Therefore, make haste: I must go write again. We were enfure'd, for safety sake, to fly
To other friends, and so farewell, Sir Michael. Out of your sight, and raise this present head:

[Ereunt severally. Wherehy we stand opposed by such means

As you yourself have forg'd against yourself;

By unkind usage, dangerous countenance, ACT V.

And violattion of all faith and troth SCENE I. The King's Camp near Shrews Sworn to us in your younger enterprise. bury.

K. Hen. These things, indeed, you have ara Enter King Henry, Prince Henry, Prince John Proclaim'd at market-crosses, read in churches; of Lancaster, Sir Walter Blunt, and Sir John To face the garment of rebellion Falstaff:

With some fine colour, that may please the eye K. Hen. How bloodily the sun begins to peer Of fickle changelings, and poor discontents, Above yon busky hill! the day looks pale Which gape, and rub the elbow, at the new's At his distemperature.

of hurlyburly innovation: P. Hen.

The southern wind And never yet did insurrection want
Doth play the trumpet to his purposes: Such water colours, to impaint his cause;
And, by his hollow whistling in the leaves, Nor moody beggars, starving for a time
Foretells a tempest, and a blustering day. Of pellmell havock and confusion.

K. Hen. Then with the losers let it sympathize; P. Hen. In both our armies, there is many a
For nothing can seem foul to those that win. -'

soul Trumpel. Enter Worcester and Vernon.

Shall pay full dearly for this encounter,

If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew, How now, my lord of Worcester? 'tis not well The prince of Wales doth join with all the world That you and I should meet upon such terms In praise of Henry Percy: By my hopes, As now we meet: You have deceiv'd our trust; This present enterprise set of his head, And made us doff our easy robes of peace, I do not think, a braver gentleman, To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel; More active-valiant, or more valiant-young, That is not well, my lord, this is not well. More daring, or more bold, is now alive, What say you to't? will you again unknit

To grace this latter age with noble deeds. This churlish knot of all-abhorred war?

For my part, I may speak it to my shame, And move in that obedient orb again,

I have a truant been to chivalry ; Where you did give a fair and natural light; And so, I hear, he doth account me too: And be no more an exhal'd meteor,

Yet this before my father's majesty ,-, A prodigy of fear, and a portent

I am content, that he shall take the odds of broached mischief to the unborn times?

of his great name and estimation; Wor. Hear me, my liege;

And will, to save the blood on either side,
For mine own part. I could be well content Try fortune with him in a single fight.
To entertain the lag-end of my life

K. Hen. And, prince of Wales, so dare we With quiet hours; for, I do protest,

venture thee, I have not sought the day of this dislike.

Albeit, considerations infinite K Hen. You have not sought for it! how Do make against it :-No, good Worcester, no comes it then ?

We love our people well: even those we love, Fal. Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it. That are misled upon your cousin's part: P. Hen. Peace, chewet, peace.

And, will they take the offer of our grace, Wor. It pleas'd your majesty, to turn your Both he, and they, and you, yea, every man looks

Shall be my friend again, and I'll be his: Of favour, from myself, and all our honse; So tell your cousin, and bring me word And yet I must remember you, my lord, What he will do;-But if he will not yield, We were the first and dearest of your friends. Rebuke and dread correction wait on us, For yout, my staff of office did I break

And they shall do their office. So, be gone; In Richard's time; and posted day and night We will not now be troubled with reply: To meet you on the way, and kiss your hand, We offer fair, take it advisedly. When yet you were in place and in account

Exeunt Worcester and Vernon. Nothing so strong and fortunate as I.

