MESS. My fovereign liege, no letters; and few words, But fuch as I, without your special pardon, Dare not relate. brief, K. EDW. Go to, we pardon thee: therefore, in 'Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them. What answer makes king Lewis unto our letters ? MESS. At my depart, these were his very words; Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,That Lewis of France is fending over maskers, To revel it with him and his new bride. ، K. EDW. Is Lewis so brave? belike, he thinks me Henry. But what faid lady Bona to my marriage?* MESS. These were her words, utter'd with mild disdain; Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly, K. EDW. I blame not her, she could say little lefs; • She had the wrong. But what said Henry's queen ? 'For I have heard, that she was there in place.3 MESS. Tell him, quoth she, my mourning weeds are done,4 And I am ready to put armour on. 2 3 " to my marriage?] The quartos read to these wrongs." STEEVENS. -She was there in place.] This expression, signifying, she was there present, occurs frequently in old English writers. MALONE. En place, a Gallicism. STEEVENS. 4 - are done,] i. e. are consumed, thrown off. The word K. EDW. Belike, she minds to play the Amazon. But what said Warwick to these injuries? MESS. 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, And therefore I'll uncrown him, ere't be long. K. EDW. Ha! durst the traitor breathe out fo proud words? Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd: They shall have wars, and pay for their prefump tion. But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret ? MESS. Ay, gracious fovereign; they are so link'd in friendship, That young prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter. CLAR. Belike, the elder; Clarence will have the younger.5 * Now, brother king, farewell, and fit you fast, * For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter; * That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage is often used in this sense by the writers of our author's age. So, in his Rape of Lucrece: " And if poffefs'd, as foon decay'd and done "As is the morning's filver-melting dew." MALONE. 5 Belike, the elder; Clarence will have the younger.] I have ventured to make elder and younger change places in this line against the authority of all the printed copies. The reason of it will be obvious. THEOBALD. Clarence having in fact married Isabella, the elder daughter of Warwick, Mr. Theobald made elder and younger change places in this line; in which he has been followed, I think, improperly, by the subsequent editors: The author of the old play, where this line is found, might from ignorance or intentionally have deviated from history, in his account of the person whom Clarence married. See a former note, p. 131, n. 4. MALONE. * I may not prove inferior to yourself.- [Exit CLARENCE, and SOMERSET follows. * GLO. Not I:7 * My thoughts aim at a further matter; I [Afide. K. EDW. Clarence and Somerset both gone to * Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen; • You, that love me and Warwick, follow me.] That Clarence should make this speech in the King's hearing is very improbable, yet I do not see how it can be palliated. The King never goes out, nor can Clarence be talking to a company apart, for he answers immediately to that which the Post says to the King. JOHNSON. When the Earl of Effex attempted to raise a rebellion in the city, with a design, as was supposed, to storm the Queen's palace, he ran about the streets with his sword drawn, crying out, "They that love me, follow me." STEEVENS, Clarence certainly speaks in the hearing of the King, who immediately after his brother has retired, exclaims, that he is gone to join with Warwick. This line is in the old quarto play. One nearly resembling it is likewife found in The Battle of Alcazar, 1594 : " Myself will lead the way, " And make a passage with my conquering sword, So also, in our author's King Richard III: "The reft that love me, rise, and follow me." MALONE. Glo. Not 1:]) After Clarence goes out, we have in the old play the following dialogue; part of which Shakspeare rejected, and transposed the reft: "Edw. Clarence and Somerset fled to Warwick! "What say you, brother Richard, will you stand to us?" &c. MALONE. See note 9, in the following page. STEEVENS. Pembroke, and Stafford, you in our behalf 'Go levy men, and make prepare for war; They are already, or quickly will be landed : 'Myself in person will straight follow you. [Exeunt PEMBROKE and STAFFORD. 'But, ere I go, Haftings, and Montague, 'Resolve my doubt. You twain, of all the rest, '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 with you foes, than hollow friends; 'But if you mind to hold your true obedience, Give me afsurance with fome 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 caufe! 1 'K. EDW. Now, brother Richard, will you stand by us? GLO. Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you.9 * Pembroke, and Stafford, &c.] The quartos give the passage thus: "Pembroke, go raise an army presently; "To Warwick; therefore tell me if you favour • Ay, in despite of all that shall withstand you ] The quartos, continue the speech thus : K. HEN. 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 and other Forces. 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 come ;Speak fuddenly, my lords, are we all friends ? CLAR. Fear not that, my lord. WAR. Then, gentle Clarence, welcome unto Warwick; And welcome, Somerset:-I hold it cowardice, "Ay, my lord, in despight of all that shall withstand you; But welcome, Clarence;] Old copy, redundantly, Sweet Clarence. STEEVENS. |