The fpinfters, carders, fullers, weavers, who, King. Taxation! Wherein? and what taxation?-My lord cardinal, Wol. Please you, fir, I know but of a fingle part, in aught Pertains to the ftate; and front but in that file? 2. Cath. No, my lord, You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not wholesome "The kings before their many rode." JOHNSON. Too I believe the many is only the multitude. Thus Coriolanus, speaking of the rabble, calls them: "the mutable rank-fcented many." STEEVENS. 6 And Danger ferves among them.] Danger is perfonalized as serving in the rebel army, and fhaking the established government. WARB. Chaucer, Gower, Skelton, and Spenfer, have perfonified Danger. The firft, in his Romaunt of the Rofe; the fecond, in his fifth book De Confeffione Amantis; the third in his Bouge of Court: "With that, anone out ftart dangere." and the fourth, in the 10th Canto of the fourth book of his Faery Queen, and again in the fifth book and the ninth Canto. STEEVENS. 7 - front but in that file-] I am but primus inter pares. I am but firft in the row of counfellors. JOHNSON. This was the very idea that Wolfey wished to difclaim. It was not his intention to acknowledge that he was the first in the row of coun fellors, but that he was merely on a level with the rest, and stept in the fame line with them. MASON. You know no more than others: &c.] That is, you know no more than other counsellors, but you are the perfon who frame those things which are afterwards propofed, and known equally by all. MASON. Too hard an exclamation. King. Still exaction! The nature of it? In what kind, let's know, Is this exaction? 2. Cath. I am much too venturous In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd Is nam'd, your wars in France: This makes bold mouths: Live where their prayers did; and it's come to pafs, To each incenfed will. I would, your highness King. By my life, This is against our pleasure. 9 That tractable obedience is a flave To each incenfed will.] The meaning, I think, is, Things are now in fuch a fituation, that refentment and indignation predominate in every man's breaft over duty and allegiance. MALONE. • There is no primer business.] In the old edition: There is no primer bafenefs. But The queen is here complaining of the fuffering of the commons; which, fhe fufpects, arofe from the abufe of power in fome great men. fhe is very referved in fpeaking her thoughts concerning the quality of it. We may be affured then, that he did not, in conclufion, call it the highest bafene's; but rather made ufe of a word that could not offend the cardinal, and yet would incline the king to give it a speedy hearing. I read therefore: There is no primer bufinefs. i. e. no matter of fate that more earnestly preffes a difpatch. WARB, Dr. Warburton (for reafons which he has given in his note) would read: no primer bufinefs: but I think the meaning of the original word is fufficiently clear. No primer bajenefs is no mischief more ripe or ready for redress. So, in Othello: "Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkies. STEEVENS, I have no further gone in this, than by If I am Traduc'd by ignorant tongues, which neither know The chronicles of my doing,-let me fay, 'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake To cope 3 malicious cenfurers; which ever, That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further For our best act. If we fhall stand still, In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, King. Things done well, And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent 2 We must not fint-] To fint is to flop, to retard. Many inftances of this fenfe of the word are given in a note on the first act of Romeo and Juliet. STEEVENS. 3 To cope-] To engage with; to encounter. in fome counties. JOHNSON. The word is ftill used 4- once week ones,] Once is not unfrequently used for fometime, or at one time or other, among our ancient writers. So, in the 13th Idea of Drayton : "This diamond fhall once confume to duft." Again, in The Merry Wives of Windsor:-"I pray thee once to-night give my fweet Nan this ring." Again in Leicefter's Commonwealth: if God fhould take from us her most excellent majefty, (as once he will,) and fo leave us deftitute." STEEVENS. 5 or not allow'd;] Not approved. See Vol. I. p. 239, n. 3. MALONE. what quorft, as of, 6 Hitting a groffer quality,--] The worst actions of great men are commended by the vulgar, as more accommodated to the groliness of their notions. JOHNSON. Of Of this commiffion? I believe, not any. We must not rend our subjects from our laws, From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber; Wel. A word with you. Let there be letters writ to every fhire, [To the Secretary. Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd commons Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd, That, through our interceffion, this revokement And pardon comes: I fhall anon advise you Further in the proceeding. Enter Surveyor. [Exit Secretary. 2. Cath. I am forry, that the duke of Buckingham Is run in your displeasure. King. It grieves many: The gentleman is learn'd, and a moft rare fpeaker, lop, bark, —] Lop is a fubftantive, and fignifies the branches. That, through our interceffion, &c.] So, in Holinfhed, p. 892: "The cardinall, to deliver himself from the evill will of the commons, purchafed by procuring and advancing of this demand, affirmed, and caufed it to be bruted abrode, that through bis interceffion the king had pardoned and releafed all things." STEEVENS. 9 The gentleman is learn'd, &c.] It appears from "The Prologue of the tranflatour," that the Knygbt of the Swanne, a French romance, was tranflated at the request of this unfortunate nobleman. Copland, the printer, adds, "this prefent hiftory compyled, named Heiyas the Knight of the Swanne, of whom linially is defcended my faid lord." The duke was executed on Friday the 17th of May, 1521. The book has no date. STEEVENS. ▲ — out of bimself.-] Beyond the treafures of his own mind. JOHNS. Not Not well difpes'd, the mind growing once corrupt, We cannot feel too little, hear too much. Wol. Stand forth; and with bold fpirit relate what you, Moft like a careful fubject, have collected Out of the duke of Buckingham. King. Speak freely. Surv. First, it was ufual with him, every day Wol. Pleafe your highness, note This dangerous conception in this point 4. His will is molt malignant; and it ftretches 2. Cath. My learn'd lord cardinal, Deliver all with charity. 2 noble benefits Not well difpos'd,-] Great gifts of nature and education, not joined with good difpofitions. JOHNSON. As if befmear'd in bell.] So, in Othello: Her name, that was as fresh "As Dian's vifage, is now begrim'd and black "As mine own face." STEEVENS. -he'd carry it—] Old Copy-bey. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALONE. 4 This dangerous conception in this point.] Note this particular part of this dangerous design. JoHNSON. |