Lords, give us leave. The Prince of Wales and I

3.2.21818Must have some private conference; but be near at hand,

3.2.31820For we shall presently have need of you.

3.2.41822I know not whether god will have it so

3.2.51823For some displeasing service I have done,

3.2.61824That in his secret doom out of my blood

3.2.71825He'll breed revengement and a scourge for me,

3.2.81826But thou dost in thy passages of life

3.2.91827Make me believe that thou art only marked

3.2.101828For the hot vengeance and the rod of heaven

3.2.111829To punish my mistreadings. Tell me else,

3.2.121830Could such inordinate and low desires,

3.2.131831Such poor, such bare, such lewd, such mean attempts,

3.2.141832Such barren pleasures, rude society,

3.2.151833As thou art matched withal and grafted to,

3.2.161834Accompany the greatness of thy blood,

3.2.171835And hold their level with thy princely heart?

So please your majesty, I would I could

3.2.191837Quit all offenses with as clear excuse

3.2.201838As well as I am doubtless I can purge

3.2.211839Myself of many I am charged withal.

3.2.221840Yet such extenuation let me beg

3.2.231841As, in reproof of many tales devised --

3.2.241842Which oft the ear of greatness needs must hear --

3.2.251843By smiling pickthanks and base newsmongers,

3.2.261844I may, for some things true wherein my youth

3.2.271845Hath faulty wandered and irregular,

3.2.281846Find pardon on my true submission.

God pardon thee! Yet let me wonder, Harry,

3.2.301849At thy affections, which do hold a wing

3.2.311850Quite from the flight of all thy ancestors.

3.2.321851Thy place in Council thou hast rudely lost,

3.2.331852Which by thy younger brother is supplied,

3.2.341853And art almost an alien to the hearts

3.2.351854Of all the court and princes of my blood.

3.2.361855The hope and expectation of thy time

3.2.371856Is ruined, and the soul of every man

3.2.381857Prophetically do forethink thy fall.

3.2.391858Had I so lavish of my presence been,

3.2.401859So common-hackneyed in the eyes of men,

3.2.411860So stale and cheap to vulgar company,

3.2.421861Opinion, that did help me to the crown,

3.2.431862Had still kept loyal to possession,

3.2.441863And left me in reputeless banishment,

3.2.451864A fellow of no mark nor likelihood.

3.2.461865By being seldom seen, I could not stir

3.2.471866But, like a comet, I was wondered at,

3.2.481867That men would tell their children "This is he!"

3.2.491868Others would say "Where, which is Bolingbroke?"

3.2.501869And then I stole all courtesy from heaven,

3.2.511870And dressed myself in such humility

3.2.521871That I did pluck allegiance from men's hearts,

3.2.531872Loud shouts and salutations from their mouths,

3.2.541873Even in the presence of the crownèd king.

3.2.551874Thus did I keep my person fresh and new,

3.2.561875My presence, like a robe pontifical,

3.2.571876Ne'er seen but wondered at, and so my state,

3.2.581877Seldom but sumptuous, showed like a feast,

3.2.591878And won by rareness such solemnity.

3.2.601879The skipping king, he ambled up and down

3.2.611880With shallow jesters and rash bavin wits,

3.2.621881Soon kindled and soon burnt, carded his state,

3.2.631882Mingled his royalty with cap'ring fools,

3.2.641883Had his great name profanèd with their scorns,

3.2.651884And gave his countenance, against his name,

3.2.661885To laugh at gibing boys, and stand the push

3.2.671886Of every beardless vain comparative;

3.2.681887Grew a companion to the common streets,

3.2.691888Enfeoffed himself to popularity,

3.2.701889That, being daily swallowed by men's eyes,

3.2.711890They surfeited with honey, and began

3.2.721891To loathe the taste of sweetness, whereof a little

3.2.731892More than a little is by much too much.

3.2.741893So when he had occasion to be seen,

3.2.751894He was but as the cuckoo is in June,

3.2.761895Heard, not regarded -- seen, but with such eyes

3.2.771896As, sick and blunted with community,

3.2.781897Afford no extraordinary gaze

3.2.791898Such as is bent on sun-like majesty

3.2.801899When it shines seldom in admiring eyes,

3.2.811900But rather drowsed and hung their eyelids down,

3.2.821901Slept in his face, and rendered such aspect

3.2.831902As cloudy men use to their adversaries,

3.2.841903Being with his presence glutted, gorged, and full.

3.2.851904And in that very line, Harry, standest thou;

3.2.861905For thou hast lost thy princely privilege

3.2.871906With vile participation. Not an eye

3.2.881907But is a-weary of thy common sight

3.2.891908Save mine, which hath desired to see thee more,

3.2.901909Which now doth that I would not have it do:

3.2.911910Make blind itself with foolish tenderness.

I shall hereafter, my thrice-gracious lord,

3.2.931912Be more myself.

