I

fair Catharine of France; where, for any thing I know, Falstaff shall die of a fweat, unless already be be kill'd with your hard opinions: for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary: when my legs are too, I will bid you good night, and fo kneel down before you; but, indeed, to pray for the Queen.

1 for Oldcastle died a martyr,] This alludes to a play in which Sir John Oldcastle was put for Falfaff.

Mr. Pope.

THE

THE

LIFE

OF

Η Ε Ν R Y

V.

Bardolph,

Pistol,

Boy,

Bates,

Court,

Williams,

}

Confpirators against the King.

Officers in King Henry's Army.

Formerly Servants to Falstaff, now Soldiers in the
King's Army.

Soldiers.

Charles, King of France.

The Dauphin.

Duke of Burgundy.

Conftable,

Orleans,

Grandpree,

Governour of Harfleur.

Mountjoy, a Herald.

Ambaffadors to the King of England.

Isabel, Queen of France.

Catharine, Daughter to the King of France.

Alice, a Lady attending on the Princess Catharine.
Quickly, Piftol's Wife, an Hoftess.

CHORUS.

Lords, Meffengers, French and English Soldiers,
with other Attendants.

The SCENE, at the beginning of the Play, lies in England; but afterwards, wholly in France.

PRO.

For a Muse of fire, that would afcend
"The brightest heaven of invention !

"A kingdom for a stage, Princes to act,
"And Monarchs to behold the fwelling fcene!
"Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,

Affume the port of Mars; and, at his heels, (Leafbt in, like bounds,) fhould famine, sword and fire "Crouch for employment. Pardon, gentles all, The flat unraifed fpirit, that hath dar'd,

On this unworthy Scaffold, to bring forth
So great an object. Can this Cock-pit hold
The vafty field of France? or may we cram,
Within this wooden O," the very caskes
"That did affright the air, at Agincourt?
O, pardon; fince a crooked figure may
Atteft in little place a million;

And let us, cyphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.

Suppofe within the girdle of thefe walls
Are now confin'd two mighty monarchies ;

66.2

Whofe high up-reared, and abutting fronts "Perillous, the narrow ocean parts afunder.

10 for a Mufe of fire, &c.] This goes upon the notion of the Peripatetic Syftem, which imagines feveral Heavens one above another; the last and highest of which was one of fire.

2 Whofe high up-reared, and abutting fronts,

THE PERILLOUs narrow ocean parts afunder.] Without doubt the author wrote,

Whofe high up reared, and abutting fronts

PERILLOUS, THE narrow ocean parts afunder; for his purpofe is to fhew, that the highest danger arifes from the fhock of their meeting; and that it is but a little thing which keeps them afunder. This fenfe my emendation gives us, as the common reading gives us a contrary; for thofe whom a perillous ocean parts afunder, are in no danger of meeting.

VOL. IV.

Piece