SCENE III. Changes to the archbishop of York's palace. Enter archbishop of York, Hastings, Thomas Mowbray (earl marfbal) and lord Bardolph. York. Thus have you heard our cause, and know our means; And, my most noble friends, I pray you all, Mowb. I well allow the occafion of our arms; Bard. The question then, lord Haftings, ftandeth thus Whether our present five-and-twenty thousand Bard. Ay, marry, there's the point : York. 'Tis very true, lord Bardolph; for, indeed, It was young Hotspur's cafe at Shrewsbury. 3 -Step too far] The four following lines were added in the fecond edition. JOHNSON. Bard. Bard. It was, my lord; who lin'd himself with hope, Eating the air on promife of fupply; Flattering himself with project of a power And fo, with great imagination, Proper to madmen, led his powers to death, Haft. But, by your leave, it never yet did hurt 4 Yes, in this prefent quality of war, Indeed the inftaut action;] These first twenty lines were first inferted in the folio of 1623. The first claufe of this paffage is evidently corrupted. All the folio editions and Mr. Rowe's concur in the fame reading, which Mr. Pope altered thus, Yes, if this prefent quality of war This has been filently followed by Mr. Theobald, Sir Thomas Hanmer, and Dr. Warburton; but the corruption is certainly deeper; for in the prefent reading Bardolph makes the inconvenience of hope to be that it may caufe delay, when indeed the whole tenor of his argument is to recommend delay to the reft that are too forward. I know not what to propofe, and am afraid that fomething is omitted, and that the injury is irremediable. Yet, perhaps, the alteration requifite is no more than this: Yes, in this prefent quality of war, It never, fays Haftings, did harm to lay down likelihoods of hope. Yes, fays Bardolph, it has done harm in this prefent quality of war, in a state of things fuch as is now before us, of war, indeed of inftant action. This is obfcure, but Mr. Pope's reading is ftill lefs reasonable. JOHNSON. I have adopted Dr. Johnson's emendation, though I think we might read, if the prefent quality of war Impel the inftant action. Haftings fays, it never yet did hurt to lay down likelihoods and forms of hope. Yes, fays Bardolph, it has in every cafe like ours, where an army inferior in number, and waiting for fupplies, has, without that reinforcement, impell'd or hastily brought on an immediate action. STEEVENS. Bb 4 Lives Lives fo in hope, as in an early spring We fee the appearing buds; which, to prove fruit, That frofts will bite them. When we mean to build, What do we then but draw a-new the model To build at all? Much more, in this great work, Question furveyors; know our own eftate, Haft. Grant, that our hopes, yet likely of fair birth, I think we are a body strong enough, Even as we are, to equal with the king. Bard. What is the king but five-and-twenty thou Haft. To us, no more; nay, not fo much, lord For his divifions, as the times do brawl, Are in three heads: one power against the French, And one against Glendower; perforce a third Muft take up us: fo is the unfirm king In three divided; and his coffers found With hollow poverty and emptinefs. York. That he fhould draw his feveral ftrengths together, And come against us in full puiffance, Haft. 5 If he fhould do fo, He leaves his back unarm'd, the French and Welsh Baying him at the heels: never fear that. Bard. Who, is it like, fhould lead his forces hither? Haft. The duke of Lancaster and Westmorland : Against the Welsh, himself and Harry Monmouth : But who is fubftituted 'gainst the French I have no certain notice. York. Let us on; And publish the occafion of our arms. The commonwealth is fick of their own choice; An habitation giddy and unfure Hath he that buildeth on the vulgar heart. 5 If he should do fo,] This paffage is read in the first edition thus: If he should do fo, French and Welsh he leaves his back unarm'd, they baying him at the heels, never fear that. Thefe lines, which were evidently printed from an interlined copy not understood, are properly regulated in the next edition, and are here only mentioned to fhew what errors may be fufpected to remain. JOHNSON. 6 Let us on, &c.] This excellent fpeech of York was one of the paffages added by Shakespeare after his first edition. POPE. They, They, that when Richard liv'd, would have him die, Thou, that threw'ft duft upon his goodly head, ACT II. SCENE I A ftreet in London. Enter Hoftefs, with two officers, Phang, bis boy, and Snare following. HOSTESS. "ASTER Phang, have you enter'd the action? Phang. It is enter'd. MAST Hoft. Where is your yeoman? Is it a lufty yeoman? Will a' ftand to it? Phang. Sirrah, where's Snare? Hoft. O lord, ay, good mafter Snare. Snare. Here, here. Phang. Snare, we must arrest Sir John Falstaff. Hoft. Ay, good master Snare; I have enter'd him and all. Snare. It may chance cost some of us our lives, for he will stab. Hoft. Alas the day! take heed of him; he stabb'd me in mine own house, and that most beastly: he cares not |