Re-purchased with the blood of enemies.

What valiant foemen, like to autumn’s corn,

♦ Have we mow’d down in tops of all their pride!

5 Three Dukes of Somerset, threefold renown’d

♦ For hardy and undoubted champions;

Two Cliffords, as the father and the son,

And two Northumberlands; two braver men

Ne’er spurr’d their coursers at the trumpet’s sound;

10 With them, the two brave bears, Warwick and Montague,

That in their chains fetter’d the kingly lion

And made the forest tremble when they roar’d.

Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat

♦ And made our footstool of security.

15 Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy.

Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles and myself

♦ Have in our armours watch’d the winter’s night,

Went all afoot in summer’s scalding heat,

That thou mightst repossess the crown in peace:

20 And of our labours thou shalt reap the gain.

For yet I am not look’d on in the world.

This shoulder was ordain’d so thick to heave;

And heave it shall some weight, or break my back:

25 Work thou the way,—and thou shalt execute.

♦ And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both.

I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe.

Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit.

♦ [Aside.] To say the truth, so Judas kiss’d his master,

And cried, ‘all hail!’ when as he meant all harm.

Having my country’s peace and brothers’ loves.

♦ Reignier, her father, to the king of France

Hath pawn’d the Sicils and Jerusalem,

40 And hither have they sent it for her ransom.

♦ And now what rests but that we spend the time

With stately triumphs, mirthful comic shows,

♦ Such as befits the pleasure of the court?

45 Sound drums and trumpets! farewell sour annoy!

♦ For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy. [Exeunt.