In the scene preceding this, we find him conducting those gentlemen to the block. In the old quarto, we find it exeunt: Manet Catesby with Haftings. And in the next scene, before the Tower-walls, we find Lovel and Catesby come back from the execution, bringing the Head of Haftings. THEOB. P. 490. 1. 18. So Horace, JOHNS. P. 494. 1. 28. Seen in thought.] That is, feen in filence, without notice or detection. JOHNS. Scene vii. Baynard's Caftle.] A house belonging to the duke of Gloucefter, in Thames-ftreet; fo called from William Baynard Baron of Dunmow, the builder of it. THEOB.* P. 496. 1. 15. Intend some fear] Perhaps pretend; though intend will ftand in the fenfe of giving attention. JOHNS. L. 23. As I can fay, nay to thee.] I think it must be read, -If you plead as well for them As I must say nay to them for myself. JOHNS. P. 497.1. 16. To engrofs.] To fatten; to pamper. JOHNS. P. 499. 1. 9. And almoft fhoulder'd in the fwallowing gulf Of dark forgetfulness] What it is to be boulder'd in a gulph, Hanmer is the only editor who feems not to have known for the reft let it pais without observation. He reads, Almoft fhoulder'd into th' swallowing gulph, I believe we should read, And almoft fmoulder'd in the fwallowing gulph. That is, almoft mother'd, covered and loft. JOHNS. P. 500. 1. 16. And much I need to help you] And I want much of the ability requifite to give you help, if help were needed. JOHNS. P. 503. 1. 3.] To this act fhould, perhaps, be added the next fcene, fo will the coronation pafs between the acts; and there will not only be a proper interval of action, but the conclufion will be more forcible. JOHNS. L. 4. Who meets us here? My niece Plantagenet, Led in the band of ber kind aunt of Glofter?] Here is a manifeft intimation, that the dutchefs of Glo'fter leads in fomebody in her hand; but there is no direction marked in any of the copies, from which we can learn who it is. I have ventured to guess it must be Clarence's young daughter. The old dutchess of York calls her niece, i. e. Grand daughter; as grand children are frequently called nephews. THEOB. P. 504. 1. 11. I must not leave it fo] That is, I may not fɔ refign my office, which you offer to take on you at your peril. JOHNS. P. 506. 1. 8. But with his tim'rous dreams] 'Tis recorded by Polydore Virgil, that Richard was frequently disturbed by terrible dreams: this is therefore no fiction. L. 21. Eighty odd years of forrow I have feen, JOHNS. And each hour's joy wreck'd with a week of anguish.] This, anguish, is a word of Mr. Pope's adoption; for all the copies, that I have seen, read -wreck'd with a week of teen. The poet certainly intended, that the old dutchefs fhould conclude with a rhyme; and teen is a term which he chufes to use elsewhere. So in his Tempeft. -O, my heart bleeds To think o' th' teen that I have turn'd you too, And in numberlefs other paffages. THEOB. L. 26.] To call the Tower nurse and playfellow is very harsh perhaps part of this fpeech is addreffed to the Tower, and part to the Lieutenant. JOHNS. L. 28.] Hither the third act should be extended, and here it very properly ends with a pause of action. JOHNS. P. 507. 1.8. Ah! Buckingham, now do I play the touch.] The technical term is requifite here. The poet wrote, now do I ply the touch. : i. e. apply the touchftone for that is meant by what he calls touch. So, again, in Timon of Athens, fpeaking of gold, he fays, -O, thou touch of hearts! i. e. thou trial, touchstone. WARB. Ibid.] There was no neceffity to alter the common reading, --now do I play the touch. That is, Now do I perform the part of the touchstone. As I think however Mr. Warburton's emendation recommends itfelf by its fuperior elegance and propriety, I cannot but ap prove of it; but then it ought firft to be made English, by fubftituting the verb, apply, for ply, which in the fenfe here required is not fo. The reader who hath an ear, will fee, that the metre too is much improved by this alteration, as it throws the emphatical accent on the particle, now, where the fenfe requires it to be placed. For the verfe ought to be thus pronounced, Ab! Buckingham now do I apply the touch. REVIS.* P. 508.1. 8. Clofe exploit, is fecret act. JOHNS. P. 509. 1. 7. Uncertain way of gain!] Uncertain here ufed for unconftant: for he tells us here, that this was the certain way of establishing himself. WARB.* P. 510. 1. 15. A King, perhaps- -] From hence to the words, Thou troubleft me, I am not in the vein-have been left out ever fince the first editions, but I like them well enough to replace them. Ibid.] The allufions to the plays of Henry VI. are no weak proofs of the authenticity of thefe difputed pieces. POPE. JOHNS. P. 511. 