Therefore commend me; let him not come there, The offices of our old English mansions, as I have already had occasion to mention, vol. xiii. p. 305, n. 5, particularly denote the rooms designed for keeping the various stores of provisions, bread, wine, ale, &c. and for culinary purposes; that is, the butler's pantry, cellars, and kitchen; and they were always situated within the house, on the ground floor (for there were no subterraneous rooms till about the middle of the reign of Charles the First), and nearly adjoining to each other. When dinner had been set on the board by the sewers, the proper officers attended in each of these offices. Sometimes, on occasions of great festivity, these offices were all thrown open, and unlimited licence given to all comers to eat and drink at their pleasure. Thus, in Othello, where notice is given by a trumpeter, that, on account of the destruction of the Turkish Fleet, and in honour of the General's nuptials, every man was to put himself into triumph: "All offices are opened, and there is full licence. from the present hour of five, till the bell hath toll'd eleven!" So also, in Timon of Athens: 66 So the gods bless me, "When all our offices have been oppress'd "With riotous feeders, when our vaults have wept "And set mine eyes at flow." The Duchess of Gloster, therefore, laments, that in consequence of the murder of her husband, all the hospitality of plenty is at an end; "the walls are unfurnished, the lodging rooms empty, the courts untrodden, and the offices unpeopled; being now no longer filled by the proper officers, who attended daily to execute their several functions in her husband's life-time. All now (she adds,) is solitude and silence, and my groans are the only cheer that my guests can now expect." MALONE. 7 let him not come there, To seek out sorrow that dwells every where :] Perhaps the pointing may be reformed without injury to the sense: "To seek out sorrow :-that dwells every where." WHALLEY. SCENE III. Gosford Green, near Coventry. Lists set out, and a Throne. Heralds, &c. Enter the Lord Marshal, and AUMERLE 9. MAR. My lord Aumerle, is Harry Hereford arm'd ? AUM. Yea, at all points; and longs to enter in. MAR. The duke of Norfolk, sprightfully and bold, Stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet. AUM. Why then, the champions are prepar'd, and stay For nothing but his majesty's approach. Flourish of Trumpets. Enter King RICHARD, who takes his seat on his Throne; GAUNT, and several Noblemen, who take their places. A Trumpet is sounded, and answered by another Trumpet within. Then enter NORFOLK in armour, preceded by a Herald. K. RICH. Marshal, demand of yonder champion 8 - Lord MARSHAL,] Shakspeare has here committed a slight mistake. The office of Lord Marshal was executed on this occasion by Thomas Holland, Duke of Surrey. Our author has inadvertently introduced that nobleman as a distinct person from the Marshal, in the present drama. Mowbray Duke of Norfolk was Earl Marshal of England; but being himself one of the combatants, the Duke of Surrey officiated as Earl Marshal for the day. MALONE. 9 — AUMERLE.] Edward Duke of Aumerle, so created by his cousin german, King Richard II. in 1397. He was the eldest son of Edward of Langley Duke of York, fifth son of King Edward the Third, and was killed in 1415, at the battle of Agincourt. He officiated at the lists of Coventry, as High Constable of England. MALONE. The cause of his arrival here in arms: MAR. In God's name, and the king's, say who thou art, And why thou com'st, thus knightly clad in arms: Against what man thou com'st, and what thy quarrel : Speak truly, on thy knighthood, and thy oath; Who hither come engaged by my oath, To God, my king, and my succeeding issue 3, As so defend thee heaven, and thy valour!] i. e. as you hope that heaven and your valour may defend you. Thus the original quarto, 1597, and the other ancient copies. Mr. Rowe and the subsequent editors read-And so, &c. MALONE. 2 Norfolk.] Mr. Edwards, in his MS. notes, observes, from Holinshed, that the Duke of Hereford, appellant, entered the lists first; and this, indeed, must have been the regular method of the combat; for the natural order of things requires, that the accuser or challenger should be at the place of appointment first. STEEVENS. 3MY succeeding issue,] His is the reading of the first folio; other editions read-my issue. Mowbray's issue was, by this accusation, in danger of an attainder, and therefore he might come, among other reasons, for their sake: but the reading of the folio is more just and grammatical. JOHNSON. The three oldest quartos read my, which Mr. M. Mason prefers, because, says he, Mowbray subjoins "To prove him, in defending of myself, "A traitor to my God, my king, and me." STEEVENS. "—and my succeeding issue." Thus the first quarto. The folio reads his succeeding issue. The first quarto copy of this play, in 1597, being in general much more correct than the folio, and the quartos of 1608 and 1615, from the latter of which the folio appears to have been printed, I have preferred the elder reading. MALONE. Against the duke of Hereford that appeals me ; Trumpet sounds. [He takes his seat. Enter BOLINGBROKE, in armour; preceded by a Herald. K. RICH. Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms*, Both who he is, and why he cometh hither Thus plated in habiliments of war; And formally according to our law Depose him in the justice of his cause. MAR. What is thy name? and wherefore com'st thou hither, Before King Richard, in his royal lists ? Against whom comest thou? and what's thy quar rel ? Speak like a true knight, so defend thee heaven! BOLING. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, Am I; who ready here do stand in arms, To prove by heaven's grace, and my body's valour, To God of heaven, king Richard, and to me; MAR. On pain of death no person be so bold, 4- Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms,] Why not, as before : "Marshal, demand of yonder knight in arms." The player, who varied the expression, was probably ignorant that he injured the metre. The insertion, however, of two little words would answer the same purpose: "Marshal, go ask of yonder knight in arms." RITSON. BOLING. Lord marshal, let me kiss my sovereign's hand, And bow my knee before his majesty : MAR. The appellant in all duty greets your highness, And craves to kiss your hand, and take his leave. K. RICH. We will descend, and fold him in our arms. Cousin of Hereford, as thy cause is right, Farewell, my blood; which if to-day thou shed, Of you, my noble cousin, lord Aumerle :- The daintiest last, to make the end most sweet: * 5 — WAXEN Coat,] penetrable, or flexible. Quarto 1597, the dead. Waxen may mean soft, and consequently |