edw. Take that, the likeness of this railer here.
\Stabs him.
Glou. Sprawl'st thou ? take that, to end thy agony.
[^Stabs him.
Clar. And there 's for twitting me with perjury. 40
[^Stabs him.
31-36. Peace . . . charm . . . malapert . . . ye all . . . as ye are] 70-75.
Peace . . . tame . . . malepert . . . you all . . . as you be Q. 37. And thou
. . . mine] omitted Q. 38. Take . . . the likeness . . . here] 76. take
. . . the litnes . . . here Q {lightnes Q 2, thou likenessc Q 3). 39, 40.
Sprawl'st . . . perjury] omitted Q.
this play. It has occurred already in The
Contention, Act v., where, however, it is
replaced by "stigmatic" in Part II.
New Eng. Diet, quotes Fabyan's
Chronicle, 1494.
31. charm your tongue] silence you.
See Othello, v. ii. 183, and note, in this
edition. See 2 Henry VI. iv. i. 64, Qq
have " tame," and the change is signi-
ficant.
32. Untutor'd] See " untutor'd churl "
{2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 213). Boorish.
32. malapert] saucy. Shakespeare
uses it again in Richard III. i. iii. 255 :
" you are malapert," Greene has the
word a few times. Golding uses
" malepertness."
38. Take that] Hall describes this
murder : " After the felde ended, Kyng
Edward made a Proclamation that who
so euer could bring prince Edward to
him alyve or dead, shoulde have an
annuitie of an C.l. during his lyfe, and
the Princes life to be saued. Sir
Richard Croftes, a wyse and valyaunt
knight, nothing mistrusting . . . brought
furth his prisoner prince Edward . . .
Kyng Edward . . . demaundcd of him,
how he durst so presumptuously enter in
to his Realme with banner displayed.
The prince . . . answered sayinge, to
recouer my fathers kingdome & en-
heritage. ... At which wordes Kyng
Edward sayd nothyng, but with his hand
thrust hyni from hym (or as some say,
stroke hym with his gauntlet), whom
incontinent, they that stode about,
whiche were George duke of Clarence,
Rychard duke of Gloucester, Thomas
Marques Dorset, and William lord
Hastynges, sodaynly murthered & pite-
ously manquelled. . . . His body was
homely enterred ... in Tewkesburye.
This was the last ciuile battayl . . .
in kynge Edwards dayes, whiche was
gotten the iii daye of Maye . . .
M.cccc.lxxi. . . . And on the Monday
next ensuyng was Edmond duke of
Somerset . . . and xii other . . . be-
hedded in the market-place at Tewkes-
bury" (p. 301).
38. the likeness] So in Qq i and 2 ;
and in Ff. Rowe changed to " thou "
from Q 3. Not necessary.
39. Sprawl'st] Used only once again
in a similar sense (death agony) in
Titus Andronicus, v. i. 51 : " First hang
the child that he may see it sprawl."
Compare Nashe and Marlowe, Dido
(Grosart, vi. 30) : " We saw Cassandra
sprauling in the strcctes Whom Aiax
ravisht in Dianas Fane." And see
Nashe's description of "a wonderful
spectacle of bloud shed" in The Un-
fortunate Travfller (Grosart, v. 43).
40. twitting me with] See Part I. iii.
ii. 55 and Part II. iii. i. 17S and note in
Part I. Elsewhere only in Two Gentle-
men of Verona, iv. ii. 8: " She twits mc
with my falsehood to my friend."
1(52 THE THIUl) PART OF [act v.
Q. Mar. O, kill mc t(Jo !
Glou. Marry, and shall. [Offers to kill her.
K. Edw. Hold, Richard, hold ! for we have done too much.
Glou. Why should she live, to fill the world with words?
K. Edw. What ! doth she swofjn ? use means for her re-
covery, 45
Glou. Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;
I '11 hence to London on a serious matter :
Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
Clar. What? what?
Glou. The Tower 1 the Tower ! [Exit. 50
Q. Mar. O Ned, sweet Ned ! speak to thy mother, boy I
Canst thou not speak ? O traitors ! murderers !
They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all.
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by to equal it : 55
He was a man ; this, in respect, a child ;
And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.
What's worse than murderer, that I may name it ?
No, no ; my heart will burst an if I speak ;
And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. 60
Butchers and villains ! bloody cannibals !
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd :
41-45. O, Hll . . . much , . . swoon? use . . . recovery] 77-82. Oh kill
. . . much alrcadie . . . swound ? make . . . recouerie Q. 46-48. Clarence
. . . I 'II hence . . . ye come . . . news] 83-85. Clarence ... J must . . . you
come there, yon shall hcere more newes Q. 49, 50. What . . . Tower] 85, 86.
About what, prethe tell me ? Glo. The Tower man, the Tower, lie root them out.
Exit Gloster Q. 51-53. O Ned . . . They . . . at all] 87-90. Ah Ned,speake
. . . boy? ah Thou canst tiot speake. Traytors, Tyrants bloudie Homicides, They
, , . at all Q. 54, 55. Did not . . . equal it] omitted Q. 56-58. He was
. . . murderer . . . name it] 91-93. For he was . . . tyrant . . . name, Q (may
not Jiame Q 3). 59-62. No, no . . . cropp'd] omitted Q.
