Chapter XXV: Act I

SCENE I. _London. An ante-chamber in the_ KING'S _palace_.

_Enter the_ ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY, _and the_ BISHOP of ELY.[4519]

_Cant._ My lord, I'll tell you; that self bill is urged,
Which in the eleventh year of the last king's reign
Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd,
But that the scambling and unquiet time
Did push it out of farther question.[4520] 5

_Ely._ But how, my lord, shall we resist it now?

_Cant._ It must be thought on. If it pass against us,
We lose the better half of our possession:[4521]
For all the temporal lands which men devout
By testament have given to the church 10
Would they strip from us; being valued thus:
As much as would maintain, to the king's honour,
Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights,
Six thousand and two hundred good esquires;
And, to relief of lazars and weak age, 15
Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil,
A hundred almshouses right well supplied;
And to the coffers of the king beside,
A thousand pounds by the year: thus runs the bill.[4522]

_Ely._ This would drink deep.

_Cant._ 'Twould drink the cup and all. 20

_Ely._ But what prevention?

_Cant._ The king is full of grace and fair regard.

_Ely._ And a true lover of the holy church.[4523]

_Cant._ The courses of his youth promised it not.[4524]
The breath no sooner left his father's body, 25
But that his wildness, mortified in him,
Seem'd to die too; yea, at that very moment
Consideration, like an angel, came
And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him,
Leaving his body as a paradise, 30
To envelope and contain celestial spirits.
Never was such a sudden scholar made;
Never came reformation in a flood,
With such a heady currance, scouring faults;[4525]
Nor never Hydra-headed wilfulness[4526] 35
So soon did lose his seat and all at once[4527]
As in this king.

_Ely._ We are blessed in the change.[4528]

_Cant._ Hear him but reason in divinity,
And all-admiring with an inward wish
You would desire the king were made a prelate: 40
Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs,
You would say it hath been all in all his study:[4529]
List his discourse of war, and you shall hear
A fearful battle render'd you in music:
Turn him to any cause of policy,[4530] 45
The Gordian knot of it he will unloose,
Familiar as his garter: that, when he speaks,[4531]
The air, a charter'd libertine, is still,
And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears,
To steal his sweet and honey'd sentences; 50
So that the art and practic part of life[4532]
Must be the mistress to this theoric:[4533]
Which is a wonder how his grace should glean it,
Since his addiction was to courses vain,
His companies unletter'd, rude and shallow, 55
His hours fill'd up with riots, banquets, sports,
And never noted in him any study,
Any retirement, any sequestration
From open haunts and popularity.

_Ely._ The strawberry grows underneath the nettle 60
And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best
Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality:
And so the prince obscured his contemplation
Under the veil of wildness; which, no doubt,
Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night, 65
Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty.[4534]

_Cant._ It must be so; for miracles are ceased;
And therefore we must needs admit the means
How things are perfected.

_Ely._ But, my good lord,
How now for mitigation of this bill 70
Urged by the commons? Doth his majesty
Incline to it, or no?

_Cant._ He seems indifferent,
Or rather swaying more upon our part
Than cherishing the exhibiters against us;
For I have made an offer to his majesty, 75
Upon our spiritual convocation[4535]
And in regard of causes now in hand,
Which I have open'd to his grace at large,
As touching France, to give a greater sum
Than ever at one time the clergy yet 80
Did to his predecessors part withal.

_Ely._ How did this offer seem received, my lord?

_Cant._ With good acceptance of his majesty;
Save that there was not time enough to hear,
As I perceived his grace would fain have done, 85
The severals and unhidden passages[4536]
Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms
And generally to the crown and seat of France[4537]
Derived from Edward, his great-grandfather.

_Ely._ What was the impediment that broke this off? 90

_Cant._ The French ambassador upon that instant
Craved audience; and the hour, I think, is come
To give him hearing: is it four o'clock?

_Ely._ It is.

