By drunken prophefies, libels, and dreams, 3 Of Edward's heirs the murderer fhall be. Dive, thoughts, down to my foul! here Clarence comes. Enter Clarence guarded, and Brakenbury. Brother, good day: What means this armed guard, That waits upon your grace? Clar. His majesty, Tendering my perfon's fafety, hath appointed Cla. Because my name is-George. Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours; He fhould, for that, commit your godfathers: O, belike, his majesty hath fome intent, That you should be new chriften'd in the Tower. He hearkens after prophefies, and dreams; And, for my name of George begins with G*, 3 -Edward be as true and just,] i. e, if Edward keeps his word. JOHNSON. And, for my name of George begins with G, &c.] So, in Nisols's Tragical Life and Death of Richard III: 66 By that blind riddle of the letter G, George loft his life; it took effect in me." STEEVENS. Thefe, as I learn, and fuch like toys as thefe, Glo. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by women : 'Tis not the king, that fends you to the Tower; Clar. By heaven, I think, there is no man fecure, 7 The jealous o'er-worn widow, and herself, Since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewomen, Are mighty goffips in this monarchy. Brak. I befeech your graces both to pardon me; His majesty hath ftraitly given in charge, That no man fhall have private conference, Of what degree foever, with his brother. Glo. Even fo? an please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we say: 5 toys Fancies, freaks of imagination. JOHNSON. So Hamlet, A. 1. S. 4. "The very place puts toys of defperation "Without more motive." EDITOR. • Humbly complaining &c.] I think these two lines might be better given to Clarence. JOHNSON. The jealous o'er-worn widow, and herself,] That is, the queen and Shore. JOHNSON. We We fpeak no treason, man ;-We say, the king Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do. Glo. Naught to do with miftrefs Shore? I tell He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Glo. Her husband, knave:-Would'st thou betray Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. Brother, farewel: I will unto the king; And whatfoe'er you will employ me in,— 8 Well ftruck in years;] This odd expreffion in our language was preceded by one as uncouth though of a fimilar kind. "Well fhot in years he feem'd &c.] Spenfer's F. Queen, B. V. c, vi: The meaning of neither is very obvious; but as Mr. Warton has obferved in his Effay on the Faery Queen, by an imperceptible progreffion from one kindred fenfe to another, words at length obtain a meaning entirely foreign to their original etymology. STEEVENS. the queen's abjects— -] That is, not the queen's fubjects, whom he might protect, but her abjects, whom she drives away. JOHNSON. So in Cafe is altered. How? Ask Dalio and Millo, 1604. HENDERSON. Were Were it, to call king Edward's widow-fifter', Mean time, this deep difgrace in brotherhood, Mean time, have patience. Clar. I must perforce; farewel.. [Exeunt Clarence and Brakenbury. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou fhalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence !-I do love thee fo, That I will fhortly fend thy foul to heaven, If heaven will take the present at our hands. But who comes here? the new-deliver'd Hastings? Enter Haftings. Haft. Good time of day unto my gracious lord. Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain ! Well are you welcome to this open air. How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? Haft. With patience, noble lord, as prifoners muft; But I fhall live, my lord, to give them thanks, That were the cause of my imprisonment. Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and fo fhall Clarence too; Were it to call king Edward's widow-fifter,] This is a very covert and fubtle manner of infinuating treafon. The natural expreffion would have been, were it to call king Edward's wife, fifter. I will folicit for you, though it fhould be at the expence of fo much degradation and conftraint, as to own the low-born wife of King Edward for a fifter. But by flipping, as it were cafually, widow, into the place of wife, he tempts Clarence with an oblique propofal to kill the king. JOHNSON. King Edward's widow is, I believe, only an expreffion of contempt, meaning the widow Grey, whom Edward had chofen for his queen. Glofter has already called her, the jealous o'erworn widow. STEEVENS. "Patience per 2 I must perforce.] Alluding to the proverb, force is a medicine for a mad dog." STEEVINS, For For they, that were your enemies, are his, Haft. No news fo bad abroad, as this at home;- Glo. Now, by faint Paul 4, that news is bad indeed, O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And over-much confum'd his royal perfon; 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon.. What, is he in his bed? Haft. He is. Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. [Exit Haftings. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die, 'Till George be pack'd with post-horse up to heaven, Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy, For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter: By marrying her, which I must reach unto. 3 -fhould be mew'd,] A mew was the place of confinement where a hawk was kept till he had moulted. So, in Albumazar: "Stand forth, transform'd Antonio, fully mew'd "From brown foar feathers of dull yeomanry, "To the glorious bloom of gentry.' STEEVENS. Now, by faint Paul, Now, by faint John, -] The folio reads: STEEVENS. Clarence |