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611

From a refolu'd and honourable warre,
To a most base and vile-concluded peace.
And why rayle I on this Commoditie?
But for because he hath not wooed me yet:
Not that I haue the power to clutch my hand,
When his faire Angels would falute my palme,

612. vile-concluded] vile concluded Ff, Rowe et seq.

613. on this] thus on Anon. ap. Cam. 614. for because] for the cause Vaughan

conj. (withdrawn).

615

615. Not that...the] Nor that...the Han. Not but...the or Not that...not Coll. conj. Not that...no Coll. MS.

there is plausibility in Mason's argument, yet aim does not so well agree with the context that follows as 'aid.' 'His own determin'd aid' means that aid which he himself had determined to lend.

614. for because] EASTWOOD & WRIGHT (Bible Word-Book, s. v.): A redundant expression in which the two words are equivalent in meaning; the combination of the two being employed to make the whole more forcible. Compare: 'an if,' ‘or ere.' [Genesis, xxii, 16 cited, and the present line quoted in illustration. See also Rich. II: V, v, 3.—ED.]

615. Not that I haue the power] COLLIER (ed. i.): The sense would perhaps be clearer if we read: 'Not but I have'; or, with as slight a change, ‘Not that I have not'; though the meaning of the Poet is sufficiently explained by what follows in the sentence: the Bastard says that he has the power to clutch or close his hand, but that he has yet had no temptation to do so.—ANON. (Blackwood's Maga., Sept., 1853, p. 304): The meaning of these lines is certainly sufficiently obvious. Yet Mr Collier's Corrector is not satisfied with them. He reads: 'Not that I have no power,' &c. But unless Mr Collier can prove-what will be difficultthat 'power' here means inclination, it is evident that this reading directly reverses Shakespeare's meaning. If 'power' means inclination, the sense would be this: I rail on this commodity, not because I have no inclination to clutch my hand on the fair angels that would salute my palm, but because I have not yet been tempted; when temptation comes I shall doubtless yield like my neighbors. But 'power' never means, and cannot mean, inclination; and Mr Collier has not attempted to show that it does; and therefore the new reading must be to this effect: 'I rail on this commodity, not because I am unable,' &c. But Faulconbridge says the very reverse. He says: 'I rail on this commodity not because I have the power to resist temptation, or am able to shut my hand against the fair angels that would salute my palm; for I have no such power; in this respect I am just like other people, and am as easily bribed as they are.' The new reading must therefore be dismissed as a wanton reversal of the plain meaning of Shakespeare.— [COLLIER (ed. ii.) accepts the dictum of his Anonymous critic, though with no mention of him, and likewise omits both of his former conjectural emendations. -ED.]

615. clutch] MURRAY (N. E. D., s. v. v1. 2) quotes the present line as the earliest example of 'clutch' in the sense To close or clench the hand.

616. Angels] WRIGHT: The Angel was a gold coin worth ten shillings, and was so called from having on one side a figure of Michael and the dragon. See Mer. of Ven.: 'They have in England A coin that bears the figure of an angel Stamp'd

617

But for my hand, as vnattempted yet,
Like a poore begger, raileth on the rich.
Well, whiles I am a begger, I will raile,
And say there is no fin but to be rich:
And being rich, my vertue then shall be,
To say there is no vice, but beggerie:
Since Kings breake faith vpon commoditie,
Gaine be my Lord, for I will worship thee.

617. But for] But that Pope, Theob. Han. Warb. Johns.

617. 618. as...Like] is...Like as Herr. is...Like Vaughan.

619. Well,] Well! Han.

whiles] while Pope,+.

[blocks in formation]

i, Ktly, Del. Huds. ii. Words. And say, -...To say,— Cap. et cet.

622. beggerie:] beggary. Pope,+, Wh. i, Ktly.

