Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, Lord Furnival The thrice-victorious Lord of Falconbridge; Of all his wars within the realm of Frander Him that thou magnifiest with all these titles but kind and fly-blown lies here at our feet. Lucy. Is Talbot slain, the Frenchman's only scourge, Your kingdom's terror and black Nemesis? Viole but were mine eye-balls into bullets turn'd, That I in rage might shoot them at your faces! "O, that I could but call these dead to life! 81 were enough to fright the realm of France: Were but his picture left amongst you here, It would amaze the proudest of you all. Give me their bodies, that I may bear them hence And give them burial as beseems their worth. Puc. I think this upstart is old Talbot's ghost, He speaks with such a proud commanding spirit, For God's sake, let him have 'em; to keep them here, 70. "Henry"; so F. 1; Ff. 2, 3, 4, "our King Henry." The line is probably to be read: "Great mareshal to Henery the Sixth."-I. G. They would but stink, and putrify the air. 90 Char. Go, take their bodies hence. Lucy. I'll bear them hence; but from their ashes shall be rear'd A phoenix that shall make all France afeard. Char, So we be rid of them, do with 'em what thou wilt. And now to Paris, in this conquering vein: [Exeunt. ACT FIFTH SCENE I London. The palace. Sennet. Enter King, Gloucester, and Exeter. King. Have you perused the letters from the pope, The emperor, and the Earl of Armagnac? Glou. I have, my lord: and their intent is this: They humbly sue unto your excellence To have a godly peace concluded of 10 Between the realms of England and of France. King. How doth your grace affect their motion? Glou. Well, my good lord; and as the only means To stop effusion of our Christian blood And stablish quietness on every side. King. Aye, marry, uncle; for I always thought It was both impious and unnatural That such immanity and bloody strife Should reign among professors of one faith. Glou. Beside, my lord, the sooner to effect And surer bind this knct of amity, The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles, 17. "Knit," the reading of the Ff.; Pope first suggested "kin,” which was also adopted by Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, and Johnson; Capell restored "knit," which was adopted by Steevens and Malone. The Cambridge editions see in "knit," "a conceit suggested by the 'Knot of amity' in the preceding line.”—I. G. A man of great authority in France, Proffers his only daughter to your grace In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry. 20 King. Marriage, uncle! alas, my years are young! Than wanton dalliance with a paramour. Enter Winchester in Cardinal's habit, a Legate and two Ambassadors. Exe. What! is my Lord of Winchester install'd, And call'd unto a cardinal's degree? Then I perceive that will be verified 30 21. "Marriage, uncle! alas, my years are young!" Pope reads, "Marriage, alas! my years are yet too young"; Capell, "Marriage, good uncle! alas, my years are young"; Walker, "Marriage, uncle, 'las my years are young."-I. G. "My years are young"; "His majesty was, however, twenty-four years old."-Malone. 29. Beaufort's preferment to "a cardinal's degree" having happened about fifteen years back, it may seem strange that Exeter should now for the first time wonder at it as something new. This, however, is quite in keeping with other things in the same scene, such as the alleged youth of the king, who was at this time twentythree years old; and was, no doubt, done knowingly and upon principle, the later and earlier events being thus drawn nearer together for the convenience of the drama, and to preserve a more sensible unity in the representation. The point is well stated by Coleridge: "The history of our ancient kings, the events of their reigns, I mean,—are like stars in the sky;-whatever the real interspaces may be, and however great, they seem close to each other. The stars-the events-strike us and remain in our eye, little modified by the difference of dates."-H. N. H. Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy, 'If once he come to be a cardinal, the hint He'll make his cap co-equal with the crown.' King. My lords ambassadors, your several suits Have been consider'd and debated on. Your purpose is but good and reasonable; And therefore are we certainly resolved To draw conditions of a friendly peace; Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean Shall be transported presently to France. Glou. And for the proffer of my lord your mas ter, 40 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. King. In argument and proof of which contract, Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection. And so, my lord protector, see them guarded And safely brought to Dover; where inshipp'd Commit them to the fortune of the sea. 50 [Exeunt all but Winchester and Legate. 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. Leg. I will attend upon your lordship's leisure. Win. [Aside] Now Winchester will not submit, I trow, 46. "argument," evidence.-C. H. H. 49. "where inshipp'd"; the reading of F. 4; Ff. 1, 2, wherein ship'd"; F. 3, "wherein shipp'd.”—I. G. |