KING HENRY VI.—PART II.
Act I.
Sc. 1.
"They please us well. Lord Marquess, kneel thee down."
"And hath his Highness in his infancy
Been crowned in Paris, in despight of foes?"
Capell also added Been.
Sc. 3.
"That my mistress was? No forsooth."
For 'mistress' Malone very properly read master. (See on Tam. of Shr. i. 2.) In the Contention the only word used here is master.
"God and King Henry govern England's realm.
Give up your staff, sir, and the King his realm."
One of these 'realms' must be wrong. (Introd. p. [60].) Johnson proposed helm for the first; I make that change in the second. "And you yourself shall steer the happy helm" (i. 3).
"She's tickled now; her fume now needs no spurs,
She'll gallop fast enough to her destruction."
The 2nd folio reads 'can need'; 'fast' is Pope's correction for far of the folio.
Act II.
Sc. 1.
"For with such holiness you can do it."
In 'The Contention,' etc., 4to, it is dote for 'do it'; the folio reads 'can you.'
"For to present your Highness with the man."
"How cam'st thou so?—A fall from off a tree."
"Then, Saunder, sit thee there, the lyingest knave."
"And would you not think it to be great cunning?"
The folio reads "it cunning to be great."
"Alas, alas! sir, we did it for pure need."
"Until they come to Berwick, whence they came."
Sc. 2.
"My lord, I long to hear it at full length."
"Father, the Duke has told the truth in this."
Sc. 3.
"Despatch; for this knave's tongue begins to double."
"Go, and take hence this traitor from our sight."
Act III.
Sc. 1.
"And in his simple show he harbours treason."
The proper place of this line is at the end of the speech, where I have placed it in my Edition. It then, it will be seen, refers to the fox, and the preceding line to the brook.
"That you will clear yourself from all suspense."
Capell and Collier's folio read suspect.
Sc. 2.
"I thank thee, Nell; these words content me much."
So the name was written evidently by the poet, and Elianor in a following speech of the Queen's. As Margaret had only occurred in the beginning of the play, and she is always simply Queen, Shakespeare, when making the additions, had probably forgotten her real name. Editors are therefore not justified in making alterations.
"Of ashy semblance, meagre, pale, and bloodless,
Being all descended to the labouring heart."
There is evidently a line lost between these.
"Madam, be still! with reverence may I say it."
So it is given in The Contention.
"Myself no joy in nought, but that thou livest."
For 'no' Collier's folio reads to, which seems to be right.
Act IV.
Sc. 1.
"Yes, Poole.—Poole?—Poole, sir Poole, lord Poole."
"Jove sometime went disguis'd, and why not I?"
This line, so essential to the sense, is not in the folio; to obtain it recourse has been had to The Contention.
"As hating thee, are rising up in arms."
For 'are,' Rowe's correction, the folio has and.
"Advance our half-fac'd sun, striving to shine."
For 'our' we should read a or an; for the Captain does not seem to have had any connexion with the House of York. See on Hen. V. ii. Chor.
"Exempt is true nobility from fear."
The folio reads 'True nobility is exempt.' We might also, with a loss of force however, read 'For true,' etc. Still the choice is difficult.
Sc. 2.
"I'll make myself a knight here presently."
Sc. 4.
"Trust nobody for fear you be betray'd."
The 2nd folio supplied be.
Sc. 7.
"And the help of hatchet."
For 'help' Farmer read pap. "Pap of hatchet" was a common phrase. In the preceding line there is in the folio a misprint of candle for 'caudle.'
Sc. 8.
"Or let a rabble lead you to your deaths."
Both Collier's and Singer's folio properly read rebel.
Sc. 9.
"Of Gallowglasses and stout Kernes he."
"I pray thee, Buckingham, to go and meet him."
Sc. 10.
"Contenteth me and is worth a monarchy."
"And as for words whose greatness answers words."
Act V.
Sc. 1.
"Alexander Iden, that's my name, my liege."
"They may astonish these fell lurking curs."
We should perhaps read lurching.
"Who being suffered with the bear's fell paw."
For 'being' it might be better to read having.
"And so to arms, my victorious father!"
Sc. 2.
"To cease! Wast thou ordained O dear father."
Sc. 3.
"Of Salisbury, who can report of him?"
I have followed Collier's folio in reading Old for 'Of'.
"Aged contusions and all brush of time,
And like a gallant in the brow of youth."
For 'brush' and 'brow' Collier's folio reads bruise and bloom.