Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Henry IV, Part One (1623 First Folio Edition)
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Act I
Scene i
1: Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.
2: Enter the King, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle
3: of Westmerland, with others.
King.
4:
5: So shaken as we are, so wan with care,
6: Finde we a time for frighted Peace to pant,
7: And breath shortwinded accents of new broils
8: To be commenc'd in Stronds a-farre remote:
9: No more the thirsty entrance of this Soile,
10: Shall daube her lippes with her owne childrens blood:
11: No more shall trenching Warre channell her fields,
12: Nor bruise her Flowrets with the Armed hoofes
13: Of hostile paces. Those opposed eyes,
14: Which like the Meteors of a troubled Heauen,
15: All of one Nature, of one Substance bred,
16: Did lately meete in the intestine shocke,
17: And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery,
18: Shall now in mutuall well-beseeming rankes
19: March all one way, and be no more oppos'd
20: Against Acquaintance, Kindred, and Allies.
21: The edge of Warre, like an ill-sheathed knife,
22: No more shall cut his Master. Therefore Friends,
23: As farre as to the Sepulcher of Christ,
24: Whose Souldier now vnder whose blessed Crosse
25: We are impressed and ingag'd to fight,
26: Forthwith a power of English shall we leuie,
27: Whose armes were moulded in their Mothers wombe,
28: To chace these Pagans in those holy Fields,
29: Ouer whose Acres walk'd those blessed feete
30: Which fourteene hundred yeares ago were nail'd
31: For our aduantage on the bitter Crosse.
32: But this our purpose is a tweluemonth old,
33: And bootlesse 'tis to tell you we will go:
34: Therefore we meete not now. Then let me heare
35: Of you my gentle Cousin Westmerland,
36: What yesternight our Councell did decree,
37: In forwarding this deere expedience.
West.
38: My Liege: This haste was hot in question,
39: And many limits of the Charge set downe
40: But yesternight: when all athwart there came
41: A Post from Wales, loaden with heauy Newes;
42: Whose worst was, That the Noble Mortimer,
43: Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight
44: Against the irregular and wilde Glendower,
45: Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken,
46: And a thousand of his people butchered:
47: Vpon whose dead corpes there was such misuse,
48: Such beastly, shamelesse transformation,
49: By those Welshwomen done, as may not be
50: (Without much shame) re-told or spoken of.
King.
51: It seemes then, that the tidings of this broile,
52: Brake off our businesse for the Holy land.
West.
53: This matcht with other like, my gracious Lord,
54: Farre more vneuen and vnwelcome Newes
55: Came from the North, and thus it did report:
56: On Holy-roode day, the gallant Hotspurre there,
57: Young Harry Percy, and braue Archibald,
58: That euer-valiant and approoued Scot,
59: At Holmeden met, where they did spend
60: A sad and bloody houre:
61: As by discharge of their Artillerie,
62: And shape of likely-hood the newes was told:
63: For he that brought them, in the very heate
64: And pride of their contention, did take horse,
65: Vncertaine of the issue any way.
King.
66: Heere is a deere and true industrious friend,
67: Sir Walter Blunt, new lighted from his Horse,
68: Strain'd with the variation of each soyle,
69: Betwixt that Holmedon, and this Seat of ours:
70: And he hath brought vs smooth and welcome newes.
71: The Earle of Dowglas is discomfited,
72: Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty Knights
73: Balk'd in their owne blood did Sir Walter see
74: On Holmedons Plaines. Of Prisoners, Hotspurre tooke
75: Mordake Earle of Fife, and eldest sonne
76: To beaten Dowglas, and the Earle of Atholl,
77: Of Murry, Angus, and Menteith.
78: And is not this an honourable spoyle?
79: A gallant prize? Ha Cosin, is it not? Infaith it is.
West.
80: A Conquest for a Prince to boast of.
King.