42. Marry, and shall] See 2 Henry 50. The . . . Tower] Theobald in-
VI. I. ii. 88, and note. Occurs in serted " I 'II root'em out " here from Q.
Spanish Tragedy. Shakespeare has it But Shakespeare omitted it.
again in 1 Henry IV. v. ii. 34 and in 53, They that stabbed Casar] This
Richard III. ni. iv. 36. In Q here, line was suggested by the line in Q,
but not in Part II. omitted at v. i. 80,
44. Jill the world with words] Com- 62. How sweet . . . cropp'd] Com-
pare Part I. II. ii. 43 : " Whose glory pare Kyd, Spanish Tragedy, u. v. 47
fills the world with loud report." And (Boas) : " Sweet lovely Rose, ill pluckt
later in the same play, at v. iv. 35. A before thy time." That this is not a
continuity of authorship expression mere coincidence is rendered more pro-
(like that at 1. 40) of which we have so bable by the appearance of the first
many in these plays. In the iv. Pro- three words in I Henry IV. i. iii. 175:
logue, 1. 3 of Henry V., this phrase is "To put down Richard, that sweet
poetically varied: " Fills the wide vessel lovely rose." The line may have passed
of the universe." into familiar use, like so many in the
sc. v.] KING HENKY THE SIXTH 163
You have no children, butchers ! if you had,
The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse :
But if you ever chance to have a child, 65
Look in his youth to have him so cut off
As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince !
K. Edw. Away with her ! go, bear her hence perforce.
Q. Mar. Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here :
Here sheathe thy sword, I '11 pardon thee my death. 70
What ! wilt thou not ? then, Clarence, do it thou.
Clar. By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
Q. Mar. Good Clarence, do ; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
Clar. Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it ?
Q. Mar. Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself: 75
'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity.
What ! wilt thou not ? Where is that devil's butcher,
Hard-favour'd Richard ? Richard, where art thou ?
Thou art not here : murder is thy alms-deed ;
Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back. 80
K. Edw. Away, I say ! I charge ye, bear her hence.
Q. Mar. So come to you and yours, as to this prince ! [Exit.
K. Edw. Where 's Richard gone ?
63-67. You . . . butchers . . . would . . . But . . . chance . . . child . . .
deathsmen . . . rid . . . prince] 94-98. You . . . Deuils . . . would then haue
stopt your rage. But . . . hope . . . sonne . , , Traitors . . . doone . , . prince
Q. 68-72. Away , . . perforce . . . death. What . . . do it thou . . . will
not . . . ^as^] 99-104. Awaie, and beare her hence. Queen. Nay nere . . . death.
Wilt . . . Clarence, doe thou doe it ? . . . would not . . . ease Q. 73-76.
Good . . . do thou . . . Didst . . . do it . . . charity] 105-108. Good . . . kill
me too. Cla. Didst . . . charity Q. 77-80. What . . . Where is that . . .
Thou art . . . thy . . . thou . . . put'st back] 109-112. Whears the . . . He is
. . . his . . , he nere put backe Q. 81, 82. Away . . . So . . . prince] 113,
114. Awaie I saie and take her hence perforce. Queen. So . . . prince. Ex. Q.
83-85. Where's . . . post ; and . . . rowtr] 115-117. Clarence, whither s Gloster
gone? Cla. Marrie my Lord to London, and . . . Tower Q.
former epoch-making play. For the 67. rid] cut off, destroyed. See 2
sentiment, see again in Richard II. v. Henry VI. iii. i. 233 ; Richard II. v.
ii. 51. Probably as old as poetry, iv. 11, A word used with much lati-
Boas notices the parallels here. See tude by Shakespeare. " Ridding a
earlier in Faerie Queenc, u. i. 41 : place " is in common use for clearing
" fiers fate did crop the blossome of every rubbish, weeds, etc., away from
his age." it, in Ireland. Freeing from, getting
63. You have no children, butchers] rid of.
Similarly in Macbeth, iv. iii. 216, Mac- 78. Hard-favour'd] Often in Shake-
duff says: "He has no children. All spcarc. Very ugly, repulsive. See
my pretty ones? Did you say all?" / Henry VI. iv. vii. 23: " hard-
Blackstone pointed out this parallel. favour'd death." Peele uses it in the
67. deathsmen] executioners. See 2 Old Wives Tale (quoted in Fart I.).
Henry VI. iii. ii. 217; Lear, iv. vi. But it is part of Mall's description of
263 ; Lucrece, looi. A favourite word Richard, quoted at v. v. 53.
of Greene's and not known before he 79. alms-deed] act of charity. Not
used it. One of the taiKS /n/Zt perhaps, again in Shakespeare. In early ust-.
104 THE Til nil) PART OF [act v.
Clar. To London, all in post ; and, as I guess,
To make a bloody supper in the Tower. 85
K. Edw. He's sudden if a thing comes in his head.
Now march we hence : discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks, and let 's away to London
And see our gentle queen how well she fares :
By this, I hope, she hath a son for me. 90
[^Exeunt.
