1 Thy fins are vifited on this poor child; 6 Conft. I have but this to say, That he's not only plagued for her fin, All punish'd in the person of this child, her! Eli. Thou unadvised scold, I can produce A will, that bars the title of thy fon. Conft. Ay, who doubts that? a will!a wicked will; I have but this to fay, That he's not only plagued for her fin, But, &c. ] This paffage appears to me very obfcure. The chief difficulty arifes from this, that Conftance having told Elinor of her fin-conceiving womb, purfues the thought, and ufes fin through the next lines in an ambiguous fenfe, fometimes for crime, and fometimes for offSpring. He's not only plagued for her fin, &c. He is not only made miferable by vengeance for her fin or crime, but her fin, her offspring, and fhe, are made the inftruments of that vengeance, on this defcendant, who, though of the fecond generation, is plagued for her and with her; to whom the is not only the caufe but the instrument of evil. The next claufe is more per Ee 4 A A woman's will, a cankred grandam's will. K. Phil. Peace, Lady; paufe, or be more tempe rate : 7 It ill befeems this prefence to cry Aim To thefe ill tuned repetitions. Some trumpet fummon hither to the walls SCENE III. Trumpets found. Enter a Citizen upon the Walls. Cit. Who is it, that hath warn'd us to the walls? K. John. England for itself; You men of Angiers and my loving fubjects K. Phil. You loving men of Angiers, Arthur's fubjects, Our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle K. John. For our advantage--therefore hear us firft: Thefe flags of France, that are advanced here 7 It ill befeems this presence to To thefe ill tuned repetitions,] Dr. Warburton has well obferved on one of the former plays that to cry aim is to encourage. I once thought it was borrowed from archery; and that aim! having been the word of command, as we now fay present! to cry aim had been to incite notice, or raife attention. But I rather think, that the old word of applaufe was J'aime, love it, and that to applaud was to cry faime, which the English, not eafily pronouncing Je, funk into aime or aim. Our exclamations of applaufe are fill borrowed, as brave, and encore. All All preparations for a bloody fiege By the compulfion of their ordinance K. Philip. When I have faid, make answer to us both. Lo! in this right hand, whofe protection And King o'er him, and all that he enjoys. In warlike march these greens before your town: Than the constraint of hofpitable zeal, Save Save in aspect, hath all offence feal'd up; With unhack'd fwords, and helmets all unbruis'd, Cit. In brief, we are the King of England's fubjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town. K. John. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in. Cit. That can we not; but he that proves the King, To him will we prove loyal; till that time, Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world. And if not that, I bring you witneffes, Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed-Faulc. (Baftards, and elfe!) K. John. To verify our title with their lives. K. Phil. As many, and as well born bloods as thofe- Faul. (Some baftards too!) K. Phil. Stand in his face to contradict his claim. Cit. Till you compound whofe right is worthieft, We for the worthieft hold the right from both. K. John. Then God forgive the fin of all thofe fouls, That That to their everlasting refidence, 'arms! Mount, chevaliers, to Faulc. Saint George, that fwing'd the dragon, and e'er fince Sits on his horfeback at mine hoftefs' door, Teach us fome fence. Sirrah, were I at home Auft. Peace, no more. [To Auftria, Faulc. O, tremble; for you hear the Lion roar. In best appointment all our regiments. Faulc. Speed then to take th' advantage of the field. K. Philip. It fhall be fo-and at the other hill Command the reft to ftand. God, and our right! [Exeunt. SCENE IV. After excurfions, enter the Herald of France with trumpets to the gates. F. Her. Ye men of Angiers, open wide your gates, And let young Arthur Duke of Bretagne in; Who by the hand of France this day hath made Much work for tears in many an English mother, Whofe fons lye scatter'd on the bleeding ground: And many a widow's husband groveling lies, Coldly embracing the difcolour'd earth; While victory with little lofs doth play Ye men of Angiers, &c.] of the widow's bufband embracing This fpeech is very poetical and the earth, is juft and beautiful. fmooth, and, except the conceit Upon |