Enter a Legate, and Two Ambassadors, with WIN CHESTER, in a Cardinal's Habit. EXE. What is my lord of Winchester install'd, And call'd unto a cardinal's degree1! Then, I perceive that will be verified, 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: GLO. And for the proffer of my lord your mas- I have inform'd his highness so at large, K. HEN. In argument and proof of which contrách, Bear her this jewel, [To the Amb.] pledge of my affection. 4 What! is my lord of Winchester install'd, And call'd 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's hat 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. MALONE. And so, my lord protector, see them guarded, [Exeunt King HENRY and Train; Gloster, EXETER, and Ambassadors. WIN. Stay, my lord legate; you shall first receive The sum of money, which I promised Should be deliver'd to his holiness For clothing me in these grave ornaments. Humphrey of Gloster, thou shalt well perceive, I'll either make thee stoop, and bend thy knee, SCENE II. France. Plains in Anjou. [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. And keep not back your powers in dalliance. Puc. Peace be amongst them, if they turn to us; 5 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. STEEVENS. And ye choice spirits that admonish me, And give me signs of future accidents! [Thunder. Enter Fiends. This speedy quick appearance argues proof Help me this once, that France may get the field. 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: Where I was wont to feed you with my blood, So you do condescend to help me now. [They hang their heads. No hope to have redress ?-My body shall [They shake their heads. Cannot my body, nor blood-sacrifice, [They depart. Now the time is come, See! they forsake me. Alarums. [Exit. 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, 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: 66 Vailing her high top lower than her ribs." See vol. v. p. 9, n. 1. 3 As if, with CIRCE, &c.] So, in The Comedy of Errors: "I think, you all have drank of Circe's cup." STEEVENS. |