To lay a heavy and unequal hand 3 O, when the king did throw his warder down, His own life hung upon the staff he threw; Then threw he down himself; and all their lives, That by indictment, and by dint of sword, Have since miscarried under Bolingbroke. West. You speak, lord Mowbray, now you know not what. The earl of Hereford was reputed then Who knows, on whom fortune would then have smiled? 1 The thirty-seven following lines are not in the quarto. 2 i. e. their lances fixed in the rest for the encounter. 3 The perforated part of the helmets, through which they could see to direct their aim (visiere, Fr.). 4 This is a mistake; he was duke of Hereford. He ne'er had borne it out of Coventry ; Cried hate upon him; and all their prayers, and love, And blessed, and graced indeed, more than the king. To know your griefs; to tell you from his grace, Mowb. But he hath forced us to compel this offer, And it proceeds from policy, not love. West. Mowbray, you overween, to take it so. Mowb. Well, by my will, we shall admit no parley West. That argues but the shame of your offence. A rotten case abides no handling. Hast. Hath the prince John a full commission, In very ample virtue of his father, To hear, and absolutely to determine Of what conditions we shall stand upon ? West. That is intended in the general's name. I muse, you make so slight a question. Arch. Then take, my lord of Westmoreland, this schedule; For this contains our general grievances. Each several article herein redressed; All members of our cause, both here and hence, That are insinewed to this action; Acquitted by a true, substantial form, And present execution of our wills West. This will I show the general. Please you lords, In sight of both our battles we may meet: Arch. My lord, we will do so. [Exit WEST. Mowb. There is a thing within my bosom, tells me, That no conditions of our peace can stand. Hast. Fear you not that. If we can make our peace Upon such large terms, and so absolute, As our conditions shall consist3 upon, Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains. And good from bad find no partition. Arch. No, no, my lord. Note this; the king is weary 5 Of dainty and such picking grievances; For he hath found, to end one doubt by death, 6 And therefore will he wipe his tables clean; 1 The old copy reads confined. Johnson proposed to read consigned; which must be understood in the Latin sense, consignatus, signed, sealed, ratified, confirmed; which was indeed the old meaning. Shakspeare use consign and consigning in other places in this sense. 2 Awful for lawful; or under the due awe of authority. 3 To consist, to rest; consisto.-Baret. 4 The faith due to a king. 5 Insignificant. 6 Alluding to table books of slate, ivory, &c. That may repeat and history his loss. To new remembrance. For full well he knows Hast. Besides, the king hath wasted all his rods So that his power, like to a fangless lion, Arch. 'Tis very true;- Our peace will, like a broken limb united, Mowb. Be it so. Here is returned my lord of Westmoreland. Re-enter WESTMORELAND. West. The prince is here at hand. Pleaseth your lordship To meet his grace just distance 'tween our armies? Mowb. Your grace of York, in God's name then set forward. Arch. Before, and greet his grace: my lord, we | Exeunt come. SCENE II. Another Part of the Forest Enter, from one side, MOWBRAY, the Archbishop, HASTINGS, and others: from the other side, PRINCE JOHN of Lancaster, WESTMORELAND, Officers, and Attendants. P. John. You are well encountered here, my cousin Good day to you, gentle lord archbishop; Than now to see you here an iron man,1 In shadow of such greatness! With you, lord bishop, 1 Holinshed says of the archbishop, that, "coming forth amongst them clad in armour, he encouraged and pricked them foorth to take the enter prize in hand." 2 Dull workings are labors of thought. 3 Raised up in arms. VOL. IV. 10 |