K. John. For our advantage;-Therefore, hear us firft. Thefe flags of France, that are advanced here And mercilefs proceeding by thefe French, By the compulfion of their ordinance 2 By this time from their fixed beds of lime 9 For our advantage;-Therefore hear us firft.-] If we read for your advantage, it would be a more fpecious reafon for interrupting Philip. TYRWHITT. • Confronts your city's eyes, -] The old copy reads: -Comforts, &c. Mr. Rowe made this neceffary change. STEEVENS. 2 -a countercheck- -] This, I believe, is one of the an cient terms used in the game of chefs. So, in Mucedorus: "Poft hence thyfelf, thou counterchecking trull." STEEVENS. K. Phil. When I have faid, make answer to us both, And king o'er him, and all that he enjoys: In warlike march thefe greens before your town; Than the conftraint of hofpitable zeal, To him that owes it; namely, this young prince: 3 'Tis not the roundure, &c.] Roundure means the fame as the French rondeur, i. e. the circle. So, in All's loft by Luft, a tragedy by Rowley, 1633: "That heaven's air in this huge rondure hems.” STEEVENS. Or Or fhall we give the fignal to our rage, Cit. In brief, we are the king of England's fubjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town. K. John. Acknowledge then the king, and let me in. And, if not that, I bring you witneffes, K. John. To verify our title with their lives. Faulc. Some baftards too. K. Phil.-Stand in his face, to contradict his claim. Cit. "Till you compound whofe right is worthieft, We, for the worthieft, hold the right from both. K. John. Then God forgive the fin of all thofe fouls, That to their everlasting refidence, Before the dew of evening fall, fhall fleet, In dreadful trial of our kingdom's king! K. Phil. Amen, Amen!-Mount, chevaliers! to arms! Fauk Saint George,-that fwing'd the dragon, and e'er fince, Sits on his horfeback at mine hoftefs' door, I'd fet an ox-head to your lion's hide 4, And make a monfter of you. Auft. Peace; no more. [To Auftria. I'd fet an ox-bead to your lion's hide,] So, in the old fpurious play of K. John: "But let the frolick Frenchman take no fcorn, "If Philip front him with an English horn." STEEVENS, D 2 Faule. Faulc. O, tremble; for you hear the lion roar. K. John. Up higher to the plain; where we'll fet forth, In beft appointment, all our regiments. Faule. Speed then, to take advantage of the field. K. Phil. It fhall be fo;-and at the other hill Command the rest to stand.-God, and our right! [Exeunt. SCENE II. After excurfions, enter the Herald of France, with trumpets, to the gates. F.Her. Youmen of Angiers, open wide your gates, And let young Arthur, duke of Bretagne, in; Who, by the hand of France, this day hath made Much work for tears in many an English mother, Whofe fons lye fcatter'd on the bleeding ground: Many a widow's hufband groveling lies, Coldly embracing the difcolour'd earth; And victory, with little lofs, doth play Upon the dancing banners of the French; Who are at hand, triumphantly difplay'd, To enter conquerors, and to proclaim Arthur of Bretagne, England's king, and yours. Enter English Herald, with trumpets. E. Her. Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells; King John, your king and England's, doth approach, 5 You men of Angiers, &c.] This fpeech is very poetical and finooth, and except the conceit of the widow's husband embracing the earth, is juft and beautiful. JOHNSON. Rejoice, you men of Angiers, &c.] The English herald falls fomewhat below his antagonist. Silver armour gilt with blood is a poor image. Yet our author has it again in Macbeth: 66 -Here lay Duncan, "His filver fkin lac'd with his golden blood." JOHNSON. Com Commander of this hot malicious day! Their armours, that march'd hence fo filver-bright, Our colours do return in those fame hands Cit. Heralds, from off our towers we might behold, Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows; Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power: Both are alike; and both alike we like. One muft prove greatest: while they weigh fo even, We hold our town for neither; yet for both. Enter the two Kings with their powers, at feveral doors. K. John. France, haft thou yet more blood to caft away? Say, fhall the current of our right run on? A peaceful progress to the ocean. And, like a jolly troop of huntsmen,] It was, I think, one of the favage practices of the chafe, for all to ftain their hands in the blood of the deer, as a trophy. JOHNSON, Heralds, from off &c.] Thefe three fpeeches feem to have been laboured. The citizen's is the best; yet both alike we like is a poor gingle. JOHNSON. |