Alexander Dyce, A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works

cope to encounter: “to cope him in these sullen fits,” AS YOU LIKE IT, ii. 1. 67 ; “I'll cope with thee,” 2 HENRY VI., iii. 2. 230 ; “Clifford, cope with him,” 3 HENRY VI., i. 3. 24 ; “whom you are to cope withal,” RICHARD III., v. 3. 315 ; “To cope malicious censurers,” HENRY VIII., i. 2. 78 ; “Ajax shall cope the best,” TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, ii. 3. 258 ; “the adversary I come to cope,” KING LEAR, v. 3. 124 ; “to cope your wife,” OTHELLO, iv. 1. 86 (=embrace); “Or futurely can cope,” THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN, i. 1. 174 ; “who shall cope him first,” VENUS AND ADONIS, 888 ; “we should have coped withal,” 2 HENRY IV., iv. 2. 95 ; “he yesterday coped Hector in the battle,” TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, i. 2. 32 ; “As e'er my conversation coped withal,” HAMLET, iii. 2. 53 ; “The royal fool thou copest with,” THE WINTER'S TALE, iv. 4. 416 (= “interchangest kindness or sentiments,” Johnson's Dict. ) ; “That copest with death himself,” ROMEO AND JULIET, iv. 1. 75.