Vernon.
Hot.
We'll fight with him to-night.
Wor.
It may not be.
Doug.
You give him then advantage.
Ver.
Not a whit.
Hot.
Why say you so? looks he not for supply?
Ver.
So do we.
Hot.
His is certain, ours is doubtful.
Wor.
Good cousin, be advis'd; stir not to-night.
Ver.
Do not, my lord.
Doug.
You do not counsel well;
You speak it out of fear, and cold heart.
Ver.
Do me no slander, Douglas: by my life,
(And I dare well maintain it with my life,)
If well-respected honour bid me on,
-- 373 --
I hold as little counsel with weak fear,
As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives7 note
:—
Let it be seen to-morrow in the battle,
Which of us fears.
Doug.
Yea, or to-night.
Ver.
Content.
Hot.
To-night, say I.
Ver.
Come, come, it may not be.
I wonder much, being men of such great leading as you are8 note
,
That you foresee not what impediments
Drag back our expedition: Certain horse
Of my cousin Vernon's are not yet come up:
Your uncle Worcester's horse came but to-day;
And now their pride and mettle is asleep,
Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,
That not a horse is half the half of himself9 note.
Hot.
So are the horses of the enemy
In general, journey-bated, and brought low:
The better part of ours is full of rest.
Wor.
The number of the king exceedeth ours:
For God's sake, cousin, stay till all come in.
[The Trumpet sounds a parley.
Enter Sir Walter Blunt.
Blunt.
I come with gracious offers from the king,
If you vouchsafe me hearing, and respect.
-- 374 --
Hot.
Welcome, sir Walter Blunt; And would to God,
You were of our determination!
Some of us love you well: and even those some
Envy your great deserving, and good name;
Because you are not of our quality1 note,
But stand against us like an enemy.
Blunt.
And God defend, but still I should stand so,
So long as, out of limit, and true rule,
You stand against anointed majesty!
But, to my charge.—The king hath sent to know
The nature of your griefs2 note; and whereupon
You conjure from the breast of civil peace
Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land
Audacious cruelty: If that the king
Have any way your good deserts forgot,—
Which he confesseth to be manifold,—
He bids you name your griefs; and, with all speed,
You shall have your desires, with interest;
And pardon absolute for yourself, and these,
Herein misled by your suggestion.
Hot.
The king is kind; and, well we know, the king
Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.
My father, and my uncle, and myself,
-- 375 --
Did give him that same royalty he wears3 note
:
And, when he was not six and twenty strong,
Sick in the world's regard, wretched and low,
A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home,
My father gave him welcome to the shore:
And, when he heard him swear, and vow to God,
He came but to be duke of Lancaster,
To sue his livery4 note
, and beg his peace;
With tears of innocency, and terms of zeal,
-- 376 --
My father, in kind heart and pity mov'd,
Swore him assistance, and perform'd it too.
Now, when the lords, and barons of the realm
Perceiv'd Northumberland did lean to him,
The more and less5 note
came in with cap and knee;
Met him in boroughs, cities, villages;
Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,
Laid gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths,
Gave him their heirs; as pages follow'd him6 note
,
Even at the heels, in golden multitudes.
He presently,—as greatness knows itself,—
Steps me a little higher than his vow
Made to my father, while his blood was poor,
Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurg7 note;
And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform
Some certain edicts, and some straight decrees,
That lie too heavy on the commonwealth:
Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep
Over his country's wrongs; and, by this face,
This seeming brow of justice, did he win
The hearts of all that he did angle for.
Proceeded further; cut me off the heads
Of all the favourites, that the absent king
In deputation left behind him here,
When he was personal in the Irish war.
Blunt.
Tut, I came not to hear this.
Hot.
Then, to the point.
-- 377 --
In short time after, he depos'd the king;
Soon after that, depriv'd him of his life;
And, in the neck of that8 note, task'd the whole state9 note
:
To make that worse, suffer'd his kinsman March
(Who is, if every owner were well plac'd,
Indeed his king,) to be incag'd in Wales1 note
,
There without ransom to lie forfeited:
Disgrac'd me in my happy victories;
Sought to entrap me by intelligence;
Rated my uncle from the council-board;
In rage dismiss'd my father from the court;
Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong;
And, in conclusion, drove us to seek out
This head of safety2 note; and, withal, to pry
Into his title, the which we find
Too indirect for long continuance.
Blunt.
Shall I return this answer to the king?
Hot.
Not so, sir Walter; we'll withdraw awhile.
-- 378 --
Go to the king; and let there be impawn'd
Some surety for a safe return again,
And in the morning early shall mine uncle
Bring him our purposes: and so farewell.
Blunt.
I would, you would accept of grace and love.
Hot.
And, may be, so we shall.
Blunt.
'Pray heaven, you do!
[Exeunt.
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
