Chapter XVII: Act V

SCENE I. _The_ KING'S _camp near Shrewsbury_.

_Enter the_ KING, PRINCE of WALES, LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER,
EARL of WESTMORELAND, SIR WALTER BLUNT, _and_ FALSTAFF.[3033]

_King._ How bloodily the sun begins to peer
Above yon busky hill! the day looks pale[3034]
At his distemperature.

_Prince._ The southern wind
Doth play the trumpet to his purposes,
And by his hollow whistling in the leaves[3035] 5
Foretells a tempest and a blustering day.

_King._ Then with the losers let it sympathise,
For nothing can seem foul to those that win.

[_The trumpet sounds._

_Enter_ WORCESTER _and_ VERNON.[3036]

How now, my Lord of Worcester! 'tis not well
That you and I should meet upon such terms 10
As now we meet. You have deceived our trust,
And made us doff our easy robes of peace,
To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel:[3037]
This is not well, my lord, this is not well.
What say you to it? will you again unknit 15
This churlish knot of all-abhorred war?
And move in that obedient orb again[3038]
Where you did give a fair and natural light,
And be no more an exhaled meteor,
A prodigy of fear and a portent 20
Of broached mischief to the unborn times?

_Wor._ Hear me, my liege:
For mine own part, I could be well content
To entertain the lag-end of my life
With quiet hours; for, I do protest,[3039] 25
I have not sought the day of this dislike.

_King._ You have not sought it! how comes it, then?[3040]

_Fal._ Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.

_Prince._ Peace, chewet, peace![3041]

_Wor._ It pleased your majesty to turn your looks 30
Of favour from myself and all our house;
And yet I must remember you, my lord,
We were the first and dearest of your friends.
For you my staff of office did I break
In Richard's time; and posted day and night 35
To meet you on the way, and kiss your hand,
When yet you were in place and in account
Nothing so strong and fortunate as I.
It was myself, my brother, and his son,
That brought you home, and boldly did outdare[3042] 40
The dangers of the time. You swore to us,[3043]
And you did swear that oath at Doncaster,[3044]
That you did nothing purpose 'gainst the state;[3045]
Nor claim no further than your new-fall'n right,
The seat of Gaunt, dukedom of Lancaster: 45
To this we swore our aid. But in short space[3046]
It rain'd down fortune showering on your head;
And such a flood of greatness fell on you,
What with our help, what with the absent king,
What with the injuries of a wanton time,[3047] 50
The seeming sufferances that you had borne,
And the contrarious winds that held the king
So long in his unlucky Irish wars[3048]
That all in England did repute him dead:
And from this swarm of fair advantages[3049] 55
You took occasion to be quickly woo'd
To gripe the general sway into your hand;
Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster;[3050]
And being fed by us you used us so
As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird,[3051] 60
Useth the sparrow; did oppress our nest;
Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk
That even our love durst not come near your sight
For fear of swallowing; but with nimble wing
We were enforced, for safety sake, to fly 65
Out of your sight and raise this present head;
Whereby we stand opposed by such means[3052]
As you yourself have forged against yourself
By unkind usage, dangerous countenance,
And violation of all faith and troth 70
Sworn to us in your younger enterprise.[3053]

_King._ These things indeed you have articulate,[3054]
Proclaim'd at market-crosses, read in churches,
To face the garment of rebellion
With some fine colour that may please the eye 75
Of fickle changelings and poor discontents,
Which gape and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurlyburly innovation:
And never yet did insurrection want
Such water-colours to impaint his cause; 80
Nor moody beggars, starving for a time[3055]
Of pellmell havoc and confusion.

_Prince._ In both your armies there is many a soul[3056]
Shall pay full dearly for this encounter,[3057]
If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew, 85
The Prince of Wales doth join with all the world
In praise of Henry Percy: by my hopes,[3058]
This present enterprise set off his head,[3059]
I do not think a braver gentleman,
More active-valiant or more valiant-young,[3060] 90
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; 95
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.[3061] 100

_King._ And, Prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee,[3062]
Albeit considerations infinite
Do make against it. No, good Worcester, no,[3063]
We love our people well; even those we love
That are misled upon your cousin's part; 105
And, will they take the offer of our grace,[3064]
Both he and they and you, yea, every man
Shall be my friend again and I'll be his:[3065]
So tell your cousin, and bring me word[3066]
What he will do: but if he will not yield,[3067] 110
Rebuke and dread correction wait on us[3068]
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._[3069]

_Prince._ It will not be accepted, on my life: 115
The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
Are confident against the world in arms.

_King._ 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! 120

[_Exeunt all but the Prince of Wales and Falstaff._[3070]

_Fal._ Hal, if thou see me down in the battle, and[3071][3072]
bestride me, so; 'tis a point of friendship.[3072][3073]

_Prince._ Nothing but a colossus can do thee that[3072]
friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell.[3072]

_Fal._ I would 'twere bed-time, Hal, and all well.[3072][3074] 125

_Prince._ Why, thou owest God a death. [_Exit._[3075]

_Fal._ 'Tis not due 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, 'tis no matter; honour pricks me
on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I come on?[3076] 130
how then? Can honour set to a leg? no: or an arm? no:[3077]
or take away the grief of a wound? no. Honour hath no
skill in surgery, then? no. What is honour? a word. What[3078]
is in that word honour? what is that honour? air. A trim[3078]
reckoning! Who hath it? he that died o' Wednesday.[3079] 135
Doth he feel it? no. Doth he hear it? no. 'Tis insensible,[3080]
then. Yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the living?[3081]
no. Why? detraction will not suffer it. Therefore I'll none
of it. Honour is a mere scutcheon: and so ends my
catechism. [_Exit._ 140

SCENE II. _The Rebel Camp._

_Enter_ WORCESTER _and_ VERNON.[3082]

_Wor._ O, no, my nephew must not know, Sir Richard,
The liberal and kind offer of the king.[3083]

_Ver._ 'Twere best he did.

_Wor._ Then are we all undone.[3084]
It is not possible, it cannot be,
The king should keep his word in loving us;[3085] 5
He will suspect us still, and find a time
To punish this offence in other faults:[3086]
Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes;[3087]
For treason is but trusted like the fox,[3088]
Who, ne'er so tame, so cherish'd and lock'd up,[3089] 10
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.
Look how we can, or sad or merrily,[3090]
Interpretation will misquote our looks,
And we shall feed like oxen at a stall,
The better cherish'd, still the nearer death.[3091] 15
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 20
And on his father's; we did train him on,
And, his corruption being ta'en from us,[3092]
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. 25

_Ver._ Deliver what you will; I'll say 'tis so.[3093][3094]
Here comes your cousin.[3093]

_Enter_ HOTSPUR _and_ DOUGLAS.[3095]

_Hot._ My uncle is return'd:[3096]
Deliver up my Lord of Westmoreland.[3096]
Uncle, what news?[3096] 30

_Wor._ The king will bid you battle presently.

_Doug._ Defy him by the Lord of Westmoreland.[3097]

_Hot._ Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so.[3097][3098]

_Doug._ Marry, and shall, and very willingly.[3099] [_Exit._

_Wor._ There is no seeming mercy in the king. 35

_Hot._ Did you beg any? God forbid![3100][3101]

_Wor._ I told him gently of our grievances,[3101][3102]
Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus,
By now forswearing that he is forsworn:[3103]
He calls us rebels, traitors; and will scourge 40
With haughty arms this hateful name in us.

