Changes to the French Court. Enter King Philip, Lewis, Pandulpho, and Attendance, K. Philip. A whole Armada of collected fail by a roaring tempeft on the flood, 5 Is fcatter'd and disjoin'd from fellowship. Pand. Courage and comfort, all fhall yet go well. K. Philip. What can go well, when we have run fo ill? Are we not beaten? Is not Angiers loft? Arthur ta'en Pris'ner? divers dear friends flain?. Lewis. What he hath won, that hath he fortify'd: K. Philip. Well could I bear that England had this praise, So we could find fome pattern of our shame. 5 A whole Armada, &c.] This fimilitude, as little as it makes for the purpose in hand, was, I do not question, a very taking one when the play was first reprefented; which was a winter or two at most, after the Spanish invafion in 1588. It was in reference likewife to that glorious period that Shakespeare concludes his play in that triumphant man ner, Thus England never did, nor Iye at the proud foot of a con- But the whole play aboundswith touches relative to the then pofture of affairs. WARBURTON. This play, fo far as I can difcover, was not played till a long time after the defeat of the Armada. The old play, I think, wants this fimile. The commentator fhould not have affirmed what he could only guefs. 6 in fo fierce a CAUSE,] We fhould read COURSE, i. e. march. The Oxford Editor condefcends to this emendation. WARBURTON. Enter Enter Conftance. Look, who comes here? a grave unto a foul, Conft. Lo, now, now fee the iffue of your peace. Conft. No, I defy all counfel, and redrefs, Come, grin on me, and I will think thou fmil'ft, K. Philip. O fair affliction, peace. Conft. No, no, I will not, having breath to cry; O, that my tongue were in the thunder's mouth, Then with a paffion I would shake the world, And rouze from fleep that fell anatomy, Which cannot hear a Lady's feeble voice, And fcorns a' modern invocation. Pand. Lady, you utter madness, and not forrow. Conft. Thou art not holy to belie me for 7 Modern invocation.] It is hard to say what Shakespeare means by modern: is it not op poted to ancient. In All's well, that ends well, fpeaking of a girl in contempt, he ufes this word, her modern grace. It apparently means fomething flight and inconfiderable.. I am I am not mad; this hair I tear is mine: 8 K. Philip. Bind up thofe treffes; O, what love I note In the fair multitude of those her hairs; Where but by chance a filver drop hath fall'n, Conft. To England, if you will. K. Philip. Bind up your hairs. Conft. Yes, that I will; and wherefore will I do it? I tore them from their bonds, and cry'd aloud, O, that these hands could fo redeem my fon, And will again commit them to their bonds That we shall fee and know our friends in heav'n For fince the birth of Cain, the firft male-child, Pand. You hold too heinous a respect of grief. K. Philip. You are as fond of grief, as of your child. Conft. Grief fills the room up of my abfent child; Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me ; Puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words, Remembers me of all his gracious parts; Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form; Then have I reafon to be fond of grief. Fare you well; had you fuch a lofs as I, I could give better comfort than you do. I will not keep this form upon my head, 9 [Tearing off her head-cloaths. When there is fuch diforder in my wit: O Lord, my boy, my Arthur, my fair fon! My life, my joy, my food, my all the world! My widow-comfort, and my forrow's cure! [Exit. K. Philip. I fear fome outrage, and I'll follow her. [Exit. 9 bad you fuch a lofs as I, I could give better comfort -] This is a fentiment which great forrow always dictates. Who ever cannot help himself cafts his eyes on others for affistance, and often mistakes their inability for coldness. SCENE SCENE VIL Lewis. There's nothing in this world can make me joy; Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man. A bitter shame hath spoilt the fweet world's tafte, Are not you griev'd, that Arthur is his prisoner? There's nothing in this, &c.] The young Prince feels his defeat with more fenfibility than his father. Shame operates most ftrongly in the earlier years; and when can difgrace be less welcome than when a man is going to his bride? Muft |