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For you, my ftaff of office I did break

In Richard's time, and posted day and night
To meet you on the way, and kifs your hand;
When yet you were in place and in account
Nothing fo ftrong and fortunate, as I:

It was my felf, my brother, and his fon,
That brought you home, and boldly did out-dare
The dangers of the time. You fwore to us,
And you did fwear that Oath at Doncaster,
That you did nothing purpose 'gainst the State,
Nor claim no further than your new-fall'n Right;
The Seat of Gaunt, Dukedom of Lancaster.
To this, we fware our aid; but in short space
It rain'd down fortune show'ring on your head,
And fuch a flood of greatnefs fell on you,
What with our help, what with the absent King,
What with the injuries of a wanton time,
The feeming fuff'rances that you had borne,
And the contrarious winds that held the King
So long in the unlucky Irish wars,
That all in England did repute him dead;
And from this fwarm of fair advantages
You took occafion to be quickly woo'd,
To gripe the gen'ral Sway into your
hand;
Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster,
And being fed by us, you us'd us so,

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As that ungentle gull, the Cuckow's bird, Ufeth the Sparrow, did opprefs our neft, Grew by our feeding to fo great a bulk, That ev'n our love durft not come near your fight For fear of fwallowing; but with nimble wing We were inforc'd for fafety's fake to fly Out of your fight, and raise this prefent head,

My faff of office.] See Richard the fecond.

As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird.] The cuckow's chicken, who, being hatch

ed and fed by the fparrow, in whofe neft the cuckow's egg was laid, grows in time able to devour her nurfe.

Whereby

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Whereby we stand opposed by such means
As you yourself have forg'd against yourself,
By unkind ufage, dangerous countenance,
And violation of all faith and troth,

Sworn to us in your younger enterprize.

K. Henry. These things, indeed, you have articulated,
Proclaim'd at market-croffes, read in churches,
To face the garment of Rebellion

With fome fine colour, that may please the eye
Of fickle Changelings and poor Difcontents
Which gape, and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurly-burly innovation.

And never yet did Infurrection want
Such water-colours, to impaint his caufe,
Nor moody' beggars, ftarving for a time
Of pell-mell havock and confufion.

P. Henry. In both our armies there is many a foul
Shall pay full dearly for this bold encounter,
If once they join in tryal. Tell your Nephew,
The Prince of Wales doth join with all the world
In praife of Henry Percy. By my hopes,
This prefent enterprize fet off his head

I do not think a braver gentleman,
*More active-valiant, or more valiant-young,
More daring, or more bold, is now alive,
To grace this latter age with noble deed.
For my part, I may speak it to my fhame,
I have a truant been to Chivalry,

And fo, I hear, he doth account me too.
Yet this before my father's Majefty
I am content that he fhall take the odds
Of his great Name and Estimation,
And will, to fave the blood on either fide,
Try fortune with him, in a fingle fight.

3 We fand opprfed, &c.] We fand in oppofition to you.

4 More active-valiant, or more valiant-yourg.] Sir T. Han

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mer reads, more valued young. I think the prefent gingle has more of Shakespeare.

K. Henry.

K. Henry. And, Prince of Wales, fo dare we venture thee,

Albeit, Confiderations infinite

Do make against it. No, good Wor'ster, no,
We love our Ieople well; even thofe we love,
That are nifled upon your Coufin's part;
And, will thy take the offer of our Grace,
Both he, and they, and you, yea, every man
Shall be my friend again, and I'll be his.
So tell your Coufin, and return me word
What he will do. But if he will not yield,
Rebuke and dread Correction wait on us,
And they fhall do their office. So, be gone;
We will not now be troubled with Reply;
We offer fair, take it advifedly.

[Exit Worcester, with Vernon.
P. Lenry. It will not be accepted, on my life.
The Douglas and the Fotfpur both together
Are confident against the world in arms.

K. Henry. Hence, therefore, every Leader to his Charge.

For on their anfwer we will fet on them.

And God befriend us, as our caufe is juft! [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Manent Prince Henry and Falftaff.

Fal. Hal, if thou fee me down in the battle,' and beflride me, fo; 'tis a point of friendship.

P. Lenry. Nothing but a Coloffus can do thee that friendship. Say thy prayers, and farewel.

*

Fal. I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well. P. Henry. Why, thou oweft heav'n a death. [Exit P. Henry. Fal. 'Tis not due yet: I would be loth to pay him before his day. What need I be fo forward with im that calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter, honour This exit is remarked by Mr. Upton.

pricks me on; but how if honour prick me off, when I come on how then? Can honour fet to a leg? no: or an arm? no or take away the grief of a wound? no: honour hath no fkill in furgery then? no. What is honour? a word. What is that word honour? Air; a trim Reckoning. Who hath it? he that dy'd a Wednesday. Doth he feel it? no. Doth he hear it? no. Is it infenfible then? yea, to the dead; but will it not live with the living? no; why? Detraction will not fuffer it. Therefore, I'll none of it; honour is a meer fcutcheon, and fo ends my catechifm. [Exit.

Wer.

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Changes to Percy's Camp.

Enter Worcester, and Sir Richard Vernon.

No, my nephew must not know, Sir

Richard,

The liberal kind offer of the King.

Ver. 'Twere beft, he did.

Wer. Then we are all undone.

It is not poffible, it cannot be,

The King fhould keep his word in loving us;
He will fufpect us fill, and find a time

To punish this offence in other faults.

Sufpicion, all our lives, fhall be fuck full of eyes; For treafon is but trufted like a Fox,

Who ne'er fo tame, fo cherifh'd, and lock'd

up,

6 Sfpicion, all our lives, fall

5 honour is a mere fcutcheon,] proceffions. And by meer fcutcheon This is very fine. The reward is infinuated, that whether alive of brave actions formerly was or dead, honour was but a name. only fome honourable bearing in WARBURTON, the shields of arms bestow'd upon defervers. But Falstaff having faid that honour often came not till after death, he calls it very wittily a fcut heon, which is the painted heraldry borne in funeral

be fuck full of eyes.] The fame image of Jufpicion is exhibited in a Latin tragedy, called Roxana, written about the fame time by Dr. William Alablofter.

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Will

Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.
Look how we can, or fad, or merrily,
Interpretation will mifquote our looks;
And we fhall feed like Oxen at a stall,
The better cherish'd, ftill the nearer death.
My nephew's trefpafs may be well forgot,
It hath th' excufe of youth and heat of blood
And an adopted name of privilege,

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A hair-brain'd Hot-Spur, 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, fhall pay for all.
Therefore, good coufin, let not Harry know,
In any cafe the offer of the King.

Ver. Deliver what you will, I'll fay, 'tis fo.
Here comes your coufin.

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Enter Hot fpur and Dowglas.

Hot. My uncle is return'd.

-Deliver up my lord of Westmorland.

-Uncle, what news?

Wor. The King will bid you battle presently. Dowg. Defy him by the lord of Westmorland. Hot. Lord Dowglas, go you then and tell him so. Dowg. Marry, I fhall; and very willingly. [Exit Dowglas, Wer. There is no feeming mercy in the King. Hot. Did you beg any? God forbid! Wer. I told him gently of our grievances, Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus, By now forfwearing that he is forfworn.

7 An adopted name of privilege, name of Hot-four will privilege A heir-brain'a Hot-fpur.] The him from cenfure.

He

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