Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Through Line Number
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • Title: Henry IV, Part 2 (Folio 1 1623)
  • Editor: Rosemary Gaby

    • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 2 (Folio 1 1623)

    Scena Tertia.
    Enter Northumberland, his Ladie, and Harrie
    Percies Ladie.
    North. I prethee louing Wife, and gentle Daughter,
    960Giue an euen way vnto my rough Affaires:
    Put not you on the visage of the Times,
    And be like them to Percie, troublesome.
    Wife. I haue giuen ouer, I will speak no more,
    Do what you will: your Wisedome, be your guide.
    965North. Alas (sweet Wife) my Honor is at pawne,
    And but my going, nothing can redeeme it.
    La. Oh yet, for heauens sake, go not to these Warrs;
    The Time was (Father) when you broke your word,
    When you were more endeer'd to it, then now,
    970When your owne Percy, when my heart-deere Harry,
    Threw many a Northward looke, to see his Father
    Bring vp his Powres: but he did long in vaine.
    Who then perswaded you to stay at home?
    There were two Honors lost; Yours, and your Sonnes.
    975For Yours, may heauenly glory brighten it:
    For His, it stucke vpon him, as the Sunne
    In the gray vault of Heauen: and by his Light
    Did all the Cheualrie of England moue
    To do braue Acts. He was (indeed) the Glasse
    980Wherein the Noble-Youth did dresse themselues.
    He had no Legges, that practic'd not his Gate:
    And speaking thicke (which Nature made his blemish)
    Became the Accents of the Valiant.
    For those that could speake low, and tardily,
    985Would turne their owne Perfection, to Abuse,
    To seeme like him. So that in Speech, in Gate,
    In Diet, in Affections of delight,
    In Militarie Rules, Humors of Blood,
    He
    82The second Part of King Henry the Fourth.
    He was the Marke, and Glasse, Coppy, and Booke,
    990That fashion'd others. And him, O wondrous! him,
    O Miracle of Men! Him did you leaue
    (Second to none) vn-seconded by you,
    To looke vpon the hideous God of Warre,
    In dis-aduantage, to abide a field,
    995Where nothing but the sound of Hotspurs Name
    Did seeme defensible: so you left him.
    Neuer, O neuer doe his Ghost the wrong,
    To hold your Honor more precise and nice
    With others, then with him. Let them alone:
    1000The Marshall and the Arch-bishop are strong.
    Had my sweet Harry had but halfe their Numbers,
    To day might I (hanging on Hotspurs Necke)
    Haue talk'd of Monmouth's Graue.
    North. Beshrew your heart,
    1005(Faire Daughter) you doe draw my Spirits from me,
    With new lamenting ancient Ouer-sights.
    But I must goe, and meet with Danger there,
    Or it will seeke me in another place,
    And finde me worse prouided.
    1010Wife. O flye to Scotland,
    Till that the Nobles, and the armed Commons,
    Haue of their Puissance made a little taste.
    Lady. If they get ground, and vantage of the King,
    Then ioyne you with them, like a Ribbe of Steele,
    1015To make Strength stronger. But, for all our loues,
    First let them trye themselues. So did your Sonne,
    He was so suffer'd; so came I a Widow:
    And neuer shall haue length of Life enough,
    To raine vpon Remembrance with mine Eyes,
    1020That it may grow, and sprowt, as high as Heauen,
    For Recordation to my Noble Husband.
    North. Come, come, go in with me: 'tis with my Minde
    As with the Tyde, swell'd vp vnto his height,
    That makes a still-stand, running neyther way.
    1025Faine would I goe to meet the Arch-bishop,
    But many thousand Reasons hold me backe.
    I will resolue for Scotland: there am I,
    Till Time and Vantage craue my company. Exeunt.
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC