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P. 82, 1. 13, A plain, near St. Edmund'sBury.] I have ventured to fix the place of the scene here, which is specified by none of the editos, on the following authorities. In the preceding act, where Salisbury has fixed to go over to the Dauphin ; he says: "Lords, I will meet him at St. Edmund's

Bury."

And Count Melun, in this last act says:

and many more with me,

"Upon the altar at St. Edmund's-Bury;
"Even on that altar, where we swore to
you

"Dear amity, and everlasting love.” And it appears likewise from The Troublesome Reign of King John, in two parts, (the first rough model of this play,) that the interchange of vows betwixt the Dauphin and the English barons, was at St. Edmund's-Bury, THEOBALD.

P. 82, 1. 18. Return the precedent-] i. e. the rough draft of the original treaty between the Dauphin and the English lords. Thus (adds Mr. M. Mason) in K. Richard III. the scrivener employed to engross the indictment of Lord Hastings, says, "that it took him eleven hours to write it, and that the precedent was full as long a doing," STEEVENS,

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P. 83, 1. 10. a stranger march] Our author often uses stranger as an adjective. See the last scene, MALONE.

P. 83, 1. 13. Spot probably means, stain or disgrace. M. MASON.

P. 83, 1. 18. clippeth

--

i. e, embraceth,

STEEVENS,

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P. 83, 1. 20-23. And grapple thee unto a

Where the e two

pagan shore; Christian armies might combine &c.] Our author seems to have been thinking on the wars carried on by Christian Princes in the holy land against the Saracens; where the united armies of France and England might have laid their mutual animosities aside, and fought in the cause of Christ, instead of fighting against brethren and countrymen, as Salisbury and the other English noblemen who had joined the Dauphin, were about to do,

MALONE.

P. 83, 1. 23. And not to-spend it so unneighbourly!] This is one of many passages, in which Shakspeare concludes a sentence without attending to the manner in which MALONE. the former part of it is constructed,

Shakspeare only employs in the present instance a phraseology which he had used before in The Merry Wives of Windsor:

"And, fairy-like, to-pinch the unclean-knight." To, in composition with verbs, is common enough in ancient language. STEEVENS,

P. 83, 1. 28. Between compulsion, and a brave respect!] This compulsion was the necessity of a reformation in the state; which, according to Salisbury's opinion (who, in his speech preceding, calls it an enforced cause) could only be procured by foreign arms: and the brave respect was the love of his country.

P. 8, 1. 14-16.

Look, where the

WARBURTON. And even there, methinks, and angel spake : holy legate comes apace, &c.] Sir T. Hanmer,

and after him Dr.Warburton read here an angel speeds. I think unnecessarily. The Dauphin docs not yet hear the legate indeed, nor pretend to hear him; but seeing him advance, and concluding that he comes to animate and authorize him with the power of the church, he cries out, at the sight of this holy man, I am encouraged as by the voice of an angel. JOHNSON.

Rather, In what I have now said, an angel spake; for see, the holy legate approaches, to give a warrant from heaven, aud the name of right to our cause. MALONE.

P. 85. 1. 7. Acquainted me with interest to this land,] This was the phraseology of Shakspeare's time. So again, in King Henry IV. Part II;

"Ile hath more worthy interest to the state, "Than thou the shadow of succession."

MALONE. P. 85, 1. 25. Bank'd their towns may mean, throw up entrenchments before them,

The old play of K. John, however, leaves this interpretation extremely disputable. It appears from thence that these salutations were given to the Dauphin as he sailed along the banks of the river. This, I suppose, Shakspeare calls banking the towns.

We still say to coast and to flank; and to bank has no less of propriety, though it is not reconciled to us by modern usage, STEEVENS.

P. 85, last 1. but one. Before I drew this gallant head of war,] i, e, assembled it, drew it out into the field.

STEEVENS.

P. 86, first 1. To outlook conquest, —] i, e,

face down, bear down, by a show of magnanimity, STEEVENS.

P. 86, 1, 22. This unhair'd sauciness, &c.] The printed copies · unheard; but unheard is an epithet of vry little force or meaning here; besides, let us observe how it is coupled. Faulconbridge is sneering at the Dauphin's invasion, as an unadvised interprize, savouring of youth and indiscretion; the result of childishness, and unthinking rashness; and he seems altogether to dwell on this character of it, by calling his preparation boyish troops, dwarfish war, pigmy arms, &c. which, according to my emendation, sort very well with unhair'd, i, e. unbearded sauciness. THEOBALD.

P. 86, 1. 28. To take the hatch, is to leap the hatch. To take a hedge or a ditch, is the hunter's phrase. STEEVENS.

P. 86, 1. 29. I believe our author, with his accustomed licence, use concealed for concealing; wells that afforded concealment and protection to those who took refuge there. MALONE.

Concealed wells are wells in conceale or obscure situations; viz. in places secured from public notice." STEEVENS,

P. 87. first 1. Even at the crying of your nation's crow,] i. e. at the crowing of-a cock; gallus meaning both a cock and a Frenchman. DOUCE.

P. 87, 1.6. An aiery is the nest of an eagle.
STEEVENS.
P. 89, first 1. This news was brought to
Richard-] Sir Richard

Faulconbridge;

and yet the King a little before (Act 1, sc. ii.) calls him by his original name of Philip. STEEVENS.

P. 89, 1, 28. you are bought and sold;] The same proverbial phrase, intimating treachery, is used in K, Richard III. Act. V. sc. iii. in K. Henry. VI. P. I. Act. IV. sc. iv. and in The Comedy of Errors, Act III. sc. i. STEEVENS. P. 89, last 1. Unthread the rude eye of rebellion,] Though all the copies concur in this reading, how poor is the metaphor of unthreading the eye of a neødle? And besides, as there is no mention made of a needle, how remote and 'abscure is the allusion without it? The text, as I have restored it, is easy and natural; and it is the mode of expression, which our author is every where fond of, to tread and untread, the way, path, steps, &c. THEOBALD.

The metaphor is certainly harsh, but I do not think the passage corrupted. JOHNSON.

P. 90, 1. 4. He means - The Frenchman, i. e. Lewis, means, &c. See Melun's next speech: "If Lewis do win the day." MALONE,

P. 90, 1. 13. 14.

as a form of wax Resolveth from his figure 'gainst the fire?] This is said in allusion to the images made by witches. Holinshed observes that it was alledged against dame Eleanor Cobham and her confederates, "that they had devised an image of wax, representing the King, which by their sorcerie by little and little consumed, intending thereby in conclusion to waste and destroy the King's person."

Resolve and dissolve, had anciently the same meaning. STEEVENS.

P. 90, 1. 27. Paying the fine of rated treachery,] It were easy to change rated to hated for an easier meaning,

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