Henry IV Part 1

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Original text
Act V, Scene I
Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Lord Iohn
of Lancaster, Earle of Westmerland, Sir Walter Blunt, and Falstaffe.

King.
How bloodily the Sunne begins to peere
Aboue yon busky hill: the day lookes pale
At his distemperature

Prin.
The Southerne winde
Doth play the Trumpet to his purposes,
And by his hollow whistling in the Leaues,
Fortels a Tempest, and a blust'ring day.

King.
Then with the losers let it sympathize,
For nothing can seeme foule to those that win.
The Trumpet sounds.
Enter Worcester.
How now my Lord of Worster? 'Tis not well
That you and I should meet vpon such tearmes,
As now we meet. You haue deceiu'd our trust,
And made vs doffe our easie Robes of Peace,
To crush our old limbes in vngentle Steele:
This is not well, my Lord, this is not well.
What say you to it? Will you againe vnknit
This churlish knot of all-abhorred Warre?
And moue in the obedient Orbe againe,
Where you did giue a faire and naturall light,
And be no more an exhall'd Meteor,
A prodigie of Feare, and a Portent
Of broached Mischeefe, to the vnborne Times?

Wor.
Heare me, my Liege:
For mine owne part, I could be well content
To entertaine the Lagge-end of my life
With quiet houres: For I do protest,
I haue not sought the day of this dislike.

King.
You haue not sought it: how comes it then?

Fal.
Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.

Prin.
Peace, Chewet, peace.

Wor.
It pleas'd your Maiesty, to turne your lookes
Of Fauour, from my Selfe, and all our House;
And yet I must remember you my Lord,
We were the first, and dearest of your Friends:
For you, my staffe of Office did I breake
In Richards time, and poasted day and night
To meete you on the way, and kisse your hand,
When yet you were in place, and in account
Nothing so strong and fortunate, as I;
It was my Selfe, my Brother, and his Sonne,
That brought you home, and boldly did out-dare
The danger of the time. You swore to vs,
And you did sweare that Oath at Doncaster,
That you did nothing of purpose 'gainst the State,
Nor claime no further, then your new-falne right,
The seate of Gaunt, Dukedome of Lancaster,
To this, we sware our aide: But in short space,
It rain'd downe Fortune showring on your head,
And such a floud of Greatnesse fell on you,
What with our helpe, what with the absent King.
What with the iniuries of wanton time,
The seeming sufferances that you had borne,
And the contrarious Windes that held the King
So long in the vnlucky Irish Warres,
That all in England did repute him dead:
And from this swarme of faire aduantages,
You tooke occasion to be quickly woo'd,
To gripe the generall sway into your hand,
Forgot your Oath to vs at Doncaster,
And being fed by vs, you vs'd vs so,
As that vngentle gull the Cuckowes Bird,
Vseth the Sparrow, did oppresse our Nest
Grew by our Feeding, to so great a builke,
That euen our Loue durst not come neere your sight
For feare of swallowing: But with nimble wing
We were infor'd for safety sake, to flye
Out of your sight, and raise this present Head,
Whereby we stand opposed by such meanes
As you your selfe, haue forg'd against your selfe,
By vnkinde vsage, dangerous countenance,
And violation of all faith and troth
Sworne to vs in yonger enterprize.

Kin.
These things indeed you haue articulated,
Proclaim'd at Market Crosses, read in Churches,
To face the Garment of Rebellion
With some fine colour, that may please the eye
Of fickle Changelings, and poore Discontents,
Which gape, and rub the Elbow at the newes
Of hurly burly Innouation:
And neuer yet did Insurrection want
Such water-colours, to impaint his cause:
Nor moody Beggars, staruing for a time
Of pell-mell hauocke, and confusion.

Prin.
In both our Armies, there is many a soule
Shall pay full dearely for this encounter,
If once they ioyne in triall. Tell your Nephew,
The Prince of Wales doth ioyne with all the world
In praise of Henry Percie: By my Hopes,
This present enterprize set off his head,
I do not thinke a brauer Gentleman,
More actiue, valiant, or more valiant yong,
More daring, or more bold, is now aliue,
To grace this latter Age with Noble deeds.
For my part, I may speake it to my shame,
I haue a Truant beene to Chiualry,
And so I heare, he doth account me too:
Yet this before my Fathers Maiesty,
I am content that he shall take the oddes
Of his great name and estimation,
And will, to saue the blood on either side,
Try fortune with him, in a Single Fight.

King.
And Prince of Wales, so dare we venter thee,
Albeit, considerations infinite
Do make against it: No good Worster, no,
We loue our people well; euen those we loue
That are misled vpon your Cousins part:
And will they take the offer of our Grace:
Both he, and they, and you; yea euery man
Shall be my Friend againe, and Ile be his.
So tell your Cousin, and bring me word,
What he will do. But if he will not yeeld,
Rebuke and dread correction waite on vs,
And they shall do their Office. So bee gone,
We will not now be troubled with reply,
We offer faire, take it aduisedly.
Exit Worcester.

Prin.
It will not be accepted, on my life,
The Dowglas and the Hotspurre both together,
Are confident against the world in Armes.

King.
Hence therefore, euery Leader to his charge,
For on their answer will we set on them;
And God befriend vs, as our cause is iust.
Exeunt. Manet Prince and Falstaffe.

Fal.
Hal, if thou see me downe in the battell, / And
bestride me, so; 'tis a point of friendship.

Prin.
Nothing but a Colossus can do thee that
frendship / Say thy prayers, and farewell.

Fal.
I would it were bed time Hal, and all well.

Prin.
Why, thou ow'st heauen a death.