SCENE W.— London. The Tower.
Enter King Henry and GLOUCESTER, with the Lieutenant, on
the walls.
Glou. Good day, my lord. What ! at your book so hard?
K. Hen. Ay, my good lord : my lord, I should say rather ;
Tis sin to flatter ; good was little better :
Good Gloucester and good devil were alike,
And both preposterous ; therefore, not good lord. 5
Glou. Sirrah, leave us to ourselves : we must confer.
\^Exit Lieutenant.
K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf;
So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece,
86-90. He''s . . . head . . . sort With pay ... let's .. . And see . . . how
. . . By this . . . me] 118-122. He is . . . comes . . . head. Well, discharge
. . . souldiers with paie . . . now let us towards London, To see . . . how shee
doth fare. For by this . . . vs. Exeunt Omnes Q.
Scene vj.
Enter . . .] Enter Henry the sixt and Richard, with . . . Ff. ; Enter
Gloster to King Henry in the Tower Q. 1-4. Good day, my lord . . . alike]
1-4. Good day . . . Lord . . . all alike Q. 5-9. And both . . . butcher's knife]
omitted Q.
84. all in post] in post haste. in the Tower of London, spoyled of his
86. sudden] impulsive, prompt. Pre- Hfe, and ail worldly felicitie, by Richard
quent in Shakespeare. duke of Gloucester (as the constant
_ fame ran) which, to thintent that Kyng
iiCENE VI. Edward his brother should be clere out
I, 2. Gloucester . . . K. Hen.] This of all secret suspicion of sodain in-
scene, the murder of Henry, bears the uasion murthered the said king with a
historic date May 21 or May 22, 1471. dagger " (Hall, p. 303). Polydore Vergil
That puts it at a fortnight later than says a sword. Halliwell quotes from
Tewkesbury (May 4), in which interval Warkworth and other contemporaries.
King Edward quelled the bastard Fal- with the remark : " the account (in
conbridge's rising of Kentishmen under True Tragedie) of Henry's murder is
the pretence of freeing Henry, but in not in all probability far from the truth."
reality to kill and spoil. When this One writer asserted Henry died of pure
was performed : " Poore Kyng Henry displeasure and melancholy.
the sixte, a little before depriued of his 7-9. shepherd . . . wolf . . . sheep
realme and Imperiall CrowTie, was now, . . . butcher's knife] Poor Henry at
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 165
And next his throat unto the butcher's knife.
What scene of death hath Roscius now to act ? lo
Glou. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind ;
The thief doth fear each bush an officer.
K. Hen. The bird that hath been limed in a bush,
With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush ;
And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, 15
Have now the fatal object in my eye
Where my poor young was limed, was caught, and killed.
Glou. Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete,
That taught his son the office of a fowl !
And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd. 20
K. Hen. I, Daedalus ; my poor boy, Icarus ;
Thy father, Minos, that denied our course ;
The sun that sear'd the wings of my sweet boy,
Thy brother Edward, and thyself the sea
Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life. 25
Ah ! kill me with thy weapon, not with words.
10, II. What . . . the guilty mind] 5, 6. What . . . Rosius ... a guiltie
mind Q. 12. The thief . . . officer'^ omitted Q. 13-17- The bird . . . bush.
With . . . And I . . . sweet . . . my eye . . . and killed] 7-10. The birde
once limde doth feare the fatall bush, And I . , . poore . . . mine eie, tvhere
. . . &• kild Q. 18-20. Why . . , peevish fool . . . fowl . . . for all . . .
drown'd'] 11-14. Why . . . foole . . . birde, and yet for all that the poore Fowle
wasdrowndeQ. 21-2S. I, Dcrdalns ; . . . boy . . . course; . . . thy dagger's
. . . history] 15-20. / Dedalus . . . sonne . . . course, Thy brother Edward,
the sunne that seardc his wings, And thou the ettuious gulfe that swallowed him.
Oh better can my brest abide thy daggers . . . historic Q.
once pours out his Biblical similes ; his honest man, and " they say " is the usual
book was likely enough the Book, as cognizance of a proverb, which, from
the Bible was usually called. the speaker, was to be expected. See
10. Roscius] The great Roman actor again Times Whistle, Sat. 7, 1. 3485
(died 62 B.C.), referred to again in Ham- (1615) : " takes every bush to be a con-
let, II. ii. 410. "Roscius . . . the best stable."
Histrien or buffon that was in his dayes 13. limed . . . bush] See note at 2
to be found" (Puttenham's Arte of Henry VI. i. ii'i.Sj. Shakespeare loved
English Poesie (Arber, 48)). He usually birds in or out of a cage — as he loved
played comedy. Burbage, the Eliaa- tlowers in or out of a garden. Compare
bethanactor, was known as Roscius, and Kyd, Spanish Tragidy {ii\. iv. 41, 42,
many allusions to the fact arc to be found Boas) : —
a little later. Halliwell says here : "It " he breakes the worthies
would, perhaps, he going out of the twigs,
way to conjecture that Hurbage played And sees not that wherewith the
this part, and was called ' Roscius bird was limde."
