Sal. Our griefs, and not our manners, reason now. Therefore 'twere reason you had manners now. 30 [Seeing Arthur. Pem. O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth had not a hole to hide this deed. Sal. Murder, as hating what himself hath done, Big. Or, when he doom'd this beauty to a grave, 35 40 Sal. Sir Richard, what think you? have you beheld, Or have you read or heard? or could you think? That you do see? could thought, without this object, 45 50 41. have you beheld] Ff 3, 4; you have beheld Ff 1, 2. 33. man] This is printed mans in some copies of the first Folio, but seems to have been corrected in the press, for Collier says that the Duke of Devonshire's copy reads " man. 49. wall-eyed] having eyes which from some defect appear to stare fiercely. Compare Cotgrave, "Oeil de chevre: a whall, or over-white eye; an eye full of white spots, or whose apple seems divided by a streak of white." 49. staring] In Elizabethan English staring" meant to glare fiercely. Compare Julius Cæsar, IV. iii. 40: "Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?" Pem. All murders past do stand excused in this: Shall give a holiness, a purity, To the yet unbegotten sin of times; And prove a deadly bloodshed but a jest, Exampled by this heinous spectacle. Bast. It is a damned and a bloody work; The graceless action of a heavy hand, If that it be the work of any hand. Sal. If that it be the work of any hand! Pem. We had a kind of light what would ensue: Nor conversant with ease and idleness, } Our souls religiously confirm thy words. m. } Big. 55 60 65 70 67. The incense of a vow, etc.] By "head" for reading hand" in line 71, Pope manufactured what Staunton called a more elegant sense. What happens is that Salisbury raises his own hand to Heaven as he makes his vow in the customary manner. There is no reason for taking the hand of the dead prince as Mason suggests. Enter HUBert. Hub. Lords, I am hot with haste in seeking you: Avaunt, thou hateful villain, get thee gone! 75 Sal. Must I rob the law? 80 Bast. Your sword is bright, sir; put it up again. My innocent life against an emperor. 85 Sal. Thou art a murderer. Hub. Do not prove me so; Yet I am none: whose tongue soe'er speaks false, 77. Avaunt] a contemptuous method of driving a person away. Compare Cotgrave, "Devant (interject.): used, as our Avaunt, in the driving away of a dog." 79. Your sword is bright, etc.] It is somewhat strange to see the Bastard acting as peacemaker. He is however commissioned to do so by John, to whom he owes everything. Still on the least genuine excuse he is ready for mischief (see line 95, etc. infra). 90 84. Nor tempt . . . defence] nor run the risk of attacking my defence as a just man. "True may have the double meaning here of Hubert's defence of himself in justice and of his good defence as a swordsman. 90. Do not prove me so] do not make me one by causing me to murder you. 91. whose tongue . . false] Hubert is calling Salisbury a liar in a manner befitting his humbler posi tion. Pem. Cut him to pieces. Bast. If thou but frown on me, or stir thy foot, Or teach thy hasty spleen to do me shame, 95 I'll strike thee dead. Put up thy sword betime; That you shall think the devil is come from hell. 100 Big. What wilt thou do, renowned Faulconbridge ? Second a villain and a murderer? Who kill'd this prince? I honour'd him, I loved him, and will weep 94, 95. gall] gaul Ff. FI; savour Ff 2, 3, 4. IIO. innocency] innocence Pope. Compare Henry 94. gall] wound. VIII. III. ii. 207 :"So looks the chafed lion Upon the daring huntsman that hath galled him." 97. spleen] anger. Compare II. i. 448 supra, and v. vii. 50 infra. IIO. remorse] pity, the general Elizabethan 105 I IO 112. savours] meaning. Compare Daniel, Civil Warres (1595), bk. i. stanza 15 (ed. Grosart): "False John usurpes his Nephew Arthur's right. . Murders the lawfull heire without remorse." Pem. There tell the king he may inquire us out. 115 [Exeunt Lords. Bast. Here's a good world! Knew you of this fair work? Hub. Beyond the infinite and boundless reach Of mercy, if thou didst this deed of death, Art thou damn'd, Hubert. Bast. Ha! I'll tell thee what; Do but hear me, sir. 120 Thou'rt damn'd as black-nay, nothing is so black; As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this child. Bast. If thou didst but consent And if thou want'st a cord, the smallest thread 125 Will serve to strangle thee; a rush will be a beam. To hang thee on; or wouldst thou drown thyself, 130 And it shall be as all the ocean, Enough to stifle such a villain up. I do suspect thee very grievously. 117-119. Beyond . . . Hubert] Pope's arrangement; Ff make two lines, first ending at mercy. 119. Art thou] Thou art F 4. |