The First Part of King Henry the Fourth.Arch.And so there is, but yet the King hath drawneThe speciall head of all the Land together:The Prince of Wales, Lord
Iohn of Lancaster,
[2530]
The Noble Westmerland, and warlike
Blunt;
And many moe Corriuals, and deare menOf estimation, and command in Armes.Sir M.Doubt not my Lord, he shall be well oppos'dArch.I hope no lesse? Yet needful 'tis to feare,
[2535]
And to preuent the worst, Sir
Michell speed;
For if Lord
Percy thriue not, ere the King
Dismisse his power, he meanes to visit vs:For he hath heard of our Confederacie,And, 'tis but Wisedome to make strong against him:
[2540]
Therefore make hast, I must go write againeTo other Friends: and so farewell, Sir
Michell.
Exeunt.
Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.
[Act 5, Scene 1]
Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Lord Iohn of Lancaster,
Earle of Westmerland, Sir Walter Blunt,
and Falstaffe.
King.How bloodily the Sunne begins to peereAboue yon busky hill: the day lookes paleAt his distemperature.Prin.
[2545]
The Southerne windeDoth play the Trumpet to his purposes,And by his hollow whistling in the Leaues,Fortels a Tempest, and a blust'ring day.King.Then with the losers let it sympathize,
[2550]
For nothing can seeme foule to those that win.The Trumpet sounds.Enter Worcester.King.How now my Lord of Worster? 'Tis not wellThat you and I should meet vpon such tearmes,As now we meet. You haue deceiu'd our trust,And made vs doffe our easie Robes of Peace,
[2555]
To crush our old limbes in vngentle steele;This is not well, my Lord, this is not well.What say you to it? Will you againe vnknitThis churlish knot of all‑abhorred Warre?And moue in that obedient Orbe againe,
[2560]
Where you did giue a faire and naturall light,And be no more an exhall'd Meteor,A prodigie of Feare, and a PortentOf broached Mischeefe, to the vnborne Times?Wor.Heare me, my Liege:
[2565]
For mine owne part, I could be well contentTo entertaine the Lagge‑end of my lifeWith quiet houres: For I do protest,I haue not sought the day of this dislike.King.
You haue not sought it: how comes it then?
Fal.
[2570]
Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.
Prin.
Peace, Chewet, peace.
Wor.It pleas'd your Maiesty, to turne your lookesOf Fauour, from my Selfe, and all our House;And yet I must remember you my Lord,;
[2575]
We were the first, and dearest of your Friends:Far you, my staffe of Office did I breakeIn
Richards time, and poasted day and night
To meete you on the way, and kisse your hand,
Nothing so strong and fortunate as I;It was my Selfe, my Brother, and his Sonne,That brought you home, and boldly did out‑dareThe danger of the time. You swore to vs,And you did sweare that Oath at Doncaster,
[2585]
That you did nothing of purpose 'gainst the State,Nor claime no further, then your new‑falne right,The seate of Gaunt, Dukedome of Lancaster,To this, we sware our aide: But in short space,It rain'd downe Fortune showring on your head,
[2590]
And such a floud of Greatnesse fell on you,What with our helpe, what with the absent King,What with the iniuries of wanton time,The seeming sufferances that you had borne,And the contrarious Windes that held the King
[2595]
So long in the vnlucky Irish Warres,That all in England did repute him dead:And from this swarme of faire aduantages,You tooke occasion to be quickly woo'd,To gripe the generall sway into your hand,
[2600]
Forgot your Oath to vs at Doncaster,And being fed by vs, you vs'd vs so,As that vngentle gull the Cuckowes Bird,Vseth the Sparrow, did oppresse our Nest,Grew by our Feeding, to so great a bulke,
[2605]
That euen our Loue durst not come neere your sightFor feare of swallowing: But with nimble wingWe were inforc'd for safety sake, to flyeOut of your sight, and raise this present Head,Whereby we stand opposed by such meanes
[2610]
As you your selfe, haue forg'd against your selfe,By vnkinde vsage, dangerous countenance,And violation of all faith and trothSworne to vs in yonger enterprize.Kin.These things indeede you haue articulated,
[2615]
Proclaim'd at Market Crosses, read in Churches,To face the Garment of RebellionWith some fine colour, that may please the eyeOf fickle Changelings, and poore Discontents,Which gape, and rub the Elbow at the newes
[2620]
Of hurly burly Innouation:And neuer yet did Insurrection wantSuch water‑colours, to impaint his cause:Nor moody Beggars, staruing for a timeOf pell‑mell hauocke, and confusion.Prin.
[2625]
In both our Armies, there is many a souleShall pay full dearely for this encounter,if once they ioyne in triall. Tell your Nephew,The Prince of Wales doth ioyne with all the worldin praise of
Henry Percie: By my Hopes,
[2630]
This present enterprize set off his head,I do not thinke a brauer Gentleman,More actiue, valiant, or more valiant yong,More daring, or more bold, is now aliue,To grace this latter Age with Noble deeds.