Richard 'on that account." See Collier's 14. misdoubteth] f.»spccttth.
Memoirs of Alley n (Shakespeare See. iS. peevish] foolish.
p. 13). Greene often refers to Roscius. 18-21. Crete . . . Icarus] See Part
And Nashe. See Introduction. I. iv. vi. 55 and iv. vii. 16; where
12. The thief . . . bush an officer] Talbot uses the same illustrations for
Compare Nashe, The Unfortunate Tra- his boy. The quibbling here is de-
veller (Grosart, v. 173), 1594: "A stroyed in Q.
theefe they say mistakes euerie bush for 23. sun] Alluding to thecogniranceof
a true man." "A true man" was an the Yorkist. Sec above, 11. vi. 9 (note).
IGG THE THIRD PART OF [act v.
My breast can better brook thy dagger's point
Than can my ears that tragic history.
But wherefore dost thou come ? is 't for my life ?
GloH. Think'st thou I am an executioner? 30
K. lieu. A persecutor, 1 am sure, thou art :
If murdering innocents be executing.
Why, then thou art an executioner.
Glou. Thy son I kill'd for his presumption.
K. Hen. Hadst thou been kill'd when first thou didst
presume, 35
Thou hadst not liv'd to kill a son of mine.
And thus I prophesy : that many a thousand,
Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear,
And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's.
And many an orphan's water-standing eye, 40
Men for their sons', wives for their husbands',
And orphans for their parents' timeless death.
Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born.
The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sign ;
The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time ; 45
29. But . . . life?'] omitted Q. 30-34. Think'st thou I . . . art : If . . .
executing, Why, then thou . . . presumption] 21-25. ^Vhy docst thou thinke I
. . . art, And if . . . executions, Then I know thou . . . presumption Q.
35-37^- Hadst thou been . . . prophesy : that many] 26-29^. Hadst thou bin
. . . prophesie of thee. That manie Q. 37^-39^- « thousand . . . sigh]
omitted Q. 39^41. and majiy a widow's . . . orphan's . . . husbands'] 29^
31. a \Viddo7ii for her husbands death. And . , . infants . . . eie, Widowes for
their husbands, children for their fathers, Q. 43. Shall rue . . . bom] 32.
Shall curse the time that euer thou wert borne Q. 44-52- The owl shriek'd
. . . goodly tree] 33-41. The owle shrikt . . . goodly tree Q. (reading tune for
time : tempests : discord : undigest created for indigested and deformed).
27. dagger's point] See extract from (Shakespeare Library, p. 99, The
Hall above. True Tragedie) :—
40. water -standing eye] eye flooded "The jilous swan, ayenst hys deth
with tears. " Standing water " is still that singeth,
in use. Compare " water-flowing tears " The owle eke, that of deth the bode
above, iv. viii. 43, when they begin to bringeth."
run over. See Vergil's JEncid, iv. 462.
42. timeless] untimely. See Part I. 45. night-crow] or night-raven, a
V. iv. 5 (note). It occurs in Whet- bird of superstition incapable of exact
stone's Promos and Cassandra, Part I. identification, Nycticorax. In Spenser
11.1.(1578): " To see Andrugio ^^ywf /« he is constantly night-raven (followed
dye." by Peele). In the description of Horror
43. rue the hour] " Tamburlaine (Faerie Queene, \i. \V\. 2^): —
shall rue the day, the hour Wherein " " And after him Owles and Night-
etc. {Tamburlaine, Part I. iv. 3 (28, b)). ravens flew,
Quoted before at " ignominious" (Part The hatefull messengers of heauy
I. IV. i. 97). things,
44. The owl] See 1 Henry VI. iv. ii. Of death and dolor telling sad
15 ; and " night-owl " above, 11. i. 130. tidings."
Cf. Halliwell's quotation from Chaucer Pliny (translated by Holland, xviii. i)
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH
167
Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempest shook down trees ;
The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top,
And chattering pies in dismal discords sung.
Thy mother felt more than a mother's pain,
And yet brought forth less than a mother's hope ; 50
To wit, an indigested and deformed lump,
Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree.
Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born.
53-56. Teeth hadst thou . . . Thou earnest] 42-45. Teeth hadst thou
I have heard, Thou camst into the world. He stabs him Q.
that
says: "Are not some men . . . well
and fitly compared to those cursed
foules flying in the darke, which . . .
bewray their spight and enuie euen to
the night." And in the tenth Book,
chap. xii. is devoted to " unluckie birds,
and namely, the Crow, Raven and
Scritch-owl." " The worst token of ill-
luck that they give (Ravens), is when
in their crying they seeme to swallow
in their voice as though they were
choked. . . . The Scritch-owle alwaies
betokeneth some heauie newes ... he
is the verie monster of the night."
But Pliny says he knew these tilings
were not always true.
45. aboding] foreboding. " Abode-
ment" has occurred above. Compare
Henry VIII. i. i. 92-94; and the " boding
screech owl " in 2 Henry VI. iii. ii. 327.
