William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (235 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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VERNON
Deliver what you will; I’ll say ’tis so.
Enter Hotspur and the Earl of Douglas
Here comes your cousin.
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.
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 the Earl of 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.
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 (
to Hotspur
)
to Hotspur
)
The Prince of Wales stepped forth before the King
And, nephew, challenged you to single fight.
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?
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 deservings 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.
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 deservings 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.
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
MESSENGER My lord, here are letters for you.
HOTSPUR I cannot read them now. [
Exit Messenger
]
Exit Messenger
]
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.
An 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.
If life did ride upon a dial’s point,
Still ending at the arrival of an hour.
An 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
MESSENGER
My lord, prepare; the King comes on apace. [
Exit
]
Exit
]
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.
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.
The trumpets sound. Here they embrace
.
Exeunt
5.3.
Exeunt
King Henry enters with his power. Alarum, and exeunt to the battle. Then enter the Earl of
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Semblably furnished like the King himself.
DOUGLAS (to Blunt’s
body
)
body
)
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?
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.
Until I meet the King.
HOTSPUR Up and away!
Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day.
Exeunt, leaving Blunt’s body
Alarum. Enter Sir John Oldcastle
SIR JOHN 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.
Enter Prince Harry
But who comes here?
PRINCE HARRY
What, stand’st thou idle here? Lend me thy sword.
Many a noble man lies stark and stiff
Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths as yet are unrevenged. I prithee
Lend me thy sword.
Many a noble man lies stark and stiff
Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths as yet are unrevenged. I prithee
Lend me thy sword.
SIR JOHN
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.
Turk Gregory never did such deeds in arms
As I have done this day. I have paid Percy,
I have made him sure.
PRINCE HARRY He is indeed,
And living to kill thee. I prithee
Lend me thy sword.
Lend me thy sword.
SIR JOHN Nay, before God, Hal,
If Percy be alive thou gett’st not my sword;
But take my pistol if thou wilt.
PRINCE HARRY
Give it me. What, is it in the case?
SIR JOHN 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 HARRY
What, is it a time to jest and dally now?
He throws the bottle at him. Exit
SIR JOHN 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 unlocked for, and there’s an end.
Exit
[
with Blunt’s body
]
5.4Exit
[
with Blunt’s body
]
Alarum. Excursions. Enter King Henry, Prince Harry, wounded, Lord John of Lancaster, and the Earl of Westmorland
KING HENRY
I prithee, Harry, withdraw thyself, thou bleed’st too
much.
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.
much.
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.
JOHN OF LANCASTER
Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.
PRINCE HARRY (
to the King)
to the King)
I beseech your majesty, make up,
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.
KING HENRY
I will do so. My lord of Westmorland,
Lead him to his tent.
Lead him to his tent.
WESTMORLAND (
to the Prince
)
to the Prince
)
Come, my lord, I’ll lead you to your tent.
PRINCE HARRY
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.
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.
JOHN OF LANCASTER
We breathe too long. Come, cousin Westmorland,
Our duty this way lies. For God’s sake, come.
Our duty this way lies. For God’s sake, come.
Exeunt Lancaster and Westmorland
PRINCE HARRY
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.
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.
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.
PRINCE HARRY
O, this boy lends mettle to us all! Exit
Enter the Earl of 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 counterfeit’st the person of a king?
That wear those colours on them. What art thou
That counterfeit’st 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 fall’st on me so luckily,
I will assay thee; and defend thyself.
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 fall’st on me so luckily,
I will assay thee; and defend thyself.
DOUGLAS
I fear thou art another counterfeit;
And yet, in faith, thou bear’st thee like a king.
But mine I am sure thou art, whoe’er thou be,
And thus I win thee.
And thus I win thee.
They fight. The King being in danger, enter Prince Harry
PRINCE HARRY
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.
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 flieth
Cheerly, my lord! How fares your grace?
Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent,
And so hath Clifton. I’ll to Clifton straight.
Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent,
And so hath Clifton. I’ll to Clifton straight.
KING HENRY Stay and breathe awhile.
Thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion,
And showed thou mak’st some tender of my life,
In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.
And showed thou mak’st some tender of my life,
In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.
PRINCE HARRY
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.
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
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