SCENE I.
The rebel Camp before Shrewsbury.
Enter Hotspur, Worcester, Douglas, and Others.
Hot.
Well said, my noble Scot: If speaking truth,
In this fine age, were not thought flattery note,
Such attribution should the Douglas have,
As not a soldier of this season's stamp
Should go so general current through the world.
By heaven, note I cannot flatter; I defy
The tongues note of soothers; but a braver place
In my heart's love, hath no man than yourself:
Nay, task me to my word; approve me, lord.
Dou.
Thou art the king of honour:
No man so potent breaths upon the ground,
But I will beard him.
Enter a Messenger, with Letters.
Hot.
Do so, and 'tis well:—
What letters hast thou note there?—I can but thank you.
Mes.
These &dagger2; letters, my good lord, come from your father.
Hot.
Letters from him! why comes he not himself?
Mes.
He cannot come, my lord; he's grievous sick.
Hot.
'Zounds note! how has he the note leisure to be sick,
In such a justling time? Who leads his power?
Under whose government come they along?
Mes.
His letters bear note his mind, note note not I, my lord.14Q0646
[Hot-spur opens them, and reads.
-- 74 --
Wor.
I pr'ythee, tell me, doth he keep his bed?
Mes.
He did, my lord, four days ere I set forth;
And at the time of my departure thence,
He was much fear'd by his physicians note.
Wor.
I would, the state of time note had first been whole,
Ere he by sickness had been visited;
His health note was never better worth than now.
Hot.
Sick now! droop now! this sickness doth infect
The very life-blood of our enterprize;
'Tis catching hither, even to our camp.—
He writes me here,—that inward sickness holds him;
And that his friends by deputation could not
So soon be drawn; nor did he think it meet,
To lay so dangerous and dear a trust
On any soul remov'd, but on his own.
Yet doth he give us bold advertisement,—
That with our small conjunction we should on,
To see how fortune is dispos'd to us:
For, as he writes, there is no quailing now;
Because the king is certainly possest
Of all our purposes. What say you to it?
Wor.
Your father's sickness is a maim to us.
Hot.
A perilous gash, a very limb lopt off:—
And yet, in faith, it's not; his present want
Seems more than we shall find it: Were it good,
To set the exact wealth of all our states
All at one cast? to set so rich a main
On the nice hazard of one doubtful hour?
It were not good: for therein should we read
The very bottom and the soul of hope;
The very list, the very utmost bound
Of all our fortunes.
-- 75 --
Dou.
'Faith, and so we should;
Where now remains a sweet reversion;
And we may boldly spend, upon the hope
Of what is note to come in:
A comfort of retirement lives in this.
Hot.
A rendezvous, a home to fly unto,
If that the devil and mischance look big
Upon the maidenhead of our affairs.
Wor.
But yet, I would your father had been here.
The quality and hair note of our attempt
Brooks no division: It will note be thought
By some, that know not why he is away,
That wisdom, loyalty, and meer dislike
Of our proceedings, kept the earl from hence;
And think, how such an apprehension
May turn the tide of fearful faction,
And breed a kind of question in our cause:
For, well you know, we of the offending note side
Must keep aloof from strict arbitrement;
And stop all sight-holes, every loop, from whence
The eye of reason may pry in upon us:
This absence of your father's note draws a curtain,
That shews the ignorant a kind of fear
Before not dreamt of.
Hot.
Come, you strain too far.
I, rather, of his absence make this use;—
It lends a lustre, a more great opinion,
A larger dare to our note great enterprize,
Than if the earl were here: for men must think,
If we, without his help, can make a head
To push against the kingdom note; with his help,
We shall o'er-turn note it topsy-turvy down.
-- 76 --
Yet all goes well, yet all our joints are whole.
Dou.
As heart can think: there is not such a word
Spoke of in Scotland, as this term note of fear.
Enter Sir Richard Vernon.
Hot.
My cousin Vernon! welcome, by my soul.
Ver.
Pray God, my news be worth a welcome, lord.
The earl of Westmoreland, seven thousand strong,
Is marching hitherwards; with him note, prince John.
Hot.
No harm: What more?
Ver.
And further, I have learn'd,—
The king himself in person is set note forth note,
Or hitherwards intended speedily,
With strong and mighty preparation.
