Dowg. Yea, or to night
Vern. Content
Hotsp. To night, say I
Vern. Come, come, it may not be.
I wonder much, being me[n] of such great leading as you are That you fore-see not what impediments Drag backe our expedition: certaine Horse Of my Cousin Vernons are not yet come vp, Your Vnckle Worcesters Horse came but to day, And now their pride and mettall is asleepe, Their courage with hard labour tame and dull, That not a Horse is halfe the halfe of himselfe
Hotsp. So are the Horses of the Enemie In generall iourney bated, and brought low: The better part of ours are full of rest
Worc. The number of the King exceedeth ours: For G.o.ds sake, Cousin, stay till all come in.
The Trumpet sounds a Parley. Enter Sir Walter Blunt.
Blunt. I come with gracious offers from the King, If you vouchsafe me hearing, and respect
Hotsp. Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt: And would to G.o.d you were of our determination.
Some of vs loue you well: and euen those some Enuie your great deseruings, and good name, Because you are not of our qualitie, But stand against vs like an Enemie
Blunt. And Heauen defend, but still I should stand so, So long as out of Limit, and true Rule, You stand against anoynted Maiestie.
But to my Charge.
The King hath sent to know The nature of your Griefes, and whereupon You coniure from the Brest of Ciuill Peace, Such bold Hostilitie, teaching his dutious Land Audacious Crueltie. If that the King Haue any way your good Deserts forgot, Which he confesseth to be manifold, He bids you name your Griefes, and with all speed You shall haue your desires, with interest; And Pardon absolute for your selfe, and these, Herein mis-led, by your suggestion
Hotsp. The King is kinde: And well wee know, the King Knowes at what time to promise, when to pay.
My Father, my Vnckle, and my selfe, Did giue him that same Royaltie he weares: And when he was not sixe and twentie strong, Sicke in the Worlds regard, wretched, and low, A poore vnminded Out-law, sneaking home, My Father gaue him welcome to the sh.o.r.e: And when he heard him sweare, and vow to G.o.d, He came but to be Duke of Lancaster, To sue his Liuerie, and begge his Peace, With teares of Innocencie, and tearmes of Zeale; My Father, in kinde heart and pitty mou"d, Swore him a.s.sistance, and perform"d it too.
Now, when the Lords and Barons of the Realme Perceiu"d Northumberland did leane to him, The more and lesse came in with Cap and Knee, Met him in Boroughs, Cities, Villages, Attended him on Bridges, stood in Lanes, Layd Gifts before him, proffer"d him their Oathes, Gaue him their Heires, as Pages followed him, Euen at the heeles, in golden mult.i.tudes.
He presently, as Greatnesse knowes it selfe, Step me a little higher then his Vow Made to my Father, while his blood was poore, Vpon the naked sh.o.r.e at Rauenspurgh: And now (forsooth) takes on him to reforme Some certaine Edicts, and some strait Decrees, That lay too heauie on the Common-wealth; Cryes out vpon abuses, seemes to weepe Ouer his Countries Wrongs: and by this Face, This seeming Brow of Iustice, did he winne The hearts of all that hee did angle for.
Proceeded further, cut me off the Heads Of all the Fauorites, that the absent King In deputation left behinde him heere, When hee was personall in the Irish Warre
Blunt. Tut, I came not to hear this
Hotsp. Then to the point.
In short time after, hee depos"d the King.
Soone after that, depriu"d him of his Life: And in the neck of that, task"t the whole State.
To make that worse, suffer"d his Kinsman March, Who is, if euery Owner were plac"d, Indeede his King, to be engag"d in Wales, There, without Ransome, to lye forfeited: Disgrac"d me in my happie Victories, Sought to intrap me by intelligence, Rated my Vnckle from the Councell-Boord, In rage dismiss"d my Father from the Court, Broke Oath on Oath, committed Wrong on Wrong, And in conclusion, droue vs to seeke out This Head of safetie; and withall, to prie Into his t.i.tle: the which wee finde Too indirect, for long continuance
Blunt. Shall I returne this answer to the King?
Hotsp. Not so, Sir Walter.
Wee"le with-draw a while: Goe to the King, and let there be imp.a.w.n"d Some suretie for a safe returne againe, And in the Morning early shall my Vnckle Bring him our purpose: and so farewell
Blunt. I would you would accept of Grace and Loue
Hotsp. And"t may be, so wee shall
Blunt. Pray Heauen you doe.
Exeunt.
Scena Quarta.
Enter the Arch-Bishop of Yorke, and Sir Mich.e.l.l.
Arch. Hie, good Sir Mich.e.l.l, beare this sealed Briefe With winged haste to the Lord Marshall, This to my Cousin Scroope, and all the rest To whom they are directed.
