Enter Erpingham.
Erp. My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence,
Seek through your camp to find you.
K. Hen.Good old knight,
Collect them all together at my tent:
I'll be before thee.
Erp.I shall do 't, my lord. Exit.
K. Hen. O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts; 309
Possess them not with fear; take from them now
The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O Lord, 312
O, not to-day, think not upon the fault
My father made in compassing the crown!
I Richard's body have interr'd anew,
And on it have bestow'd more contrite tears 316
Than from it issu'd forced drops of blood.
Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay,
Who twice a day their wither'd hands hold up
Toward heaven, to pardon blood; and I have built 320
Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests
Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do;
Though all that I can do is nothing worth,
Since that my penitence comes after all, 324
Imploring pardon.
Enter Gloucester.
Glo. My liege!
K. Hen. My brother Gloucester's voice! Ay;
312 hearts: courage
314 compassing: obtaining
321 chantries; cf. n.
323-325 Cf. n.