Hot.
He shall be welcome too. Where is his son,
The nimble-footed mad-cap prince of Wales,
And his comrádes, that daft the world aside,
And bid it pass?
Ver.
All furnish'd,14Q0647 all in arms,
All plum'd note like estridges; and with the wind
Bating, note like eagles having lately bath'd:
Glittering in golden coats, like images;
Wanton as youthful goats, wild as young bulls;
As full of spirit as the month of May,
And gorgeous as the sun at midsummer.14Q0648
I saw young Harry,—with his beaver up, note
His cuisses on his thighs, gallantly arm'd,—
Rise from the ground like feather'd Mercury,
And vault note with such an ease into his seat,
As if an angel dropt note down from the clouds,
To turn and wind a fiery Pegasus,
And witch the world with noble horsemanship.
Hot.
No more, no more; worse than the sun in March,
-- 77 --
This praise doth nourish agues. Let them come;
They come like sacrifices in their trim,
And to the fire-ey'd maid of smoaky war,
All hot, and bleeding, will we offer them:
The mailed Mars shall on his altar note sit,
Up to the ears in blood. I am on fire,
To hear this rich reprisal is so nigh,
And yet not ours:—Come, let me take my note horse,
Who is to bear me, like a thunder-bolt,
Against the bosom of the prince of Wales:
Harry to Harry shall note,14Q0649 hot horse to horse;
Meet, and ne'er part, 'till one drop down a corse.
O, that Glendower were come!
Ver.
There is more news:
I learn'd in Worcester, as I rode along,
He cannot draw note his power this fourteen days.
Dou.
That's the worst tidings that I hear of yet. note
Wor.
Ay, by my faith, that bears a frosty sound.
Hot.
What may the king's whole battle reach unto?
Ver.
To thirty thousand.
Hot.
Forty let it be;
My father and Glendower being both away,
The powers note of us may serve so great a day.
Come, let us take a note muster speedily:
Dooms-day is near; die all, die merrily.
Dou.
Talk not of dying; I am out of fear
Of death, or death's hand, for this one half year.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.
A publick Road near Coventry.
Enter Falstaff, and Bardolph.
Fal.
Bardolph, get thee before to Coventry; fill me a
bottle of sack: our soldiers shall march through; we'll
-- 78 --
to Sutton-Colfield note to-night.
Bar.
Will you give me money, captain?
Fal.
Lay out, lay out.
Bar.
This bottle makes an angel.
Fal.
An it note do, take it for thy labour; and if it make
twenty, take them all, I'll answer the coinage. Bid my
lieutenant Peto meet me at the note town's end.
Bar.
I will, captain: farewel.
[Exit.
Fal.
If I be not note ashamed of my soldiers, I am a
souc'd gurnet. I have mis-us'd the king's press damnably:
I have got, in exchange of a hundred and fifty soldiers,
three hundred and odd pounds. I press me none but
good housholders, yeomen's sons: enquire me out contracted
batchelors, such as had been ask'd twice on the
banes; such a commodity of warm slaves, as had as
lief hear the devil as a drum; such as fear the report of
a caliver, worse than a struck deer, note14Q0650 or a hurt wild-fowl note.
I prest me none but such toasts and butter, with hearts
in their bellies no bigger than pins' heads, and they
have bought note out their services; and now my whole
charge consists of ancients, corporals, lieutenants, gentlemen
of companies, slaves as ragged as Lazarus in the
painted cloth, where the glutton's dogs licked his sores:
and such as, indeed, were never soldiers; but discarded
unjust servingmen, younger sons to younger brothers,
revolted tapsters, and ostlers trade-fall'n; the cankers of
a calm world, and a long note peace; ten note times more dishonourably note
ragged, than an old-fac'd note ancient: and such
have I, to fill up the rooms of them that have note bought
out their services; that you would think, I note had a hundred
and fifty tatter'd note prodigals, lately come from swine-keeping,
from eating draff and husks. A mad fellow
-- 79 --
met me on the way, and told me, I had unloaded all
the gibbets, and prest the dead bodies. No eye hath
seen such scare-crows. I'll not march through note Coventry
with them, that's flat:—Nay, and the villains march
wide betwixt note the legs, as if they had gyves on; for,
indeed, I had the most of them out of prison. There's
but a note shirt and a half in all my company: and the half-shirt
is two napkins, tack'd together, and thrown over
the shoulders like a herald's coat without sleeves; and
the shirt, to say the truth, stoln from my host at Saint note
Alban's, or the red-nose inn-keeper of Daintry note. But
that's all one; they'll find linnen enough on every
hedge.
