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The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 4 of 9]

Chapter 31: FOOTNOTES:
By William Shakespeare
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About This Book

This volume gathers a sequence of history plays that dramatize struggles over kingship, succession, and national identity in late medieval England. Rulers confront rebellions, papal and foreign pressure, and challenges to legitimacy, while a young prince evolves from license to wartime command. Scenes range from courtly intrigue and parliamentary deposition to battlefield councils and siege drama, intermixing solemn meditation on power and right with earthy comic relief provided by a boisterous companion. Recurring themes include the burdens of rule, honor versus expediency, the manipulation of law and ceremony, and the formation of leadership through conflict.

P. Hen. It is too late: the life of all his blood
 Is touch'd corruptibly, and his pure brain,[658]
 Which some suppose the soul's frail dwelling-house,
 Doth by the idle comments that it makes
 Foretell the ending of mortality.5

Enter Pembroke.

Pem. His highness yet doth speak, and holds belief
 That, being brought into the open air,
 It would allay the burning quality
 Of that fell poison which assaileth him.
P. Hen. Let him be brought into the orchard here.[659]10
 Doth he still rage? [Exit Bigot.
Pem. He is more patient
 Than when you left him; even now he sung.
P. Hen. O vanity of sickness! fierce extremes
 In their continuance will not feel themselves.[660]
 Death, having prey'd upon the outward parts,[661]15
 Leaves them invisible, and his siege is now[662]
 Against the mind, the which he pricks and wounds[663]
 With many legions of strange fantasies,
 Which, in their throng and press to that last hold,
 Confound themselves. 'Tis strange that death should sing.20
 I am the cygnet to this pale faint swan,[664]
 Who chants a doleful hymn to his own death,
 And from the organ-pipe of frailty sings
 His soul and body to their lasting rest.[665]
Sal. Be of good comfort, prince; for you are born25
 To set a form upon that indigest
 Which he hath left so shapeless and so rude.

Enter Attendants, and Bigot, carrying King John in a chair.[666]

K. John. Ay, marry, now my soul hath elbow-room;
 It would not out at windows nor at doors.
 There is so hot a summer in my bosom,30
 That all my bowels crumble up to dust:
 I am a scribbled form, drawn with a pen
 Upon a parchment, and against this fire[667]
 Do I shrink up.[667]
P. Hen. How fares your majesty?
K. John. Poison'd,—ill fare—dead, forsook, cast off:[668]35
 And none of you will bid the winter come
 To thrust his icy fingers in my maw,
 Nor let my kingdom's rivers take their course
 Through my burn'd bosom, nor entreat the north
 To make his bleak winds kiss my parched lips40
 And comfort me with cold. I do not ask you much,[669]
 I beg cold comfort; and you are so strait[670]
 And so ingrateful, you deny me that.[671]
P. Hen. O that there were some virtue in my tears,
 That might relieve you!
K. John. The salt in them is hot.[672]45
 Within me is a hell; and there the poison
 Is as a fiend confined to tyrannize
 On unreprieveable condemned blood.[673]

Enter the Bastard.

