Page:Henry V (1918) Yale.djvu/37

Henry the Fifth, II. ii

And shall forget the office of our hand,

Sooner than quittance of desert and merit

According to the weight and worthiness.

Scroop. So service shall with steeled sinews toil,

And labour shall refresh itself with hope,

To do your Grace incessant services.

K. Hen. We judge no less. Uncle of Exeter,

Enlarge the man committed yesterday

That rail'd against our person: we consider

It was excess of wine that set him on;

And on his more advice we pardon him.

Scroop. That's mercy, but too much security:

Let him be punish'd, sovereign, lest example

Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind.

K. Hen. O! let us yet be merciful.

Cam. So may your highness, and yet punish too.

Grey. Sir,

You show great mercy, if you give him life

After the taste of much correction.

K. Hen. Alas! your too much love and care of me

Are heavy orisons 'gainst this poor wretch.

If little faults, proceeding on distemper,

Shall not be wink'd at, how shall we stretch our eye

When capital crimes, chew'd, swallow'd, and digested,

Appear before us? We'll yet enlarge that man,

Though Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey, in their dear care,

And tender preservation of our person,

 34 quittance: reward

40 Enlarge: set free

43 his more advice: his return to greater coolness of mind

46 by his sufferance: because he is pardoned

53 orisons: petitions

54 proceeding on distemper: arising from drunkenness 