That reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls, Q. Mar. Bear with me; I am hungry for revenge, And now I cloy me with beholding it. Thy Edward he is dead, that kill'd my Edward; Thy Clarence he is dead, that stabb'd my Edward; The adulterate Hastings,2 Rivers, Vaughan, Grey, 7 That reigns &c.] This and the preceding line have been omitted by all the modern editors, Rowe excepted Steevens. These two lines are found only in the folio, and are there transposed. They were rightly arranged by Mr. Steevens. Malone. 8 — carnal-] This word, in the present instance, may signify carnivorous, though in Hamlet it is used for slaughterous: "Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts." Steevens. 9 And makes her pew-fellow-] Pew-fellow seems to be companion. We have now a new phrase, nearly equivalent, by which we say of persons in the same difficulties, that they are in the same box. Johnson. Pew fellow is a word yet in use. Sir J. Hawkins. I find this compound word in Northward Hoe, a comerly, by Decker and Webster, 1607: “He would make him pue-fellow with a lord's steward at least." Again, in Westward-Hoe, by the same authors, 1606: being both my scholars, and your honest pue-fellows." I remember to have seen in ancient Flemish prints representing Schools, certain inclosures holding different classes of boys, who, probably, from this circumstance, were styled pew-fellows. In our places of worship perhaps pews in general are modern conveniences, compared with the age of the buildings that contain them. Our hardy ancestors chiefly sat on open benches, such are still remaining in the Pit at Great Saint Mary's, Cambridge. Steevens. 1 Young York he is but boot,] Boot is that which is thrown in to mend a purchase. Johnson. 2 The adulterate Hastings,] I believe Shakspeare wrote: The adulterer Hastings, Untimely smother'd in their dusky graves. Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray,3 That I may live to say, The dog is dead! Q. Eliz. O, thou didst prophecy, the time would come, That I should wish for thee to help me curse That bottled spider, that foul bunch-back'd toad. Q. Mar. I call'd thee then, vain flourish of my fortune; I call'd thee then, poor shadow, painted queen; The presentation of but what I was, The flattering index of a direful pageant,4 One heav'd a high, to be hurl'd down below: A mother only mock'd with two fair babes; A dream of what thou wast; a garish flag, To be the aim of every dangerous shot;5 A sign of dignity, a breath, a bubble; Adulterate is right. We say metals are adulterate; and adulterate sometimes means the same as adulterer. In either sense, on this occasion, the epithet will suit. Hastings was adulterate, as Margaret has tried his friendship and found it faithless; he was an adulterer, as he cohabited with Jane Shore during the life of her husband. So, the Ghost in Hamlet, speaking of the King, says: that incestuous, that adulterate beast." Steevens. 3 Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray,] This imperfect line is not injudiciously completed by some former editor: Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar for him; saints pray, 4 The flattering index of a direful pageant,] Pageants are dumb shows, and the poet meant to allude to one of these, the index of which promised a happier conclusion. The pageants then dis. played on publick occasions were generally preceded by a brief account of the order in which the characters were to walk. These indexes were distributed among the spectators, that they might understand the meaning of such allegorical stuff as was usually exhibited. The index of every book was anciently placed before the beginning of it. Steevens. To be the aim of every dangerous shot;] Alluding to the dangerous situation of those persons to whose care the standards of armies were entrusted. Steevens. A queen in jest, only to fill the scene. Where is thy husband now? where be thy brothers? Having no more but thought of what thou wert, Now thy proud neck bears half my burden'd yoke; Farewel, York's wife,—and queen of sad mischance,— Q. Mar. Forbear to sleep the night, and fast the day; Compare dead happiness with living woe; 6 Where be the bending peers that flatter'd thee?] Mr. Rowe has transferred this question to Alicia in Jane Shore: 66 where is the king "And all the smiling cringing train of courtiers, 7 Decline all this,] i. e. run through all this from first to last. So, in Troilus and Cressida: "I'll decline the whole question." This phrase the poet borrowed from his grammar. Malone. 