As, let them have their rights, they are ever for

ward

6

In celebration of this day with shows,
Pageants, and sights of honour.

1 GENT.

Never greater,

Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir.

2 GENT. May I be bold to ask what that contains, That paper in your hand?

1 GENT.

Yes; 'tis the list Of those, that claim their offices this day, By custom of the coronation.

The duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims

To be high steward; next, the duke of Norfolk, He to be earl marshal; you may read the rest.

2 GENT. I thank you, sir; had I not known those customs,

I should have been beholden to your paper.
But, I beseech you, what's become of Katharine,
The princess dowager? how goes her business?

1 GENT. That I can tell you too. The archbishop
Of Canterbury, accompanied with other
Learned and reverend fathers of his order,
Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off
From Ampthill, where the princess lay; to which
She oft was cited by them, but appear'd not:
And, to be short, for not appearance, and

6 this day- Sir Thomas Hanmer reads: these days

But Shakspeare meant such a day as this, a coronation day. And such is the English idiom, which our author commonly prefers to grammatical nicety. JOHNSON.

7

not appearance,] I suppose, our author wrote-nonappearance. So, in The Winter's Tale:

66 the execution did cry out

"Against the non-performance." STEEVENS.

The king's late scruple, by the main assent
Of all these learned men she was divorc'd,
And the late marriage made of none effect:
Since which, she was removed to Kimbolton,
Where she remains now, sick.

2 GENT.

Alas, good lady![Trumpets. The trumpets sound: stand close, the queen is

coming.

2. Lord Chancellor, with the purse and mace before him.

3, Choristers singing.

[Musick.

4. Mayor of London bearing the mace. Then Garter, in his coat of arms, and on his head, a gilt copper crown.

5. Marquis Dorset, bearing a scepter of gold, on his head a demi-coronal of gold. With him, the Earl of Surrey, bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned with an earl's coronet. Collars of SS.

6. Duke of Suffolk, in his robe of estate, his coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as high-steward. With him, the Duke of Nor

-the late marriage-] i. e. the marriage lately considered as a valid one. STEEVENS.

9

in his coat of arms,] i. e. in his coat of office, emblazoned with the royal arms. STEEVENS.

4

folk, with the rod of marshalship, a coronet on his head. Collars of SS.

7. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports; under it, the Queen in her robe; in her hair richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each side of her, the Bishops of London and Winchester.

8. The old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold, wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen's train.

9. Certain Ladies or Countesses, with plain circlets1 of gold without flowers.

2 GENT. A royal train, believe me.—These I

know :

Who's that, that bears the scepter?

1 GENT.

Marquis Dorset : And that the earl of Surrey, with the rod.

2 GENT. A bold brave gentleman: And that should be

The duke of Suffolk.

1 GENT.

'Tis the same; high-steward.

2 GENT. And that my lord of Norfolk?

1 GENT.

2 GENT.

Yes.

Heaven bless thee! [Looking on the Queen.

Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on.Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel;

coronal circlets-] I do not recollect that these two words occur in any other of our author's works; a circumstance that may serve to strengthen Dr. Farmer's opinion—that the directions for the court pageantry throughout the present drama, were drawn up by another hand. STEEVENS,

Our king has all the Indies in his arms,

And more, and richer, when he strains that lady :2 I cannot blame his conscience.

1 GENT.

They, that bear The cloth of honour over her, are four barons Of the Cinque-ports.

2 GENT. Those men are happy; and so are all, are near her.

I take it, she that carries up the train,

Is that old noble lady, duchess of Norfolk.

1 GENT. It is; and all the rest are countesses. 2 GENT. Their coronets say so. These are stars, indeed;

And, sometimes, falling ones.

1 GENT.

No more of that.

[Exit Procession, with a great flourish of Trumpets.

Enter a third Gentleman.

God save you, sir! Where have you been broiling?

3 GENT. Among the croud i'the abbey ;

finger

where a

when he strains that lady:] I do not recollect that our author, in any other of his works, has used the verb-strain in its present sense, which is that of the Latin comprimere. Thus Livy, I. 4: " Compressa vestalis, quum geminum partum edidisset," &c. Again, in Chapman's version of the 21st Iliad: "Bright Peribæa, whom the flood, &c. "Compress'd."

I have pointed out this circumstance, because Ben Jonson is suspected of having made some additions to the play before us, and, perhaps, in this very scene which is descriptive of the personages who compose the antecedent procession. See Dr. Farmer's note on the Epilogue to this play. STEEVENS.

Could not be wedg'd in more; and I am stifled3 With the mere rankness of their joy.

3 GENT. As well as I am able. The rich stream* Of lords, and ladies, having brought the queen To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell off

A distance from her; while her grace sat down
To rest a while, some half an hour, or so,
In a rich chair of state, opposing freely
The beauty of her person to the people.
Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman
That ever lay by man: which when the people
Had the full view of, such a noise arose
As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest,
As loud, and to as many tunes: hats, cloaks,
(Doublets, I think,) flew up; and had their faces
Been loose, this day they had been lost. Such joy
I never saw before. Great-bellied women,

3

and I am stifled-] And was introduced by Sir T. Hanmer, to complete the measure. STEEVENS.

66

The rich stream &c.]

ingentem foribus domus alta superbis

"Mane salutantum totis vomit ædibus undam."

Virg. Georg. II. 461. MALONE.

Again, in the second Thebaid of Statius, v. 223: 66 foribus cum immissa superbis

"Unda fremit vulgi."

So, in Timon of Athens, Act I. sc. i:

"this confluence, this great flood of visitors." See Dr. Johnson's note on this passage. STEEVENS.