Grey kneel.
Sir T. Grey.
And I.
Scroop.
Fire and furies!
What is that scroll, my liege? I know it not.
King.
Lord Scroop, I see thou'lt brave it to the last.
I do believe thou know'st not much of this;
This friar, it seems, made bold to intercept it.
Scroop.
Curse on the meddling priest, and thee, the fool,
[To Cambridge.
That sent thy blunderers on such an errand.
Nay, since all's lost, I boast the treason too.
King.
Thou more than savage, most inhuman Scroop—
Scroop.
Nay, chide not, king, I heed not thy reproaches.
-- 82 --
I ask no mercy; for I know thoul't have none.
Thou'rt fortune's minion, and my head is thine.
Take 't when thou wilt—my folly has undone me.
This son of York (ten thousand curses on him.)—
Cam.
I do repent me: 'twas indeed my cause,
And would my life alone could pay the forfeit.
Scroop.
Thy cause! thou grov'ling peer! and dost thou think
I meant to raise up Mortimer or thee?
No, ye were only tools to my ambition,
That soar'd an higher pitch. Think not, king Henry,
In hate of thee, I sought thy crown and life;
Or that the love I bore the house of York,
Taught me to mix with such vile heartless traitors.
No: for myself alone I sought the crown.
Cam.
On what pretensions? thou!
Scroop.
Go ask thy wife,
Whom thou mayst thank, when coming to the block,
If e'er thou find'st thy way from thence to heav'n.
Cam.
My wife! O villain!
King.
Lead the traitors hence.
And yield them to the justice of our laws.
Where's Sir John Falstaff?
(Conspirators are led off.
Lord.
Here, my liege, he comes,
With th' duke of York.
[Enter Duke of York and Falstaff.]
King.
Sir John, your former ills
Your later act of loyalty hath cancell'd:
And, as we hear you promise better things
Than the loose conduct of your former days,
As a new man we take thee to our favour.
Fal.
I thank your gracious majesty most humbly.
King.
Nor do we less respect the ties of gratitude:
Ask what thou wilt, we will repay thy service.
Fal.
My liege, the love I bear your gracious person,
would excite me to follow you to these same wars; but,
as I'm married and grown something round, I'm little fit
to cope with raw bon'd Frenchmen; or shine again i' th'
bloody fields of Mars. My former deeds in arms your
highness knows: and I know too you hold them cheap
-- 83 --
enough: I hope it will not therefore be thought cowardly
in me, if, while the other gallant youth of Brittain are
reaping lawrels in the heart of France, I am content to
kiss dame peace at home. Your majesty will please to
order me from your Exchequer a competency to support
the infirmities of nature, and the dignity of knighthood.
Otium cum dignitate, my liege.—Would your majesty secure
me this, I would make my peace with the world, and
live or die as Heav'n sees best, and my wife will let me.
King.
Thou hast thy wish; and now, my noble lords,
Let us prepare for France: first solemn thanks
In all our churches paid for our deliv'rance.
The hand of Heav'n, thus manifestly shown
In this our preservation, bids us hope
Success will crown our enterprize.
Exe.
And proves, my liege, the justice of that cause,
Which Heav'n, in thee, hath taken in protection.
King.
Right well observ'd, good Uncle Exeter.
Who boasts a rightful cause, come what come may,
Arm'd for th' adventure of the roughest day,
By justice sanctified, his sword and shield,
May dare the perils of the bloodiest field,
Boldly in providence may put his trust;
Heav'n is our champion when our cause is just.
[Exeunt Omnes.
