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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 woo'd To gripe the general
sway into your hand； Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster； And； being fed
by us； you us'd 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 thirst not come near your sight For fear of swallowing；
but with nimble wing We were enforc'd 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 forg'd against yourself By unkind usage；
dangerous countenance； And violation of all faith and troth Sworn to tis in
your younger enterprise。 King。 These things； indeed； you have articulate；
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 poor discontents； Which gape and rub the elbow at the
news Of hurlyburly 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。 In both our 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。 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
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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。 Exit Worcester ＇with Vernon＇ Prince。 It will
not be accepted； on my life。 The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
Are confident against the world in arms。 King。 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。 Manent Prince； Falstaff。 Fal。 Hal；
if thou see me down in the battle and bestride me； so！ 'Tis a point of
friendship。 Prince。 Nothing but a Colossus can do thee that friendship。 Say
thy prayers； and farewell。 Fal。 I would 'twere bedtime； Hal； and all well。
Prince。 Why； thou owest God a death。 Exit。 Fal。 '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 honor 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 that
word honour？ Air。 A trim reckoning！ Who hath it？ He that died a
Wednesday。 Doth he feel it？ No。 Doth be bear 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。
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SCENE II。 The rebel camp。
Enter Worcester and Sir Richard Vernon。
Wor。 O no； my nephew must not know； Sir Richard； The liberal and
kind offer of the King。 Ver。 'Twere best he did。 Wor。 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。 Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes； For treason
is but trusted like the fox Who； ne'er so tame； so cherish'd and lock'd 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 cherish'd； 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 govern'd 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。
Enter Hotspur ＇and Douglas＇。
Ver。 Deliver what you will； I'll say 'tis so。 Here comes your cousin。
Hot。 My uncle is return'd。 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； aid will
scourge With haughty arms this hateful name in us。
Enter Douglas。
Doug。 Arm； gentlemen！ to arms！ for I have thrown A brave defiance
in King Henry's teeth； And Westmoreland； that was engag'd； did bear it；
Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on。 Wor。 The Prince of Wales
stepp'd forth before the King And； nephew； challeng'd you to single fight。
Hot。 O； would the quarrel lay upon our heads； And that no man might
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draw short breath to…day But I and Harry Monmouth！ Tell me； tell me；
How show'd his tasking？ Seem'd it in contempt？ No； by my soul。 I never
in my life Did hear a challenge urg'd 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； Trimm'd 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 lie mast'red 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。 Hot。 Cousin； I think thou
art enamoured Upon his follies。 Never did I hear Of any prince so wild a
libertine。 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。
Mess。 My lord； here are letters for you。 Hot。 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