_Re-enter_ DOUGLAS.[3104]

_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. 45

_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, 50
How show'd his tasking? seem'd it in contempt?[3105]

_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. 55
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:[3106] 60
And, which became him like a prince indeed,
He made a blushing cital of himself;
And chid his truant youth with such a grace[3107]
As if he master'd there a double spirit[3108]
Of teaching and of learning instantly. 65
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 70
On his follies: never did I hear[3109]
Of any prince so wild a libertine.[3110]
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. 75
Arm, arm with speed: and, fellows, soldiers, friends,[3111]
Better consider what you have to do
Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,[3112]
Can lift your blood up with persuasion.

_Enter a_ Messenger.

_Mess._ My lord, here are letters for you.[3113] 80

_Hot._ I cannot read them now.[3113]
O gentlemen, the time of life is short!
To spend that shortness basely were too long,[3114]
If life did ride upon a dial's point,[3115]
Still ending at the arrival of an hour.[3116] 85
An if we live, we live to tread on kings;[3117]
If die, brave death, when princes die with us!
Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair,[3118]
When the intent of bearing them is just.

_Enter another_ Messenger.[3119]

_Mess._ My Lord, prepare; the king comes on apace. 90

_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[3120][3121]
A sword, whose temper I intend to stain[3121][3122]
With the best blood that I can meet withal 95
In the adventure of this perilous day.
Now, Esperance! Percy! and set on.[3123]
Sound all the lofty instruments of war,
And by that music let us all embrace;
For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall[3124] 100
A second time do such a courtesy.

[_The trumpets sound. They embrace, and exeunt._[3125]

SCENE III. _Plain between the camps._[3126]

_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[3127][3128][3129]
Thou crossest me? what honour dost thou seek[3127][3129][3130]
Upon my head?[3127]

_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.[3131] 5

_Blunt._ They tell thee true.

_Doug._ The Lord of Stafford dear to-day hath bought[3132]
Thy likeness, for instead of thee, King Harry,
This sword hath ended him: so shall it thee,
Unless thou yield thee as my prisoner.[3133] 10

_Blunt._ I was not born a yielder, thou proud Scot;[3134]
And thou shalt find a king that will revenge
Lord Stafford's death. [_They fight. Douglas kills Blunt._

_Enter_ HOTSPUR.[3135]

_Hot._ O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus,[3136]
I never had triumph'd upon a Scot.[3137] 15

_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:[3138]
A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt; 20
Semblably furnish'd like the king himself.

_Doug._ A fool go with thy soul, whither it goes![3139]
A borrowed title hast thou bought too dear:[3140]
Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king?

_Hot._ The king hath many marching in his coats.[3141] 25

_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_.[3142]

_Fal._ Though I could 'scape shot-free at London, I fear 30
the shot here; here's no scoring but upon the pate. Soft!
who are you? Sir Walter Blunt: there's honour for you![3143]
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[3144]
weight than mine own bowels. I have led my ragamuffins[3145] 35
where they are peppered: there's not three of my hundred[3146][3147]
and fifty left alive; and they are for the town's end, to
beg[3147][3148]
during life. But who comes here?

_Enter the_ PRINCE.

_Prince._ What, stand'st thou idle here? lend me thy sword:[3149]
Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff[3150] 40
Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths are yet unrevenged: I prithee, lend me thy sword.[3151]

_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.[3152] 45

_Prince._ He is, indeed; and living to kill thee. I[3153]
prithee, lend me thy sword.[3154]

_Fal._ Nay, before God, Hal, if Percy be alive, thou[3155]
get'st not my sword; but take my pistol, if thou wilt.[3156]

_Prince._ Give it me: what, is it in the case?[3157] 50

_Fal._ Ay, Hal; 'tis hot, 'tis hot; there's that will sack a[3158]
city.

[_The Prince draws it out, and finds it to be
a bottle of sack._[3159]

_Prince._ What, is it a time to jest and dally now?

[_He throws the bottle at him. Exit._[3160]

_Fal._ Well, if Percy be alive, I'll pierce him. If he do[3161]
come in my way, so: if he do not, if I come in his willingly,[3162] 55
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. [_Exit._

SCENE IV. _Another part of the field._

_Alarum. Excursions. Enter the_ KING, _the_ PRINCE, LORD JOHN OF
LANCASTER, _and_ EARL of WESTMORELAND.[3163]

_King._ I prithee,[3164]
Harry, withdraw thyself; thou bleed'st too much.[3164][3165]
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.[3164]

_Lan._ Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.

_Prince._ I beseech your majesty, make up,[3166] 5
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.[3167]

_King._ I will do so.[3168]
My Lord of Westmoreland, lead him to his tent.[3168]

_West._ Come, my lord, I'll lead you to your tent.[3169]

_Prince._ Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help: 10
And God forbid a shallow scratch should drive[3170]
The Prince of Wales from such a field as this,
Where stain'd nobility lies trodden on,[3171]
And rebels' arms triumph in massacres!

_Lan._ We breathe too long: come, cousin Westmoreland, 15
Our duty this way lies; for God's sake, come.

[_Exeunt Prince John and Westmoreland._[3172]

_Prince._ By God, thou hast deceived me, Lancaster;[3170]
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. 20

_King._ I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.

_Prince._ O, this boy[3173]
Lends mettle to us all![3173] [_Exit._

_Enter_ DOUGLAS.[3174]

_Doug._ Another king! they grow like Hydra's heads: 25
I am the Douglas, fatal to all those
That wear those colours on them: what art thou,
That counterfeit'st the person of a king?

_K. Hen._ The king himself; who, Douglas, grieves at heart
So many of his shadows thou hast met 30
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.[3175]

_Doug._ I fear thou art another counterfeit; 35
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.

[_They fight; the King being in
danger, re-enter Prince of Wales._[3176]

_Prince._ Hold up thy head, vile Scot, or thou art like[3177]
Never to hold it up again! the spirits 40
Of valiant Shirley, Stafford, Blunt, are in my arms:[3178]
It is the Prince of Wales that threatens thee;[3179]
Who never promiseth but he means to pay.

[_They fight: Douglas flies._

Cheerly, my lord: how fares your grace?
Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent, 45
And so hath Clifton: I'll to Clifton straight.

_King._ Stay, and breathe awhile:[3180]
Thou hast redeem'd thy lost opinion,[3181]
And show'd thou makest some tender of my life,
In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me. 50

_Prince._ O God! they did me too much injury[3182]
That ever said I hearken'd for your death.[3183]
If it were so, I might have let alone
The insulting hand of Douglas over you,
Which would have been as speedy in your end 55
As all the poisonous potions in the world,
And saved the treacherous labour of your son.

_King._ Make up to Clifton: I'll to Sir Nicholas Gawsey.[3184] [_Exit._

_Enter_ HOTSPUR.

_Hot._ If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.[3185]

_Prince._ Thou speak'st as if I would deny my name.[3186] 60

_Hot._ My name is Harry Percy.

_Prince._ Why, then I see[3187]
A very valiant rebel of the name.[3187][3188]
I am the Prince of Wales; and think not, Percy,
To share with me in glory any more:
Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere; 65
Nor can one England brook a double reign,
Of Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales.

