Rebuke and dread correction wait on us,
And they fhall 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. Henry. It will not be accepted, on my life:
The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
Are confident against the world in arms.

K. Henry. Hence, therefore, every leader to his charge; For, on their answer, we will set on them:

And God befriend us, as our cause is juft!

[Exeunt King, Blunt, and Prince John. Fal. Hal, if thou fee me down in the battle, and beftride me, fo; 'tis a point of friendship.

P.Henry. Nothing but a coloffus can do thee that friend

ship. Say thy prayers, and farewell.

Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well. P. Henry. Why, thou oweft heaven a death. [Exit Prince Henry.

Fal. 'Tis not due yet; I would be loth to pay him before his day. What need I be fo 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 fet to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no fkill in furgery then? No. What is honour? A word. What is that word, honour? Air. A trim reckoning!-Who hath it? He that dy'd o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. dead.

Is it infenfible then? Yea, to the

But will it not

live with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not fuffer it-therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a mere

fcutcheon, and fo ends my catechism.

[Exit.

take it advisedly.]-give it the confideration it merits. i mere fcutcheon,]-fit only to grace a funeral.

SCENE

SCENE II.

Hotfpur's Camp.

Enter Worcester, and Vernon.

Wor. O, no, my nephew muft not know, fir Richard, The liberal kind offer of the king.

Ver. 'Twere beft, he did.

Wor. Then are we all undone.

It is not poffible, it cannot be,

The king fhould keep his word in loving us;
He will suspect us ftill, and find a time

To punish this offence in other faults:
Sufpicion, fhall be all ftuck full of eyes:
For treason is but trufted like the fox;

Who, ne'er fo tame, fo cherish'd, and lock'd up,
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.
Look how we can, or fad, or merrily,
Interpretation will mifquote our looks;
And we fhall feed like oxen at a stall,
The better cherish'd, ftill the nearer death.
My nephew's trefpafs may be well forgot,

It hath the excufe of youth, and heat of blood;
And an adopted name of privilege,-

A hare-brain'd Hotfpur, govern'd 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, fhall pay for all.

an adopted name of privilege,]-the name of Hotspur will exempt

him from cenfure.

a spleen :]-whim, fancy, a fit of caprice.
ta'en]-caught, derived.

There

Therefore, good coufin, let not Harry know,
In any cafe, the offer of the king.

Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll fay, 'tis fo.
Here comes your coufin.

Enter Hotspur, and Douglas.

Hot. My uncle is return'd;-Deliver up
My lord of Weftmoreland.-Uncle, what news?
Wor. The king will bid you battle presently.
Hot. Defy him by the lord of Weftmoreland.
Lord Douglas, go you and tell him fo.
Doug. Marry, and fhall, and very willingly.

[Exit Douglas.
Wor. There is no feeming 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 forfwearing that he is forfworn.

He calls us, rebels, traitors; and will fcourge
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 " engag'd, did bear it;
Which cannot chufe but bring him quickly on.

Wor. The prince of Wales ftept forth before the king, And, nephew, challeng'd you to fingle fight.

Hot. O, would the quarrel lay upon our heads; And that no man might draw fhort breath to-day, But I, and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me, How fhew'd his tafking? feem'd it in contempt?

engag'd,]-kept here as an hoftage.

• tnfking?]-challenge.

Ver. No, by my foul; I never in my life
Did hear a challenge urg'd more modeftly,
Unless a brother should a brother dare
To gentle exercise and proof of arms.
He gave you all the duties of a man ;
Trimm'd up your praises with a princely tongue;
Spoke your defervings like a chronicle;
Making you ever better than his praise,
By ftill difpraifing praise, " valu'd with you?
And, which became him like a prince indeed,
He made a blushing cital of himself;
And chid his truant youth with fuch a grace,
As if he master'd there a double fpirit,
Of teaching, and of learning, instantly.

There did he paufe: But let me tell the world,-
If he outlive the envy of this day,
England did never owe fo fweet a hope,

So much mifconftrued in his wantonnefs.
Hot. Coufin, I think, thou art enamoured
Upon his follies; never did I hear
Of any prince, so wild, at liberty :-
But, be he as he will, yet once ere night
I will embrace him with a foldier's arm,
That he fhall fhrink under my courtesy.

Arm, arm, with speed :- And, fellows, foldiers, friends, Better confider what you have to do,'

Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,

Can lift your blood up with perfuafion.

Enter a Meffenger..

Meff. My lord, here are letters for you.

valu'd with you:]-compar'd with merit fuperior to praife, in respect whereof all praise muft fall short.

envy]-oppofition.

A cital]-recital.

at liberty:]-not confined as a madman.-fe wild a libertine.

Hot. I cannot read them now.

O gentlemen, the time of life is short;
To spend that shortnefs bafely, were too long,
If life did ride upon a dial's point,

Still ending at the arrival of an hour.
An if we live, we live to tread on kings;

If die, Brave death, when princes die with us!
Now for our confciences,—the arms are fair,
When the intent for bearing them is just.

Enter another Messenger.

Meff. My lord, prepare; the king comes on apace. Hot. I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale, For I profefs not talking; Only this

Let each man do his best: and here draw I
A fword, whose temper I intend to stain
With the best blood that I can meet withal
In the adventure of this perilous day.
Now,-Efperance !-Percy !-and fet on.-
Sound all the lofty inftruments of war,

And by that mufic let us all embrace :

t

For, heaven to earth, fome of us never fhall

A fecond time do fuch a courtesy.

[The trumpets found. They embrace, then exeunt.

The King entereth with his power. Alarum to the battle. Then enter Douglas, and Blunt.

Blunt. What is thy name, that in the battle thus Thou croffeft me? what honour doft thou feek

Upon my head?

• heaven to earth,]-might with fafety be wagered.

Doug.