DUNSTAN. Your grace's care herein I much commend, And England hath just cause to praise the Lord, That sent so good a king to govern them. Your life may be a lantern to the state, By perfect sign of humility. How blest had Sodom been in sight of God, If they had had so kind a governor; They had then undoubtedly escap'd that doom, That God in justice did inflict on them. Then, England, kneel upon thy hearty knee, And praise that God that so provides for thee. And, virtuous prince, thou Solomon of our age, Whose years, I hope, shall double Nestor's reign, And bring a thousand profits to the land, Myself (dread prince), in token of my love And dutiful obedience to your grace, Will study daily, as my duty wills, To root sins from the flourishing commonwealth, That Fame, in every angle of the world, May sound due praise of England's virtuous[288] king. KING. Dunstan, live thou, and counsel still the king To maintain justice, were it on himself, Rather than, soothing him in his abuse, To see subversion of his commonwealth. I tell thee, Dunstan, thou hast pleased the king, And proved thyself a virtuous councillor: Thy counsel is to me as North-Star light, That guides the sailor to his wished port; For by that star he is so comforted, That he sails dangerless on dangerous seas, And in his deepest sadness comforts him. So Dunstan's knowledge is that star of joy, That will with help conduct me to my happiness. HONESTY. And yet thou art not happy, Edgar, Because that sins, like swarms, remain in thee. KING. Why, 'tis impossible; for I have studied still, To root abuses from the commonwealth, That may infect the king or commonalty. Therefore, base peasant, wilful as thou art, I tell thee troth, thou hast displeas'd the king. HONESTY. Nay, the king hath displeased himself, In trusting every one that speaks him fair: For through fair words kings many times are fain To countenance knaves by their authority. I will not say your grace doth so-- PERIN. No, sir; you were not best. HONESTY. Why, if I should, I might make good my word, And find a knave, I fear, before I part. KING. Why, what art thou? HONESTY. Marry, I go plain, and my name is Honesty: A friend to your grace, but a foe to flatterers, And one that hath _a knack to know a knave_. PERIN. As how, sir? By art, or by some foolish gift God hath given you? You are some physician, or skill'd in phys'ognomy, or in palmestry; For, I am sure, you can never do it by astronomy, Because there are no stars to know a knave. HONESTY. True, but many an honest man knows a knave to his cost, And is neither physician, or skill'd physiognomer, palmester, nor astronomer, But a plain man of the country, like me, That knows a knave, if he do but see his cap. PERIN. That were pretty, i'faith, to see. Honesty know a knave by his cap: 'Tis more than I can do with all the skill I have. But tell me, I pray thee, how I should know a knave.