81: Yea, there thou mak'st me sad, & mak'st me sin,
82: In enuy, that my Lord Northumberland
83: Should be the Father of so blest a Sonne:
84: A Sonne, who is the Theame of Honors tongue;
85: Among'st a Groue, the very straightest Plant,
86: Who is sweet Fortunes Minion, and her Pride:
87: Whil'st I by looking on the praise of him,
88: See Ryot and Dishonor staine the brow
89: Of my yong Harry. O that it could be prou'd,
90: That some Night-tripping-Faiery, had exchang'd
91: In Cradle-clothes, our Children where they lay,
92: And call'd mine Percy, his Plantagenet:
93: Then would I haue his Harry, and he mine:
94: But let him from my thoughts. What thinke you Coze
95: Of this young Percies pride? The Prisoners
96: Which he in this aduenture hath surpriz'd,
97: To his owne vse he keepes, and sends me word
98: I shall haue none but Mordake Earle of Fife.
West.
99: This is his Vnckles teaching. This is Worcester
100: Maleuolent to you in all Aspects:
101: Which makes him prune himselfe, and bristle vp
102: The crest of Youth against your Dignity.
King.
103: But I haue sent for him to answer this:
104: And for this cause a-while we must neglect
105: Our holy purpose to Ierusalem.
106: Cosin, on Wednesday next, our Councell we will hold
107: At Windsor, and so informe the Lords:
108: But come your selfe with speed to vs againe,
109: For more is to be saide, and to be done,
110: Then out of anger can be vttered.
West.
111: I will my Liege. [Exeunt]
Scene ii
112: Scaena Secunda.
113: Enter Henry Prince of Wales, Sir Iohn Fal-staffe,
114: and Pointz.
Fal.
115: Now Hal, what time of day is it Lad?
Prince.
116: Thou art so fat-witted with drinking of olde
117: Sacke, and vnbuttoning thee after Supper, and sleeping
118: vpon Benches in the afternoone, that thou hast forgotten
119: to demand that truely, which thou wouldest truly know.
120: What a diuell hast thou to do with the time of the day?
121: vnlesse houres were cups of Sacke, and minutes Capons,
122: and clockes the tongues of Bawdes, and dialls the signes
123: of Leaping-houses, and the blessed Sunne himselfe a faire
124: hot Wench in Flame-coloured Taffata; I see no reason,
125: why thou shouldest bee so superfluous, to demaund the
126: time of the day.
Fal.
127: Indeed you come neere me now Hal, for we that
128: take Purses, go by the Moone and seuen Starres, and not
129: by Phoebus hee, that wand'ring Knight so faire. And I
130: prythee sweet Wagge, when thou art King, as God saue
131: thy Grace, Maiesty I should say, for Grace thou wilte
132: haue none.
Prin.
133: What, none?
Fal.
134: No, not so much as will serue to be Prologue to
135: an Egge and Butter.
Prin.
136: Well, how then? Come roundly, roundly.
Fal.
137: Marry then, sweet Wagge, when thou art King,
138: let not vs that are Squires of the Nights bodie, bee call'd
139: Theeues of the Dayes beautie. Let vs be Dianaes Forre-sters,
140: Gentlemen of the Shade, Minions of the Moone;
141: and let men say, we be men of good Gouernment, being
142: gouerned as the Sea, by our noble and chast mistris the
143: Moone, vnder whose countenance we steale.
Prin.
144: Thou say'st well, and it holds well too: for the
145: fortune of vs that are the Moones men, doeth ebbe and
146: flow like the Sea, beeing gouerned as the Sea is, by the
147: Moone: as for proofe. Now a Purse of Gold most reso-lutely
148: snatch'd on Monday night, and most dissolutely
149: spent on Tuesday Morning; got with swearing, Lay by:
150: and spent with crying, Bring in: now, in as low an ebbe
151: as the foot of the Ladder, and by and by in as high a flow
152: as the ridge of the Gallowes.
Fal.
153: Thou say'st true Lad: and is not my Hostesse of
154: the Tauerne a most sweet Wench?
Prin.
155: As is the hony, my old Lad of the Castle: and is
156: not a Buffe Ierkin a most sweet robe of durance?
Fal.
157: How now? how now mad Wagge? What in thy
158: quips and thy quiddities? What a plague haue I to doe
159: with a Buffe-Ierkin?
