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NYM. The king hath run bad humours on the knight; that's the even of it.

PIST. Nym, thou hast spoke the right;

His heart is fracted and corroborate.

NYM. The king is a good king: but it must be as it may; he passes some humours and careers.

PIST. Let us condole the knight; for, lambkins, we will live.

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.

118 run bad humours] let loose evil caprices, or perversities of temper. 119 that's the even of it] that's the level truth.

121 corroborate] a blunder for corrupted.

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123 he passes ... careers] he indulges in some whims and caprices. See note on M. Wives, I, i, 161, for the phrase "pass careers.' It is a riding term applied to a brief gallop to and fro, abruptly stopped.

120

EXE. Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow, Whom he hath dull'd and cloy'd with gracious favours, That he should, for a foreign purse, so sell His sovereign's life to death and treachery.

Trumpets sound. Enter KING HENRY, SCROOP, Cambridge, GreY, 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?

10

SCROOP. No doubt, my liege, if each man do his best. K. HEN. I doubt not that; since we are well 20 persuaded

We carry not a heart with us from hence

That grows not in a fair consent with ours,
Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish
Success and conquest to attend on us.

CAM. Never was monarch better fear'd and loved
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.

8 the man... bedfellow] According to Holinshed, this was true of Lord Scrope.

9 dull'd and cloy'd... favours] rendered inappreciative through excess of

generosity.

18 in head] in force.

22 in a fair consent] in unison, in friendly concord.

GREY. True: 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
According to the weight and worthiness.

SCROOP. So service shall with steeled sinews toil,
And labour shall refresh itself with hope,
To do your grace incessant services.

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
Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind.
K. HEN. O, let us yet be merciful.

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!

31 create] composed, made up.

43 on his more advice] on his return to better judgment. 44 security] confidence.

30

40

50

If little faults, proceeding on distemper,

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 60

causes:

Who are the late commissioners ?

CAM. I one, my lord:

Your highness bade me ask for it to-day.
SCROOP. So did you me, my liege.

GREY. And I, my royal sovereign.

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,
We will aboard to-night. Why, how now, gentlemen!
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 chased your blood
Out of appearance?

54 proceeding on distemper] resulting from sudden outbursts of passion (in this case from excess of drink).

61 late] lately or recently appointed.

63 ask for it] ask for my warrant as commissioner.

73 change] sc. colour.

70

CAM.

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:
You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy;
For your own reasons turn into your bosoms,
As dogs upon their masters, worrying you.
See you, my princes and my noble peers,

These English monsters! My Lord of Cambridge here,
You know how apt our love was to accord
To furnish him with all appertinents
Belonging to his honour; and this man
Hath, for a few light crowns, lightly conspired,
And sworn unto the practices of France,
To kill us here in Hampton: to the which
This knight, no less for bounty bound to us
Than Cambridge is, hath likewise sworn. But, O,
What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop? thou cruel,
Ingrateful, savage and inhuman creature!
Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels,
That knew'st the very bottom of my soul,
That almost mightst have coin'd me into gold,
Wouldst thou have practised on me for thy use,
May it be possible, that foreign hire

79 quick] alive.

86 accord] consent.

90 sworn unto the practices] sworn to engage in the plots. 91 Hampton] A common form of Southampton.

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90

100

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