46. Dogs howl'd] Compare Golding's
Ovid, XV. 895: "The doggs did
howle, and every where appeered gastly
sprights ; And with an earthquake
shaken was the towne." The screech-
owl appears here likewise, at the mur-
der of yulius Casar. See note at 1
Henry VI. i. i. 55. And see Part II. i.
iv. 18, ig.
47. rook'd] Generally explained by the
" north county word," "ruck," signify-
ing to squat or settle down, to lurk in a
place. Steevens quotes twice from
Chaucer, from Stanyhurst's Vergil,
from Warner's Albion's England, and
from Golding's Ovid : —
" on the house did rucke
A cursed Owle the messenger of yll
successe and lucke " (vi. 555, 556).
But it does not seem satisfactory. VVe
want here a noise, a note, or a croak,
such as Pliny describes: "I would
croak like a raven ; I would bode, I
would bode," says Thersites.
48. chattering pies] The magpie is
an unlucky bird in all the northern
folklore. Compare the Nymphs that
are turned into Pies, " the scolds of
woods " that are "chattering still " at
the end of the Fifth Book of Golding's
Ovid.
51. an indigested and] So Folio i.
Capell altered to the Quarto reading,
" undigest created." See Part II. v. i.
157 : " indigested lump " (note). Com-
pare Sonnet 114. " To wit " has been
retained from Q by mistake.
53. Teeth hadst thou . . . born]
Halliwell confirmed this from Ross of
Warwick : " exiens cum dentibus et
capillis ad humeros." All Richard's
characteristics are in Hall, p. 342-3 :
" Richard . . . was litle of statiue,
euill featured of limmes, croke backed,
the left shulder muche higher than the
righte, harde fauoured of visage, such
as in estates is called a warlike visage,
and emonge commen persones a crabbed
face. He was malicious, wrothfull, and
enuious, and it is reported, his mother
the duches had much a dooe in her
trauaill, that she could not be deliuered
of hym uncut, and that he came into
the worlde the fete forwarde, as menne
bee borne outward [out of the world,
coffined?] and as the fame ranne, not
untothed." For the " legs forward,"
see below, line 71. Pliny has a chapter
(vii. 8) " of those that be called Agrip-
p;e." " To be borne with the feet for-
ward is unnatural and unkind ... as
if a man should s.iy, Born hardly and
with much adoe . . . .Xgrippina hath
left in writing. That her sonnc Nero
also . . . enemie to all mankind, was
borne with his feet forward" (Holland).
See Nashe's Anatomie of Ahsurditie
(Grosart, i. 33) : " preposterously borne
with their fectc forward" (evidently
referring to Pliny, 1589).
168 THE THIRD PART OF [act v.
To signify thou earnest to bite the world :
And, if the rest be true which I have heard, 55
Thou earnest —
Glou. I '11 hear no more : die, pro{)het, in thy speech :
{Stabs him.
For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd.
K. Hen. Ay, and for much more slaughter after this.
O ! God forgive my sins, and pardon thee. [Dies. 60
Glou. What ! will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted.
See how my sword weeps for the poor king's death !
O, may such purple tears be always shed
From those that wish the downfall of our house ! 65
If any spark of life be yet remaining,
Down, down to hell ; and say I sent thee thither,
[Stabs him again.
57, 58. / 'II hear . . . die, prophet . . . For . . . ordain'd] 46, 47. Die prophet
, . . lie heare . . . for . . . ordainde Q. 59, 60. Ay, and . . . pardon thee]
48, 49. / and . . . pardon thee. He dies Q. 61-65. What . . . in the . . .
thought . . . O, may . . . shed . . . wish . . . Aowie] 50-54. What.' . . . into
the . . . had thought . . . Now mate . . . shed. For such as seeke . . . house Q.
66, 67. If . . . life . . . Down . . . thither] 55, 56. If . . . life remaine in
thee. Stab him againe. Downe . . . thither Q.
61, 62. aspirifig blood of Lancaster The whole point of Greene's passage is
. . . mounted] Dyce, arguing that Mar- that he makes Flaminius the bearer of a
lowe had a large share in the compila- special message, to his father, in hell,
tion of the Contention and Trtie Tra- The likeness is only vague. Similar
gedic, produced parallels of these two passages may be produced from other
lines from his Edward the Second (pp. writers. Lodge in The Wounds of
184, b, 212, b) :" Frownst thou thereat, Civil War (Hazlitt's Dodsley, vii.
aspiring Lancaster," and " highly scorn- 146) : —
ing that the lowly earth Should drink his " Go, soldiers . . .
blood, mounts up to the air." As I Hasten their death . . .
believe the True Tragedie is earlier Go, take them hence, and when we
than Edward II., these coincidences meet in hell,
prove something else. For " earth Then tell me, princes, if I did not
drinking blood," seen. iii. 15, 23 (note). well."
