We will not now be troubled with reply.
We offer fair, take it advisedly.
Exeunt Worcester [and Vernon]
PRINCE HENRY It will not be accepted, on my life.
The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
Are confident against the world in arms.
KING HENRY IV 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 Prince and Falstaff
FALSTAFF Hal, if thou see me down in the battle and bestride
me, so; ’tis a point of friendship.
PRINCE HENRY Nothing but a colossus can do thee that
friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell.
FALSTAFF I would it were bedtime, Hal, and all well.
PRINCE HENRY Why, thou ow’st heaven a death.
[Exit Prince Henry]
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. 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 that word ‘honour’?
Air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? He that died
o’Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it
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
Act 5 Scene 2
running scene 16
Location: the rebel camp near Shrewsbury, then the battlefield
Enter Worcester and Sir Richard Vernon
WORCESTER O, no, my nephew must not know, Sir Richard,
The liberal kind offer of the king.
VERNON ’Twere best he did.
WORCESTER Then we are all undone.
It is not possible, it cannot be,
The king would 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, ne’er so tame, so cherished and locked up,
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.
Look how he 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 ta’en 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 Douglas
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 talking? 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.
HOTSPUR Cousin, I think thou art enamourèd
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.
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 for bearing them is just.
Enter another Messenger
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 I draw a sword
Whose worthy 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.
They embrace [and exeunt]. The trumpets sound. The King entereth with his power. Alarum unto the battle. Then enter Douglas and Sir Walter Blunt [dressed like the King]
BLUNT What is thy name, that in 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 a prisoner.
BLUNT I was not born to yield, thou haughty Scot,
And thou shalt find a king that will revenge
Lord Stafford’s death.
Fight. Blunt is slain
Then enters Hotspur
HOTSPUR O Douglas, had’st thou fought at Holmedon thus,
I never had triumphed o’er 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 Ah, fool, go with thy soul, whither it goes!
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, and enter Falstaff, solus
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; heaven
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
for the town’s end, to beg during life. But who comes here?
Enter the Prince
PRINCE HENRY What, stand’st thou idle here? Lend me thy sword.
Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff
Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths are unrevenged. 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 HENRY He is, indeed, and living to kill thee. I prithee lend
me thy sword.
FALSTAFF Nay, Hal, if Percy be alive, thou get’st not my sword;
but take my pistol, if thou wilt.
PRINCE HENRY Give it me. What, is it in the case?
FALSTAFF Ay, Hal, ’tis hot. There’s that will sack a city.
The Prince draws out a bottle of sack
PRINCE HENRY What, is it a time to jest and dally now?
Exit. [He] throws it at him [as he leaves]
FALSTAFF 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
Act 5 Scene 3
running scene 16 continues
Location: the battlefield at Shrewsbury
Alarum. Excursions. Enter the King, the Prince, Lord John of Lancaster and Earl of Westmorland
The Prince has been wounded
KING HENRY IV I prithee,
Harry, withdraw thyself, thou bleed’st too much.
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.
PRINCE JOHN Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.
PRINCE HENRY I beseech your majesty, make up,
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.
KING HENRY IV 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 HENRY Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help;
And heaven 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!
PRINCE JOHN We breathe too long: come, cousin Westmorland,
Our duty this way lies. For heaven’s sake, come.
[Exeunt Lancaster and Westmorland]
PRINCE HENRY By heaven, 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 IV I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.
PRINCE HENRY 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 counterfeit’st the person of a king?
KING HENRY IV 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, so defend thyself.
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.
They fight, the King being in danger
Enter Prince
PRINCE HENRY 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 flieth
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 IV 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.
PRINCE HENRY O heaven! They did me too much injury
That ever said I hearkened to 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 IV Make up to Clifton, I’ll to Sir Nicholas Gawsey.
Exit
Enter Hotspur
HOTSPUR If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.
PRINCE HENRY Thou speak’st as if I would deny my name.
HOTSPUR My name is Harry Percy.
PRINCE HENRY Why, then I see
A very valiant rebel of that 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.
&
nbsp; HOTSPUR Nor shall it, Harry, for the hour is come
To end the one of us; and would to heaven
Thy name in arms were now as great as mine!
PRINCE HENRY 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.
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 fights with Falstaff, who falls down as if he were dead
[Exit Douglas]
The Prince killeth Percy [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 the sword my flesh:
But thought’s the slave 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 earth and the cold hand of death
Lies on my tongue. No, Percy, thou art dust
And food for—
Dies
PRINCE HENRY For worms, brave Percy. Farewell, 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 great a show of zeal,
But let my favours hide thy mangled face,
Covers Hotspur’s 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!—
What? Old acquaintance? Could not all this flesh
He sees Falstaff on the ground