se soldier now, under whose blessèd cross r whose acres walk'd those blessèd feet nat yesternight our Council did decree West. My liege, this haste was hot in question, nd 8 many limits of the charge set down 4 Levying an army to a place is an elliptical form of expression. So in Osson's School of Abuse, 1587: "Scipio, before he levied his forces to the alls of Carthage, gave his soldiers the print of the city in a cake, to be de›ured." — Here, as often, shall has the force of will; the two being used differently. 5 "We meet not on that question, or to consider that matter." Such is ften the meaning of therefore in old English. 6 Ralph Neville, the present Earl of Westmoreland, married for his first ife Joan, daughter to John of Gaunt, by Catharine Swynford, and thereore half-sister to King Henry the Fourth. Cousin, in old English, bears nuch the same sense as kinsman in our time. 7 The Poet uses expedience and expedition interchangeably: likewise, expedient and expeditious. By dear, the King probably means that he has his heart set upon it. 8" Limits of the charge" probably means appointments for the undertaking. The Poet repeatedly uses to limit for to appoint; as also to appoint for to equip or furnish; that is, to arrange the outfit of an army. Question, The Iı༦SulaI aIIu wi Cichowe, Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken; Upon whose dead corpse' 10 there was such misuse, By those Welshwomen done, as may not be King. It seems, then, that the tidings of this broil Brake off our business for the Holy Land. West. This, match'd with other, did, my gracious l For more uneven and unwelcome news Came from the North, and thus it did import : At Holmedon met; Where they did spend a sad and bloody hour, And shape of likelihood, the news was told; 9 That is, "A thousand of his people being butchered." 10 Corpse' for corpses. So we have horse' for horses, house' fo sense' for senses, &c. 11 Rood is an old word for cross. So we have the expression, "T that died on rood." Holy-Rood day was the 14th of September. is said to have been so called, because, from the age of twelve ye he first began to bear arms, his "spur was never cold," he being co at war with the Scots. 12 News, and also tidings, was used indifferently as singular d with the variation of each soil 13 ixt that Holmedon and this seat of ours; he hath brought us smooth and welcome news. Earl of Douglas is discomfited: thousand bold Scots, two-and-twenty knights, 'd in their own blood,14 did Sir Walter see is not this an honourable spoil, allant prize? ha, cousin, is it not? Vest. Faith, 'tis a conquest for a prince to boast of. King. Yea, there thou makest me sad, and makest me sin envy that my Lord Northumberland -uld be the father to so blest a scn, on who is the theme of honour's tongue; 3 A most vivid expression of Sir Walter's speed and diligence. 4 Balk'd in their own blood is heaped, or laid in heaps, in their own blood. alk was a ridge or bank of earth standing up between two furrows; and balk was to throw up the earth so as to form those heaps or banks. 15 This reads as if the Earl of Fife were the son of Douglas, whereas in the was son to the Duke of Albany, who was then regent or governor of otland, the King, his brother, being incapable of the office. The matter hus given by Holinshed, pointing and all: "Of prisoners among other re these, Mordacke earle of Fife, son to the governour Archembald earle owglas, which in the fight lost one of his eies." The Poet's mistake was Then would I have his Harry, and he mine: To his own use he keeps; and sends me word, I shall have none but Mordake Earl of Fife.18 West. This is his uncle's teaching, this is Worcest Malevolent to you in all aspects; 19 Which makes him prune himself, and bristle up King. But I have sent for him to answer this; 17 Among the naughty pranks which the ancient "night-trippi were supposed to enact, was that of stealing choice babies out of dles, and leaving inferior specimens in their stead. Shakespeare allusions to the roguish practice, as many other old writers also vol. iii. page 23, note 5. 18 Percy had an exclusive right to these prisoners, except the F By the law of arms, every man who had taken any captive, whos tion did not exceed ten thousand crowns, had him to himself to ransom at his pleasure. But Percy could not refuse the Earl of F being a prince of the royal blood, Henry might justly claim h acknowledged military prerogative. 19 An astrological allusion. Worcester is represented as a star that influenced the conduct of Hotspur. And the effect o predominance is implied, which was held to be irresistible. So fine poem "To the Countess of Cumberland": "Where all th misery predominate; whose strong effects are such as he must powerless to redress." See, also, vol. vii. page 148, note 21. 20 Crest is, properly, the topmost part of a helmet; and he often surmounted with armorial ensigns, and adorned with cos or plumes. A hawk, or a cock, was said to prune himself when off the loose feathers, and smoothed the rest: all from person: hold at Windsor; so inform the lords: come yourself with speed to us again; more is to be said and to be done out of anger can be utteréd.21 est. I will, my liege. E II. 705 [Exeunt. The Same. An Apartment of Prince HENRY's. Enter Prince HENRY and FALSTAFF. al. Now, Hal, what time of day is it, lad? rince. Thou art so fat-witted, with drinking of old sack, unbuttoning thee after supper, and sleeping upon benches - noon, that thou hast forgotten to demand that truly ch thou wouldst truly know.1 What a devil hast thou to with the time of the day? unless hours were cups of sack, minutes capons, and clocks the tongues of bawds, and s the signs of leaping-houses, and the blessed Sun hima fair hot wench in flame-coloured taffeta, I see no on why thou shouldst be so superfluous to demand the e of the day. Fal. Indeed, you come near me now, Hal; for we that = purses go by the Moon and the seven stars,3 and not by The King probably means that he must not give the reins to his ue while his mind is in such a state of perturbation. That he should keep his lips close when he is in danger of speaking indecorously, is a trait in his character. Implying, apparently, that he should ask only for the time of the night; at is the time for all his pleasures and pursuits. Taffeta was a rich silk of a wavy lustre. So that a handsome woman dress of Aame coloaned toffate would be a prettu brilliant and |