The First Part of Henry IV:
Act 5, Scene 2
Enter WORCESTER, SIR RICHARD VERNON.
EARL OF WORCESTER
1
O, no, my nephew must not know, Sir Richard,
2
The liberal and kind offer of the king.
EARL OF WORCESTER
3
Then are we all [undone].
4
It is not possible, it cannot be,
5
The king should keep his word in loving us;
6
He will suspect us still and find a time
7
To punish this offence in other faults:
8
Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes;
9
For treason is but trusted like the fox,
10
Who, never so tame, so cherish'd and lock'd up,
11
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.
12
Look how we can, or sad or merrily,
13
Interpretation will misquote our looks,
14
And we shall feed like oxen at a stall,
15
The better cherish'd, still the nearer death.
16
My nephew's trespass may be well forgot;
17
it hath the excuse of youth and heat of blood,
18
And an adopted name of privilege,
19
A hair-brain'd Hotspur, govern'd by a spleen:
20
All his offences live upon my head
21
And on his father's; we did train him on,
22
And, his corruption being ta'en from us,
23
We, as the spring of all, shall pay for all.
24
Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know,
25
In any case, the offer of the king.
VERNON
26
Deliver what you will; I'll say 'tis so.
27
Here comes your cousin.
Enter PERCY [HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS].
HOTSPUR
27
My uncle is return'd:
28
Deliver up my Lord of Westmoreland.
29
Uncle, what news?
EARL OF WORCESTER
30
The king will bid you battle presently.
EARL OF DOUGLAS
31
Defy him by the Lord of Westmoreland.
HOTSPUR
32
Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so.
EARL OF DOUGLAS
33
Marry, and shall, and very willingly.
EARL OF WORCESTER
34
There is no seeming mercy in the king.
HOTSPUR
35
Did you beg any? God forbid!
EARL OF WORCESTER
36
I told him gently of our grievances,
37
Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus,
38
By now forswearing that he is forsworn:
39
He calls us rebels, traitors; and will scourge
40
With haughty arms this hateful name in us.
EARL OF DOUGLAS
41
Arm, gentlemen; to arms! for I have thrown
42
A brave defiance in King Henry's teeth,
43
And Westmoreland, that was engag'd, did bear it;
44
Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on.
EARL OF WORCESTER
45
The Prince of Wales stepp'd forth before the king,
46
And, nephew, challenged you to single fight.
HOTSPUR
47
O, would the quarrel lay upon our heads,
48
And that no man might draw short breath today
49
But I and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me,
50
How show'd his tasking? seem'd it in contempt?
VERNON
51
No, by my soul; I never in my life
52
Did hear a challenge urg'd more modestly,
53
Unless a brother should a brother dare
54
To gentle exercise and proof of arms.
55
He gave you all the duties of a man;
56
Trimm'd up your praises with a princely tongue,
57
Spoke to your deservings like a chronicle,
58
Making you ever better than his praise
59
By still dispraising praise valued in you;
60
And, which became him like a prince indeed,
61
He made a blushing cital of himself;
62
And chid his truant youth with such a grace
63
As if he master'd there a double spirit.
64
Of teaching and of learning instantly.
65
There did he pause: but let me tell the world,
66
If he outlive the envy of this day,
67
England did never owe so sweet a hope,
68
So much misconstrued in his wantonness.
HOTSPUR
69
Cousin, I think thou art enamoured
70
On his follies: never did I hear
71
Of any prince so wild a liberty.
72
But be he as he will, yet once ere night
73
I will embrace him with a soldier's arm,
74
That he shall shrink under my courtesy.
75
Arm, arm with speed: and, fellows, soldiers, friends,
76
Better consider what you have to do
77
Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,
78
Can lift your blood up with persuasion.
Messenger
79
My lord, here are letters for you.
HOTSPUR
80
I cannot read them now.
81
O gentlemen, the time of life is short!
82
To spend that shortness basely were too long,
83
If life did ride upon a dial's point,
84
Still ending at the arrival of an hour.
85
An if we live, we live to tread on kings;
86
If die, brave death, when princes die with us!
87
Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair,
88
When the intent of bearing them is just.
Messenger
89
My lord, prepare; the king comes on apace.
HOTSPUR
90
I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale,
91
For I profess not talking; only this
92
Let each man do his best: and here draw I
93
A sword, whose temper I intend to stain
94
With the best blood that I can meet withal
95
In the adventure of this perilous day.
96
Now, Esperance! Percy! and set on.
97
Sound all the lofty instruments of war,
98
And by that music let us all embrace;
99
For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall
100
A second time do such a courtesy.
Here they embrace [and exeunt].