SCENE II. The Rebel Camp. Enter WORCESTER and VERNON. Wor. O, no, my nephew must not know, sir Richard, The liberal, kind offer of the king. Ver. 'Twere best, he did. It is not possible, it cannot be, Then we are all undone. The king should keep his word in loving us; To punish this offence in other faults: Who, ne'er so tame, so cherished, and locked up, A hare-brained Hotspur, governed by a spleen. And on his father's; we did train him on ; Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll Here comes your cousin. say, 'tis so. 1 The folio reads thus:-" Supposition, all our lives, shall be stuck full of eyes." Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS; and Officers and Soldiers, behind. Hot. My uncle is returned.-Deliver up My lord of Westmoreland.'-Uncle, what news? Wor. The king will bid you battle presently. Doug. Defy him by the lord of Westmoreland. Hot. Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so. Doug. Marry, and shall, and very willingly. [Exit. Wor. There is no seeming mercy in the king. Hot. Did you beg any? God forbid ! Wor. I told him gently of our grievances, Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus,By now forswearing that he is forsworn. He calls us rebels, traitors; and will scourge With haughty arms this hateful name in us. Re-enter DOUGLAS. Doug. Arm, gentlemen; to arms! for I have thrown A brave defiance in king Henry's teeth, And Westmoreland, that was engaged, did bear it; Wor. The prince of Wales stepped forth before the king, And, nephew, challenged you to single fight. Hot. O, 'would the quarrel lay upon our heads; And that no man might draw short breath to-day, But I and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me, How showed his tasking? Seemed it in contempt? Ver. No, by my soul; I never in my life Did hear a challenge urged more modestly, Unless a brother should a brother dare To gentle exercise and proof of arms. He gave you all the duties of a man ; 1 Westmoreland was impawned as a surety for the safe return of Wor cester. 2 Tasking as well as taring was used for reproof. We still say, "He took him to task." Trimmed up your praises with a princely tongue; And chid his truant youth with such a grace, 2 England did never owe so sweet a hope, 3 Arm, arm, with speed;—and, fellows, soldiers, friends, Better consider what you have to do, Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue, Can lift your blood up with persuasion. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, here are letters for you. Still ending at the arrival of an hour. 1 That is, was master of. 2 Own. 3 So wild at liberty may mean so wild and licentious, or loose in his conduct. Dr. Johnson's version is—" any prince that played such pranks, and was not confined as a madman.” Enter another Messenger. Mess. My lord, prepare; the king comes on apace. Hot. I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale, For 1 profess not talking; only this— Let each man do his best: and here draw I [The trumpets sound. They embrace, and exeunt. SCENE III. Plain near Shrewsbury. Excursions and Parties fighting. Alarum to the Battle. Then Enter DOUGLAS and BLUNT, meeting. Blunt. What is thy name, that in the battle thus Thou crossest me? What honor dost thou seek Upon my head? Doug. Know, then, my name is Douglas; And I do haunt thee in the battle thus, Because some tell me that thou art a king. Blunt. They tell thee true. Doug. The lord of Stafford dear to-day hath bought Thy likeness; for, instead of thee, king Harry, This sword hath ended him. So shall it thee, Unless thou yield thee as my prisoner. Blunt. I was not born a yielder, thou proud Scot;1 And thou shalt find a king that will revenge Lord Stafford's death. [They fight, and BLUNT is slain. 1 The folio reads: "I was not born to yield, thou haughty Scot." Enter HOTSPUr. Hot. O, Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus, I never had triumphed upon a Scot. Doug. All's done, all's won; here breathless lies the king. Hot. Where? Hot. This, Douglas? no, I know this face full well. A gallant knight he was; his name was Blunt; Semblably furnished like the king himself. Doug. A fool go with thy soul, whither1 it goes ! A borrowed title hast thou bought too dear. Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king? Hot. The king hath many marching in his coats. Doug. Now, by my sword, I will kill all his coats. I'll murder all his wardrobe, piece by piece, Until I meet the king. Hot. Up, and away; Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day. Other Alarums. Enter FALSTAFF. [Exeunt. Fal. Though I could 'scape shot-free at London, I fear the shot here; here's no scoring, but upon the pate.-Soft! who art thou? Sir Walter Blunt ;there's honor for you. Here's no vanity!2-I am as hot as molten lead, and as heavy too. God keep lead out of me! I need no more weight than mine own bowels. I have led my ragamuffins where they are peppered: there's but three of my hundred and fifty left alive; and they are for the town's end, to beg during life. But who comes here? Enter PRINCE HENRY. P. Hen. What, stand'st thou idle here? Lend me hy sword; 1 Whither for whithersoever. Thus Baret," Whether, or to what place you will. Quovis." Any-whether also signified to any place. 2 "Here's no vanity: " the negative is here used, ironically, to designate the excess of a thing. |