[2635]
For my part, I may speake it to my shame,I haue a Truant beene to Chiualry,And so I heare, he doth account me too:Yet this before my Fathers Maiesty,I am content that he shall take the oddes
[2640]
Of his great name and estimation,And will, to saue the blood on either side,Try fortune with him, in a Single Fight.King.And Prince of Wales, so dare we venter thee,Albeit, considerations infiniteDo
Actus Primus. Scԓna Prima.
[Act 1, Scene 1]
Enter the King, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle of
Westmerland, with others.
King.SO shaken as we are, so wan with care,
Find we a time for frighted peace to pantAnd breathe shortwinded accents of new broilsTo be commenc'd in Stronds a‑farre remote:
[5]
No more the thirsty entrance of this Soile,Shall daub her lippes with her owne childrens blood:No more shall trenching Warre channell her fields,Nor bruise her Flowrets with the Armed hoofesOf hostile paces. Those opposed eyes,
[10]
Which, like the Meteors of a troubled Heauen,All of one Nature, of one Substance bred,Did lately meet in the intestine shocke,And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery,Shall now in mutuall well‑beseeming rankes
[15]
March all one way, and be no more oppos'dAgainst Acquaintance, Kindred, and Allies.The edge of Warre, like an ill‑sheathed knife,No more shall cut his master. Therefore Friends,As farre as to the Sepulcher of Christ,
[20]
Whose Souldier now vnder whose blessed CrosseWe are impressed and ingag'd to fight,Forthwith a power of English shall we leuie,Whose armes were moulded in their mothers wombe,To chase these pagans in those holy Fields,
[25]
Ouer whose acres walk'd those blessed feeteWhich fourteene hundred yeares ago were nail'dFor our aduantage on the bitter Crosse.But this our purpose is a tweluemonth old,And bootlesse 'tis to tell you we will go:
[30]
Therefore we meete not now. Then let me heareOf you my gentle Cousin Westmerland,What yesternight our Councell did decree,In forwarding this deare expedience.West.My Liege: This haste was hot in question,
[35]
And many limits of the Charge set downeBut yesternight: when all athwart there cameA Post from Wales, loaden with heauy Newes;Whose worst was, That the Noble
Mortimer,
Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight
[40]
Against the irregular and wilde
Glendower,
Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken,And a thousand of his people butchered:Vpon whose dead corpes there was such misuse,Such beastly, shamelesse transformation,
[45]
By those Welshwomen done, as may not be(Without much shame) re‑told or spoken of.King.It seems then that the tidings of this broile,Brake off our businesse for the Holy land.West.This matcht with other like, my gracious Lord,
[50]
Farre more vneuen and vnwelcome NewesCame from the North, and thus it did report:On Holy‑roode Day, the gallant
Hotspurre there,
Young
Harry Percy, and braue
Archibald,
That euer‑valiant and approoued Scot,
[55]
At
Holmeden met, where they did spend
a sad and bloody houre:As by discharge of their Artillerie,And shape of likely‑hood the newes was told;For he that brought them, in the very heate
[60]
And pride of their contention did take horse,Vncertaine of the issue any way.King.Heere is a deere, and true industrious friend,Sir
Walter Blunt, new lighted from his Horse,
Strain'd with the variation of each soyle,
[65]
Betwixt that
Holmoden and this Seat of ours:
And he hath brought vs smooth and welcomes newes.The Earle of
Dowglas is discomfited,
Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty KnightsBalk'd in their owne blood did Sir
Walter see
[70]
On
Holmedons Plaines. Of Prisoners,
Hotspurre tooke
Mordake Earle of Fife, and eldest sonne
To beaten
Dowglas, and the Earle of
Atholl,
Of Murry,
Angus, and
Menteith.
And is not this an honourable spoyle?
[75]
A gallant prize? Ha Cosin, is it not? Infaith it is.West.A Conquest for a prince to boast of.King.Yea, there thou mak'st me sad, & mak'st me sin,In enuy that my Lord NorthumberlandShould be the Father of so blest a Sonne:
[80]
A Sonne, who is the Theame of Honors tongue;Among'st a Groue, the very straightest Plant,Who is sweet Fortunes Minion, and her Pride:Whil'st I by looking on the praise of him,See Ryot and Dishonor staine the brow
[85]
Of my yong
Harry. O that it could be prou'd,
That some Night‑tripping‑Faiery, had exchang'dIn Cradle‑clothes, our Children where they lay,And call'd mine
PereyPercy, his
Plantagenet:Then would I haue his
Harry, and he mine:
[90]
But let him from my thoughts. What thinke you CozeOf this young
Percies pride? The Prisoners
Which he in this aduenture hath surpriz'd,To his owne vse he keepes, and sends me wordI shall haue none but
Mordake Earle of
Fife.