P. Hen. It will not be accepted, on my life;
It was inyself, my brother, and his son, The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
That brought you home, and boldly did outdare Are confident against the world in arms.
The dangers of the time: You swore to us, K. Hen. Hence, therefore, every leader to his
And you did swear that oath at Doncaster, -

charge :
That you did nothing purpose 'gainst the state; For, on their answer, will we set on them :
Nor claim no further than your new-fall'n right, And God befriend us, as onr cause is just !
The seat of Gaunt, dukedom of Lancaster :

[Exeunt King, Blunt, and Prince John.
To this we swore our ait. But, in short space, Fal. Hal, if thou see me down in the battle,
It rain'd down fortune showering on your head; and bestride me, so ; 'tis a point of friendship:
And such a flood of greatness fell on you,. P. Hen. Nothing but a colossus can do thee
What with our help; what with the absent king; that friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell.
What with the injuries of a wanton time; Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all
The seeming sufferances that you had borne; well.
And the contrarious winds, that held the king P. Hen. Why, thou owest God a death. (Erit.
So long in his unlucky Irish wai's,

Fal. 'Tis not due yet: I would be loath to pay That all in England did repute him dead, - him before his day. What need I be so forward And, from this swarm of fair advantages, with him that calls not on me? Well, 'tis no You took occasion to be quickly wood matter; Honour pricks me on. Yea, but how To gripe the general sway into your hand: if honour prick me off when I come on? how Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster;

then? Can honour set to a leg? No. Or an arm? And, being fed by us, you us'd us so

No. Or take away the grief of a wound ? No. As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird, Honour hath no skillin surgery then ? No. What Useth the sparrow: did oppress our nest; is honour? A word. What is in that word, Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk,

honour? What is that honour ? Air. A trini That even our love durst not come near your reckoning !-Who hath it? He that died o'Wedsight,

nesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? For fear of swallowing: but with nimble wing No. Is it insensible then ? Yea, to the deadla

But will it not live with the living ? No. Why? There did he pause: But let me tell the world, -
Detraction will not suffer it :--therefore I'll none If he outlive the envy of this day,
of it : Honour is a mere scuicheon, and so ends England did never owe so sweet a hope,
my catechism.

So much misconstrued in his wantouness.
SCENE II. The Rebel Camp.

Ilot Cousin, I think thon ari enamoured

Opon his follies; never did I hear
Enter Worcester and Vernou!

of any prince, so wild, at liberty:
Wor. O, no, my nephew must not know, Sir But, be he as he will, yet once ere night
Richard,

I will embrace him with a soldier's arm, The liberal kind offer of the king.

That be shall shrink under my courtesy. Ver. "Twere best, he did.

Arm, an, with speed:--And, fellows, soldiers
Then are we all undone. friends,
it'is not possible, it cannot be,

Better consider what you have to do,
The king should keep his word in loving us : Than I, that have pot well the gift of tongue,
He will suspect us still, and find a time Can lift your blood up with persuasion.
To punish this offence in other faults:
Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes:

Enter a Messenger.
For treason is but trusted like the fox:

Mess. My lord, here are letters for you.
Who, ne'er so tame, so cherish'd, and lock'd up, Hot. I cannot read m now.
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.

O gentlemen, the time of life is short;
Look how we can, or sad, or merrily,

To spend that shortness basely, were too long. nterpretation will misquote our looks;

If life did ride upon a dial's point,
And we shall feel like oxen at a tall,

Suill ending at the arrival of an hour.
The better cherish'd, still the nearer death. An if we live, we live to tread on kings;
My nephew's trespass may be well forgot, It die, brave death, when princes die with ns !
t hath the excuse of yoluh, and heat of blood; Now for our consciences, the arms are fair
And an adopted name of privilege, -

When the intent of bearing them is just.
A hare-brain'd Hotspur, goveru'd by a spleen:
All his offences live upon my head,

Enter another Messenger.
And on his father's; -we did train him on; Mess. My lord, prepare the king comes un
And, his corruption being ta'en from us,

apace.
We, as the spring of all, shall pay for all. Hot. I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale
Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know, For I profess not talking; Only this-
In any case, the offer of the king.

