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Henry IV, Part 1 - Act 4, scene 3
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Henry IV, Part 1 - Act 4, scene 3Act 4, scene 3
⌜Scene 3⌝
Synopsis:
As Hotspur argues with his fellow commanders about when to fight, they are visited by Sir Walter Blunt, who brings them a request from the king that they state their grievances and a promise that, if the grievances are just, they will be answered and the rebels pardoned. After listing their grievances, Hotspur promises to send Worcester the next morning to continue discussions with the king.
Enter Hotspur, Worcester, Douglas, ⌜and⌝ Vernon.HOTSPUR
2466 We’ll fight with him tonight.
WORCESTER 2467 It may not be.
DOUGLAS
2468 You give him then advantage.
VERNON 2469 Not a whit.
HOTSPUR
2470 5 Why say you so? Looks he not for supply?
VERNON 2471 So do we.
HOTSPUR 2472 His is certain; ours is doubtful.
WORCESTER
2473 Good cousin, be advised. Stir not tonight.
VERNON, ⌜to Hotspur⌝
2474 Do not, my lord.
DOUGLAS 2475 10 You do not counsel well.
2476 You speak it out of fear and cold heart.
VERNON
2477 Do me no slander, Douglas. By my life
2478 (And I dare well maintain it with my life),
2479 If well-respected honor bid me on,
2480 15 I hold as little counsel with weak fear
2481 As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives.
2482 Let it be seen tomorrow in the battle
2483 Which of us fears.
DOUGLAS 2484 Yea, or tonight.
VERNON 2485 20Content.
HOTSPUR 2486 Tonight, say I.
VERNON
2487 Come, come, it may not be. I wonder much,
2488 Being men of such great leading as you are,
2489 That you foresee not what impediments
2490 25 Drag back our expedition. Certain horse
2491 Of my cousin Vernon’s are not yet come up.
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175
2492
Your uncle Worcester’s ⌜horse⌝ came but today,2493 And now their pride and mettle is asleep,
2494 Their courage with hard labor tame and dull,
2495 30 That not a horse is half the half of himself.
HOTSPUR
2496 So are the horses of the enemy
2497 In general journey-bated and brought low.
2498 The better part of ours are full of rest.
WORCESTER
2499 The number of the King exceedeth ⌜ours.⌝
2500 35 For God’s sake, cousin, stay till all come in.
The trumpet sounds a parley.
Enter Sir Walter Blunt.
BLUNT
2501 I come with gracious offers from the King,
2502 If you vouchsafe me hearing and respect.
HOTSPUR
2503 Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt, and would to God
2504 You were of our determination.
2505 40 Some of us love you well, and even those some
2506 Envy your great deservings and good name
2507 Because you are not of our quality
2508 But stand against us like an enemy.
BLUNT
2509 And God defend but still I should stand so,
2510 45 So long as out of limit and true rule
2511 You stand against anointed majesty.
2512 But to my charge. The King hath sent to know
2513 The nature of your griefs, and whereupon
2514 You conjure from the breast of civil peace
2515 50 Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land
2516 Audacious cruelty. If that the King
2517 Have any way your good deserts forgot,
2518 Which he confesseth to be manifold,
2519 He bids you name your griefs, and with all speed
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177
2520
55 You shall have your desires with interest2521 And pardon absolute for yourself and these
2522 Herein misled by your suggestion.
HOTSPUR
2523 The King is kind, and well we know the King
2524 Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.
2525 60 My father and my uncle and myself
2526 Did give him that same royalty he wears,
2527 And when he was not six-and-twenty strong,
2528 Sick in the world’s regard, wretched and low,
2529 A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home,
2530 65 My father gave him welcome to the shore;
2531 And when he heard him swear and vow to God
2532 He came but to be Duke of Lancaster,
2533 To sue his livery, and beg his peace
2534 With tears of innocency and terms of zeal,
2535 70 My father, in kind heart and pity moved,
2536 Swore him assistance and performed it too.
2537 Now when the lords and barons of the realm
2538 Perceived Northumberland did lean to him,
2539 The more and less came in with cap and knee,
2540 75 Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,
2541 Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,
2542 Laid gifts before him, proffered him their oaths,
2543 Gave him their heirs as pages, followed him
2544 Even at the heels in golden multitudes.
2545 80 He presently, as greatness knows itself,
2546 Steps me a little higher than his vow
2547 Made to my father while his blood was poor
2548 Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurgh,
2549 And now forsooth takes on him to reform
2550 85 Some certain edicts and some strait decrees
2551 That lie too heavy on the commonwealth,
2552 Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep
2553 Over his ⌜country’s⌝ wrongs, and by this face,
2554 This seeming brow of justice, did he win
2555 90 The hearts of all that he did angle for,
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179
2556
Proceeded further—cut me off the heads2557 Of all the favorites that the absent king
2558 In deputation left behind him here
2559 When he was personal in the Irish war.
BLUNT
2560 95 Tut, I came not to hear this.
HOTSPUR 2561 Then to the point.
2562 In short time after, he deposed the King,
2563 Soon after that deprived him of his life
2564 And, in the neck of that, tasked the whole state.
2565 100 To make that worse, suffered his kinsman March
2566 (Who is, if every owner were well placed,
2567 Indeed his king) to be engaged in Wales,
2568 There without ransom to lie forfeited,
2569 Disgraced me in my happy victories,
2570 105 Sought to entrap me by intelligence,
2571 Rated mine uncle from the council board,
2572 In rage dismissed my father from the court,
2573 Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong,
2574 And in conclusion drove us to seek out
2575 110 This head of safety, and withal to pry
2576 Into his title, the which we find
2577 Too indirect for long continuance.
BLUNT
2578 Shall I return this answer to the King?
HOTSPUR
2579 Not so, Sir Walter. We’ll withdraw awhile.
2580 115 Go to the King, and let there be impawned
2581 Some surety for a safe return again,
2582 And in the morning early shall mine uncle
2583 Bring him our purposes. And so farewell.
BLUNT
2584 I would you would accept of grace and love.
HOTSPUR
2585 120 And maybe so we shall.
BLUNT 2586 Pray God you do.
⌜They exit.⌝