And be no more an exhal'd meteor, A prodigy of fear, and a portent Of broached mischief to the unborn times? For mine own part, I could be well content With quiet hours; for, I do protest, I have not sought the day of this dislike. K. Hen. You have not sought for it! how comes it then? Fal. Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it. Wor. It pleas'd your majesty, to turn your looks In Richard's time; and posted day and night It was myself, my brother, and his son, That all in England did repute him dead,— [5] In an old book of cookery, printed in 1596. I find a receipt to make Chewels, which, from their ingredients, seem to have been fat, greasy puddings; and to these it is probable the prince alludes. STEEVENS. [6] See Richard the Second. JOHNSON. Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster; That even our love durst not come near your sight, Sworn to us in your younger enterprize. K. Hen. These things, indeed, you have articulated, Proclaim'd at market-crosses, read in churches; To face the garment of rebellion With some fine colour, that may please the eye Which gape, and rub the elbow, at the news And never yet did insurrection want Such water-colours, to impaint his cause; P. Hen. In both our armies, there is many a soul Shall pay full dearly for this encounter, If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew, I am content, that he shall take the odds Of his great name and estimation; [7] The cuckoo's chicken, who, being hatched and fed by the sparrow, in whose nest the cuckoo's egg was laid, grows in time able to devour her nurse. JOHNSON. And will, to save the blood on either side, K. Hen. And, prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee, Albeit, considerations infinite Do make against it :-No, good Worcester, no, We love our people well; even those we love, [Exeunt WORCEster and Vernon. P. Hen. It will not be accepted, on my life : The Douglas and the Hotspur both together Are confident against the world in arms. K. Hen. 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! [Exeunt King, BLUNT, and Prince JOHN. Fal. Hal, if thou see me down in the battle, and bestride me, so; 'tis a point of friendship. P. Hen. Nothing but a colossus can do thee that friend ship. Say thy prayers, and farewell. [Erit. Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well. P. Hen. Why, thou owest God a death. 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, how then? Can honour set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no skill in surgery then? No. What is honour? A word. What is in that word, honour? What is that honour? Air. A trim reckoning! -Who hath it? He that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it insensible then? Yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the [9] In the battle of Agincourt, Henry, when king, did this act of friendship for his brother the duke Go cester STEEVENS living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it: therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a mere scutcheon, and so ends my catechism. SCENE II. [Exit. The Rebel Camp. Enter WORCESTER and Vernon. Wor. O, no, my nephew must not know, sir Richard, The liberal kind offer of the king. Ver. 'Twere best, he did. Wor. Then are we all undone, It is not possible, it cannot be, The king should keep his word in loving us ; A hare-brain'd Hotspur,' govern'd by a spleen ; And on his father's ;-we did train him on ; Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll say, Here comes your cousin. 'tis so. Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS; and Officers and Soldiers, behind, Hot. My uncle is return'd :-Deliver up [1] The name of Hotspur will privilege him from censure. Doug. Marry, and shall, and very willingly. Wor. I told him gently of our grievances, [Exit. Doug. Arm, gentlemen; to arms! for I have thrown A brave defiance in king Henry's teeth, And Westmoreland, that was engag'd,' did bear it; Wor. The Prince of Wales stepp'd forth before the king, And, nephew, challeng'd you to single fight. Hot. O, 'would the quarrel lay upon our heads; Trimm'd up your praises with a princely tongue; 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,- England did never owe so sweet a hope, So much misconstrued in his wantonness. Hot. Cousin, I think, thou art enamoured Upon his follies; never did I hear [2] Engag'd is delivered as an hostage. A few lines before, upon the return of Worcester, he orders Westmoreland to be dismissed. JOHNSON. |