A3 great Alcides' fhews upon an ass; But, afs, I'll take that burden from your back, K. Philip. Women and fools, break off your conference. King John, this is the very fum of all. England, and Ireland, Anjou, Touraine, Maine, Wilt thou refign them, and lay down thy arms? And out of my dear love I'll give thee more, Eli. Come to thy grandam, child. Conft. Do, child, go to it' grandam, child. Arth. Good my mother, peace; I would, that I were low laid in my grave; Eli. His mother fhames him fo, poor boy, he weeps. Conft. Now fhame upon you, whether fhe does or no! His grandam's wrong, and not his mother's fhames, Draws thofe heav'n-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heav'n fhall take in nature of a fee: Ay, with thefe cryftal beads heav'n fhall be brib'd Eli. Thou monftrous flanderer of heav'n and earth! Of this oppreffed boy. This is thy eldeft fon's fon, Infortunate in nothing but in thee ¿ Thy Thy fins are visited on this poor child; That he's not only plagued for her fin, All punish'd in the person of this child, Eli. Thou unadvifed fcold, I can produce A will, that bars the title of thy fon. Conft. Ay, who doubts that? a will!a wicked will; 6 I have but this to fay, That he's not only plagued for her fin, Bu &c. -] This paffage appears to me very obfcure. The chief difficulty arifes from this, that Conftance having told Elinor of her fin-conceiving womb, pursues the thought, and ufes fin through the next lines in an ambiguous fenfe, fometimes for crime, and fometimes for offSpring. He's not only plagued for her fin, &c. He is not only made miferable by vengeance for her fin or crime, but her fin, her offspring, and fhe, are made the inftruments of that vengeance, on this defcendant, who, though of the fecond generation, is plagued for her and with her; to whom the is not only the caufe but the inftrument of evil. plexed. All the editions read, Plagu'd for her, I And with her plague her fin; his injury, Her injury, the beadle to her fin, All punish'd in the person of this Plagu'd for her And with her.- That is; inftead of inflicting The next claufe is more per A A woman's will, a cankred grandam's will. K. Phil. Peace, Lady; paufe, or be more tempe rate: It ill befeems this prefence to cry Aim To these ill tuned repetitions. Some trumpet fummon hither to the walls SCENE III. Trumpets found. Enter a Citizen upon the Walls. Cit. Who is it, that hath warn'd us to the walls? K. John. England for itself; You men of Angiers and my loving fubjects. K. Phil. You loving men of Angiers, Arthur's fubjects, Our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle K. John. For our advantage--therefore hear us Thefe flags of France, that are advanced here 7 It ill befeems this prefence to To thefe ill tuned repetitions,] Dr. Warburton has well obferved on one of the former plays that to cry aim is to encourage. I once thought it was borrowed from archery; and that aim! having been the word of command, as we now fay present! J to cry aim had been to incite notice, or raife attention. But I rather think, that the old word of applaufe was J'aime, love it, and that to applaud was to cry J'aime, which the English, not eafily pronouncing Je, funk into aime or aim. Our exclamations of applaufe are fill borrowed, as bravo, and encore. All All preparations for a bloody fiege And merciless proceeding, by these French, By the compulfion of their ordinance Crave harbourage within your city-walls. K. Philip. When I have faid, make anfwer to us both. Lo! in this right hand, whofe protection In warlike march thefe greens before your town: Than the constraint of hofpitable zeal, Save Save in afpect, hath all offence feal'd up; With unhack'd words, and helmets all unbruis'd, Cit. In brief, we are the King of England's subjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town. K. John. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in. Cit. That can we not; but he that proves the King, To him will we prove loyal; till that time, Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world. K. John. Doth not the crown of England prove the King? And if not that, I bring you witneffes, Twice fifteen thoufand hearts of England's breed —— Faulc. (Baftards, and elfe!) K. John. To verify our title with their lives. K. Phil. As many, and as well born bloods as thofe―― Faul. (Some baftards too!) K. Phil. Stand in his face to contradict his claim. Cit. Till you compound whofe right is worthiest, We for the worthieft hold the right from both. K. John. Then God forgive the fin of all thofe fouls, That |