My father gave me honour, yours gave land. I am thy grandam, Richard; call me so. Bast. Madam, by chance but not by truth; what though? Something about, a little from the right, In at the window, or else o'er the hatch: K. John. Go, Faulconbridge: now hast thou A landless knight makes thee a landed squire. speed For France, for France, for it is more than need. thee! For thou wast got i' the way of honesty. [Exeunt all but Bastard. A foot of honour better than I was; But many a many foot of land the worse. Well, now can I make any Joan a lady. 'Good den, sir Richard!'-'God-a-mercy, fel- And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter; 170. about, i.e. not perfectly straight, regular. 170. from, away from. 171. In at the window, or else o'er the hatch; both phrases were proverbially applied to children born out of wedlock. 170 180 180, 181. Bastards, according to the proverb, are born lucky; whereas the honestly born Robert's luck is precarious and to be prayed for. 184. any Joan, any peasantgirl. 'Tis too respective and too sociable And talking of the Alps and Apennines, It draws toward supper in conclusion so. And fits the mounting spirit like myself, 188. 'Tis too respective, etc.; (to remember men's names) shows too much deference and familiarity to be becoming in your new circumstances. 193. picked, choice, refined. 196. Absey book, a sort of catechism ('A B C'), with alternate question and answer, used in learning to read. 190 200 210 201. Except in exchange of compliments' (and in talking, etc.). 203. The Pyrenean, the Pyrenees. 208. observation, deference. courtly 210. device, cut and adornment of the dress. 212. motion, mental activity. For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising. Enter LADY FAULCONBRIDGE and JAMES O me it is my mother. How now, good lady! Lady F. Where is that slave, thy brother? That holds in chase mine honour up and down? reverend boy, thou un Sir Robert's son: why scorn'st thou at sir Robert ? Bast. James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave Gur. Good leave, good Philip. Bast. Philip sparrow: James, There's toys abroad: anon, I'll tell thee more. [Exit Gurney. Madam, I was not old sir Robert's son: 216. strew the footsteps, etc., i.e. make my footing surer. 225. Colbrand, a Danish giant proverbial for his strength, one of the victims of the champion Guy of Warwick. 227. unreverend, disrespectful; reverend' and 'reverent ' were used indiscriminately. 220 230 231. Philip! sparrow; Philip was an early name for the sparrow, derived probably from its twittering note, and rendered classical by Shelton's Boke of Phyllip Sparowe. 232. toys, idle rumours. Could he get me? Sir Robert could not do it: We know his handiwork: therefore, good mother, Lady F. Hast thou conspired with thy brother That for thine own gain shouldst defend mine honour ? What means this scorn, thou most untoward knave? Bast. Knight, knight, good mother, Basilisco- What! I am dubb'd! I have it on my shoulder. I have disclaim'd sir Robert and my land; Then, good my mother, let me know my father; Bast. As faithfully as I deny the devil. Lady F. King Richard Cordelion was thy father: By long and vehement suit I was seduced To make room for him in my husband's bed: Heaven lay not my transgression to my charge! Thou art the issue of my dear offence, Which was so strongly urged past my defence. 239. beholding, indebted. 244. Knight, knight Basilisco-like; an allusion, as Theobald pointed out, to the play of Soliman and Perseda (c. 1590). Basilisco is a coward and braggart, whom Piston, the clown, forces to take an oath upon his dagger (Hazlitt-Dodsley, Old Plays, v. 271, 272): Bas. I swear, I swear. 240 250 Pist. By the contents of this By the contents of this Pist. Knave, good fellow, knave, knave. 250. proper, comely. Bast. Now, by this light, were I to get again, And so doth yours; your fault was not your Needs must you lay your heart at his dispose, And they shall say, when Richard me begot, [Exeunt. 260 270 ACT II. SCENE I. France. Before Angiers. Enter AUSTRIA and forces, drums, etc. on one side on the other KING PHILIP of France and his power; Lewis, Arthur, CONSTANCE and attendants. Lew. Before Angiers well met, brave Austria. 264. Subjected tribute, tribute subjected, paid, (to). 266. The aweless lion. Richard's slaying of the lion, whose heart he took, was told, with other fabulous exploits, in the Middle English romance of Richard Caur-de-lion. |