His captain, fteward, deputy elect, Shall here inhabit, and this land be call'd in the most exprefs terms, the doctrine of paffive obedience,) is preferved. The politicks of the hiftorian were the politicks of the poet. STEEVENS. The chief argument urged by the bishop in Holinfhed, is, that it was unjuft to proceed against the king "without calling him openly to his aunfwer and defence." He fays, that "none of them were worthie or meete to give judgement to fo noble a prince;" but does not exprefsly affert that he could not be lawfully depofed. Our author, however, undoubtedly had Holinshed before him. MALONE. It does not appear from any better authority than Holinshed that Bishop Merkes made this famous fpeech, or any fpeech at all upon this occafion, or even that he was prefent at the time. His fentiments, however, whether right or wrong, would have been regarded neither as novel nor unconftitutional. And it is ob fervable that ufurpers are as ready to avail themselves of the doctrine of divine right, as lawful fovereigns; to dwell upon the facredness of their perfons and the fanctity of their character. Even that cutpurfe of the empire," Claudius, in Hamlet, affects to believe that fuch divinity doth hedge a king," &c. RITSON. The field of Golgotha and dead men's fculls. That ever fell upon this curfed earth: Left child, child's children,' cry against you-woe! NORTH. Well have you argu'd, fir; and, for your pains, Of capital treafon we arreft you here:--- May't please you, lords, to grant the commons' fuit? BOLING. Fetch hither Richard, that in common view He may furrender; fo we fhall proceed YORK. I will be his conduct." [Exit. 3 Left child, child's children,] Thus the old copy. Some of our modern editors read-childrens' children." STEEVENS. 4 his day of trial.] After this line, whatever follows, almost to the end of the act, containing the whole procefs of dethroning and debafing King Richard, was added after the first edition, of 1598, and before the fecond of 1615. Part of the addition is proper, and part might have been forborn without much lofs. The author, I fuppofe, intended to make a very moving scene. The addition was firft made in the quarto 1608. JOHNSON. STEEVENS. The first edition was in 1597, not in 1598. When it is faid that this fcene was added, the reader muft understand that it was added by the printer, or that a more perfect copy fell into the hands of the later editor than was published by a former. There is no proof that the whole fcene was not written by Shakspeare at the fame time with the reft of the play, though for political reafons it might not have been exhibited or printed during the life of Queen Elizabeth. See An Attempt to afcertain the order of his plays, Vol. I. MALONE. 5 -his conduct.] i. e. conductor. So, in K. Henry VI. P. II: Athough thou hast been conduct of my fhame." STEEVENS, BOLING. Lords, you that are here under our arrest, Procure your fureties for your days of answer:— Little are we beholden to your love, [To CARLISLE. And little look'd for at your helping hands. Re-enter YORK, with King RICHARD, and Officers bearing the crown, &c. K. RICH. Alack, why am I fent for to a king, Before I have shook off the regal thoughts Wherewith I reign'd? I hardly yet have learn'd To infinuate, flatter, bow, and bend my knee :Give forrow leave a while to tutor me To this fubmiffion. Yet I well remember Found truth in all, but one; I, in twelve thousand, none. God fave the king!-Will no man say, amen? YORK. To do that office, of thine own good will, K. RICH. Give me the crown:-Here, coufin, feize the crown; Here, on this fide,' my hand; on that fide, thine. 6 The favours, &c.] The countenances; the features. JOHNSON. So, in Othello: nor fhould I know him, "Were he in favour as in humour alter'd." STEEVENS. 7 Here, on this fide,] The old copy redundantly has-Here, coufin, on this fide,—• STEEVENS. Now is this golden crown like a deep well, The other down, unseen, and full of water: You may my glories and my state depose, BOLING. Part of your cares you give me with your crown. K. RICH. Your cares fet up, do not pluck my cares down. My care is lofs of care, by old care done;' Therefore no no, for I refign to thee. 7 The emptier ever dancing-] This is a comparifon not cafily accommodated to the fubject, nor very naturally introduced. The beft part is this line, in which he makes the ufurper the empty bucket. JOHNSON. 8 My care is lofs of care, by old care done;] Shakspeare often obfcures his meaning by playing with founds. Richard feems to fay here, that his cares are not made lefs by the increafe of Bolingbroke's cares; for this reafon, that his care is the lofs of care,-his grief is, that his regal cares are at an end, by the cellation of the care to which he had been accustomed. JOHNSON. The pride of kingly fway from out my heart; NORTH. No more, but that you read [Offering a paper. Thefe accufations, and these grievous crimes, Committed by your perfon, and your followers, Against the state and profit of this land; That, by confeffing them, the fouls of men May deem that you are worthily depos'd. K. RICH. Muft I do fo? and must I ravel out My weav'd-up follies? Gentle Northumberland, If thy offences were upon record, Would it not fhame thee, in fo fair a troop, And cracking the strong warrant of an oath, 9 my balm,] The oil of confecration. He has mentioned it before. JOHNSON. 2 If thou would't,] That is, if thou wouldst read over a lift of thy own deeds. JOHNSON. |