1845King. Gloster, 'tis true that we are in great danger,

1846The greater therefore should our Courage be.

1847God morrow Brother Bedford: God Almightie,

1848There is some soule of goodnesse in things euill,

1849Would men obseruingly distill it out.

1850For our bad Neighbour makes vs early stirrers,

1851Which is both healthfull, and good husbandry.

1852Besides, they are our outward Consciences,

1853And Preachers to vs all; admonishing,

1854That we should dresse vs fairely for our end.

1855Thus may we gather Honey from the Weed,

1856And make a Morall of the Diuell himselfe.

1858Good morrow old Sir Thomas Erpingham:

1859A good soft Pillow for that good white Head,

1860Were better then a churlish turfe of France.

1861Erping. Not so my Liege, this Lodging likes me better,

1862Since I may say, now lye I like a King.

1863King. 'Tis good for men to loue their present paines,

1864Vpon example, so the Spirit is eased:

1865And when the Mind is quickned, out of doubt

1866The Organs, though defunct and dead before,

1867Breake vp their drowsie Graue, and newly moue

1868With casted slough, and fresh legeritie.

1869Lend me thy Cloake Sir Thomas: Brothers both,

1870Commend me to the Princes in our Campe;

1871Doe my good morrow to them, and anon

1872Desire them all to my Pauillion.

1873Gloster. We shall, my Liege.

1874Erping. Shall I attend your Grace?

1875King. No, my good Knight:

1876Goe with my Brothers to my Lords of England:

1877I and my Bosome must debate a while,

1878And then I would no other company.

1879Erping. The Lord in Heauen blesse thee, Noble

1880Harry. Exeunt.

1881King. God a mercy old Heart, thou speak'st cheare-

1882fully. Enter Pistoll.

1883Pist. Che vous la?

1884King. A friend.

1885Pist. Discusse vnto me, art thou Officer, or art thou

1886base, common, and popular?

1887King. I am a Gentleman of a Company.

1888Pist. Trayl'st thou the puissant Pyke?

1889King. Euen so: what are you?

1890Pist. As good a Gentleman as the Emperor.

1891King. Then you are a better then the King.

1892Pist. The King's a Bawcock, and a Heart of Gold, a

1893Lad of Life, an Impe of Fame, of Parents good, of Fist

1894most valiant: I kisse his durtie shooe, and from heart-

1895string I loue the louely Bully. What is thy Name?

1896King. Harry le Roy.

1897Pist. Le Roy? a Cornish Name: art thou of Cornish Crew?

1898King. No, I am a Welchman.

1899Pist. Know'st thou Fluellen?

1900King. Yes.

1901Pist. Tell him Ile knock his Leeke about his Pate vpon

1902S. Dauies day.

1903King. Doe not you weare your Dagger in your Cappe

1904that day, least he knock that about yours.

i 2 Pist. Art

1905Pist. Art thou his friend?

1906King. And his Kinsman too.

1907Pist. The Figo for thee then.

1908King. I thanke you: God be with you.

1909Pist. My name is Pistol call'd. Exit.

1910King. It sorts well with your fiercenesse.

1913Gower. Captaine Fluellen.

1914Flu. 'So, in the Name of Iesu Christ, speake fewer: it

1915is the greatest admiration in the vniuersall World, when

1916the true and aunchient Prerogatifes and Lawes of the

1917Warres is not kept: if you would take the paines but to

1918examine the Warres of Pompey the Great, you shall finde,

1919I warrant you, that there is no tiddle tadle nor pibble ba-

1920ble in Pompeyes Campe: I warrant you, you shall finde

1921the Ceremonies of the Warres, and the Cares of it, and

1922the Formes of it, and the Sobrietie of it, and the Modestie

1923of it, to be otherwise.

1924Gower. Why the Enemie is lowd, you heare him all

1925Night.

1926Flu. If the Enemie is an Asse and a Foole, and a pra-

1927ting Coxcombe; is it meet, thinke you, that wee should

1928also, looke you, be an Asse and a Foole, and a prating Cox-

1929combe, in your owne conscience now?