West.
[95]
This is his Vnckles teaching. This is WorcesterMaleuolent to you in all Aspects:Which makes him prune himselfe, and bristle vpThe crest of Youth against your Dignity.King.But I haue sent for him to answer this:
[100]
And for this cause a‑while we must neglectOur holy purpose to Ierusalem.Cosin, on Wednesday next, our Councell we will holdAt Windsor, and so informe the Lords:But come your selfe with speed to vs againe,
[105]
For more is to be said, and to be done,Then out of anger can be vttered.West.I will my Liege.Exeunt.
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<div type="scene" n="1">
<head rend="italic center">Actus Primus. Scԓna Prima.</head>
<head type="supplied">[Act 1, Scene 1]</head>
<cb n="1"/>
<stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter the King, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle of
<lb/>Westmerland, with others.</stage>
<sp who="#F-1h4-hn4">
<speaker rend="italic center">King.</speaker>
<l n="1">
<c rend="decoratedCapital">S</c>O shaken as we are, so wan with care,</l>
<l n="2">Find we a time for frighted peace to pant</l>
<l n="3">And breathe shortwinded accents of new broils</l>
<l n="4">To be commenc'd in Stronds a‑farre remote:</l>
<l n="5">No more the thirsty entrance of this Soile,</l>
<l n="6">Shall daub her lippes with her owne childrens blood:</l>
<l n="7">No more shall trenching Warre channell her fields,</l>
<l n="8">Nor bruise her Flowrets with the Armed hoofes</l>
<l n="9">Of hostile paces. Those opposed eyes,</l>
<l n="10">Which, like the Meteors of a troubled Heauen,</l>
<l n="11">All of one Nature, of one Substance bred,</l>
<l n="12">Did lately meet in the intestine shocke,</l>
<l n="13">And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery,</l>
<l n="14">Shall now in mutuall well‑beseeming rankes</l>
<l n="15">March all one way, and be no more oppos'd</l>
<l n="16">Against Acquaintance, Kindred, and Allies.</l>
<l n="17">The edge of Warre, like an ill‑sheathed knife,</l>
<l n="18">No more shall cut his master. Therefore Friends,</l>
<l n="19">As farre as to the Sepulcher of Christ,</l>
<l n="20">Whose Souldier now vnder whose blessed Crosse</l>
<l n="21">We are impressed and ingag'd to fight,</l>
<l n="22">Forthwith a power of English shall we leuie,</l>
<l n="23">Whose armes were moulded in their mothers wombe,</l>
<l n="24">To chase these pagans in those holy Fields,</l>
<l n="25">Ouer whose acres walk'd those blessed feete</l>
<l n="26">Which fourteene hundred yeares ago were nail'd</l>
<l n="27">For our aduantage on the bitter Crosse.</l>
<l n="28">But this our purpose is a tweluemonth old,</l>
<l n="29">And bootlesse 'tis to tell you we will go:</l>
<l n="30">Therefore we meete not now. Then let me heare</l>
<l n="31">Of you my gentle Cousin Westmerland,</l>
<l n="32">What yesternight our Councell did decree,</l>
<l n="33">In forwarding this deare expedience.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-wes">
<speaker rend="italic">West.</speaker>
<l n="34">My Liege: This haste was hot in question,</l>
<l n="35">And many limits of the Charge set downe</l>
<l n="36">But yesternight: when all athwart there came</l>
<l n="37">A Post from Wales, loaden with heauy Newes;</l>
<l n="38">Whose worst was, That the Noble<hi rend="italic">Mortimer</hi>,</l>
<l n="39">Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight</l>
<l n="40">Against the irregular and wilde<hi rend="italic">Glendower</hi>,</l>
<l n="41">Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken,</l>
<l n="42">And a thousand of his people butchered:</l>
<cb n="2"/>
<l n="43">Vpon whose dead corpes there was such misuse,</l>
<l n="44">Such beastly, shamelesse transformation,</l>
<l n="45">By those Welshwomen done, as may not be</l>
<l n="46">(Without much shame) re‑told or spoken of.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-hn4">
<speaker rend="italic">King.</speaker>
<l n="47">It seems then that the tidings of this broile,</l>
<l n="48">Brake off our businesse for the Holy land.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-wes">
<speaker rend="italic">West.</speaker>
<l n="49">This matcht with other like, my gracious Lord,</l>
<l n="50">Farre more vneuen and vnwelcome Newes</l>
<l n="51">Came from the North, and thus it did report:</l>