_Cant._ Then go we in, to know his embassy; 95
Which I could with a ready guess declare,
Before the Frenchman speak a word of it.[4538]

_Ely._ I'll wait upon you, and I long to hear it. [_Exeunt._

SCENE II. _The same. The Presence chamber._

_Enter_ KING HENRY, GLOUCESTER, BEDFORD, EXETER, WARWICK,
WESTMORELAND, _and_ Attendants.[4539]

_K. Hen._ Where is my gracious Lord of Canterbury?

_Exe._ Not here in presence.

_K. Hen._ Send for him, good uncle.

_West._ Shall we call in the ambassador, my liege?

_K. Hen._ Not yet, my cousin: we would be resolved,
Before we hear him, of some things of weight 5
That task our thoughts, concerning us and France.

_Enter the_ ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY _and the_ BISHOP of ELY.[4540]

_Cant._ God and his angels guard your sacred throne,[4541]
And make you long become it!

_K. Hen._ Sure, we thank you.
My learned lord, we pray you to proceed
And justly and religiously unfold 10
Why the law Salique that they have in France[4542]
Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim:
And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord,
That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your reading,
Or nicely charge your understanding soul 15
With opening titles miscreate, whose right
Suits not in native colours with the truth;
For God doth know how many now in health
Shall drop their blood in approbation
Of what your reverence shall incite us to. 20
Therefore take heed how you impawn our person,[4543]
How you awake our sleeping sword of war:[4544]
We charge you, in the name of God, take heed;
For never two such kingdoms did contend
Without much fall of blood; whose guiltless drops[4545] 25
Are every one a woe, a sore complaint
'Gainst him whose wrong gives edge unto the swords[4546][4547]
That make such waste in brief mortality.[4547]
Under this conjuration speak, my lord;[4548]
For we will hear, note and believe in heart[4549] 30
That what you speak is in your conscience wash'd
As pure as sin with baptism.[4550]

_Cant._ Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers,
That owe yourselves, your lives and services[4551]
To this imperial throne. There is no bar 35
To make against your highness' claim to France
But this, which they produce from Pharamond,
'In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant:'[4552]
'No woman shall succeed in Salique land:'
Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze 40
To be the realm of France, and Pharamond
The founder of this law and female bar.
Yet their own authors faithfully affirm
That the land Salique is in Germany,[4553]
Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe;[4554] 45
Where Charles the Great, having subdued the Saxons,
There left behind and settled certain French;
Who, holding in disdain the German women
For some dishonest manners of their life,[4555]
Establish'd then this law; to wit, no female[4556] 50
Should be inheritrix in Salique land:
Which Salique, as I said, 'twixt Elbe and Sala,[4554]
Is at this day in Germany call'd Meisen.
Then doth it well appear the Salique law[4557]
Was not devised for the realm of France; 55
Nor did the French possess the Salique land
Until four hundred one and twenty years
After defunction of King Pharamond,
Idly supposed the founder of this law;
Who died within the year of our redemption 60
Four hundred twenty-six; and Charles the Great
Subdued the Saxons, and did seat the French
Beyond the river Sala, in the year
Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say,
King Pepin, which deposed Childeric, 65
Did, as heir general, being descended
Of Blithild, which was daughter to King Clothair,[4558]
Make claim and title to the crown of France.
Hugh Capet also, who usurp'd the crown[4559]
Of Charles the duke of Lorraine, sole heir male 70
Of the true line and stock of Charles the Great,
To find his title with some shows of truth,[4560]
Though, in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught,[4561]
Convey'd himself as heir to the Lady Lingare,[4562]
Daughter to Charlemain, who was the son 75
To Lewis the emperor, and Lewis the son[4563]
Of Charles the Great. Also King Lewis the tenth,[4564]
Who was sole heir to the usurper Capet,
Could not keep quiet in his conscience,
Wearing the crown of France, till satisfied 80
That fair Queen Isabel, his grandmother,
Was lineal of the Lady Ermengare,
Daughter to Charles the foresaid duke of Lorraine:[4565]
By the which marriage the line of Charles the Great[4566]
Was re-united to the crown of France. 85
So that, as clear as is the summer's sun,
King Pepin's title and Hugh Capet's claim,
King Lewis his satisfaction, all appear[4567]
To hold in right and title of the female:
So do the kings of France unto this day;[4568] 90
Howbeit they would hold up this Salique law
To bar your highness claiming from the female,
And rather choose to hide them in a net
Than amply to imbar their crooked titles[4569]
Usurp'd from you and your progenitors. 95

_K. Hen._ May I with right and conscience make this claim?

