Have earnestly implor'd a general peace Betwixt our nation and the afpiring French; And here at hand the Dauphin, and his train, Approacheth, to confer about fome matter.

YORK. Is all our travail turn'd to this effect? After the flaughter of fo many peers,

So many captains, gentlemen, and foldiers,
That in this quarrel have been overthrown,
And fold their bodies for their country's benefit,
Shall we at laft conclude effeminate peace?
Have we not loft moft part of all the towns,
By treason, falsehood, and by treachery,
Our great progenitors had conquered?

O, Warwick, Warwick! I foresee with grief
The utter lofs of all the realm of France.

WAR. Be patient, York; if we conclude a peace, It fhall be with fuch ftrict and fevere covenants, As little fhall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Enter CHARLES, attended; ALENÇON, Baftard, REIGNIER, and Others.

CHAR. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed. That peaceful truce fhall be proclaim'd in France, We come to be informed by yourselves What the conditions of that league muft be.

YORK. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler

chokes

1

The hollow paffage of my poifon'd voice, 4

4

poifon'd voice, Poifon'd voice agrees well enough with baneful enemies, or with baleful, if it can be used in the fame fenfe, The modern editors read prifon'd voice. JOHNSON. MALONE.

Prifon'd was introduced by Mr. Pope.

ace,

15,

reed.

ince,

10ler

h with

feale,

WIN. Charles, and the reft, it is enacted thus:
That-in regard king Henry gives confent,
Of mere compaffion, and of lenity,

To cafe your country of diftressful war,
And fuffer you to breathe in fruitful peace, -
You fhall become true liegemen to his crown:
And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt fwear
To pay
him tribute, and submit thyself,
Thou fhalt be plac'd as viceroy under him,
And ftill enjoy thy regal dignity.

6

ALEN. Muft he be then as fhadow of himself?
Adorn his temples with a coronet;
And yet, in fubftance and authority,
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is abfurd and reafonlefs.

CHAR. 'Tis known, already that I am poffefs'd
With more than half the Gallian territories.
And therein reverenc'd for their lawful king:
Shall I, for lucre of the reft unvanquifh'd,
Detract fo much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole?

baleful enemies. ] imagine that, we should read

Baleful is Jorrowful; I therefore rather baneful, hurtful, or mischievous.

-

JOHNSON, Baleful had anciently the fame meaning as baneful. It is an epithet very frequently beftowed on poisonous plants and reptiles. So, in Romeo and Juliet:

"With baleful weeds, and precious-juiced flowers. '

"

STEEVENS.

with a coronet; ] Coronet is here used for a crown.

JOHNSON.

These are the words of Lear when he gives up his crown to Cornwall and Albany. STEEVENS.

No, lord ambassador; I'll rather keep
That which I have, than, coveting for more,
Be caft from poffibility of all.

YORK. Infulting Charles! haft thou by fecret

means

Us'd interceffion to obtain a league;
And, now the matter grows to compromife,
Stand'ft thou aloof upon comparison ?7
Either accept the title thou usurp❜ft,
Of benefit proceeding from our king,
And not of any challenge of desert,
Or we will plague thee with inceffant wars.
REIG. My lord, you do not well in obftinacy
To cavil in the courfe of this contract:
If once it be neglected, ten to one,
We shall not find like opportunity.

ALEN. To fay the truth, it is your policy,
To fave your fübjects from fuch maffacre,
And ruthlefs flaughters, as are daily feen
By our proceeding in hoftility:

And therefore take this compact of a truce,
Although you break it when your pleasure serves.
[ Afide, to Charles.
WAR. How fay'ft thou, Charles? fhall our con-
dition ftand?

CHAR. It fhall:

Only referv'd, you claim no interest
In any of our towns of garrifon.

7 upon comparison? Do you ftand to compare your present ftate, a ftate which you have neither right or power to maintain, with the terms which we offer? JOHNSON.

8

accept the title thou ufurpft,

Of benefit Benefit is here a term of law. Be content to live as the beneficiary of our king. JOHNSON.

YORK. Then fwear allegiance to his majesty; As thou art knight, never to difobey,

Nor be rebellious to the crown of England,
Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England.-
[Charles, and the reft, give tokens of fealty.
So, now difmifs your army when ye please;"
Hang up your enfigns, let your drums be ftill,
For here we entertain a folemn peace.

SCENE V.

London. A Room in the Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter King HENRY, in conference with SUFFOLK; GLOSTER and EXETER following.

K. HEN. Your wond'rous rare description, noble

earl,

Of beauteous Margaret hath aftonish'd me:
Her virtues, graced with external gifts,
Do breed love's fettled paffions in my heart:
And like as rigour of tempeftuous gufts
Provokes the mightieft hulk against the tide;
So am I driven, 9 by breath of her renown,
Either to fuffer fhipwreck, or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.

SUF. Tufh, my good lord! this fuperficial tale
Is but a preface of her worthy praise :
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
(Had I fufficient fkill to utter them,)

9 So am I driven, ] This fimile is fomewhat obfcure; he seems to mean, that as a fhip is driven against the tide by the wind, fo he is driven by love againft the current of his intereft.

JOHNSON.

Would make a volume of enticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit.

. And, which is more, fhe is not fo divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But, with as humble lowlinefs of mind,
She is content to be at your command;
Command, I mean, of virtuous chafte intents,
To love and honour Henry as her lord.

K. HEN. And otherwife will Henry ne'er pre-
fume.

Therefore, my lord protector, give consent,
That Margaret may be England's royal queen.

GLO. So fhould I give confent to flatter fin. You know, my lord, your highness is betroth'd Unto another lady of esteem;

How fhall we then difpenfe with that contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?

SUF. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths;
Or one, that, at a triumph having vow'd
To try his ftrength, forfaketh yet the lifts.
By reafon of his adverfary's odds:

A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds,
And therefore may be broke without offence.
GLO. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more than

that?

Her father is no better than an earl,
Although in glorious titles he excel.

at a triumph-] That is, at the fports by which a riumph is celebrated. JOHNSON.

A triumph, in the age of Shakspeare, fignified a public exhibition, fuch as a mask, a revel, &c. Thus, in King Richard II:

"What news from Oxford? hold thofe jufts and triumphs?

See A Midfummer Night's Dream, Vol. VII. p. 6, n. 5.

STEEVENS.

MALONE.