Of pellmell havock and confusion. 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, And so, I hear, he doth account me too: And will, to save the blood on either side, K. Hen. And, prince of Wales, so dare we ven ture thee, Albeit, considerations infinite. Do make against it:-No, good Worcester, no, We offer fair, take it advisedly. Exeunt WORCESTER and VERNON. 3 set off his head,] L. e. taken from his account 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 For, on their answer, will we set on them: [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 friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewell. Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well. P. Hen. Why, thou owest God a death. [Exit. 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 living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it-therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a mere scutcheon, and so ends my catechism. [Exit. 4 Honour is a mere scutcheon,] The reward of brave actions formerly was only some honourable bearing in the shields of arms bestowed upon deservers. But Falstaff having said that honour often came not till after death, he calls it very wittily a scutcheon, which is the painted heraldry borne in funeral processions; and by mere scutcheon is insinuated t at whether alive or dead, honour was but a name. SCENE II. 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. 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, 'tis so. Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS; and Officers and Soldiers, behind. 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. [Exit. Wor. There is no seeming mercy in the king. Hot. Did you beg any? God forbid! Wor. I told him gently of our grievances, Re-enter 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 choose but bring him quickly on. 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; 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 urg'd more modestly, Deliver up My lord of Westmoreland.] He was "impawned as a surety for the safe return" of Worcester. Unless a brother should a brother dare England did never owe so sweet a hope, Better consider what you have to do, Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, here are letters for you. O gentlemen, the time of life is short; • He made a blushing cital] Mr. Pope observes, that by cital is meant taxation; but perhaps rather recital. 7 Of any prince, so wild, at liberty:] Of any prince that played such pranks, and was not confined as a madman. * |