_Cant._ The sin upon my head, dread sovereign!
For in the book of Numbers is it writ,[4570]
When the man dies, let the inheritance[4571]
Descend unto the daughter. Gracious lord, 100
Stand for your own; unwind your bloody flag;
Look back into your mighty ancestors:[4572]
Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb,[4573]
From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit,
And your great-uncle's, Edward the Black Prince,[4574] 105
Who on the French ground play'd a tragedy,
Making defeat on the full power of France,
Whiles his most mighty father on a hill[4575]
Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp
Forage in blood of French nobility.[4576] 110
O noble English, that could entertain
With half their forces the full pride of France[4577]
And let another half stand laughing by,
All out of work and cold for action![4578]

_Ely._ Awake remembrance of these valiant dead 115
And with your puissant arm renew their feats:
You are their heir; you sit upon their throne;
The blood and courage that renowned them
Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puissant liege
Is in the very May-morn of his youth, 120
Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises.

_Exc._ Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth
Do all expect that you should rouse yourself,
As did the former lions of your blood.

_West._ They know your grace hath cause and means and
might;[4579][4580] 125
So hath your highness; never king of England[4580]
Had nobles richer and more loyal subjects,
Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England
And lie pavilion'd in the fields of France.[4581]

_Cant._ O, let their bodies follow, my dear liege,[4582] 130
With blood and sword and fire to win your right;[4582][4583]
In aid whereof we of the spiritualty[4584]
Will raise your highness such a mighty sum
As never did the clergy at one time
Bring in to any of your ancestors. 135

_K. Hen._ We must not only arm to invade the French,
But lay down our proportions to defend[4585]
Against the Scot, who will make road upon us
With all advantages.

_Cant._ They of those marches, gracious sovereign,[4586] 140
Shall be a wall sufficient to defend
Our inland from the pilfering borderers.

_K. Hen._ We do not mean the coursing snatchers only,[4587]
But fear the main intendment of the Scot,
Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us;[4588] 145
For you shall read that my great-grandfather
Never went with his forces into France[4589]
But that the Scot on his unfurnish'd kingdom
Came pouring, like the tide into a breach,
With ample and brim fulness of his force, 150
Galling the gleaned land with hot assays,[4590]
Girding with grievous siege castles and towns;
That England, being empty of defence,
Hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood.[4591]

_Cant._ She hath been then more fear'd than harm'd, my liege; 155
For hear her but exampled by herself:[4592]
When all her chivalry hath been in France
And she a mourning widow of her nobles,
She hath herself not only well defended
But taken and impounded as a stray 160
The King of Scots; whom she did send to France,
To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner kings[4593]
And make her chronicle as rich with praise[4594]
As is the ooze and bottom of the sea[4595]
With sunken wreck and sumless treasuries. 165

_West._ But there's a saying very old and true,[4596]
'If that you will France win,[4597]
Then with Scotland first begin:'[4597]
For once the eagle England being in prey,
To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot 170
Comes sneaking and so sucks her princely eggs,
Playing the mouse in absence of the cat,
To tear and havoc more than she can eat.[4598]

_Exe._ It follows then the cat must stay at home:[4599]
Yet that is but a crush'd necessity,[4600] 175
Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries,
And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves.[4601]
While that the armed hand cloth fight abroad,
The advised head defends itself at home;
For government, though high and low and lower,[4602] 180
Put into parts, cloth keep in one consent,[4603]
Congreeing in a full and natural close,[4604]
Like music.

