Take them away.

Pis. Si fortuna me tormenta, spero me contenta.

[Exeunt Fal. Shal. Pis. Bar. Page, and Officers. P. John. I like this fair proceeding of the king's: He hath intent, his wonted followers

Shall all be very well provided for;

But all are banish'd, till their conversations
Appear more wise and modest to the world.

Ch. Jus. And so they are.

P. John. The king hath call'd his parliament, my lord.

Ch. Jus. He hath.

P. John. I will lay odds, that, ere this year ex

pire,

We bear our civil swords and native fire

As far as France: I heard a bird so sing,
Whose music, to my thinking, pleased the king.
Come, will you hence?

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY A DANCER.

First my fear, then my courtesy, last my speech : my fear is your displeasure, my courtesy my duty, and my speech to beg your pardons. If you look for a good speech now, you undo me; for what I have to say is of mine own making; and what, indeed, I should say, will, I doubt, prove mine own marring. But to the purpose, and so to the venture. Be it known to you, (as it is very well) I was lately here in the end of a displeasing play, to pray your patience for it, and to promise you a better. I did mean, indeed, to pay you with this; which, if, like an ill venture, it come unluckily home, I break, and you, my gentle creditors, lose. Here, I promised you, I would be, and here I commit my body to your mercies: bate me some, and I will pay you some, and, as most debtors do, promise you infinitely.

If my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me, will you command me to use my legs? and yet that were but light payment,—to dance out of your debt. But a good conscience will make any possible satisfaction, and so will I. All the gentlewomen here have forgiven me; if the gentlemen will not, then the gentlemen do not agree with the gentlewomen, which was never seen before in such an assembly.

One word more, I beseech you. If you be not

too much cloyed with fat meat, our humble author will continue the story. with sir John in it, and make you merry with fair Katharine of France; where, for any thing I know, Falstaff shall die of a sweat, unless already he be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary; when my legs are too, I will bid you good night, and so kneel down before you;-but. ndeed, to pray for the queen.1

1 Most of the ancient interludes conclude with a prayer for the king or queen. Hence, perhaps, the Vivant rex et regina at the bottom of our modern play-bills.

KING HENRY V.