For "aspiring," see Part L v. iv. 99. But especially see the origin in Faerie
66. spark of life] Another passage, in Quccne, i. v. 13, when the faithful knight
The Spanish Tragedy : " O speak if any subdues his faithless foe : —
sparke of life remaine " (11. v. 17, Boas). " And to him said : ' Goe now, proud
67. Down, down . . . I sent thee] Miscreant
Collier advanced these lines as a proof Thyselfe thy message do to ger-
that Greene wrote this play, on the man beare . . .
likeness of them ^to a passage in Al- Goe say, his foe thy shield with
phonsHs (Grosart, xiii. 347) : — his doth beare'.
"Go packe thou hence unto the Therewith his heauie hand," etc.
Stygian lake . . . This is Greene's source. Shakespeare
And if he ask thee who did send probably thought of neither. Another
thee downe, parallel will be found in jferonimo
Alphonsus say, who now must (Boas' Kyd, p. 323).
weare thy crowne."
sc. VI.] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 169
I, that have neither pity, love nor fear.
Indeed, 'tis true that Henry told me of;
For I have often heard my mother say 70
I came into the world with my legs forward.
Had I not reason, think ye, to make haste.
And seek their ruin that usurp'd our right ?
The midwife wonder'd, and the women cried
" O ! Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth." 75
And so I was ; which plainly signified
That I should snarl and bite and play the dog.
Then, since the heavens have shaped my body so,
Let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it.
I have no brother, I am like no brother ; 80
And this word " love," which greybeards call divine,
Be resident in men like one another
And not in me : I am myself alone,
Clarence, beware ; thou keep'st me from the light ;
But I will sort a pitchy day for thee ; 85
For I will buzz abroad such prophecies
That Edward shall be fearful of his life ;
And then, to purge his fear, I '11 be thy death.
King Henry and the prince his son are gone :
Clarence, thy turn is next, and then the rest, 90
Counting myself but bad till I be best.
I '11 throw thy body in another room.
And triumph, Henry, in thy day of doom.
[Exit, with the body.
68-73. I, ihat . . . 'tis true . . . say I came . . . Had I . . . ye . . . ruin
. . . right?] 57-62. / that . . . twas true . . . saie That I came . . . Ami
had I . . . you . . . mines . . . rights? Q. 74-77- The . . . cried . . .
was ; which . . . dog] 63-66. The women ivept and the midicifc cride . . . was
indeed, which . . . dogge Q. 78-83. Then . . . my body . . . brother . . .
brother . . . call . . . alone] 67-72. Then since Heauen hath made my bodic
. . . answer e it. I had no father, I am like no father, I have no brothers, I am
like 710 brothers. And . . . tearme . . . alone Q. 84-8S. Clarence . . . keep'st
. . . That Edward . . . death] 74-78. Clarence . . . keptst . . , As Edward
. . . death Q. 89-93. ^'"'^ Henry . . . the rest . . . throw . . . doom]
79-83. Henry and his sonne are gone, thou Clarence next. And by one and one
I will dispatch the rest . . . drag . . . doome. Exit. Q.
71 and 75.] See extract at 1. 53. 91. bad tilt I be best] He is harpinfj
85. sort a pitchy day]zTT3ingc a h\zc\i 011 the old saw "bad is the best.'
day. " Sort an hour " occurs in I.ucrcce, " Two evils here were, one must I chuse,
899; not again with regard to time, though bad were %ery best " (Whetstone,
For "pitchy," see Part 1. 11. ii. 2. Promos and Cassandra, P.irt II. ill. ii.).
86. buzz] See Part II. i. ii. 99 and Whetstone h.is it again in Censure of
above, n. vi. 95. a Loyal Subject. Common later.
170
THE THIHO I'AHT OF
[act
SC E N E VII. — The same. The palace.
Flourish. Enter Kiui^ Edwakd, Queen Kli/.ahktii, Cl.Ak-
ENCK, GloL'ckstkk, Hastincjs, a Nurse with the young
Prince, and Attendants.
K. lien. Once more we sit in England's royal throne,
Re-purchas'(l with the blood of enemies.
What valiant foemen, like to autumn's com,
Have we mow'd down in tops of all their pride !
Three Dukes of Somerset, threefold renown'd 5
For hardy and undoubted champions ;
Two Cliffords, as the father and the son ;
And two Northumberlands : two braver men
Ne'er spurr'd their coursers at the trumpet's sound ;
With them, the two brave bears, Warwick and Mon-
tague, 10
That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion,
And made the forest tremble when they roar'd.
Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat.
And made our footstool of security.
Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy. 1 5
Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles and myself
Have in our armours watch'd the winter's night,
Went all afoot in summer's scalding heat,
Scene vii. Flourish] F i ; omitted Q, F 2, 3, 4. Enter . . .] Enter King,
Queene . . . Niirse, and Attendants Ff; Enter . . . {Gloucester omitted) and
others Q. 1-20. Once more . . . renown'd . . . brave bears . . . Went all
afoot . . . gain] 1-20. Once more . . . renowmd . . . rough Beares . , . Marcht
all a foot e . . . gaine Q.
" WTio seeming sorely chauffed at
his band,
As chained beare whom cruell dogs
doe bait."
Referred to in Part II. v. i. 143-150.
See " forest bear " above, 11. ii. 13.
