And will, to save the blood on either side, K. Hen. And, prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee, Albeit, considerations infinite Do make against it :-No, good Worcester, no, [Exeunt WORCESTER and VERNON. P. Hen. It will not be accepted, on my life : The Douglas and the Hotspur both together. Are confident against the world in arms. K. Hen. 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 King, BLUNT, and Prince JOHN. Fal. Hal, if thou see me down in the battle, and bestride me, so; 'tis a point of friendship. P. Hen. Nothing but a colossus can do thee that friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell. Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well. P. Hen. 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 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 in that word, honour? What is that 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 [9] In the battle of Agincourt, Henry, when king, did this act of friendship for his brother the duke GL Coster STEEVENS living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it :therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a mere scutcheon, and so ends my catechism. SCENE II. [Exit. The Rebel Camp. Enter WORCESTEr and Vernon. Wor. O, no, my nephew must not know, sir Richard, The liberal 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 ; A hare-brain'd Hotspur,' govern'd by a spleen; And on his father's ;-we did train him on ; Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll say, 'tis so. Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS; and Officers and Soldiers, behind. Hot. My uncle is return'd :-Deliver up [1] The name of Hotspur will privilege him from censure. JOHNSON, Doug. Marry, and shall, and very willingly. Wor. I told him gently of our grievances, [Exit 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 ; 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 chid his truant youth with such a grace, There did he pause: But let me tell the world,- England did never owe so sweet a hope, Upon his follies; never did I hear [2] Engag'd is delivered as an hostage. A few lines before, upon the return of Worcester, he orders Westmoreland to be dismissed. JOHNSON. Of any prince, so wild, at liberty :3- Arm, arm, with speed :-And, fellows, soldiers, friends, Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue, Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, here are letters for you. Still ending at the arrival of an hour. An if we live, we live to tread on kings; Enter another Messenger. Mess. My lord, prepare; the king comes on apace. For I profess not talking; Only this Let each man do his best: and here draw I [The trumpets sound. They embrace, and exeunt Plain near Shrewsbury. Alarum to the Battle. meeting. SCENE III. Excursions, and Parties fighting. Blunt. What is thy name, that in the battle thus [3] Of any prince that played such pranks, and was not confined as a madman. This was the word of battle on Percy's side. POPE. [5] i. e. one might wager heaven to earth. VOL. V. JOHNSON. WARBURTON. L 2 Thou crossest me? what honour dost thou seek Doug. Know then, my name is Douglas ; Doug. The lord of Stafford dear to-day hath bought Blunt. I was not born a yielder, thou proud Scot ; Lord Stafford's death. [They fight, and BLUNT is slain. Enter HOTSpur. Hot. O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus, Doug. All's done, all's won ; here breathless lies the king, Doug. Here. Hot. This, Douglas ? no, I know this face full well A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt ; Semblably furnish'd like the king himself Doug. A fool go with thy soul, whither it goes! A borrow'd title hast thou bought too dear. Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king? Hot. The king hath many marching in his coats. Doug. Now, by my sword, I will kill all his coats, f'll murder all his wardrobe, piece by piece, Until I meet the king. Hot. Up, and away ; Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day. Other Alarums. Enter FALSTAFF. [Exeunt. 6 Fal. Though I could 'scape shot-free at London, I fear the shot here; here's no scoring, but upon the pate.-Soft! who art thou? 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 [6] A play upon shot, as it means the part of a reckoning, and a missive weapon discharged from artillery. JOHNSON. |