Act III, Scene 1

Bangor. The Archdeacon’s house.

[Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, MORTIMER, and GLENDOWER]

• Mortimer. These promises are fair, the parties sure,
  And our induction full of prosperous hope.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Lord Mortimer, and cousin Glendower, 1545
  Will you sit down?
  And uncle Worcester: a plague upon it!
  I have forgot the map.

• Glendower. No, here it is.
  Sit, cousin Percy; sit, good cousin Hotspur, 1550
  For by that name as oft as Lancaster
  Doth speak of you, his cheek looks pale and with
  A rising sigh he wisheth you in heaven.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). And you in hell, as oft as he hears Owen Glendower spoke of.

• Glendower. I cannot blame him: at my nativity 1555
  The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes,
  Of burning cressets; and at my birth
  The frame and huge foundation of the earth
  Shaked like a coward.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, so it would have done at the same season, if 1560
  your mother's cat had but kittened, though yourself
  had never been born.

• Glendower. I say the earth did shake when I was born.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). And I say the earth was not of my mind,
  If you suppose as fearing you it shook. 1565

• Glendower. The heavens were all on fire, the earth did tremble.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). O, then the earth shook to see the heavens on fire,
  And not in fear of your nativity.
  Diseased nature oftentimes breaks forth
  In strange eruptions; oft the teeming earth 1570
  Is with a kind of colic pinch'd and vex'd
  By the imprisoning of unruly wind
  Within her womb; which, for enlargement striving,
  Shakes the old beldam earth and topples down
  Steeples and moss-grown towers. At your birth 1575
  Our grandam earth, having this distemperature,
  In passion shook.

• Glendower. Cousin, of many men
  I do not bear these crossings. Give me leave
  To tell you once again that at my birth 1580
  The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes,
  The goats ran from the mountains, and the herds
  Were strangely clamorous to the frighted fields.
  These signs have mark'd me extraordinary;
  And all the courses of my life do show 1585
  I am not in the roll of common men.
  Where is he living, clipp'd in with the sea
  That chides the banks of England, Scotland, Wales,
  Which calls me pupil, or hath read to me?
  And bring him out that is but woman's son 1590
  Can trace me in the tedious ways of art
  And hold me pace in deep experiments.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). I think there's no man speaks better Welsh.
  I'll to dinner.

• Mortimer. Peace, cousin Percy; you will make him mad. 1595

• Glendower. I can call spirits from the vasty deep.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, so can I, or so can any man;
  But will they come when you do call for them?

• Glendower. Why, I can teach you, cousin, to command
  The devil. 1600

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). And I can teach thee, coz, to shame the devil
  By telling truth: tell truth and shame the devil.
  If thou have power to raise him, bring him hither,
  And I'll be sworn I have power to shame him hence.
  O, while you live, tell truth and shame the devil! 1605

• Mortimer. Come, come, no more of this unprofitable chat.

• Glendower. Three times hath Henry Bolingbroke made head
  Against my power; thrice from the banks of Wye
  And sandy-bottom'd Severn have I sent him
  Bootless home and weather-beaten back. 1610

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Home without boots, and in foul weather too!
  How 'scapes he agues, in the devil's name?

• Glendower. Come, here's the map: shall we divide our right
  According to our threefold order ta'en?

• Mortimer. The archdeacon hath divided it 1615
  Into three limits very equally:
  England, from Trent and Severn hitherto,
  By south and east is to my part assign'd:
  All westward, Wales beyond the Severn shore,
  And all the fertile land within that bound, 1620
  To Owen Glendower: and, dear coz, to you
  The remnant northward, lying off from Trent.
  And our indentures tripartite are drawn;
  Which being sealed interchangeably,
  A business that this night may execute, 1625
  To-morrow, cousin Percy, you and I
  And my good Lord of Worcester will set forth
  To meet your father and the Scottish power,
  As is appointed us, at Shrewsbury.
  My father Glendower is not ready yet, 1630
  Not shall we need his help these fourteen days.
  Within that space you may have drawn together
  Your tenants, friends and neighbouring gentlemen.