_Cant._ Therefore doth heaven divide[4605]
The state of man in divers functions,
Setting endeavour in continual motion; 185
To which is fixed, as an aim or butt,
Obedience: for so work the honey-bees,
Creatures that by a rule in nature teach[4606]
The act of order to a peopled kingdom.[4607]
They have a king and officers of sorts;[4608] 190
Where some, like magistrates, correct at home,
Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad,[4609]
Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings,
Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds,[4610]
Which pillage they with merry march bring home 195
To the tent-royal of their emperor;
Who, busied in his majesty, surveys[4611]
The singing masons building roofs of gold,[4612]
The civil citizens kneading up the honey,[4613]
The poor mechanic porters crowding in 200
Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate,
The sad-eyed justice, with his surly hum,
Delivering o'er to executors pale
The lazy yawning drone. I this infer,
That many things, having full reference 205
To one consent, may work contrariously:
As many arrows, loosed several ways,
Come to one mark; as many ways meet in one town;[4614]
As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea;[4615]
As many lines close in the dial's centre; 210
So may a thousand actions, once afoot,[4616]
End in one purpose, and be all well borne[4617]
Without defeat. Therefore to France, my liege.[4618]
Divide your happy England into four;
Whereof take you one quarter into France, 215
And you withal shall make all Gallia shake.
If we, with thrice such powers left at home,
Cannot defend our own doors from the dog,
Let us be worried and our nation lose
The name of hardiness and policy. 220

_K. Hen._ Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin.[4619]

[_Exeunt some Attendants._

Now are we well resolved; and, by God's help,
And yours, the noble sinews of our power,
France being ours, we'll bend it to our awe,
Or break it all to pieces: or there we'll sit,[4620] 225
Ruling in large and ample empery
O'er France and all her almost kingly dukedoms,
Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn,
Tombless, with no remembrance over them:
Either our history shall with full mouth[4621] 230
Speak freely of our acts, or else our grave,
Like Turkish mute, shall have a tongueless mouth,[4622]
Not worshipp'd with a waxen epitaph.

_Enter_ Ambassadors _of France_.[4623]

Now are we well prepared to know the pleasure[4624]
Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear 235
Your greeting is from him, not from the king.

_First Amb._ May't please your majesty to give us leave[4625]
Freely to render what we have in charge;
Or shall we sparingly show you far off
The Dauphin's meaning and our embassy? 240

_K. Hen._ We are no tyrant, but a Christian king;
Unto whose grace our passion is as subject
As are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons:[4626]
Therefore with frank and with uncurbed plainness
Tell us the Dauphin's mind.

_First Amb._ Thus, then, in few.[4627] 245
Your highness, lately sending into France,
Did claim some certain dukedoms, in the right
Of your great predecessor, King Edward the third.[4628]
In answer of which claim, the prince our master
Says that you savour too much of your youth, 250
And bids you be advised there's nought in France[4629]
That can be with a nimble galliard won;
You cannot revel into dukedoms there.
He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit,
This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this, 255
Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim
Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks.[4630]

_K. Hen._ What treasure, uncle?

_Exe._ Tennis-balls, my liege.

_K. Hen._ We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us;
His present and your pains we thank you for: 260
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls,
We will, in France, by God's grace, play a set
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.
Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler[4631]
That all the courts of France will be disturb'd 265
With chaces. And we understand him well,
How he comes o'er us with our wilder days,
Not measuring what use we made of them.
We never valued this poor seat of England;
And therefore, living hence, did give ourself[4632] 270
To barbarous license; as 'tis ever common
That men are merriest when they are from home.
But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state,
Be like a king and show my sail of greatness[4633]
When I do rouse me in my throne of France: 275
For that I have laid by my majesty[4634]
And plodded like a man for working-days,
But I will rise there with so full a glory
That I will dazzle all the eyes of France,
Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us. 280
And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his
Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones; and his soul
Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance
That shall fly with them: for many a thousand widows[4635]
Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands; 285
Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down;
And some are yet ungotten and unborn[4636]
That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.
But this lies all within the will of God,
To whom I do appeal; and in whose name 290
Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on.
To venge me as I may and to put forth
My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause.
So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin
His jest will savour but of shallow wit, 295
When thousands weep more than did laugh at it.[4637]
Convey them with safe conduct. Fare you well.[4638]

[_Exeunt Ambassadors._

_Exe._ This was a merry message.

