Henry IV, Part 1 (Modern)

 319[1.3]
 320Enter the king, Northumberland, Worcester, Hotspur, 321Sir Walter Blunt, with others.
3.1322King
 My blood hath been too cold and temperate,
3.2323Unapt to stir at these indignities,
3.3324And you have found me, for accordingly
3.4325You tread upon my patience. But be sure
3.5326I will from henceforth rather be myself,
3.6327Mighty and to be feared, than my condition,
3.7328Which hath been smooth as oil, soft as young down,
3.8329And therefore lost that title of respect
3.9330Which the proud soul ne'er pays but to the proud.
3.10331Worcester
 Our house, my sovereign liege, little deserves
3.11332The scourge of greatness to be used on it,
3.12333And that same greatness too, which our own hands
3.13334Have holp to make so portly.
3.14335Northumberland
 My lord --
3.15336King
 Worcester, get thee gone, for I do see
3.16337Danger and disobedience in thine eye.
3.17338O sir, your presence is too bold and peremptory,
3.18339And majesty might never yet endure
3.19340The moody frontier of a servant brow.
3.20341You have good leave to leave us. When we need
3.21342Your use and counsel we shall send for you.
3.21.1Exit Worcester.
3.22343[To Northumberland] You were about to speak.
 344Northumberland
 [To Northumberland] You were about to speak.  Yea my good lord.
3.23345Those prisoners in your highness' name demanded,
3.24346Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took,
3.25347Were, as he says, not with such strength denied
3.26348As is delivered to your majesty.
3.27349Either envy, therefore, or misprision
3.28350Is guilty of this fault, and not my son.
3.29351Hotspur
 My liege, I did deny no prisoners.
3.30352But I remember when the fight was done,
3.31353When I was dry with rage and extreme toil,
3.32354Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword,
3.33355Came there a certain lord, neat and trimly dressed,
3.34356Fresh as a bridegroom, and his chin, new-reaped,
3.35357Showed like a stubble-land at harvest-home.
3.36358He was perfumèd like a milliner,
3.37359And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held
3.38360A pouncet-box, which ever and anon
3.39361He gave his nose and took't away again,
3.40362Who therewith angry, when it next came there
3.41363Took it in snuff, and still he smiled and talked;
3.42364And as the soldiers bore dead bodies by,
3.43365He called them untaught knaves, unmannerly,
3.44366To bring a slovenly unhandsome corpse
3.45367Betwixt the wind and his nobility.
3.46368With many holiday and lady terms
3.47369He questioned me, amongst the rest demanded
3.48370My prisoners in your majesty's behalf.
3.49371I then, all smarting with my wounds being cold,
3.50372To be so pestered with a popinjay,
3.51373Out of my grief and my impatience
3.52374Answered neglectingly, I know not what,
3.53375He should, or he should not, for he made me mad
3.54376To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet,
3.55377And talk so like a waiting gentlewoman
3.56378Of guns, and drums, and wounds, god save the mark!
3.57379And telling me the sovereign'st thing on earth
3.58380Was parmacity, for an inward bruise,
3.59381And that it was great pity, so it was,
3.60382This villainous saltpetre should be digged
3.61383Out of the bowels of the harmless earth,
3.62384Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed
3.63385So cowardly, and but for these vile guns
3.64386He would himself have been a soldier.
3.65387This bald unjointed chat of his, my lord,
3.66388I answered indirectly, as I said,
3.67389And I beseech you, let not his report
3.68390Come current for an accusation
3.69391Betwixt my love and your high majesty.
3.70392Blunt
 The circumstance considered, good my lord,
3.71393Whate'er Lord Harry Percy then had said
3.72394To such a person, and in such a place,
3.73395At such a time, with all the rest retold,
3.74396May reasonably die, and never rise
3.75397To do him wrong, or any way impeach
3.76398What then he said, so he unsay it now.
