It dies, an if it had a thousand lives.

Puc. O, give me leave, I have deluded you; 'Twas neither Charles, nor yet the duke I nam'd, But Reignier, king of Naples, that prevail'd. War. A marry'd man! that's most intolerable. York. Why, here's a girl! I think, fhe knows not well, There were fo many, whom the may accufe.

War. It's fign, fhe hath been liberal and free, York. And, yet, forfooth, fhe is a virgin pure.Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat, and thee: Ufe no entreaty, for it is in vain.

Puc. Then lead me hence;—with whom I leave my curse :

May never glorious fun reflex his beams
Upon the country where you make abode!
But darkness and the gloomy fhade of death
Environ you; till mischief, and despair,

Drive you to break your necks, or hang yourselves?!
[Exit, guarded.
York. Break thou in pieces, and confume to afhes,
Thou foul accurfed minister of hell!

Enter Cardinal BEAUFORT, attended.
Car. Lord regent, I do greet your excellence
With letters of commiffion from the king.
For know, my lords, the states of Christendom,
Mov'd with remorfe of these outrageous broils,
Have earnestly implor'd a general peace
Betwixt our nation and the afpiring French;

Again: “ — my brain

"Italianates my barren faculties

"To Machiavelian blacknefs." STEEVENS.

-darkness and the gloomy fhade of death-] The expreffion is fcrip tural: "Whereby the day-fpring from on high hath vifited us, to give light to them that fit in darkness and the shadow of death." MALONE, 1-till mifchief and despair

Drive you to break your necks, or bang your felves!] Perhaps Shakfpeare intended to remark in this execration, the frequency of fuicide among the English, which has been commonly imputed to the gloomipels of their air. JOHNSON.

And

And fee at hand the Dauphin, and his train,
Approacheth, to confer about fome matter.
York. Is all our travel turn'd to this effect?
After the flaughter of fo many peers,
So many captains, gentlemen, and foldiers,
That in this quarrel have been overthrown,
And fold their bodies for their country's benefit,
Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace ?
Have we not loft most part of all the towns,
By treason, falfhood, and by treachery,
Our great progenitors had conquered?

O, Warwick, Warwick! I foresee with grief
The utter lofs of all the realm of France.

War. Be patient, York; if we conclude a peace,
It shall be with fuch ftrict and fevere covenants,
As little fhall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Enter CHARLES, attended; ALENÇON, BASTARD
REIGNIER, and Others.

Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed, That peaceful truce fhall be proclaim'd in France, We come to be informed by yourfelves

What the conditions of that league must be.

York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes

The hollow paffage of my poifon'd voice,

By fight of these our baleful enemies 9.

Win. Charles, and the reft, it is enacted thus ; That-in regard king Henry gives confent,

Of meer compaffion, and of lenity,

- poifon'd voice,] Poifon'd voice agrees well enough with bareful enemies, or with baleful, if it can be used in the fame fenfe. The modern editors read-prifon'd voice. JOHNSON.

Prifon'd was introduced by Mr. Pope. MALONE.

9baleful enemies.] Baleful is forroroful; I therefore rather ima gine that we should read-baneful, hurtful, or mischievous. JOHNSON. Baleful had anciently the fame meaning as baneful. It is an epithet very frequently bestow'd on poisonous plants and reptiles. So, in Romeo and Juliet:

With baleful weeds, and precious-juiced flowers."

STELVENS.
To

To cafe your country of distressful war,
And fuffer you to breathe in fruitful peace,-
You fhall become true liegemen to his crown;
And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt fwear
To pay him tribute, and fubmit thyself,
Thou shalt be plac'd as viceroy under him,
And ftill enjoy thy regal dignity.

Alen. Must he be then as fhadow of himself?
Adorn his temples with a coronet';
And yet, in fubftance and authority,
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is abfurd and reafonless.

Char. 'Tis known, already that I am poffefs'4
With more than half the Gallian territories,
And therein reverenc'd for their lawful king:
Shall I, for lucre of the reft unvanquish'd
Detract fo much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole ?
No, lord ambaffador; I'll rather keep
That which I have, than, coveting for more,
Be caft from poffibility of all.

York. Infulting Charles! haft thou by secret means

Us'd interceffion to obtain a league;

And, now the matter grows to compromise,
Stand'ft thou aloof upon comparison 2?
Either accept the title thou ufurp'ft,
Of benefit proceeding from our king,
And not of any challenge of defert,
Or we will plague thee with inceffant wars.

Reig. My lord, you do not well in obstinacy

To cavil in the courfe of this contract:

If once it be neglected, ten to one,

We fhall not find like opportunity.

1-with a coronet ;] Coronet is here used for a crown. Jonysox. - upon comparison ] Do you ftand to compare your present state, aftate which you have neither right or power to maintain, with the terms which we offer? JOHNSON.

3 Of benefit-] Benefit is here a term of law. Be content to live as the beneficiary of our king. JouNSON.

Alen.

Alen. To fay the truth, it is your policy,
To fave your fubjects from fuch maffacre,
And ruthless flaughters, as are daily seen
By our proceeding in hoftility:

And therefore take this compact of a truce,
Although you break it when your pleasure ferves.

[Afide, to Charles. War. How fay't thou, Charles? fhall our condition ftand?

Char. It fhall:

Only referv'd, you claim no interest

In any of our towns of garrison.

York. Then fwear allegiance to his majesty;

As thou art knight, never to disobey,

Nor be rebellious to the crown of England,

Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England.—

[Charles, and the reft, give tokens of fealty.

So, now difmifs your army when ye please ;
Hang up your enfigns, let your drums be ftill,
For here we entertain a folemn peace.

[Exeunt.

Enter King HENRY, in conference with SUFFOLR; GLOSTER and EXETER following.

K. Hen. Your wond'rous rare defcription, noble earl, Of beauteous Margaret hath aftonish'd me: Her virtues, graced with external gifts, Do breed love's fettled paffions in my heart; And like as rigour of tempeftuous gufts Provokes the mightieft hulk against the tide; So am I driven, by breath of her renown, Either to fuffer fhipwreck, or arrive

4 So am I driven, &c.] This fimile is fomewhat obfcure; he feems to mean, that as a fhip is driven against the tide by the wind, fo he is driven by love against the current of his intereft. JOHNSON.

Where

Where I may have fruition of her love.

Suf. Tufh, my good lord! this fuperficial tale
Is but a preface of her worthy praise :
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
(Had I fufficient skill to utter them,)
Would make a volume of enticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit.

And, which is more, the is not fo divine.
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But, with as humble lowliness of mind,
She is content to be at your command;
Command, I mean, of virtuous chafte intents,
To love and honour Henry as her lord.

K. Hen. And otherwife will Henry ne'er presume.
Therefore, my lord protector, give confent,
That Margaret may be England's royal queen.
Glo. So fhould I give confent to flatter fin.
You know, my lord, your highnefs is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem;

How fhall we then difpenfe with that contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?
Suf. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths;
Or one, that, at a triumph having vow'd
To try his ftrength, forfaketh yet the lifts
By reafon of his adversary's odds:

A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,

And therefore may be broke without offence.

Glo. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than that?

Her father is no better than an earl,

Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suf. Yes, my good lord *, her father is a king,

The king of Naples, and Jerufalem;
And of fuch great authority in France,

As his alliance will confirm our peace,

Sat a triumph-] A triumph in this author's time fignified an exhibition of sports, &c. See A Midsummer Night's Dream, Vol. II. P. 442, n.4. MALONE.

my good lord,] Good, which is not in the old copy, was added for the fake of the metre, in the fecond folio. MALONE.

And