Prin.
160: Why, what a poxe haue I to doe with my Ho-stesse
161: of the Tauerne?
Fal.
162: Well, thou hast call'd her to a reck'ning many a
163: time and oft.
Prin.
164: Did I euer call for thee to pay thy part?
Fal.
165: No, Ile giue thee thy due, thou hast paid al there.
Prin.
166: Yea and elsewhere, so farre as my Coine would
167: stretch, and where it would not, I haue vs'd my credit.
Fal.
168: Yea, and so vs'd it, that were it heere apparant,
169: that thou art Heire apparant. But I prythee sweet Wag,
170: shall there be Gallowes standing in England when thou
171: art King? and resolution thus fobb'd as it is, with the ru-stie
172: curbe of old Father Anticke the Law? Doe not thou
173: when thou art a King, hang a Theefe.
Prin.
174: No, thou shalt.
Fal.
175: Shall I? O rare! Ile be a braue Iudge.
Prin.
176: Thou iudgest false already. I meane, thou shalt
177: haue the hanging of the Theeues, and so become a rare
178: Hangman.
Fal.
179: Well Hal, well: and in some sort it iumpes with
180: my humour, as well as waiting in the Court, I can tell
181: you.
Prin.
182: For obtaining of suites?
Fal.
183: Yea, for obtaining of suites, whereof the Hang-man
184: hath no leane Wardrobe. I am as Melancholly as a
185: Gyb-Cat, or a lugg'd Beare.
Prin.
186: Or an old Lyon, or a Louers Lute.
Fal.
187: Yea, or the Drone of a Lincolnshire Bagpipe.
Prin.
188: What say'st thou to a Hare, or the Melancholly
189: of Moore Ditch?
Fal.
190: Thou hast the most vnsauoury smiles, and art in-deed
191: the most comparatiue rascallest sweet yong Prince.
192: But Hal, I prythee trouble me no more with vanity, I wold
193: thou and I knew, where a Commodity of good names
194: were to be bought: an olde Lord of the Councell rated
195: me the other day in the street about you sir; but I mark'd
196: him not, and yet hee talk'd very wisely, but I regarded
197: him not, and yet he talkt wisely, and in the street too.
Prin.
198: Thou didst well: for no man regards it.
Fal.
199: O, thou hast damnable iteration, and art indeede
200: able to corrupt a Saint. Thou hast done much harme vn-to
201: me Hall, God forgiue thee for it. Before I knew thee
202: Hal, I knew nothing: and now I am (if a man shold speake
203: truly) little better then one of the wicked. I must giue o-uer
204: this life, and I will giue it ouer: and I do not, I am a
205: Villaine. Ile be damn'd for neuer a Kings sonne in Chri-stendome.
206: _
Prin.
207: Where shall we take a purse to morrow, Iacke?
Fal.
208: Where thou wilt Lad, Ile make one: and I doe
209: not, call me Villaine, and baffle me.
Prin.
210: I see a good amendment of life in thee: From
211: Praying, to Purse-taking.
Fal.
212: Why, Hal, 'tis my Vocation Hal: 'Tis no sin for a
213: man to labour in his Vocation.
Pointz.
214: Now shall wee know if Gads hill haue set a
215: Watch. O, if men were to be saued by merit, what hole
216: in Hell were hot enough for him? This is the most omni-potent
217: Villaine, that euer cryed, Stand, to a true man.
Prin.
218: Good morrow Ned.
Poines.
219: Good morrow sweet Hal. What saies Mon-sieur
220: remorse? What sayes Sir Iohn Sacke and Sugar:
221: Iacke? How agrees the Diuell and thee about thy Soule,
222: that thou soldest him on Good-Friday last, for a Cup of
223: Madera, and a cold Capons legge?
Prin.
224: Sir Iohn stands to his word, the diuel shall haue
225: his bargaine, for he was neuer yet a Breaker of Prouerbs:
226: He will giue the diuell his due.
Poin.
227: Then art thou damn'd for keeping thy word with
228: the diuell.