_Hot._ Nor shall it, Harry; for the hour is come
To end the one of us; and would to God[3189]
Thy name in arms were now as great as mine! 70

_Prince._ I'll make it greater ere I part from thee;
And all the budding honours on thy crest[3190]
I'll crop, to make a garland for my head.

_Hot._ I can no longer brook thy vanities. [_They fight._[3191]

_Enter_ FALSTAFF.

_Fal._ Well said, Hal! to it, Hal! Nay, you shall find 75
no boy's play here, I can tell you.

_Re-enter_ DOUGLAS; _he fights with_ FALSTAFF, _who falls down
as if he were dead, and exit_ DOUGLAS. HOTSPUR _is wounded, and
falls_.[3192]

_Hot._ O, Harry, thou hast robb'd me of my youth![3193]
I better brook the loss of brittle life[3194]
Than those proud titles thou hast won of me;
They wound my thoughts worse than thy sword my flesh:[3195] 80
But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool;[3196]
And time, that takes survey of all the world,
Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,
But that the earthy and cold hand of death[3197]
Lies on my tongue: no, Percy, thou art dust, 85
And food for-- [_Dies._

_Prince._ For worms, brave Percy: fare thee well, great heart![3198]
Ill-weaved ambition, how much art thou shrunk!
When that this body did contain a spirit,
A kingdom for it was too small a bound; 90
But now two paces of the vilest earth
Is room enough: this earth that bears thee dead[3199]
Bears not alive so stout a gentleman.
If thou wert sensible of courtesy,
I should not make so dear a show of zeal:[3200] 95
But let my favours hide thy mangled face;[3201]
And, even in thy behalf, I'll thank myself
For doing these fair rites of tenderness.[3202]
Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven!
Thy ignominy sleep with thee in the grave,[3203] 100
But not remember'd in thy epitaph!

[_He spieth Falstaff on the ground._[3204]

What, old acquaintance! could not all this flesh
Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewell!
I could have better spared a better man:
O, I should have a heavy miss of thee, 105
If I were much in love with vanity!
Death hath not struck so fat a deer to-day,[3205]
Though many dearer, in this bloody fray.
Embowell'd will I see thee by and by:
Till then in blood by noble Percy lie. [_Exit._ 110

_Fal._ [_Rising up_] Embowelled! if thou embowel me[3206]
to-day, I'll give you leave to powder me and eat me too
to-morrow. 'Sblood, 'twas time to counterfeit, or that hot[3207]
termagant Scot had paid me scot and lot too. Counterfeit? I[3208]
lie, I am no counterfeit: to die, is to be a counterfeit; for[3208] 115
he is but the counterfeit of a man who hath not the life of
a man: but to counterfeit dying, when a man thereby liveth,
is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect image of
life indeed. The better part of valour is discretion; in the
which better part I have saved my life. 'Zounds, I am[3209] 120
afraid of this gunpowder Percy, though he be dead: how, if[3210]
he should counterfeit too, and rise? by my faith, I am[3211]
afraid he would prove the better counterfeit. Therefore
I'll make him sure; yea, and I'll swear I killed him. Why[3212]
may not he rise as well as I? Nothing confutes me but 125
eyes, and nobody sees me. Therefore, sirrah [_stabbing[3213]
him_], with a new wound in your thigh, come you along[3214]
with me. [_Takes up Hotspur on his back._

_Re-enter the_ PRINCE of WALES _and_ LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER.[3215]

_Prince._ Come, brother John; full bravely hast thou flesh'd[3216]
Thy maiden sword.

_Lan._ But, soft! whom have we here?[3217] 130
Did you not tell me this fat man was dead?

_Prince._ I did; I saw him dead,[3218]
Breathless and bleeding on the ground. Art thou alive?[3218][3219]
Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight?[3218]
I prithee, speak; we will not trust our eyes[3218] 135
Without our ears: thou art not what thou seem'st.[3218]

_Fal._ No, that's certain; I am not a double man: but if
I be not Jack Falstaff, then am I a Jack. There is Percy[3220]
[_throwing the body down_]: if your father will do me any[3221]
honour, so; if not, let him kill the next Percy himself. I[3222] 140
look to be either earl or duke, I can assure you.

_Prince._ Why, Percy I killed myself, and saw thee dead.[3223]

_Fal._ Didst thou? Lord, Lord, how this world is given[3224]
to lying! I grant you I was down and out of breath; and
so was he: but we rose both at an instant, and fought a long 145
hour by Shrewsbury clock. If I may be believed, so; if not,
let them that should reward valour bear the sin upon their
own heads. I'll take it upon my death, I gave him this[3225]
wound in the thigh: if the man were alive, and would deny
it, 'zounds, I would make him eat a piece of my sword.[3226] 150

_Lan._ This is the strangest tale that ever I heard.[3227]

_Prince._ This is the strangest fellow, brother John.
Come, bring your luggage nobly on your back:
For my part, if a lie may do thee grace,
I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have. 155

[_A retreat is sounded._[3228]

The trumpet sounds retreat; the day is ours.[3229]
Come, brother, let us to the highest of the field,
To see what friends are living, who are dead.[3230]

[_Exeunt Prince of Wales and Lancaster._

_Fal._ I'll follow, as they say, for reward. He that rewards
me, God reward him! If I do grow great, I'll grow[3231] 160
less; for I'll purge, and leave sack, and live cleanly as a
nobleman should do. [_Exit._[3232]

SCENE V. _Another part of the field._

_The trumpets sound. Enter the_ KING, PRINCE of WALES, LORD JOHN
OF LANCASTER, EARL of WESTMORELAND, _with_ WORCESTER _and_
VERNON _prisoners_.[3233]

_King._ Thus ever did rebellion find rebuke.[3234]
Ill-spirited Worcester! did not we send grace,[3235]
Pardon and terms of love to all of you?
And wouldst thou turn our offers contrary?
Misuse the tenour of thy kinsman's trust? 5
Three knights upon our party slain to-day,
A noble earl and many a creature else
Had been alive this hour,[3236]
If like a Christian thou hadst truly borne
Betwixt our armies true intelligence. 10

_Wor._ What I have done my safety urged me to;
And I embrace this fortune patiently,
Since not to be avoided it falls on me.[3237]

_King._ Bear Worcester to the death, and Vernon too:[3238]
Other offenders we will pause upon. 15

[_Exeunt Worcester and Vernon, guarded._[3239]

How goes the field?

_Prince._ The noble Scot, Lord Douglas, when he saw[3240]
The fortune of the day quite turn'd from him,[3241]
The noble Percy slain, and all his men
Upon the foot of fear, fled with the rest; 20
And falling from a hill, he was so bruised
That the pursuers took him. At my tent
The Douglas is; and I beseech your grace
I may dispose of him.

_King._ With all my heart.

_Prince._ Then, brother John of Lancaster, to you[3242] 25
This honourable bounty shall belong:[3242]
Go to the Douglas, and deliver him
Up to his pleasure, ransomless and free:
His valour shown upon our crests to-day[3243]
Hath taught us how to cherish such high deeds[3243][3244] 30
Even in the bosom of our adversaries.

