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Dem. He should have worn the horns on his head.

The. He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible within the circumference.

Moon. This lanthorn doth the horned moon

present;

Myself the man i' the moon do seem to be.

The. This is the greatest error of all the rest the man should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else the man i' the moon?

Dem. He dares not come there for the candle; for, you see, it is already in snuff.

Hip. I am aweary of this moon: would he would change!

The. It appears, by his small light of discretion, that he is in the wane; but yet, in courtesy, in all reason, we must stay the time, Lys. Proceed, Moon. 260

Moon. All that I have to say, is, to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this thorn-bush, my thorn-bush ; and this dog, my dog.

Dem. Why, all these should be in the lanthorn; for all these are in the moon. But, silence! here comes Thisbe.

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Come, tears, confound ; Out, sword, and wound The pap of Pyramus; Ay, that left pap,

Where heart doth hop: [Stabs himself.
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
Now am I dead,
Now am I fled;

My soul is in the sky:
Tongue, lose thy light;

Moon, take thy flight: [Exit Moonshine.
Now die, die, die, die, die.

[Dies. Dem. No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but one.

Lys. Less than an ace, man; for he is dead; he is nothing.

The. With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover, and prove an ass.

Hip. How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes back and finds her lover?

The. She will find him by starlight. Here she comes; and her passion ends the play. 321 Re-enter THISBE.

Hip. Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.

Dem. A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which Thisbe, is the better; he for a man, God warrant us; she for a woman, God bless us. [those sweet eyes. Lys. She hath spied him already with Dem. And thus she means, videlicet:- 330 This. Asleep, my love?

What, dead, my dove?

O Pyramus, arise!

Speak, speak. Quite dumb?
Dead, dead? A tomb

Must cover thy sweet eyes.
These lily lips,

This cherry nose,

These yellow cowslip cheeks,

Are gone, are gone :
Lovers, make moan:

His eyes were green as leeks.
O Sisters Three,

Come, come to me,

With hands as pale as milk;

Lay them in gore,

Since you have shore

With shears his thread of silk.

Tongue, not a word:

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Come, trusty sword;

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Come, blade, my breast imbrue :

290

[Stabs herself.

And, farewell, friends;

[Dies.

Quail, crush, conclude, and quell ! The. This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad. Hip. Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. Pyr. O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?

Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear: Which is no, no-which was the fairest dame That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd with cheer.

Thus Thisby ends : Adieu, adieu, adieu.

The. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

Dem. Ay, and Wall too.

Bot. [Starting up] No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?

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Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,
the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
In remembrance of a shroud.
is the time of night

Now

it

That the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the church-way paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic: not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house :
I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.

390

Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train.
Qbe. Through the house give glimmering

light,

By the dead and drowsy fire: Every elf and fairy sprite

Hop as light as bird from brier ;

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And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace;
And the owner of it blest
Ever shall in safety rest.

Trip away; make no stay;
me all by break of day.

Meet

430

[Exeunt Oberon, Titania, and train.
Puck. If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend;
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, 440
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends. [Exit.

KING HENRY VI.

PART II.

(WRITTEN ABOUT 1591-92.)

INTRODUCTION.

