'GLO. The gates made fast !—Brother, I like not this; * For many men, that ftumble at the threshold, * Are well foretold-that danger lurks within. *K. EDW. Tufh, man! abodements must not now affright us: *By fair or foul means we must enter in, *For hither will our friends repair to us. *HAST. My liege, I'll knock once more, to fummon them. Enter, on the Walls, the Mayor of York, and his Brethren. 'MAY. My lords, we were forewarned of your coming, And shut the gates for fafety of ourselves; For now we owe allegiance unto Henry. 'K. EDW. But, master mayor, if Henry be your king, 'Yet Edward, at the leaft, is duke of York. 'MAY. True, my good lord; I know you lefs. for no 'K. EDW. Why, and I challenge nothing but my dukedom ; * As being well content with that alone. GLO. But, when the fox hath once got in his nofe, 'He'll foon find means to make the body follow. [Afide. that Ravenfpurgh was occafionally pronounced as a diffyllableRaunfpurgh. This line will therefore become strictly metrical, if we read (adopting an elifion common to Shakspeare :) "From Ravenfpurgh haven 'fore the gates of York." STEEVENS. HAST. Why, mafter mayor, why stand you in a doubt ? Open the gates, we are king Henry's friends. open'd. 'Mar. Ay, say you fo? the gates fhall then be [Exeunt from above. 'GLO. A wife ftout captain, and perfuaded foon !9 * HAST. The good old man would fain that all were well,1 * So 'twere not 'long of him: but, being enter'd, * I doubt not, I, but we shall foon perfuade *Both him, and all his brothers, unto reason. Re-enter the Mayor and Two Aldermen, below. K. EDW. So, mafter mayor: these gates must not be shut, But in the night, or in the time of war. "What! fear not, man, but yield me up the keys; [Takes his Keys. For Edward will defend the town, and thee, And all those friends that deign to follow me. Drum. Enter MONTGOMERY, and Forces, marching. GLO. Brother, this is fir John Montgomery, Our trufty friend, unless I be deceiv'd. "K. EDW. Welcome, fir John! But why come you in arms? •perfuaded foon!] Old copy-foon perfuaded. This tranfpofition, which requires no apology, was made by Sir T. Hanmer. STEEVENS. 1 The good old man would fain that all were well,] The Mayor is willing we should enter, so he may not be blamed. JOHNSON. MONT. To help king Edward in his time of ftorm, As every loyal fubject ought to do. 'K. EDW. Thanks, good Montgomery: But we now forget "Our title to the crown; and only claim I came to ferve a king, and not a duke,- [A March begun. 'K. EDW. Nay, ftay, fir John, a while; and we'll debate, 'By what fafe means the crown may be recover'd. 'MONT. What talk you of debating? in few words, 'If you'll not here proclaim yourself our king, I'll leave you to your fortune; and be gone, To keep them back that come to fuccour you: Why fhould we fight, if you pretend no title? 'GLO. Why, brother, wherefore ftand you on nice points? * K. EDW. When we grow ftronger, then we'll make our claim: * Till then, 'tis wifdom to conceal our meaning. * HAST. Away with fcrupulous wit! now arms must rule. *GLO. And fearlefs minds climb fooneft unto crowns. * Brother, we will proclaim you out of hand; * The bruit thereof will bring you many friends. 2 2 The bruit- i. e. noife, report. So, in Prefton's Cambifes: *K. EDW. Then be it as you will; for 'tis my right, * And Henry but ufurps the diadem. MONT. Ay, now my fovereign fpeaketh like him felf; And now will I be Edward's champion. HAST. Sound, trumpet; Edward shall be here proclaim'd: *Come, fellow-foldier, make thou proclamation. [Gives him a Paper. Flourish. SOLD. [Reads.] Edward the fourth, by the grace of God, king of England and France, and lord of Ireland, &c. MONT. And whofoe'er gainfays king Edward's right, By this I challenge him to fingle fight. [Throws down his Gauntlet. ALL. Long live Edward the fourth ! 6 K. EDW. Thanks, brave Montgomery ;-and thanks unto you all.3 This French word bruit was very early made a denizen of our language. Thus in the Bible: Behold the noife of the bruit is come."-Jeremiah, x. 22. WHALLEY. The word bruit is found in Bullokar's English Expofitor, 8vo. 1616, and is defined "A reporte fpread abroad." MALONE. 3 Thanks, brave Montgomery-and thanks unto you all.] Surely we ought to read : "Thanks, brave Montgomery ;-and thanks to all." Instead of this fpeech, the quartos have only the following: "Edw. We thank you all: lord mayor, lead on the way. "For this night we will harbour here in York; 'If fortune serve me, I'll requite this kindness. 'Now, for this night, let's harbour here in York: 'And, when the morning fun fhall raise his car • Above the border of this horizon, • We'll forward towards Warwick, and his mates; 'For, well I wot, that Henry is no foldier.* Ah, froward Clarence !-how evil it befeems thee, *To flatter Henry, and forsake thy brother! * Yet, as we may, we'll meet both thee and Warwick. * Come on, brave foldiers; doubt not of the day; * And, that once gotten, doubt not of large pay. Exeunt. SCENE VIII.4 London. A Room in the Palace. Enter King HENRY, WARWICK, CLARENCE, MONTAGUE, EXETER, and OXFORD. WAR. What counfel, lords? Edward from Belgia, With hafty Germans, and blunt Hollanders, "Lifts up his beams above this horizon, "We'll march to London to meet with Warwick, STEEVENS. • Scene VIII.] This scene is, perhaps, the worst contrived of any in these plays. Warwick has but just gone off the stage when Edward fays: "And towards Coventry bend we our course, M. MASON. This scene in the original play follows immediately after Henry's obfervation on young Richmond, which is in the fixth fcene of the prefent play. MALone. |