_Lan._ I thank your grace for this high courtesy,[3245]
Which I shall give away immediately.[3245][3246]

_King._ Then this remains, that we divide our power.
You, son John, and my cousin Westmoreland 35
Towards York shall bend you with your dearest speed,[3247]
To meet Northumberland and the prelate Scroop,[3248]
Who, as we hear, are busily in arms:
Myself and you, son Harry, will towards Wales,[3249]
To fight with Glendower and the Earl of March. 40
Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway,[3250]
Meeting the check of such another day:
And since this business so fair is done,[3251]
Let us not leave till all our own be won. [_Exeunt._

FOOTNOTES:

[3033] ACT V. SCENE I.

The King's....] The camp at Shrewsbury. Theobald. Shrewsbury. Pope.

Enter....] See note (XXI).

[3034] _busky_] _bosky_ Capell conj.

[3035] _by his_] Q₁ Q₂ Ff. _by the_ Q₃. The rest _by_.

[3036] _foul_] _soure_ F₂. _sowre_ F₃ F₄.

and Vernon] and Sir Richard Vernon. Theobald. om. Qq Ff.

[3037] _old_] _old uneasie_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3038] _move_] _more_ Q₈.

[3039] _do_] Ff. om. Qq.

[3040] _it_] _it, sir_ Pope. _it, say_ Collier (Collier MS.).

[3041] _chewet_] _chevet_ Pope.

[3042] _outdare_] Q₁ Ff. The rest _outdate_ or _out-date_.

[3043] _dangers_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _danger_.

[3044] _Doncaster_] Ff Q₈. The rest _Dancaster_.

[3045] _purpose_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _of purpose_.

[3046] _swore_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. _sweare_ Q₅ Q₆ Q₇. _sware_ Ff Q₈.

[3047] _a wanton_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _wanton_.

[3048] _his_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _the_.

[3049] _And_] _As_ Capell.

_this_] _his_ Q₆ Q₇.

[3050] _Doncaster_] Q₆ Ff Q₇ Q₈. The rest _Dancaster_.

[3051] _cuckoo's bird_] _cuckoo-bird_ S. Walker conj.

[3052] _we stand_] _you stand_ Capell.

[3053] _sworn_] _swore_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

_your_] om. F₁ F₂.

[3054] _things_] _thihges_ Q₅.

_articulate_] Qq. _articulated_ Ff.

[3055] _moody_] _muddy_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3056] _your_] Qq. _our_ Ff.

_armies_] _armes_ Q₆.

[3057] _this_] _this bold_ Pope. _this day's_ Seymour conj.

[3058] _Henry_] _Harry_ Q₇ Q₈.

[3059] _off_] Ff. _of_ Qq.

[3060] _active-valiant_] Theobald. _active, valiant_ Q₁ Q₂ Ff. The rest _active, more valiant_.

_valiant-young_] Theobald. _valiant yong_ or _valiant young_ Qq Ff. _valued young_ Hanmer. _valiant tough_ Heath conj.

[3061] _a single_] _single_ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄ Q₅.

[3062] _venture_] Qq F₄. _venter_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[3063] _No ... no_] _Know ... know_ Mason conj.

_Worcester_] Qq. _Worster_ Ff.

[3064] _And, will they ... grace,_] _And will, they ... grace;_ Pope.

[3065] _friend_] _griend_ Q₆.

[3066] _So ... cousin_] _Go, ... cousin so_ Anon. conj.

_and bring_] _and return_ Pope. _and then bring_ Capell. _go, and bring_ Seymour conj.

_word_] _word again_ Keightley conj.

[3067] _yield_] _yeelds_ Q₆.

[3068] _wait_] _waight_ Q₁.

[3069] Exeunt W....] Exit W. with Vernon. Theobald. Exit W. Qq Ff.

[3070] Exeunt....] Exeunt: manent Prince, Falst. Qq. Exeunt: Manet Prince and Falstaffe. Ff.

[3071] SCENE II. Pope.

[3072] As four lines in QQ Ff, ending _battel_ ... _friendship_ ... _friendship_ ... _farewell_.

[3073] _me, so;_] Ff. _me, so,_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃. _me, so._ Q₄. _me so,_ the rest.

[3074] _'twere_] _twere_ Q₁. The rest _it were_.

[3075] _God_] Qq. _Heaven_ Ff.

[Exit.] Exit Prince. Hanmer. om. Qq Ff.

[3076] _Yea_] om. Ff.

[3077] _how then? Can_] Q₂ Q₃ F₁ F₂. _how then can_ Q₁ Q₄ Q₅ Q₆. _how then can,_ Q₇. _how then; can_ F₃ F₄.

_set to_] _set too_ F₁ F₂.

[3078] _What is in ... that honour?_] Q₁ Q₃. _What is in that word? honor: what is that honour?_ Q₂. _what is that word honor? what is that honor?_ Q₄. _what is that word honour?_ Q₅ Q₆ Ff Q₇ Q₈. _what is that word?_ Capell conj.

[3079] _o'_] Hanmer. _a_ QQ Ff.

[3080] _'Tis_] _Tis_ Qq. _Is it_ Ff.

[3081] _will it not_] _will not_ Q₁.

[3082] SCENE II.] SCENE III. Pope.

The Rebel Camp.] Percy's Camp. Theobald.

Vernon.] Sir Richard Vernon. Qq Ff.

[3083] _liberal and kind_] _liberal-kind_ S. Walker conj. _kind and liberal_ Anon. conj.

_and kind_] Q₁. The rest _kind_.

[3084] _are we all undone_] Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈. _are we all under one_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. _we are all undone_ Ff.

[3085] _should_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃. The rest _would_.

[3086] _other_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _others_.

[3087] _Suspicion_] Rowe (ed. 2). _Supposition_ Qq Ff. _Suppose then_ Rowe (ed. 1). S. Walker conjectures that four syllables are lost before _Suspicion_.

_all our lives shall be_] _shall be all_ Steevens (Farmer conj.).

[3088] _treason_] _reason_ Q₈.

[3089] _ne'er_] _ne're_ Ff. _never_ Qq.

[3090] _we_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃. The rest _he_.

_merrily_] _merely_ Q₁. _merily_ Q₂.

[3091] _cherish'd, still_] Q₁ omits the comma.

[3092] _ta'en_] _a taint_ Warbtirton conj.

[3093] _Deliver ... cousin_] As one line in Qq.

[3094] _'tis_] om. Q₇ Q₈.

[3095] _your_] _you_ Q₅.

Enter....] Rowe. Enter Percy. Q₁. The rest, Enter Hotspurre (Hotspur F₄).

[3096] _My ... news?_] Arranged as in Qq Ff. As two lines by Capell, ending _up ... news?_

[3097] _Defy ... so_] Given to Hotspur by Capell.

[3098] _go you_] _go you then_ Theobald. _do you go_ Capell. _go you too_ or _go yourself_ Keightley conj.

[3099] _and shall_] _I shall_ Pope.

_and very_] _very_ Q₇ Q₈.

[3100] _any? God forbid_] _any of him? God forbid_ Hanmer.

[3101] _God forbid!_ Wor. _I told_] Wor. _God forbid! I told_ S. Walker conj.

[3102] _our_] _your_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3103] _now forswearing_] _new-forswearing_ S. Walker conj.

[3104] Re-enter D.] Enter D. Qq Ff.

[3105] _tasking_] Q₁. The rest _talking. taking_ Jackson conj.

[3106] _By still ... you_] Omitted by Pope. Put in brackets by Warburton.

