May hold up head without Northumberland. BARD. Ay, marry, there's the point; But if without him we be thought too feeble, My judgment is, we should not step too far 2 Till we had his assistance by the hand: For, in a theme so bloody-fac'd as this, Conjecture, expectation, and surmise Of aids uncertain, should not be admitted. ARCH. 'Tis very true, lord Bardolph; for, indeed, It was young Hotspur's case at Shrewsbury. BARD. It was, my lord; who lin'd himself with hope, Eating the air on promise of supply, Flattering himself with project of a power 3 Much smaller than the smallest of his thoughts: Proper to madmen, led his powers to death, HAST. But, by your leave, it never yet did hurt, 2-step too far-] The four following lines were added in the second edition. JOHNSON. 3 Much smaller -] i. e which turned out to be much smaller. MUSGRAVE. Yes, in this present quality of war; &c.] These first twenty lines were first inserted in the folio of 1623. The first clause of this passage is evidently corrupted. All the folio editions and Mr. Rowe's concur in the same reading, which Mr. Pope altered thus: "Yes, if this present quality of war 66 Impede the instant act." This has been silently followed by Mr. Theobald, Sir Thomas Hanmer, and Dr. Warburton; but the corruption is certainly deeper, for, in the present reading, Bardolph makes the inconvenience of hope to be that it may cause delay, when, indeed, the whole tenor of his argument is to recommend delay to the rest Lives so in hope, as in an early spring We see the appearing buds; which, to prove fruit, Hope gives not so much warrant, as despair, that are too forward. I know not what to propose, and am afraid that something is omitted, and that the injury is irremediable. Yet, perhaps, the alteration requisite is no more than this: "Yes, in this present quality of war, "It never, (says Hastings,) did harm to lay down likelihoods of hope." "Yes, (says Bardolph,) it has done harm in this present quality of war, in a state of things such as is now before us, of war, indeed of instant action." This is obscure, but Mr. Pope's reading is still less reasonable. JOHNSON. I have adopted Dr. Johnson's emendation, though I think we might read: if this present quality of war Impel the instant action." Hastings says, it never yet did hurt to lay down likelihoods and forms of hope. Yes, says Bardolph, it has in every case like ours, where an army inferior in number, and waiting for supplies, has, without that reinforcement, impelled, or hastily brought on, an immediate action. STEEVENS. If we may be allowed to read-instanc'd, the text may meanYes, it has done harm in every case like ours ; indeed, it did harm in young Hotspur's case at Shrewsbury, which the Archbishop of York has just instanced or given as an example. TOLLET. This passage is allowed on all hands to be corrupt, but a slight alteration will, I apprehend, restore the true reading: Yes, if this present quality of war, "Induc'd the instant action." HENLEY. Mr. M. Mason has proposed the same in this present quality of war;" nineteen lines appeared first in the folio. "Yes, if this present," &c. reading. STEEVENS. This and the following I believe the old reading is the true one, and that a line is lost; but have adopted Dr. Johnson's emendation, because it makes sense. The punctuation now introduced appears to me preferable to that of the old edition, in which there is a colon after the word action. Bardolph, I think, means to say, "Indeed the present action (our cause being now on foot, war being actually levied,) lives so in hope," &c. otherwise the speaker is made to say, in general, that all causes once on foot afford no hopes that may securely be relied on; which is certainly not true. MALONE. When we mean to That frosts will bite them. build, We first survey the plot, then draw the model; What do we then, but draw anew the model 5 To build at all? Much more, in this great work, Question surveyors; know our own estate, Using the names of men, instead of men: And waste for churlish winter's tyranny. HAST. Grant, that our hopes (yet likely of fair birth,) Should be still born, and that we now possess'd I think, we are a body strong enough, BARD. What is the king but five and twenty thousand? HAST. To us, no more; nay, not so much, lord Bardolph. 5- at least,] Perhaps we should read-at last. STEEVENS. CONSENT upon a sure foundation ;] i. e. agree. So, in As You Like It, vol. vi. p. 437: "For all your writers do consent that ipse is he." Again, ibid. p. 489: consent with both, that we may enjoy each other." STEEVENS. For his divisions, as the times do brawl, Are in three heads: one power against the FrenchR, In three divided; and his coffers sound ARCH. That he should draw his several strengths together, And come against us in full puissance, Need not be dreaded. HAST. If he should do so He leaves his back unarm'd, the French and Welsh Baying him at the heels: never fear that. 8 BARD. Who, is it like, should lead his forces hither? HAST. The duke of Lancaster, and Westmoreland1: one power against the French,] During this rebellion of Northumberland and the Archbishop, a French army of twelve thousand men landed at Milford Haven, in Wales, for the aid of Owen Glendower. See Holinshed, p. 531. STEEVENS. 9 If he should do so,] This passage is read, in the first edition, thus: "If he should do so, French and Welsh he leaves his back unarmed, they baying him at the heels, never fear that." These lines, which were evidently printed from an interlined copy not understood, are properly regulated in the next edition, and are here only mentioned to show what errors may be suspected to remain. JOHNSON. I believe the editor of the folio did not correct the quarto rightly; in which the only error probably was [as Mr. Capell has observed] the omission of the word to: "To French and Welsh he leaves his back unarm'd, MALONE. The duke of Lancaster, &c.] This is an anachronism. Prince John of Lancaster was not created a duke till the second year of the reign of his brother, King Henry V. MALOne. 66 This mistake is pointed out by Mr. Steevens in another place. It is not, however, true, that King Henry IV. was himself the last person that ever bore the title of Duke of Lancaster," as Prince Henry actually enjoyed it at this very time, and had done so from the first year of his father's reign, when it was conferred upon him Against the Welsh, himself, and Harry Monmouth : I have no certain notice. ARCH. Let us on2; And publish the occasion of our arms. The commonwealth is sick of their own choice, An habitation giddy and unsure Hath he, that buildeth on the vulgar heart. 3 O thou fond many with what loud applause And howl'st to find it. What trust is in these They that, when Richard liv'd, would have him die, 66 in full parliament. Rot. Parl. 111, 428, 532. Shakspeare was misled by Stowe, who, speaking of Henry's first parliament, says, then the King rose, and made his eldest son Prince of Wales, &c. his second sonne was there made Duke of Lancaster." Annales, 1631, p. 323. He should therefore seem to have consulted this author between the times of finishing the last play, and beginning the present. RITSON. 2 Let us on ; &c.] This excellent speech of York was one of the passages added by Shakspeare after his first edition. POPE. This speech first appeared in the folio. MALONE. 3 O thou fond MANY!] Many or meyny, from the French mesnie, a multitude. DOUCE. |