That may repeat and history his loss To new remembrance: For full well he knows, Hast. Besides, the king hath wasted all his rods Arch. 'Tis very true;— And therefore be assur'd, my good lord marshal, If we do now make our atonement well, Our peace will, like a broken limb united, Mowb. Be it so. Here is return'd 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. 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 encounter'd here, my cousin Mowbray : Good day to you, gentle lord archbishop; Than now to see you here an iron man1, To us, the imagin'd voice of God himself; 2 Between the grace, the sanctities of heaven, 1 Holinshed says of the Archbishop, that, coming foorth amongst them clad in armour, he encouraged and pricked them foorth to take the enterprize in hand.' 2 This expression has been adopted by Milton : ' Around him all the sanctities of heaven 3 Dull workings are labours of thought. So in King Henry V. : The forge and working-house of thought.' But you misuse the reverence of your place; The subjects of his substitute, my father; Arch. Good my lord of Lancaster, I am not here against your father's peace: The which hath been with scorn shov'd from the court, Whose dangerous eyes may well be charm'd asleep, Mowb. If not, we ready are to try our fortunes To the last man. 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. 4 Raised up in arms. 5 Common sense is the general sense of general danger. Alluding to the dragon charmed to rest by the spells of Medea. 7 Succession, West. Pleaseth your grace, to answer them, di rectly, How far-forth do you like their articles? P. John. I like them all, and do allow them well : My lord, these griefs shall be with speed redress'd; 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 [To an Officer], and deliver to the army This news of peace; let them have pay, and part: I have bestow'd, to breed this present peace, Arch. I do not doubt 8 Approve. you. 9 It was Westmoreland who made this deceitful proposal, as appears from Holinshed: The earl of Westmoreland, using more policie than the rest, said, whereas our people have been long in armour, let them depart home to their woonted trades: In the mean time let us drink togither in signe of agreement, that the people on both sides may see it, and know that it is true, that we be light at a point.' I am glad of it. West. Health to my lord, and gentle cousin, Mowbray. Mowb. You wish me health in very happy 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 be merry, coz: since sudden sorrow Serves to say thus,-Some good thing comes to morrow. Arch. Believe me, I am passing light in spirit. Mowb. So much the worse, if your own rule be [Shouts within. P. John. The word of peace is render'd; Hark, how they shout! true. 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, [Exit WESTMORELAND. And let our army be discharged too. And, good my lord, so please you, let our trains March by us; that we may peruse the men We should have cop'd withal. Arch. Go, good Lord Hastings, [Exit HASTINgs. P. John. I trust, my 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. |