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. Arch. Before, and greet his grace.-My lord, we [Exeunt. come. 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, Officer's, and Attendants. P. John. You are well encountered here, my cousin Mowbray. Good day to you, gentle lord árchbishop ;- Than now to see you here an iron man Cheering a rout of rebels with your drum, bishop, With you, It is even so. Who hath not heard it spoken, To us, the imagined voice of God himself, But you Between the grace, the sanctities of heaven The subjects of His substitute, my father; And both against the peace of Heaven and him Arch. lord Good my Lord of Lancaster, I am not here against your father's peace; The time misordered doth, in common sense, The parcels and particulars of our grief,— The which hath been with scorn shoved from the court, Whereon this Hydra son of war is born; Whose dangerous eyes may well be charmed asleep And true obedience, of this madness cured, 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; P. John. You are too shallow, Hastings, much too shallow, To sound the bottom of the after-times. West. Pleaseth your grace to answer them directly, How far forth you do like their articles? P. John. I like them all, and do allow them well; And swear here, by the honour of my blood, My lord, these griefs shall be with speed redressed; 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. [Drinks. Hast. [To an Officer.] Go, captain, and deliver to the army This news of peace: let them have pay, and part. I know, it will well please them: hie thee, cap tain. [Exit Officer. Arch. To you, my noble Lord of Westmoreland. [Drinks. West. I pledge your grace: [Drinks] and if you knew what pains I have bestowed to breed this present peace, You would drink freely; but my love to you Arch. I do not doubt you. West. I am glad of it.— Health to my Lord, and gentle cousin Mowbray. [Drinks. Mowb. You wish me health in very happy sea son; 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 tomorrow.' Arch. Believe me, I am passing light in spirit. true. Mowb. So much the worse, if your own rule be [Shouts within. P. John. The word of peace is rendered: hark, how they shout! Mowb. This had been cheerful after victory. Arch. A peace is of the nature of a con quest; For then both parties nobly are subdued, And neither party loser. |