Falst.
'Tis not due yet: I would bee loath to pay him
before his day. What neede I bee so forward with him, that
call's not on me? Well, 'tis no matter, Honor prickes
me on. But how if Honour pricke me off when I
come on? How then? Can Honour set too a legge? No: or
an arme? No: Or take away the greefe of a wound? No.
Honour hath no skill in Surgerie, then? No. What is
Honour? A word. What is that word Honour?
Ayre: A trim reckoning. Who hath it? He
that dy'de a Wednesday. Doth he feele it? No. Doth hee
heare it? No. Is it insensible then? yea, to the dead.
But wil it not liue with the liuing? No. Why? Detraction
wil not suffer it, therfore Ile none of it. Honour
is a meere Scutcheon, and so ends my Catechisme.
Exit.
Original text
Act V, Scene II
Enter Worcester, and Sir Richard Vernon.

Wor.
O no, my Nephew must not know, Sir Richard,
The liberall kinde offer of the King.

Ver.
'Twere best he did.

Wor.
Then we are all vndone.
It is not possible, it cannot be,
The King would keepe his word in louing vs,
He will suspect vs still, and finde a time
To punish this offence in others faults:
Supposition, all our liues, shall be stucke full of eyes;
For Treason is but trusted like the Foxe,
Who ne're so tame, so cherisht, and lock'd vp,
Will haue a wilde tricke of his Ancestors:
Looke how he can, or sad or merrily,
Interpretation will misquote our lookes,
And we shall feede like Oxen at a stall,
The better cherisht, still the nearer death.
My Nephewes Trespasse may be well forgot,
It hath the excuse of youth, and heate of blood,
And an adopted name of Priuiledge,
A haire-brain'd Hotspurre, gouern'd by a Spleene:
All his offences liue vpon my head,
And on his Fathers. We did traine him on,
And his corruption being tane from vs,
We as the Spring of all, shall pay for all:
Therefore good Cousin, let not Harry know
In any case, the offer of the King.

Ver.
Deliuer what you will, Ile say 'tis so.
Heere comes your Cosin.
Enter Hotspurre.

Hot.
My Vnkle is return'd,
Deliuer vp my Lord of Westmerland.
Vnkle, what newes?

Wor.
The King will bid you battell presently.

Dow.
Defie him by the Lord of Westmerland

Hot.
Lord Dowglas: Go you and tell him so.

Dow.
Marry and shall, and verie willingly.
Exit Dowglas.

Wor.
There is no seeming mercy in the King.

Hot.
Did you begge any? God forbid.

Wor.
I told him gently of our greeuances,
Of his Oath-breaking: which he mended thus,
By now forswearing that he is forsworne,
He cals vs Rebels, Traitors, and will scourge
With haughty armes, this hatefull name in vs.
Enter Dowglas.

Dow.
Arme Gentlemen, to Armes, for I haue thrown
A braue defiance in King Henries teeth:
And Westmerland that was ingag'd did beare it,
Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on.

Wor.
The Prince of Wales stept forth before the king,
And Nephew, challeng'd you to single fight.

Hot.
O, would the quarrell lay vpon our heads,
And that no man might draw short breath to day,
But I and Harry Monmouth. Tell me, tell mee,
How shew'd his Talking? Seem'd it in contempt?

Ver.
No, by my Soule: I neuer in my life
Did heare a Challenge vrg'd more modestly,
Vnlesse a Brother should a Brother dare
To gentle exercise, and proofe of Armes.
He gaue you all the Duties of a Man,
Trimm'd vp your praises with a Princely tongue,
Spoke your deseruings like a Chronicle,
Making you euer better then his praise,
By still dispraising praise, valew'd with you:
And which became him like a Prince indeed,
He made a blushing citall of himselfe,
And chid his Trewant youth with such a Grace,
As if he mastred there a double spirit
Of teaching, and of learning instantly:
There did he pause. But let me tell the World,
If he out-liue the enuie of this day,
England did neuer owe so sweet a hope,
So much misconstrued in his Wantonnesse,

Hot.
Cousin, I thinke thou art enamored
On his Follies: neuer did I heare
Of any Prince so wilde at Liberty.
But be he as he will, yet once ere night,
I will imbrace him with a Souldiers arme,
That he shall shrinke vnder my curtesie.
Arme, arme with speed. And Fellow's, Soldiers, Friends,
Better consider what you haue to do,
That I that haue not well the gift of Tongue,
Can lift your blood vp with perswasion.
Enter a Messenger.

Mes.
My Lord, heere are Letters for you.

Hot.
I cannot reade them now.
O Gentlemen, the time of life is short;
To spend that shortnesse basely, were too long.
If life did ride vpon a Dials point,
Still ending at the arriuall of an houre,
And if we liue, we liue to treade on Kings:
If dye; braue death, when Princes dye with vs.
Now for our Consciences, the Armes is faire,
When the intent for bearing them is iust.
Enter another Messenger.

Mes.
My Lord prepare, the King comes on apace.

Hot.
I thanke him, that he cuts me from my tale:
For I professe not talking: Onely this,
Let each man do his best. And heere I draw
a Sword, / Whose worthy temper I intend to staine
With the best blood that I can meete withall,
In the aduenture of this perillous day.
Now Esperance Percy, and set on:
Sound all the lofty Instruments of Warre,
And by that Musicke, let vs all imbrace:
For heauen to earth, some of vs neuer shall,
A second time do such a curtesie.
They embrace, the trumpets sound,
Original text
Act V, Scene III
the King entereth with his power, alarum vnto the battell.
Then enter Dowglas, and Sir Walter Blunt.

Blu.
What is thy name, that in battel thus
yu crossest me? / What honor dost thou seeke
vpon my head?

Dow.
Know then my name is Dowglas,
And I do haunt thee in the Battell thus,
Because some tell me, that thou art a King.

Blunt.
They tell thee true.

Dow.
The Lord of Stafford deere to day hath bought
Thy likenesse: for insted of thee King Harry,
This Sword hath ended him, so shall it thee,
Vnlesse thou yeeld thee as a Prisoner.