Prin.
229: Else he had damn'd cozening the diuell.
Poy.
230: But my Lads, my Lads, to morrow morning, by
231: foure a clocke early at Gads hill, there are Pilgrimes go-ing
232: to Canterbury with rich Offerings, and Traders ri-ding
233: to London with fat Purses. I haue vizards for you
234: all; you haue horses for your selues: Gads-hill lyes to
235: night in Rochester, I haue bespoke Supper to morrow in
236: Eastcheape; we may doe it as secure as sleepe: if you will
237: go, I will stuffe your Purses full of Crownes: if you will
238: not, tarry at home and be hang'd.
Fal.
239: Heare ye Yedward, if I tarry at home and go not,
240: Ile hang you for going.
Poy.
241: You will chops.
Fal.
242: Hal, wilt thou make one?
Prin.
243: Who, I rob? I a Theefe? Not I.
Fal.
244: There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good fel-lowship
245: in thee, nor thou cam'st not of the blood-royall,
246: if thou dar'st not stand for ten shillings.
Prin.
247: Well then, once in my dayes Ile be a mad-cap.
Fal.
248: Why, that's well said.
Prin.
249: Well, come what will, Ile tarry at home.
Fal.
250: Ile be a Traitor then, when thou art King.
Prin.
251: I care not.
Poyn.
252: Sir Iohn, I prythee leaue the Prince & me alone,
253: I will lay him downe such reasons for this aduenture, that
254: he shall go.
Fal.
255: Well, maist thou haue the Spirit of perswasion;
256: and he the eares of profiting, that what thou speakest,
257: may moue; and what he heares may be beleeued, that the
258: true Prince, may (for recreation sake) proue a false theefe;
259: for the poore abuses of the time, want countenance. Far-well,
260: you shall finde me in Eastcheape.
Prin.
261: Farwell the latter Spring. Farewell Alhollown
262: Summer.
Poy.
263: Now, my good sweet Hony Lord, ride with vs
264: to morrow. I haue a iest to execute, that I cannot man-nage
265: alone. Falstaffe, Haruey, Rossill, and Gads-hill, shall
266: robbe those men that wee haue already way-layde, your
267: selfe and I, wil not be there: and when they haue the boo-ty,
268: if you and I do not rob them, cut this head from my
269: shoulders.
Prin.
270: But how shal we part with them in setting forth?
Poyn.
271: Why, we wil set forth before or after them, and
272: appoint them a place of meeting, wherin it is at our plea-sure
273: to faile; and then will they aduenture vppon the ex-ploit
274: themselues, which they shall haue no sooner atchie-ued,
275: but wee'l set vpon them.
Prin.
276: I, but tis like that they will know vs by our
277: horses, by our habits, and by euery other appointment to
278: be our selues.
Poy.
279: Tut our horses they shall not see, Ile tye them in
280: the wood, our vizards wee will change after wee leaue
281: them: and sirrah, I haue Cases of Buckram for the nonce,
282: to immaske our noted outward garments.
Prin.
283: But I doubt they will be too hard for vs.
Poin.
284: Well, for two of them, I know them to bee as
285: true bred Cowards as euer turn'd backe: and for the third
286: if he fight longer then he sees reason, Ile forswear Armes.
287: The vertue of this Iest will be, the incomprehensible lyes
288: that this fat Rogue will tell vs, when we meete at Supper:
289: how thirty at least he fought with, what Wardes, what
290: blowes, what extremities he endured; and in the reproofe
291: of this, lyes the iest.
Prin.
292: Well, Ile goe with thee, prouide vs all things
293: necessary, and meete me to morrow night in Eastcheape,
294: there Ile sup. Farewell.
Poyn. Farewell, my Lord.
295: [Exit Pointz]
Prin.
296: I know you all, and will a-while vphold
297: The vnyoak'd humor of your idlenesse:
298: Yet heerein will I imitate the Sunne,
299: Who doth permit the base contagious cloudes
300: To smother vp his Beauty from the world,
301: That when he please againe to be himselfe,
302: Being wanted, he may be more wondred at,
303: By breaking through the foule and vgly mists
304: Of vapours, that did seeme to strangle him.
