Mor. I think, my lord, about twenty thousand men;
But, if your grace would follow my advice,
Thus would I deal with these rebellious men:
I would find time to parley with some of them,
And know what in their minds they do intend,
For being armed with such treacherous thoughts,
They may perform more than your grace expects.
King. With speed return to those unnatural men,
And see, Sir John, you greet them thus from us:
Tell them that we ourselves will come to them,
To understand their meaning and their minds;
And tell them, if they have any evil sustained,
Ourselves will see sufficient recompense:
Go, good Sir John, and tell them upon the Thames
Ourselves will meet with them, there to confer
Concerning their avail;[441] do so, Sir John,
And kindly recommend us to them all.
Mor. We shall fulfil your grace's mind in this;
And thus I take my congé of your majesty,
Wishing your grace thrice Nestor's years to reign,
To keep your land, and guard your royal train.
Queen. Farewell, good knight, and as thou darest,
Remember them, though they forget themselves.
[Exit Morton.
Bishop. Your grace herein is very well advised.
With resolution fitting your degree,
Your grace must show yourself to be a king,
And rule like God's vicegerent here on earth,
The looks of kings do lend both life and death,
And when a king doth set down his decree,
His sentence should be irrevocable.
Your grace herein hath shown your princely mind,
In that you hate to prey on carrion flesh;
Such prey befits not kings to prey upon,
That may command and countermand their own.
I hope, my lord, this message so will prove,
That public hate will turn to private love.
And therefore I say, my lord, you have answered well,
The task was given your grace by Act of Parliament,
And you have reason to demand your due.
King. My lord, I hope we shall not need to fear
To meet those men, that thus do threaten us.
We will, my lord to-morrow meet with them,
And hear, my lord, what 'tis that they demand.
Mother, your grace shall need to take no care,
For you shall in our Tower of London stay
Till we return from Kent to you again.
My lord, see everything prepared for us;
And, mother, thus I leave your majesty,
You to the Tower, and I must hence to Kent.
Treas. My lord, if so you please, take my advice herein,
That speaks in love and duty to your grace:
I shall in every matter privilege
Your majesty and all your lordly train.
I mean against your manor of Greenwich town,
And so amidst the stream may hover safe,
Meanwhile they send some few and chosen men,
To give your grace to understand their minds,
And thus, my lords, I have adventured
To show your majesty my mind herein. [Exeunt.
FOOTNOTES:
[434] [Tax.]