[KING.] Welcome, Don Balthazar! Welcome nephew! And thou, Horatio, thou art welcome too! Young prince, although thy fathers hard misdeedes In keeping backe the tribute that he owes Deserue but euill measure at our hands, Yet shalt thou know that Spaine is honorable. BALT. The trespasse that my father made in peace Is now controlde by fortune of the warres; And cards once dealt, it bootes not aske why so. His men are slaine,--a weakening to his realme; His colours ceaz'd,--a blot vnto his name; His sonne distrest,--a corsiue to his hart; These punishments may cleare his late offence. KING. I, Balthazar, if he obserue this truce, Our peace will grow the stronger for these warres. Meane-while liue thou, though not in libertie, Yet free from bearing any seruile yoake; For in our hearing thy deserts were great. And in our sight thy-selfe art gratious. BALT. And I shall studie to deserue this grace. KING. But tell me,--for their holding makes me doubt: To Which of these twaine art thou prisoner? LOR. To me, my liege. HOR. To me, my soueraigne. LOR. This hand first tooke his courser by the raines. HOR. But first my launce did put him from his horse. LOR. I ceaz'd the weapon and enioyde it first. HOR. But first I forc'd him lay his weapons downe. KING. Let goe his arm, vpon my priviledge! Let him goe. Say, worthy prince: to whether didst thou yeeld? BALT. To him in curtesie; to this perforce; He spake me faire, this other gaue me strokes; He promisde life, this other threatned death; He wan my loue, this other conquerd me; And, truth to say, I yeeld my-selfe to both. HIERO. But that I [know] your Grace is iust and wise, And might seeme partiall in this difference, Inforct by nature and by law of armes, My tongue should plead for young Horatios right. He hunted well that was a lyons death, Not he that in a garment wore his skin; So hares may pull dead lyons by the beard. KING. Content thee, marshall; thou shalt haue no wrong, And for thy sake thy sonne shall want to right. Will both abide the censure of my doome? LOR. I craue no better than your Grace awards. HOR. Nor I, although I sit beside my right.