1930Gow. I will speake lower.

1931Flu. I pray you, and beseech you, that you will. Exit.

1932King. Though it appeare a little out of fashion,

1933There is much care and valour in this Welchman.

1936Court. Brother Iohn Bates, is not that the Morning

1937which breakes yonder?

1938Bates. I thinke it be: but wee haue no great cause to

1939desire the approach of day.

1940Williams. Wee see yonder the beginning of the day,

1941but I thinke wee shall neuer see the end of it. Who goes

1942there?

1943King. A Friend.

1944Williams. Vnder what Captaine serue you?

1945King. Vnder Sir Iohn Erpingham.

1946Williams. A good old Commander, and a most kinde

1947Gentleman: I pray you, what thinkes he of our estate?

1948King. Euen as men wrackt vpon a Sand, that looke to

1949be washt off the next Tyde.

1950Bates. He hath not told his thought to the King?

1951King. No: nor it is not meet he should: for though I

1952speake it to you, I thinke the King is but a man, as I am:

1953the Violet smells to him, as it doth to me; the Element

1954shewes to him, as it doth to me; all his Sences haue but

1955humane Conditions: his Ceremonies layd by, in his Na-

1956kednesse he appeares but a man; and though his affecti-

1957ons are higher mounted then ours, yet when they stoupe,

1958they stoupe with the like wing: therefore, when he sees

1959reason of feares, as we doe; his feares, out of doubt, be of

1960the same rellish as ours are: yet in reason, no man should

1961possesse him with any appearance of feare; least hee, by

1962shewing it, should dis-hearten his Army.

1963Bates. He may shew what outward courage he will:

1964but I beleeue, as cold a Night as 'tis, hee could wish him-

1965selfe in Thames vp to the Neck; and so I would he were,

1966and I by him, at all aduentures, so we were quit here.

1967King. By my troth, I will speake my conscience of the

1968King: I thinke hee would not wish himselfe any where,

1969but where hee is.

1970Bates. Then I would he were here alone; so should he be

1971sure to be ransomed, and a many poore mens liues saued.

1972King. I dare say, you loue him not so ill, to wish him

1973here alone: howsoeuer you speake this to feele other

1974mens minds, me thinks I could not dye any where so con-

1975tented, as in the Kings company; his Cause being iust, and

1976his Quarrell honorable.

1977Williams. That's more then we know.

1978Bates. I, or more then wee should seeke after; for wee

1979know enough, if wee know wee are the Kings Subiects:

1980if his Cause be wrong, our obedience to the King wipes

1981the Cryme of it out of vs.

1982Williams. But if the Cause be not good, the King him-

1983selfe hath a heauie Reckoning to make, when all those

1984Legges, and Armes, and Heads, chopt off in a Battaile,

1985shall ioyne together at the latter day, and cry all, Wee dy-

1986ed at such a place, some swearing, some crying for a Sur-

1987gean; some vpon their Wiues, left poore behind them;

1988some vpon the Debts they owe, some vpon their Children

1989rawly left: I am afear'd, there are few dye well, that dye

1990in a Battaile: for how can they charitably dispose of any

1991thing, when Blood is their argument? Now, if these men

1992doe not dye well, it will be a black matter for the King,

1993that led them to it; who to disobey, were against all pro-

1994portion of subiection.

