Henry IV, Part 2 (Modern)

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 498[1.3]
3.0.1499Enter the Archbishop, Thomas Mowbray (Earl Marshal), the Lord Hastings, and 500[Lord] Bardolph.
3.1501Archbishop
 Thus have you heard our cause and known our means,
3.2502And, my most noble friends, I pray you all
3.3503Speak plainly your opinions of our hopes;
3.4504And first, Lord Marshal, what say you to it?
3.5505Mowbray
 I well allow the occasion of our arms,
3.6506But gladly would be better satisfied
3.7507How in our means we should advance ourselves,
3.8508To look with forehead bold and big enough
3.9509Upon the power and puissance of the king.
3.10510Hastings
 Our present musters grow upon the file
3.11511To five-and-twenty thousand men of choice,
3.12512And our supplies live largely in the hope
3.13513Of great Northumberland, whose bosom burns
3.14514With an incensèd fire of injuries.
3.15515Lord Bardolph
 The question then, Lord Hastings, standeth thus:
3.16516Whether our present five and twenty thousand,
3.17517May hold up head without Northumberland?
3.18518Hastings
 With him we may.
 519Lord Bardolph
 With him we may.  Yea, marry, there's the point.
3.19520But if without him we be thought too feeble,
3.20521My judgement is we should not step too far
3.21522Till we had his assistance by the hand;
3.22523For in a theme so bloody-faced as this,
3.23524Conjecture, expectation, and surmise
3.24525Of aids incertain should not be admitted.
3.25526Archbishop
 'Tis very true, Lord Bardolph, for indeed
3.26527It was young Hotspur's case at Shrewsbury.
3.27528Lord Bardolph
 It was, my lord, who lined himself with hope,
3.28529Eating the air and promise of supply,
3.29530Flatt'ring himself in project of a power
3.30531Much smaller than the smallest of his thoughts,
3.31532And so with great imagination,
3.32533Proper to madmen, led his powers to death,
3.33534And, winking, leapt into destruction.
3.34535Hastings
 But, by your leave, it never yet did hurt
3.35536To lay down likelihoods and forms of hope.
3.36537Lord Bardolph
 Yes, if this present quality of war --
3.37538Indeed the instant action, a cause on foot --
3.38539Lives so in hope, as in an early spring
3.39540We see th'appearing buds, which to prove fruit
3.40541Hope gives not so much warrant as despair
3.41542That frosts will bite them. When we mean to build,
3.42543We first survey the plot, then draw the model,
3.43544And when we see the figure of the house,
3.44545Then must we rate the cost of the erection,
3.45546Which if we find out-weighs ability,
3.46547What do we then, but draw anew the model
3.47548In fewer offices? Or, at least, desist
3.48549To build at all? Much more, in this great work --
3.49550Which is almost to pluck a kingdom down
3.50551And set another up -- should we survey
3.51552The plot of situation and the model,
3.52553Consent upon a sure foundation,
3.53554Question surveyors, know our own estate,
3.54555How able such a work to undergo,
3.55556To weigh against his opposite. Or else
3.56557We fortify in paper and in figures,
3.57558Using the names of men instead of men,
3.58559Like one that draws the model of an house
3.59560Beyond his power to build it, who, half through,
3.60561Gives o'er, and leaves his part-created cost
3.61562A naked subject to the weeping clouds,
3.62563And waste for churlish winter's tyranny.
3.63564Hastings
 Grant that our hopes, yet likely of fair birth,
3.64565Should be stillborn, and that we now possessed
3.65566The utmost man of expectation,
3.66567I think we are a body strong enough,
3.67568Even as we are, to equal with the king.
3.68569Lord Bardolph
 What, is the king but five and twenty thousand?
3.69570Hastings
 To us no more, nay, not so much, Lord Bardolph,
3.70571For his divisions, as the times do brawl,
3.71572Are in three heads: one power against the French,
3.72573And one against Glendower, perforce a third
3.73574Must take up us. So is the unfirm king
3.74575In three divided, and his coffers sound
3.75576With hollow poverty and emptiness.
3.76577Archbishop
 That he should draw his several strengths together
3.77578And come against us in full puissance
3.78579Need not to be dreaded.
 580Hastings
 Need not to be dreaded.  If he should do so,
3.79581He leaves his back unarmed, the French and Welsh
3.80582Baying him at the heels; never fear that.
3.81583Lord Bardolph
 Who is it like should lead his forces hither?
3.82584Hastings
 The Duke of Lancaster and Westmorland;
3.83585Against the Welsh, himself and Harry Monmouth;
3.84586But who is substituted against the French
3.85587I have no certain notice.
 588Archbishop
 I have no certain notice.  Let us on,
3.86589And publish the occasion of our arms.
3.87590The commonwealth is sick of their own choice,
3.88591Their over-greedy love hath surfeited:
3.89592An habitation giddy and unsure
3.90593Hath he that buildeth on the vulgar heart.
3.91594O thou fond many, with what loud applause
3.92595Didst thou beat heaven with blessing Bolingbroke,
3.93596Before he was what thou would'st have him be!
3.94597And being now trimmed in thine own desires,
3.95598Thou, beastly feeder, art so full of him
3.96599That thou provok'st thyself to cast him up.
3.97600So, so, thou common dog, did'st thou disgorge
3.98601Thy glutton bosom of the royal Richard,
3.99602And now thou wouldst eat thy dead vomit up,
3.100603And howl'st to find it. What trust is in these times?
3.101604They, that when Richard lived would have him die,
3.102605Are now become enamoured on his grave.
3.103606Thou, that threw'st dust upon his goodly head
3.104607When through proud London he came sighing on
3.105608After th'admirèd heels of Bolingbroke,
3.106609Criest now: "O Earth, yield us that king again
3.107610And take thou this!" O thoughts of men accursed!
3.108611Past and to come seems best; things present, worst.
3.109612[Mowbray]
 Shall we go draw our numbers and set on?
3.110613Hastings
 We are time's subjects, and time bids be gone. 
3.110.1Exeunt.
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Henry IV, Part 2 (Modern)
