Daw. I am your humblest servant.
K. Hen.
We are follow'd
By enemies at home that will not cease
To seek their own confusion; 'tis most true,
The Cornish under Audley are march'd on
As far as Winchester; but let them come,
Our forces are in readiness, we'll catch them
In their own toils.

Daw.
Your army, sir, being muster'd,
Consists in all, of horse and foot, at least
In number six-and-twenty thousand; men
Daring and able, resolute to fight,

And loyal in their truths.

K. Hen.

We know it, Dawbeney:

For them we order thus; Oxford in chief,
Assisted by bold Essex, and the earl

Of Suffolk, shall lead on the first batallia;
Be that your charge.

Oxf.

I humbly thank you majesty. K. Hen. The next division we assign to Dawbeney :

These must be men of action, for on those

The fortune of our fortunes must rely.

The last and main ourself commands in person,
As ready to restore the fight at all times,

As to consummate an assured victory.

Daw. The king is still oraculous.
But, Surrey,

K. Hen.

We have employment of more toil for thee:
For our intelligence comes swiftly to us,
That James of Scotland late hath entertained
Perkin the counterfeit, with more than common
Grace and respect; nay, courts him with rare favours.
The Scot is young and forward, we must look for
A sudden storm to England from the north;
Which to withstand, Durham shall post to Norham,
To fortify the castle, and secure

The frontiers against an invasion there.
Surrey shall follow soon, with such an army
As may relieve the bishop, and encounter,
On all occasions, the death-daring Scots.
You know your charges all, 'tis now a time
To execute, not talk; Heaven is our guard still.
War must breed peace, such is the fate of kings.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Edinburgh.—À Hall in the Royal

Palace.

Enter CRAWFORD and DALYELL.

Craw. 'Tis more than strange; my reason cannot

answer

Such arguments of fine imposture, couched
In witchcraft of persuasion, that it fashions
Impossibilities, as if appearance

Could cozen truth itself: this dukeling mushroom
Hath doubtless charm'd the king.

Dal.

He courts the ladies,

As if his strength of language chain'd attention
By power of prerogative.

Craw.

It madded

My very soul, to hear our master's motion:
What surety both of unity and honour
Must of necessity ensue upon

A match betwixt some noble of our nation,

And this brave prince, forsooth?

Dal.

Wise Huntley fears the threat'ning. Bless the lady From such a ruin!

Craw.

'Twill prove too fatal:

How the counsel-privy

Of this young Phaeton do screw their faces
Into a gravity, their trades, good people,

Were never guilty of! The meanest of them
Dreams of at least an office in the state.

Dal. Sure not the hangman's, 'tis bespoke already

For service of their rogueships.-Silence!

Enter King JAMES and HUNTLEY.

K. Ja.
Do not
Argue against our will; we have descended
Somewhat (as we may term it) too familiarly
From justice of our birthright, to examine
The force of your allegiance,-sir, we have;-
But find it short of duty!

Hunt.

Break my heart,

Do, do, king: have my services, my loyalty,
(Heaven knows untainted ever), drawn upon me
Contempt now in mine age? when have I wanted
A minute of a peace not to be troubled?

My last, my long one?

Let me be a dotard,

A bedlam', a poor sot, or what you please
To have me, so you will not stain your blood,
Your own blood, royal sir, tho' mixt with mine,
By marriage of this girl to a straggler.

Take, take my head, sir; whilst my tongue can

wag

It cannot name him other.

In

K. Ja.

Kings are counterfeits your repute, grave oracle, not presently Set on their thrones, with sceptres in their fists:

Bedlam.] See Vol. I. p. 179.

Girl.] This word must be read as one of two syllables in this place. The reader must be reminded of the very frequent custom of dividing words similar to this into two syllables, as he will otherwise be apt to form a very erroneous idea of the versification of old plays. Most of those of Ford, and peculiarly the present tragedy, are written in metre, as regular as any of modern times.

But use your own, detraction: 'tis our pleasure To give our cousin York for wife our kinswoman, The lady Katherine: Instinct of sovereignty Designs the honour, though her peevish father Usurps our resolution.

Hunt.

Oh, 'tis well,

Exceeding well! I never was ambitious

Of using congees to my daughter-queen.
A queen! perhaps a quean'. Forgive me, Dalyell,
Thou honourable gentleman: none here

Dare speak one word of comfort.

Dal.

Cruel misery!

Craw. The lady, gracious prince, may be hath

settled

Affection on some former choice.

Dal.

Enforcement

I thank thee heartily.

Would prove but tyranny.

Hunt.
Let any yeoman of our nation challenge
An interest in the girl: then the king
May add a jointure of ascent in titles,
Worthy a free consent; now he pulls down.
What old desert hath builded.

K. Ja.

Cease persuasions:

I violate no pawns of faiths, intrude not

On private loves; that I have play'd the orator
For kingly York to virtuous Kate, her grant
Can justify, referring her contents

To our provision. The Welsh Harry, henceforth,
Shall therefore know, and tremble to acknowledge,
That not the painted idol of his policy,

Shall fright the lawful owner from a kingdom.
We are resolv'd.

can

A queen, perhaps a queen?] So the old copy; but I not find any sense in this reading. The alteration of a single letter, and of the pointing, affords a very obvious meaning, and undoubtedly the one intended by the poet.

Some of thy subjects' hearts,

Hunt.

King James, will bleed for this!

K. Ja.

Then shall their bloods Be nobly spent. No more disputes, he is not Our friend who contradicts us.

Hunt. Farewel daughter! My care by one is lessen'd, thank the king for't! I and my griefs will dance now.-Look, lords, look ;

Here's hand in hand already.

Enter WARBECK, leading in Lady KATHERINE; the Countess of CRAWFORD, JANE DOUGLAS, FRION, JOHN A-WATER, ASTLEY, HERON, and SKETON.

Peace, old frenzy !—

K. Ja.
How like a king he looks! Lords, but observe
The confidence of his aspect. Dross cannot
Cleave to so pure a metal.-Royal youth!
Plantagenet undoubted!

Hunt. (Aside.)

But no Plantagenet, by'r lady yet,

By red rose or by white.

War.

Ho, brave youth'!

An union this way,

Settles possession in a monarchy

Establish'd rightly, as is my inheritance:

Acknowledge me but sovereign of this kingdom, Your heart, fair princess, and the hand of providence,

Shall crown you queen of me, and my best fortunes. Kath. Where my obedience is, my lord, a duty, Love owes true service.

Ho, brave lady!] So the quarto reads, no doubt corruptedly, the word lady having been caught by the compositor from the next line.