Blu.
I was not borne to yeeld, thou haughty Scot,
And thou shalt finde a King that will reuenge
Lords Staffords death.
Fight, Blunt is slaine,
then enters Hotspur.

Hot.
O Dowglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus
I neuer had triumphed o're a Scot.

Dow.
All's done, all's won, here breathles lies the king

Hot.
Where?

Dow.
Heere.

Hot.
This Dowglas? No, I know this face full well:
A gallant Knight he was, his name was Blunt,
Semblably furnish'd like the King himselfe.

Dow.
Ah foole: go with thy soule whether it goes,
A borrowed Title hast thou bought too deere.
Why didst thou tell me, that thou wer't a King?

Hot.
The King hath many marching in his Coats.

Dow.
Now by my Sword, I will kill all his Coates,
Ile murder all his Wardrobe peece by peece,
Vntill I meet the King.

Hot.
Vp, and away,
Our Souldiers stand full fairely for the day.
Exeunt
Alarum, and enter Falstaffe solus.

Fal.
Though I could scape shot-free at London, I
fear the shot heere: here's no scoring, but vpon the pate.
Soft who are you? Sir Walter Blunt, there's Honour
for you: here's no vanity, I am as hot as molten Lead,
and as heauy too; heauen keepe Lead out of mee, I neede no
more weight then mine owne Bowelles. I haue led my
rag of Muffins where they are pepper'd: there's not three
of my 150. left aliue, and they for the
Townes end, to beg during life. But who comes heere?
Enter the Prince.

Pri.
What, stand'st thou idle here? Lend me thy sword,
Many a Nobleman lies starke and stiffe
Vnder the hooues of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths are vnreueng'd. Prethy
lend me thy sword

Fal.
O Hal, I prethee giue me leaue to breath
awhile: Turke Gregory neuer did such deeds in Armes, as I
haue done this day. I haue paid Percy, I haue made him
sure.

Prin.
He is indeed, and liuing to kill thee:
I prethee lend me thy sword.

Falst.
Nay Hal, is Percy bee aliue,
thou getst not my Sword; but take my Pistoll if thou wilt.

Prin.
Giue it me: What, is it in the case?

Fal.
I Hal, 'tis hot: There's that will
Sacke a City.
The Prince drawes out a Bottle of
Sacke.

Prin.
What, is it a time to iest and dally now.
Throwes it at him.
Exit.

Fal.
If Percy be aliue, Ile pierce him: if he do
come in my way, so: if he do not, if I come in his
(willingly) let him make a Carbonado of me. I like not
such grinning honour as Sir Walter hath: Giue mee life,
which if I can saue, so: if not, honour comes vnlook'd
for, and ther's an end.
Exit
Original text
Act V, Scene IV
Alarum, excursions, enter the King, the Prince, Lord
Iohn of Lancaster, and Earle of Westmerland.

King.
I prethee Harry withdraw thy selfe, thou bleedest too much:
Lord Iohn of Lancaster, go you with him.

P.Ioh.
Not I, My Lord, vnlesse I did bleed too.

Prin.
I beseech your Maiesty make vp,
Least your retirement do amaze your friends.

King.
I will do so: My Lord of Westmerland
leade him to his Tent.

West.
Come my Lord, Ile leade you to your Tent.

Prin.
Lead me my Lord? I do not need your helpe;
And heauen forbid a shallow scratch should driue
The Prince of Wales from such a field as this,
Where stain'd Nobility lyes troden on,
And Rebels Armes triumph in massacres.

Ioh.
We breath too long: Come cosin Westmerland,
Our duty this way lies, for heauens sake come.

Prin.
By heauen thou hast deceiu'd me Lancaster,
I did not thinke thee Lord of such a spirit:
Before, I lou'd thee as a Brother, Iohn;
But now, I do respect thee as my Soule.

King.
I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point,
With lustier maintenance then I did looke for
Of such an vngrowne Warriour.

Prin.
O this Boy,
lends mettall to vs all.
Exit.
Enter Dowglas.

Dow.
Another King? They grow like Hydra's heads:
I am the Dowglas, fatall to all those
That weare those colours on them. What art thou
That counterfeit'st the person of a King?

King.
The King himselfe: who Dowglas grieues at hart
So many of his shadowes thou hast met,
And not the very King. I haue two Boyes
Seeke Percy and thy selfe about the Field:
But seeing thou fall'st on me so luckily,
I will assay thee: so defend thy selfe.

Dow.
I feare thou art another counterfeit:
And yet infaith thou bear'st thee like a King:
But mine I am sure thou art, whoere thou be,
And thus I win thee.
They fight, the K. being in danger, Enter
Prince.

Prin.
Hold vp thy head vile Scot, or thou art like
Neuer to hold it vp againe: the Spirits
Of valiant Sherly, Stafford, Blunt, are in my Armes;
it is the Prince of Wales that threatens thee,
Who neuer promiseth, but he meanes to pay.
They Fight, Dowglas flyeth.
Cheerely My Lord: how fare's your Grace?
Sir Nicolas Gawsey hath for succour sent,
And so hath Clifton: Ile to Clifton straight.

King.
Stay, and breath awhile.
Thou hast redeem'd thy lost opinion,
And shew'd thou mak'st some tender of my life
In this faire rescue thou hast brought to mee.

Prin.
O heauen, they did me too much iniury,
That euer said I hearkned to your death.
If it were so, I might haue let alone
The insulting hand of Dowglas ouer you,
Which would haue bene as speedy in your end,
As all the poysonous Potions in the world,
And sau'd the Treacherous labour of your Sonne.

K.
Make vp to Clifton, Ile to Sir Nicholas Gausey.
Exit
Enter Hotspur.

Hot.
If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.

