SCENE II,

Another Part of the Forest,

Enter, from one side, MowBRAY, the Arch bishop, HASTINGS, and Others: from the other side, Prince JOHN of LANCASTER, WESTMORELAND, Officers, and Attendants.

P. John, You are well encounter'd here, my cousin Mowbray :

-

Good day to you, gentle Lord Archbishop;
And so to you, Lord Hastings and to all.
My Lord of York, it better show'd with you,
When that your flock, assembled by the hell,
Encircled you, to hear with reverence
Your exposition on the holy text;

Than now to see you here an iron man,
Cheering a rout of rebels with your drum,
Turning the word to sword, and life to death.
That man, that sits within a monarch's heart,
And ripens in the sunshine of his favour,
Would he abuse the countenance of the King,
Alack, what mischiefs might he set abroach,
In shadow of such greatness! With you Lord
Bishop,
It is even so: - Who hath not heard it spoken,
How deep you were within the books of God?
To us,
the speaker in his parliament;
To us, the imagin'd voice of God himself;
The very opener, and intelligencer,
Between the grace, the sanctities of heaven,
And our dull workings: 0, who shall believe,
But you misuse the reverence of your place;
Employ the countenance and grace of heaven,
As a false favourite doth his Prince's name,

In deeds dishonourable? You have taken up,
Under the counterfeited zeal of God,

The subjects of his substitute, my father;
And, both against the peace of heaven and him,
Have here up- swarm'd them.

Arch. Good my Lord of Lancaster,

I am not here against your father's peace:
But, as I told my Lord of Westmoreland,
The time misorder'd doth, in common sense,
Crowd us, and crush us, to this monstrous form,
To hold our safety up. I sent your Grace

The parcels aud particulars of our grief;

The which hath been with scorn shov'd from the court,

Whereon this Hydra son of war is born:
Whose dangerous eyes may well be charm'd
asleep,

With grant of our most just and right desires;
And true obedience, of this madness cur'd,
Stoop tainely to the foot of majesty.

, Mowb. If not, we ready are to try our for

To the last man.

tunes

Hast. And though we here fall down,
We have supplies to second our attempt;
If they miscarry, theirs shall second them:
And so, success of mischief shall be born;
And heir from heir shall hold this quarrel up,
Whiles England shall have generation.

P. John. You are too shallow, Hastings, much too shallow, To sound the bottom of the after times. West. Pleaseth your Grace, to answer them directly,

How far-forth you do like their articles?

P. John. I like them all, and do allow them.
well:

And swear here by the honour of my blood,
My father's purposes have been mistook;
And some about him have too lavishly
Wrested his meaning, and authority.

My Lord, these griefs shall be with speed re
dress'd;

Upon my soul, they shall, If this may please

you,

Discharge your powers unto their several conn

ties,

As we will ours and here, between the armies, Let's drink together friendly, and embrace; That all their eyes may bear those tokens home, Of our restored love, and amity.

Arch. I take your princely word for these redresses.

P. John. I give it you, and will maintain my word:

And thereupon I drink unto your Grace.

Hast. Go, Captain,

I know, it will well

༣་

[To an Officer.] and de-
liver to the army
let them have pay, and

part:

please them; Hie thee,
Captain.

[Exit Officer. Arch. To you, my noble Lord of Westmo

West. I pledge your

I have bestow'd, to breed

You would drink freely

reland.

Grace: And, if you knew what pains

this present peace,

my love to you

Shall show itself more openly hereafter.
Arch. I do not doubt you.

season;

For I am on the sudden, something ill.

Arch. Against ill chances, men are ever

merry;

But heaviness foreruns the good event.
West, Therefore he merry, coz;

den sorrow.

since sud

P. John. The word of peace is render'd; Hark, how they shout!

Mowb. This had been cheerful, after victory. Arch. A peace is of the nature of a conquest; For then both parties nobly are subdued, And neither party loser.

P. John. Go, my Lord,

And let our army be discharged too.

[Exit WESTMORELAND.

And, good my Lord, so please you, let our

trains

March by us; that ve may peruse the men
We should have cop'd withal.

Arch. Go, good Lord Hastings,

And, ere they be dismiss'd, let them march by.

[Exit HASTINGS.

P. John. I trust, Lords, we shall lie to-night

together.

Re-enter WESTMORELAND.

Now, cousin, wherefore stands our army still ? West. The leaders, having charge from you to stand,

Will not go off until they hear you speak.
P. John. They know their duties.

Re-enter HASTINGS.

Hast. My Lord, our army is dispers'd al

ready:

Like youthful steers unyok'd, they take their

courses

East, west, north, south; or, like

broke up,

a school

Each hurries toward his home, and sporting

place.

West. Good tidings, my Lord Hastings; for

the which

I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason:
And you, Lord Archbishop,

and you,

Lord

Mowbray,

Of capital treason I attach you both.

Mowb. Is this proceeding just and honour❤

able?

West. Is your assembly so?

Arch. Will you thus break your faith?
P. John. I pawn'd thee none :

I promis'd you redress of these same grievances, Whereof you did complain; which, by mine honour,

I will perform with a most christian care.
But, for you, rebels, look to taste the due
Meet for rebellion, and such acts as yours.
Most shallowly did you these arms commence,

Fondly