1996West. You speak (Lord Mowbray) now you know not what.

1997The Earle of Hereford was reputed then

1998In England the most valiant Gentleman.

1999Who knowes, on whom Fortune would then haue smil'd?

2000But if your Father had beene Victor there,

2001Hee ne're had borne it out of Couentry.

2002For all the Countrey, in a generall voyce,

2003Cry'd hate vpon him: and all their prayers, and loue,

2004Were set on Herford, whom they doted on,

2005And bless'd, and grac'd, and did more then the King.

2006But this is meere digression from my purpose.

2007Here come I from our Princely Generall,

2008To know your Griefes; to tell you, from his Grace,

2009That hee will giue you Audience: and wherein

2010It shall appeare, that your demands are iust,

2011You shall enioy them, euery thing set off,

2012That might so much as thinke you Enemies.

2013Mow. But hee hath forc'd vs to compell this Offer,

2014And it proceedes from Pollicy, not Loue.

2015West. Mowbray, you ouer-weene to take it so:

2016This Offer comes from Mercy, not from Feare.

2017For loe, within a Ken our Army lyes,

2018Vpon mine Honor, all too confident

2019To giue admittance to a thought of feare.

2020Our Battaile is more full of Names then yours,

2021Our Men more perfect in the vse of Armes,

2022Our Armor all as strong, our Cause the best;

2023Then Reason will, our hearts should be as good.

2024Say you not then, our Offer is compell'd.

2025Mow. Well, by my will, wee shall admit no Parley.

2026West. That argues but the shame of your offence:

2027A rotten Case abides no handling.

2028Hast. Hath the Prince Iohn a full Commission,

2029In very ample vertue of his Father,

2030To heare, and absolutely to determine

2031Of what Conditions wee shall stand vpon?

2032West. That is intended in the Generals Name:

2033I muse you make so slight a Question.

2034Bish. Then take (my Lord of Westmerland) this Schedule,

2035For this containes our generall Grieuances:

2036Each seuerall Article herein redress'd,

2037All members of our Cause, both here, and hence,

2038That are insinewed to this Action,

2039Acquitted by a true substantiall forme,

2040And present execution of our wills,

2041To vs, and to our purposes confin'd,

2042Wee come within our awfull Banks againe,

2043And knit our Powers to the Arme of Peace.

2044West. This will I shew the Generall. Please you Lords,

2045In sight of both our Battailes, wee may meete

2046At either end in peace: which Heauen so frame,

2047Or to the place of difference call the Swords,

2048Which must decide it.

2049Bish. My Lord, wee will doe so.

2050Mow. There is a thing within my Bosome tells me,

2051That no Conditions of our Peace can stand.

2052Hast. Feare you not, that if wee can make our Peace

2053Vpon such large termes, and so absolute,

2054As our Conditions shall consist vpon,

2055Our Peace shall stand as firme as Rockie Mountaines.

2056Mow. I, but our valuation shall be such,

2057That euery slight, and false-deriued Cause,

2058Yea, euery idle, nice, and wanton Reason,

2059Shall, to the King, taste of this Action:

2060That were our Royall faiths, Martyrs in Loue,

2061Wee shall be winnowed with so rough a winde,

2062That euen our Corne shall seeme as light as Chaffe,

2063And good from bad finde no partition.

2064Bish. No, no (my Lord) note this: the King is wearie

2065Of daintie, and such picking Grieuances:

2066For hee hath found, to end one doubt by Death,

2067Reuiues two greater in the Heires of Life.

2068And therefore will hee wipe his Tables cleane,

2069And keepe no Tell-tale to his Memorie,

2070That may repeat, and Historie his losse,

2071To new remembrance. For full well hee knowes,

2072Hee cannot so precisely weede this Land,

2073As his mis-doubts present occasion:

2074His foes are so en-rooted with his friends,

2075That plucking to vnfixe an Enemie,

2076Hee doth vnfasten so, and shake a friend.

2077So that this Land, like an offensiue wife,

2078That hath enrag'd him on, to offer strokes,

2079As he is striking, holds his Infant vp,

2080And hangs resolu'd Correction in the Arme,

2081That was vprear'd to execution.

2082Hast. Besides, the King hath wasted all his Rods,

2083On late Offenders, that he now doth lacke

2084The very Instruments of Chasticement:

2085So that his power, like to a Fanglesse Lion

2086May offer, but not hold.

2087Bish. 'Tis very true:

2088And therefore be assur'd (my good Lord Marshal)

2089If we do now make our attonement well,

2090Our Peace, will (like a broken Limbe vnited)

2091Grow stronger, for the breaking.

2092Mow. Be it so:

2093Heere is return'd my Lord of Westmerland.

2095West. The Prince is here at hand: pleaseth your Lordship

2096To meet his Grace, iust distance 'tweene our Armies?

2097Mow. Your Grace of Yorke, in heauen's name then

2098forward.

2099Bish. Before, and greet his Grace (my Lord) we come.

2101Iohn. You are wel encountred here (my cosin Mowbray)

2102Good day to you, gentle Lord Archbishop,

2103And so to you Lord Hastings, and to all.

2104My Lord of Yorke, it better shew'd with you,

2105When that your Flocke (assembled by the Bell)

2106Encircled you, to heare with reuerence

2107Your exposition on the holy Text,

2108Then now to see you heere an Iron man

2109Chearing a rowt of Rebels with your Drumme,

2110Turning the Word, to Sword; and Life to death:

2111That man that sits within a Monarches heart,

2112And ripens in the Sunne-shine of his fauor,

2113Would hee abuse the Countenance of the King,

2114Alack, what Mischiefes might hee set abroach,

2115In shadow of such Greatnesse? With you, Lord Bishop,

2116It is euen so. Who hath not heard it spoken,

2117How deepe you were within the Bookes of Heauen?

2118To vs, the Speaker in his Parliament;

2119To vs, th'imagine Voyce of Heauen it selfe:

2120The very Opener, and Intelligencer,

2121Betweene the Grace, the Sanctities of Heauen,

2122And our dull workings. O, who shall beleeue,

2123But you mis-vse the reuerence of your Place,

2124Employ the Countenance, and Grace of Heauen,

2125As a false Fauorite doth his Princes Name,

2126In deedes dis-honorable? You haue taken vp,