K. HEN.

This is against our pleasure.

WOL.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no further gone in this, than by

A fingle voice; and that not pass'd me, but
By learned approbation of the judges.

If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know
My faculties, nor perfon, yet will be
The chronicles of my doing,-let me fay,
'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake
That virtue muft go through. We must not ftint'
Our neceffary actions, in the fear

To cope malicious cenfurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a veffel follow

That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do beft,
By fick interpreters, once weak ones, is

but I think the meaning of the original word is fufficiently clear. No primer bafenefs is no mischief more ripe or ready for redress. So, in Othello:

66

Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkies."
STEEVENS.

"If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know,

My faculties, nor perfon,] The old copy-by ignorant tongues, But furely this epithet must have been an interpolation, the ignorance of the fuppofed fpeakers being fufficiently indicated by their knowing neither the faculties nor perfon of the Cardinal. I have, therefore, with Sir T. Hanmer, reftored the measure, by the prefent omiffion. STEEVENS.

We must not ftint-] To fint is to ftop, to retard. Many inftances of this fenfe of the word are given in a note on Romeo and Juliet, A& I. fc. iii. STEEVENS.

To cope-] To engage with; to encounter. The word is fill used in fome counties. JOHNSON.

So, in As you like it :

"I love to cope him in these fullen fits." STEEVENS.

9 -once weak ones,] The modern editors read-or weak

Not ours, or not allow'd;' what worst, as oft,
Hitting a groffer quality, is cry'd up

8

For our best act. If we shall stand still,

In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, We should take root here where we fit, or fit State ftatues only.

K. HEN.

Things done well,'

And with a care, exempt themselves from fear;
Things done without example, in their issue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commiffion? I believe, not any.
We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?
A trembling contribution! Why, we take,
From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;'
And, though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd,

ones; but once is not unfrequently used for fometime, or at one time or other, among our ancient writers.

So, in the 13th Idea of Drayton :

"This diamond fhall once confume to duft."

Again, in The Merry Wives of Windfor:-"I pray thee, once tonight give my fweet Nan this ring." Again, in Leicester's Commonwealth: " if God fhould take from us her most excellent majefty (as once he will) and fo leave us deftitute ———.”

STEEVENS,

7 or not allow'd;] Not approved. See Vol. III. p. 386, . 5. MALONE.

8

what worst, as oft,

Hitting a groffer quality,] The worst actions of great men are commended by the vulgar, as more accommodated to the groffness of their notions. JOHNSON.

9 For our best act.] I fuppofe, for the fake of meafure, we should read-action. Perhaps the three laft letters of this word were accidentally omitted by the compofitor. STEEVENS.

2 Things done well,] Sir T. Hanmer, very judiciously in my opinion, completes the meafure by reading:

Things that are done well. STEEVENS.

3 From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;] Lop is a fubftantive, and fignifies the branches. WARBURTON.

The air will drink the fap. To every county,
Where this is question'd, fend our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has deny'd
The force of this commiffion: Pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.

WOL.

A word with you.

[To the Secretary.

Let there be letters writ to every fhire,

Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd

commons

Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd,

That, through our interceffion, this revokement And pardon comes: I fhall anon advise you Further in the proceeding.

[Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor."

2. KATH. I am forry, that the duke of Bucking

ham

Is run in your displeasure.

K. HEN. It grieves many: The gentleman is learn'd," and a moft rare speaker,

4 That, through our interceffion, &c.] So, in Holinfhed, p. 892: "The cardinall, to deliver himself from the evil will of the commons, purchafed by procuring and advancing of this demand, affirmed, and caufed it to be bruted abrode that through his interceffion the king had pardoned and releafed all things."

STEEVENS.

5 Enter Surveyor.] It appears from Holinfhed that his name was Charles Knyvet. RITSON.

6 The gentleman is learn'd, &c.] We understand from "The Prologue of the tranflatour," that the Knyghte of the Swanne, a French romance, was tranflated at the requeft of this unfortunate nobleman. Copland, the printer, adds, "this prefent hiftory compyled, named Helyas the Knight of the Swanne, of whom linially is defcended my faid lord." The duke was executed on Friday the 17th of May, 1521. The book has no date.

STEEVENS.

To nature none more bound; his training such, That he may furnish and inftruct great teachers, And never feek for aid out of himself."

Yet fee,

When these so noble benefits shall prove

Not well difpos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man fo cómplete,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravish'd lift'ning, could not find
His hour of speech a minute; he, my lady,
Hath into monftrous habits put the graces
That once were his, and is become as black
As if befmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you fhall hear
(This was his gentleman in truft,) of him
Things to ftrike honour fad.-Bid him recount
The fore-recited practices; whereof

We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

WOL. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate

what you,

Moft like a careful fubject, have collected
Out of the duke of Buckingham.

K. HEN.

Speak freely.

SURV. First, it was ufual with him, every day It would infect his speech, That if the king

1 And never feek for aid out of himself.] Beyond the treasures of his own mind. JOHNSON.

Read:

And ne'er feek aid out of himself. Yet fee,

·noble benefits.

RITSON.

Not well difpos'd,] Great gifts of nature and education, not joined with good difpofitions. JOHNSON.

As if befmear'd in hell.] So, in Othello:

Her name, that was as fresh

"As Dian's vifage, is now begrim'd and black
"As mine own face." STEEVENS.

Should without iffue die, he'd carry it' for
To make the fcepter his: These very words
I have heard him utter to his fon-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.

WOL.

Please your highnefs, note This dangerous conception in this point.' Not friended by his wifh, to your high perfon His will is moft malignant; and it ftretches Beyond you, to your friends.

Q; KATH.

Deliver all with charity,

K. HEN.

My learn'd lord cardinal,

Speak on:

How grounded he his title to the crown,

Upon our fail? to this point haft thou heard him At any time speak aught?

SURV.

He was brought to this By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.+

2-he'd carry it-] Old copy-he'l. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALONE.

3 This dangerous conception in this point.] Note this particular part of this dangerous defign. JOHNSON.

4 By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.] In former editions: By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Henton.

We heard before, from Brandon, of one Nicholas Hopkins; and now his name is changed into Henton; fo that Brandon and the furveyor feem to be in two ftories. There is, however, but one and the fame perfon meant, Hopkins; as I have restored it in the text, for perfpicuity's fake: yet it will not be any difficulty to account for the other name, when we come to confider, that he was a monk of the convent, called Henton, near Bristol. So both Hall and Holinfhed acquaint us. And he might, according to the custom of thefe times, be called Nicholas of Henton, from the place; as Hopkins from his family. THEOBALD.

This mistake, as it was undoubtedly made by Shakspeare, is worth a note. It would be doing too great an honour to the players to fuppofe them capable of being the authors of it.

STEEVENS.