Prin.
Thou speak'st as if I would deny my name.

Hot.
My name is Harrie Percie.

Prin.
Why then I see
a very valiant rebel of that name.
I am the Prince of Wales, and thinke not Percy,
To share with me in glory any more:
Two Starres keepe not their motion in one Sphere,
Nor can one England brooke a double reigne,
Of Harry Percy, and the Prince of Wales.

Hot.
Nor shall it Harry, for the houre is come
To end the one of vs; and would to heauen,
Thy name in Armes, were now as great as mine.

Prin.
Ile make it greater, ere I part from thee,
And all the budding Honors on thy Crest,
Ile crop, to make a Garland for my head.

Hot.
I can no longer brooke thy Vanities.
Fight.
Enter Falstaffe.

Fal.
Well said Hal, to it Hal. Nay you shall finde
no Boyes play heere, I can tell you.
Enter Dowglas, he fights with Falstaffe, who fals
down as if he were dead.
The Prince killeth Percie.

Hot.
Oh Harry, thou hast rob'd me of my youth:
I better brooke the losse of brittle life,
Then those proud Titles thou hast wonne of me,
They wound my thoghts worse, then the sword my flesh:
But thought's the slaue of Life, and Life, Times foole;
And Time, that takes suruey of all the world,
Must haue a stop. O, I could Prophesie,
But that the Earth, and the cold hand of death,
Lyes on my Tongue: No Percy, thou art dust
And food for---


Prin.
For Wormes, braue Percy. Farewell great heart:
Ill-weau'd Ambition, how much art thou shrunke?
When that this bodie did containe a spirit,
A Kingdome for it was too small a bound:
But now two paces of the vilest Earth
Is roome enough. This Earth that beares the dead,
Beares not aliue so stout a Gentleman.
If thou wer't sensible of curtesie,
I should not make so great a shew of Zeale.
But let my fauours hide thy mangled face,
And euen in thy behalfe, Ile thanke my selfe
For doing these fayre Rites of Tendernesse.
Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heauen,
Thy ignomy sleepe with thee in the graue,
But not remembred in thy Epitaph.

What? Old Acquaintance? Could not all this flesh
Keepe in a little life? Poore Iacke, farewell:
I could haue better spar'd a better man.
O, I should haue a heauy misse of thee,
If I were much in loue with Vanity.
Death hath not strucke so fat a Deere to day,
Though many dearer in this bloody Fray:
Imbowell'd will I see thee by and by,
Till then, in blood, by Noble Percie lye.
Exit.
Falstaffe riseth vp.

Falst.
Imbowell'd? If thou imbowell mee to day, Ile
giue you leaue to powder me, and eat me too to morow.
'Twas time to counterfet, or that hotte Termagant
Scot, had paid me scot and lot too. Counterfeit?
I am no counterfeit; to dye, is to be a counterfeit, for hee
is but the counterfeit of a man, who hath not the life of
a man: But to counterfeit dying, when a man thereby
liueth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect
image of life indeede. The better part of Valour, is Discretion;
in the which better part, I haue saued my life.
I am affraide of this Gun-powder Percy though he
be dead. How if hee should counterfeit too, and rise?
I am afraid hee would proue the better counterfeit:
therefore Ile make him sure: yea, and Ile sweare I
kill'd him. Why may not hee rise as well as I: Nothing
confutes me but eyes, and no-bodie sees me. Therefore
sirra, with a new wound in your thigh
come you along me.
Takes Hotspurre on his backe.
Enter Prince and Iohn of Lancaster.

Prin.
Come Brother Iohn, full brauely hast thou flesht
thy Maiden sword.

Iohn.
But soft, who haue we heere?
Did you not tell me this Fat man was dead?

Prin.
I did, I saw him dead,
Breathlesse, and bleeding on the ground: Art thou aliue?
Or is it fantasie that playes vpon our eye-sight?
I prethee speake, we will not trust our eyes
Without our eares. Thou art not what thou seem'st.

Fal.
No, that's certaine: I am not a double man: but
if I be not Iacke Falstaffe, then am I a Iacke: There is
Percy,

if your Father will do me any Honor, so: if not, let him
kill the next Percie himselfe. I looke to be either Earle or
Duke, I can assure you.

Prin.
Why, Percy I kill'd my selfe, and saw thee
dead.

Fal.
Did'st thou? Lord, Lord, how the world is
giuen to Lying? I graunt you I was downe, and out of
breath, and so was he, but we rose both at an instant,
and fought a long houre by Shrewsburie clocke. If I may
bee beleeued, so: if not, let them that should reward
Valour, beare the sinne vpon their owne heads. Ile take't
on my death I gaue him this wound in the Thigh:
if the man were a-liue, and would deny it, I would
make him eate a peece of my sword.

Iohn.
This is the strangest Tale that e're I heard.

Prin.
This is the strangest Fellow, Brother Iohn.
Come bring your luggage Nobly on your backe:
For my part, if a lye may do thee grace,
Ile gil'd it with the happiest tearmes I haue.
A Retreat is sounded.
The Trumpets sound Retreat, the day is ours:
Come Brother, let's to the highest of the field,
To see what Friends are liuing, who are dead.
Exeunt

Fal.
Ile follow as they say, for Reward. Hee that
rewards me, heauen reward him. If I do grow great again, Ile
grow lesse? For Ile purge, and leaue Sacke, and liue
cleanly, as a Nobleman should do.
Exit
Original text
Act V, Scene V
The Trumpets sound. Enter the King, Prince of Wales,
Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle of Westmerland, with
Worcester & Vernon Prisoners.

King.
Thus euer did Rebellion finde Rebuke.
Ill-spirited Worcester, did we not send Grace,
Pardon, and tearmes of Loue to all of you?
And would'st thou turne our offers contrary?
Misuse the tenor of thy Kinsmans trust?
Three Knights vpon our party slaine to day,
A Noble Earle, and many a creature else,
Had beene aliue this houre,
If like a Christian thou had'st truly borne
Betwixt our Armies, true Intelligence.