The second and third parts of King Henry VI. are recasts of two older plays-The First Part of the Contention (published 1594) and The True Tragedie of Richard Duke of York, &c. (published 1595). About 3,241 lines of these old plays re-appear either in the same or in an altered form in 2 and 3 Henry VI.; what remains (2,736 lines) being altogether new. No question in Shakespeare scholarship is more perplexing and difficult than that of the authorship of these four connected historical dramas. Various theories have been propounded, but the two which have superseded all others are: (1) that of Mr. Richard Grant White, that Marlowe, Greene, and Shakespeare (and perhaps Peele) were the authors of the old plays, and Shakespeare alone the reviser; (2) that of Miss Jane Lee, that Marlowe and Greene (and possibly Peele) were the authors of the old plays, and Shakespeare and Marlowe (working as collaborateurs) the revisers. The latter is perhaps the most generally accepted theory. Marlowe's hand is certainly visible in both the old plays and in some of the passages which appear for the first time in Henry VI. (see, for a striking example, 2 Henry VI., Act IV. Sc. I., L. 1-11). Shakespeare and the "Dead Shepherd" whom he alludes to in As You Like It, were then fellowworkers, and if rivals, their rivalry was noble. But in truth, at this time, Marlowe, by virtue of his prestige, and because he had found his proper genius while Shakespeare was still feeling after his true direction, would be the superior, and the degree of independence of spirit shown in Shakespeare's work, although he is under the influence of Marlowe, is interesting and remarkable. It is evident that already in variety of imagination and sound judgment Shakespeare surpasses his great contemporary. Miss Lee has made a detailed apportionment of the work among the several writers, but her table is too long to be reproduced here. She says: "The Third Part of Henry VI. underwent a much less thorough revision than the second. Out of 3,075 lines in Part II. there are 1,715 new lines, some 840 altered lines (many but very slightly altered), and some 520 old lines. In Part III., out of 2,902 lines, there are about 1,021 new lines, about 871 altered lines, and about 1,010 old lines. Hence it is that in Part III. there are fewer resemblances of thought and verbal expression to Shakespeare's undoubted writings than in Part II." When the revision of the old plays was made cannot be said with certainty-perhaps a short time before Marlowe's death, in 1593, perhaps at a date previous to Greene's sneering allusion to Shakespeare in the Groatsworth of Wit, 1592.

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A Spirit.
SCENE: England.

ACT I.

SCENE I. London. The palace. Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter the KING, HUMPHREY, Duke of GLOUCESTER, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL BEAUFORT, on the one side; the QUEEN, SUFFOLK, YORK, SOMERSET, and BUCKINGHAM, on the other.

Suf. As by your high imperial majesty I had in charge at my depart for France, As procurator to your excellence,

To marry Princess Margaret for your grace, So, in the famous ancient city, Tours,

In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil, The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretagne and Alençon,

Seven earls, twelve barons and twenty reverend bishops,

I have perform'd my task and was espoused:
And humbly now upon my bended knee,
In sight of England and her lordly peers,
Deliver up my title in the queen

10

To your most gracious hands, that are the sub

stance

Of that great shadow I did represent;
The happiest gift that ever marquess gave,
The fairest queen that ever king received.
King. Suffolk, arise. Welcome, Queen
Margaret:

I can express no kinder sign of love

Than this kind kiss. O Lord, that lends me life,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness! 20
For thou hast given me in this beauteous face
A world of earthly blessings to my soul,
If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.

Queen. Great King of England and my gracious lord,

The mutual conference that my mind hath had,
By day, by night, waking and in my dreams,
In courtly company or at my beads,
With you, mine alder liefest sovereign,
Makes me the bolder to salute my king
With ruder terms, such as my wit affords 30
And over-joy of heart doth minister.

King. Her sight did ravish ; but her grace in speech,

Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me from wondering fall to weeping

joys;

Such is the fulness of my heart's content. Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love.

All [kneeling]. Long live Queen Margaret, England's happiness!

Queen. We thank you all.

[Flourish.

Suf. My lord protector, so it please your

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Henry King of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the Lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier King of Naples, Sicilia and Jerusalem, and crown her Queen of England ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing. Item, that the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father'[Lets the paper fall.

King. Uncle, how now! Glou. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart

And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further.

King. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on.

Car. [Reads]Item, It is further agreed between them, that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father, and she sent over of the King of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry.'