_K. Hen._ We hope to make the sender blush at it.[4639]
Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour 300
That may give furtherance to our expedition;
For we have now no thought in us but France,[4640]
Save those to God, that run before our business.
Therefore let our proportions for these wars
Be soon collected and all things thought upon[4641] 305
That may with reasonable swiftness add[4642]
More feathers to our wings; for, God before,
We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.
Therefore let every man now task his thought,
That this fair action may on foot be brought.[4643] 310

[_Exeunt. Flourish._

FOOTNOTES:

[4519] SCENE 1. London ...] London. Pope. An antechamber in the English court at Kenilworth. Theobald.

Enter ...] Rowe. Enter the two Bishops of Canterbury and Ely. F₁ F₂. Enter the Bishops ... F₃ F₄.

[4520] _push_] _put_ Pope (ed. 2).

[4521] _half_] _halfe_ F₁. _part_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

_possession_] _possessions_ Hanmer.

[4522] _pounds_] F₁ F₂. _pound_ F₃ F₄.

[4523] Ely. _And ..._] Continued to Cant. Keightley conj.

[4524] Cant.] Ely. Keightley conj.

[4525] _currance_] F₁. _currant_ F₂ F₃. _current_ F₄.

[4526] _never_] _ever_ Pope.

[4527] _all_] _fall_ Hanmer.

[4528] _We are_] _We're_ Pope.

[4529] _You would_] _You’d_ Pope.

[4530] _cause_] _case_ Capell conj.

[4531] _that_] _then_ Rowe. om. Pope.

[4532] _art_] _act_ Theobald.

[4533] _this_] F₁ F₂. _his_ F₃ F₄.

[4534] _crescive_] F₄. _cressive_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[4535] _Upon_] _Upon the part of_ Keightley conj.

[4536] _The ... passages_] Johnson suspects corruption here.

_severals_] _several_ Pope.

[4537] _and seat_] om. Pope.

[4538] _speak_] F₁. _speakes_ F₂. _speaks_ F₃ F₄.

[4539] SCENE II.] Pope.

The ... chamber.] Opens to the Presence. Theobald.

Gloucester] Humfrey. Ff.

and Attendants] Malone. &c. Capell. om. Ff.

[4540] Enter ...] Enter two Bishops. Ff.

[4541] _your_] _you_ F₂.

[4542] _that they_] _which they_ (Qq) Capell.

[4543] _our person_] _your person_ Johnson conj.

[4544] _our sleeping_] _the sleeping_ (Qq) Capell.

[4545] _guiltless_] _guitlesse_ F₂.

[4546] _wrong gives_] F₂ F₃ F₄. _wrongs gives_ F₁. _wrongs give_ Malone.

[4547] _swords That make_] Rowe. _swords, That makes_ F₁ F₂ F₃. _swords? That makes_ F₄. _sword That makes_ Capell.

[4548] _Under_] _After_ (Qq).

[4549] _For_] _And_ (Qq) Capell.

[4550] _with_] _in_ (Qq).

[4551] _yourselves, your lives_] _your lives, your faith_, (Qq) Pope.

[4552] _'In terram ... succedant'_] Omitted by (Qq) and Pope.

_succedant_] _succedaul_ F₁.

[4553] _is_] _lies_ (Qq) Pope.

[4554] _Elbe_] Capell. _Elve_ Ff.

[4555] _dishonest_] _unhonest_ Capell (from Holinshed).

[4556] _then_] _there_ (Qq) Capell.

[4557] _Then_] _Thus_ (Qq) Pope.

