Thou little valiant, great in villainy! domar, viscount of Limoges; and the archer, who pierced his fhoulder with an arrow (of which wound he died) was Bertrand de Gourdon. The editors feem hitherto to have understood Lymoges as being an appendage to the title of Austria, and therefore enquired no further about it. With this note, I was favoured by a gentleman to whom I have yet more confiderable obligations in regard to Shakespeare. His extenfive knowledge of history and manners, has frequently fupplied me with apt and neceffary illuftrations, at the fame time as his judgment has corrected my errors; yet fuch has been his conftant folicitude to remain concealed, that I know not but I may give offence while I indulge my own vanity in affixing to this note, the name of my friend HENRY BLAKE, efq. STEEV. s And hang a calve's-fkin on thofe recreant limbs.] When fools were kept for diverfion in great families, they were distinguished by a calve-skin coat, which had the buttons down the back and this they wore that they might be known for fools, and fcape the refentment of those whom they provoked with their waggeries. In a little penny book, intitled, The Birth, Life, and Death Jobu Franks, with the Pranks he played though a meer Fool, mention is made in feveral places of a calve's-fkin. In chap. x. of this book, Jack is faid to have made his appearance at his Jord's table, having then a new calf-fkin fuit, red and white fpotted. This fact will explain the farcafm of Faulconbridge,' who means to call Auftria a fool.. HAWKINS. I may add, that the cuftom is ftill preferved in Ireland; and the fool, in any of the legends which the mummers act at Chrißmas, always appears in a calf's or cow's skin. STEEVENS. Auft. Thou dar'ft not fay fo, villain, for thy life. Faulc. And hang a calve's skin on those recreant limbs. Auft. 7 Methinks, that Richard's pride and Richard's fall Should be a precedent to fright you all. Faulc. What words are these? how do my finews shake! My father's foe clad in my father's fpoil! دو Methinks, that Richard's pride, &c.] What was the ground of this quarrel of the Baftard to Auftria is no where specified in the prefent play: nor is there in this place, or the scene where it is first hinted at (namely the second of act. 2.) the least mention of any reafon for it. But the ftory is, that Auftria, who killed king Richard Coeur-de-lion, wore, as the fpoil of that prince, a lion's hide which had belonged to him. This circumftance renders the anger of the Baltard very natural, and ought not to have been omitted. In the firft fketch of this play (which Shakespeare is faid to have had a hand in, jointly with William Rowley) we accordingly find this infifted upon, and I have ventured to place a few of thofe verfes here. POPE. To the infertion of thefe lines I have nothing to obje&. There are many other paffages in the old play of great value. The omiflion of this incident, in the fecond draught, was natural. Shakespeare, having familiarized the ftory to his own imagination, forgot that it was obfcure to his audience; or, what is equally probable, the ftory was then fo popular, that a hint wast fufficient at that time to bring it to mind, and thefe plays were written with very little care for the approbation of pofterity. JOHNSON. The lines that compofe this fpeech are in the firft sketch of the play printed in 1611, though mixed up with a great number of others on the fame fubject of altercation, which were very judiciously rejected. STEEVENS. I have reftored one line more, not merely for the fake of appearing to do fomething, but becaufe the infertion of it renders the alteration made by Mr. Pope in the fucceeding one unneceffary. STEEVENS. VOL. V. D Twice Twice will I not review the morning's rife, K. John. We like not this; thou doft forget thyself. K. Phil. Here comes the holy legate of the pope. I Pandulph, of fair Milan cardinal, Why thou againft the church, our holy mother, K. John. What earthly name to interrogatories Can tafk the free breath of a facred king? To charge me to an anfwer, as the pope. Tell him this tale, and from the mouth of England Add thus much more, That no Italian priest Shall tithe or toll in our dominions: But as we under heaven are fupreme head, What earthly name to interrogatories] This muft have been at the time when it was written, in our ftruggles with popery, a vc. y captivating fcene. So many paffages remain in which Shakespeare evidently takes his advantage of the facts then recent, and of the paffions then in motion, tha I cannot but fufpect that time has obfcured much of his art, and that many allufions yet remain undifcovered, which perhaps may be gradually retrieved by fucceeding commentators. JOHNSON. Sa So tell the pope; all reverence fet apart K. Phil. Brother of England, you blafpheme in this. K. John. Tho' you, and all the kings of Christendom Are led fo grofly by this meddling prieft, Dreading the curfe that money may buy out; Against the pope, and count his friends my foes. Conft. O, lawful let it be, That I have room with Rome to curfe a while! Το my keen curfes; for, without my wrong, There is no tongue hath power to curfe him right. Pand. There's law, and warrant, lady, for my curfe. Conft. And for mine too; when law can do no right, Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong: Law cannot give my child his kingdom here; For he, that holds his kingdom, holds the law : 1 That takes away by any fecret course, &c.] This may allude to the bull published againit queen Elizabeth. Or we may fuppofe, fince we have no proof that this play appeared in its prefent state before the reign of king James, that it was exhibited foon after the popish plot. I have feen a Spanish book in which Garnet, Faux, and their accomplices are registered as faints. JOHNSON. Therefore, fince law itself is perfect wrong, Let go And raise the power of France upon his head, Eli. Look'ft thou pale, France? do not let go thy hand. Conft. Look to that, devil! left that France repent, And, by disjoining hands, hell lofe a foul. Auft. King Philip, liften to the cardinal. Faule. And hang a calve's-fkin on his recreant limbs. Aust. Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs, Becaufe Faule. Your breeches beft may carry them. K. John. Philip, what fay'ft thou to the cardinal? Blanch. That's the curfe of Rome. Conft. Lewis, ftand faft; the devil tempts thee here 3 In likeness of a new untrimmed bride. Blanch. It is a political maxim, that kingdoms are never married. Lewis, upon the wedding, is for making war upon his new relations. JOHNSON. 3 the devil tempts thee here In likeness of a new untrimmed bride.] Though all the copies concur in this reading, yet as untrimmed cannot bear any fignification to fquare with the fenfe required, I cannot help thinking it a corrupted reading. I have ventured to throw out the negative, and read, In likeness of a new and trimmed bride. i. e. of a new bride, and one decked and adorned as well by art as nature. THEOBALD. a new untrimmed bride.] Mr. Theobald fays, that as untrimmed cannot bear any fignification to fquare with the fenfe required, it must be corrupt; therefore he will cafhier it, and read, and trimmed; in which he is followed by the Oxford editor; |