Chapter LXXXVII: Act I

SC. 1. "_Cant._ The King is full of grace and fair regard,
And a true lover of the Holy Church.

_Ely._ The courses of his youth promis'd it not.

_Cant._ The breath no sooner left his father's body," etc.

It is really marvellous that for two centuries and a half no critic--not even Theobald or Tyrwhitt--should have discerned that this was the true distribution of the speeches. See Introd. p. 48.

* * * * *

"Upon our spiritual convocation."

This is no doubt metrical; but it is not easy to make sense of it. I suspect that the poet may have written 'Upon _the part of_,' the verse still being metrical.

* * * * *

SC. 2. "They know your Grace has cause and means and might ..."

There is an evident aposiopesis.

* * * * *

"To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner-kings,
And make their chronicle as rich with praise," etc.

Collier's folio reads (I think, well) _train_ for 'fame,' and _his_ or _her_ for 'their.'

* * * * *

"To tear and havoc more than she can eat."

'Tear' is Rowe's; the 4tos have _spoil_, the folio _tame_.

* * * * *

"For government, though high and low and lower."

It might seem that 'though' was a misprint for _through_. In M. for M. iii. 1, the folio has _through_ for _though_.

* * * * *

"They have a king and officers of _all_ sorts."

* * * * *

"And therefore living hence did give ourselves
To barbarous licence."

We should surely read _thence_ or _here_ for 'hence.'

* * * * *

"Be like a king and show my sail of greatness."

Perhaps 'sail' should be _full_; or 'my sail' _me full_.