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John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
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SCENE VI. Enter Prince Henry.

Ch. Just.
Heav'n save your Majesty!

P. Henry.
This new and gorgeous garment, Majesty,
Sits not so easy on me, as you think.
Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear:
This is the English, not the Turkish court;
Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,
But Harry, Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers,
For, to speak truth, it very well becomes you:
Sorrow so royally in you appears,
That I will deeply put the fashion on,
And wear it in my heart. Why then be sad;
But entertain no more of it, good brothers,
Than a joint-burthen laid upon us all.
For me, by heav'n, I bid you be assur'd,
I'll be your father, and your brother too:
Let me but bear your love, I'll bear your cares:
Yet weep that Harry's dead, and so will I.
But Harry lives, that shall convert those tears
By number into hours of happiness.

-- 73 --

Lan. &c.
We hope no other from your Majesty.

P. Henry.
You all look strangely on me; and you most.
You are, I think, assur'd I love you not.
[To the Chief Justice.

Ch. Just.
I am assur'd, if I be measur'd rightly,
Your Majesty hath no just cause to hate me.

P. Henry.
No! might a Prince of my great hopes, forget
So great indignities you laid upon me?
What! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison,
Th' immediate heir of England! was this easy?
May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten?

* noteCh. Just.
I then did use the person of your father
The image of his power lay then in me:
And in th' administration of his law,
While I was busy for the commonwealth,
Your Highness pleased to forget my place;
The majesty and pow'r of law and justice,
The image of the King whom I presented;
And struck me in the very seat of judgment:
Whereon, as an offender to your father,
I gave bold way to my authority,
And did commit you. If the deed were ill,
Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours;
Be now the father, and propose a son;
Hear your own dignity so much profan'd;
See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted;
Behold yourself so by a son disdain'd:
And then imagine me taking your part,
And in your pow'r soft silencing your son.
After this cold consid'rance, sentence me;
And as you are a King, speak in your state,
What I have done that misbecame my place,
My person, or my Liege's sovereignty.

-- 74 --

P. Henry.
You are right, Justice, and you weigh this well,
Therefore still bear the balance and the sword:
And I do wish your honours may increase,
Till you do live to see a son of mine
Offend you, and obey you, as I did:
You committed me;
For which I do commit into your hand,
Th' unstained sword that you have us'd to bear,
With this remembrance that you use the same,
With the like bold, just and impartial spirit,
As you have done 'gainst me. There is my hand
You shall be as a father to my youth:
My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear.
Now call we our high courts of parliament,
And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel,
That the great body of our state may go,
In equal rank with the best govern'd nation;
That war or peace, or both at once, may be
As things acquainted and familiar to us,
In which you, father, shall have foremost hand. [To Lord Chief Justice.
Our coronation done, we will accite
(As I before remember'd) all our state,
And (heav'n consigning to my good intents)
No Prince, no peer, shall have just cause to say,
Heav'n shorten Harry's happy life one day.
[Exeunt.
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John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
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