[3107] _with such_] _with_ F₂. _so with_ F₃ F₄.

[3108] _there_] _then_ Collier (Collier MS.).

[3109] _On his_] Qq Ff. _Upon his_ Pope. _Ev'n on his_ or _on H.'s_ (i.e. _Harry's_) Anon. conj.

[3110] _a libertine_] Capell. _a libertie_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. _at libertie_ Q₅. _at liberty_ Q₆ Ff Q₇ Q₈. _in liberty_ Hanmer. _o' liberty_ Collier. _of liberty_ Collier MS. See note (XXII).

[3111] _fellows,_] F₄. _fellowes,_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃. _fellows_ Q₄. _fellow's_ Q₅. _fellowes_ Q₆. _fellow's_ F₁ F₂ F₃. _fellow_ Q₇ Q₈.

[3112] _Thou_] F₂ F₄. _Then_ Q₁ Q₂ F₃. The rest _That_.

[3113] _here are ... cannot_] _Here's ... can't_ S. Walker conj.

[3114] _were_] _'twere_ Hanmer.

[3115] _If_] _Tho'_ Rowe.

[3116] _ending_] _ended_ Q₇ Q₈.

_hour._] _hour--_ Keightley conj, or he supposes a line may have been lost.

[3117] _An if_] Capell. _And if_ Qq Ff.

_if we live_] _if he live_ Q₆ Q₇.

[3118] _are_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _is_.

[3119] _of_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _for_.

Enter ... Messenger.] Ff. Enter another. Qq.

[3120] _draw I_] Qq. _I draw_ Ff.

[3121] Arranged as by Pope. Line 93 ends at _sword_ in Qq Ff.

[3122] _A sword_] _my sword_ F₄.

_whose temper_] _Whose worthy temper_ Ff.

[3123] _Esperance_] _Esperanza_ Theobald.

_and set on_] _and so set on_ Hanmer.

[3124] _For, heaven to earth,_] _For (heaven to earth)_ Pope. _For heaven to earth,_ Qq Ff. _From heaven to earth_ Dering MS. _'Fore heaven and earth_ Collier MS. _For here on earth_ Singer.

[3125] _second_] _sucond_ F₁.

[The trumpets ... exeunt] See note (XXIII).

[3126] SCENE III.] Capell. SCENE VI. Pope. om. Ff.

Plain....] Capell.

[3127] _What ... head?_] Arranged as by Capell. As two lines, ending _me?... head?_ in Qq Ff.

[3128] _the_] Hanmer. om. Qq Ff.

[3129] _in the battle thus Thou_] _thus in battle_ Pope.

[3130] _Thou crossest_] _Do'st cross_ Hanmer.

_what_] _and what_ Hanmer.

[3131] _a king_] _the king_ Seymour conj.

[3132] _dear_] _deare_ or _deere_ Qq F₁. _heere_ F₂. _here_ F₃ F₄.

[3133] _my_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _a_.

[3134] _a yielder, thou proud_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. _to yeeld, thou proud_ Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈. _to yeeld, thou haughty_ Ff.

_Scot_] _Sot_ Q₅.

[3135] _Lord_] _Lords_ F₁.

[They ... Hotspur.] They fight, Douglas kils Blunt, then enter Hotspur. Qq (enters Q₄ Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈). Fight, Blunt is slaine, then enters Hotspur. Ff.

[3136] _Holmedon_] _Holmsdon_ Q₈.

[3137] _triumph'd upon_] _triumpht upon_ Q₁ Q₂. _triumpht over_ Q₃ Q₄ Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈. _triumphed o're_ Ff.

[3138] _this face_] _his face_ Theobald.

[3139] _A fool go_] Capell. _Ah foole, go_ Qq. _Ah foole: go_ Ff (_fool:_ F₄).

_whither_] _whether_ F₁. _wheree'er_ Capell.

[3140] _borrowed_] _borrow'd_ Rowe.

[3141] _marching_] _masking_ Dyce (Collier MS.).

[3142] Alarum] Ff Q₇ Q₈. The rest Alarme.

[3143] _are you?_] _art thou?_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[3144] _God_] Qq. _heaven_ Ff.

[3145] _ragamuffins_] _rag of Muffins_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄ Q₅ F₁ F₂. _rag of Muffians_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈ F₃ F₄.

[3146] _not three_] _but three_ Rann (Capell conj.). _not but three_ Keightley conj.

[3147] _hundred and fifty_] 150. QQ Ff.

[3148] _they are_] Qq. _they_ Ff.

[3149] _stand'st_] _stands_ Q₁.

[3150] _nobleman_] _Nobleman_ Ff Q₇ Q₈. _noble man_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. _Noble man_ Q₅ Q₆.

[3151] _yet_] Qq. om. Ff. _as yet_ Dyce conj.

_Whose ... sword._] As one line in Qq Ff.

_I prithee_] _I prethee_ Qq (_pree'the_ Q₁). _Prethy_ F₁ F₂. _Prethee_ F₃ F₄. om. Pope.

_lend me_] _lend_ Steevens.

[3152] _sure._] _sure; Percy's safe enough_ Johnson conj.

[3153] _He ... thee_] As one line in Qq Ff. First as prose by Steevens.

[3154] _lend_] _now, lend_ Capell.

[3155] _before God, Hal_] _Hal_ Ff. _Hal, 'Fore God_ Capell.

[3156] _get'st_] _gets_ Q₁.

[3157] _is it_] _is't_ Capell (reading as verse).

[3158] _'tis hot, 'tis hot_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _tis hot_.

[3159] draws ... sack] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. drawes out a Bottle of Sacke. Ff.

to be] om. Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3160] _is it_] _is't_ Hanmer.

[He....] Qq. Exit. Throwes it at him. Ff.

[3161] _Well,_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest omit.

_I'll_] _he'll_ Hanmer (Warburton).

[3162] _way, so:_] _way so,_ Q₁. _way: so,_ Q₂.

_willingly,_] _(willingly)_ Ff.

[3163] SCENE IV.] Capell. Scena Tertia. Ff. SCENE VIII. Pope.

Another....] Capell.

Alarum.] Ff. Alarme. Qq.

[3164] _I prithee ... him._] Arranged as by Steevens (1793). As prose in Qq Ff. First as verse by Capell (omitting _I prithee_).

[3165] _bleed'st_] Capell. _bleedest_ Qq Ff.

[3166] _beseech_] _do beseech_ Pope.

[3167] _your retirement_] _yon retirement_ F₁ F₂.

[3168] As one line in Qq.

[3169] _my lord_] _my good lord_ Keightley conj.

[3170] _God_] Qq. _heaven_ Ff.

[3171] _stain'd_] _slain_ Capell conj.

[3172] _God's_] Qq. _heavens_ Ff.

[Exeunt....] Capell.

[3173] _O ... all!_] Arranged as by Pope. As one line in Qq Ff.

[3174] Enter D.] Alarums. Enter D. Capell.

[3175] _so ... thyself_] Ff. _and ... thy selfe_ Qq. _and so ... thyself_ Keightley conj. _and ... myself_ Anon. conj.

[3176] re-enter....] Enter Prince of Wales. Qq. Enter Prince. Ff.

[3177] _thy_] _they_ F₁.

[3178] _valiant_] om. Pope.

_Blunt ... arms_] _Massy, Blunt ... arm_ S. Walker conj., reading _Are ... arm_ as a separate line.

