1 KING HENRY IV 4.3

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1 KING HENRY IV 4.3

The rebel camp near Shrewsbury.

[Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, DOUGLAS, and VERNON]

HOTSPUR We'll fight with him to-night.

EARL OF WORCESTER It may not be.

EARL OF DOUGLAS You give him then the advantage.

VERNON Not a whit.

HOTSPUR Why say you so? looks he not for supply? 5

VERNON So do we.

HOTSPUR His is certain, ours is doubtful.

EARL OF WORCESTER Good cousin, be advised; stir not tonight.

VERNON Do not, my lord.

EARL OF DOUGLAS You do not counsel well:

You speak it out of fear and cold heart.

VERNON Do me no slander, Douglas: by my life, 10

And I dare well maintain it with my life,

If well-respected honour bid me on,

I hold as little counsel with weak fear

As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives:

Let it be seen to-morrow in the battle 15

Which of us fears.

EARL OF DOUGLAS Yea, or to-night.

VERNON Content.

HOTSPUR To-night, say I.

VERNON Come, come it nay not be. I wonder much,

Being men of such great leading as you are, 20

That you foresee not what impediments

Drag back our expedition: certain horse

Of my cousin Vernon's are not yet come up:

Your uncle Worcester's horse came but today;

And now their pride and mettle is asleep, 25

Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,

That not a horse is half the half of himself.

HOTSPUR So are the horses of the enemy

In general, journey-bated and brought low:

The better part of ours are full of rest. 30

EARL OF WORCESTER The number of the king exceedeth ours:

For God's sake. cousin, stay till all come in.

[The trumpet sounds a parley]

[Enter SIR WALTER BLUNT]

SIR WALTER BLUNT I come with gracious offers from the king,

if you vouchsafe me hearing and respect.

HOTSPUR Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God 35

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. 40

SIR WALTER BLUNT And God defend but still I should stand so,

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, and whereupon 45

You conjure from the breast of civil peace

Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land

Audacious cruelty. If that the king

Have any way your good deserts forgot,

Which he confesseth to be manifold, 50

He bids you name your griefs; and with all speed

You shall have your desires with interest

And pardon absolute for yourself and these

Herein misled by your suggestion.

HOTSPUR The king is kind; and well we know the king 55

Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.

My father and my 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, 60

A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home,

My father gave him welcome to the shore;

And when he heard him swear and vow to God

He came but to be Duke of Lancaster,

To sue his livery and beg his peace, 65

With tears of innocency and terms of zeal,

My father, in kind heart and pity moved,

Swore him assistance and perform'd it too.

Now when the lords and barons of the realm

Perceived Northumberland did lean to him, 70

The more and less came in with cap and knee;

Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,

Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,

Laid gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths,

Gave him their heirs, as pages follow'd him 75

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 Ravenspurgh; 80

And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform

Some certain edicts and some strait decrees

That lie too heavy on the commonwealth,

Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep

Over his country's wrongs; and by this face, 85

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, 90

When he was personal in the Irish war.

SIR WALTER BLUNT Tut, I came not to hear this.

HOTSPUR Then to the point.

In short time after, he deposed the king;

Soon after that, deprived him of his life; 95

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 placed,

Indeed his king, to be engaged in Wales,

There without ransom to lie forfeited; 100

Disgraced me in my happy victories,

Sought to entrap me by intelligence;

Rated mine uncle from the council-board;

In rage dismiss'd my father from the court;

Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong, 105

And in conclusion drove us to seek out

This head of safety; and withal to pry

Into his title, the which we find

Too indirect for long continuance.

SIR WALTER BLUNT Shall I return this answer to the king? 110

HOTSPUR Not so, Sir Walter: we'll withdraw awhile.

Go to the king; and let there be impawn'd

Some surety for a safe return again,

And in the morning early shall my uncle

Bring him our purposes: and so farewell. 115

SIR WALTER BLUNT I would you would accept of grace and love.

HOTSPUR And may be so we shall.

SIR WALTER BLUNT Pray God you do.

[Exeunt]

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EARL OF DOUGLAS		You do not counsel well:
		You speak it out of fear and cold heart.

VERNON	Do me no slander, Douglas: by my life,	10
	And I dare well maintain it with my life,
	If well-respected honour bid me on,
	I hold as little counsel with weak fear
	As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives:
	Let it be seen to-morrow in the battle	15
	Which of us fears.

VERNON	Come, come it nay not be. I wonder much,
	Being men of such great leading as you are,	20
	That you foresee not what impediments
	Drag back our expedition: certain horse
	Of my cousin Vernon's are not yet come up:
	Your uncle Worcester's horse came but today;
	And now their pride and mettle is asleep,	25
	Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,
	That not a horse is half the half of himself.

HOTSPUR	So are the horses of the enemy
	In general, journey-bated and brought low:
	The better part of ours are full of rest.	30

EARL OF WORCESTER		The number of the king exceedeth ours:
		For God's sake. cousin, stay till all come in.
		[The trumpet sounds a parley]
		[Enter SIR WALTER BLUNT]

SIR WALTER BLUNT		I come with gracious offers from the king,
		if you vouchsafe me hearing and respect.

HOTSPUR	Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God	35
	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.	40

SIR WALTER BLUNT	And God defend but still I should stand so,
	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, and whereupon	45
	You conjure from the breast of civil peace
	Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land
	Audacious cruelty. If that the king
	Have any way your good deserts forgot,
	Which he confesseth to be manifold,	50
	He bids you name your griefs; and with all speed
	You shall have your desires with interest
	And pardon absolute for yourself and these
	Herein misled by your suggestion.

HOTSPUR	The king is kind; and well we know the king	55
	Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.
	My father and my 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,	60
	A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home,
	My father gave him welcome to the shore;
	And when he heard him swear and vow to God
	He came but to be Duke of Lancaster,
	To sue his livery and beg his peace,	65
	With tears of innocency and terms of zeal,
	My father, in kind heart and pity moved,
	Swore him assistance and perform'd it too.
	Now when the lords and barons of the realm
	Perceived Northumberland did lean to him,	70
	The more and less came in with cap and knee;
	Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,
	Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,
	Laid gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths,
	Gave him their heirs, as pages follow'd him	75
	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 Ravenspurgh;	80
	And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform
	Some certain edicts and some strait decrees
	That lie too heavy on the commonwealth,
	Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep
	Over his country's wrongs; and by this face,	85
	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,	90
	When he was personal in the Irish war.

HOTSPUR	Then to the point.
	In short time after, he deposed the king;
	Soon after that, deprived him of his life;	95
	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 placed,
	Indeed his king, to be engaged in Wales,
	There without ransom to lie forfeited;	100
	Disgraced me in my happy victories,
	Sought to entrap me by intelligence;
	Rated mine uncle from the council-board;
	In rage dismiss'd my father from the court;
	Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong,	105
	And in conclusion drove us to seek out
	This head of safety; and withal to pry
	Into his title, the which we find
	Too indirect for long continuance.

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HOTSPUR	Not so, Sir Walter: we'll withdraw awhile.
	Go to the king; and let there be impawn'd
	Some surety for a safe return again,
	And in the morning early shall my uncle
	Bring him our purposes: and so farewell.	115