Be more myself. For all the world,

3.2.941914As thou art to this hour was Richard then,

3.2.951915When I from France set foot at Ravenspurgh,

3.2.961916And even as I was then is Percy now.

3.2.971917Now by my sceptre, and my soul to boot,

3.2.981918He hath more worthy interest to the state

3.2.991919Than thou, the shadow of succession;

3.2.1001920For, of no right, nor color like to right,

3.2.1011921He doth fill fields with harness in the realm,

3.2.1021922Turns head against the lion's armèd jaws,

3.2.1031923And, being no more in debt to years than thou,

3.2.1041924Leads ancient lords and reverend bishops on

3.2.1051925To bloody battles, and to bruising arms.

3.2.1061926What never-dying honor hath he got

3.2.1071927Against renownèd Douglas, whose high deeds,

3.2.1081928Whose hot incursions and great name in arms,

3.2.1091929Holds from all soldiers chief majority

3.2.1101930And military title capital

3.2.1111931Through all the kingdoms that acknowledge Christ.

3.2.1121932Thrice hath this Hotspur, Mars in swaddling-clothes,

3.2.1131933This infant warrior, in his enterprises

3.2.1141934Discomfited great Douglas; ta'en him once;

3.2.1151935Enlargèd him, and made a friend of him

3.2.1161936To fill the mouth of deep defiance up,

3.2.1171937And shake the peace and safety of our throne.

3.2.1181938And what say you to this? Percy, Northumberland,

3.2.1191939The Archbishop's grace of York, Douglas, Mortimer,

3.2.1201940Capitulate against us, and are up.

3.2.1211941But wherefore do I tell these news to thee?

3.2.1221942Why, Harry, do I tell thee of my foes,

3.2.1231943Which art my near'st and dearest enemy?

3.2.1241944Thou that art like enough, through vassal fear,

3.2.1251945Base inclination, and the start of spleen,

3.2.1261946To fight against me under Percy's pay,

3.2.1271947To dog his heels and curtsy at his frowns,

3.2.1281948To show how much thou art degenerate.

Do not think so; you shall not find it so.

3.2.1301950And god forgive them that so much have swayed

3.2.1311951Your majesty's good thoughts away from me.

3.2.1321952I will redeem all this on Percy's head,

3.2.1331953And in the closing of some glorious day

3.2.1341954Be bold to tell you that I am your son,

3.2.1351955When I will wear a garment all of blood,

3.2.1361956And stain my favors in a bloody mask,

3.2.1371957Which, washed away, shall scour my shame with it.

3.2.1381958And that shall be the day, whene'er it lights,

3.2.1391959That this same child of honor and renown,

3.2.1401960This gallant Hotspur, this all-praisèd knight,

3.2.1411961And your unthought-of Harry chance to meet.

3.2.1421962For every honor sitting on his helm,

3.2.1431963Would they were multitudes, and on my head

3.2.1441964My shames redoubled; for the time will come

3.2.1451965That I shall make this northern youth exchange

3.2.1461966His glorious deeds for my indignities.

3.2.1471967Percy is but my factor, good my lord,

3.2.1481968To engross up glorious deeds on my behalf;

3.2.1491969And I will call him to so strict account

3.2.1501970That he shall render every glory up,

3.2.1511971Yea, even the slightest worship of his time,

3.2.1521972Or I will tear the reckoning from his heart.

3.2.1531973This, in the name of god, I promise here,

3.2.1541974The which, if he be pleased I shall perform,

3.2.1551975I do beseech your majesty may salve

3.2.1561976The long-grown wounds of my intemperance;

3.2.1571977If not, the end of life cancels all bonds,

3.2.1581978And I will die a hundred thousand deaths

3.2.1591979Ere break the smallest parcel of this vow.

A hundred thousand rebels die in this.

3.2.1611981Thou shalt have charge and sovereign trust herein.

3.2.1621983How now, good Blunt? Thy looks are full of speed.

So hath the business that I come to speak of.

3.2.1641985Lord Mortimer of Scotland hath sent word

3.2.1651986That Douglas and the English rebels met

3.2.1661987The eleventh of this month at Shrewsbury.

3.2.1671988A mighty and a fearful head they are,

3.2.1681989If promises be kept on every hand,

3.2.1691990As ever offered foul play in a state.

The Earl of Westmorland set forth today,

3.2.1711992With him my son Lord John of Lancaster,

3.2.1721993For this advertisement is five days old.

3.2.1731994On Wednesday next, Harry, you shall set forward,

3.2.1741995On Thursday we ourselves will march.

3.2.1751996Our meeting is Bridgnorth, and, Harry, you

3.2.1761997Shall march through Gloucestershire, by which account,

3.2.1771998Our business valuèd, some twelve days hence

3.2.1781999Our general forces at Bridgnorth shall meet.

3.2.1792000Our hands are full of business; let's away.

3.2.1802001Advantage feeds him fat while men delay.