when they have the booty, if you and I do not rob them, cut this head from my shoulders. P. Hen. But how shall we part with them in setting forth? Poins. Why, we will set forth before or after them, and appoint them a place of meeting, wherein it is at our pleasure to fail; and then will they adventure upon the exploit themselves: which they shall have no sooner achieved, but we'll set upon them. P. Hen. Ay, but, 'tis like, that they will know us, by our horses, by our habits, and by every other appointment, to be ourselves. Poins. Tut! our horses they shall not see, I'll tie them in the wood; our visors we will change, after we leave them; and, sirrah, I have cases of buckram for the nonce", to immask our noted outward gar⚫ments. P. Hen. But, I doubt, they will be too hard for us. Poins. Well, for two of them, I know them to be as true-bred cowards as ever turned back; and for the third, if he fight longer than he sees reason, I'll forswear arms. The virtue of this jest will be, the incomprehensible lies that this same fat rogue will tell us, when we meet at supper: how thirty, at least, he fought with; what wards, what blows, what extremities he endured; and, in the reprooft of this, lies the jest. P. Hen. Well, I'll go with thee: provide us all things necessary, and meet me to-morrow night in Eastcheap, there I'll sup. Farewell. Poins. Farewell, my lord. [Exit Poins. P. Hen. I know you all, and will a while uphold The unyok'd humour of idleness: your Yet herein will I imitate the sun; Who doth permit the base contagious clouds * Occasion. ↑ Confutation, Being wanted, he may be more wonder'd at, To sport would be as tedious as to work; But, when they seldom come, they wish'd-for come, [Exit. SCENE III. The same. Another room in the palace. Enter King Henry, Northumberland, Worcester, Hotspur, Sir Walter Blunt, and others. K. Hen. My blood hath been too cold and tempe. rate, Unapt to stir at these indignities, And you have found me; for, accordingly, Mighty, and to be fear'd, than my condition‡; Which the proud soul ne'er pays, but to the proud. * Expectations. + Dull. Disposition. Wor. Our house, my sovereign liege, little de serves The scourge of greatness to be used on it; And that same greatness too which our own hands Have holp to make so portly. North. My lord, K. Hen. Worcester, get thee gone, for I see danger And disobedience in thine eye: O, sir, Your presence is too bold and peremptory, You have good leavet to leave us; when we need [Exit Worcester. You were about to speak. North. [To North. Yea, my good lord. Those prisoners in your highness' name demanded, Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took, Were, as he says, not with such strength denied Either envy, therefore, or misprision Is guilty of this fault, and not my son. Hot. My, liege, I did deny no prisoners. And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held He gave his nose, and took't away again ;- Forehead. + Ready assent. To bring a slovenly unhandsome corse With many holiday and lady terms He question'd me; among the rest demanded I then, all smarting, with my wounds being cold, Out of my grieft and my impatience, Answer'd neglectingly, I know not what; He should, or he should not; -for he made me mad, To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet, And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman, Of guns, and drums, and wounds, (God save the mark!) And telling me, the sovereign'st thing on earth And that it was great pity, so it was, Betwixt my love and your high majesty. Blunt. The circumstance consider'd, good my lord, Whatever Harry Percy then had said, K. Hen. Why, yet he doth deny his prisoners; But with proviso, and exception, That we, at our own charge, shall ransome straight * Parrot. + Pain. Brave. His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer; Hot. Revolted Mortimer! He never did fall off, my sovereign liege, But by the chance of war ;-To prove that true, Needs no more but one tongue for all those wounds, Those mouthed wounds, which valiantly he took, When on the gentle Severn's sedgy bank, In single opposition, hand to hand, He did confound + the best part of an hour In changing hardiment with great Glendower: Three times they breath'd, and three times did they drink, Upon agreement, of swift Severn's flood; Colour her working with such deadly wounds; Receive so many, and all willingly: Then let him not be slander'd with revolt. K. Hen. Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost belie him, He never did encounter with Glendower; Sign an indenture. * Hardiness. + Expend. $ Curled. |