Pist. Let us condole the knight; for, lambkins, we will live. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Southampton. A Council-Chamber. Enter EXETER, BEDFORD, and WESTMOREland. Bed. 'Fore God, his grace is bold, to trust these traitors. Exe. They shall be apprehended by and by. West. How smooth and even they do bear themselves! As if allegiance in their bosoms sat, Crowned with faith, and constant loyalty. Bed. The king hath note of all that they intend, By interception which they dream not of. Exe. Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow, Whom he hath cloy'd and grac'd with princely favours, That he should, for a foreign purse, so sell Trumpet sounds. Enter King HENRY, SCROOP, CAMBRIDGE, GREY, Lords, and Attendants. K. Hen. Now sits the wind fair, and we will aboard. My lord of Cambridge,-and my kind lord of Masham, And you, my gentle knight,-give me your thoughts: Think you not, that the powers we bear with us, Will cut their passage through the force of France; Doing the execution, and the act, For which we have in head assembled them?8 Scroop. No doubt, my liege, if each man do his best. K. Hen. I doubt not that: since we are well persuaded, We carry not a heart with us from hence, That grows not in a fair consent with ours; Cam. Never was monarch better fear'd, and lov'd, Than is your majesty; there's not, I think, a subject, That sits in heart-grief and uneasiness Under the sweet shade of your government. Grey. Even those, that were your father's enemies, Have steep'd their galls in honey; and do serve you With hearts create of duty and of zeal. K. Hen. We therefore have great cause of thankfulness; And shall forget the office of our hand, Sooner than quittance of desert and merit, Scroop. So service shall with steeled sinews toil; K. Hen. We judge no less.-Uncle of Exeter, Enlarge the man committed yesterday, That rail'd against our person: we consider, It was excess of wine that set him on; And, on his more advice, we pardon him. Scroop. That's mercy, but too much security: Let him be punish'd, sovereign; lest example 8 For which we have in head assembled them?] In head seems synonymous with the modern military term in force. 9 and zeal. hearts create] Hearts compounded or made up of duty more advice,] On his return to more coolness of mind. Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind. Cam. So may your highness, and yet punish too. Grey. Sir, you show great mercy, if you give him life, After the taste of much correction. K. Hen. Alas, your too much love and care of me Are heavy orisons 'gainst this poor wretch. If little faults, proceeding on distemper,2 Shall not be wink'd at, how shall we stretch our eye, When capital crimes, chew'd, swallow'd, and digested, Appear before us?-We'll yet enlarge that man, Though Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey,—in their dear care, And tender preservation of our person,— Would have him punish'd. And now to our French causes; Who are the late commissioners ?+ Cam. I one, my lord; Your highness bade me ask for it to-day. K. Hen. Then, Richard, earl of Cambridge, there is yours; There yours, lord Scroop of Masham;-and, sir knight, Grey of Northumberland, this same is yours:Read them; and know, I know your worthiness.My lord of Westmoreland,—and uncle Exeter, -proceeding on distemper,] It has been just said by the king, that it was excess of wine that set him on, and distemper may therefore mean intoxication. Distemper'd in liquor is still a common expression. — how shall we stretch our eye,] If we may not wink at small faults, how wide must we open our eyes at great? Who are the late commissioners?] That is, as appears from the sequel, who are the persons lately appointed commissioners? We will aboard to-night.-Why, how now, gentle men? What see you in those papers, that you lose So much complexion?-look ye, how they change! Their cheeks are paper.-Why, what read you there, That hath so cowarded and chas'd Out of appearance? Cam. your blood I do confess my fault; And do submit me to your highness' mercy. Grey. Scroop. To which we all appeal. K. Hen. The mercy, that was quick in us but late, By your own counsel is suppress'd and kill'd: peers, These English monsters! My lord of Cambridge here, You know, how apt our love was, to accord 5 quick-] That is, living. 7 Could out of thee extract one spark of evil, With patches, colours, and with forms being fetch'd 8 But he, that temper'd thee, bade thee stand up, Gave thee no instance why thou should'st do trea son, Unless to dub thee with the name of traitor. If that same dæmon, that hath gull'd thee thus, 6 though the truth of it stands off as gross, As black from white,] Though the truth be as apparent and visible as black and white contiguous to each other. To stand off is être relevé, to be prominent to the eye, as the strong parts of a picture. 7 so grossly] Palpably; with a plain and visible connection of cause and effect. 8 will. 9 he that temper'd thee,] i. e. rendered thee pliable to his vasty Tartar-] i. e. Tartarus, the fabled place of future punishment. |