For your conversion. Now your traveller,— At your employment; at your service, sir:—— No, sir, says question, I, sweet sir, at yours: And so, ere answer knows what question would, (Saving in dialogue of compliment; And talking of the Alps and Apennines, It draws toward supper in conclusion so. And fits the mounting spirit, like myself: 6 'Tis too respective, and too sociable, For your conversion.] Respective, is respectful, formal. Conversion seems to mean, his late change of condition from a private gentleman to a knight. STEEVENS. 7 My picked man of countries:] i. e. my travelled fop. 8 like an ABC-book:] An ABC-book, or, as they spoke and wrote it, an absey-book, is a catechism. 9 For he is but a bastard to the time, &c.] He is accounted but a mean man in the present age. What woman-post is this? hath she no husband, That will take pains to blow a horn before her? Enter Lady FAULCONBRIDGE, and JAMES GURNEY. O me! it is my mother:-How now, good lady? What brings you here to court so hastily? Lady F. Where is that slave, thy brother? where is he? That holds in chase mine honour up and down? Lady F. Sir Robert's son! Ay, thou unreverend boy, Sir Robert's son: Why scorn'st thou at sir Robert ? He is sir Robert's son; and so art thou. Bast. James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave a while? Gur. Good leave,2 good Philip. Bast. Philip ?-sparrow !3-James, There's toys abroad; anon I'll tell thee more. 4 [Exit GURNEY. Madam, I was not old sir Robert's son ; To whom am I beholden for these limbs? 1Colbrand-] Colbrand was a Danish giant, whom Guy of Warwick discomfited in the presence of King Athelstan. 2 Good leave, &c.] Good leave means a ready assent. 9 Philip?-sparrow!] A sparrow is called Philip. * There's toys abroad; &c.] i. e. rumours idle reports. too, That for thine own gain should'st defend mine honour? What means this scorn, thou most untoward knave? What! I am dubb'd; I have it on my shoulder. Then, good my mother, let me know my father; Bast. As faithfully as I deny the devil. Lady F. King Richard Coeur-de-lion was thy fa- By long and vehement suit I was seduc'd Which was so strongly urg'd, past my defence. * Knight, knight, good mother,-Basilisco-like:] Faulconbridge's words here carry a concealed piece of satire on a stupid drama of that age, printed in 1599, and called Soliman and Perseda. In this piece there is a character of a bragging cowardly knight, called Basilisco. He, that perforce robs lions of their hearts, And they shall say, when Richard me begot, ACT II. SCENE I. France. Before the Walls of Angiers. Enter, on one side, the Archduke of Austria, and Forces; on the other, PHILIP, King of France, and Forces; LEWIS, CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and Attendants. Lew. Before Angiers well met, brave Austria.Arthur, that great fore-runner of thy blood, Richard, that robb'd the lion of his heart, And fought the holy wars in Palestine, By this brave duke came early to his grave: And, for amends to his posterity, 6 At our importance hither is he come, Of thy unnatural uncle, English John: Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither. Arth. God shall forgive you Coeur-de-lion's death, • At our importance-] At our importunity. The rather, that you give his offspring life, Lew. A noble boy! Who would not do thee right? Aust. Upon thy cheek lay I this zealous kiss, Till Angiers, and the right thou hast in France, Even till that utmost corner of the west Const. O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks, Till your strong hand shall help to give him strength, To make a more requital to your love. Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs, that lift their swords In such a just and charitable war. K. Phi. Well then, to work; our cannon shall be bent Against the brows of this resisting town. To cull the plots of best advantages:] i, e. to mark such stations as might over-awe the town. |