Wor.
What I haue done, my safety vrg'd me to,
And I embrace this fortune patiently,
Since not to be auoyded, it fals on mee.

King.
Beare Worcester to death, and Vernon too:
Other offenders we will pause vpon.
Exit Worcester and Vernon.
How goes the Field?

Prin.
The Noble Scot Lord Dowglas, when hee saw
The fortune of the day quite turn'd from him,
The Noble Percy slaine, and all his men,
Vpon the foot of feare, fled with the rest;
And falling from a hill, he was so bruiz'd
That the pursuers tooke him. At my Tent
The Dowglas is, and I beseech your Grace,
I may dispose of him.

King.
With all my heart.

Prin.
Then Brother Iohn of Lancaster, / To you
this honourable bounty shall belong:
Go to the Dowglas, and deliuer him
Vp to his pleasure, ransomlesse and free:
His Valour shewne vpon our Crests to day,
Hath taught vs how to cherish such high deeds,
Euen in the bosome of our Aduersaries.

King.
Then this remaines: that we diuide our Power.
You Sonne Iohn, and my Cousin Westmerland
Towards Yorke shall bend you, with your deerest speed
To meet Northumberland, and the Prelate Scroope,
Who (as we heare) are busily in Armes.
My Selfe, and you Sonne Harry will towards Wales,
To fight with Glendower, and the Earle of March.
Rebellion in this Land shall lose his way,
Meeting the Checke of such another day:
And since this Businesse so faire is done,
Let vs not leaue till all our owne be wonne.
Exeunt.
Modern text
Act V, Scene I
Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Lord John
of Lancaster, Sir Walter Blunt, Falstaff

KING HENRY
How bloodily the sun begins to peer
Above yon bulky hill! The day looks pale
At his distemperature.

PRINCE HAL
The southern wind
Doth play the trumpet to his purposes,
And by his hollow whistling in the leaves
Foretells a tempest and a blustering day.

KING HENRY
Then with the losers let it sympathize,
For nothing can seem foul to those that win.
The trumpet sounds
Enter Worcester and Vernon
How now, my Lord of Worcester! 'Tis not well
That you and I should meet upon such terms
As now we meet. You have deceived our trust,
And made us doff our easy robes of peace
To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel.
This is not well, my lord, this is not well.
What say you to it? Will you again unknit
This churlish knot of all-abhorred war,
And move in that obedient orb again
Where you did give a fair and natural light,
And be no more an exhaled meteor,
A prodigy of fear, and a portent
Of broached mischief to the unborn times?

WORCESTER
Hear me, my liege.
For mine own part I could be well content
To entertain the lag end of my life
With quiet hours. For I protest
I have not sought the day of this dislike.

KING HENRY
You have not sought it? How comes it, then?

FALSTAFF
Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.

PRINCE HAL
Peace, chewet, peace!

WORCESTER
It pleased your majesty to turn your looks
Of favour from myself, and all our house,
And yet I must remember you, my lord,
We were the first and dearest of your friends.
For you my staff of office did I break
In Richard's time, and posted day and night
To meet you on the way, and kiss your hand,
When yet you were in place and in account
Nothing so strong and fortunate as I.
It was myself, my brother, and his son,
That brought you home, and boldly did outdare
The dangers of the time. You swore to us,
And you did swear that oath at Doncaster,
That you did nothing purpose 'gainst the state,
Nor claim no further than your new-fallen right,
The seat of Gaunt, dukedom of Lancaster.
To this we swore our aid. But in short space
It rained down fortune showering on your head,
And such a flood of greatness fell on you,
What with our help, what with the absent King,
What with the injuries of a wanton time,
The seeming sufferances that you had borne,
And the contrarious winds that held the King
So long in his unlucky Irish wars
That all in England did repute him dead.
And from this swarm of fair advantages
You took occasion to be quickly wooed
To gripe the general sway into your hand,
Forget your oath to us at Doncaster,
And being fed by us, you used us so
As that ungentle gull the cuckoo's bird
Useth the sparrow – did oppress our nest,
Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk
That even our love durst not come near your sight
For fear of swallowing. But with nimble wing
We were enforced for safety sake to fly
Out of your sight, and raise this present head,
Whereby we stand opposed by such means
As you yourself have forged against yourself,
By unkind usage, dangerous countenance,
And violation of all faith and troth
Sworn to us in your younger enterprise.

KING HENRY
These things indeed you have articulate,
Proclaimed at market crosses, read in churches,
To face the garment of rebellion
With some fine colour that may please the eye
Of fickle changelings and poor discontents,
Which gape and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurly-burly innovation.
And never yet did insurrection want
Such water-colours to impaint his cause,
Nor moody beggars starving for a time
Of pell-mell havoc and confusion.

PRINCE HAL
In both your armies there is many a soul
Shall pay full dearly for this encounter
If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew,
The Prince of Wales doth join with all the world
In praise of Henry Percy. By my hopes,
This present enterprise set off his head,
I do not think a braver gentleman,
More active-valiant or more valiant-young,
More daring or more bold, is now alive
To grace this latter age with noble deeds.
For my part, I may speak it to my shame,
I have a truant been to chivalry,
And so I hear he doth account me too.
Yet this before my father's majesty –
I am content that he shall take the odds
Of his great name and estimation,
And will, to save the blood on either side,
Try fortune with him in a single fight.