See note to "bear and ragged staft',"
Part II. V. i. 203.
14. And made . . . security] Marlowe
has this line in The Massacre at Paris
(Dyce, 238, a): —
•' But he doth lurk within his drowsy
couch ;
And makes his footstool on
security"
(first acted January, 1593, Dyce).
18. scalding] Not a happy term here,
but "parching" had been used up.
" Scalding sighs" in Soliman and Per-
seda is more natural.
3, 4. foemen . . . mow'd down]
Compare Troilus and Cressida, v. v.
25:—
" the strawy Greeks, ripe for
his edge,
Fall down before him like the
mower's swath."
And Henry V. iii. iii. 13 : —
" mowing like grass
Your fresh-fair virgins and your
flowering infants."
And Sonnet 60.
4. tops of all their pride] Lodge has
this: "Unhappy Rome . . . Now to
eclipse, in top of all thy pride " {Wounds
of Civil War (Hazlitt's Dodsley, vii.
116)).
10, II. bears . . . in their chains]
Alluding to the "chained beare " at the
.stake, as in Faerie Queene, i. xii. 35 : —
sc. vii] KING HENRY THE SIXTH 171
That thou might'st repossess the crown in peace ;
And of our labours thou shalt reap the gain. 20
Glou. [Aside.] I '11 blast his harvest, if your head were laid ;
For yet I am not look'd on in the world.
This shoulder was ordain'd so thick to heave ;
And heave it shall some weight, or break my back.
Work thou the way, and thou shalt execute. 25
K. Edw. Clarence and Gloucester, love my lovely queen ;
And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both.
Clar. The duty that I owe unto your majesty
I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe.
Q. Eliz. Thanks, noble Clarence ; worthy brother, thanks. 30
Glou. And, that I love the tree from whence thou sprang'st.
Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit.
[Aside.] To say the truth, so Judas kiss'd his master,
And cried " all hail ! " when as he meant all harm.
K. Edw. Now am I seated as my soul delights, 35
Having my country's peace and brothers' loves.
Clar. What will your grace have done with Margaret?
Reignier, her father, to the King of France
Hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem,
And hither have they sent it for her ransom. 40
K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence to France.
And now what rests, but that we spend the time
21-25. I'll ... if .. . thou shall execute] 21-25. He . . . and (»/Q 3) . • •
thou shalt execute (that shalt Ff i, 2) Q. 26-36. Clarence . . . upon the lips
, . . tree . . . fruit . . . when as he meant . . . brothers' loves] 26-36. Clarence
. . . vpon the rosiate lips . . . fruit . , . child . . , And so he cride . . . and
meant . . . brothers hues Q. 37-46. What . . . Reignier . . . Sicils . . .
triumphs, mirthful . . . pleasure . . . farewell sour . . . lasting joy] 37-46.
What . . . Ranard . . . Cyssels . . . triumphs and mirthfull . . . pleasures
. . . farewell to sower . . . lasting ioie. Exeunt Omncs. Finis. Q.
29. upon the lips] " upon the rosiate " Queene Margaret lyke a prisoner was
lips," Q. " Roseal " was not a rare brought to London, where she re-
word, but " roseate " was later except as mayned till kyng Reiner her father
a painter's colour term. " Rosate," ransomed her with money, which
" rosett," and " oil rosat," are all in summe (as the French writers afferme)
Holland's Pliny. And in Cunningham's he borrowed of Kyng Lewes ... to
Revels Accounts (Shakespeare Soc. p. repayc so great a dutie, he solde to the
117). " Rosett . . . paynters percell " French King & his hcires, the Kyng-
appears in 1577. Nashe calls women's domes of Naples and both the Siciles,
breasts" Roseate buds " (Christ's Teares with the county of Prouynce. . . . Alter
(Grosart, iv. 208), 1593). the ransome payed, she was conveyed
33. fudas kiss'd] Lest this should in to Fraunce with small honor " (Hall,
cause a charge of irreverence here, it p. 301).
may be mentioned that this was a 40. sf>i/ »<] Can only mean the money,
familiar proverb. Many earlier ex- Identical in Q. The sum is stated at
amples could be quoted, and later. 50,000 crowns by the French histories.
37. have done with Margaret ?] 41. «'(»//]" to carry or send over the
172 KING HE\H\' THE SIXTH [act v.
With stately triumphs, mirthful comic shows,
Such as befits the pleasure of the court ?
Sound drums and trumpets! farewell sour annoy ! 45
For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy.
[Exeunt.
sea" (Schmidt) occurs twice in this speare. "Mirthful glee" is in Kyd's
play, and in the last, but only once Cornelia, iv. ii. 193.
elsewhere in Shakespeare, in Kin^ 45, 46. Sound drums . . . joy] Simi-
John. larly in Locrine, end of Act ii. : " Sound
43. triumphs] public rejoicings. See drums and trumpets, sound up cheer-
Two Gentlemen of Verona, v. iv. fully, Sith we return with joy and vic-
160, 161. And 1 Henry VI. v. v. tory." See the last words of Part II.
31. P'rom these two Locrine derived the
43. mirthful] Not again in Shake- example.
