Enter a Legate, and Two Ambassadors, with W in

CHESTER, in a Cardinals Habit. Exe. What! is my lord of Winchester installid, And callid unto a cardinal's degree * ! Then, I perceive that will be verified, Henry the fifth did sometime prophecy,If once he come to be a cardinal, He'll make his cap co-equal with the crown.

K. Hen. My lords ambassadors, your several suits Have been consider'd and debated on. Your purpose is both good and reasonable : And, therefore, are we certainly resolv'd, To draw.conditions of a friendly peace; Which, by my lord of Winchester, we mean Shall be transported presently to France. Glo. And for the proffer of my lord your mas.

ter,I have inform’d his highness so at large, As-liking of the lady's virtuous gifts, Her beauty, and the value of her dower,He doth intend she shall be England's queen. K. Hen. In argument and proof of which con

tract, Bear her this jewel, [To the Amb.] pledge of my

affection.

4 What! is my lord of Winchester installid,

And callid unto a cardinal's degree !) This, (as Mr. Edwards has observed in his MS. notes,) argues a great forgetfulness in the poet. In the first Act Gloster says :

“ I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat : And it is strange that the Duke of Exeter should not know of his advancement. Steevens.

It should seem from the stage-direction prefixed to this scene, and from the conversation between the Legate and Winchester, that the author meant it to be understood that the bishop had obtained his cardinal'shat only just before his present entry. The inaccuracy, therefore, was in making Gloster address him by that title in the beginning of the play. He in fact obtained it in the fifth year of Henry's reign. Málone.

And so, my lord protector, see them guarded,
And safely brought to Dover; where, inshipp’d,
Commit them to the fortune of the sea.
[E.reunt King Henry and Train ; GLOSTER,

EXETER, and Ambassadors.
Win. Stay, my lord legate; you shall first re-

ceive
The sum of money, which I promised
Should be deliver'd to his holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.

LEG. I will attend upon your lordship’s leisure.

Win. Now, Winchester will not submit, I trow, Or be inferior to the proudest peer. Humphrey of Gloster, thou shalt well perceive, That, neither in birth, or for authority, The bishop will be overborne by thee : I'll either make thee stoop, and bend thy knee, Or sack this country with a mutiny. [Exeunt.

Enter CHARLES, Burgundy, Alençon, La PUCELLE,

and Forces, marching. Char. These news, my lords, may cheer our

drooping spirits : 'Tis said, the stout Parisians do revolt, And turn again unto the warlike French. Alen. Then march to Paris, royal Charles of

France,
And keep not back your powers in dalliance.

Puc. Peace be amongst them, if they turn to us;

s That, neither in birth,] I would read-for birth. That is, thou shalt not rule me, though thy birth is legitimate, and thy authority supreme. Johnson.

Else, ruin combat with their palaces !

Enter a Messenger.
Mess. Success unto our valiant general,
And happiness to his accomplices !
CHAR. What tidings send our scouts? I pr’ythee,

speak.
Mess. The English army, that divided was
Into two parties ", is now conjoin'd in one;
And means to give you battle presently.

Char. Somewhat too sudden, sirs, the warning is; But we will presently provide for them.

Bur. I trust, the ghost of Talbot is not there; Now he is gone, my lord, you need not fear.

Puc. Of all base passions, fear is most accurs'd:Command the conquest, Charles, it shall be thine; Let Henry fret, and all the world repine. CHAR. Then on, my lords; And France be fortunate!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Same. Before Angiers.

Alarums: Excursions. Enter La PUCELLE. Puc. The regent conquers, and the Frenchmen

fly:Now help, ye charming spells, and periapts? ;

6 - parts,] Old copies-parties. Steevens.

7 — ye charming spells, and PERIAPTS ;] Charms sowed up. Ezek. xiii. 18: “Woe to them that sow pillows to all arm-holes, to hunt souls." Pope.

Periapts were worn about the neck as preservatives from disease or danger. Of these, the first chapter of St. John's Gospel was deemed the most efficacious.

Whoever is desirous to know more about them, .may consult Reginald Scott's Discovery of Witchcraft, 1584, p. 230, &c.

STBBVBNS.

And ye choice spirits that admonish me,
And give me signs of future accidents! [Thunder.
You speedy helpers, that are substitutes
Under the lordly monarch of the north,
Appear, and aid me in this enterprize!

Enter Fiends.

This speedy quick appearance argues proof
Of your accustom'd diligence to me.
Now, ye familiar spirits, that are cullid
Out of the powerful regions under earth',
Help me this once, that France may get the field.

[They walk about, and speak not. O, hold me not with silence over-long!

The following story, which is related in Wits, Fits, and Fancies, 1595, proves what Mr. Steevens has asserted : “A cardinal seeing a priest carrying a cudgel under his gown, reprimanded him. His excuse was, that he only carried it to defend himself against the dogs of the town. Wherefore, I pray you, replied the cardinal, serves St. John's Gospel ? Alas, my lord, said the priest, these curs understand no Latin." MALONE.

- monarch of the north,] The north was always supposed to be the particular habitation of bad spirits. Milton, therefore, assembles the rebel angels in the north. Johnson.

The boast of Lucifer in the xivth chapter of Isaiah is said to be, that he “ will sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.” STEEVENS.

9 Out of the powerful REGIONS under earth,] I believe Shakspeare wrote-legions. WARBURTON.

“The regions under earth " are the infernal regions.' Whence else should the sorceress have selected or summoned her fiends ?

STEEVENS. In a former passage, regions seems to have been printed instead of legions ; at least all the editors from the time of Mr. Rowe have there substituted the latter word instead of the former. See p. 120, n. 1. The word cull'd, and the epithet powerful, which is applicable to the fiends themselves, but not to their place of residence, show that it has an equal title to a place in the text here. So, in The Tempest:

· But one fiend at a time,
" I'll fight their legions o'er." MALONE.

Where? I was wont to feed you with my blood,
I'll lop a member off, and give it you,
In earnest of a further benefit;
So you do condescend to help me now.-

[They hang their heads. No hope to have redress ?-My body shall Pay recompense,

if
you
will

grant my suit.

[They shake their heads. Cannot my body, nor blood-sacrifice, Entreat you to your wonted furtherance ? Then take my soul; my body, soul, and all, Before that England give the French the foil.

[They depart. See! they forsake me.

Now the time is come,
That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest?,
And let her head fall into England's lap.
My ancient incantations are too weak,
And hell too strong for me to buckle with:
Now, France, thy glory droopeth to the dust.

[Erit. Alarums. Enter French and English, fighting,

La Pucelle and York fight hand to hand. LA
PUCELLE is taken. The French fly.
YORK. Damsel of France, I think, I have you

fast: Unchain your spirits now with spelling charms, And try if they can gain your liberty.A goodly prize, fit for the devil's grace ! See, how the ugly witch doth bend her brows, As if, with Circe, she would change my shapes. · Where -] i. e. whereas. So, in Pericles, Prince of Tyre :

“Where now you're both a father and a son." Steevens. -VAIL her lofty-plumed crest,] i. e. lower it. So, in The Merchant of Venice :

Vailing her high top lower than her ribs." See vol. v. p. 9, n. 1. Steevens. 3 As if, with Circe, &c.] So, in The Comedy of Errors :

“ I think, you all have drank of Circe's cup." Steevens.