KING HENRY
And, Prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee,
Albeit considerations infinite
Do make against it. No, good Worcester, no,
We love our people well, even those we love
That are misled upon your cousin's part,
And will they take the offer of our grace,
Both he, and they, and you, yea, every man
Shall be my friend again, and I'll be his.
So tell your cousin, and bring me word
What he will do. But if he will not yield,
Rebuke and dread correction wait on us,
And they shall do their office. So, be gone;
We will not now be troubled with reply.
We offer fair, take it advisedly.
Exeunt Worcester and Vernon

PRINCE HAL
It will not be accepted, on my life.
The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
Are confident against the world in arms.

KING HENRY
Hence, therefore, every leader to his charge,
For on their answer will we set on them,
And God befriend us as our cause is just!
Exeunt all but the Prince and Falstaff

FALSTAFF
Hal, if thou see me down in the battle and
bestride me, so. 'Tis a point of friendship.

PRINCE HAL
Nothing but a Colossus can do thee that
friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell.

FALSTAFF
I would 'twere bed-time, Hal, and all well.

PRINCE HAL
Why, thou owest God a death.
Exit

FALSTAFF
'Tis not due yet – I would be loath to pay him
before his day. What need I be so forward with him that
calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter, honour pricks
me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I
come on, how then? Can honour set to a leg? No. Or
an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No.
Honour hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is
honour? A word. What is in that word honour? What is
that honour? Air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? He
that died a' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he
hear it? No. 'Tis insensible, then? Yea, to the dead.
But will it not live with the living? No. Why? Detraction
will not suffer it. Therefore I'll none of it. Honour
is a mere scutcheon – and so ends my catechism.
Exit
Modern text
Act V, Scene II
Enter Worcester and Sir Richard Vernon

WORCESTER
O no, my nephew must not know, Sir Richard,
The liberal and kind offer of the King.

VERNON
'Twere best he did.

WORCESTER
Then are we all undone.
It is not possible, it cannot be,
The King should keep his word in loving us.
He will suspect us still, and find a time
To punish this offence in other faults.
Supposition all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes,
For treason is but trusted like the fox,
Who, never so tame, so cherished and locked up,
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.
Look how we can or sad or merrily,
Interpretation will misquote our looks,
And we shall feed like oxen at a stall,
The better cherished still the nearer death.
My nephew's trespass may be well forgot,
It hath the excuse of youth and heat of blood,
And an adopted name of privilege
A hare-brained Hotspur, governed by a spleen.
All his offences live upon my head
And on his father's. We did train him on,
And, his corruption being taken from us,
We as the spring of all shall pay for all.
Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know
In any case the offer of the King.

VERNON
Deliver what you will; I'll say 'tis so.
Here comes your cousin.
Enter Hotspur and Douglas

HOTSPUR
My uncle is returned;
Deliver up my Lord of Westmorland.
Uncle, what news?

WORCESTER
The King will bid you battle presently.

DOUGLAS
Defy him by the Lord of Westmorland.

HOTSPUR
Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so.

DOUGLAS
Marry, and shall, and very willingly.
Exit

WORCESTER
There is no seeming mercy in the King.

HOTSPUR
Did you beg any? God forbid!

WORCESTER
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.
Enter Douglas

DOUGLAS
Arm, gentlemen, to arms! For I have thrown
A brave defiance in King Henry's teeth,
And Westmorland that was engaged did bear it,
Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on.

WORCESTER
The Prince of Wales stepped forth before the King,
And, nephew, challenged you to single fight.

HOTSPUR
O, would the quarrel lay upon our heads,
And that no man might draw short breath today
But I and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me,
How showed his tasking? Seemed it in contempt?

VERNON
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,
Trimmed up your praises with a princely tongue,
Spoke your deserving like a chronicle,
Making you ever better than his praise
By still dispraising praise valued with you,
And, which became him like a prince indeed,
He made a blushing cital of himself,
And chid his truant youth with such a grace
As if he mastered there a double spirit
Of teaching and of learning instantly.
There did he pause. But let me tell the world –
If he outlive the envy of this day,
England did never owe so sweet a hope
So much misconstrued in his wantonness.

HOTSPUR
Cousin, I think thou art enamoured
On his follies! Never did I hear
Of any prince so wild a liberty.
But be he as he will, yet once ere night
I will embrace him with a soldier's arm,
That he shall shrink under my courtesy.
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

FIRST MESSENGER
My lord, here are letters for you.

HOTSPUR
I cannot read them now.
O gentlemen, the time of life is short!
To spend that shortness basely were too long
If life did ride upon a dial's point,
Still ending at the arrival of an hour.
And if we live, we live to tread on kings,
If die, brave death when princes die with us!
Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair
When the intent of bearing them is just.
Enter another Messenger

SECOND MESSENGER
My lord, prepare, the King comes on apace.

HOTSPUR
I thank him that he cuts me from my tale,
For I profess not talking. Only this –
Let each man do his best. And here draw I
A sword whose temper I intend to stain
With the best blood that I can meet withal
In the adventure of this perilous day.
Now, Esperance! Percy! and set on!
Sound all the lofty instruments of war,
And by that music let us all embrace,
For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall
A second time do such a courtesy.
Here they embrace, the trumpets sound.
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene III
The King enters with his power. Alarum to the battle.
Then enter Douglas, and Sir Walter Blunt, disguised
as the King

BLUNT
What is thy name that in the battle thus
Thou crossest me? What honour dost thou seek
Upon my head?

DOUGLAS
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.

DOUGLAS
The Lord of Stafford dear today 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,
And thou shalt find a king that will revenge
Lord Stafford's death.
They fight; Douglas kills Blunt
Then enter Hotspur

HOTSPUR
O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus
I never had triumphed upon a Scot.

DOUGLAS
All's done, all's won. Here breathless lies the King.

HOTSPUR
Where?

DOUGLAS
Here.

HOTSPUR
This, Douglas? No, I know this face full well.
A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt,
Semblably furnished like the King himself.

DOUGLAS
A fool go with thy soul, whither it goes!
A borrowed title hast thou bought too dear.
Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king?

