:

Under your promis'd pardon. The subject's grief
Comes through commiffions, which compel from

each

The fixth part of his substance, to be levy'd
Without delay; and the pretence for this

Is nam'd, your wars in France: This makes bold

mouths:

Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze

Allegiance in them; their curses now,

Live where their prayers did; and it's come to

pass,

That tractable obedience is a flave

4

To each incensed will. I would, your highness
Would give it quick consideration, for
There is no primer business. 5

4

tractable obedience &c.] i. e. those who are tradable and obedient, must give way to others who are angry. MUSGRAVE.

The meaning of this is, that the people were so much irritated by oppreffion, that their resentment got the better of their obe dience. M. MASON.

The meaning, I think, is - Things are now in such a situation, that resentment and indignation predominate in every man's breaft over duty and allegiance. MALONE.

5 There is no primer business.) In the old edition:

There is no primer baseness.

The queen is here complaining of the suffering of the commons; which, she suspects, arose from the abuse of power in some great men. But she is very reserved in speaking her thoughts concerning the quality of it. We may be affured then, that she did not, in conclusion, call it the highest bafeness; but rather made use of a word that could not offend the cardinal, and yet would incline the king to give it a speedy hearing.

There is no primer business.

I read therefore:

A

i. e. no matter of state that more earnestly presses a dispatch.

WARBURTON.

Dr. Warburton (for reasons which he has given in his note} would read:

K. HEN.

This is against our pleasure.

WOL.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no further gone in this, than by

A fingle voice; and that not pass'd me, but

By learned approbation of the judges.

If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know

My faculties, nor person, yet will be

The chronicles of my doing, let me say,

'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake
That virtue must go through. We must not stint
Our necessary actions, in the fear
To cope malicious cenfurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By fick interpreters, once weak ones, o is

but I think the meaning of the original word is sufficiently clear. No primer bafeness is no mischief more ripe or ready for redress. So,

in Othello:

" Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkies--."

If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know,

STEEVENS.

My faculties, nor person,] The old copy-by ignorant tongues. But furely this epithet must have been an interpolation, the ignorance of the supposed speakers being fufficiently indicated by their knowing neither the faculties nor person of the Cardinal. I have, therefore, with Sir. T. Hanmer, restored the measure, by the present omiffion. STEEVENS.

"We must not ftint-] To flint is to flop, to retard. Many inftances of this sense of the word are given in a note on Romeo and Juliet, Act I. fc. iii. STEEVENS.

• To cope-] To engage with; to encounter. The word is ftill used in some counties. JOHNSON.

So, in As you like it :

"I love to cope him in these sullen fits." STEEVENS. -- once weak ones,] The modern editors read

or weak

1

Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
Hitting a grosser quality, is cry'd up

For our best act. If we shall stand fstill,

In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We should take root here where we fit, or fit
State statues only.

K. HEN.

Things done well,

2

And with a care, exempt themselves from fear;
Things done without example, in their issue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commiffion? I believe, not any.
We must not rend our fubjects from our laws,
And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?
A trembling contribution! Why, we take,
From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;
And, though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd,

ones; but once is not unfrequently used for sometime, or at one time or other, among our ancient writers.

So, in the 13th Idea of Drayton:

"This diamond shall once consume to dust."

Again, in The Merry Wives of Windfor: "I pray thee, once tonight give my sweet Nan this ring." Again, in Leicester's Commonwealth: " -- If God should take from us her most ex cellent majesty (as once he will) and so leave us deftitute--."

7

STEEVENS.

or not allow'd;) Not approved. See Vol. V. p. go.

n. 5. MALONE.

8-what worst, as oft,

:

Hitting a groffer quality, The worst adions of great men are commended by the vulgar, as more accommodated to the grossness of their notions. JOHNSON.

9 For our best act.) I suppose, for the sake of meafure, we should read-ation. Perhaps the three last letters of this word were accidentally omitted by the compositor. STEEVENS.

* Things done well,] Sir T. Hanmer, very judiciously in my opinion, completes the measure by reading:

Things that are done well. STEEVENS.

3 From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;] Lop is a fubftantive, and signifies the branches. WARBURTON.

The air will drink the sap. To every county,
Where this is question'd, send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has deny'd
The force of this commiffion: Pray, look to't;

I put it to your care.
WOL.

Let there be letters writ to every shire,
Of the king's grace and pardon.

commons

The griev'd

Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd,
That, through our interceffion, this revokement
And pardon comes: 4 I shall anon advise you

Further in the proceeding.

[Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor. 5

Q. KATH. I am forry, that the duke of Bucking

ham

Is run in your displeasure.

K. HEN.

It grieves many:

The gentleman is learn'd, and a most rare speaker,

4 That, through our interceffion, &c.] So, in Holinshed, p. 892: "The cardinall, to deliver himself from the evil will of the commons, purchased by procuring and advancing of this demand, affirmed, and caused it to be bruted abrode that through his interceffion the king had pardoned and released all things."

STEEVENS.

5 Enter Surveyor.] It appears from Holinshed that his name was Charles Knyvet. RITSON.

* The gentleman is learn'd, &c.] We understand from "The Prologue of the tranflator," that the Knyghte of the Swanne, a French romance, was translated at the request of this unfortunate nobleman. Copland, the printer, adds, " -- this present hif tory compyled, named Helyas the Knight of the Swanne, of whom linially is defcended my Jaid lord." The duke was executed on Friday the 17th of May, 1521. The book has no date.

STEEVENS.

To nature none more bound; his training such,
That he may furnish and instruct great teachers,
And never feek for aid out of himself. '

Yet see,

When these so noble benefits shall prove
Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man so complete,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravish'd lift'ning, could not find
His hour of speech a minute! he, my lady,
Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
That once were his, and is become as black
As if befmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear
(This was bis gentleman in trust,) of him
Things to strike honour sad. - Bid him recount
The fore-recited practices; whereof
We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

WOL. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate

what you,

Most like a careful subject, have collected

Out of the duke of Buckingham.

K. HEN.

Speak freely.

SURV. First, it was usual with him, every day

It would infect his speech, That if the king

7 And never seek for aid out of himself.] Beyond the treasures of his own mind. JOHNSON.

Read:

8

And ne'er Seek aid out of himself. Yet fee, --. RITSON.
noble benefits --

Not well dispos'd, Great gifts of nature and education, not

joined with good difpofitions. JOHNSON.

9

is become as black

As if besmear'd in hell.] So, in Othello:

"Her name, that was as fresh

" As Dian's visage, is now begrim'd and black

"As mine own face." STEEVENS.