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Henry IV, Part 2 - Act 2, scene 3
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Henry IV, Part 2 - Act 2, scene 3Act 2, scene 3
⟨Scene 3⟩
Synopsis:
Northumberland is persuaded by his daughter-in-law, Hotspur’s widow, to abandon the other rebels.
Enter Northumberland, his wife, and the wife toHarry Percy.
NORTHUMBERLAND
1030 I pray thee, loving wife and gentle daughter,
1031 Give even way unto my rough affairs.
1032 Put not you on the visage of the times
1033 And be, like them, to Percy troublesome.
LADY NORTHUMBERLAND
1034 5 I have given over. I will speak no more.
1035 Do what you will; your wisdom be your guide.
NORTHUMBERLAND
1036 Alas, sweet wife, my honor is at pawn,
1037 And, but my going, nothing can redeem it.
LADY PERCY
1038 O yet, for God’s sake, go not to these wars.
1039 10 The time was, father, that you broke your word
1040 When you were more ⟨endeared⟩ to it than now,
1041 When your own Percy, when my heart’s dear Harry,
1042 Threw many a northward look to see his father
1043 Bring up his powers; but he did long in vain.
1044 15 Who then persuaded you to stay at home?
1045 There were two honors lost, yours and your son’s.
1046 For yours, the God of heaven brighten it.
1047 For his, it stuck upon him as the sun
1048 In the gray vault of heaven, and by his light
1049 20 Did all the chivalry of England move
1050 To do brave acts. He was indeed the glass
1051 Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves.
1052 ⟨He had no legs that practiced not his gait;
1053 And speaking thick, which nature made his blemish,
1054 25 Became the accents of the valiant;
1055 For those that could speak low and tardily
1056 Would turn their own perfection to abuse
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1057
To seem like him. So that in speech, in gait,1058 In diet, in affections of delight,
1059 30 In military rules, humors of blood,
1060 He was the mark and glass, copy and book,
1061 That fashioned others. And him—O wondrous him!
1062 O miracle of men!—him did you leave,
1063 Second to none, unseconded by you,
1064 35 To look upon the hideous god of war
1065 In disadvantage, to abide a field
1066 Where nothing but the sound of Hotspur’s name
1067 Did seem defensible. So you left him.
1068 Never, O never, do his ghost the wrong
1069 40 To hold your honor more precise and nice
1070 With others than with him. Let them alone.
1071 The Marshal and the Archbishop are strong.
1072 Had my sweet Harry had but half their numbers,
1073 Today might I, hanging on Hotspur’s neck,
1074 45 Have talked of Monmouth’s grave.⟩
NORTHUMBERLAND 1075 Beshrew your
1076 heart,
1077 Fair daughter, you do draw my spirits from me
1078 With new lamenting ancient oversights.
1079 50 But I must go and meet with danger there,
1080 Or it will seek me in another place
1081 And find me worse provided.
LADY NORTHUMBERLAND 1082 O, fly to Scotland
1083 Till that the nobles and the armèd commons
1084 55 Have of their puissance made a little taste.
LADY PERCY
1085 If they get ground and vantage of the King,
1086 Then join you with them like a rib of steel
1087 To make strength stronger; but, for all our loves,
1088 First let them try themselves. So did your son;
1089 60 He was so suffered. So came I a widow,
1090 And never shall have length of life enough
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1091
To rain upon remembrance with mine eyes1092 That it may grow and sprout as high as heaven
1093 For recordation to my noble husband.
NORTHUMBERLAND
1094 65 Come, come, go in with me. ’Tis with my mind
1095 As with the tide swelled up unto his height,
1096 That makes a still-stand, running neither way.
1097 Fain would I go to meet the Archbishop,
1098 But many thousand reasons hold me back.
1099 70 I will resolve for Scotland. There am I
1100 Till time and vantage crave my company.
They exit.