• Glendower. A shorter time shall send me to you, lords:
  And in my conduct shall your ladies come; 1635
  From whom you now must steal and take no leave,
  For there will be a world of water shed
  Upon the parting of your wives and you.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Methinks my moiety, north from Burton here,
  In quantity equals not one of yours: 1640
  See how this river comes me cranking in,
  And cuts me from the best of all my land
  A huge half-moon, a monstrous cantle out.
  I'll have the current in this place damm'd up;
  And here the smug and silver Trent shall run 1645
  In a new channel, fair and evenly;
  It shall not wind with such a deep indent,
  To rob me of so rich a bottom here.

• Glendower. Not wind? it shall, it must; you see it doth.

• Mortimer. Yea, but 1650
  Mark how he bears his course, and runs me up
  With like advantage on the other side;
  Gelding the opposed continent as much
  As on the other side it takes from you.

• Earl of Worcester. Yea, but a little charge will trench him here 1655
  And on this north side win this cape of land;
  And then he runs straight and even.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). I'll have it so: a little charge will do it.

• Glendower. I'll not have it alter'd.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Will not you? 1660

• Glendower. No, nor you shall not.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Who shall say me nay?

• Glendower. Why, that will I.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Let me not understand you, then; speak it in Welsh.

• Glendower. I can speak English, lord, as well as you; 1665
  For I was train'd up in the English court;
  Where, being but young, I framed to the harp
  Many an English ditty lovely well
  And gave the tongue a helpful ornament,
  A virtue that was never seen in you. 1670

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Marry,
  And I am glad of it with all my heart:
  I had rather be a kitten and cry mew
  Than one of these same metre ballad-mongers;
  I had rather hear a brazen canstick turn'd, 1675
  Or a dry wheel grate on the axle-tree;
  And that would set my teeth nothing on edge,
  Nothing so much as mincing poetry:
  'Tis like the forced gait of a shuffling nag.

• Glendower. Come, you shall have Trent turn'd. 1680

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). I do not care: I'll give thrice so much land
  To any well-deserving friend;
  But in the way of bargain, mark ye me,
  I'll cavil on the ninth part of a hair.
  Are the indentures drawn? shall we be gone? 1685

• Glendower. The moon shines fair; you may away by night:
  I'll haste the writer and withal
  Break with your wives of your departure hence:
  I am afraid my daughter will run mad,
  So much she doteth on her Mortimer. 1690

[Exit GLENDOWER]

• Mortimer. Fie, cousin Percy! how you cross my father!

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). I cannot choose: sometime he angers me
  With telling me of the mouldwarp and the ant,
  Of the dreamer Merlin and his prophecies, 1695
  And of a dragon and a finless fish,
  A clip-wing'd griffin and a moulten raven,
  A couching lion and a ramping cat,
  And such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff
  As puts me from my faith. I tell you what; 1700
  He held me last night at least nine hours
  In reckoning up the several devils' names
  That were his lackeys: I cried 'hum,' and 'well, go to,'
  But mark'd him not a word. O, he is as tedious
  As a tired horse, a railing wife; 1705
  Worse than a smoky house: I had rather live
  With cheese and garlic in a windmill, far,
  Than feed on cates and have him talk to me
  In any summer-house in Christendom.

• Mortimer. In faith, he is a worthy gentleman, 1710
  Exceedingly well read, and profited
  In strange concealments, valiant as a lion
  And as wondrous affable and as bountiful
  As mines of India. Shall I tell you, cousin?
  He holds your temper in a high respect 1715
  And curbs himself even of his natural scope
  When you come 'cross his humour; faith, he does:
  I warrant you, that man is not alive
  Might so have tempted him as you have done,
  Without the taste of danger and reproof: 1720
  But do not use it oft, let me entreat you.

• Earl of Worcester. In faith, my lord, you are too wilful-blame;
  And since your coming hither have done enough
  To put him quite beside his patience.
  You must needs learn, lord, to amend this fault: 1725
  Though sometimes it show greatness, courage, blood,—
  And that's the dearest grace it renders you,—
  Yet oftentimes it doth present harsh rage,
  Defect of manners, want of government,
  Pride, haughtiness, opinion and disdain: 1730
  The least of which haunting a nobleman
  Loseth men's hearts and leaves behind a stain
  Upon the beauty of all parts besides,
  Beguiling them of commendation.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Well, I am school'd: good manners be your speed! 1735
  Here come our wives, and let us take our leave.

