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And then all this thou seest is but a clod

And module of confounded royalty.

BASTARD.

The Dauphin is preparing hitherward,

Where God He knows how we shall answer him;

For in a night the best part of my pow'r,

As I upon advantage did remove,

Were in the Washes all unwarily

Devoured by the unexpected flood. [The KING

dies]

SALISBURY.

You breathe these dead news in as dead an ear.

My liege! my lord! But now a king-now thus.

PRINCE HENRY.

Even so must I run on, and even so stop.

What surety of the world, what hope, what stay,

When this was now a king, and now is clay?

BASTARD.

Art thou gone so? I do but stay behind

To do the office for thee of revenge,

And then my soul shall wait on thee to heaven,

As it on earth hath been thy servant still.

Now, now, you stars that move in your right spheres,

Where be your pow'rs? Show now your mended faiths,

And instantly return with me again

To push destruction and perpetual shame

Out of the weak door of our fainting land.

Straight let us seek, or straight we shall be sought;

The Dauphin rages at our very heels.

SALISBURY.

It seems you know not, then, so much as we:

The Cardinal Pandulph is within at rest,

Who half an hour since came from the Dauphin,

And brings from him such offers of our peace

As we with honour and respect may take,

With purpose presently to leave this war.

BASTARD.

He will the rather do it when he sees

Ourselves well sinewed to our defence.

SALISBURY.

Nay, 'tis in a manner done already;

For many carriages he hath dispatch'd

To the sea-side, and put his cause and quarrel

To the disposing of the Cardinal;

With whom yourself, myself, and other lords,

If you think meet, this afternoon will post

To consummate this business happily.

BASTARD.

Let it be so. And you, my noble Prince,

With other princes that may best be spar'd,

Shall wait upon your father's funeral.

PRINCE HENRY.

At Worcester must his body be interr'd;

For so he will'd it.

BASTARD.

Thither shall it, then;

And happily may your sweet self put on

The lineal state and glory of the land!

To whom, with all submission, on my knee

I do bequeath my faithful services

And true subjection everlastingly.

SALISBURY.

And the like tender of our love we make,

To rest without a spot for evermore.

PRINCE HENRY.

I have a kind soul that would give you thanks,

And knows not how to do it but with tears.

BASTARD.

O, let us pay the time but needful woe,

Since it hath been beforehand with our griefs.

This England never did, nor never shall,

Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror,

But when it first did help to wound itself.

Now these her princes are come home again,

Come the three corners of the world in arms,

And we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue,

If England to itself do rest but true.

Exeunt

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

This tragic comedy is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is best known for its controversial elements, such as Shylock and the prejudiced treatment of Jews.

The story is set in the 14th century, when the city of Venice was one of the richest of the world. Among the wealthiest of its merchants is Antonio. Among the Christian community, he is known as a kind and generous person. Bassanio, a young Venetian, of noble rank but having squandered his estate, wishes to travel to Belmont to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia. He approaches his friend Antonio, who has previously and repeatedly bailed him out, for three thousand ducats needed to subsidise his travelling expenditures as a suitor for three months. Antonio agrees, but he is cash-poor; his ships and merchandise are busy at sea. He promises to cover a bond if Bassanio can find a lender, so Bassanio turns to the Jewish moneylender Shylock and names Antonio as the loan’s guarantor.

Shakespeare's main source text for this play is available via this link.

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