Enter the Prince, and Lord Westmoreland.
Pri.
How now, blown Jack? how now, quilt?
Fal.
What, Hal? How now, mad wag? what a devil
dost thou in Warwickshire?—My good lord of Westmoreland,
I cry you mercy; I thought, your honour had
already been at Shrewsbury.
Wes.
'Faith, sir John, 'tis more than time that I were
there, and you too; but my powers are there already:
The king, I can tell you, looks for us all; we must away
all night note.
Fal.
Tut, never fear me note; I am as vigilant, as a cat
to steal cream.
Pri.
I think, to steal cream indeed; for thy theft
hath already made thee butter. But tell me, Jack;
Whose fellows are these that come after?
Fal.
Mine, Hal, mine.
Pri.
I did never see such pitiful rascals.
Fal.
Tut, tut, good enough to toss; food for powder,
food for powder; they'll fill a pit as well as better note:
-- 80 --
tush, man, mortal men, mortal men.
Wes.
Ay, but, sir John, methinks, they are exceeding
poor and bare; too beggarly.
Fal.
'Faith, for their poverty,—I know not where
they had that: and for their bareness,—I am sure, they
never learn'd note that of me.
Pri.
No, I'll be sworn; unless you call three fingers
on the note ribs, bare. But, sirrah, make haste; Percy is
already in the field.
[Exit.
Fal.
What, is the king encamp'd?
Wes.
He is, sir note John; I fear, we shall stay too long.
[Exit.
Fal.
Well,
To note the latter note end of a fray, and the beginning of a feast,
Fits a dull fighter, and a keen guest.
[Exit.
SCENE III.
Hot-spur's Camp near Shrewsbury.
Enter Hot-spur, Worcester, Douglas, and Vernon.
Hot.
We'll fight with him to-night.
Wor.
It may not be.
Dou.
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.
Dou.
You do not counsel well;
You speak note it out of fear, and from cold heart.
Ver.
Do me no slander note, Douglas: by my life,
(And I dare well maintain it with my life)
If well-respected honour bids note me on,
-- 81 --
I hold as little counsel with weak fear,
As you, or note any Scot that this day lives:—
Let it note be seen to-morrow in the battle,
Which of us fears.
Dou. note
Yea, or to-night.
Ver.
Content.14Q0651
Hot.
To-night, say I.
Ver.
Come, come, it may not be. I wonder much,
Being men of such great leading as you are,
That you foresee not what impediments
Drag back our expedition: Certain horse note of
My cousin Vernon's are not yet come up:
Your uncle Worcester's horse note 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 himself note.
Hot.
So are the horses of the enemy
In general, journey-bated, and brought low;
The better part of ours are full of rest.
Wor.
The number of the king exceedeth ours note:
For God's sake, cousin, stay 'till all come in.
Trumpet sounds a Parley. Enter Sir Walter Blunt.
Blu.
I come with gracious offers note from the king,
If you vouchsafe me hearing, and respect.
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 deservings, and good name;
Because you are not of our quality,
But stand against us like an enemy.
Blu.
And God defend note but still I should stand so,
-- 82 --
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 griefs note; and whereupon
You conjure from the breast note of civil peace
Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land
Audacious cruelty: If that the king
Have note any way your good deserts forgot,—
Which he confesseth to be manifold,—
He bids you name your griefs note; and, with all speed,
You shall have your desires note, with interest;
And pardon absolute for yourself, and these,
Herein mis-led 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 note uncle, and myself,
Did give him that same royalty he wears:
And,—when he was not six and twenty strong,
Sick in the world's regard, wretched and low,
A poor unminded out-law sneaking home,—
My father gave him welcome to the shore:
And,—when he heard him swear, and vow to God, note
He came but to be duke note of Lancaster,
To sue his livery, and beg his peace;
With tears14Q0652 of innocency, and terms of zeal,—
My father, in kind heart and pity mov'd,
Swore him assistance note, and perform'd it too.
