FOOL. Then have we here a pair of kings lacking both crowns and kingdoms to wear ’em in. These be but evil times for kings or fools either; and to my thinking there’s not so great a difference betwixt a fool and a king, save that the fool may chance be the wiser man of the two. Of a surety there was little wit a going begging when these twain put their golden crowns from off their simple skulls. Though I’m but a fool, and no wise man, I were but a fool indeed were I to change places with a king. _Enter_ KING HENRY VI. KING HENRY. What sayest thou of kings? Kings are but men, Cool’d by the same wind as their subjects are, And blister’d by the self-same burning sun. O happiest are the common folk who toil Afield by day, eat scanty fare, and sleep Anight unvex’d by cares of state or plots Of traitorous nobles envious of a crown. FOOL. What do I say of kings? Marry, I say they were best to watch well their daughters and their kingdoms; it needs no fool to say so much as that. Prithee, art thou a king of the same mould as these thou beholdest here in this place? KING HENRY. At scarce nine months was I anointed king. FOOL. Truly, thou serv’st a tender apprenticeship to thy business and I marvel the less at thy present having. [_To_ LEAR] Good nuncle, here’s yet another king out at the elbows, one, belike, that shook his rattle as ’t were a sceptre, and wore his porringer on ’s head where his crown should have been. LEAR [_to_ KING HENRY] And thou, too, wert a king? KING HENRY. I was, but now Am I a king no longer. Edward of March Usurps my title and my crown. There come No suitors unto me, a shadow prince Mated with Madge of Anjou, strong where I Am weak, for she loves war, and weak where I Am strong, for I am joined to content Which she, poor soul, wots little of. KING RICHARD. O let Us make a compact with this same content; As which shall joy the most in it, that thus The hours shall fleet unhinder’d o’er our heads As o’er the shepherd’s gazing on his flock From out the hawthorn shade. Or what say you, Were it not fitter pastime to bewail Our loss of crown and kingdom morn by morn, Evening by evening, till at last we died Of grief? KING HENRY. Wiser it were to strive to find What comfort’s left to us. KING RICHARD. Why, so we will. Come, fool, be thou our numbering clock and tell Item by item all that’s left to us Unhappy kings, brothers in wretchedness.