Let each man do his best : and here draw I
Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll say, 'lis so. A sword, whose temper I intend to stain
Here comes your cousin.

With the best blood that I can meet withal

In the adventure of this perilous day.
Enter Hotspur and Douglas: and Officers and Now,-- Esperance !-Percy !-and set on.-
Soldiers, behind.

Sound all ihe lofty instruments of war,
Hot. My uncle is return'd :-Deliver up And by that musick let us all embrace:
My lord of Westmoreland.Uncle, what news For, heaven to urth, some us never shall
Wor. The king will bid you battle presently.

A second time do such a courtesy.
Doug. Defy him by the lord of Westmoreland. [ The trumpets sound. They embrace, and
Hot. Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so.

ereunt.
Doug Marry, and shall, and very willingly. SCENE III. Plain near Shrewsbury.
Wor. There is no seeming mercy in the king.

Excursions, and Parties fighting. Alarum to Hot. Did you beg any ? God forbid !

the Battle? Then enter Dougias und Blunt, Wor. I told him gently of our grievances,

meeting. Of his oath-breaking; which he mended us,

Blunt. What is thy name, that in the battle thus
By now forswearing that he is forsworn : Thou crossest me? what honour dost thou seek
He calls us rebels, traitors; and will scourge Upon my head ?
With haughty arms this hateful name in us.

Doug: Know then, my name is Douglas;

And I do haunt thee in the battle thus,
Re-enter Douglas.

Because some tell me that thou art a king.
Doug. Arm, gentlemen; to arms! for I have Blunt. They tell thee true.
thrown

Doug. The lord of Stafford dear to-day hath A brave defiance in King Henry's teeth,

bought
And Westmoreland, that was engag'd, did bear Thy likeness : for, instead of thee, King Harry,
it ;

This sword hath ended him: so shall it thee,
Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on. Unless thou yield thee as my prisoner.
Wor. The prince of Wales stepp'd forth before Blunt. I was not born a yielder, thou proud
the king,

Scot;
And, nephew, challeng'd you to single fight.

And thou shalt find a king that will revenge
Hot. 0, 'would the quarrellay upon our heads; Lord Stafford's death.
And that no man might draw short breath to-day,

( They fight, and Blunt is slatna
But I, and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me,
How show'd his tasking ? seem'd it in contempt?

Enter Hotspur.
Ver. No, by my soul; I never in my life Hot. O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holme
Did hear a challenge urg'd more modestly,

don thus, Unless a brother should a brother dare

I never had triumph'd upon a Scot. To gentle exercise and proof of arms.

Doug: All's done, all's won; here breathlese He gave you all the duties of a man ;

lies the king Trimm'd up your praises with a princely tongue; Hot. Where? Spoke your deservings like a chronicle;

Doug. Here. Making you ever better than his praise,

Hot. This, Douglas ? no, I know this face full
By still dispraising praise, valued with you:

well :
And, which became him like a prince indeed, A gallant knight he was, nes name was Blunt :
He made a blashing cital of himself;
And chid his truant youth with such a grace,

Semblably furnish'd like the king himself.

Doug. A fool go with thy soul, whither it goes i As if he master'd there a double spirit,

A borrow'd title hast thou bought too dear. of teaching, and of learning, instantly. Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king?

1

| Erit.

Hot. The king hath many marching in his, K. Hen. I saw him hold Lord Percy at the coats.

point, Doug. Now, by my sword, I will kill all his With lustier maintenance than I did look for coats :

Of such an ungrown warrior. I'll murder all his wardrobe, piece by piece, P. Hen.

O, this boy Until I meet the king.

Lends mettle to us all!

[Exit. Hot. Up, and away;

Alarums. Enter Douglas. Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day.

