Arise sir Richard, and Plantagenet. Bast. Brother, by the mother's side, give me your hand; My father gave me honour, your's gave land :--Now blessed be the hour, by night or day, When I was got, sir Robert was away! Eli. The very spirit of Plantagenet !→→ I am thy grandame, Richard; call me so. Bast. Madam, by chance, but not by truth: What though? Something about, a little from the right, In at the window, or else o'er the hatch: Who dares not stir by day, must walk by night; Near or far off, well won is still well shot; K. John. Go, Faulconbridge; now hast thou thy desire, A landless knight makes thee a landed 'squire. --Come, madam, and come, Richard; we must speed Bast. Brother, adieu! Good fortune come to thee! [Exeunt all but the Bastard. A foot of honours better than I was; [3] It is a common opinion, that Plantagenet was the surname of the royal house of England, from the time of King Henry II. but it is, as Camden observes, in ha Remaines, 1614, a popular mistake. Plantagenet was not a family name, but a Rick-name, by which a grandson of Geffrey, the first Earl of Anjou, was distinguished, from bis wearing a broom-stalk in his bonnet. But this name was never borne either by the first Earl of Anjou, or by King Henry 11. the son of that Earl by the Empress Maude; he being always called Heary Fitz-Empress; his son, Richard Cour-de-lion; and the prince who is exhibited in the play before us, John sans-terre, or lack-land. MALONE. [4] This speech, composed of allusive and proverbial sentences, is obscure. I am, says the sprightly knight, your grandson, a little irregularly, but every mau cannot get what he wishes the legal way. He that dares not go about bis designs by day, must make his motions in the night; he, to whom the door is shut. must climb the window, or leap the hatch. This, however, shall not depress me; for the world never inquires how any man got what he is known to possess, but allows that to have is to have, however it was caught, and that be who wins, shot well, whatever was his skill, whether the arrow fall mear the mark, or far off it. JOHNSON. [5] A step, un pas. JOHNSON. [] i. e. A good evening. STEEVENS For your conversion. Now your traveller,'- It draws towards supper in conclusion so. And fits the mounting spirit, like myself: For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising.- [7] It is said, in All's well that ends well, that “ a traveller is a good thing after dinner." In that age of newly excited curiosity, one of the entertainments at great tables seems to have been the discourse of a traveller. JOHNSON. [8] It has been already remarked, that to pick the tooth, and wear a piqued beard, were, in that time, marks of a man's affecting foreign fashions. JOHNSON. Among Gascoigne's poems I find one entitled, Councell given to Maister Bartholomen Withipoll a little before his latter Journey to Geane, 1572. The following lines, may, perhaps be acceptable to the reader who is curious enough to inquire about the fashionable follies imported in that age: "Now, sir, if I shall see your mastership "Come home disguis'd, and clad in quaint array; "As with a pike-tooth byting on your lippe ; "Your brave mustachios turn'd the Turkie way; "A coptankt hat made on a Flemish blocke; "A night-gowne cloake down trayling to your toes; "A slender slop close couched to your dock; "A curtolde slipper, and a short silk hose," &c. STEEVENS. [9] My picked man of countries is-my travelled fop. HOLT WHITE. Milton, in his tragedy, introduces Dalilah with such an interrogatory 4xclamation. JOHNSON. 2 VOL. V. What woman-post is this? hath she no husband, Enter Lady FAULCONBRIDGE and JAMES GURNEY. Lady F. Where is that slave, thy brother? where is he? That holds in chase mine honour up and down? Bast. My brother Robert? old sir Robert's son ? Colbrand the giant, that same mighty man?" Is it sir Robert's son, that you seek so? Lady F. Sir Robert's son! Ay, thou unreverend boy, Sir Robert's son: Why scorn'st thou at sir Robert ? He is sir Robert's son; and so art thou. Bast. James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave a while? Gur. Good leave, good Philip. Bast. Philip ?-sparrow !-James," There's toys abroad; anon I'll tell thee more. [Exit GURNEY. -Madam, I was not old sir Robert's son ; Sir Robert never holp to make this leg. Lady F. Hast thou conspired with thy brother too, I have disclaim'd sir Robert, and my land; Then, good, my mother, let me know my father Lady F. King Richard Coeur-de-lion was thy father; [2] Colbrand was a Danish giant, whom Guy of Warwick discomfited in the presence of King Athelstan. The combat is very pompously described by Drayton, in his Polgolbion. JOHNSON [3] The Bastard means: Philip! Do you take me for a sparrow? HAWKINS. By long and vehement suit I was seduc'd To make room for him in my husband's bed :- Which was so strongly urg'd, past my defence. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-France. ACT II. Before the walls of Angiers. Lauer: on one side, the Archduke of Austria, and Forces; on the other, PHILIP, King of France, and Forces; LEWIS, CONstance, Arthur, and Attendants. Lewis. BEFORE Angiers well met, brave Austria.- [4] There are sins that whatever be determined of them above, are not much censured on earth, JOHNSON. [5] So, Rastal, in his Chronicle: "It is sayd that a lyon was put to kynge Richard, beynge in prison, to have devoured him, and when the lyon was gapynge he put his arme in his mouth, and pulled the lyon by the harte so hard that he slewe the lyon, and therefore some say he is called Rycharde Cure de Lyon; but some say be is called Cure de Lyon, because of his boldness and hardy stomake." GREY. By this brave duke came early to his grave: At our importance hither is he come, To spread his colours, boy, in thy behalf; Of thy unnatural uncle, English John: Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither. Lewis. A noble boy! Who would not do thee right? Const. O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks, Till your strong hand shall help to give him strength, To make a more requital to your love. Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs, that lift their swords In such a just and charitable war. K. Phil. Well then, to work; our cannon shall be bent To cull the plots of best advantages:- Wade to the market-place in Frenchmen's blood, Const. Stay for an answer to your embassy, [6] England is supposed to be called Albion from the white rocks facing France. JOHNSON. More signified, in our author's time, greater. STEEVENS. [8] i e. to mark such stations as might most over-awe the town. HENLEY. |