[4558] _King_] om. Anon. conj.

[4559] _who_] _that_ (Qq) Capell.

[4560] _find_] Ff. _fine_ (Qq) Pope. _line_ Johnson conj. (withdrawn). _found_ Collier MS. _fend_ or _fence_ Anon. conj.

_shows_] _shews_ F₁ F₂. _shews_ F₃ F₄. _show_ (Qq) Capell.

[4561] _Though_] _When_ (Qq) Capell.

[4562] _as heir_] (Qq) Pope. _as th' heir_ Ff.

[4563] _and Lewis_] _which was_ Pope.

[4564] _tenth_] Ff (and Holinshed). _ninth_ Pope (from Hall).

[4565] _foresaid_] _faresaid_ F₂.

[4566] _marriage_] _match_ Pope.

[4567] _satisfaction_] _possession_ Pope (from Hall).

[4568] _unto_] F₁. _upon_ F₂ F₃ F₄. _until_ (Qq) Pope.

[4569] _amply to imbar_] _openly imbrace_ Pope.

_imbar_] F₃ F₄. _imbarre_ F₁ F₂. _imbace_ (Q₁ Q₂). _embrace_ (Q₃). _make bare_ Rowe (ed. i). _imbare_ Theobald (Warburton). _unbare_ Capell (Theobald conj.), corrected in MS. to _imbare_.

[4570] _is it_] (Qq) F₁ F₂. _it is_ F₃ F₄.

[4571] _man_] Ff. _sonne_ (Qq). _son_ Pope.

[4572] _into_] _unto_ Capell.

[4573] _tomb_] _grave_ (Qq) Capell.

[4574] _uncle's_] _uncle_ (Qq) Pope.

[4575] _Whiles_] _While_ Pope.

[4576] _Forage in_] _Foraging_ (Q₁). _Forraging_ (Q₂). _Foraging the_ (Q₃).

[4577] _pride_] _power_ (Qq) Pope.

[4578] _for action_] _for want of action_ Long MS.

[4579] _your grace hath_] _your race had_ Warburton.

_cause and ... might;_] _cause, and ... might;_ Ff. _cause; and ... might,_ Theobald. _cause and ... might--_ Keightley conj.

[4580] _grace hath cause ... So hath_] _cause hath grace ... So hath_ or _grace hath cause ... So haste_ Staunton conj.

[4581] _fields_] F₁. _field_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4582] _O, let ... right;_] Continued to Westmoreland by Warburton.

[4583] _blood_] F₃ F₄. _bloods_ F₁. _blouds_ F₂.

[4584] _spiritualty_] _spirituality_ F₃ F₄.

[4585] _defend_] _defend us_ Anon. conj.

[4586] _gracious sovereign_] Omitted by Pope.

[4587] _snatchers_] _sneakers_ (Qq).

[4588] _giddy_] _greedy_ Collier MS.

[4589] _Never ... forces_] _Ne'er ... full forces_ Warburton.

[4590] _assays_] _essays_ Malone.

[4591] _ill neighbourhood_] _bruit thereof_ (Qq) Boswell.

[4592] _but_] _best_ Warburton.

[4593] _fame_] _train_ Collier (Collier MS.).

[4594] _her chronicle_] Capell (Johnson conj.). _their chronicle_ Ff. _your chronicles_ (Qq). _his chronicle_ Rowe. _your chronicle_ Steevens.

_praise_] _prize_ Warburton.

[4595] _ooze and_] _owse and_ (Qq) Ff. _ouzy_ Rowe.

[4596] West.] Capell. Lord. (Qq). Bish. Ely. Ff. Exe. Warburton.

[4597] As one line in Ff.

[4598] _tear_] Rowe (ed. 2) and Egerton MS. _tame_ Ff. _spoil_ (Qq) Rowe (ed. 1). _taint_ Theobald.

[4599] Exe.] Ely. Warburton.