305: If all the yeare were playing holidaies,
306: To sport, would be as tedious as to worke;
307: But when they seldome come, they wisht-for come,
308: And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.
309: So when this loose behauiour I throw off,
310: And pay the debt I neuer promised;
311: By how much better then my word I am,
312: By so much shall I falsifie mens hopes,
313: And like bright Mettall on a sullen ground:
314: My reformation glittering o're my fault,
315: Shall shew more goodly, and attract more eyes,
316: Then that which hath no foyle to set it off.
317: Ile so offend, to make offence a skill,
318: Redeeming time, when men thinke least I will.
319:
Scene iii
Scoena Tertia.
320: Enter the King, Northumberland, Worcester, Hotspurre,
321: Sir Walter Blunt, and others.
King.
322: My blood hath beene too cold and temperate,
323: Vnapt to stirre at these indignities,
324: And you haue found me; for accordingly,
325: You tread vpon my patience: But be sure,
326: I will from henceforth rather be my Selfe,
327: Mighty, and to be fear'd, then my condition
328: Which hath beene smooth as Oyle, soft as yong Downe,
329: And therefore lost that Title of respect,
330: Which the proud soule ne're payes, but to the proud.
Wor.
331: Our house (my Soueraigne Liege) little deserues
332: The scourge of greatnesse to be vsed on it,
333: And that same greatnesse too, which our owne hands
334: Haue holpe to make so portly.
Nor.
335: My Lord.
King.
336: Worcester get thee gone: for I do see
337: Danger and disobedience in thine eye.
338: O sir, your presence is too bold and peremptory,
339: And Maiestie might neuer yet endure
340: The moody Frontier of a seruant brow,
341: You haue good leaue to leaue vs. When we need
342: Your vse and counsell, we shall send for you.
343: You were about to speake.
North.
344: Yea, my good Lord.
345: Those Prisoners in your Highnesse demanded,
346: Which Harry Percy heere at Holmedon tooke,
347: Were (as he sayes) not with such strength denied
348: As was deliuered to your Maiesty:
349: Who either through enuy, or misprision,
350: Was guilty of this fault; and not my Sonne.
Hot.
351: My Liege, I did deny no Prisoners.
352: But, I remember when the fight was done,
353: When I was dry with Rage, and extreame Toyle,
354: Breathlesse, and Faint, leaning vpon my Sword,
355: Came there a certaine Lord, neat and trimly drest;
356: Fresh as a Bride-groome, and his Chin new reapt,
357: Shew'd like a stubble Land at Haruest home.
358: He was perfumed like a Milliner,
359: And 'twixt his Finger and his Thumbe, he held
360: A Pouncet-box: which euer and anon
361: He gaue his Nose, and took't away againe:
362: Who therewith angry, when it next came there,
363: Tooke it in Snuffe. And still he smil'd and talk'd:
364: And as the Souldiers bare dead bodies by,
365: He call'd them vntaught Knaues, Vnmannerly,
366: To bring a slouenly vnhandsome Coarse
367: Betwixt the Winde, and his Nobility.
368: With many Holiday and Lady tearme
369: He question'd me: Among the rest, demanded
370: My Prisoners, in your Maiesties behalfe.
371: I then, all-smarting, with my wounds being cold,
372: (To be so pestered with a Popingay)
373: Out of my Greefe, and my Impatience,
374: Answer'd (neglectingly) I know not what,
375: He should, or should not: For he made me mad,
376: To see him shine so briske, and smell so sweet,
377: And talke so like a Waiting-Gentlewoman,
378: Of Guns, & Drums, and Wounds: God saue the marke;
379: And telling me, the Soueraign'st thing on earth
380: Was Parmacity, for an inward bruise:
381: And that it was great pitty, so it was,
382: That villanous Salt-peter should be digg'd
383: Out of the Bowels of the harmlesse Earth,
384: Which many a good Tall Fellow had destroy'd
385: So Cowardly. And but for these vile Gunnes,
386: He would himselfe haue beene a Souldier.
