Pand. Your mind is all as youthful as your blood. Now hear me speak, with a prophetic spirit; For even the breath of what I mean to speak Shall blow each dust, each straw, each little rub, Out of the path which shall directly lead Thy foot to England's throne; and, therefore, mark. John hath seiz'd Arthur; and it cannot be, That, whiles warm life plays in that infant's veins, Lew. But what shall I gain by young Arthur's fall? ons king hat shall I gain Pand. You, in the right of Lady Blanch your wife, May then make all the claim that Arthur did. Lew. And lose it, life and all, as Arthur did. 9 Pand. How green are you, and fresh in this old John lays you plots15; the times conspire with you: No scape16 of nature, no distemper'd day, 15 John lays you plots. A similar phrase occurs in the First Part of King Henry VI 'He writes me here.' Again, in the second part of the same play : He would have carried you a forehand shaft,' &c. 16 The old copy reads scope. The emendation is Pope's. Shakspeare finely calls a monstrous birth an escape of nature, as if it were produced while she was busy elsewhere, or intent upon some other thing. 3 1 No common wind, no customed event, Lew. May be, he will not touch young Arthur's life, But hold himself safe in his prisonment. Pand. O, sir, when he shall hear of your approach, Even at that news he dies: and then the hearts. And kiss the lips of unacquainted change; 7 arms, they would be as a call18 To train ten thousand English to their side; Or, as a little snow19, tumbled about, Anon becomes a mountain. O noble Dauphin, What may their s What may their discontent: For king, us reasons make strong20 actions: Let If you say, ay, the king will not say, no. [Exeunt. 17 Hurly is tumult. 18 The image is taken from the manner in which birds are sometimes caught; one being placed for the purpose of drawing others to the net by his note or call. 19 Bacon, in his History of Henry VII. speaking of Simnel's march, observes that their snowball did not gather as it went. 20 The first folio reads strange; the second folio strong. ACT IV. SCENE I. Northampton1. 4 Room in the Castle. Enter HUBERT and two Attendants. Hub. Heat me these irons hot: and, look thou stand Within the arras2: when I strike my foot Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth: And bind the boy, which you shall find with me, Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch. 1 Attend. I hope, your warrant will bear out the deed. to't. Hub. Uncleanly scruples! Fear not you: look [Exeunt Attendants. Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you. Enter ARTHUR. Arth. Good morrow, Hub. Hubert. Good morrow, little prince. Arth. As little prince (having so great a title. To be more prince), as may be.--You are sad. Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier. Arth. Mercy on me! Methinks nobody should be sad but I: Young gentlemen would be a 1 There is no circumstance, either in the original play or in this of Shakspeare, to point out the particular castle in which Arthur is supposed to be confined. The castle of Northampton has been mentioned merely because, in the first act, King John seems to have been in that town. It has already been stated that Arthur was in fact confined at Falaise, and afterwards at Rouen, where he was put to death. 9 Tapestry. This is a satirical glance at the fashionable affectation of his time by Shakspeare: which Lyly also ridicules in his Midas:Now every base companion, being in his muble-fubles, says he is melancholy. Again: Melancholy is the crest of courtiers, and now every base companion says he is melancholy. i. c. by my baptism. The use of this word for christening or baptism is not peculiar to Shakspeare; it was common in his So I were out of prison, and kept sheep, Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son? Read here, young Arthur. How now, foolish possession of my bo [Showing a paper.] [Aside. rheum! Turning dispiteous torture out of door! Out at mine eyes, in tender womanish tears. Arth. Hub. And will you? And I will. Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did but ake, T knit my handkerchief about your brows (The best I had, a princess wrought it And I did never ask it you again: me), And with my hand at midnight held your head; And, like the watchful minutes to the hour, time. Hearne has published a Prone from a MS. of Henry the Seventh's time, in the glossary to Robert of Gloucester in a note on the word midewinter, by which it appears that it was the ancient orthography. The childer ryzt schape & chrystyndome." It is also used by Lyly, Fanshaw, Harington, and Fairfaxe. Still and cheer'd up the heavy time; Saying, What lack you? and, Where lies your grief? Nay, you may think my love wa If heaven be pleas'd that you must use me ill, Why, then you must.-Will you put out mine eyes? These eyes, that never did, nor never shall, So much as frown on you? Hub. I have sworn to do it; And with hot irons must I burn them out. Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it! The iron of itself, though heat5 red-hot, Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears, Even in the matter of mine innocence: But for containing fire to harm mine eye. me, Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron? Hubert's. Hub. Come forth. no tongue, but [Stamps. Re-enter Attendants, with Cords, Irons, &c. Do as I bid you do. 110 Arth. O, save me, Hubert, save are e me; my eyes Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.. Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here. Arth. Alas! what need you be so boist'rous-rough? for The participle heat, though now obsolete, was in use in Shakspeare's time. He commanded that they should heat nace one seven times more than it was wont to be heat.-Daniel, iii. 19. |