King. They please us well. Lord marquess, kneel down: We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk, And gird thee with the sword. Cousin of York,

We here discharge your grace from being re

gent

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To you Duke Humphrey must unload his grief,
Your grief, the common grief of all the land.
What! did my brother Henry spend his youth,
His valor, coin and people, in the wars?
Did he so often lodge in open field,
In winter's cold and summer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits,
To keep by policy what Henry got?
Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious War-
wick,

Received deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied so long, sat in the council-house
Early and late, debating to and fro
How France and Frenchmen might be kept in

awe,

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And had his highness in his infancy
Crowned in Paris in despite of foes?
And shall these labors and these honors die ?
Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance,
Your deeds of war and all our counsel die ?
O peers of England, shameful is this league
Fatal this marriage, cancelling your fame,

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101

Blotting your names from books of memory, Razing the characters of your renown, Defacing monuments of conquer'd France, Undoing all, as all had never been!

Car. Nephew, what means this passionate discourse,

This peroration with such circumstance?
For France, 'tis ours; and we will keep it still.
Glou. Ay, uncle, we will keep it, if we can ;
But now it is impossible we should':

Suffolk, the new-made duke that rules the roast,

Hath given the duchy of Anjou and Maine 110 Unto the poor King Reignier, whose large style Agrees not with the leanness of his purse.

Sal. Now, by the death of Him that died for all,

These counties were the keys of Normandy. But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son?

War. For grief that they are past recovery: For, were there hope to conquer them again, My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes no tears.

Anjou and Maine ! myself did win them both; Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer :

And are the cities, that I got with wounds,
Delivered up again with peaceful words?
Mort Dieu!

120

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'Tis not my speeches that you do mislike, 140
But 'tis my presence that doth trouble ye.
Rancor will out: proud prelate, in thy face
I see thy fury: if I longer stay,
We shall begin our ancient bickerings.
Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,
I prophesied France will be lost ere long. [Exit.
Car. So, there goes our protector in a rage.
'Tis known to you he is mine enemy,
Nay, more, an enemy unto you all,
And no great friend. I fear me, to the king. 150
Consider, lords, he is the next of blood,
And heir apparent to the English crown :
Had Henry got an empire by his marriage,

And all the wealthy kingdoms of the west, There's reason he should be displeased at it. Look to it, lords! let not his smoothing words Bewitch your hearts; be wise and circumspect. What though the common people favor him, Calling him 'Humphrey, the good Duke of Gloucester,'

Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice,

160

'Jesu maintain your royal excellence!'
With God preserve the good Duke Hum-
phrey !'

I fear me, lords, for all this flattering gloss,
He will be found a dangerous protector.
Buck. Why should he, then, protect our
sovereign,

He being of age to govern of himself?
Cousin of Somerset, join you with me,
And all together, with the Duke of Suffolk,
We'll quickly hoise Duke Humphrey from his
seat.

Car. This weighty business will not brook delay: 170 [Exit.

I'll to the Duke of Suffolk presently.
Som. Cousin of Buckingham, though Hum-
phrey's pride

And greatness of his place be grief to us,
Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal :
His insolence is more intolerable

Than all the princes in the land beside

If Gloucester be displaced, he'll be protector. Buck. Or thou or I, Somerset, will be protector,

Despite Duke Humphrey or the cardinal.
[Exeunt Buckingham and Somerset.
Sal. Pride went before, ambition follows
him.
180
While these do labor for their own preferment,
Behoves it us to labor for the realm.

I never saw but Humphrey Duke of Gloucester
Did bear him like a noble gentleman.
Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal,
More like a soldier than a man o' the church,
As stout and proud as he were lord of all,
Swear like a ruffian and demean himself
Unlike the ruler of a commonweal.
Warwick, my son, the comfort of my age, 190
Thy deeds, thy plainness and thy housekeep-
ing,

Hath won the greatest favor of the commons,
Excepting none but good Duke Humphrey :
And, brother York, thy acts in Ireland,
In bringing them to civil discipline,
Thy late exploits done in the heart of France,
When thou wert regent for our sovereign,
Have made thee fear'd and honor'd of the peo-

ple:

200

Join we together, for the public good,
In what we can, to bridle and suppress
The pride of Suffolk and the cardinal,
With Somerset's and Buckingham's ambition;
And, as we may, cherish Duke Humphrey's
deeds,

While they do tend the profit of the land.
War. So God help Warwick, as he loves
the land,

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