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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1598)
  • Editor: Rosemary Gaby
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-371-7

    Copyright Rosemary Gaby. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Rosemary Gaby
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1598)

    The history
    30Which 1400. yeares ago were naild,
    For our aduantage on the bitter crosse.
    But this our purpose now is twelue month old,
    And bootelesse tis to tell you we wil go.
    Therefore we meet not nowe: then let me heare
    35Of you my gentle Cosen Westmerland,
    What yesternight our counsell did decree
    In forwarding this deere expedience.
    West. My liege, this haste was hot in question,
    And many limits of the charge set down
    40But yesternight, when all athwart there came
    A post from Wales, loden with heauy newes,
    Whose worst was that the noble Mortimer,
    Leading the men of Herdforshire to fight
    Against the irregular, and wild Glendower,
    45Was by the rude hands of that Welchman taken,
    A thousand of his people butchered,
    Vpon whose dead corpes there was such misuse,
    Such beastly shamelesse transformation
    By those Welch-women done, as may not be
    50Without much shame, retould, or spoken of.
    King. It seemes then that the tidings of this broile,
    Brake off our businesse for the holy land.
    West. This matcht with other did, my gratious L.
    For more vneuen and vnwelcome newes
    55Came from the North, and thus it did import,
    On holly rode day, the gallant Hotspur there,
    Yong Harry Percy, and braue Archibold,
    That euer valiant and approued Scot,
    At Holmedon met, where they did spend
    60A sad and bloudy houre:
    As by discharge of their artillery,
    And shape of likelihood the newes was told:
    For he that brought them in the very heat
    And pride of their contention, did take horse
    65Vncertaine of the issue any way.
    King. Here is deere, a true industrious friend,
    Sir Walter Blunt new lighted from his horse,
    Staind