Exeunt. Doug. Another king ! they grow like Hydra's

heads; Other Alarums. Enter Falstaff. I am the Douglas, fatal to all those Fal. Though I could ’scape shot-free at Lon- That wear those colours on them. --What art thou, don, 1 fear the shot here ; here's no scoring, but That counterfeit'st the person of a king? upon the pate. -Soft! who art thou ? Sir Walter K. Hen. The king himself; who, Douglas, Blunt;-there's honour for you: Here's no va

grieves at heart, nity! I am as hot as molten lead, and as heavy So many of his shadows thou hast met, too : God keep lead out of me! I need no more and not the very king. I have two boys, weight than mine own bowels.--I have led my Seek Percy, and thy self, about the field: raggamuffins where they are peppered : there's But, seeing thou sall'st on me so luckily, but three of my hundred and fifty left alive ; and I will assay thee; so defend thyself. they are for the town's end, to beg during life. Doug. I fear, thou art another counterfeit; But who comes here?

And yet, in faith, thou bear'st thee like a king :

But mine, I am sure, thou art, whoe'er thou be, Enter Prince Henry.

And thus I win thee. P. Hen. What, stand'st thou idle here ? lend [They fight; the King being in danger, enter me thy sword:

Prince Henry. Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff

P. Hen. Hold up thy head, vile Scot, or thou Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,

art like Whose deaths are unreveng'd: Prythee, lend Never to hold it up again! the spirits me thy sword.

Of Shirley, Stafford, Blunt, are in my arms : Fal. O Hal, I pr’ythee give me leave to breathe It is the prince of Wales, that threatens thee, a while. -Turk Gregory never did such deeds in Who never promiseth, but he means to pay. arms, as I have done this day. I have paid Percy, Cheerly, my lord: How fares your grace ?

[They fight; Douglas flies. I have made him sure. P. Hen. He is, indeed; and living to kill thee. Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent, pr'ythee, lend me thy sword.

And so hath Clifton I'll to Clifton straight. Fal. Nay, before God, Hal, if Percy be alive, K. Hen. Stay, and breathe a while :thou get’st not my sword; but take my pistol, if Thou hast redeem'd thy lost opinion; thou wilt.

And show'd, thou mak'st some tender of my lite, P. Hen. Give it me: What, is it in the case ?

In this fair rescue, thou hast brought to me. Ful. Ay, Hal: 'tis hot, 'tis hot; there's that P. Hen. O heaven! they did me too much inwill sack a city.

jury, [ The Prince draws out a bottle of sack. That ever said, I hearken’d for your death. P. Hen. What, is't a time to jest and dally now? If it were so, I might have let alone

[Throws it at him, and exit. The insulting hand of Douglas over you ; Fal. Well, if Percy be alive, I'll pierce him. Which would have been as speedy in your end, If he do come in my way, so : if he do not, if I As all the poisonous potions in the world, come in his, willingly, let him make a carbo- And sav'd the treacherous labour of your son. nado of me. I like not such grinning honour as K. Hen. Make up to Clifton, I'll to Sir Nicholas Sir Walter hath : Give me life: which if I can Gawsey.

[Exit King Henry. save, so; if not, honour comes unlooked for,

Enter Hotspur. and there's an end.

[Erit!

Hot. If I mistake not, thou art Harry Mon. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field.

mouth. Alarums: Excursions. Enter the King, Prince

P. Hen. Thou speak'st as if I would deny my Henry, Prince John, and Westmoreland.

Hot. My name is Harry Percy. K. Hen. I pr’ythee,

P. Hen.

Why, then I see Harry, withdraw thyself; thou bleed'st too A very valiant rebel of the name. much :

I am the prince of Wales; and think not, Percy, Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him. To share with me in glory any more; P. John. Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too. Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere ; P. Hen. I do beseech your majesty, make up, Nor can one England brook a double reign, Lest your retirement do amaze your friends. Of Harry Percy and the prince of Wales. K. Hen. I will do so:

Hot. Nor shall it, Harry, for the hour is come My lord of Westmoreland, lead him to his tent. To end the one of us : And 'would to God, West. Come, my lord, I'll lead you to your tent. Thy name in arms were now as great as mine! P. Hen. Lead me, my lord ? I do not need your P. Hen. I'll make it greater, ere I part from help:

thee; And heaven forbid, a shallow scratch should And all the budding honours on thy crest,

drive The prince of Wales from such a field as this;

I'll crop, to make a garland for my head.