3.77399King
 Why, yet he doth deny his prisoners,
3.78400But with proviso and exception
3.79401That we at our own charge shall ransom straight
3.80402His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer,
3.81403Who, on my soul, hath wilfully betrayed
3.82404The lives of those that he did lead to fight
3.83405Against that great magician, damned Glendower,
3.84406Whose daughter, as we hear, that Earl of March
3.85407Hath lately married. Shall our coffers then
3.86408Be emptied to redeem a traitor home?
3.87409Shall we buy treason, and indent with fears
3.88410When they have lost and forfeited themselves?
3.89411No, on the barren mountains let him starve,
3.90412For I shall never hold that man my friend
3.91413Whose tongue shall ask me for one penny cost
3.92414To ransom home revolted Mortimer.
3.93415Hotspur
 Revolted Mortimer!
3.94416He never did fall off, my sovereign liege,
3.95417But by the chance of war. To prove that true
3.96418Needs no more but one tongue for all those wounds,
3.97419Those mouthèd wounds, which valiantly he took
3.98420When on the gentle Severn's sedgy bank
3.99421In single opposition, hand to hand,
3.100422He did confound the best part of an hour
3.101423In changing hardiment with great Glendower.
3.102424Three times they breathed, and three times did they drink,
3.103425Upon agreement, of swift Severn's flood,
3.104426Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks,
3.105427Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds
3.106428And hid his crisp head in the hollow bank,
3.107429Bloodstainèd with these valiant combatants.
3.108430Never did bare and rotten policy
3.109431Color her working with such deadly wounds,
3.110432Nor never could the noble Mortimer
3.111433Receive so many, and all willingly.
3.112434Then let not him be slandered with revolt.
3.113435King
 Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost belie him.
3.114436He never did encounter with Glendower.
3.115437I tell thee, he durst as well have met the devil alone
3.116438As Owen Glendower for an enemy.
3.117439Art thou not ashamed? But, sirrah, henceforth
3.118440Let me not hear you speak of Mortimer.
3.119441Send me your prisoners with the speediest means,
3.120442Or you shall hear in such a kind from me
3.121443As will displease you. My Lord Northumberland
3.122444We license your departure with your son.
3.123445Send us your prisoners, or you will hear of it.
3.123.1 Exit King [with all but Hotspur and Northumberland.]
3.124446Hotspur
 An if the devil come and roar for them
3.125447I will not send them. I will after straight
3.126448And tell him so, for I will ease my heart,
3.127449Albeit I make a hazard of my head.
3.128450Northumberland
 What, drunk with choler? Stay and pause awhile.
3.129451Here comes your uncle.
3.129.1Enter Worcester.
 452Hotspur
 Here comes your uncle.  Speak of Mortimer?
3.130453Zounds, I will speak of him, and let my soul
3.131454Want mercy if I do not join with him.
3.132455Yea, on his part I'll empty all these veins,
3.133456And shed my dear blood drop by drop in the dust,
3.134457But I will lift the downtrod Mortimer
3.135458As high in the air as this unthankful king,
3.136459As this ingrate and cankered Bolingbroke.
3.137460Northumberland
 Brother, the king hath made your nephew mad.
3.138461Worcester
 Who struck this heat up after I was gone?
3.139462Hotspur
 He will forsooth have all my prisoners,
3.140463And when I urged the ransom once again
3.141464Of my wife's brother, then his cheek looked pale,
3.142465And on my face he turned an eye of death,
3.143466Trembling even at the name of Mortimer.
3.144467Worcester
 I cannot blame him: was not he proclaimed
3.145468By Richard, that dead is, the next of blood? 
3.146469Northumberland
 He was; I heard the proclamation.
3.147470And then it was when the unhappy king --
3.148471Whose wrongs in us god pardon! -- did set forth
3.149472Upon his Irish expedition,
3.150473From whence he, intercepted, did return
3.151474To be deposed, and shortly murderèd.
3.152475Worcester
 And for whose death we in the world's wide mouth
3.153476Live scandalized and foully spoken of.