HOTSPUR
The King hath many marching in his coats.

DOUGLAS
Now, by my sword, I will kill all his coats!
I'll murder all his wardrobe, piece by piece,
Until I meet the King.

HOTSPUR
Up and away!
Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day.
Exeunt
Alarum. Enter Falstaff alone

FALSTAFF
Though I could scape shot-free at London, I
fear the shot here, here's no scoring but upon the pate.
Soft! Who are you? Sir Walter Blunt – there's honour
for you! Here's no vanity! 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 not 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 the Prince

PRINCE HAL
What, standest thou idle here? Lend me thy sword.
Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff
Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths are yet unrevenged. I prithee
Lend me thy sword.

FALSTAFF
O Hal, I prithee give me leave to breathe
awhile. Turk Gregory never did such deeds in arms as I
have done this day. I have paid Percy, I have made him
sure.

PRINCE HAL
He is indeed, and living to kill thee.
I prithee lend me thy sword.

FALSTAFF
Nay, before God, Hal, if Percy be alive thou
gets not my sword, but take my pistol if thou wilt.

PRINCE HAL
Give it me. What, is it in the case?

FALSTAFF
Ay, Hal, 'tis hot, 'tis hot. There's that will
sack a city.
The Prince draws it out, and finds it to be a bottle of
sack

PRINCE HAL
What, is it a time to jest and dally now?
He throws the bottle at him.
Exit

FALSTAFF
Well, if Percy be alive, I'll pierce him. If he do
come in my way, so. If he do not, if I come in his
willingly, let him make a carbonado of me. I like not
such grinning honour as Sir Walter hath. Give me life,
which if I can save, so. If not, honour comes unlooked
for, and there's an end.
Exit Falstaff
Modern text
Act V, Scene IV
Alarum. Excursions. Enter the King, the Prince, Lord
John of Lancaster, Earl of Westmorland

KING HENRY
I prithee, Harry, withdraw thyself, thou bleedest too much.
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.

LANCASTER
Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.

PRINCE HAL
I beseech your majesty, make up,
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.

KING HENRY
I will do so. My Lord of Westmorland,
Lead him to his tent.

WESTMORLAND
Come, my lord, I'll lead you to your tent.

PRINCE HAL
Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help,
And God forbid a shallow scratch should drive
The Prince of Wales from such a field as this,
Where stained nobility lies trodden on,
And rebels' arms triumph in massacres!

LANCASTER
We breathe too long: come, cousin Westmorland,
Our duty this way lies: for God's sake, come.
Exeunt Lancaster and Westmorland

PRINCE HAL
By God, thou hast deceived me, Lancaster,
I did not think thee lord of such a spirit:
Before, I loved thee as a brother, John,
But now I do respect thee as my soul.

KING HENRY
I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.

PRINCE HAL
O, this boy
Lends mettle to us all!
Exit
Enter Douglas

DOUGLAS
Another king! They grow like Hydra's heads.
I am the Douglas, fatal to all those
That wear those colours on them. What art thou,
That counterfeitest the person of a king?

KING HENRY
The King himself, who, Douglas, grieves at heart
So many of his shadows thou hast met,
And not the very King. I have two boys
Seek Percy and thyself about the field,
But seeing thou fallest on me so luckily
I will assay thee, and defend thyself.

DOUGLAS
I fear thou art another counterfeit,
And yet, in faith, thou bearest thee like a king –
But mine I am sure thou art, whoe'er thou be,
And thus I win thee.
They fight, the King being in danger; enter
Prince of Wales

PRINCE HAL
Hold up thy head, vile Scot, or thou art like
Never to hold it up again! The spirits
Of valiant Shirley, Stafford, Blunt, are in my arms.
It is the Prince of Wales that threatens thee,
Who never promiseth but he means to pay.
They fight; Douglas flees
Cheerly, my lord, how fares your grace?
Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent,
And so hath Clifton – I'll to Clifton straight.

KING HENRY
Stay and breathe a while.
Thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion,
And showed thou makest some tender of my life
In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.

PRINCE HAL
O God, they did me too much injury
That ever said I hearkened for your death.
If it were so, I might have let alone
The insulting hand of Douglas over you,
Which would have been as speedy in your end
As all the poisonous potions in the world,
And saved the treacherous labour of your son.

KING HENRY
Make up to Clifton, I'll to Sir Nicholas Gawsey.
Exit
Enter Hotspur

HOTSPUR
If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.

PRINCE HAL
Thou speakest as if I would deny my name.

HOTSPUR
My name is Harry Percy.

PRINCE HAL
Why, then I see
A very valiant rebel of the name.
I am the Prince of Wales, and think not, Percy,
To share with me in glory any more.
Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere,
Nor can one England brook a double reign
Of Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales.

HOTSPUR
Nor shall it, Harry, for the hour is come
To end the one of us; and would to God
Thy name in arms were now as great as mine.

PRINCE HAL
I'll make it greater ere I part from thee,
And all the budding honours on thy crest
I'll crop to make a garland for my head.

