he was before guilty of those impieties for the which they are now visited. Every subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's soul is his own. Therefore should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his bed,-wash every mote out of his conscience: and dying so, death is to him advantage; or not dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained: and in him that escapes, it were not sin to think that, making God so free an offer, he let him outlive that day to see his greatness, and to teach others how they should prepare. Will. 'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill upon his own head, the king is not to answer for it. Bates. I do not desire he should answer for me; and yet I determine to fight lustily for him. K. Hen. I myself heard the king say he would not be ransomed. Will. Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheerfully: but when our throats are cut he may be ransomed, and we ne'er the wiser. K. Hen. If I live to see it I will never trust his word after. Will. You pay him then! That's a perilous shot out of an elder-gun, that a poor and a private displeasure can do against a monarch! you may as well go about to turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face with a peacock's feather. You'll never trust his word after! come, 'tis a foolish saying. K. Hen. Your reproof is something too round: I should be angry with you if the time were convenient. Will. Let it be a quarrel between us if you live. K. Hen. I embrace it. Will. How shall I know thee again? K. Hen. Give me any gage of thine, and I will wear it in my bonnet: then, if ever thou darest acknowledge it, I will make it my quarrel. Will. Here's my glove: give me another of thine. K. Hen. There. Will. This will I also wear in my cap: if ever thou come to me and say, after to-morrow, This is my glove, by this hand I will take thee a box on the ear. K. Hen. If ever I live to see it I will challenge it.. Will. Thou darest as well be hanged. K. Hen. Well, I will do it though I take thee in the king's company. Will. Keep thy word: fare thee well. Bates. Be friends, you English fools, be friends: we have French quarrels enow, if you could tell how to reckon. K. Hen. Indeed, the French may lay twenty French crowns to one they will beat us; for they bear them on their shoulders: but it is no English treason to cut French crowns; and to-morrow the king himself will be a clipper. [Exeunt Soldiers. Upon the king!-let us our lives, our souls, Whose sense no more can feel but his own wringing! That private men enjoy! And what have kings that privates have not too, Art thou aught else but place, degree, and form, Wherein thou art less happy being fear'd Than they in fearing. What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet, Think'st thou the fiery fever will go out Will it give place to flexure and low bending? Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggar's knee, I am a king that find thee; and I know Gets him to rest, cramm'd with distressful bread; Never sees horrid night, the child of hell; What watch the king keeps to maintain the peace Enter ERPINGHAM. Erp. My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence, K. Hen. Erp. Good old knight, [Exit. I shall do't, my lord. K. Hen. O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts; Possess them not with fear; take from them now The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers Pluck their hearts from them!-Not to-day, O Lord, My father made in compassing the crown! I Richard's body have interred new, And on it have bestow'd more contrite tears Enter GLOSTER. Glo. My liege! : My brother Gloster's voice?-Ay; VOL. III. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The French Camp. Enter DAUPHIN, ORLEANS, RAMBURES, and others. Orl. The sun doth gild our armour; up, my lords! Dau. Montez à cheval!-My horse! varlet, laqua is! ha! Orl. O brave spirit! Dau. Via!-les eaux et la terre,— Orl. Rienpuis? l'air et le feu, Dau. Ciel! cousin Orleans. Enter Constable. Now, my lord constable! Con. Hark, how our steeds for present service neigh! Dau. Mount them, and make incision in their hides, That their hot blood may spin in English eyes, And dout them with superfluous courage, ha! Ram. What, will you have them weep our horses' blood? How shall we, then, behold their natural tears? Enter a Messenger. Mess. The English are embattled, you French peers. And your fair show shall suck away their souls, That our French gallants shall to-day draw out, And sheathe for lack of sport: let us but blow on them, The vapour of our valour will o'erturn them. 'Tis positive 'gainst all exceptions, lords, That our superfluous lackeys and our peasants,— About our squares of battle,- -were enow But that our honours must not. What's to say? And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound Enter GRANDPREE. Grand. Why do you stay so long, my lords of France? With torch-staves in their hand; and their poor jades Con. They have said their prayers and they stay for death. Dau. Shall we go send them dinners and fresh suits, And give their fasting horses provender, And after fight with them? Con. I stay but for my guidon :-to the field I will the banner from a trumpet take, And use it for my haste. Come, come, away! The sun is high, and we outwear the day. SCENE III. The English Camp. [Exeunt. Enter the English Host; GLOSTER, BEDFORD, EXETER, SALISBURY, and WESTMORELAND. Glo. Where is the king? Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle. God b' wi' you, princes all; I'll to my charge: My dear Lord Gloster,-and my good Lord Exeter,— |