387: This bald, vnioynted Chat of his (my Lord)
388: Made me to answer indirectly (as I said.)
389: And I beseech you, let not this report
390: Come currant for an Accusation,
391: Betwixt my Loue, and your high Maiesty.
Blunt.
392: The circumstance considered, good my Lord,
393: What euer Harry Percie then had said,
394: To such a person, and in such a place,
395: At such a time, with all the rest retold,
396: May reasonably dye, and neuer rise
397: To do him wrong, or any way impeach
398: What then he said, so he vnsay it now.
King.
399: Why yet doth deny his Prisoners,
400: But with Prouiso and Exception,
401: That we at our owne charge, shall ransome straight
402: His Brother-in-Law, the foolish Mortimer,
403: Who (in my soule) hath wilfully betraid
404: The liues of those, that he did leade to Fight,
405: Against the great Magitian, damn'd Glendower:
406: Whose daughter (as we heare) the Earle of March
407: Hath lately married. Shall our Coffers then,
408: Be emptied, to redeeme a Traitor home?
409: Shall we buy Treason? and indent with Feares,
410: When they haue lost and forfeyted themselues.
411: No: on the barren Mountaine let him sterue:
412: For I shall neuer hold that man my Friend,
413: Whose tongue shall aske me for one peny cost
414: To ransome home reuolted Mortimer.
Hot.
415: Reuolted Mortimer?
416: He neuer did fall off, my Soueraigne Liege,
417: But by the chance of Warre: to proue that true,
418: Needs no more but one tongue. For all those Wounds,
419: Those mouthed Wounds, which valiantly he tooke,
420: When on the gentle Seuernes siedgie banke,
421: In single Opposition hand to hand,
422: He did confound the best part of an houre
423: In changing hardiment with great Glendower:
424: Three times they breath'd, and three times did they drink
425: Vpon agreement, of swift Seuernes flood;
426: Who then affrighted with their bloody lookes,
427: Ran fearefully among the trembling Reeds,
428: And hid his crispe-head in the hollow banke,
429: Blood-stained with these Valiant Combatants.
430: Neuer did base and rotten Policy
431: Colour her working with such deadly wounds;
432: Nor neuer could the Noble Mortimer
433: Receiue so many, and all willingly:
434: Then let him not be sland'red with Reuolt.
King.
435: Thou do'st bely him Percy, thou dost bely him;
436: He neuer did encounter with Glendower:
437: I tell thee, he durst as well haue met the diuell alone,
438: As Owen Glendower for an enemy.
439: Art thou not asham'd? But Sirrah, henceforth
440: Let me not heare you speake of Mortimer.
441: Send me your Prisoners with the speediest meanes,
442: Or you shall heare in such a kinde from me
443: As will displease ye. My Lord Northumberland,
444: We License your departure with your sonne,
445: Send vs your Prisoners, or you'l heare of it. [Exit King.]
Hot.
446: And if the diuell come and roare for them
447: I will not send them. I will after straight
448: And tell him so: for I will ease my heart,
449: Although it be with hazard of my head.
Nor.
450: What? drunke with choller? stay & pause awhile,
451: Heere comes your Vnckle. [ Enter Worcester.]
Hot.
452: Speake of Mortimer?
453: Yes, I will speake of him, and let my soule
454: Want mercy, if I do not ioyne with him.
455: In his behalfe, Ile empty all these Veines,
456: And shed my deere blood drop by drop i'th dust,
457: But I will lift the downfall Mortimer
458: As high i'th Ayre, as this Vnthankfull King,
459: As this Ingrate and Cankred Bullingbrooke.
Nor.
460: Brother, the King hath made your Nephew mad
Wor.
461: Who strooke this heate vp after I was gone?
Hot.
462: He will (forsooth) haue all my Prisoners:
463: And when I vrg'd the ransom once againe
464: Of my Wiues Brother, then his cheeke look'd pale,
465: And on my face he turn'd an eye of death,
466: Trembling euen at the name of Mortimer.
Wor.
