III. 5. 1. The stage direction of the Folios is as follows:
Enter the King of France, the Dolphin, the Constable of France, and others. To the speeches which commence lines 10 and 32 they prefix Brit. But as the Duke of 'Britaine' does not appear elsewhere in the play, and as the stage direction of the Quartos runs: Enter King of France, Bourbon, Dolphin, and others, we have followed Theobald in introducing Bourbon among the persons who enter and in assigning the two speeches to him. 'Bourbon,' and not 'Britaine,' is mentioned among the lords in line 41. In Holinshed (p. 1077, ed. 1577), the Dukes of Berry and Britaine are mentioned as belonging to the French king's council, and not the Duke of Bourbon. Shakespeare probably first intended to introduce the Duke of Britaine, and then changed his mind, but forgot to substitute Bour. for Brit. before the two speeches. Rowe omitted to insert the Duke of 'Britaine' in his list of Dramatis Personæ.
[Note XII.]
III. 5. 40. As the metre will not allow us to set Delabreth right by reading D'Albret, we do not see what is gained by substituting De-la-bret, which is as erroneous as the word which Shakespeare copied from Holinshed. The same chronicler afterwards calls him Dalbreth. (Holinshed, ed. 1577, p. 1175 and 1176).
[Note XIII.]
III. 6. 100-106. Pope, following the Quarto to a certain extent, alters the whole passage thus:
'We would have such offenders so cut off,
And give express charge that in all our march
There shall be nothing taken from the villages
But shall be paid for, and no French upbraided
Or yet abused in disdainful language;
When lenity and cruelty play for kingdoms
The gentler gamester is the soonest winner.'
[Note XIV.]
III. 6. 111-128. Pope gives the speech as follows:
'Thus says my King: say thou to Harry England,
Although we seemed dead, we did but sleep:
Advantage is a better soldier than rashness.
Tell him we could at Harfleur have rebuk'd him,
But that we thought not good to bruise an injury
Till it were ripe. Now speak we on our cue,
With voice imperial: England shall repent
His folly, see his weakness, and admire
Our suff'rance. Bid him therefore to consider
What must the ransom be, which must proportion
The losses we have born, the subjects we
Have lost, and the disgrace we have digested;
To answer which, his pettiness would bow under.
First for our loss, too poor is his Exchequer;
For the effusion of our blood, his army
Too faint a number; and for our disgrace,
Ev'n his own person kneeling at our feet
A weak and worthless satisfaction.
To this defiance add; and for conclusion,
Tell him he hath betray'd his followers,
Whose condemnation is pronounc'd. So far
My King and master; and so much my office.'