[3179] _threatens_] _threates_ F₂. _threats_ F₃ F₄.

_he_] om. F₂ F₃ F₄.

_flies_] _flieth_ or _flyeth_ Qq Ff.

[3180] _and_] om. Capell.

[3181] _thy_] _my_ Rowe.

[3182] _God_] Qq. _heaven_ Ff.

[3183] _hearken'd_] _hunger'd_ or _hanker'd_ Anon. conj.

_for_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃. The rest _to_.

[3184] _Sir_] Ff. _S._ Qq.

[3185] SCENE IX. Pope.

[3186] _speak'st_] _speakest_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[3187] _Why, then ... name._] As one line in Qq Ff. Pope omits _Why_ and ends line 61 at _see_.

[3188] _the_] Q₁ Q₂. The rest _that_.

[3189] _God_] Qq. _heaven_ Ff.

[3190] _the_] _thy_ Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3191] [They fight.] Qq. Fight. Ff.

[3192] Re-enter Douglas ... dead] Enter D.... dead. Ff.

fights] fighteth Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄.

who falls] he falls Qq.

and exit ... falls] Capell. The Prince killeth Percie. Qq Ff.

[3193] _youth_] _worth_ Theobald conj. _growth_ Warburton conj.

[3194] _brook_] _broke_ Q₅.

[3195] _thy_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _the_.

_sword_] _word_ Q₈.

[3196] _thought's the slave_] _thoughts the slaves_ Q₁.

[3197] _earthy and_] Q₁. The other Quartos _earth and. earth, and the_ Ff.

[3198] _For_] om. Pope.

_thee_] om. Ff.

_great heart_] om. Pope.

[3199] _thee_] Q₇ Q₈. The rest _the_.

[3200] _dear_] _deare_ Q₁. The rest _great_.

[3201] _favours_] _favour_ Warburton.

[3202] _rites_] _rights_ Q₁.

[3203] _ignominy_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₈ F₃ F₄. The rest _ignomy_.

[3204] _But_] _Be_ Capell.

[He spieth....] Qq. om. Ff.

[3205] _fat_] Q₁ Ff. The rest _fair_.

[3206] SCENE X. Pope.

[Rising up] riseth up. Qq Ff.

[3207] _'Sblood_] _Zloud_ Q₅ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈. om. Ff.

[3208] _I lie_] om. Q₅ Q₆ Ff Q₇ Q₈.

[3209] _'Zounds_] om. Ff.

[3210] _afraid_] _afeard_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3211] _by my faith_] om. Ff.

[3212] _killed_] _slew_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3213] [stabbing him] om. Qq Ff.

[3214] _with_] om. F₁ F₂.

[Takes up....] He takes up.... Qq. Takes.... Ff.

[3215] Re-enter....] Enter Prince John of Lancaster. Q₁. The rest, Enter Prince and John of Lancaster.

[3216] SCENE XI. Pope.

[3217] _whom_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃. _whome_ Q₄. The rest _who_.

[3218] _I did ... seem'st_] Arranged as in Qq Ff. See note (XXIV).

[3219] _Breathless and bleeding_] _And breathless_ Pope.

[3220] _be not_] _am not_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[3221] [throwing ...] om. Qq Ff.

[3222] _kill_] _slay_ Q₆. _slay_ Q₇ Q₈.

[3223] _Why_] om. Anon. conj. MS.

_killed_] _slew_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3224] _this_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _the_.

[3225] _take it upon_] Qq. _take't on_ Ff.

[3226] _'zounds_] om. Ff.

_would_] _will_ Q₈.

[3227] _ever_] Qq. _e're_ Ff.

[3228] [A retreat....] Qq Ff (retraite Q₁ Q₂ Q₃).

[3229] _trumpet sounds_] _trumpets sound_ Q₄ Q₅ Q₆ Ff.

_ours_] _our_ Q₁.

[3230] [Exeunt....] Exeunt. Qq Ff.

[3231] _God_] Qq. _Heaven_ Ff.

_great_] Qq. _great again_ Ff.

[3232] _nobleman_] Q₄ Q₅ Q₆ F₁ Q₇ Q₈. The rest _noble man_.

[Exit.] Exit, bearing off the body. Capell.

[3233] SCENE V.] Scæna Ouinta. F₂. Scæna Quarta. F₁ F₃ F₄. _Scene XII._ Pope.

Another....] Capell. The trumpets ... prisoners.] Qq Ff.

Westmoreland] Westmoreland, and others. Capell.

[3234] _rebuke._] _rebuke,_ Q₁.

[3235] _not we_] Qq. _we not_ Ff.

[3236] _Had_] _Now stiff in death, had_ Seymour conj.

[3237] _Since ... it falls_] _Which ... falls_ Collier (Collier MS.).

[3238] _the death_] Qq. _death_ Ff.

[3239] [Exeunt ... guarded.] Theobald. Exit Worcester and Vernon. Ff. om. Qq.

[3240] _noble_] _gallant_ Pope.

[3241] _quite turn'd_] _turn'd quite_ Q₆ Q₇ Q₈.

[3242] _to you ... belong_] Arranged as by Pope. As one line in Qq Ff.

[3243] _valour ... Hath_] _valours ... Have_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃.

[3244] _taught_] _shown_ Malone. See note (XXV).

[3245] _I thank ... immediately_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. Omitted in all the rest.

[3246] _give away immediately_] _put in act without delay_ Collier MS.

[3247] _Towards_] _Toward_ Q₇ Q₈.

_bend you_] _bend, you_ Q₁ Q₂ Q₃.

[3248] _the_] om. Pope.

[3249] _you_] om. F₂ F₃ F₄.

_towards_] _toward_ Q₇ Q₈.

[3250] _sway_] Q₁ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄. The rest _way_.

[3251] _so fair is_] _so far is_ Rowe. _so far fair is_ Pope. _is so fairly_ Capell.

NOTES.

NOTE I.

A list of Dramatis Personæ in MS. of an early time is prefixed to Capell's copy of the sixth Quarto.

'Falstaff' is spelt 'Falstaffe' or 'Falstalffe' in the Quartos, but consistently 'Falstaffe' in the first Folio.

'Poins' is spelt 'Poines' or 'Poynes' in the Quartos, and occasionally, in the Folio, 'Pointz,' as it is in _The Merry Wives of Windsor_, III. 2. 63.

'Bardolph,' spelt thus, or 'Bardolfe,' in the Folio, is 'Bardoll' or 'Bardol' in the Quartos. We retain the spelling which is most familiar in names so well known.

NOTE II.

I. 1. 28. Mr Staunton says that 'now is twelve _months_ old' is the reading of the first Quarto. Capell's copy has 'now is twelue _month_ old.'

NOTE III.

I. 1. 62. We take this opportunity of reminding our readers that we have not recorded minute variations of spelling except where they seemed to have importance as helping to determine the text. We give as a general rule the spelling of the earliest copy.

NOTE IV.

I. 1. 73. Capell says: "Too hasty a perusal of a passage in Holinshed betray'd Shakespeare into a mistake in this place. The 'earl of Fife' was not 'son to Douglas' but to a duke of Albany, as the same chronicler tells us soon after; and in this passage too, was it rightly pointed, and a little attended to: for that duke was then governour; _i.e._ of Scotland; and the word governour should have a comma after it, or (rather) a semi-colon." He goes on to say that the mistake is repeated I. 3. 261, and proposes to give historical truth to both these passages by reading:

(1) 'Prisoners to Hotspur are
Mordake the earl of Fife; and he himself
The beaten Douglas; and with him, &c.'