Bast. O, I am scalded with my violent motion,[674]
 And spleen of speed to see your majesty!50
K. John. O cousin, thou art come to set mine eye:
 The tackle of my heart is crack'd and burn'd,
 And all the shrouds wherewith my life should sail
 Are turned to one thread, one little hair:
 My heart hath one poor string to stay it by,55
 Which holds but till thy news be uttered;
 And then all this thou seest is but a clod
 And module of confounded royalty.[675]
Bast. The Dauphin is preparing hitherward,
 Where heaven He knows how we shall answer him;[676]60
 For in a night the best part of my power,
 As I upon advantage did remove,
 Were in the Washes all unwarily[677]
 Devoured by the unexpected flood. [The king dies.[678]
Sal. You breathe these dead news in as dead an ear.65
 My liege! my lord! but now a king, now thus.
P. Hen. Even so must I run on, and even so stop.
 What surety of the world, what hope, what stay,[679]
 When this was now a king, and now is clay?[679]
Bast. Art thou gone so? I do but stay behind70
 To do the office for thee of revenge,
 And then my soul shall wait on thee to heaven,
 As it on earth hath been thy servant still.
 Now, now, you stars that move in your right spheres,[680]
 Where be your powers? show now your mended faiths,75
 And instantly return with me again,
 To push destruction and perpetual shame
 Out of the weak door of our fainting land.
 Straight let us seek, or straight we shall be sought;
 The Dauphin rages at our very heels.80
Sal. It seems you know not, then, so much as we:
 The Cardinal Pandulph is within at rest,
 Who half an hour since came from the Dauphin,
 And brings from him such offers of our peace[681]
 As we with honour and respect may take,85
 With purpose presently to leave this war.
Bast. He will the rather do it when he sees
 Ourselves well sinewed to our defence.[682]
Sal. Nay, it is in a manner done already;[683]
 For many carriages he hath dispatch'd90
 To the sea-side, and put his cause and quarrel
 To the disposing of the cardinal:
 With whom yourself, myself and other lords,
 If you think meet, this afternoon will post
 To consummate this business happily.95
Bast. Let it be so: and you, my noble prince,
 With other princes that may best be spared,[684]
 Shall wait upon your father's funeral.
P. Hen. At Worcester must his body be interr'd;[685]
 For so he will'd it.
Bast. Thither shall it then:100
 And happily may your sweet self put on
 The lineal state and glory of the land!
 To whom, with all submission, on my knee
 I do bequeath my faithful services
 And true subjection everlastingly.105
Sal. And the like tender of our love we make,
 To rest without a spot for evermore.[686]
P. Hen. I have a kind soul that would give you thanks[687]
 And knows not how to do it but with tears.
Bast. O, let us pay the time but needful woe,[688]110
 Since it hath been beforehand with our griefs.
 This England never did, nor never shall,[689]
 Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror,
 But when it first did help to wound itself.
 Now these her princes are come home again,[690]115
 Come the three corners of the world in arms,
 And we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue,[691]
 If England to itself do rest but true. [Exeunt.

FOOTNOTES:

[557] Act V. Scene I.] Rowe. Actus Quartus, Scæna prima. Ff.]

King John's palace.] The court of England. Pope. The same (i.e. Northampton). A room in the palace. Capell. Bristol. A ... palace. Halliwell.

Pandulph] Pandolph, F1. Pandulph with the crown. Capell.

[558] [Giving the crown.] Pope. Giving back the Crown. Capell (after Take again).

[559] From this] This from Heath conj.

[560]: their] the Warburton. marches 'fore] marches; for Mason conj.

[561]: the love] love Hanmer.

[562]: mistemper'd] distemper'd Rowe.

[563]: incurable] incurably F4.

[564]: hurries] harries Staunton conj.

[565]: your] F1. om. F2 F3 F4.

[566] where] whence Keightley conj.

jewel of life] jewel, life Pope.

[567] sad] blank Collier MS.

[568] be fire] meet fire Collier MS.

[569] forage] forrage Ff. forward Long MS. courage Collier (Collier MS.).

[570] orders] offers Singer (Collier MS.).

compromise] Rowe (ed. 2). comprimise Ff.

[571] idly] idlely F1 F2. idely F3 F4.

[572] cannot] can't Pope.

[573] Scene II. The ... Edmundsbury.] Theobald. The ... camp. Pope.

... Lewis ...] ... Dolphin ... Ff.

[574] and an] and Pope. an Capell.

[575] contemn'd] condemn'd Heath conj.

[576] Cries] Cry Hanmer.

[577] Were] F2 F3 F4. Was F1.

[578] stranger march] Theobald. stranger, march Ff. stranger's march Long MS.

[579] spot] thought Grant White (Collier MS.). spur S. Walker conj. spite Jervis conj.

spot of] spot, for Pope.

[580] thee from the] the from thee F4.

[581] grapple] Pope. cripple Ff. gripple Steevens conj.

[582] vein] F3 F4. veine F2. vaine F1.

[583] to spend] Ff. mis-spend Hanmer. to-spend Steevens (1793).