<l n="52">On Holy‑roode Day, the gallant<hi rend="italic">Hotspurre</hi>there,</l>
<l n="53">Young<hi rend="italic">Harry Percy</hi>, and braue<hi rend="italic">Archibald</hi>,</l>
<l n="54">That euer‑valiant and approoued Scot,</l>
<l n="55">At<hi rend="italic">Holmeden</hi>met, where they did spend</l>
<l n="56">a sad and bloody houre:</l>
<l n="57">As by discharge of their Artillerie,</l>
<l n="58">And shape of likely‑hood the newes was told;</l>
<l n="59">For he that brought them, in the very heate</l>
<l n="60">And pride of their contention did take horse,</l>
<l n="61">Vncertaine of the issue any way.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-hn4">
<speaker rend="italic">King.</speaker>
<l n="62">Heere is a deere, and true industrious friend,</l>
<l n="63">Sir<hi rend="italic">Walter Blunt</hi>, new lighted from his Horse,</l>
<l n="64">Strain'd with the variation of each soyle,</l>
<l n="65">Betwixt that<hi rend="italic">Holmoden</hi>and this Seat of ours:</l>
<l n="66">And he hath brought vs smooth and welcomes newes.</l>
<l n="67">The Earle of<hi rend="italic">Dowglas</hi>is discomfited,</l>
<l n="68">Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty Knights</l>
<l n="69">Balk'd in their owne blood did Sir<hi rend="italic">Walter</hi>see</l>
<l n="70">On<hi rend="italic">Holmedons</hi>Plaines. Of Prisoners,<hi rend="italic">Hotspurre</hi>tooke</l>
<l n="71">
<hi rend="italic">Mordake</hi>Earle of Fife, and eldest sonne</l>
<l n="72">To beaten<hi rend="italic">Dowglas</hi>, and the Earle of<hi rend="italic">Atholl</hi>,</l>
<l n="73">Of Murry,<hi rend="italic">Angus</hi>, and<hi rend="italic">Menteith</hi>.</l>
<l n="74">And is not this an honourable spoyle?</l>
<l n="75">A gallant prize? Ha Cosin, is it not? Infaith it is.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-wes">
<speaker rend="italic">West.</speaker>
<l n="76">A Conquest for a prince to boast of.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-hn4">
<speaker rend="italic">King.</speaker>
<l n="77">Yea, there thou mak'st me sad, & mak'st me sin,</l>
<l n="78">In enuy that my Lord Northumberland</l>
<l n="79">Should be the Father of so blest a Sonne:</l>
<l n="80">A Sonne, who is the Theame of Honors tongue;</l>
<l n="81">Among'st a Groue, the very straightest Plant,</l>
<l n="82">Who is sweet Fortunes Minion, and her Pride:</l>
<l n="83">Whil'st I by looking on the praise of him,</l>
<l n="84">See Ryot and Dishonor staine the brow</l>
<l n="85">Of my yong<hi rend="italic">Harry</hi>. O that it could be prou'd,</l>
<l n="86">That some Night‑tripping‑Faiery, had exchang'd</l>
<l n="87">In Cradle‑clothes, our Children where they lay,</l>
<l n="88">And call'd mine<hi rend="italic">
<choice>
<orig>Perey</orig>
<corr>Percy</corr>
</choice>
</hi>, his<hi rend="italic">Plantagenet:</hi>
</l>
<pb facs="FFimg:axc0371-0.jpg" n="49"/>
<cb n="1"/>
<l n="89">Then would I haue his<hi rend="italic">Harry</hi>, and he mine:</l>
<l n="90">But let him from my thoughts. What thinke you Coze</l>
<l n="91">Of this young<hi rend="italic">Percies</hi>pride? The Prisoners</l>
<l n="92">Which he in this aduenture hath surpriz'd,</l>
<l n="93">To his owne vse he keepes, and sends me word</l>
<l n="94">I shall haue none but<hi rend="italic">Mordake</hi>Earle of<hi rend="italic">Fife</hi>.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-wes">
<speaker rend="italic">West.</speaker>
<l n="95">This is his Vnckles teaching. This is Worcester</l>
<l n="96">Maleuolent to you in all Aspects:</l>
<l n="97">Which makes him prune himselfe, and bristle vp</l>
<l n="98">The crest of Youth against your Dignity.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-hn4">
<speaker rend="italic">King.</speaker>
<l n="99">But I haue sent for him to answer this:</l>
<l n="100">And for this cause a‑while we must neglect</l>
<l n="101">Our holy purpose to Ierusalem.</l>
<l n="102">Cosin, on Wednesday next, our Councell we will hold</l>
<l n="103">At Windsor, and so informe the Lords:</l>
<l n="104">But come your selfe with speed to vs againe,</l>
<l n="105">For more is to be said, and to be done,</l>
<l n="106">Then out of anger can be vttered.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-1h4-wes">
<speaker rend="italic">West.</speaker>
<l n="107">I will my Liege.</l>
</sp>
<stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
</div>