If you knew how much they doe import, You would make haste
Sir Mich. My good Lord, I guesse their tenor
Arch. Like enough you doe.
To morrow, good Sir Mich.e.l.l, is a day, Wherein the fortune of ten thousand men Must bide the touch. For Sir, at Shrewsbury, As I am truly giuen to vnderstand, The King, with mightie and quick-raysed Power, Meetes with Lord Harry: and I feare, Sir Mich.e.l.l, What with the sicknesse of Northumberland, Whose Power was in the first proportion; And what with Owen Glendowers absence thence, Who with them was rated firmely too, And comes not in, ouer-rul"d by Prophecies, I feare the Power of Percy is too weake, To wage an instant tryall with the King
Sir Mich. Why, my good Lord, you need not feare, There is Dowglas, and Lord Mortimer
Arch. No, Mortimer is not there
Sir Mic. But there is Mordake, Vernon, Lord Harry Percy, And there is my Lord of Worcester, And a Head of gallant Warriors, n.o.ble Gentlemen
Arch. And so there is, but yet the King hath Drawne The speciall head of all the Land together: The Prince of Wales, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, The n.o.ble Westmerland, and warlike Blunt; And many moe Corriuals, and deare men Of estimation, and command in Armes
Sir M. Doubt not my Lord, he shall be well oppos"d Arch. I hope no lesse? Yet needfull "tis to feare, And to preuent the worst, Sir Mich.e.l.l speed; For if Lord Percy thriue not, ere the King Dismisse his power, he meanes to visit vs: For he hath heard of our Confederacie, And, "tis but Wisedome to make strong against him: Therefore make hast, I must go write againe To other Friends: and so farewell, Sir Mich.e.l.l.
Exeunt.
Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.
Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle of Westmerland, Sir Walter Blunt, and Falstaffe.
King. How bloodily the Sunne begins to peere Aboue yon busky hill: the day lookes pale At his distemperature Prin. The Southerne winde Doth play the Trumpet to his purposes, And by his hollow whistling in the Leaues, Fortels a Tempest, and a bl.u.s.t"ring day
King. Then with the losers let it sympathize, For nothing can seeme foule to those that win.
The Trumpet sounds.
Enter Worcester.
King. How now my Lord of Worster? "Tis not well That you and I should meet vpon such tearmes, As now we meet. You haue deceiu"d our trust, And made vs doffe our easie Robes of Peace, To crush our old limbes in vngentle Steele: This is not well, my Lord, this is not well.
What say you to it? Will you againe vnknit This churlish knot of all-abhorred Warre?
And moue in the obedient Orbe againe, Where you did giue a faire and naturall light, And be no more an exhall"d Meteor, A prodigie of Feare, and a Portent Of broached Mischeefe, to the vnborne Times?
Wor. Heare me, my Liege: For mine owne part, I could be well content To entertaine the Lagge-end of my life With quiet houres: For I do protest, I haue not sought the day of this dislike
King. You haue not sought it: how comes it then?
Fal. Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it
Prin. Peace, Chewet, peace
Wor. It pleas"d your Maiesty, to turne your lookes Of Fauour, from my Selfe, and all our House; And yet I must remember you my Lord, We were the first, and dearest of your Friends: For you, my staffe of Office did I breake In Richards time, and poasted day and night To meete you on the way, and kisse your hand, When yet you were in place, and in account Nothing so strong and fortunate, as I; It was my Selfe, my Brother, and his Sonne, That brought you home, and boldly did out-dare The danger of the time. You swore to vs, And you did sweare that Oath at Doncaster, That you did nothing of purpose "gainst the State, Nor claime no further, then your new-falne right, The seate of Gaunt, Dukedome of Lancaster, To this, we sware our aide: But in short s.p.a.ce, It rain"d downe Fortune showring on your head, And such a floud of Greatnesse fell on you, What with our helpe, what with the absent King.
What with the iniuries of wanton time, The seeming sufferances that you had borne, And the contrarious Windes that held the King So long in the vnlucky Irish Warres, That all in England did repute him dead: And from this swarme of faire aduantages, You tooke occasion to be quickly woo"d, To gripe the generall sway into your hand, Forgot your Oath to vs at Doncaster, And being fed by vs, you vs"d vs so, As that vngentle gull the Cuckowes Bird, Vseth the Sparrow, did oppresse our Nest Grew by our Feeding, to so great a builke, That euen our Loue durst not come neere your sight For feare of swallowing: But with nimble wing We were infor"d for safety sake, to flye Out of your sight, and raise this present Head, Whereby we stand opposed by such meanes As you your selfe, haue forg"d against your selfe, By vnkinde vsage, dangerous countenance, And violation of all faith and troth Sworne to vs in yonger enterprize