So much misconstrued in his wantonness.
Hot. Cousin, I think thou art enamoured
On his follies: never did I hear

Of any prince so wild a libertine.

But be he as he will, yet once ere night
I will embrace him with a soldier's arm,
That he shall shrink under my courtesy.
Arm, arm with speed: and, fellows, soldiers, friends,
Better consider what you have to do

Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,
Can lift your blood up with persuasion.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord, here are letters for you.
Hot. I cannot read them now.

O gentlemen, the time of life is short!

To spend that shortness basely 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 consciences, the arms are fair,
When the intent of bearing them is just.

Enter another Messenger.

Mess. My lord, prepare; the king comes on

apace.

Hot. I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale,

For I profess not talking; only this

Let each man do his best: and here draw I

A sword, whose temper I intend to stain
With the best blood that I can meet withal
In the adventure of this perilous day.

72. libertine, Capell's emendation; Qq1-4 'libertie.'

70

80

90

Now, Esperance! Percy! and set on.
Sound all the lofty instruments of war,
And by that music let us all embrace;
For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall
A second time do such a courtesy.

[The trumpets sound. They embrace, and

exeunt.

SCENE III. Plain between the camps.

The KING enters with his power. Alarum to the battle. Then enter DOUGLAS and SIR WALTER BLUNT.

Blunt. What is thy name, that in the battle
thus

Thou crossest me? what honour dost thou seek
Upon my head?

Doug.

Know then, my name is Douglas ;

And I do haunt thee in the battle thus

Because some tell me that thou art a king.

Blunt. They tell thee true.

Doug. The Lord of Stafford dear to-day hath
bought

Thy likeness, for instead of thee, King Harry,
This sword hath ended him: so shall it thee,
Unless thou yield thee as my prisoner.

Blunt. I was not born a yielder, thou proud Scot;
And thou shalt find a king that will revenge
Lord Stafford's death. [They fight. Douglas
kills Blunt.

Enter HOTSPUR.

Hot. O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus,

97. Esperance (four syllables).

I never had triúmph'd upon a Scot.

Doug. All's done, all's won; here breathless
lies the king.
Hot. Where?

Doug. Here.

Hot. This, Douglas? no: I know this face
full well:

A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt;
Semblably furnish'd like the king himself.

Doug. A fool go with thy soul, whither it goes!

A borrow'd title hast thou bought too dear:
Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king?
Hot. The king hath many marching in his coats.
Doug. Now, by my sword, I will kill all his
coats;

I'll murder all his wardrobe, piece by piece,
Until I meet the king.

Hot.
Up, and away!
Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day. [Exeunt.

Alarum. Enter FALSTAFF, solus.

20

Fal. Though I could 'scape shot-free at London, 30 I fear the shot here; here's no scoring but upon the pate. Soft! who are you? Sir Walter Blunt : there's honour for you! here's no vanity! I am as hot as molten lead, and as heavy too: God keep lead out of me! I need no more weight than mine own bowels. I have led my ragamuffins where they are peppered: there's not three of my hundred and fifty left alive; and they are for the town's end, to beg during life. But who comes here?

21. Semblably, similarly. 30. shot-free, scot-free, without paying the score.

40

39. the town's end, at the gates, a common station for beggars.

Enter the PRINCE.

Prince. What, stand'st thou idle here? lend me thy sword:

Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff

Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,

Whose deaths are yet unrevenged: I prithee, lend me thy sword.

Fal. O Hal, I prithee, give me leave to breathe awhile. Turk Gregory never did such deeds in arms as I have done this day. I have paid Percy, I have made him sure.

Prince. He is, indeed; and living to kill thee. I prithee, lend me thy sword.

Fal. Nay, before God, Hal, if Percy be alive, thou get'st not my sword; but take my pistol, if thou wilt.

Prince. Give it me: what, is it in the case? Fal. Ay, Hal; 'tis hot, 'tis hot; there's that will sack a city. [The Prince draws it out, and

now?

50

finds it to be a bottle of sack. Prince. What, is it a time to jest and dally [He throws the bottle at him. Exit. Fal. Well, if Percy be alive, I'll pierce him. If he do come in my way, so: if he do not, if I 60 come in his willingly, let him make a carbonado of me. I like not such grinning honour as Sir Walter hath give me life: which if I can save, so; if not, honour comes unlooked for, and there's an end.

46. Turk Gregory; Falstaff jocosely combines two characters associated in popular fame with military exploits, the Sultan,

[Exit.

SCENE IV. Another part of the field.

Alarum. Excursions. Enter the KING, the PRINCE, LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER, and EARL OF WESTMORELAND.

King. I prithee,

Harry, withdraw thyself; thou bleed'st too much.
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.

Lan. Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.
Prince. I beseech your majesty, make up,
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.
King. I will do so.

My Lord of Westmoreland, lead him to his tent. West. Come, my lord, I'll lead you to your

tent.

Prince. Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help:

And God forbid a shallow scratch should drive
The Prince of Wales from such a field as this,
Where stain'd nobility lies trodden on,

And rebels' arms triumph in massacres !

Lan. We breathe too long: come, cousin Westmoreland,

Our duty this way lies; for God's sake, come. [Exeunt Prince John and Westmoreland. Prince. By God, thou hast deceived me, Lan

caster ;

I did not think thee lord of such a spirit:
Before, I loved thee as a brother, John;
But now, I do respect thee as my soul.

King. I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point

5. make up, advance to the

front.

6. amaze, bewilder, confuse.

ΤΟ

20

21. hold . . . at the point, i.e. parry his attacks.