HOTSPUR
I can no longer brook thy vanities.
They fight
Enter Falstaff

FALSTAFF
Well said, Hal! To it, Hal! Nay, you shall find
no boy's play here, I can tell you.
Enter Douglas; he fighteth with Falstaff, who falls
down as if he were dead
Exit Douglas
The Prince mortally wounds Hotspur

HOTSPUR
O Harry, thou hast robbed me of my youth!
I better brook the loss of brittle life
Than those proud titles thou hast won of me.
They wound my thoughts worse than thy sword my flesh.
But thoughts, the slaves of life, and life, time's fool,
And time, that takes survey of all the world,
Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,
But that the earthy and cold hand of death
Lies on my tongue. No, Percy, thou art dust,
And food for –
He dies

PRINCE HAL
For worms, brave Percy. Fare thee well, great heart!
Ill-weaved ambition, how much art thou shrunk.
When that this body did contain a spirit,
A kingdom for it was too small a bound.
But now two paces of the vilest earth
Is room enough. This earth that bears thee dead
Bears not alive so stout a gentleman.
If thou wert sensible of courtesy
I should not make so dear a show of zeal,
But let my favours hide thy mangled face,
And even in thy behalf I'll thank myself
For doing these fair rites of tenderness.
Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven!
Thy ignominy sleep with thee in the grave,
But not remembered in thy epitaph.
He spieth Falstaff on the ground
What, old acquaintance, could not all this flesh
Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewell!
I could have better spared a better man.
O, I should have a heavy miss of thee
If I were much in love with vanity.
Death hath not struck so fat a deer today,
Though many dearer, in this bloody fray.
Embowelled will I see thee by and by,
Till then in blood by noble Percy lie.
Exit
Falstaff riseth up

FALSTAFF
Embowelled? If thou embowel me today, I'll
give you leave to powder me and eat me too tomorrow.
'Sblood, 'twas time to counterfeit, or that hot termagant
Scot had paid me, scot and lot too. Counterfeit? I lie,
I am no counterfeit. To die is to be a counterfeit, for he
is but the counterfeit of a man who hath not the life of
a man. But to counterfeit dying, when a man thereby
liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect
image of life indeed. The better part of valour is discretion,
in the which better part I have saved my life.
Zounds, I am afraid of this gunpowder Percy, though he
be dead. How if he should counterfeit too and rise? By
my faith, I am afraid he would prove the better counterfeit.
Therefore I'll make him sure, yea, and I'll swear I
killed him. Why may not he rise as well as I? Nothing
confutes me but eyes, and nobody sees me. Therefore,
sirrah (stabbing him), with a new wound in your thigh,
come you along with me.
He takes up Hotspur on his back
Enter Prince and John of Lancaster

PRINCE HAL
Come, brother John, full bravely hast thou fleshed
Thy maiden sword.

LANCASTER
But soft, whom have we here?
Did you not tell me this fat man was dead?

PRINCE HAL
I did, I saw him dead,
Breathless and bleeding on the ground. Art thou alive?
Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight?
I prithee speak, we will not trust our eyes
Without our ears. Thou art not what thou seemest.

FALSTAFF
No, that's certain, I am not a double-man. But
if I be not Jack Falstaff, then am I a Jack. There is
Percy!
He throws the body down
If your father will do me any honour, so. If not, let him
kill the next Percy himself. I look to be either earl or
duke, I can assure you.

PRINCE HAL
Why, Percy I killed myself, and saw thee
dead.

FALSTAFF
Didst thou? Lord, Lord, how this world is
given to lying! I grant you I was down, and out of
breath, and so was he, but we rose both at an instant,
and fought a long hour by Shrewsbury clock. If I may
be believed, so. If not, let them that should reward
valour bear the sin upon their own heads. I'll take it
upon my death, I gave him this wound in the thigh. If
the man were alive, and would deny it, zounds, I would
make him eat a piece of my sword.

LANCASTER
This is the strangest tale that ever I heard.

PRINCE HAL
This is the strangest fellow, brother John.
Come, bring your luggage nobly on your back.
(aside to Falstaff) For my part, if a lie may do thee grace,
I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have.
A retreat is sounded
The trumpet sounds retreat, the day is ours.
Come, brother, let us to the highest of the field,
To see what friends are living, who are dead.
Exeunt Prince of Wales and Lancaster

FALSTAFF
I'll follow, as they say, for reward. He that
rewards me, God reward him! If I do grow great, I'll
grow less, for I'll purge, and leave sack, and live
cleanly as a nobleman should do.
Exit, bearing off the body
Modern text
Act V, Scene V
The trumpets sound. Enter the King, Prince of Wales,
Lord John of Lancaster, Earl of Westmorland, with
Worcester and Vernon prisoners

KING HENRY
Thus ever did rebellion find rebuke.
Ill-spirited Worcester, did not we send grace,
Pardon, and terms of love to all of you?
And wouldst thou turn our offers contrary?
Misuse the tenor of thy kinsman's trust?
Three knights upon our party slain today,
A noble earl, and many a creature else
Had been alive this hour
If like a Christian thou hadst truly borne
Betwixt our armies true intelligence.

WORCESTER
What I have done my safety urged me to,
And I embrace this fortune patiently,
Since not to be avoided it falls on me.

KING HENRY
Bear Worcester to the death, and Vernon too.
Other offenders we will pause upon .
Exeunt Worcester and Vernon
How goes the field?

PRINCE HAL
The noble Scot, Lord Douglas, when he saw
The fortune of the day quite turned from him,
The noble Percy slain, and all his men
Upon the foot of fear, fled with the rest,
And falling from a hill he was so bruised
That the pursuers took him. At my tent
The Douglas is – and I beseech your grace
I may dispose of him.

KING HENRY
With all my heart.

PRINCE HAL
Then, brother John of Lancaster, to you
This honourable bounty shall belong.
Go to the Douglas and deliver him
Up to his pleasure, ransomless and free.
His valours shown upon our crests today
Hath taught us how to cherish such high deeds
Even in the bosom of our adversaries.

LANCASTER
I thank your grace for this high courtesy,
Which I shall give away immediately.

KING HENRY
Then this remains, that we divide our power.
You, son John, and my cousin Westmorland
Towards York shall bend you with your dearest speed
To meet Northumberland and the prelate Scroop,
Who, as we hear, are busily in arms.
Myself and you, son Harry, will towards Wales,
To fight with Glendower and the Earl of March.
Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway,
Meeting the check of such another day,
And since this business so fair is done,
Let us not leave till all our own be won.
Exeunt
x

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