The poor mechanic porters crowding in The lazy, yawning drone. I this infer,- As many As many several ways meet in one town; K. Hen. Call in the messengers sent from the dauphin. [Exit an Attendant. The King ascends his throne. Now are we well resolved; and by God's help, O'er France, and all her almost kingly dukedoms; Twelfth Night, Act iii. Sc. 4. Johnson observes, to knead the honey is not physically true. The bees do, in fact, knead the wax more than the honey. 1 "Executors," for executioners. Thus also Burton, in his Anatomy of Melancholy, p. 38, ed. 1632: "Tremble at an executor, and yet not feare hell-fire." 2 "Without defeat." The quartos read, "Without defect." 3 ❝ Empery." This word, which signifies dominion, is now obsolete. Tombless, with no remembrance over them. Enter Ambassadors of France. Now are we well prepared to know the pleasure K. Hen. We are no tyrant, but a Christian king; Unto whose grace our passion is as subject, As are our wretches fettered in our prisons: Therefore, with frank and with uncurbed plainness, Tell us the dauphin's mind. Amb. Thus, then, in few:Your highness, lately sending into France, Did claim some certain dukedoms, in the right Says, that you savor too much of your youth; And bids you be advised, there's nought in France, You cannot revel into dukedoms there. 1 The quartos read, "— with a paper epitaph." Either a paper or a waxen epitaph is an epitaph easily destroyed; one that can confer no lasting honor on the dead. Steevens thinks that the allusion is to waren tablets, as any thing written upon them was easily effaced. Mr. Gifford says, that a waren epitaph was an epitaph affixed to the hearse or grave with wax. But the expression may be merely metaphorical, and not allu sive to either. 2 A galliard was an ancient sprightly dance, as its name implies. K. Hen. What treasure, uncle? Exe. Tennis-balls, my liege.1 K. Hen. We are glad the dauphin is so pleasant with us; His 3 4 With chaces. And we understand him well, 1 In the old play of King Henry V. this present consists of a gilded tun of tennis-balls, and a carpet. 2 The hazard is a place in the tennis-court, into which the ball is sometimes struck. 3 A chace at tennis is that spot where a ball falls, beyond which the adversary must strike his ball to gain a point or chace. At long tennis it is the spot where the ball leaves off rolling. We see, therefore, why the king has called himself a wrangler. 4 That is, away from this seat or throne. 5 To qualify myself for this undertaking, I have descended from my station, and studied the arts of life in a lower character. 6 "Hath turned his balls to gun-stones." When ordnance were first used, they discharged balls of stone. Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands; That shall have cause to curse the dauphin's scorn. When thousands weep, more than did laugh at it.— you well. Exeunt Ambassadors. Exe. This was a merry message. K. Hen. We hope to make the sender blush at it. [Descends from his throne. Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour, That may give furtherance to our expedition; For we have now no thought in us but France, Save those to God, that run before our business. Therefore, let our proportions for these wars Be soon collected; and all things thought upon, That may, with reasonable swiftness, add 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. [Exeunt. ACT II. Enter CHORUS. Cho. Now all the youth of England are on fire, And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies; Now thrive the armorers, and honor's thought Reigns solely in the breast of every man. O, England!-model to thy inward greatness, But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out 2 With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men- 1 In ancient representations of trophies, &c. it is common to see swords encircled with crowns. Shakspeare's image is supposed to be taken from a wood cut in the first edition of Holinshed. 2 "Richard earl of Cambridge" was Richard de Conisbury, younger son of Edmund Langley, duke of York. He was father of Richard duke of York, and grandfather of Edward the Fourth. 3 "Henry lord Scroop" was a third husband of Joan duchess of York, mother-in-law of Richard earl of Cambridge. 4 The old copy reads: "Linger your patience on, and we'll digest The alteration was made by Pope. |