I muse, you make so slight a question.

Archb. Then take, my Lord of Westmoreland, this

schedule;

For this contains our general grievances

Each several article herein redress'd;

All members of our cause, both here and hence,
That are insinew'd to this action,
Acquitted by a true substantial form;
And present execution of our wills
To us, and to our purposes, consign'd;
We come within our awful banks again,
And knit our powers to the arm of peace.

West. This will I show 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.

Archb. My lord, we will do so.

[Trumpets sound.Exeunt WESTMOReland, GOWER, and other GENTLEMEN.

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.
Mowb. Ay, but our valuation shall be such,
That every slight and false-derived cause,
Yea, every idle, nice, and wanton reason,
Shall to the king, taste of this action :
That were our royal faiths martyrs in love,
We shall be winnow'd with so rough a wind,
That even our corn shall seem as light as chaff,
And good from bad find no partition.

Archb. No, no, my lord; Note this, the king is weary

Of dainty and such picking grievances:
His foes are so enrooted with his friends,
That, plucking to unfix an enemy,

He doth unfasten so, and shake a friend.

Hast. Besides, the king hath wasted all his rods On late offenders, that he now doth lack The very instruments of chastisement: So that his power, like to a fangless lion, May offer, but not hold.

Archb. "Tis very true;—

And therefore be assur'd, my good Lord Marshal,
If we do now make our atonement well,
Our peace will, like a broken limb united,
Grow stronger for the breaking.

Mowb. Be it so.

[Trumpets sound a Parley.]

Here is return'd my Lord of Westmoreland.

Enter WESTMORELAND.

West. The prince is here at hand: Pleaseth your lordship,

To meet his grace just distance 'tween our armies ? Archb. Before, and greet his grace :-my lord, we

come.

[Flourish of Trumpets and

Drums.-Exeunt WESTMORELAND, the ARCHBISHOP, MOWBRAY, HASTINGS, and their Friends.

SCENE III.

Another Part of the Forest.

Trumpets sound a Parley.

Enter on one Side, the ARCHBISHOP, MOWBRAY, HASTINGS, and Other GENTLEMEN :-from the other Side, PRINCE JOHN OF LANCASTER, WESTMORELAND, GOWER, GENTLEMEN, and GUArds. P. John. You are well encounter'd here, my cousin Mowbray :

Good day to you, gentle Lord Archbishop;
And so to you, Lord Hastings, and to all.-
My Lord of York, it better show'd with you,
When that your flock, assembled by the bell,
Encircled you to hear with reverence
Your exposition on the holy text;
Than now to see you here, an iron man,
Cheering a rout of rebels with your drum,
Turning the word to sword, and life to death.

Archb. My Lord of Lancaster, I sent your grace

The parcels and particulars of our grief;

The which hath been with scorn shov'd from the

court;

Whereon this Hydra son of war is born:

Whose dangerous eyes may well be charm'd asleep, With grant of our most just and right desires.

Mowb. If not, we ready are to try our fortunes To the last man.

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 father's
purposes have been mistook;
And some about him have too lavishly
Wrested his meaning, and authority.-

My lord, these griefs shall be with speed redress'd.
West. If this may please you,

Discharge your powers unto their several counties,
As we will ours: and here, between the armies,
Let us embrace;

That all their eyes may bear those tokens home,
Of our restored love and amity.

Archb. I take your princely word for these redresses.

P. John. I give it you, and will maintain my word.
Hast. Go, gentlemen, deliver to the army

This news of peace; let them have pay, and part:
I know, it will well please them. [Exeunt GENTLEMEN.
West. I have bestow'd great pains to breed this
peace,

My Lord Archbishop: but my love to you
Shall show itself more openly hereafter.

Archb. I do not doubt you.

[Flourish of Trumpets and Drums.]

P. John. The word of peace is render'd; hark, their drums!

Mow. This had be cheerful, after victory. Archb. A peace is of the nature of a conquest; For then both parties nobly are subdu'd,

And neither party loser.

P. John. Go, my lord,

And let our army be discharged too.

[Exit WESTMORELAND,

And, good my lord, so please you, let our trains
March by us; that we may peruse the men

We should have cop'd withal.

Archb. Go, good Lord Hastings,

And, ere they be dismiss'd, let them march by.

[Exit HASTINGS.

Enter WESTMORELAND.

P. John. Now, cousin, wherefore stands our army still?

West. The leaders, having charge from you to stand,

Will not go off until they hear you speak.

P. John. They know their duties.

Enter HASTINGS.

Hast. My lord, our army is dispers'd already : Like youthful steers unyok'd, they take their courses East, west, north, south; or, like a school broke up, Each hurries towards his home, and sporting place. West. Good tidings, my Lord Hastings; for the

which

I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason :— And you, Lord Archbishop,-and you, Lord Mowbray,

Of capital treason I attach you both.

[The GUARDS surround, and disarm them.
Mowb. Is this proceeding just and honourable?
Archb. Will you thus break our faith?
P. John. I pawn'd thee non

I promis'd you redress of these same grievances,
Whereof you did complain; which, by mine honour,
I will perform with a most christian care.
But, for you, rebels,-look to taste the due
Meet for rebellion, and such acts as yours.
Some guard these traitors to the block of death;
Treason's true bed, and yielder up of breath.
[Flourish of Trumpets and Drums.-Exeunt the
ARCHBISHOP, MOWBRAY, and HASTINGS,
guarded by GowER, GENTLEMEN, and SoL-

DIERS.