Interpretation will misquote our looks,
And we shall feed like oxen at a stall,
The better cherish'd, 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-brain'd Hotspur, 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, 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 'tis so.
Here comes your cousin.

Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS.

Hot. My uncle is return'd:

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.
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.

40

Wor. The Prince of Wales stepp'd 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 show'd his tasking? seem'd 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.

50

He gave you all the duties of a man:

Trimm'd up your praises with a princely tongue,
Spoke your deservings like a chronicle,

Making you ever better than his praise

By still dispraising praise valued with you;
And, which became him like a prince indeed,
He made a blushing cital of himself;
And chid his truant youth with such a grace
As if he master'd there a double spirit
Of teaching and of learning instantly.
There did he pause: but let me tell the world,
If he outlive the envy of this day,
England did never owe so sweet a hope,
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.
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.

100

[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

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.

10

[1hey fight. Douglas kills Blunt.

Enter HOTSPUR.

Hot. O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus, I never had triumph'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.

20

29

[Exeunt.

Alarum. Enter FALSTAFF, solus.

Fal. Though I could 'scape shot-free at London, 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?

Enter the PRINCE.

40

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.

50

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 finds it to be a bottle of sack. Prince. What, is it a time to jest and dally now? [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 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.

Alarum.

SCENE IV.
Excursions.

Another part of the field.

[Exit.

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: 10 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, Lancaster;

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
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.

Prince.

Lends mettle to us all!

O, this boy

Enter DOUGLAS.

20

[Exit.

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

I am the Douglas, fatal to all those

That wear those colors on them: what art thou,

That counterfeit'st the person of a king?

King. The king himself; who, Douglas, grieves at heart

So many of his shadows thou hast met

And not the very king. I have two boys
Seek Percy and thyself about the field:
But, seeing thou fall'st on me so luckily,
I will assay thee: so, defend thyself.

Doug. I fear thou art another counterfeit;
And yet, in faith, thou bear'st thee like a king:
But mine I am sure thou art, whoe'er thou be,
And thus I win thee.

30

[They fight; the King being in danger, re-enter Prince of Wales. Prince. Hold up thy head, vile Scot, or thou art like Never to hold it up again! the spirits

Of valiant Shirley, Stafford, Blunt, are in my arms:
It is the Prince of Wales that threatens thee;
Who never promiseth but he means to pay.

40

[They fight: Douglas flies. Cheerly, my lord: how fares your grace? Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent, And so hath Clifton: I'll to Clifton straight. King. Stay, and breathe awhile: