Sal. Wounded to death. Mel. Fly, noble English, you are bought and sold; Unthread the rude eye of rebellion And welcome home again discarded faith. Sal. May this be possible? may this be true? Which bleeds away, even as a form of wax What in the world should make me now deceive, Why should I then be false, since it is true He is forsworn, if e'er those eyes of yours Behold another day break in the east: But even this night, whose black contagious breath Already smokes about the burning crest Of the old, feeble and day-wearied sun, II. Unthread the rude eye (met. from the needle's eye'), retrace your hazardous passage. 15. He, i.e. the Dauphin. The Camb. edd. thence suspect that 'lords' in the previous line should be lord,' 'the French' being then a singular, as elsewhere. 23. a quantity, a modicum, just perceptible amount. ΤΟ 20 30 24. a form of wax, a wax effigy; referring to the practice in witchcraft of destroying an enemy by melting a waxen image of him-the fate of the man being controlled, according to a widespread article of folklore, by that of the image. 29. hence, i.e. in heaven. Even this ill night, your breathing shall expire, Even with a treacherous fine of all your lives, Sal. We do believe thee: and beshrew my soul But I do love the favour and the form Of this most fair occasion, by the which Leaving our rankness and irregular course, Stoop low within those bounds we have o'erlook'd Even to our ocean, to our great King John. My arm shall give thee help to bear thee hence; Right in thine eye. Away, my friends! New flight; And happy newness, that intends old right. [Exeunt, leading off Melun. 37. rated, assessed at its value. 38. fine; a play upon the sense 'end.' 41. respect, consideration. 44. In lieu whereof, in return for which. 45. rumour, tumult. 50. favour, aspect. 53. bated, abated. 40 50 60 54. rankness, overflowing. 55. o'erlook'd, overpeered. 60. Right in thine eye, even in thy eye; the eye, as the most expressive organ, betrays directly and immediately the approach of death. 61. intends, makes for. Enter LEWIS and his train. Lew. The sun of heaven methought was loath But stay'd and made the western welkin blush, Enter a Messenger. Mess. Where is my prince, the Dauphin ? Lew. Here: what news? Mess. The Count Melun is slain; the English lords By his persuasion are again fall'n off; And your supply, which you have wish'd so long, Lew. Ah, foul shrewd news! beshrew thy very heart! I did not think to be so sad to-night As this hath made me. Who was he that said 7. tattering, flying in tatters. ib. clearly, completely. 18. stumbling night, night that causes stumbling. ΙΟ 20 20. keep good quarter, guard your posts well. The day shall not be up so soon as I, To try the fair adventure of to-morrow. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. An open place in the neighbourhood of Swinstead Abbey. Enter the BASTARD and HUBERT, severally. Hub. Who's there? speak, ho! speak quickly, or I shoot. Bast. A friend. What art thou? Hub. Of the part of England. Bast. Whither dost thou go? Hub. What's that to thee? why may not I demand Of thine affairs, as well as thou of mine? Bast. Hubert, I think? Hub. Thou hast a perfect thought: I will upon all hazards well believe Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well. Who art thou? Bast. Who thou wilt: and if thou please, Thou mayst befriend me so much as to think I come one way of the Plantagenets. Hub. Unkind remembrance! thou and eyeless night Have done me shame: brave soldier, pardon me, 12. Unkind, i.e. for having failed him. 10 Hub. Why, here walk I in the black brow of night, To find you out. Bast. Brief, then; and what's the news? Hub. O, my sweet sir, news fitting to the night, Black, fearful, comfortless and horrible. Bast. Show me the very wound of this ill news: I am no woman, I'll not swoon at it. Hub. The king, I fear, is poison'd by a monk : Than if you had at leisure known of this. Bast. How did he take it? who did taste to him? Hub. A monk, I tell you; a resolved villain, Whose bowels suddenly burst out the king Yet speaks and peradventure may recover. Bast. Who didst thou leave to tend his majesty ? Hub. Why, know you not? the lords are all And brought Prince Henry in their company; Bast. Withhold thine indignation, mighty heaven, And tempt us not to bear above our power! 26. time, emergency. 28. taste, perform the office 20 30 40 of tasting each dish offered to the king. |