What with our help; what with the absent king; That all in England did repute him dead,— Sworn to us in your younger enterprize. K. Hen. These things, indeed, you have articulated, Proclaim'd at market-crosses, read in churches; To face the garment of rebellion With some fine colour, that may please the cye And never yet did insurrection want Nor moody beggars, starving for a time P. Hen. In both our armies, there is many a soul Shall pay full dearly for this encounter, If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew, The prince of Wales doth join with all the world I am content, that he shall take the odds And will, to save the blood on either side, Try fortune with him in a single fight. K. Hen. And, prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee, Albeit, considerations infinite Do make against it:-No, good Worcester, no, And they shall do their office. So, be gone; We offer fair, take it advisedly. [Exeunt WoR. and VER. P. Hen. It will not be accepted, on my life: The Douglas and the Hotspur both together Are confident against the world in arms. K. Hen. Hence, therefore, every leader to his charge; For, on their answer, will we set on them: And God befriend us, as our cause is just! [Exeunt King, BLUNT, and Prince JOHN. Fal. Hal, if thou see me down in the battle, and bestride me, so; 'tis a point of friendship. P. Hen. Nothing but a colossus can do thee that friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell. Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well. [Exit. Fal. 'Tis not due yet; I would be loath to pay him before his day. What need I be so forward with him that calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter: Honour pricks me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I come on? how then? Can honour set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no skill in surgery then? No. What is honour? A word. What is in that word, honour? What is that honour? Air. A trim reckoning!-Who hath it? He that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it insensible then? Yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it :-therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a mere scutcheon, and so ends my catechism. [Exit. SCENE II.-The Rebel Camp. Enter WORCESTER and VERNON. Wor. O, no, my nephew must not know, sir Richard, The liberal kind offer of the king. Ver. "Twere best, he did. Wor. Then are we all undone. It is not possible, it cannot be, The king should keep his word in loving us; Who, ne'er so tame, so cherish'd, and lock'd up, It hath the excuse of youth, and heat of blood; A hare-brain'd Hotspur, govern'd by a spleen: And on his father's;-we did train him on; Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll say, 'tis so. Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS; and Officers and Hot. My uncle is return'd :-Deliver up Re-enter DOUGLAS. [Exit. Doug. Arm, gentlemen; to arms! for I have thrown A brave defiance in King Henry's teeth, And Westmoreland, that was engag'd, did bear it; Wor. The prince of Wales stepp'd forth before the king, And, nephew, challeng'd you to single fight. Hot. O, 'would the quarrel lay upon our heads; And that no man might draw short breath to-day, But I, and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me, How show'd his tasking? seem'd it in contempt? |