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them on rare occasions. There are, secondly, readers who
recognise the fact tliat many difficulties exist in what
Shakespeare has written, and that the labour of editors,
from Rowe to the most recent of annotators, has done much
to make clear what was obscure, and to render easy what
was diOicuIt ; for these readers a body of explanatory notes,
in which a mean is attempted between parsimony and
superfluity, has been provided. Thirdly, there are scholarly
readers, who have a legitimate desire themselves to check
or control the w^ork of the editor in the formation of his
text. No edition of Shakespeare of moderate size and
price appears to give at once explanatory notes and adequate
textual collations. In "Hamlet" an attempt is made to
exhibit the variations from the editor's text, which are
found in the primary sources, the Quarto of 1604 ^"^ the
Folio of 1623, in so far as those variations are of import-
ance for the ascertainment of the text. Every variation
is not recorded, but the editor has chosen to err on the
side of excess rather than on that of defect.
SOiME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
" In get up the edition is essentially one which will appeal to the genuine
book-lover. The type is large, and there are ample margins. The paper
used is exceedingly light in weight, and the binding is chaste but substantiaL
Altogether, we have nothing but praise for this new edition," — IVestminsltr
Gazette,
"An admirable edition. ... A comely volume, admirably printed and
produced, and containing all that a student need require. The page is not
unduly encumbered with notes, but no point needing explanation is neglected
or passed over." — Speaker,
"This volume is a worthy addition to a charming issue of Shakespeare's
works. . . . Leaves little to be desired as a model of arrangement and
printing ; it is light and handy, and eminently readable." — AthettiTum.
" A critical edition of Shakespeare in a thoroughly readable form. . . .
No previous edition known to us contains so much information in so agreeable
an outward form. Hitherto, editions in which anything like textual criticism
was attempted, have been works of reference rather than books to be read
by the fireside. Now this is eminently such a book. ' Helpful yet handy '
might be the motto of the edition. The publishers are to be congratu-
lated on an unobtrusively tasteful and skilful achievement in the art of
book manufacture. No less are they to be congratulated on their choice of
an editor. . . . Take it all in all, his work is a model of ripe and sane
scholarship. " — Daily Chronicle.
"A very welcome addition to the Shakespeare shelf, for its wealth of
notes and parallel passages are admirably arranged. No praise can be too
high." — Daily Graphic,
"Wc are grateful for a learned and sensible edition of the play." —
Mornivg Post.
"Very handsome, well edited, well printed, and convenient. No reai'er
or book-buyer could desire a more attractive and satisfactory form." — St.
James' Gazette,
" The editor has done his work in a schol.^rly fashion. The notes are
full of instruction, and arc evidently the work of one who understands the
English language." — British Weekly,
SC. I.
riUXCE OF DENMARK
09
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The sh'ngs and arrows of outrac;cous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them ? To die, — to
sleep, — 60
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die ; — to sleep ; —
To sleep ! perchance to dream ! ay, there 's the
rub; 65
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil.
60, 61. To die, — . .
63. to,] too; Q, too? V
die to sleepe. To sleepe, Q, F.
Hunter, who would place the sol-
iloquy, with Q I, in Act II. sc. ii.,
supposes it is supgcsted by the book
which Ilainlel is tliere represented as
readinj^. Perhaps, the explanation
lying in what immediately follows, it
means, Is my present project of active
resistance against wrong to be, or not
to be? Ilamlct anticipates his own
death as a probable consequence.
57. in the tiiitid] This is to be
connected with "suffer," not with
"nobler."
58. s/ifi,!^s and arrows'] Walker,
with an anonymous writer of 1752,
would read "stings." "Slings and
arrows " is found in Fletcher's Valen-
tinian, I. iii.
59. sea] Various emendations have
been suggested : Theobald, "siege";
also, " th' assay" or "a 'say";
Ilanmer, "assailing"; Warburton,
"assail of" ; Bailey, " the seat." It
has been shown from Aristotle, Strabo,
>4£lian, and Nicolas of Damascus that
the Kelts, Gauls, and Cimbri ex-
hibited their inuepidily by armed
No] Pope, die to sleepe A^o Q, dye, to sleepe No F.
64, 65. die; — to sleep; — To sleep!] Capell,
combats with the sea, which Shake-
speare might have found in Abraham
Fleming's translation of ^/i//a«, 1576.
But elsewhere Shakespeare has "sea
of joys," "sea of glorj'," "sea of
care." Here the central metaphor is
that of a battle ("slings and arrows");
the "sea of troubles," billows of the
war, merely develops the metaphor
of battle, as in Scott, Marmion,
VI. xxvi. :
" Then mark'd they, dashing
broad and far.
The broken billows of the war,
And plumed crests of chieftains
brave.
Floating like foam upon the
wave."
63. constimiuaiion] Compare Cym-
belitu, IV. ii. 280 :
" Quiet consummation have :
And renowned be thy grave ! "
65. ruh] impediment, as in King
Henry V. II. ii. iSS.
67. mortal coil] trouble or turmoil
of mortal life. In this sense coil
occurs several times in Shakespeare,
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