624. Gaine...Lord,] Ff, Rowe, Pope, Han. Gain,...lord! Var. '21, Sing. Knt, Ktly, Sta. Huds. i. Gain,...lord, Coll. Cam.+, Del. Fle. Neils. Craig. Gain,...lord, Dyce, Hal. Huds. ii, Words. Gain,...lord; Theob. et cet.

620, 622. And Jay...To say] Ff, Rowe, Pope, Han. Huds. Cam.+, Fle. Neils. Craig. And say,...To say, Theob. Warb. Johns. Var. '73, Coll. Dyce, Wh. in gold.'-II, vii, 55.-Belden (Tudor Sh.): Of the innumerable exercises of wit suggested by the two meanings of this word (see also III, ii, 28), the most famous is Donne's The Bracelet, which Ben Jonson told Drummond he had 'by heart.' [The Elegy to which Belden refers may be found in Donne's Works, ed. Grosart, vol. i, p. 192. It is there entitled, Upon the Losse of his Mistresses Chaine.-ED.] 616. salute] RUSHTON (Sh. Illust. by Old Authors, p. 15): 'Our gold is either old or new. The old is that which hath remained since the time of King Edward the Third or beene coined by such other princes as have reigned since his decease, and without anie abasing or diminution of that mettall. Thereof also we have yet remaining, the riall, the George noble, the Henry riall, the salut, the angell, and their small peeces as halfes, or quarters, though these in my time are not so common to be seene.'-Harrison, Description of England, Bk ii, cap. xxv, [ed. Furnivall, p. 362]. 'Salute, salus, was a coyn of gold stamped by King Henry the Fifth in France, after his conquests there: whereon the arms of England and France were stamped quarterly.'-Stowe, Chronicles, p. 589. I think that Shakespeare plays upon the word 'salute' in this passage, using it in a double sense in connection with the word 'angel,' and I am able to quote a passage from Beaumont & Fletcher, in which the word 'salute' is also played upon in a similar way: 'Pr'ythee, old angel-gold, salute my family, I'll do as much for yours.'-Scornful Lady, II, iii. Although the word 'rail' is used immediately after the words 'salute' and 'angel,' it may be considered very doubtful whether Shakespeare there plays upon that word, although he often uses in a double sense words which do not differ more from each other in sound and meaning than the words 'rail' and riall. 619-624. Well, whiles... worship thee] CORSON (Intro. to Sh., p. 172): All this is pure self-slander, as his subsequent disinterested and magnanimous words show.

624. Gaine... thee] F. GENTLEMAN (ap. BELL, p. 25): The second Act consists of altercation, martial noise, and bustle; great sound, little matter; for, save a few speeches, the whole rather drags-the concluding soliloquy has great, but obscure, merit.

Actus Secundus

[Act III. Scene i.]

Enter Conftance, Arthur, and Salisbury.

Con. Gone to be married? Gone to fweare a peace?

1. Actus Secundus] Act II, SCENE I. Rowe i. Scene continued Rowe ii. ACT I, SCENE VII. Pope. ACT II,

3 [1]

SCENE II. Wh. i, Fle. Dono. ACT III,
SCENE I. Theob. et cet.

SCENE. The French King's Pavilion. Theob. et seq. (subs.).

1. Actus Secundus] Theobald's rearrangement whereby this scene is made the first scene of Act III. is adopted by the majority of editors, and is here followed in order to facilitate references to modern editions. See 1. 75 and notes below.-Ed. 2. Constance] F. GENTLEMAN (ap. BELL, p. 25): Our Author, who took very little pains in general with female characters, there being no performers of that sex upon the stage in his time, has, however, roused his genius in favour of Constance; he has entered into and expressed her complaints in a most masterly manner; the ideas through the whole of this scene are happily pathetic; they appeal so successfully to the heart that even common feelings must submit to their force. [Reed's opinion on Gentleman's qualification as an editor seems justified by this evidence of a lack of critical acumen. See note on Dram. Personæ, 1. 2.—ED.]