1995King. So, if a Sonne that is by his Father sent about

1996Merchandize, doe sinfully miscarry vpon the Sea; the im-

1997putation of his wickednesse, by your rule, should be im-

1998posed vpon his Father that sent him: or if a Seruant, vn-

1999der his Masters command, transporting a summe of Mo-

2000ney, be assayled by Robbers, and dye in many irreconcil'd

2001Iniquities; you may call the businesse of the Master the

2002author of the Seruants damnation: but this is not so:

2003The King is not bound to answer the particular endings

2004of his Souldiers, the Father of his Sonne, nor the Master

2005of his Seruant; for they purpose not their death, when

2006they purpose their seruices. Besides, there is no King, be

2007his Cause neuer so spotlesse, if it come to the arbitre-

2008ment of Swords, can trye it out with all vnspotted Soul-

2009diers: some (peraduenture) haue on them the guilt of

2010premeditated and contriued Murther; some, of begui-

2011ling Virgins with the broken Seales of Periurie; some,

2012making the Warres their Bulwarke, that haue before go-

2013red the gentle Bosome of Peace with Pillage and Robbe-

2014rie. Now, if these men haue defeated the Law, and out-

2015runne Natiue punishment; though they can out-strip

2016men, they haue no wings to flye from God. Warre is

2017his Beadle, Warre is his Vengeance: so that here men

2018are punisht, for before breach of the Kings Lawes, in

2019now the Kings Quarrell: where they feared the death,

2020they haue borne life away; and where they would bee

2021safe, they perish. Then if they dye vnprouided, no more

2022is the King guiltie of their damnation, then hee was be-

2023fore guiltie of those Impieties, for the which they are

2024now visited. Euery Subiects Dutie is the Kings, but

2025euery Subiects Soule is his owne. Therefore should

2026euery Souldier in the Warres doe as euery sicke man in

2027his Bed, wash euery Moth out of his Conscience: and

2028dying so, Death is to him aduantage; or not dying,

2029the time was blessedly lost, wherein such preparation was

2030gayned: and in him that escapes, it were not sinne to

2031thinke, that making God so free an offer, he let him out-

2032liue that day, to see his Greatnesse, and to teach others

2033how they should prepare.

2034Will. 'Tis certaine, euery man that dyes ill, the ill vpon

2035his owne head, the King is not to answer it.

2036Bates. I doe not desire hee should answer for me, and

2037yet I determine to fight lustily for him.

2038King. I my selfe heard the King say he would not be

2039ransom'd.

2040Will. I, hee said so, to make vs fight chearefully: but

2041when our throats are cut, hee may be ransom'd. and wee

2042ne're the wiser.

2043King. If I liue to see it, I will neuer trust his word af-

2044ter.

2045Will. You pay him then: that's a perillous shot out

2046of an Elder Gunne, that a poore and a priuate displeasure

2047can doe against a Monarch: you may as well goe about

2048to turne the Sunne to yce, with fanning in his face with a

2049Peacocks feather: You'le neuer trust his word after;

2050come, 'tis a foolish saying.

2051King. Your reproofe is something too round, I should

2052be angry with you, if the time were conuenient.

2053Will. Let it bee a Quarrell betweene vs, if you

2054liue.

2055King. I embrace it.

2056Will. How shall I know thee againe?

2057King. Giue me any Gage of thine, and I will weare it

2058in my Bonnet: Then if euer thou dar'st acknowledge it,

2059I will make it my Quarrell.

2060Will. Heere's my Gloue: Giue mee another of

2061thine.

2062King. There.

2063Will. This will I also weare in my Cap: if euer thou

2064come to me, and say, after to morrow, This is my Gloue,

2065by this Hand I will take thee a box on the eare.

2066King. If euer I liue to see it, I will challenge it.

2067Will. Thou dar'st as well be hang'd.

2068King. Well, I will doe it, though I take thee in the

2069Kings companie.

2070Will. Keepe thy word: fare thee well.

2071Bates. Be friends you English fooles, be friends, wee

2072haue French Quarrels enow, if you could tell how to rec-

2073kon. Exit Souldiers.

2074King. Indeede the French may lay twentie French

2075Crownes to one, they will beat vs, for they beare them

2076on their shoulders: but it is no English Treason to cut

2077French Crownes, and to morrow the King himselfe will

2078be a Clipper.

2079Vpon the King, let vs our Liues, our Soules,

2080Our Debts, our carefull Wiues,

2081Our Children, and our Sinnes, lay on the King:

2082We must beare all.

