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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, we will set on them:
And Heaven befriend us, as our cause is just!

[Exeunt the KING, PRINCE JOHN, SIR W.
BLUNT, GENTLEMEN, and SOLDIERS.

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 friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell.

Fal. I would it were bed time, Hal, and all well. P. Hen. Why, thou owest Heaven a death.

[Erit. 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 that word, honour? Air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? He that dy'd 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 living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it: therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a mere scutcheon; and so ends my catechism.

A

[Exit.

SCENE II.

HOTSPUR'S Camp.

Enter EARL Of Worcester and SIR RICHARD 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 ;
He will suspect us still, and find a time
To punish this offence in other faults:
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 hair-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, EARL OF DOUGLAS, GENTLEMEN,
SOLDIERS.

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, then go you, and tell him so.
Doug. Marry, and shall, and very willingly.

[Exit.
Wor. There is no seeming mercy in the king.
Hot. Did you beg any? Heaven 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.
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;
And that no man might draw short breath to-day,
But I, and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me,
How show'd his talking? scem'd it in contempt?
Ver. No, by my soul; I'never in my life
Did hear a challenge urg'd more modestly,
Unless a brother should a brother dare
To gentle exercise and proof of arms.
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:
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
Upon his follies.

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.

Enter EARL OF DOUGLAS.

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;
Which cannot chuse but bring him quickly on.
Hot. Arm, arm with speed!-

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!

Enter RABY.

Rab. 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.
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.

[The Drums, Trumpets, &c. sound.-They em-
brace.

Now, Esperanza!-Percy !-and set on.

[Trumpets, Drums, &c.—Exeunt.

H

Fal. Ay, Hal; 'tis hot, 'tis hot; there's that will sack a city. [The PRINCE draws out a Bottle of Sack. P. Hen. What, is it a time to jest and dally now?

[The PRINCE throws it at him, and exit. Fal. 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.

[Alarums.-Exit.

SCENE IV.

Another Part of the Field of Battle.

Alarums-Excursions.

Enter HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES, and HOTSPUR.

Hot. If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth. P. Hen. Thou speak'st as if I would deny my

name.

Hot. My name is Harry Percy.
P. Hen. Why, then I see

A very valiant rebel of the name.

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;
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 Heaven,
Thy name in arms were now as great as mine!
P. Hen. I'll make it greater, ere I part from thee;

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