3. Gone to be married] CAMPBELL (Life of Mrs Siddons, i, 215), among other memoranda furnished him by the actress, gives the following: 'Whenever I was called upon to personate the Character of Constance, I never, from the beginning of the play to the end of my part in it, once suffered my dressing-room door to be closed, in order that my attention might be constantly fixed on those distressing events which, by this means I could plainly hear going on upon the stage, the terrible effects of which progress were to be represented by me. Moreover, I never omitted to place myself, with Arthur in my hand, to hear the march, when, upon the reconciliation of England and France, they enter the gates of Angiers to ratify the contract of marriage between the Dauphin and the Lady Blanche; because the sickening sounds of that march would usually cause the bitter tears of rage, disappointment, betrayed confidence, baffled ambition, and, above all, the agonizing feelings of maternal affection to gush into my eyes. In short, the spirit of the whole drama took possession of my mind and frame by my attention being riveted to the passing scenes.'-J. KNIGHT (Harper's Maga., May, 1903, p. 834): Among the sillinesses that have been uttered concerning Shakespeare, one of the best known and most futile is the assertion that he killed Mercutio for fear that Mercutio might otherwise kill him. With slightly less absurdity it might be maintained that he killed Constance because the white heat of passion which she reaches in her early scenes and the agonies of suffering to which she is subsequently a prey, could neither be enhanced nor sustained. Such passion as she exposes does indeed kill. Not at all the kind of 'grief that will not speak' is that of Constance. Her woes are clamorous as her sorrow is 'proud.' All the same, they whisper the o'erfraught heart and bid it break. Her opening words in the

[2]

False blood to falfe blood ioyn'd. Gone to be freinds?
Shall Lewis haue Blaunch, and Blaunch those Prouinces?
It is not fo, thou haft mispoke, misheard,

Be well aduif'd, tell ore thy tale againe.
It cannot be, thou do'st but say 'tis fo.

I trust I may not trust thee, for thy word
Is but the vaine breath of a common man:
Beleeue me, I doe not beleeue thee man,
I haue a Kings oath to the contrarie.
Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,
For I am ficke, and capeable of feares,

4. ioyn'd.] joined! Rowe et seq.
freinds] F1.

5. Lewis] Louis Dyce, Hal. Wh. i. 8, 9. be,...thee,] Ff, Rowe. be;...thee, Pope, Han. Coll. Del. Dono. Craig. be;...thee; Theob. et cet.

8. fo so; Cap. Varr. Mal. Rann, Steev. Varr. Sing. Knt, Dyce, Hal.

Sta. Cam.+, Huds. ii.

5

[5]

ΙΟ

[10]

14 [12]

9. I truft] I think Pope, Han. 10. man:] man. Ktly, Rlfe, Neils. 11. Beleeue...man] Om. Pope, Han.

thee man] thee, man Theob. et seq. 14. feares,] feares. F2. Fears. FA, Rowe i, Sing. fears; Coll. Dyce, Hal. Wh. i, Ktly, Huds. Craig.

Third Act surpass in emotional vigor and intensity almost any others assigned to a woman in Shakespeare, and seem to defy the utmost power of the actress. No artist has accordingly risen to the height of them, though almost all the greatest have essayed the part.-[Knight quotes but a part of the foregoing memoranda by Mrs Siddons, with this comment: 'Words were not the medium in which Mrs Siddons worked, otherwise this very declaration, designed to show how thoroughly she entered into the part, might be taken to prove only how incompetent she was to grasp it.' Though it is hardly germane to the discussion of a passage in King John, yet, as Knight has introduced the subject, it may be of interest to note in passing that the 'silliness' in regard to Mercutio was perpetrated by Dryden in his Defence of the Epilogue, appended to the Conquest of Grenada, pt ii. It merits, I think, even a harsher term; Dryden gives it as a remark of Shakespeare himself.-ED.]