[584] affections] affection Pope. wrestling] F4. wrastling F1 F2 F3.

[585] Doth] Ff. Do Hanmer.

[586] hast thou] F4. hast F1 F2 F3.

[587] compulsion] compassion Hanmer. compunction Capell conj.

[588] waters] F1. warres F2. warrs F3. wars F4.

[589] Full of warm] Edd. (Heath conj.) Full warm of Ff.

[590] Scene III. Pope. [He sees Pandulph coming at a distance. Hanmer.

spake:] Capell. spake, Ff. spake! Theobald. speeds; Hanmer. See note (XXVI).

Enter P.] Enter Pandulpho. Ff (after line 63). Enter P. attended. Capell.

[591] Scene III. Enter Pandulph. Hanmer.

[592] coal of wars] coal of war Pope. coals of war Capell conj.

[593] interest to] my interest in Hanmer.

[594] No, no] No Pope.

[595] [Trumpet sounds.] Rowe.

[596] Enter ... attended.] Capell. Enter Bastard. Ff.

[597] Scene IV. Pope.

fair play] fair-play F3 F4. faire-play F1 F2.

[598] speak: ... king I come] speak, ... king: I come Theobald.

[599] wilful-opposite] Theobald. wilful opposite Ff. (wilfull F1 F2).

[600] entreaties] entreates S. Walker conj.

[601] too] to F1.

[602] unhair'd] Theobald. vnheard F1. unheard F2 F3 F4. unair'd Steevens conj. (withdrawn), unbeard Keightley conj.

unhair'd ... and] unheard ... of Collier MS. unhair'd ... of Collier.

troops] troop Capell conj.

[603] these pigmy] Rowe. this pigmy Ff.

[604] hug] herd Rowe (ed. 2).

[605] crying of your ... crow] Ff. crying of our ... crow Rowe (ed. 2). crying of your ... scare-crow Grey conj. crowing of your ... cock Collier (Collier MS.).

[606] his] Rowe. this Ff.

[607] towers] tower F4.

[608] revolts] revolters Pope.

[609] change] chang'd Dyce and Collier (Collier MS.).

[610] Their needles] Needles Pope.

needles] F3 F4. needl's F1 F2. neelds Steevens.

[611] fare] far F1.

[612] brabbler] babler Rowe.

[613] all] all, Ff.

[614] A bare-ribbed] Bare-ribbed Anon. conj.

[615] Scene III.] Scene V. Pope.

The field ...] Pope.

Alarums.] Ff. Alarms. Rowe. Loud Alarums. Capell.

[616] Swinstead] Swinsted Ff. Swineshead Halliwell. See note (XXVII).

[617] Are] Was Capell.

[618] Ay me] Aye me Ff. Ah me Pope.

[619] Scene IV.] Scene VI. Pope.

Another ...] The French Camp. Theobald. The same. Another ... same. Capell.

[620] French: ... miscarry,] Rowe. French, ... miscarry, F3 F4. French, ... miscarry; F1 F2.

[621] Unthread the rude eye] Untread the rude way Theobald. Untread the rude cry Jackson conj. Untread the road way Collier (Collier MS.). Unthread the red way, Bubier conj.

[622] the French be lords] that France be lord S. Walker conj. the Prince be lord Lloyd and Keightley conj. the French be lord Edd. conj. See note (XXVIII).

[623] moe] more F4.

[624] Saint] F2. S. F1 St. F3 F4.

[625] his] its Pope.

[626] lose] loose F1.

[627] do] om. Pope.

[628] crest] cresset Anon. conj.

[629] rated] hated Johnson conj.

[630] See note (XI).

[631] retired] retiring Hanmer.

[632] rankness] bankless Capell conj.

[633] o'erlook'd] o'erleap'd Anon. conj.

[634] pangs] fangs Heath conj.

[635] Right in thine eye] Ff. Right in thine eyes Pope. Pight in thine eyes Hanmer. Pight in thine eye Warburton. Fight in thine eye Capell. Bright in thine eye Collier (Collier MS.). Fright in thine eye Anon. apud Collier conj. Riot in thine eye Brae conj.

