Page 1636 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

Never did faithful subject more rejoice
At the discovery of most dangerous treason
Than I do this hour joy o’er myself,
Prevented from a damned enterprise.

My fault, but not my body, pardon, sovereign. [165]

KING HENRY
God quit you in His mercy! Hear your sentence.
You have conspir’d against our royal person,
Join’d with an enemy proclaim’d, and from his coffers

Receiv’d the golden earnest of our death;
Wherein you would have sold your King to slaughter, [170]
His princes and his peers to servitude,
His subjects to oppression and contempt,
And his whole kingdom into desolation.

Touching our person seek we no revenge;
But we our kingdom’s safety must so tender, [175]
Whose ruin you have sought, that to her laws

We do deliver you. Get you therefore hence,
Poor miserable wretches, to your death;
The taste whereof God of His mercy give
You patience to endure, and true repentance [180]
Off all your dear offences! Bear them hence.

Exeunt [Cambridge, Scrope, and Grey].
Now, lords, for France; the enterprise whereof
Shall be to you, as us, like glorious.

We doubt not of a fair and lucky war,
Since God so graciously hath brought to light [185]
This dangerous treason lurking in our way
To hinder our beginnings. We doubt not now
But every rub is smoothed on our way.

Then forth, dear countrymen! let us deliver
Our puissance into the hand of God, [190]
Putting it straight in expedition.

Cheerly to sea! the signs of war advance!
No King of England, if not King of France!
Flourish. Exeunt.