467: I cannot blame him: was he not proclaim'd
468: By Richard that dead is, the next of blood?
Nor.
469: He was: I heard the Proclamation,
470: And then it was, when the vnhappy King
471: (Whose wrongs in vs God pardon) did set forth
472: Vpon his Irish Expedition:
473: From whence he intercepted, did returne
474: To be depos'd, and shortly murthered.
Wor.
475: And for whose death, we in the worlds wide mouth
476: Liue scandaliz'd, and fouly spoken of.
Hot.
477: But soft I pray you; did King Richard then
478: Proclaime my brother Mortimer,
479: Heyre to the Crowne?
Nor.
480: He did, my selfe did heare it.
Hot.
481: Nay then I cannot blame his Cousin King,
482: That wish'd him on the barren Mountaines staru'd.
483: But shall it be, that you that set the Crowne
484: Vpon the head of this forgetfull man,
485: And for his sake, wore the detested blot
486: Of murtherous subornation? Shall it be,
487: That you a world of curses vndergoe,
488: Being the Agents, or base second meanes,
489: The Cords, the Ladder, or the Hangman rather?
490: O pardon, if that I descend so low,
491: To shew the Line, and the Predicament
492: Wherein you range vnder this subtill King.
493: Shall it for shame, be spoken in these dayes,
494: Or fill vp Chronicles in time to come,
495: That men of your Nobility and Power,
496: Did gage them both in an vniust behalfe
497: (As Both of you, God pardon it, haue done)
498: To put downe Richard, that sweet louely Rose,
499: And plant this Thorne, this Canker Bullingbrooke?
500: And shall it in more shame be further spoken,
501: That you are fool'd, discarded, and shooke off
502: By him, for whom these shames ye vnderwent?
503: No: yet time serues, wherein you may redeeme
504: Your banish'd Honors, and restore your selues
505: Into the good Thoughts of the world againe.
506: Reuenge the geering and disdain'd contempt
507: Of this proud King, who studies day and night
508: To answer all the Debt he owes vnto you,
509: Euen with the bloody Payment of your deaths:
510: Therefore I say===
Wor.
511: Peace Cousin, say no more.
512: And now I will vnclaspe a Secret booke,
513: And to your quicke conceyuing Discontents,
514: Ile reade you Matter, deepe and dangerous,
515: As full of perill and aduenturous Spirit,
516: As to o're-walke a Current, roaring loud
517: On the vnstedfast footing of a Speare.
Hot.
518: If he fall in, good night, or sinke or swimme:
519: Send danger from the East vnto the West,
520: So Honor crosse it from the North to South,
521: And let them grapple: The blood more stirres
522: To rowze a Lyon, then to start a Hare.
Nor.
523: Imagination of some great exploit,
524: Driues him beyond the bounds of Patience.
Hot.
525: By heauen, me thinkes it were an easie leap,
526: To plucke bright Honor from the pale-fac'd Moone,
527: Or diue into the bottome of the deepe,
528: Where Fadome-line could neuer touch the ground,
529: And plucke vp drowned Honor by the Lockes:
530: So he that doth redeeme her thence, might weare
531: Without Co-riuall, all her Dignities:
532: But out vpon this halfe-fac'd Fellowship.
Wor.
533: He apprehends a World of Figures here,
534: But not the forme of what he should attend:
535: Good Cousin giue me audience for a-while,
536: And list to me.
Hot.
537: I cry you mercy.
Wor.
538: Those same Noble Scottes
539: That are your Prisoners.
Hot.
540: Ile keepe them all.
541: By heauen, he shall not haue a Scot of them:
542: No, if a Scot would saue his Soule, he shall not.
543: Ile keepe them, by this Hand.
Wor.
544: You start away,
545: And lend no eare vnto my purposes.
546: Those Prisoners you shall keepe.
Hot.
547: Nay, I will: that's flat:
548: He said, he would not ransome Mortimer:
549: Forbad my tongue to speake of Mortimer.
550: But I will finde him when he lyes asleepe,
551: And in his eare, Ile holla Mortimer.