8 about. wheel'd about] Thus the quartos. The folio-whirl'd Steevens. 9 Forbear to sleep - and fast -] Fast has no connection with the preceding word forbear; the meaning being,-Sleep not at night, and fast during the day. The quarto reads-to sleep the nights, and fast the days. Malone. Think that thy babes were fairer1 than they were, Q. Eliz. My words are dull, O, quicken them with thine! like mine. Q. Mar. Thy woes will make them sharp, and pierce [Exit Q. MAR. Duch. Why should calamity be full of words? Q. Eliz. Windy attorneys to their client woes,3 Airy succeeders of intestate joys, Poor breathing orators of miseries! Let them have scope: though what they do impart 1 were fairer -] So, the quarto. The folio reads-sweeter. Malone. 2 Bettering thy loss makes the bad-causer worse;] We must either read this line thus: Bettering thy loss, make the bad-causer worse, which I believe to be the true reading, or include it in a parenthesis. M. Mason. 3 Duch. Why should calamity be full of words? Q. Eliz. Windy attorneys to their client woes,] So, in our author's Venus and Adonis: "So of concealed sorrow may be said: "Free vent of words love's fire doth assuage; "But when the heart's attorney once is mute, "The client breaks as desperate of his suit." The quarto reads-your client woes. woes. Malone The folio-their clients 4 Airy succeeders of intestate joys,] As I cannot understand the reading of the folio-intestine, I have adopted another from the quarto in 1597: Airy succeeders of intestate joys: i. e. words, tun'd to complaints, succeed joys that are dead; and unbequeathed to them, to whom they should properly descend. Theobald. The metaphor is extremely harsh. The joys already possessed being all consumed and passed away, are supposed to have died intestate, that is, to have made no will, having nothing to bequeath; and more verbal complaints are their successors, but inherit nothing but misery. Malone. 5 though what they do impart Help nothing else, yet do they ease the heart.] So, in Macbeth: "Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak, 66 Whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break." The quarto reads-Help not at all, Malone. Duch. If so, then be not tongue-ty'd: go with me, And in the breath of bitter words let's smother My damned son, that thy two sweet sons smother'd. [Drum, within. I hear his drum,-be copious in exclaims. Enter King RICHARD, and his Train, marching. K. Rich. Who intercepts me in my expedition? Duch. O, she, that might have intercepted thee, By strangling thee in her accursed womb, From all the slaughters, wretch, that thou hast done. 6 Q. Eliz. Hid'st thou that forehead with a golden crown, Where should be branded, if that right were right, The slaughter of the prince that ow'd that crown, And the dire death of my poor sons, and brothers? Tell me, thou villain-slave, where are my children? Duch. Thou toad, thou ́toad, where is thy brother Clarence? And little Ned Plantagenet, his son? Q. Eliz. Where is the gentle Rivers, Vaughan, Grey? Duch. Where is kind Hastings? K. Rich. A flourish, trumpets!—strike alarum, drums! Let not the heavens hear these tell-tale women Rail on the Lord's anointed: Strike, I say. [Flourish. Alarums. Either be patient, and entreat me fair, Or with the clamorous report of war Thus will I drown your exclamations. Duch. Art thou my son? K. Rich. Ay; I thank God, my father, and yourself. Duch. Then patiently hear my impatience. K. Rich. Madam, I have a touch of your condition,7 6 ·that ow'd that crown,] i. e. that possessed it. So, in King John: "Which owe the crown that thou o'ermasterest" Steevens. 7 - a touch of your condition,] A spice or particle of your temper or disposition. Johnson. So, in Chapman's translation of the 24th Iliad: 66 his cold blood embrac'd a fiery touch "Of anger," &c. Again, in the thirteenth Iliad: 66- if any touch appear Steevens. |