But this which they produce from Pharamond ;- Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze year Eight hundred five. Befides, their writers fay, Of Blithild, which was daughter to king Clothair, This fpeech (together with the Latin paffage in it) may as well be faid to be taken from Holinfhed as from Hall. STEEV. To To fine his title with fome fhew of truth, (Though, in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught) Daughter to Charles the forefaid duke of Lorain : So that, as clear as is the fummer's fun, appear To hold in right and title of the female: So do the kings of France until this day, Than amply to imbare their crooked titles 2, K. Henry. To fine his title, &c.] This is the reading of the quarto of 1608, that of the folio is, To find his title. I would read, To line his title with feme fhew of truth. To line may fignify it at once to decorate and to Arengthen. In Macbeth: He did line the rebels with hidden help and vantage. Dr. Warburton fays, that to fine his title, is to refine or improve it. The reader is to judge. I now believe that find is right; the jury finds for the plaintiff, or finds for the defendant: to find his title is, to determine in favour of his title with jome fhew of truth. JOHNSON. 2 Mr. Pope reads: Than openly imbrace.] But where is the antithefis betwixt bide in the preceding line, and imbrace in this? The two old folios read, Than amply to imbarre.We certainly must read, as Mr. Warburton advised me, Than amply to imbare-lay open, K. Henry. May I with right and confcience make this claim? Cant. The fin upon my head, dread fovereign! Go, my dread lord, to your great grandfire's tomb, Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, open, difplay to view. I am furpriz'd Mr. POPE did not ftart this conjecture, as Mr. Rowe had led the way to it in his edition; who reads, Than amply to make bare their crooked titles. THEOBALD. Mr. THEOBALD might have found in the quarto of 1608, this reading, Than amply to embrace their crooked causes; out of which line Mr. POPE formed his reading, erroneous indeed, but not merely capricious. JOHNSON. I know of no fuch word as imbare. To unbar is to epen, which I fuppofe to be the word fet down by the poet, and was probably oppofed to bar. STEEVENS. cold for action!] The next fpeeches of Ely, Exeter, Weftmorland, and Canterbury, were added after the 4to 1608. STREVENS. Is in the very May-morn of his youth, Exe. Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth Weft. 4 They know your grace hath caufe; and means and might, So hath your highness; never king of England Cant. O, let their bodies follow, my dear liege 5, With blood, and sword, and fire, to win your right: In aid whereof, we of the fpiritualty Will raife your highness fuch a mighty fum, Bring in to any of your ancestors. K. Henry. We must not only arm to invade the French, But lay down our proportions to defend Against the Scot, who will make road upon us Cant. They of thofe Marches, gracious fovereign, Shall be a wall fufficient to defend Our inland from the pilfering borderers. 4 They know your GRACE HATH canfe, and means, and might, So bath your highnefs ;—] We should read, your RACE HAD caufe which is carrying on the fenfe of the concluding words of Exeter. As did the former lions of your blood; meaning Edward III. and the Black prince. WARBURTON. I do not fee but the prefent reading may ftand as I have pointed it. JOHNSON. 5 Thefe two lines Dr. WARBURTON gives to Westmorland, but with fo little reafon that I have continued them to Canterbury. The credit of old copies, though not great, is yet more than nothing. JOHNSON. K. Henry. K. Henry. We do not mean the courfing fnatchers only, But fear the main intendment of the Scot, 8 Hath fhook, and trembled, at the ill neighbourhood. Cant. She hath been then more fear'd than harm'd, my liege: For hear her but exampled by herself, When all her chivalry hath been in France, The king of Scots, whom fhe did fend to France, 6 As -giddy neighbour] That is, inconftant, changeable. JOHNSON. 7 Nover went with his forces into France,] Shakespeare wrote the line thus, Ne'er went with his FULL forces into France. The following expreffions of unfurnish'd kingdom, gleaned land, and empty of defence, fhew this. WARBURTON. There is no need of alteration. JOHNSON. The 4to 1608 reads, 8 never my great grandfather Unmask'd his power for France. STEEVENS. at the ill neighbourhood.] The 4to 1608 reads, at the bruit thereof. STEEVENS. And make his chronicle as rich with PRAISE,] He is fpeaking of king Edward's prifoners; fo that it appears Shakespeare wrote, as rich with PRIZE, B 2 i. e. |