Hot. I can no longer brook thy vanities. Where stain'd nobility lies trodden on,

(They fight. And rebels' arms triumph in massacres !

Enter Falstaff
P John. We breathe too long :-Come, cousin Fal. Well said, Hal! to it, Hal !-Nay, you

Westmoreland,
Our duty this way lies; for God's sake, come.

shall find no boy's play here, I can tell you. (Exeunt P. John and Westmoreland. Enter Douglas; he fights with Falstaff, who falla P. Hen. By heaven, thou hast deceiv'd me,

down as if he were dead, and exit Douglas. Lancaster,

Hotspur is wounded, and falls. I did not think thee lord of such a spirit :

Hot. O, Harry, thou bast robb'd me of my Before, I lov'd thee as a brother, John;

youth ; But now, I do respect thee as my soul.

\I better brook the loss of brittle life,

name.

Than those proud tiues thou hast won of me; and out of breath; and so was he: but we rose
They wound my thoughts, worse than thy sword both in an instant, and fought a long hour by
my flesh

Shrewsbury clock. If I may be believed, so ;
But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool; it not, let them, that should reward valour, bear
And uime, that takes survey of all the world, the sin upon their own heads. I'll take it upon
Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,, my death, I gave him this wound in the thigh :
But that the earthy and cold hand of death if the man were alive, and would deny it, i
Lies on my tongue : No, Percy, thou art dust, would make him eat a piece of my sword:
And food for

Dies. P. John. This is the strangest tale that e'er I
P. Hen. For worms, brave Percy: Fare thee heard.
well, great heart !

P. Hen. This is the strangest fellow, brother John.
Ill weav'd ambition, how much art thou shrunk! Come, bring your luggage nobly on your back:
When that this body did contain a spirit, For my part, if a lie may do thee grace,
A kingdom for it was too small a bound; I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have.
But now, two paces of the vilest earth

(A Retreat is sounded. Is room enough:-This earth, that bears thee The trumpet sounds retreat, the day is ours. dead,

Come, brother, let's to the highest of the field, Bears not alive so stout a gentleman.

To see what friends are living, who are dead. If thou wert sensible of courtesy,

(Exeunt P. Hen. and P. John. should not make so dear a show of zeal : Fal. I'll follow, as they say, for reward. He But let my favours hide thy mangled face; that rewards me, God reward him! If I do grow And, even in thy behalf, I'll thank myself great, I'll grow less; for I'll purge, and leave For doing these fair rites of tenderness.

sack, and live cleanly, as a nobleman should do. Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven!

(Erit, bearing off the body. Thy ignominy sleep with thee in the grave, SCENE Y. Another part of the Field. But not remember'd in thy epitaph ! [He sees Falstaff on the ground. The Trumpets sound.

Enter King Henry, What! old acquaintance! could not all this flesh

Prince Henry, Prince John, Westmoreland, Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewell!

and others, with Worcester, and Vernon, I could have better spar'd a better man.

prisoners. 0, I should have a heavy miss of thee,

K. Hen. Thus ever did rebellion find rebuke.If I were much in love with vanity.

11)-spirited Worcester! did we not send grace, Death hath not struck so fat a deer to-day, Pardon, and terms of love to all of you ? Though many dearer, in this bloody fray - And would'st thou turn our offers contrary 1 Embowell'd will I see thee by and by ;

Misuse the tenor of thy kinsman's trust?
Till then, in blood by noble Percy lie. [Erit. Three knights upon our party slain to day,