1. 2. Because that like a jack thou keep ft the ftroke between thy begging and my meditation.] An image like those at St. Dunstan's church in Fleet-ftreet, and at the markethouses of feveral towns in this kingdom, was ufually called a jack of the clock-boufe. See Cowley's Difcourfe on the Government of Oliver Cromwell. Richard resembles Buckingham to one of thefe automatons, and bids him not fufpend the ftroke on the clock-bed, but ftrike, that the hour may be paft, and himself be at liberty to pursue his meditations. HAWKINS. P. 513. 1.6. -fearful commenting Is leaden fervitor.] Timorous thought and cautious difquifition are the dull attendants on delay. JOHNS. L. 9. Then fiery expedition be my wing, Jove's Mercury, and herald for a king!] Expedition is here characterized in a very fublime manner. Which, in fimple phrafe, fays no more than that Expedition is the foul of all great undertakings. Homer never taught an ufeful truth more nobly. WARB.* L. 17. Dire induction.] Induction is preface, introduction, first part. It is so used by Sackville in our author's time. JOHNS. L. 27. -fay, that right for right] It is plain that Shakefpeare wrote wrong for wrong; but the players thought that WARB. a little rhyme was better than all reafon. Ibid.] It is fo unlikely that words fo plain, and fo proper, as wrong for wrong would have been either ignorantly or officiously changed, that I believe right for right is the true though not the best reading. This is one of these conceits which our author may be fufpected of loving better than propriety. Right for right is justice answering to the claims of juftice. So in this play, -That forehead Where fhould be branded, if that right were right. P. 514. l. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, rejected by JOHNS. HANMER.* JOHNS. P. 515. 9. Pue fellow feems to be companion. We have now a new phrafe, nearly equivalent, by which we say of perfons in the fame difficulties, that they are in the fame box. JOHNS. HAWKINS. Ibid.] Puefellow is a word yet in ufe. L. 16. Young York he is but boot] Boot is that which is thrown in to mend a purchase. JOHNS. L. 20. Th' adulterate Haftings-] I believe Shakespeare Th' adulterer Haftings,wrote, WARB. P. 516. 1. 3. The flatt'ring index of a direful pageant] Without doubt Shakespeare wrote, direful page. WARB. Ibid.] This emendation of Mr. Warburton's gives me no image, nor idea, though I think I very well understand Shakefpeare's meaning in the antient reading, The flatt'ring index of a direful pageant. That is, the flattering induction to a pageant which hath a direful catastrophe. For a pageant is a representation in dumb show. REVIS. P. 517. 1. 14. In former editions this line was read thus: The emendation is Sir T. Hanmer's. JOHNS. L. 15. Airy Succeeders of inteftine joys.] I cannot underAand this reading. I have adopted another from the quarto in 1597, Airy fucceeders of inteftate joys. i. e. Words, turned to Complaints, fucceed joys that are dead; and unbequeathed to them, to whom they should properly descend. THEOB. P. 518. 1. 16. A touch of your condition] A ffice or particle of your temper or difpofition. JOHNS. L. 31. That ever grac'd me] To grace feems here to mean the fame as to blifs, to make happy. So gracious is kind, and graces are favours. JOHNS. HANMER.* P. 519. l. 1, 2, rejected by L. 24. Shame ferves thy life] To ferve is to accompany, fervants being near the perfons of their masters. JOHNS. L. 28. Stay, madam] On this dialogue 'tis not neceffary to bestow much criticifm: part of it is ridiculous, and the whole improbable. JOHNS. P. 521. 1. 10. The high imperial type] Type is exhibition, fhow, difplay. JOHNS. L. 13. Canft thou demife-] The fenfe of the word demife is evident, but I do not remember it any where so used: perhaps it should be devife, which the lawyers ufe, for to transfer, or make over. JOHNS. Ibid.] I think it should be devife; but not in the fenfe you suppose. Devife, as a mode of conveyance, is appropriated to wills, but take it as a synonime, to imagine, contrive, or invent, and it fuggefts a new idea, and fuch a one as the text seems to warrant. HAWKINS. --kindness do] Grammar obliges us to read, L. 20. doth. REVIS.* P. 522. 1. 13. As fometime Margret] Here is another reference to the plays of Henry VI. JOHNS. L. 30. Bloody Spoil Spoil is wafte, havock. JOHNS. L. 31. Look what is done, &c.] This long speech is not in the Edition of 1598 or that of 1602, but added by the author fince. P. 523. 1. 12. Bid is the paft tenfe from bide. L. 31. Advantaging their love with int’reft, POPE.* JOHNS. Oftentimes double gain of happiness] My easy emen |