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Henry IV, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1598).

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
2370
Enter the King, Warwike, Kent, Thomas duke of Clarence,
Humphrey of Gloucester.
King Now lords, if God doth giue successefull end,
To this debate that bleedeth at our doores,
We will our youth leade on to higher fields,
And draw no swords but what are sanctified:
2375Our nauie is addrest, our power collected,
Our substitutes in absence wel inuested,
And euery thing lies leuell to our wish,
Only we want a little personal strength:
And pawse vs til these rebels now afoote,
2380Come vnderneath the yoke of gouernment.
War. Both which we doubt not, but your maiesty
Shal soone enioy.
King Humphrey my sonne of Gloster, where is the prince
your brother?
2385Glo. I thinke hees gone to hunt, my lord, at Winsor.
King And how accompanied?
Glo. I do not know, my lord.
King Is not his brother Thomas of Clarence with him?
Glo. No, my good lord, he is in presence here.
Clar. What would my lord and father?
Kin Nothing but well to thee Thomas of Clarence,
How chance thou art not with the prince thy brother?
2395He loues thee, and thou dost neglect him, Thomas,
Thou hast a better place in his affection
Then all thy brothers, cherrish it my boy:
And noble offices thou maist effect
Of mediation after I am dead,
2400Betweene his greatnesse and thy other brethren:
Therefore omit him not, blunt not his loue,
Nor loose the good aduantage of his grace,
By seeming cold, or carelesse of his will,
For he is gracious if he be obseru'de,
2405He hath a teare for pittie, and a hand,
Open as day for meeting charitie,
Yet notwithstanding being incenst, he is flint,
As humorous as winter, and as sodaine
As flawes congealed in the spring of day:
2410His temper therefore must be well obseru'd,
Chide him for faults, and do it reuerently,
When you perceiue his bloud inclind to mirth:
But being moody, giue him time and scope,
Till that his passions, like a whale on ground
2415Confound themselues with working learne this Thomas,
And thou shalt proue a shelter to thy friends,
A hoope of gold to binde thy brothers in,
That the vnited vessell of their bloud,
(Mingled with venome of suggestion,
2420As force perforce, the age will powre it in,)
Shall neuer leake, though it doe worke as strong,
As Aconitum, or rash gunpowder.
Cla. I shall obserue him with all care and loue.
King Why art thou not at Winsore with him Thomas?
Tho. He is not there to day, he dines in London.
King And how accompanied?
2430Tho. With Poines, and other his continuall followers.
King Most subiect is the fattest soyle to weeds,
And he, the noble image of my youth,
Is ouerspread with them, therefore my griefe
2435Stretches it selfe beyond the howre of death:
The bloud weepes from my heart when I do shape,
In formes imaginary, th'unguyded daies,
And rotten times that you shall looke vpon,
When I am sleeping with my auncestors:
2440For when his head-strong riot hath no curbe,
VVhen rage and hot bloud are his counsellors,
VVhen meanes and lauish manners meete together,
Oh with what wings shal his affections flie,
Towards fronting peril and opposde decay?
2445War. My gracious Lord, you looke beyond him quite,
The prince but studies his companions,
Like a strange tongue wherein to gaine the language:
Tis needfnll that the most immodest word,
Be lookt vpon and learnt, which once attaind,
2450Your highnesse knowes comes to no further vse,
But to be knowne and hated: so, like grosse termes,
The prince will in the perfectnesse of time,
Cast off his followers, and their memory
Shall as a pattern, or a measure liue,
2455By which his grace must mete the liues of other,
Turning past-euils to aduantages.
King Tis seldome when the bee doth leaue her comb,
In the dead carion: who's here, Westmerland?
Enter Westmerland.
West. Health to my soueraigne, and new happinesse
Added to that that I am to deliuer,
Prince Iohn your sonne doth kisse your graces hand.
Mowbray, the Bishop, Scroope, Hastings, and al,
2465Are brought to the correction of your law:
There is not now a rebels sword vnsheathd,
But Peace puts forth her oliue euery where,
The manner how this action hath bin borne,
Here at more leisure may your highnesse reade,
2470With euery course in his particular.
King O Westmerland, thou art a summer bird,
VVhich euer in the haunch of winter sings
The lifting vp of day: looke heres more newes.
enter Harcor.
Harc. From enemies, heauens keep your maiesty,
And when they stand against you, may they fall
As those that I am come to tell you of:
The Earle Northumberland, and the Lord Bardolfe,
2480With a great power of English, and of Scots,
Are by the shrieue of Yorkshire ouerthrowne,
The manner, and true order of the fight,
This packet, please it you, containes at large,
Ki. And wherfore should these good news make me sicke?
Will Fortune neuer come with both hands full.
But wet her faire words stil in foulest termes?
She either giues a stomach, and no foode,
Such are the poore in health: or else a feast,
2490And takes away the stomach, such are the rich
That haue aboundance, and enioy it not:
I should reioyce now at this happy newes,
And now my sight failes, and my braine is giddy,
O me, come neare me, now I am much ill.
2495Hum. Comfort your maiesty.
Clar. O my royall father!
West. My soueraigne Lord, cheere vp your selfe, look vp.
War. Be patient princes, you do know these fits
2500Are with his highnesse very ordinary.
Stand from him, giue him ayre, heel straight be wel.
Clar. No, no, he cannot long hold out these pangs,
Th'incessant care and labour of his mind,
2505Hath wrought the Mure that should confine it in,
So thin that life lookes through.
Hum. The people feare me, for they do obserue
Vnfather'd heires, and lothly births of nature,
The seasons change their manners, as the yeere
2510Had found some moneths a sleepe, and leapt them ouer.
Clar. The riuer hath thrice flowed, no ebbe between,
And the old folk, (Times doting chronicles,)
Say, it did so a little time before
That our great grandsire Edward, sickt and died.
2515War. Speake lower, princes, for the King recouers.
Hum. This apoplexi wil certaine be his end.
King I pray you take me vp, and beare me hence,
Into some other chamber.