(2) 'And make the regent's son your only mean
For powers in Scotland.'

That is (says Capell) by delivering him, as it appears they did by some words of the Poet himself, p. 85 (_i.e_. IV. 4. 23), where the earl of Fife is spoken of as making a part of Hotspur's army at Shrewsbury.

NOTE V.

I. 1. 75-77. The first and second Quartos read:

'A gallant prize? Ha coosen, is it not? In faith it is.

_West._ A conquest for a Prince to boast of,'

leaving a blank between 'not?' and 'In faith.' The subsequent Quartos and the Folios have the same reading without the blank. Pope reads:

'A gallant prize? ha, cousin, is it not?

_West._ In faith, a conquest for a prince to boast of.'

Rann has, for the second line,

'_West._ 'Faith 'tis a conquest for a prince to boast of,'

a reading which Malone by mistake assigns to Pope.

Malone himself gives:

'_West._ In faith, it is a conquest for a prince
To boast of.'

Capell reads:

'_West._ It is a conquest for a prince to boast of.'

Dr Nicholson proposes:

'A gallant prize? ha, cousin, is it not,
In faith?

_West._ A conquest for a prince to boast of.'

For, he says, 'In faith' sounds too familiar to be addressed by a subject to his king.

NOTE VI.

I. 2. 56. "Here," says Mr Dyce, "all the old copies, I believe, have '--when thou art _a_ king' &c. but erroneously." Four of the Quartos, the first, second, seventh and eighth, have 'when thou art king,' which is unquestionably the right reading.

NOTE VII.

I. 2. 97. The first and second Quartos read as in the text. The third and following Quartos and the Folios print _Poines_ in italics, as if the words 'Now shall we know ... true man' were spoken by him.

NOTE VIII.

I. 2. 148. Theobald was the first to suggest that Harvey and Rossill were the names of the actors who performed the parts of Peto and Bardolph. But in II. 4. 165, 167, 171 for '_Ross._' which is found in the Quartos the Folios substitute not '_Bard._' but '_Gad._' i.e. '_Gadshill_.'

NOTE IX.

I. 2. 175. Steevens claimed as his own conjecture the reading 'to-night,' which Capell had adopted in his text. Mr Knight punctuates, 'and meet me. To-morrow night, &c.'

NOTE X.

II. I. 6, 11. Either the article or the pronoun was intentionally omitted in these passages, in order to give rusticity to the carriers' language. The Folios supply the article in the former passage, but leave the latter untouched.

NOTE XI.

II. I. 72. We have recorded Jackson's conjecture in this passage as a curiosity. Its full value can only be appreciated by reading his own explanation. In many other cases the emendations of Becket and Jackson are quoted as amusing instances of the licence which they permitted themselves.

NOTE XII.

II. 2. 46, 47. The first and second Quartos here read 'Bardoll, what newes?' as part of Poins's speech, and in the same line with it. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth have, '_Bardol_ what newes?' the seventh and eighth, _Bardol_, what newes?' _Bardol_ being in italics. In the Folios, '_Bardolfe_, what newes?' is put in a separate line, and this arrangement appears to have suggested Johnson's conjecture. We have omitted, as unnecessary, many of the stage directions which editors have introduced into this scene, because the whole affair takes place in the dark.

NOTE XIII.

II. 4. 245. Capell's misprint, 'how plain a tale,' which he corrected in MS. as well as in his notes, was followed by Malone and other editors.

NOTE XIV.

II. 4. 481. Johnson was the first to suggest that Poins and not Peto should remain with the Prince. 'I cannot but suspect,' he says, 'that for Peto we should read Poins: what had Peto done that his place should be honourable, or that he should be trusted with the plot against Falstaff? Poins has the prince's confidence, and is a man of courage. This alteration clears the whole difficulty, they all retired but Poins, who, with the prince, having only robbed the robbers, had no need to conceal himself from the travellers.' Johnson's last-mentioned reason for the alteration has less weight when we consider that they all wore vizards. In favour of his conjecture we find that the Dering MS. has 'Poynes' for 'Peto' in line 523, and in the stage directions to lines 504, 508, 524. On the other hand, the formal 'Good morrow, good my lord' is appropriate to Peto rather than to Poins, who was on much more familiar terms with the prince, and rarely addresses him in this play except as 'Hal.' We have therefore left the old text undisturbed.

NOTE XV.

III. 2. 174-176. The first Quarto, whose arrangement is followed in all the other Quartos, reads:

'On thursday we our selues will march. Our meeting
Is Bridgenorth, and Harry, you shall march
Through Glocestershire, by which account ...'

The first Folio has:

'On Thursday, wee our selues will march.
Our meeting is Bridgenorth: and Harry, you shall march
Through Glocestershire: by which account....'

Pope altered the passage thus:

'On Thursday we ourselves will march: our meeting
Is at Bridgenorth; and Harry, you shall march
Through Glo'stershire: by which, some twelve days hence
Our general forces at Bridgenorth shall meet.'

Capell's arrangement, taking in the previous line, is as follows:

'On Wednesday next, son Harry, you shall set
Forward; on thursday, we ourselves will march.
Our meeting is Bridgnorth and, Harry, you
Shall march through Glocestershire; by which account....'

NOTE XVI.

III. 3. 81. Theobald was the first to insert the words 'and Peto' in the stage directions. They are omitted in the Quartos and Folios, and Steevens following Johnson's conjecture, changed them to 'and Pointz.' This alteration is supported by the reading of the Dering MS. in line 186, 'Poynes' for 'Peto.' But 'Peto' is found in the text in III. 3. 186. It is true, as Johnson points out, that Peto is afterwards (IV. 2. 9) mentioned as Falstaff's lieutenant, but this may be the honourable place which the prince had promised him (II. 4. 519).

NOTE XVII.

III. 3. 187. Steevens adopted, without acknowledgement, Capell's arrangement:

'Jack,
Meet me to-morrow in the Temple hall.'

NOTE XVIII.

IV. 1. 54. It is not improbable that a line may have been lost after _reversion_.

NOTE XIX.

IV. 1. 99. We leave this obscure passage as it stands in the old copies. Possibly, as Steevens suggested, a line has dropped out after _wind_. The phrase 'wing the wind' seems to apply to ostriches (for such is unquestionably the meaning of 'estridges') less than to any other birds. Mr Dyce quotes a passage from Claudian (_In Eutropium_, II. 310-313) to justify it:

'Vasta velut Libyæ venantum vocibus ales
Cum premitur, calidas cursu transmittit arenas,
Inque modum veli sinuatis flamine pennis
Pulverulenta volat.'

But this means that the bird spreads its wings like a sail bellying with the wind--a different thing from 'winging the wind.'

Malone, agreeing with Steevens that a line might have been lost, suggested the following:

'All plum'd like estridges, that with the wind
_Run on, in gallant trim they now advance_:
Bated like eagles, &c.'

NOTE XX.

IV. 4. 22. We leave these lines as they are in the Quartos and Folios. Pope read the passage, perhaps rightly, as prose. Steevens smoothed the lines thus:

'_Gent._ Why, good my lord, you need not fear; there's Douglas,
And Mortimer.

