With yet-appearing blood,) and the examples West. When ever yet was your appeal denied? Arch. My brother general, the commonwealth, I make my quarrel in particular. 5 West. There is no need of any such redress; Or, if there were, it not belongs to you. Mowb. Why not to him, in part; and to us all, That feel the bruises of the days before; And suffer the condition of these times To lay a heavy and unequal hand Upon our honours ? West. O my good lord Mowbray, Construe the times to their necessities,6 And you shall say indeed,1,-it is the time, And not the king, that doth you injuries. Yet, for your part, it not appears to me, Either from the king, or in the present time, That you should have an inch of any ground To build a grief on :7 Were not you restor❜d To all the duke of Norfolk's signiories, Your noble and right-well-remember'd father's? Mowb. What thing, in honour, had my father lost, That need to be reviv'd, and breath'd in me? The king, that lov'd him, as the state stood then, Was, force perforce, compell'd to banish him : And then, when Harry Bolingbroke, and he,— Being mounted, and both roused in their seats, [5] I believe there is an error in the first line, which perhaps may be rectified thus: My quarrel general, the commonwealth,' &c.i.e my general cause of discontent is public mismanagement; my particular cause a do. mestic injury done to my natural brother, who had been beheaded by the king's orders. JOHNS [6] That is,-judge of what is done in these times according to the exigencies that over rule us. JOHNS. [7] Whether the faults of government be imputed to the time or the king, it appears not that you have for your part, been injured either by the king or the time. JOHNS. Their neighing coursers daring of the spur, Their armed staves in charge, their beavers down,9 Then threw he down himself; and all their lives, Wes. You speak, lord Mowbray,now you know not what. The earl of Hereford was reputed then In England the most valiant gentleman; Who knows, on whom fortune would then have smil'd? He ne'er had borne it out of Coventry : Cry'd hate upon him; and all their prayers, and love, And bless'd, and grac'd indeed, more than the king. To know your griefs; to tell you from his grace, Mowb. But he hath forc'd us to compel this offer ; West. Mowbray, you overween to take it so ; Upon mine honour, all too confident Our men more perfect in the use of arms, Our armour all as strong, our cause the best; Then reason wills, our hearts should be as good: [8] An armed staff is a lance. To be in charge, is to be fixed in the rest for the encounter. JOHNS. [9] Beaver meant properly that part of the helmet whith let down, to enable the wearer to drink; but is confounded both here and in Hamlet with visiere, or used for helmet in general. MAL. [1] i. e. the perforated part of their helmets, through which they could see to direct their aim. Visiere, Fr. STEEV. Say you not then, our offer is compell'd. 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 :2 I muse you make so slight a question. York. Then take, my lord of Westmoreland, this schedule; For this contains our general grievances :- All members of our cause, both here and hence, That are insinew'd to this action, 3 Acquitted by a true substantial form ;3 To us, and to our purposes, consign'd ;4 West. This will I shew the general. Please you, lords, In sight of both our battles we may meet : And either end in peace, which heaven so frame! Or to the place of difference call the swords Which must decide it. 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 consist upon, Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains. That, were our royal faiths martyrs in love, That even our corn shall seem as light as chaff, And good from bad find no partition. [2] That is, This power is included in the name or office of a general. We wonder that you can ask question so trifling. JOHNS. [3] That is, By a pardon of legal validity. JOHNS. [4] I believe we should read-confirm'd." STEEV. Arch. No, no, my lord; note this,-the king is weary Of dainty and such picking grievances: For he hath found,-to end one doubt by death, To new remembrance: For full well he knows, Hast. Besides, the king hath wasted all his rods The very instruments of chastisement : So that his power, like to a fangless lion, Arch. Tis very true; And therefore be assur'd, my good lord marshall, Our peace will, like a broken limb united, Grow stronger for the breaking. Mowb. Be it so. Here is return'd my lord of Westmoreland. Wes. 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 come. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another Part of the Forest. Enter, on 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 : (5) Alluding to a table-book of slate, or ivory. WARB. Good day to you, gentle lord archbishop ;- Than now to see you here an iron man, Arch. Good my lord of Lancaster, I am not here against your father's peace: 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 which hath been with scorn shov'd from the court, Whose dangerous eyes may well be charm'd asleep, Stoop tamely to the foot of majesty. Mowb. If not, we are ready to try our fortunes [7] To take up is to levy, to raise in arms. JOHNS. 8 [8] Alluding to the dragon charmed to rest by the spells of Medea. STE. |