[Re-enter GLENDOWER with the ladies]

• Mortimer. This is the deadly spite that angers me;
  My wife can speak no English, I no Welsh.

• Glendower. My daughter weeps: she will not part with you; 1740
  She'll be a soldier too, she'll to the wars.

• Mortimer. Good father, tell her that she and my aunt Percy
  Shall follow in your conduct speedily.

[Glendower speaks to her in Welsh, and she answers him in the same]

• Glendower. She is desperate here; a peevish self-wind harlotry, 1745
  one that no persuasion can do good upon.

[The lady speaks in Welsh]

• Mortimer. I understand thy looks: that pretty Welsh
  Which thou pour'st down from these swelling heavens
  I am too perfect in; and, but for shame, 1750
  In such a parley should I answer thee.
  [The lady speaks again in Welsh]
  I understand thy kisses and thou mine,
  And that's a feeling disputation:
  But I will never be a truant, love, 1755
  Till I have learned thy language; for thy tongue
  Makes Welsh as sweet as ditties highly penn'd,
  Sung by a fair queen in a summer's bower,
  With ravishing division, to her lute.

• Glendower. Nay, if you melt, then will she run mad. 1760

[The lady speaks again in Welsh]

• Mortimer. O, I am ignorance itself in this!

• Glendower. She bids you on the wanton rushes lay you down
  And rest your gentle head upon her lap,
  And she will sing the song that pleaseth you 1765
  And on your eyelids crown the god of sleep.
  Charming your blood with pleasing heaviness,
  Making such difference 'twixt wake and sleep
  As is the difference betwixt day and night
  The hour before the heavenly-harness'd team 1770
  Begins his golden progress in the east.

• Mortimer. With all my heart I'll sit and hear her sing:
  By that time will our book, I think, be drawn

• Glendower. Do so;
  And those musicians that shall play to you 1775
  Hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence,
  And straight they shall be here: sit, and attend.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Come, Kate, thou art perfect in lying down: come,
  quick, quick, that I may lay my head in thy lap.

• Lady Percy. Go, ye giddy goose. 1780

[The music plays]

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Now I perceive the devil understands Welsh;
  And 'tis no marvel he is so humorous.
  By'r lady, he is a good musician.

• Lady Percy. Then should you be nothing but musical for you are 1785
  altogether governed by humours. Lie still, ye thief,
  and hear the lady sing in Welsh.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). I had rather hear Lady, my brach, howl in Irish.

• Lady Percy. Wouldst thou have thy head broken?

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). No. 1790

• Lady Percy. Then be still.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Neither;'tis a woman's fault.

• Lady Percy. Now God help thee!

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). To the Welsh lady's bed.

• Lady Percy. What's that? 1795

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Peace! she sings.

[Here the lady sings a Welsh song]

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Come, Kate, I'll have your song too.

• Lady Percy. Not mine, in good sooth.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Not yours, in good sooth! Heart! you swear like a 1800
  comfit-maker's wife. 'Not you, in good sooth,' and
  'as true as I live,' and 'as God shall mend me,' and
  'as sure as day,'
  And givest such sarcenet surety for thy oaths,
  As if thou never walk'st further than Finsbury. 1805
  Swear me, Kate, like a lady as thou art,
  A good mouth-filling oath, and leave 'in sooth,'
  And such protest of pepper-gingerbread,
  To velvet-guards and Sunday-citizens.
  Come, sing. 1810

• Lady Percy. I will not sing.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). 'Tis the next way to turn tailor, or be red-breast
  teacher. An the indentures be drawn, I'll away
  within these two hours; and so, come in when ye will.

[Exit]

• Glendower. Come, come, Lord Mortimer; you are as slow
  As hot Lord Percy is on fire to go.
  By this our book is drawn; we'll but seal,
  And then to horse immediately.

• Mortimer. With all my heart. 1820

[Exeunt]