_Arch._ No, Mortimer's not there.'

NOTE XXI.

V. 1. We have followed the Quartos, Folios, and all editors till Capell's time, in leaving the 'Earl of Westmoreland' among the persons entering. He does not speak, indeed, but it might be intended that he should be present as a mute person for the nonce. On the same principle we have left 'Lord John of Lancaster' in the stage direction of I. 1.

NOTE XXII.

V. 2. 72. Mr Collier reads 'wild o' liberty,' observing in a note that the three oldest Quartos have this reading. The true reading of these Quartos, and the fourth, is what we have given in the foot-note, 'wild a libertie.' Mr Grant White retains it in his text, interpreting 'never did I hear so wild a liberty reported of any prince.' Pope also adopted this reading without any note of explanation. Theobald restored what he called 'the reading of the old copies' and punctuated thus: 'Of any prince, so wild, at liberty.'

NOTE XXIII.

V. 2. 101. The stage direction of the first Quarto is literally as follows: _Here they embrace the trumpets sound, the King enters with his power, alarme to the battel, then enter Douglas, and Sir Walter Blunt._ The Folios have substantially the same, omitting the word '_Here_.' They indicate no change of scene in this place. The Quartos do not, either here or elsewhere, mark any division into act or scene.

NOTE XXIV.

V. 4. 136, sqq. Pope reads thus:

'I did, I saw him dead
And breathless on the ground: art thou alive,
Or is it Fancy plays upon our eye-sight?
I pr'ythee speak, we will not trust our eyes
Without our ears: thou art not what thou seem'st.'

Capell thus:

'I did; I saw him dead, breathless and bleeding
Upon the ground.--
Art thou alive? or is it fantasy,
That plays upon our eye-sight? I pr'ythee, speak;
We will not trust our eyes without our ears:
Thou art not what thou seem'st.'

NOTE XXV.

V. 5. 30. Malone reads 'shewn' on the authority of the Quarto of 1598. But Capell's copy of that edition has 'taught,' and this is the reading of Malone's own copy, now in the Bodleian Library.

THE SECOND PART OF

KING HENRY THE FOURTH.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ[J].

RUMOUR, the Presenter.
KING HENRY the Fourth.
HENRY, PRINCE of WALES, afterwards King Henry V., }
THOMAS, DUKE of CLARENCE, } his sons.
PRINCE JOHN of LANCASTER, }
PRINCE HUMPHREY of GLOUCESTER, }
EARL of WARWICK.
EARL of WESTMORELAND.
EARL of SURREY.
GOWER.
HARCOURT.
BLUNT.
Lord Chief-Justice of the King's Bench.
A Servant of the Chief-Justice.
EARL of NORTHUMBERLAND.
SCROOP, Archbishop of York.
LORD MOWBRAY.
LORD HASTINGS.
LORD BARDOLPH.
SIR JOHN COLVILLE..
TRAVERS _and_ MORTON, retainers of Northumberland.
SIR JOHN FALSTAFF.
His Page.
BARDOLPH.
PISTOL.
POINS.
PETO.
SHALLOW, } country justices.
SILENCE, }
DAVY, Servant to Shallow.
MOULDY, SHADOW, WART, FEEBLE, _and_ BULLCALF, recruits.
FANG _and_ SNARE, sheriff's officers.

LADY NORTHUMBERLAND.
LADY PERCY.
MISTRESS QUICKLY, hostess of a tavern in Eastcheap.
DOLL TEARSHEET.

Lords and Attendants; Porter[K], Drawers, Beadles, Grooms, &c.

A Dancer, speaker of the epilogue.

SCENE: _England_.

[J] DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.] THE ACTORS NAMES. Ff (at the end of the play). om. Q. See note (I).

[K] Lords ... Porter] om. Ff.

THE SECOND PART OF

KING HENRY IV.

INDUCTION.

_Warkworth. Before the castle._

_Enter_ Rumour, _painted full of tongues_.[3252]

_Rum._ Open your ears; for which of you will stop
The vent of hearing when loud Rumour speaks?
I, from the orient to the drooping west,
Making the wind my post-horse, still unfold
The acts commenced on this ball of earth: 5
Upon my tongues continual slanders ride,[3253]
The which in every language I pronounce,
Stuffing the ears of men with false reports.[3254]
I speak of peace, while covert enmity
Under the smile of safety wounds the world: 10
And who but Rumour, who but only I,
Make fearful musters and prepared defence,
Whiles the big year, swoln with some other grief,[3255]
Is thought with child by the stern tyrant war,
And no such matter? Rumour is a pipe 15
Blown by surmises, jealousies, conjectures,[3256]
And of so easy and so plain a stop
That the blunt monster with uncounted heads,
The still-discordant wavering multitude,[3257]
Can play upon it. But what need I thus 20
My well-known body to anatomize[3258]
Among my household? Why is Rumour here?
I run before King Harry's victory;
Who in a bloody field by Shrewsbury
Hath beaten down young Hotspur and his troops, 25
Quenching the flame of bold rebellion
Even with the rebels' blood. But what mean I
To speak so true at first? my office is[3259]
To noise abroad that Harry Monmouth fell
Under the wrath of noble Hotspur's sword, 30
And that the king before the Douglas' rage
Stoop'd his anointed head as low as death.
This have I rumour'd through the peasant towns[3260]
Between that royal field of Shrewsbury[3261]
And this worm-eaten hold of ragged stone,[3262] 35
Where Hotspur's father, old Northumberland,[3263]
Lies crafty-sick: the posts come tiring on,[3264]
And not a man of them brings other news
Than they have learn'd of me: from Rumour's tongues[3265]
They bring smooth comforts false, worse than true wrongs.[3266] 40

[_Exit._

FOOTNOTES:

[3252] Induction.] Ff. See note (II).

Warkworth ... castle.] Capell.

Enter ... tongues.] Q. Enter Rumour. Ff.

[3253] _tongues_] Q. _tongue_ Ff.

[3254] _men_] Q. _them_ Ff.

[3255] _Whiles_] Q. _Whil'st_ Ff.

_year_] _ear_ Hanmer.

_grief_] _griefe_ Q. _griefes_ F₁ F₂. _griefs_ F₃ F₄.

[3256] _surmises_] Q F₁. _surmise_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[3257] _still-discordant wavering_] _still-discordant-wavering_ Pope.

[3258] _anatomize_] F₄. _anothomize_ Q. _anathomize_ F₁ F₂ F₃.

[3259] _so true_] Q F₁. _of truth_ F₂ F₃ F₄.

[3260] _peasant towns_] _peasant townes_ Q. _peasant-Townes_ F₁ F₂. _peasant-Towns_ F₃. _Peasant Towns_ F₄. _pleasant towns_ Collier MS.

[3261] _that_] Q. _the_ Ff.

[3262] _worm-eaten hold_] Theobald. _worme-eaten hole_ Q. _Worm-eaten-Hole_ Ff.

[3263] _Where_] Ff. _When_ Q.

[3264] _crafty-sick_] Pope. _crafty sicke_ Q F₁ F₂. _crafty sick_ F₃ F₄.

[3265] _me:_] _me,_ Q. _me._ Ff.

[3266] [Exit.] Ff. Exit Rumours. Q.