New flight;] and fly! Pope.

[636] And ... right] Omitted by Pope.

[637] Scene V.] Scene VII. Pope.

The French camp.] Hanmer.

[638] English measure] th' English measure Rowe (ed. 2). th' English measur'd Pope.

[639] tattering] Malone. tott'ring Ff. tatter'd Pope. totter'd Collier MS.

clearly] chearly Capell conj. closely Collier MS. cleanly Edd. conj. See note (XXIX).

[640] prince] lord Capell conj.

[641] again] F1. at length F2 F3 F4.

[642] supply] supplies Capell.

[643] so sad] sad Warburton.

[644] Scene VI.] Scene VIII. Pope.

An ... Abbey.] Theobald.

[645] Whither] And whither Pope.

[646] Arranged as in Capell. As six lines, ending go?... thee?... affairs ... mine ... think ... thought: in Ff.

[647] why ... mine? Bast. Hubert] Bast. Why ... mine? Hubert Ingleby conj.

[648] and] an Capell.

[649] eyeless] Theobald (Warburton). endles F1. endlesse F2 F3. endless F4.

[650] swoon] F4. swound F1 F2 F3.

[651] if you had at] had you at less Capell conj.

[652] Who] Whom Hanmer.

[653] not?] Ff. not, Malone conj.

[654] power] pow'rs Pope.

[655] hardly] F1. om. F2 F3 F4.

[656] or ere] F1 F2 F3. or e're F4. or e'er Rowe.

[657] Scene VII.] Scene IX. Pope.

The ... Abbey.] Theobald.

[658] corruptibly] corruptedly Capell. corruptively Rann conj.

pure] poor Grant White. See note (XXX).

[659] Exit B.] Capell.

[660] their] thy Malone conj.

[661] prey'd] F3 F4. praide F1. prei'd F2.

[662] Leaves ... siege] Leaues them inuisible, and his seige F1. Leaves them invisible, and hir siege F2 F3 F4 (her F3 F4). Leaves them; invisible his siege Pope. Leaves them insensible; his siege Hanmer. Leaves them invincible; and his siege is now Steevens conj. Leaves them, and his invisible siege Mitford conj. Leaves them; and, invisible, his siege Jackson conj. Leaves them unvisited, and his siege Collier MS. Leaves them ill-visited, and his siege W. N. L. (Notes and Queries).

[663] mind] Rowe (ed. 2). winde F1. wind F2 F3 F4.

[664] cygnet] Rowe (ed. 2). Symet Ff.

[665] to] F1. om. F2 F3 F4.

[666] Enter ... chair.] Capell. John brought in. Ff.

[667] Upon ... up.] As one line in F4.

[668] fare] fair F4. fate Pope.

dead] oh! dead Hanmer. indeed Anon. conj.

[669] I do not ask you] I ask not Pope.

[670] strait] straight Ff.

[671] ingrateful] ungrateful F4.

[672] in them] F1. of them F2 F3 F4.

[673] unreprieveable condemned] unreprievable-condemned Delius.

[674] Scene X. Pope.

[675] module] model Hanmer.

[676] heaven] God S. Walker conj.

[677] all unwarily] F1 F2 F3. all, unwarily F4.

[678] The king dies.] Rowe. om. Ff.

[679] What surety ... clay?] Put in the margin, as spurious, by Pope.

[680] right] bright Pope.

[681] our] fair Roderick conj.

[682] sinewed to our] Rowe. sinew'd to our Ff. sinew'd to our own Collier MS.

[683] it is] Pope. 'tis Ff.

[684] princes] See note (XXXI).

[685] Worcester] F3 F4. Worster F1 F2.

[686] [Kneeling too, with the other Lords. Capell.

[687] kind] kindred Jackson conj. give you thanks] Rowe. give thanks Ff. fain give thanks Edd. conj. give thanks to you Keightley conj.

[688] time but] Rowe. time: but Ff.

[689] This England] Thus England Hanmer.

nor] and Pope.

[690] Now ... again] See note (XXXII).

[691] Nought] F1 F3 F4. Naught F1.