552: Nay, Ile haue a Starling shall be taught to speake
553: Nothing but Mortimer, and giue it him,
554: To keepe his anger still in motion.
Wor.
555: Heare you Cousin: a word.
Hot.
556: All studies heere I solemnly defie,
557: Saue how to gall and pinch this Bullingbrooke,
558: And that same Sword and Buckler Prince of Wales.
559: But that I thinke his Father loues him not,
560: And would be glad he met with some mischance,
561: I would haue poyson'd him with a pot of Ale.
Wor.
562: Farewell Kinsman: Ile talke to you
563: When you are better temper'd to attend.
Nor.
564: Why what a Waspe-tongu'd & impatient foole
565: Art thou, to breake into this Womans mood,
566: Tying thine eare to no tongue but thine owne?
Hot.
567: Why look you, I am whipt & scourg'd with rods,
568: Netled, and stung with Pismires, when I heare
569: Of this vile Politician Bullingbrooke.
570: In Richards time: What de'ye call the place?
571: A plague vpon't, it is in Gloustershire:
572: 'Twas, where the madcap Duke his Vncle kept,
573: His Vncle Yorke, where I first bow'd my knee
574: Vnto this King of Smiles, this Bullingbrooke:
575: When you and he came backe from Rauenspurgh.
Nor.
576: At Barkley Castle.
Hot.
577: You say true:
578: Why what a caudie deale of curtesie,
579: This fawning Grey-hound then did proffer me,
580: Looke when his infant Fortune came to age,
581: And gentle Harry Percy, and kinde Cousin:
582: O, the Diuell take such Couzeners, God forgiue me,
583: Good Vncle tell your tale, for I haue done.
Wor.
584: Nay, if you haue not, too't againe,
585: Wee'l stay your leysure.
Hot.
586: I haue done insooth.
Wor.
587: Then once more to your Scottish Prisoners.
588: Deliuer them vp without their ransome straight,
589: And make the Dowglas sonne your onely meane
590: For powres in Scotland: which for diuers reasons
591: Which I shall send you written, be assur'd
592: Will easily be granted you, my Lord.
593: Your Sonne in Scotland being thus imploy'd,
594: Shall secretly into the bosome creepe
595: Of that same noble Prelate, well belou'd,
596: The Archbishop.
Hot.
597: Of Yorke, is't not?
Wor.
598: True, who beares hard
599: His Brothers death at Bristow, the Lord Scroope.
600: I speake not this in estimation,
601: As what I thinke might be, but what I know
602: Is ruminated, plotted, and set downe,
603: And onely stayes but to behold the face
604: Of that occasion that shall bring it on.
Hot.
605: I smell it:
606: Vpon my life, it will do wond'rous well.
Nor.
607: Before the game's a-foot, thou still let'st slip.
Hot.
608: Why, it cannot choose but be a Noble plot,
609: And then the power of Scotland, and of Yorke
610: To ioyne with Mortimer, Ha.
Wor.
611: And so they shall.
Hot.
612: Infaith it is exceedingly well aym'd.
Wor.
613: And 'tis no little reason bids vs speed,
614: To saue our heads, by raising of a Head:
615: For, beare our selues as euen as we can,
616: The King will alwayes thinke him in our debt,
617: And thinke, we thinke our selues vnsatisfied,
618: Till he hath found a time to pay vs home.
619: And see already, how he doth beginne
620: To make vs strangers to his lookes of loue.
Hot.
621: He does, he does; wee'l be reueng'd on him.
Wor.
622: Cousin, farewell. No further go in this,
623: Then I by Letters shall direct your course
624: When time is ripe, which will be sodainly:
625: Ile steale to Glendower, and loe, Mortimer,
626: Where you, and Dowglas, and our powres at once,
627: As I will fashion it, shall happily meete,
628: To beare our fortunes in our owne strong armes,
629: Which now we hold at much vncertainty.
Nor.
630: Farewell good Brother, we shall thriue, I trust.
Hot.
631: Vncle, adieu: O let the houres be short,
632: Till fields, and blowes, and grones, applaud our sport. [ Exit]