As to be caft forth in the common air, breath? K. RICH. It boots thee not to be compaffionate; After our fentence plaining comes too late. • A dearer merit, not so deep a maim Have I deserved-] To deserve a merit is a phrase of which I know not any example. I wish some copy would exhibit : A dearer meed, and not so deep a maim. To deferve a meed or reward, is regular and easy. JOHNSON. As Shakspeare uses merit in this place, in the sense of reward, he frequently uses the word meed, which properly fignifies reward, to express merit. So, in Timon of Athens, Lucullus says: " - no meed but he repays "Seven fold above itself." And in The Third Part of K. Henry VI. Prince Edward says : "We are the fons of brave Plantagenet, "Each one already blazing by our meeds." And again, in the fame play, King Henry says: "That's not my fear, my meed hath got me fame." M. MASON. - compassionate; for plaintive. WARBURTON. Nor. Then thus I turn me from my country's light, To dwell in folemn fhades of endless night. [Retiring. K. RICH. Return again, and take an oath with thee. Lay on our royal sword your banish'd hands; 'Gainst us, our state, our subjects, or our land. I NOR. And I, to keep all this. BOLING. Norfolk, so far as to mine enemy ;3 (Our part &c.] It is a question much debated amongst the writers of the law of nations, whether a banished man may be still tied in his allegiance to the state which fent him into exile. Tully and Lord Chancellor Clarendon declare for the affirmative; Hobbes and Puffendorf hold the negative. Our author, by this line, seems to be of the same opinion. WARBURTON. 2 - advised-] i. e. concerted, deliberated. So, in The Merchant of Venice : 66 with more advised watch." STEEVENS. 3 Norfolk, So far &c.] I do not clearly fee what is the sense of this abrupt line; but suppose the meaning to be this: Hereford immediately after his oath of perpetual enmity, addresses Norfolk, and, fearing some misconstruction, turns to the King and says-fo far as to mine enemy-that is, I should say nothing to him but what enemies may say to each other. Reviewing this passage, I rather think it should be understood By this time, had the king permitted us, NOR. No, Bolingbroke; if ever I were traitor, [Exit. thus. Norfolk, fo far I have addressed myself to thee as to mine enemy, I now utter my last words with kindness and tenderness, Confess thy treasons. JOHNSON. -so fare, as to mine enemy;] i. e. he only wishes him to fare like his enemy, and he difdains to say fare well as Aumerle does in the next scene. TOLLET. The first folio reads fare; the second farre. Bolingbroke only uses the phrafe by way of caution, left Mowbray should think he was about to address him as a friend. Norfolk, says he, fo far as a man may speak to his enemy, &c. RITSON. Surely fare was a misprint for farre, the old spelling of the word now placed in the text.-Perhaps the author intended that Hereford in speaking this line should show some courtesy to Mowbray; and the meaning may be : So much civility as an enemy has a right to, I am willing to offer to thee. MALONE. Sir T. Hanmer's marginal direction is-In falutation. 4 STEEVENS. this frail sepúlchre of our flesh,] So, afterwards : thou King Richard's tomb, "And not King Richard." And Milton, in Samson Agonistes : Myself my fepulchre, a moving grave." HENLEY. all the world's my way.] Perhaps Milton had this in his mind when he wrote these lines : K. RICH. Uncle, even in the glasses of thine eyes Í fee thy grieved heart: thy fad aspéct Hath from the number of his banish'd years Pluck'd four away; -Six frozen winters spent, Return [To BOLING.] with welcome home from ba nishment. BOLING. How long a time lies in one little word! Four lagging winters, and four wanton springs, End in a word; Such is the breath of kings. GAUNT. I thank my liege, that, in regard of me, He shortens four years of my son's exíle : But little vantage shall I reap thereby; For, ere the fix years, that he hath to spend, Can change their moons, and bring their times about, My oil-dried lamp, and time-bewafted light, K. RICH. Why, uncle, thou haft many years to live. - GAUNT. But not a minute, king, that thou canst give : ٦٠ "The world was all before them, where to choose "Their place of reft, and Providence their guide." JOHNSON. The Duke of Norfolk after his banishment went to Venice, where, says Holinshed, " for thought and melancholy he de ceased." MALONE. I should point the passage thus : - Now no way can I stray, Save back to England :-all the world's my way. There's no way for me to go wrong, except back to England. M. MASON. Shorten my days thou canst with fullen forrow, K. RICH. Thy son is banish'd upon good advice,? GAUNT. Things sweet to taste, prove in digeftion four. You urg'd me as a judge; but I had rather, • And pluck nights from me, but not lend a morrow:] It is matter of very melancholy confideration, that all human advantages confer more power of doing evil than good. JOHNSON. 7 - upon good advice,] Upon great confideration. So, in King Henry VI. Part II: 8 MALONE, " But with advice and filent secrecy." STEEVENS. - a party-verdict gave;] i. e. you had yourself a part or share in the verdict that I pronounced. MALONE. 9 O, had it been a stranger,] This couplet is wanting in the folio. STEEVENS. A partial flander - That is, the reproach of partiality. This is a just picture of the ftruggle between principle and affection. JOHNSON. This couplet, which is wanting in the folio edition, has been arbitrarily placed by fome of the modern editors at the conclufion of Gaunt's speech. In the three oldest quartos it follows the fifth line of it. In the fourth quarto, which seems copied from the folio, the passage is omitted. STEEVENS. |