Now, when the lords and barons of the realm
Perceiv'd Northumberland did lean to him,
The more note and less came in with cap and knee;
Met him in boroughs, cities, villages;
Attended note him on bridges, stood in lanes,
-- 83 --
Lay'd gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths,
Gave him their heirs; as pages follow'd him,
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 Ravenspurg;
And now (forsooth) takes on him to reform
Some certain edicts, and some strait decrees,
That lye too note heavy on the commonwealth:
Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep
Over his country's note 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.
Blu.
I note came not to hear this.
Hot.
Then, to the point.
In short time after, he depos'd the king;
Soon after that, depriv'd him of his life;
And, in the neck of that, task'd the whole state:
To make that worse, suffer'd his kinsman March
(Who is, if every owner were well note plac'd,
Indeed his king) to be encag'd note in Wales,
There without ransom to lye forfeited:
Disgrac'd me in my happy victories;
Sought to entrap me by intelligence;
Rated my uncle note from the council-board;
In rage dismiss'd my father from the court;
Broke oath on oath, committed note wrong on wrong:
-- 84 --
And, in conclusion, drove us to seek out
This head of safety; and, withal, to pry
Into his title too, the which we find
Too indirect for long continuance.
Blu.
Shall I return this answer to the king?
Hot.
Not so, sir Walter; we'll withdraw a while.
Go to the king; and let there be impawn'd
Some surety for a safe note return again,
And in the morning early shall my uncle note
Bring him our purposes note: and so farewel.
Blu.
I would, you would accept of grace and love.
Hot.
And note, may be, so we shall.
Blu.
Pray heaven note, you do.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV.
York. A Room in the Archbishop's Palace.
Enter the Archbishop, and a Gentleman.
Arch.
Hie, good sir Michael note; bear this &dagger2; sealed brief,
With winged haste, to the lord mareshal;14Q0653
This &dagger2; to my cousin Scroop; and all the &dagger2; rest
To whom they are directed: if you knew
How much they do import, you would make haste.
Gen.
I note guess their tenor.
Arch.
Like enough, you do.
To-morrow, good sir Michael, is a day,
Wherein the fortune of ten thousand men
Must 'bide the touch: For, sir, at Shrewsbury,
As I am truly given to understand,
The king, with mighty and quick-raised power,
Meets with lord Harry: and I fear, sir Michael,—
What with the sickness of Northumberland,
(Whose power was in the first proportion)
And what with note Owen Glendower's absence thence,
-- 85 --
(Who with them was a note rated sinew too note,
And comes not in, o'er-rul'd by prophesies)—
I fear, the power of Percy is too weak
To wage an instant trial with the king.
Gen.
Why, my good lord, I think, you need not fear;
There is the Douglas, and lord Mortimer:—
Arch.
No,
Mortimer is not there.
Gen.
But there is Mordake, Vernon, Harry note note Percy,
And there's my lord of Worcester; and a head
Of gallant warriors, noble gentlemen.
Arch.
And so there is: but yet the king hath drawn
The special head of all the land together:—
The prince of Wales, lord John of Lancaster,
The noble Westmoreland, and warlike Blunt;
And many more corrivals, and dear men
Of estimation and command in arms.
Gen.
Doubt not, my lord, they shall note be well oppos'd.
Arch.
I hope no less, yet needful 'tis to fear;
And, to prevent the worst, sir Michael, speed:
For, if lord Percy thrive not, ere the king
Dismiss his power, he means to visit us,—
For he hath heard of our confederacy,— note
And 'tis but wisdom to make strong against him;
Therefore, make haste: I must go write again
To other friends; and so farewel, sir Michael.
[Exeunt, severally.
Edward Capell [1767], Mr William Shakespeare his comedies, histories, and tragedies, set out by himself in quarto, or by the Players his Fellows in folio, and now faithfully republish'd from those Editions in ten Volumes octavo; with an introduction: Whereunto will be added, in some other Volumes, notes, critical and explanatory, and a Body of Various Readings entire (Printed by Dryden Leach, for J. and R. Tonson [etc.], London) [word count] [S10601].