2083O hard Condition, Twin-borne with Greatnesse,

2084Subiect to the breath of euery foole, whose sence

2085No more can feele, but his owne wringing.

2086What infinite hearts-ease must Kings neglect,

2087That priuate men enioy?

2088And what haue Kings, that Priuates haue not too,

2089Saue Ceremonie, saue generall Ceremonie?

2090And what art thou, thou Idoll Ceremonie?

2091What kind of God art thou? that suffer'st more

2092Of mortall griefes, then doe thy worshippers.

2093What are thy Rents? what are thy Commings in?

2094O Ceremonie, shew me but thy worth.

2095What? is thy Soule of Odoration?

2096Art thou ought else but Place, Degree, and Forme,

2097Creating awe and feare in other men?

2098Wherein thou art lesse happy, being fear'd,

2099Then they in fearing.

2100What drink'st thou oft, in stead of Homage sweet,

2101But poyson'd flatterie? O, be sick, great Greatnesse,

2102And bid thy Ceremonie giue thee cure.

2103Thinks thou the fierie Feuer will goe out

2104With Titles blowne from Adulation?

2105Will it giue place to flexure and low bending?

2106Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggers knee,

2107Command the health of it? No, thou prowd Dreame,

2108That play'st so subtilly with a Kings Repose.

2109I am a King that find thee: and I know,

2110'Tis not the Balme, the Scepter, and the Ball,

2111The Sword, the Mase, the Crowne Imperiall,

2112The enter-tissued Robe of Gold and Pearle,

2113The farsed Title running 'fore the King,

2114The Throne he sits on: nor the Tyde of Pompe,

2115That beates vpon the high shore of this World:

2116No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous Ceremonie;

2117Not all these, lay'd in Bed Maiesticall,

2118Can sleepe so soundly, as the wretched Slaue:

2119Who with a body fill'd, and vacant mind,

2120Gets him to rest, cram'd with distressefull bread,

2121Neuer sees horride Night, the Child of Hell:

2122But like a Lacquey, from the Rise to Set,

2123Sweates in the eye of Phebus; and all Night

2124Sleepes in Elizium: next day after dawne,

2125Doth rise and helpe Hiperio to his Horse,

2126And followes so the euer-running yeere

2127With profitable labour to his Graue:

2128And but for Ceremonie, such a Wretch,

2129Winding vp Dayes with toyle, and Nights with sleepe,

2130Had the fore-hand and vantage of a King.

2131The Slaue, a Member of the Countreyes peace,

2132Enioyes it; but in grosse braine little wots,

2133What watch the King keepes, to maintaine the peace;

2134Whose howres, the Pesant best aduantages.

2136Erp. My Lord, your Nobles iealous of your absence,

2137Seeke through your Campe to find you.

2138King. Good old Knight, collect them all together

2139At my Tent: Ile be before thee.

2140Erp. I shall doo't, my Lord. Exit.

2141King. O God of Battailes, steele my Souldiers hearts,

2142Possesse them not with feare: Take from them now

2143The sence of reckning of th'opposed numbers:

2144Pluck their hearts from them. Not to day, O Lord,

2145O not to day, thinke not vpon the fault

2146My Father made, in compassing the Crowne.

2147I Richards body haue interred new,

2148And on it haue bestowed more contrite teares,

2149Then from it issued forced drops of blood.

2150Fiue hundred poore I haue in yeerely pay,

2151Who twice a day their wither'd hands hold vp

2152Toward Heauen, to pardon blood:

2153And I haue built two Chauntries,

2154Where the sad and solemne Priests sing still

2155For Richards Soule. More will I doe:

2156Though all that I can doe, is nothing worth;

2157Since that my Penitence comes after all,

2158Imploring pardon.

2160Glouc. My Liege.

2161King. My Brother Gloucesters voyce? I:

2162I know thy errand, I will goe with thee:

2163The day, my friend, and all things stay for me.

i 3 Enter