Const. O, if thou grant my need, Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down! If thou stand excommunicate and cursed ? And tell me how you would bestow yourself. 225 235 233. but new before,] but new-before- Seymour conj. 227. And the conjunction, etc.] 233. but new before] only just beThere is a looseness of construction fore. in this sentence, for, although “con- 235. clap ... up] A bargain or a junction” is the subject of “(is) wager was sealed by a handshake. married,” “(is) coupled,” and “(is) There are numerous instances in plays linked,” these participles agree in of the period. Compare Gosson's meaning with “inward souls,” To the Gentlewomen of London (ed. Arber, p. 59): "and the match (is) give. Compare Richard II. I. iii. made, ere you strike hands "; and 142: “Shall not regreet our fair Middleton, A Trick, iii. I (Mermaid dominions." ed. p. 39) : “ Come, clap hands, a 242. Play fast and loose] originally match.' Heaven knows, they were besmear'd and overstain'd To do your pleasure and continue friends. Save what is opposite to England's love. to play at a cheating game in which 240. so strong in both] i.e. hands the gull had no chance (see Appendix); strong in fight and strong in friend. then to deal dishonourably." 253, 254. All form ... England's 241. regreet] greeting once again, love] Everything is null and void therefore re-agreement, not merely except what is directly opposed to greeting or salutation as most editors love towards England. ship. A chafed lion by the mortal paw, 260 And like a civil war set'st oath to oath, 275 259. chafed] So Theobald; cased Ff. 259. chafed] None of the suggested the paw. If we retain " chafed” we meanings for the “cased ” of the must of course assume it to mean Folios seems satisfactory. Mr. Moore- “enraged.” Smith says "the point of the epithet 268. What since thou sworest, etc.] would seem to be that if the lion were “What you have sworn since then is shut in, the man would be shut in sworn against yourself and cannot be also, and so much more courage would performed by you, for what wrong be required.” I fail to see why the you have sworn to do is not wrong man should be supposed to be shut if truly performed, and if you do it in. Henry VIII. III. ii. 206, 207, not, because the doing of it would be supports Theobald : wrong, then you are most truly per“so looks the chafed lion forming it by not doing it." An Upon the daring huntsman who excellent bit of sophistry, quite in the has gall'd him.” early Shakespearian vein. There is something to be said for 275-278. though indirect ... newPope's reading, “chased,” which burn'd] though in not keeping your would hold also in the Henry VIII. vow you are turning from the straight, passage. A lion that had been hunted yet since you are already on the and, so to speak, driven to bay, would wrong path this very turning will not be a pleasant creature to take by bring you back to the right path, awkward, but can be taken to mean 281. But what thou swear'st, etc.] _“You have sworn against religion Mr. Wright says that the language is by calling in religion to witness an made intentionally obscure. Although oath which will do her harm.” “The this passage is undoubtedly obscure, truth ... forsworn" is the phrase I cannot admit that Shakespeare ever that offers most difficulty. It yields deliberately made a serious character sense by supposing it to be a slight speak obscurely. Besides, the general digression from the main argument, argument here is plain enough-Of meaning—"and when you are asked two oaths the greater, that taken to to take an oath of which you are not God and the Church, absolves Philip sure of the consequences (such as, from the consequences of breaking à Pandulph would imply, the oath you lesser, that plighted to John, if the took with John), you only swear not lesser oath is contrary to the first to be forsworn, i.e, on condition that Most editors and critics have at- it is not contrary to some greater tempted to better the passage, but oath." the alterations seem so violent that, 289. Is] Explained as agreeing in as Mr. Wright says about Staunton number with rebellion and not with and Hudson's readings, they may vows, Yet indirection thereby grows direct,' 280 By what thou swear'st against the thing thou swear'st, And better conquest never canst thou make 290 278. scorched] Ff 1, 2; scorching Ff 3, 4. 282, 283. truth, Against an oath the truth,j Ff 1, 2; truth: Against an oath the truth, Ff 3, 4. 288. later] Ff 1, 2; latter Ff 3, 4. Compare The Merchant of Venice, iv. give a meaning which Shakespeare i. 216: “To do a great right, do a never intended. Lines 280, 281 are little wrong." 295 Than arm thy constant and thy nobler parts . But in despair die under their black weight. Will’t not be ? Upon thy wedding-day? 300 Against mine uncle. O, upon my knee, Forethought by heaven! 305. ay,] Ff; ah! Theobald. 309-312. Against ... heaven 1] Pope's arrangement; Folios end the lines kneeling ... Dauphin ... heaven. 295. peril... light] Note con- thet was applied to the drum once fusion of number; peril grammati- before (see 11. i. 76 supra). cal subj. to light, but them showing 304. measures] The accompanying that curses was treated as subj. in music to our wedding festivities. meaning. 312. Forethought) foreseen, and 303. churlish] This expressive epi- therefore, since" foreseen by heaven," - 305 |