3.154477Hotspur
 But soft, I pray you, did King Richard then
3.155478Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer
3.156479Heir to the crown?
 480Northumberland
 Heir to the crown?  He did, myself did hear it.
3.157481Hotspur
 Nay then, I cannot blame his cousin king
3.158482That wished him on the barren mountains starve.
3.159483But shall it be that you that set the crown
3.160484Upon the head of this forgetful man,
3.161485And for his sake wear the detested blot
3.162486Of murderous subornation, shall it be
3.163487That you a world of curses undergo,
3.164488Being the agents or base second means,
3.165489The cords, the ladder, or the hangman rather?
3.166490Oh, pardon me that I descend so low
3.167491To show the line and the predicament
3.168492Wherein you range under this subtle king!
3.169493Shall it for shame be spoken in these days,
3.170494Or fill up chronicles in time to come,
3.171495That men of your nobility and power
3.172496Did gage them both in an unjust behalf --
3.173497As both of you, god pardon it, have done --
3.174498To put down Richard, that sweet lovely rose,
3.175499And plant this thorn, this canker, Bolingbroke?
3.176500And shall it in more shame be further spoken
3.177501That you are fooled, discarded, and shook off
3.178502By him for whom these shames ye underwent?
3.179503No, yet time serves wherein you may redeem
3.180504Your banished honors, and restore yourselves
3.181505Into the good thoughts of the world again,
3.182506Revenge the jeering and disdained contempt
3.183507Of this proud king, who studies day and night
3.184508To answer all the debt he owes to you
3.185509Even with the bloody payment of your deaths.
3.186510Therefore, I say --
 511Worcester
 Therefore, I say --  Peace, cousin, say no more.
3.187512And now I will unclasp a secret book,
3.188513And to your quick-conceiving discontents
3.189514I'll read you matter deep and dangerous,
3.190515As full of peril and adventurous spirit
3.191516As to o'erwalk a current roaring loud
3.192517On the unsteadfast footing of a spear.
3.193518Hotspur
 If he fall in, good night, or sink or swim.
3.194519Send danger from the east unto the west,
3.195520So honor cross it from the north to south,
3.196521And let them grapple. Oh, the blood more stirs
3.197522To rouse a lion than to start a hare!
3.198523Northumberland
 Imagination of some great exploit
3.199524Drives him beyond the bounds of patience.
3.200525[Hotspur]
 By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap
3.201526To pluck bright honor from the pale-faced moon,
3.202527Or dive into the bottom of the deep,
3.203528Where fathom-line could never touch the ground,
3.204529And pluck up drownèd honor by the locks,
3.205530So he that doth redeem her thence might wear,
3.206531Without co-rival, all her dignities.
3.207532But out upon this half-faced fellowship!
3.208533Worcester
 He apprehends a world of figures here,
3.209534But not the form of what he should attend.
3.210535Good cousin, give me audience for a while.
3.211537Hotspur
 I cry you mercy.
 538Worcester
 I cry you mercy.  Those same noble Scots
3.212539That are your prisoners --
 540Hotspur
 That are your prisoners --  I'll keep them all;
3.213541By god, he shall not have a Scot of them,
3.214542No, if a Scot would save his soul he shall not.
3.215543I'll keep them, by this hand.
 544Worcester
 I'll keep them, by this hand.  You start away,
3.216545And lend no ear unto my purposes.
3.217546Those prisoners you shall keep.
 547Hotspur
 Those prisoners you shall keep.  Nay, I will; that's flat.
3.218548He said he would not ransom Mortimer,
3.219549Forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer;
3.220550But I will find him when he lies asleep,
3.221551And in his ear I'll holla "Mortimer!"
3.222552Nay, I'll have a starling shall be taught to speak
3.223553Nothing but "Mortimer," and give it him
3.224554To keep his anger still in motion.
3.225555Worcester
 Hear you, cousin, a word.
3.226556Hotspur
 All studies here I solemnly defy,
3.227557Save how to gall and pinch this Bolingbroke.