14-17. For I am sicke ... to feares] RUSHTON (Sh. & Arte of Poesie, p. 127): In this passage Shakespeare uses the sort of repetition called Antistrophe or the Counterturn, which Puttenham thus describes: 'Ye have another sort of repetition quite contrary to the former' [where one word is made to begin many verses in sute] 'when ye make one word finish many verses in sute, and that which is harder, to finish many clauses in the middest of your verses or dittie,' [ed. Arber, p. 208. Compare, for a similar series of lines, Mer. of Ven., V, i, 193-197.—ED.]

14. I am sicke] BUCKNILL (Mad Folke, etc., p. 276): There is one word in this passage which must not pass without comment. Constance avows herself in ill health: 'For I am sick.' This point of physical disturbance is rarely omitted by Shakespeare in the development of insanity. It may be referred to in this instance in the most casual and careless manner, for the drama can take little cognizance of the physical imperfections of our nature. Still, however skilfully and imperceptible, the point is made. In a sick frame, passion like that of Constance would have fuller sway. The irritable nerves and the irritated mind would

Opprest with wrongs, and therefore full of feares,
A widdow, husbandles, fubiect to feares,
A woman naturally borne to feares;

And though thou now confeffe thou didst but ieft
With my vext spirits, I cannot take a Truce,
But they will quake and tremble all this day.
What doft thou meane by shaking of thy head?
Why dost thou looke so sadly on my fonne?
What meanes that hand vpon that breast of thine?
Why holdes thine eie that lamentable rhewme,
Like a proud riuer peering ore his bounds?

16. fubiect] subject' Fle.

17. feares;] fears. Pope, Han. Ktly.

18, 19. ieft...spirits,] Ff, Knt, Coll. i.

jest,...spirits Rowe et cet.

19. vext] vex'd Mal. et seq.

Spirits] sprites Fle.

24. rhewme] rheume F3F4.

15 [13]

[15]

20

[20]

25 [23]

act and react on each other. Emotion would obtain more complete and disastrous empire.

14. capeable] Compare II, i, 500.

16. A widdow, husbandles] In a modern text these words should, perhaps, be separated by a dash, thus making the adjective apply to Constance herself emphatically. A husbandless widow is, to say the least, tautological. See II, i, 573 and notes.-ED.

16. subiect] WRIGHT: 'Subject' is here accented on the second syllable.-DAWSON (University Shakespeare) opines that 'the unusual recurrence of the same word at the end of four consecutive lines makes it probable that the second syllable of “subject” is to be accented here.'—[Sir Andrew when taxed for an exquisite reason said he had 'no exquisite reason, but reason good enough.'-ED.]

18, 19. iest... vext spirits,] DYCE (Remarks, etc., p. 89): So the passage is pointed in the old editions, and, I believe, by all the modern editors, directly against the sense. [Dyce then shows that the proper punctuation is the placing of a comma after 'jest,' l. 18, and its removal after 'spirits,' 1. 19. Had he but consulted any edition preceding Knight's or Collier's, against whom his remarks were directed, he might have found strong grounds for a change in his belief as regards 'all the modern editors.' See Text Notes.—ED.]—VERPLANCK: The sense is, obviously, that in spite of the confession that the bad news just communicated was but in jest, yet she cannot gain any interval of repose for her disturbed mind. The ordinary punctuation [the Ff.] gives a different and erroneous sense.

19. take a Truce] DYCE (Remarks, p. 89): To 'take a truce with' is a common expression: 'Could not take truce with the unruly spleen Of Tybalt,' Rom. & Jul., III, i, 162. 'Take truce awhile with these immoderate mournings,' The Coxcomb, IV, iv. [Also, Tro. & Cress., II, ii, 75.]

21-26. What dost thou meane... thy words] IVOR JOHN: This may be compared with Northumberland's speech on hearing of Hotspur's death, I Henry IV: I, i, 94-103.

23. breast of thine] For this redundant possessive compare: 'Death of thy soul! Those linen cheeks of thine Are counsellors to fear.'—Macbeth, V, iii, 16.—Ed. 25. Like a proud riuer... bounds] MALONE: This seems to have been imi

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