Fal. [Rising slowly:) Embowelled ! if thou A noble earl, and many a creature else,
embowel me to-day, I'll give you leave to pow- Had been alive this hour,
der me, and eat me too, to-morrow. 'Sblood, If, like a christian, thou hadst truly borne
'twas time to counterfeit, or that hot termagant Betwixt onr armies true intelligence.
Scot had paid me scot and lot too. Counterleit? Wor. What I have done, my safety urg'd me to,
Ilie, I am no counterfeit : To dic, is to be a And I embrace this fortune patiendy,
counterfeit; for he is but the counterfeit of a Since not to be avoided it falls on me.
man who hath not the life of a man; but to K. Hen. Bear Worcester to the death, and
counterfeit dying, when a man thereby liveth, Vernon too:
is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect Other offenders we will pause upon.-
image of life indeed. The better part of valour

(Exeunt Wor. and Vernon, guarded.
is--discretion; in the which better part, I have How goes the field ?
saved my life. 'Zounds, I am afraid of this P. Hen. The noble Scot, Lord Dougkis, when
gunpowder Percy, though he he dead; How, if he saw
he should counterfeit 100, and rise ? I am afraid, The fortune of the day quite turn'd from him,
he would prove the better counterfeit. There- The noble Perey slain, and all his men
fore I'll make him sure : yea, and I'll swear ! Upon the foot of fear, fled with the rest;
killed him. Why may not he rise as well as 17 And falling from a hill, he was so bruis'J,
Nothing confutes me but eyes, and nobody sees That the pursuers took him. At my tent
me. Therefore, sirrah, (stabbing him,) with a The Douglas is; and I beseech your grace,
new wound in your thigh, come you along with I may dispose of him.
me.
[Takes Hotspur on his back. K. Hen.

With all my heart.

P. Hen. Then, brother John of Lancaster, to you Re-enter Prince Henry and Prince John.

This honourable bounty shall belong : P. Hen. Come, brother John, full bravely hast Go to the Douglas, and deliver him thou flesh'd

Up to his pleasure, ransomless, and free:
Thy maiden sword.

His valour, shown upon our crests to-day,
P. John. But, soft! whom have we here? Hath tanght us how to cherish such high deeds,
Did you not tell me, this fat man was dead ? Even in the bosom of our adversaries.
P. Hen. I did; I saw him dead, breathless and Lan. I thank your grace for this high courtesy,
blecding,

Which I shall give away immediately.
On the ground

K. Hen. Theo this remains,--that we divide
Art thou alive? or is it phantasy

our power.-
That plays upon our eyesight? I pr’ythee, speak, You, son John, and my cousin Westmoreland,
We will not trust our eyes, without our ears:- Towards York'shall bend you, with your dearest
Thou art not what thou seem'st.

speed,
Fal. No, that's certain ; I am not a double To meet Northumberland and the prelate Soroop,
man: but if I be not Jack Falstaff, then am I a Who, as we hear, are busily in arms:
Jack. There is Percy :[throwing the body down] Myself,--and you, son Harry,-will towards
if your father will do me any honour, so; if not,

Wales, let him kill the next Percy himself.' I look to To fight with Glendower, and the earl of March, be either earl or duke, I can assure you. Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway, P. Hen: Why, Percy I killed myself, and saw Meeting the check of such another day: thee dead.

And since this business so fair is done, Fal. Didst thou?-Lord, lord, how this world Let us uot leave till all our own be won. is given to lying !-I grant you, I was down,

(Eseunt

SECOND PART OF
KING HENRY THE FOURTH.

PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING HENRY THE FOURTH.

