Murder not then the fruit within my womb,
Although ye hale me to a violent death.

YORK. Now heaven forefend! the holy maid with child?

WAR. The greatest miracle that e'er ye wrought: Is all your ftrict precifeness come to this?

YORK. She and the Dauphin have been juggling: I did imagine what would be her refuge.

WAR. Well, go to; we will have no baftards

live;

Efpecially, fince Charles must father it.

Puc. You are deceiv'd; my child is none of his; It was Alençon, that enjoy'd my love.

YORK. Alençon! that notorious Machiavel! It dies, an if it had a thousand lives.

PUG. O, give me leave, I have deluded you; 'Twas neither Charles, nor yet the duke I nam'd, But Reignier, king of Naples, that prevail'd. WAR. A marry'd man! that's most intolerable. YORK. Why, here's a girl! I think, she knows not well,

There were fo many, whom she may accuse.

8 Alençon! that notorious Machiavel!] Machiavel being mentioned fomewhat before his time, this line is by fome of the editors given to the players, and ejected from the text. JOHNSON.

The character of Machiavel feems to have made fo very deep an impreffion on the dramatick writers of this age, that he is many times as prematurely fpoken of. So, in The Valiant Welchman, 1615, one of the characters bids Caradoc, i, e. Caraclacus,

Again:

read Machiavel:

"Princes that would aspire, must mock at hell."

my
brain

"Italianates my barren faculties

"To Machiavelian blacknefs." STEEVENS.

WAR. It's fign, fhe hath been liberal and free. YORK. And, yet, forfooth, fhe is a virgin pure.— Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat, and thee: Use no entreaty, for it is in vain.

Puc. Then lead me hence;-with whom I leave my curse,

May never glorious fun reflex his beams
Upon the country where you make abode !
But darkness and the gloomy fhade of death"
Environ you; till mischief, and despair,

Drive you to break your necks, or hang yourselves! * [Exit, guarded.

YORK. Break thou in pieces, and confume to

afhes,

Thou foul accurfed minister of hell!

Enter Cardinal BEAUFORT, attended.

CAR. Lord regent, I do greet your excellence With letters of commiffion from the king. For know, my lords, the ftates of Chriftendom, Mov'd with remorfe of these outrageous broils,

9 darkness and the gloomy fhade of death-] The expreffion is fcriptural: "Whereby the day-fpring from on high hath vifited us, to give light to them that fit in darkness and the shadow of death.” MALONE.

2

till mifchief, and despair,

Drive you to break your necks, or hang yourselves!] Perhaps Shakspeare intended to remark, in this execration, the frequency of fuicide among the English, which has been commonly imputed to the gloominefs of their air. JOHNSON.

3 remorfe-] i. e. compaffion, pity. So, in Measure for Measure:

"If fo your heart were touch'd with that remorse
"As mine is to him.' STEEVENS,

Have earnestly implor'd a general peace
Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French;
And here at hand the Dauphin, and his train,
Approacheth, to confer about some 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, falfehood, and by treachery,
Our great progenitors had conquered?—
O, Warwick, Warwick! I forefee 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, Winchefter; for boiling choler

chokes

The hollow paffage of my poifon'd voice,+

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.

Prifon'd was introduced by Mr. Pope. MALONE.

By fight of these our baleful enemies."

WIN. Charles, and the reft, it is enacted thus: That-in regard king Henry gives confent, Of mere compaffion, and of lenity, To eafe your country of distressful 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 shalt be plac'd as viceroy under him, And still enjoy thy regal dignity.

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 reafonless.

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 unvanquish'd,
Detract fo much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole?

5 - baleful enemies.] Baleful is forrowful; I therefore rather imagine that we should read-baneful, hurtful, or mischievous. JOHNSON. Baleful had anciently the fame meaning as baneful. It is an epithet very frequently beftowed on poifonous plants and reptiles. So, in Romeo and Juliet:

"With baleful weeds, and precious-juiced flowers.” STEEVENS.

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

So, in King Lear:

66

which to confirm,

"This coronet part between you."

JOHNSON.

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

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

YORK. Infulting Charles! haft thou by secret

means

Us'd interceffion to obtain a league;
And, now the matter grows to compromise,
Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison?'
Either accept the title thou ufurp'ft,
Of benefit proceeding from our king,
And not of any challenge of defert,
Or we will plague thee with inceffant wars.

REIG. My lord, you do not well in obstinacy
To cavil in the courfe of this contráct:

If once it be neglected, ten to one,
We fhall not find like opportunity.

ALEN. To fay the truth, it is your policy,
To fave your fubjects 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 ferves. [Afide, to Charles.

WAR. How fay'ft thou, Charles? fhall our condition 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 state 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.