Sal. What other harm have I, good lady, done, As it makes harmful all that speak of it. 45. and sightless] unsightly Collier MS. 45. sightless] equivalent in meaning to the "unsightly" of Collier's corrector. Compare the opposite meaning of " 'sightly" (11. i. 143 supra). 46. swart] black. This was hideous in Elizabethan eyes. Compare Much Ado About Nothing, v. iv. 36: "I'll hold my mind were she an Ethiope." 46. prodigious] of the nature of a prodigy in the worst sense, therefore monstrous. Compare Richard III. 1. ii. 22: "If ever he have child, abortive be it, Prodigious..." Cotgrave has " Prodigieux: prodigious, wondrous, monstrous, most unnatural or out of course." 40 45 50 55 53, 54. lilies rose] These flowers have been generally deemed the fairest by poets. It is interesting to remember in this connection that the lily is the flower of France, the rose that of England. There are many comparisons of the beauty of youths and maids to the beauty of lilies and roses to be found in Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature. Compare A MidsummerNight's Dream, III. i. 96:— "Most lily like in hue Of colour like the red rose." 66 Queen lily and rose in one." She adulterates hourly with thine uncle John, And with her golden hand hath pluck'd on France And made his majesty the bawd to theirs. * Sal. France is a bawd to Fortune and King John, 60 That strumpet Fortune, that usurping John! I may not go without you to the kings. 70 Const. Thou mayst, thou shalt; I will not go with thee: [Seats herself on the ground. suspect "stoop " and perhaps "his owner." All the suggested emendations wrest some meaning out of the passage, but not one of them carries conviction with it. Perhaps "proud " is the corrupt word, which ought to be poor" (as suggested by H. A. C., Athen. 1867) or some such equivalent. This would make Constance say in effect, "I will,-in spite of my grief which is apt to bow me down and make me humble,-be proud in my sorrow and make kings come to me.' Enter KING JOHN, KING PHILIP, LEWIS, BLANCH, ELINOR, the BASTARD, AUSTRIA, and Attendants. K. Phi. 'Tis true, fair daughter; and this blessed day 75 To solemnise this day the glorious sun 80 Const. A wicked day, and not a holy day! [Rising. What hath this day deserved? what hath it done, That it in golden letters should be set 85 Among the high tides in the calendar? Nay, rather turn this day out of the week, 82. holiday] holy day Ff 1, 2, 3; holy-day F 4. 90 But on this day let seamen fear no wrack; 95 No bargains break that are not this day made: This day, all things begun come to ill end, Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change! K. Phi. By heaven, lady, you shall have no cause To curse the fair proceedings of this day: Have I not pawn'd to you my majesty? Const. You have beguiled me with a counterfeit Resembling majesty, which, being touch'd and tried, Proves valueless: you are forsworn, forsworn; You came in arms to spill mine enemies' blood, But now in arms you strengthen it with yours: The grappling vigour and rough frown of war Is cold in amity and painted peace, ΙΟΙ 105 the forge or the mynt, currant by the stampe or counterfeit by the anvill." 100. touch'd and tried] tested by being rubbed on a touchstone. A touchstone was generally made of black jasper and the trained eye could tell the fineness of gold rubbed on it by the character of the streak left. Compare Richard III. v. ii. 8 :— "Now do I play the touch, To try if thou be current gold indeed." 102, 103. in arms] armed (line 102); in one another's arms (line 103). As Johnson said, "I am afraid here is a clinch intended." 105. cold] The inconsistency of the metaphor has led to many suggestions, most of them introducing other and equally great inconsistencies. It seems to me that the process of transforming vigour and a frown into amity may as well be expressed by "cooling" as by any other figure. I therefore see no reason to tamper with the text. IIO Aust. And our oppression have made up this league. Wear out the day in peace; but, ere sunset, Lady Constance, peace! O Lymoges! O Austria! thou dost shame That bloody spoil: thou slave, thou wretch, thou Thou little valiant, great in villany! Thou ever strong upon the stronger side! 115 120 Thou Fortune's champion, that dost never fight But when her humorous ladyship is by To teach thee safety! thou art perjured too, And soothest up greatness. What a fool art thou, A ramping fool, to brag and stamp and swear 110. day] So Theobald; daies F 1; dayes F 2; days Ff 3, 4. stamp] to stamp F 4. 106. And our ... this league] and your oppression of us has joined you together. 114. O Lymoges! O Austria] An unwarrantable identification of the Duke of Austria and the Viscount of Limoges, two entirely different people. See Introduction. 115. bloody spoil] the lion's skin which had previously raised the ire of the Bastard. 119. humorous] i.e. full of different humours, capricious. Compare Love's Labour's Lost, III. i. 76: "I, that have been love's whip; 122. and 121. Soothest up] i.e. flatterest, "This is a fairing, gentle sir, To soothe me up with such 122. ramping] wildly gesticulating. |