TRAVERS and MORTON, Domesticks of HENRY, Prince of Wales, after)

Northumberland. wards King Henry V.;

FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, PISTOL, and THOMAS, Duke of Clarence;

PAGE. PRINCE JOHN of Lancaster, af:

POINS and PETO, Attendants on Prince terwards (2 Henry V.) Duke of his Sons. Henry. Bedford ;

SHALLOW and SILENCE, Country Justices. PRINCE HUMPHREY of Gloster,

DAVY, Servant to Shallow. afterwards (2 Henry V.) Duke

MOULDY, SHADOW, WART, FEEBLE, of Gloster;

and BULLCALF, Recruits. EARL OF WARWICK ;

of the FANG and SNARE, Sheriff's Officers. EARL OF WESTMORELAND;

King's

RUMOUR. GOWER; HARCOURT;

Party.

A Porter.
Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. A Dancer, Speaker of the Epilogue.
A Gentleman attending on the Chief Justice.
EARL OF NORTHUMBER-

LADY NORTHUMBERLAND.
LAND;

LADY PERCY. SCROOP, Archbishop of York; | Enemies to

Hostess QUICKLY. LORD MOWBRAY;

the King.

DOLL TEAR SHEET.
LORD HASTINGS;
LORD BARDOLPH ;

Lords and other Attendants; Officers, Soldiers, SIR JOHN COLVILLE;

Messenger, Drawers, Beadles, Grooms, &c SCENE-England.

INDUCTION

Lies crafty-sick: the posts come tiring on, Warkworth. Before Northumberland's Castle. And not a man of them brings other news

Than they have learn'd of me; from Rumour's Enter Rumour, painted full of Tongues.

tongues

They bring smooth comforts false, worse than Rum. Open your ears; For which of you will true wrongs.

(Eril. stop The vent of hearing, when loud Rumour speaks?

ACT I. 1, from the orient to the drooping west, Making the wind my post-horse, still unfold

SCENE I. The same. The acts commenced on this ball of earth:

The Porter before the Gate. Upon my tongues continual slanders ride; 'The which in every language ! pronounce,

Enter Lord Bardolph. Stuffing the ears of men with false reports. Bard. Who keeps the gate here, ho ?-Where I speak of peace, while covert enmity,

is the early Under the smile of safety, wounds the world : Port. What shall I say you are? And who but Rumour, who but only I,

Bard.

Tell thou the earl, Make fearful musters, and prepar'd defence; That the Lord Bardolph doth attend him here. Whilst the big ear, swol'n with some other grief, Port. His lordship is walk'd forth into the Is thought with child by the stern tyrant war, orchard ; And no such matter? Rumour is a pipe Please it your honour, knock but at the gate, Blown by surmises, jealousies, conjectures; And he himself will answer. And of so easy and so plain a stop, That the blunt monster with uncounted heads,

Enter Northumberland. The still-discordant wavering multitude,

Bard.

Here comes the eart. Can play upon it. But what need I thus

North. What news, Lord Bardolph ? every My well known body to anatomize

minute now Among my household ? Why is Rumour here ? Should be the father of some stratagem; I run before King Harry's victory;

The times are wild ; contention, like a horse Who, in a bloody field by Shrewsbury, Full of high feeding, madly hath broke loose, Hath' beaten down young Hotspur, and his And bears down all before him. troops,

Bard.

Noble earl, Quenching the flame of bold rebellion

I bring you certain news from Shrewsbury. Even with the rebels' blood. But what mean I North. Good, an heaven will! To speak so true at first? my office is

Bard.

As good as heart can wish; To noise abroad, -that Harry Monmouth fell The king is almost wounded to the death; Under the wrath of noble Hotspur's sword; And, in the fortune of my lord your son, And that the king before the Douglas' rage Prince Harry slain outright; and both the Blunts Stoop'd his anointed head as low as death. Kill'd by the hand of Douglas : young princo This have I rumour'd through the peasant towns John, Between that royal field of Shrewsbury And Westmoreland, and Stafford, fled the field And this worm-eaten hold of ragged stone And Harry Mopmouth's brawn, the hulk Sir Where Hotspur's father, old Northumberland,

John,