Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

More daring or more bold, is now alive
To grace this latter age with noble deeds.
For my part, I may speak it to my shame,
I have a truant been to chivalry ;

And so, I hear, he doth account me too;
Yet this before my father's majesty,—

I am content that he shall take the odds
Of his great name and estimation,

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,
We love our people well; even those we love
That are misled upon your cousin's part;
And, will they take the offer of our grace,
Both he, and they, and you, yea, every man,
Shall be my friend again, and I'll be his.
So tell your cousin, go, and bring me word
What he will do: but if he will not yield,
Rebuke and dread correction wait on us,
And they shall do their office. So, be gone.
We will not now be troubled with reply:
We offer fair; take it advisedly.

[Exeunt WORCESTER and VERNON.

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; 't is 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.

P. Hen. Why, thou owest God a death.

Fal. "Tis not due

[Exit.

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, 't is 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 that word honour f 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. "T were 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;
He will suspect us still, and find a time
To punish this offence in other faults:
Suspicion all our lives stuck full of eyes—
For treason is but trusted like the fox,
Who, ne'er so tame, so cherished, and locked up,
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors-
Look how we can, or sad, or merrily,
Interpretation will misquote our looks,
And we shall feed like oxcn at a stall,

The better cherished, still the nearer death.
My nephew's trespass may be well forgot,
It hath the excuse of youth and heat of blood,
And an adopted name of privilege,

A hare-brained Hotspur governed by a spleen.
All his offences live upon my head

And on his father's: we did train him on ;
And his corruption being ta'en from us,
We, as the spring of all, shall pay for all.
Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know
In any case the offer of the king.

Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll say 't is so.
Here comes your cousin.

Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS; Officers and Soldiers behind.

Hot. My uncle is returned: deliver up

My Lord of Westmoreland.—Uncle, what news? Wor. The king will bid you battle presently. Doug. Defy him by the Lord of Westmoreland. Hot. Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so. Doug. Marry, and shall, and very willingly.

[Exit.

Wor. There is no seeming mercy in the king.

Hot. Did you beg any? God forbid !
Wor. I told him gently of our grievances,

Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus,
By now forswearing that he is forsworn:
He calls us rebels, traitors; and will scourge
With haughty arms this hateful name in us.

Re-enter DOUGLAS.

Doug. Arm, gentlemen! to arms! for I have thrown

A brave defiance in King Henry's teeth,

And Westmoreland, that was engaged, did bear it; Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on. Wor. The Prince of Wales stepped forth before

the king,

And, nephew, challenged 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 showed his tasking? seemed it in contempt ?

Ver. No, by my soul; I never in my life Did hear a challenge urged more modestly, Unless a brother should a brother dare To gentle exercise and proof of arms. He gave you all the duties of a man, Trimmed up your praises with a princely tongue,

Spoke your deservings like a chronicle,

Making you ever better than his praise,

« НазадПродовжити »