[4600] _but a crush'd_] Ff. _but a curst_ (Qq) Pope. _but a 'scus'd_ Theobald (Warburton). _not o' course a_ Hanmer. _but a coward's_ Heath conj. _but a crude_ Capell (Johnson conj.). _not a curs'd_ Mason conj. _not a crush'd_ Collier MS. _but a craz'd_ Jervis conj. _but accursed_ Anon. conj. _but a shrewd_ Bullock conj.

[4601] _pretty_] _petty_ Steevens conj.

[4602] _though_] _through_ Keightley conj.

[4603] _consent_] _concent_ Malone.

[4604] _Congreeing_] _Congruing_ Pope (from Qq).

_close_] _cloze_ F₂.

[4605] _Therefore_] _True: therefore_ (Qq) Capell. _And therefore_ S. Walker conj.

[4606] _rule in_] _ruling_ Warburton.

[4607] _act_] _art_ Pope.

[4608] _sorts_] _sort_ (Qq) Theobald. _state_ Collier MS. _all sorts_ Keightley conj.

[4609] _merchants, venture_] _merchant-venturers_ Warburton.

[4610] _buds_] _bud_ (Qq) Capell.

[4611] _majesty_] (Qq) Rowe. _majesties_ Ff.

[4612] _masons_] F₁. _mason_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[4613] _kneading_] Ff. _lading_ (Qq). _heading_ Warburton.

[4614] _Come_] Ff. _Fly_ (Qq) Capell.

_as many ways_] _and ways_ Hanmer. _As many several ways_ Capell (from Qq), reading 208 as two lines, ending _mark ... town_.

_meet in one town_] _unite_ Collier MS.

[4615] _meet in one salt_] _run in one self_ (Qq) Capell.

[4616] _actions, once_] _acts at once_ Hanmer. _actions, 't once_ Warburton.

[4617] _End_] (Qq) Pope. _And_ Ff.

[4618] _defeat_] Ff. _defect_(Qq).

[4619] _Dauphin_] _Dolphin_ Ff (and passim).

[Exeunt some Attendants.] Capell. om. Ff.

[King takes his Throne. Capell.

[4620] _or there_] _there_ Pope.

[4621] _full_] _a full_ Collier MS.

[4622] _mute_] _mutes_ S. Walker conj.

[4623] _waxen_ Ff. _paper_ (Qq) Malone. _lasting_ Malone conj.

Enter....] Enter certain Embassadors, and Train, usher'd. Capell.

[4624] SCENE III. Pope.

[4625] First Amb.] Amb. Ff (and throughout the scene).

_May't_] Ff. _Pleaseth_ (Qq) Capell.

[4626] _are_] (Qq) Rowe. _is_ Ff.

[4627] _then_] _than_ F₁.

[4628] _King Edward the third_] (Qq) Ff. _Edward the third_ Pope. _Edward third_ Collier MS.

[4629] _advised there's_] _advis'd, there's_ Steevens. _advis'd: there's_ Ff.

[4630] _This_] _Thus_ Anon. conj.

[4631] _he hath_] _h'ath_ Pope.

[4632] _hence_] _here_ Hanmer. _thence_ Keightley conj.

[4633] _sail_] _sayle_ F₁ F₂ F₃. _sayl_ F₄. _seal_ Jackson conj. _soul_ Collier (Collier MS.). _my sail_] _my full_ or _me full_ Keightley conj.

[4634] _that_] _this_ (Qq). _here_ Collier (Collier MS.).

[4635] _for many a_] _many_ Pope.

[4636] _yet_] F₁ F₄. _it_ F₂ F₃.

[4637] _week more_] _weepe, more_ (Qq).

[4638] _you_] _ye_ F₃ F₄.

[4639] [coming from his throne. Capell.

[4640] _thought_] _thoughts_ Pope.

[4641] _things_] om. Pope.

[4642] _reasonable_] _seasonable_ Collier (Collier MS.).

[4643] Flourish.] Ff (before 'Enter Chorus'). om. (Qq) Pope.

ACT II.