I do not readily find a sense in two lines with which all appear to have been satisfied. Suppose the meaning to be: 'That English as well as French-French as well as English may receive each other.' 'Receive' may signify 'receive as 'friends.' So in Holinshed: He received the said Woodville, and cherished him against the state of the king,' A.D. 1425. But even with this signification of 'receive,' the expression does not bear the intended meaning, which is quite irreconcilabie with the absence of as' between French and Englishmen. The lines should run thus:

That English may as French, Frenchmen as English, Receive each other;

or thus less musically:

That English may as French, French as Englishmen, Receive each other.

Again the poet may have intended to express the wish. That English may receive French as English now receive Englishmen, and that Frenchmen may receive Englishmen 'as French now receive French.' This too would be a relevant and sufficient wish, but the lines do not approach to the proper expression of it, except after at least as much alteration as this;

That English may, as English, French as Frenchmen, Receive each other.

Chorus. Thus far, with rough, and all-unable pen, Our bending author hath pursued the story; In little room confining mighty men,

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.

The phrase 'our bending author' is by no means a clear

one. Steevens suggests either 'unequal to the subject' or 'stooping in humble petition for your indulgence.' Delius prefers the latter. I think it means either 'our author com'posing at the top of his bent,' that is using his best efforts,' or 'our author bending his course.' Both of these meanings are frequently intended by Shakespeare in his use of the word 'bend.' Of the latter signification we have instances in All's Well, &c.

'Thence we came,

'Thither we bend again.'-Act iii. sc. 2.

So again in Winter's Tale:

'My best train

'I have from your Sicilian shores dismissed,
'Who for Bohemia bend.'-Act v. sc. I.

So again in Henry IV. pt. i.

'You, son John, and my cousin Westmorland,

'Towards York shall bend you with your dearest speed.'

Act v. sc. 2.

This signification, too, is further suggested by the context: Thus far hath pursued the story.'

150

KING HENRY VI. PART I.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Exe. Henry is dead, and never shall revive:

Upon a wooden coffin we attend;

And death's dishonourable victory

We with our stately presence glorify,

Like captives bound to a triumphant car.

'Dishonourable victory' here must mean 'that which dis'honours us whom it vanquishes in the presence of our enemies' -not that which dishonours the victor death,' as it would mean in the modern acceptation of the word. In the same active sense many verbal adjectives are used by Shakespeare -as 'defensible,' 'advantageable.' Possibly Shakespeare bore in mind 'It is sown in dishonour-it is raised in 'glory.' (1 Cor. xv. 43.)

Exe. What? shall we curse the planets of mishap, That plotted thus our glory's overthrow? Or shall we think the subtle-witted French Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him, By magick verses have contriv'd his end?

The first line seems to exhibit a very unusual construction of the verb 'curse' with 'of.' I do not suggest the substitu

tion either of 'accuse' for 'curse,' or of 'for' for 'of,' but I believe that of mishap' depends immediately upon 'planets,' and that 'planets of mishap' signifies 'unlucky planets,' as 'comets of revenge' means 'avenging comets' below.

Win. The church's prayers made him so pros

perous.

Glo. The church! where is it? Had not church

men pray'd,

His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:
None do you like but an effeminate prince,
Whom, like a schoolboy, you may over-awe.

I suspect that there is an error in the second line, and that we should read:

The church! where is it? Had but churchmen pray'd

His thread of life had not so soon decay'd.

That this charge against the Church is erroneously exaggerated by the present reading we have some proof in the expressions 'The church! where is it?' a question seemingly equivalent to a reproach of default and omission, not to one of such malignant activity, as would have given very clear indication of her presence. I do not overlook the accusation of Winchester that he never went to church except to pray against his enemies.

Bed. Posterity, await for wretched years,

When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck.

'Await for' is, so far as I know, an unexampled combination. I believe that we should read:

Posterity, await sore wretched years,

When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck.

'Sore is used in Shakespeare with adjectives no less than with participles, in the sense of 'very.'

Thus we have 'sore

'sick more than once, sore hurt,' 'sore empierced.'

Mess. One would have ling'ring wars, with little

cost;

Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expence at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain❜d.
Awake, awake, English nobility!
Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot:
Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms;
Of England's coat one half is cut away.

The third line is defective in the first folio, running thus:
'A third thinks without expense at all.'

In the three following folios it is amended thus:

'A third man thinks without expense at all.'

S. Walker substitutes 'a third one,' Delius proposes 'a third 'thinketh, Keightley 'a third thinks that,' and an anonymous correspondent of the Cambridge editors, 'While a 'third thinks.' As well because the letters 'an' commence the line immediately above as from general preference I suggest :

And a third thinks, without expense at all.

I rather incline also to read the last line but two:

Let not sloth dim your honours newly got.

The metaphor 'new-begot honours' is very harsh; while we have below:

'Ascribe the glory of his conquest got

First to my God.'