Since virtue finds no friends) a wife, a true one? Have I, with all my full affections Still met the King? lov'd him next heav'n, obey'd him? Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we aim at. Queen. My lord, I dare not make my felf fo guilty, To give up willingly that noble title Your mafter wed me to: nothing but death Wol. Pray, hear me Queen. Would I had never trod this English earth, Ye've angels faces, but heav'n knows your hearts. . Alas! poor wenches, where are now your fortunes? Wol. If your Grace Could but be brought to know, our ends are honest ; You'ld feel more comfort. Why fhould we, good lady, Upon what cause, wrong you? alas! our places, The way of our profeffion is against it: We are to ear fuch forrows, not to fow 'em. (20) (20) We are to cure fuch Sorrows, not to fow 'em.] There is no Antithefis in these Terms, nor any Confonance of the Metaphors: both which my Emendation restores. We For goodness fake, confider what you do; So inuch they love it: but to ftubborn spirits, Those we profefs, peace-makers, friends and fervants. Queen. Do what you will, my lords; and, [give me, pray, for He has my heart yet; and fhall have my prayers, [Exeunt. We are to ear fuch, Sorrows, not to fowe 'em. i. e. to weed them up, har row them out. So our Poet uses this Word in his Anth. and Cleop. Act 1. O then we bring forth Weeds, When our quick Winds lie ftill; and our Ills, told us, Is as our earing. i. e. as, rooting them up. This Word with us may be deriv'd not only from arare to plow; but the old Saxon Word, Ear, which fignified a Harrow. SCENE, SCENE, Antechamber to the King's Apart ments. Enter Duke of Norfolk, Duke of Suffolk, Lord Surrey, and Lord Chamberlain. Nor. I F you will now unite in your complaints, And force them with a conftancy, the Cardinal Cannot stand under them. If you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise, But that you shall fuftain more new difgraces, Sur. I am joyful To meet the leaft occafion that may give me Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least Out of himself? Cham. My lords, you speak your pleasures: Nor. O, fear him not, (21) when did he regard The Stamp of Nobleness in any perfon Out of himself?] Mr. Warburton thinks, this borders upon the abfurd, both in the Expreffion and Matter: and advises to read, when did he regard The Stamp of Nobleness in any Man, Out of't himself? This adds a Poínancy, 'tis certain, and Satyrical Reflection to Suffolk's Speech; and accounts, why Wolfey fhould not regard Nobility in another, who had no native pretenfions to it, upon which to value himself. His fpell in that is out; the King hath found Nor. Believe it, this is true. In the Divorce, his contrary proceedings Sur. How came His practices to light? Suf. Moft ftrangely. Suf. The Cardinal's letters to the Pope miscarried, A creature of the Queen's, lady Anne Bullen. Suf. Believe it. Sur. Will this work? Cham. The King in this perceives him, how he coasts And hedges his own way. But in this point All his tricks founder; and he brings his phyfick After his patient's death; the King already Hath married the fair lady. Sur. 'Would he had! Suf. May you be happy in your wish, my lord, For, I profefs, you have it. Sur. Now all joy Trace the conjunction ! Suf. My Amen to't! Nor. All mens! Suf. There's order given for her Coronation : Marry, Marry, this is yet but young; and may be left (22) In mind and feature. I perfuade me, from her Sur. But will the King Digest this letter of the Cardinal's? The lord forbid ! Nor. Marry, Amen! Suf. No, no: There be more wafps, that buz about his nose, To fecond all his plot. I do affure you, The King cry'd, ha! at this. Cham. Now, God incenfe him ; When returns Cranmer ? Suf. He is return'd with his opinions, which (22) Marry this is but young,] All the Old Copies read with me, But the modern Editors have expung'd this harmless Monofyllable, yet; fuppofing, the Verfe would fcan more fmoothly without it. Mar ry this is but young | I should not take Notice of fo trifling a Variation, were it not proper to observe, that They herein advance a falfe Nicety of Ear against the Licence of SHAKESPEARE'S Numbers: nay, indeed, against the Licence of all English Verfification, in common with that of other Languages. They do not feem to apprehend, that Mărry this is in Scanfion plainly an Anapeft; and equal to a Spondee, or Foot of two Syllables. I fhall take an Opportunity, when I come to Hamlet, to fpeak of the Pes proceleufmaticus, fo frequent in Homer, Virgil, and other the beft Claffical Poets. I'll only add here, that I could produce at least two thousand of our Poet's Verses, that would be difturb'd by this modern, unreasonable, Chaftness of Metre. |