3.228558And that same sword-and-buckler Prince of Wales.
3.229559But that I think his father loves him not
3.230560And would be glad he met with some mischance,
3.231561I would have him poisoned with a pot of ale.
3.232562Worcester
 Farewell, kinsman. I'll talk to you
3.233563When you are better tempered to attend.
3.234564Northumberland
 Why, what a wasp-stung and impatient fool
3.235565Art thou to break into this woman's mood
3.236566Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own!
3.237567Hotspur
 Why, look you, I am whipped and scourged with rods,
3.238568Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear
3.239569Of this vile politician Bolingbroke.
3.240570In Richard's time -- what d'ye call the place?
3.241571A plague upon't, it is in Gloucestershire.
3.242572'Twas where the madcap duke his uncle kept,
3.243573His uncle York -- where I first bowed my knee
3.244574Unto this king of smiles, this Bolingbroke --
3.245575'Sblood, when you and he came back from Ravenspurgh.
3.246576Northumberland
 At Berkeley castle.
3.247577Hotspur
 You say true.
3.248578Why, what a candy deal of courtesy
3.249579This fawning greyhound then did proffer me!
3.250580"Look when his infant fortune came to age,"
3.251581And "gentle Harry Percy," and "kind cousin."
3.252582Oh, the devil take such cozeners! God forgive me,
3.253583Good uncle, tell your tale; I have done.
3.254584Worcester
 Nay, if you have not, to it again.
3.255585We will stay your leisure.
 586Hotspur
 We will stay your leisure.  I have done, i'faith.
3.256587Worcester
 Then once more to your Scottish prisoners.
3.257588Deliver them up without their ransom straight;
3.258589And make the Douglas' son your only mean
3.259590For powers in Scotland, which for divers reasons
3.260591Which I shall send you written, be assured
3.261592Will easily be granted. [To Northumberland] You, my lord,
3.262593Your son in Scotland being thus employed,
3.263594Shall secretly into the bosom creep
3.264595Of that same noble prelate well-beloved,
3.265596The archbishop.
3.266597Hotspur
 Of York, is't not?
3.267598Worcester
 True, who bears hard
3.268599His brother's death at Bristol, the Lord Scrope.
3.269600I speak not this in estimation,
3.270601As what I think might be, but what I know
3.271602Is ruminated, plotted, and set down,
3.272603And only stays but to behold the face
3.273604Of that occasion that shall bring it on.
3.274605Hotspur
 I smell it; upon my life, it will do well!
3.275607Northumberland
 Before the game is afoot thou still let'st slip.
3.276608Hotspur
 Why, it cannot choose but be a noble plot --
3.277609And then the power of Scotland and of York
3.278610To join with Mortimer, ha?
 611Worcester
 To join with Mortimer, ha?  And so they shall.
3.279612Hotspur
 In faith, it is exceedingly well aimed.
3.280613Worcester
 And 'tis no little reason bids us speed
3.281614To save our heads by raising of a head;
3.282615For, bear ourselves as even as we can,
3.283616The king will always think him in our debt,
3.284617And think we think ourselves unsatisfied
3.285618Till he hath found a time to pay us home.
3.286619And see already how he doth begin
3.287620To make us strangers to his looks of love.
3.288621Hotspur
 He does, he does. We'll be revenged on him.
3.289622Worcester
 Cousin, farewell. No further go in this
3.290623Than I by letters shall direct your course.
3.291624When time is ripe, which will be suddenly,
3.292625I'll steal to Glendower and Lord Mortimer,
3.293626Where you and Douglas and our powers at once,
3.294627As I will fashion it, shall happily meet,
3.295628To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,
3.296629Which now we hold at much uncertainty.
3.297630Northumberland
 Farewell, good brother. We shall thrive, I trust.
3.298631Hotspur
 Uncle, adieu. Oh, let the hours be short
3.299632Till fields and blows and groans applaud our sport!
3.299.1Exeunt.
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Henry IV, Part 1 (Modern)
