Act IV, Scene 3

The rebel camp near Shrewsbury.

[Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, DOUGLAS, and VERNON]

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). We'll fight with him to-night.

• Earl of Worcester. It may not be.

• Earl of Douglas. You give him then the advantage.

• Vernon. Not a whit. 2455

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why say you so? looks he not for supply?

• Vernon. So do we.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). His is certain, ours is doubtful.

• Earl of Worcester. Good cousin, be advised; stir not tonight.

• Vernon. Do not, my lord. 2460

• Earl of Douglas. You do not counsel well:
  You speak it out of fear and cold heart.

• Vernon. Do me no slander, Douglas: by my life,
  And I dare well maintain it with my life,
  If well-respected honour bid me on, 2465
  I hold as little counsel with weak fear
  As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives:
  Let it be seen to-morrow in the battle
  Which of us fears.

• Earl of Douglas. Yea, or to-night. 2470

• Vernon. Content.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). To-night, say I.

• Vernon. Come, come it nay not be. I wonder much,
  Being men of such great leading as you are,
  That you foresee not what impediments 2475
  Drag back our expedition: certain horse
  Of my cousin Vernon's are not yet come up:
  Your uncle Worcester's horse came but today;
  And now their pride and mettle is asleep,
  Their courage with hard labour tame and dull, 2480
  That not a horse is half the half of himself.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). So are the horses of the enemy
  In general, journey-bated and brought low:
  The better part of ours are full of rest.

• Earl of Worcester. The number of the king exceedeth ours: 2485
  For God's sake. cousin, stay till all come in.

[The trumpet sounds a parley]

[Enter SIR WALTER BLUNT]

• Blunt. I come with gracious offers from the king,
  if you vouchsafe me hearing and respect. 2490

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God
  You were of our determination!
  Some of us love you well; and even those some
  Envy your great deservings and good name,
  Because you are not of our quality, 2495
  But stand against us like an enemy.

• Blunt. And God defend but still I should stand so,
  So long as out of limit and true rule
  You stand against anointed majesty.
  But to my charge. The king hath sent to know 2500
  The nature of your griefs, and whereupon
  You conjure from the breast of civil peace
  Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land
  Audacious cruelty. If that the king
  Have any way your good deserts forgot, 2505
  Which he confesseth to be manifold,
  He bids you name your griefs; and with all speed
  You shall have your desires with interest
  And pardon absolute for yourself and these
  Herein misled by your suggestion. 2510

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). The king is kind; and well we know the king
  Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.
  My father and my uncle and myself
  Did give him that same royalty he wears;
  And when he was not six and twenty strong, 2515
  Sick in the world's regard, wretched and low,
  A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home,
  My father gave him welcome to the shore;
  And when he heard him swear and vow to God
  He came but to be Duke of Lancaster, 2520
  To sue his livery and beg his peace,
  With tears of innocency and terms of zeal,
  My father, in kind heart and pity moved,
  Swore him assistance and perform'd it too.
  Now when the lords and barons of the realm 2525
  Perceived Northumberland did lean to him,
  The more and less came in with cap and knee;
  Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,
  Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,
  Laid gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths, 2530
  Gave him their heirs, as pages follow'd him
  Even at the heels in golden multitudes.
  He presently, as greatness knows itself,
  Steps me a little higher than his vow
  Made to my father, while his blood was poor, 2535
  Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurgh;
  And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform
  Some certain edicts and some strait decrees
  That lie too heavy on the commonwealth,
  Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep 2540
  Over his country's wrongs; and by this face,
  This seeming brow of justice, did he win
  The hearts of all that he did angle for;
  Proceeded further; cut me off the heads
  Of all the favourites that the absent king 2545
  In deputation left behind him here,
  When he was personal in the Irish war.

• Blunt. Tut, I came not to hear this.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Then to the point.
  In short time after, he deposed the king; 2550
  Soon after that, deprived him of his life;
  And in the neck of that, task'd the whole state:
  To make that worse, suffer'd his kinsman March,
  Who is, if every owner were well placed,
  Indeed his king, to be engaged in Wales, 2555
  There without ransom to lie forfeited;
  Disgraced me in my happy victories,
  Sought to entrap me by intelligence;
  Rated mine uncle from the council-board;
  In rage dismiss'd my father from the court; 2560
  Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong,
  And in conclusion drove us to seek out
  This head of safety; and withal to pry
  Into his title, the which we find
  Too indirect for long continuance. 2565

• Blunt. Shall I return this answer to the king?

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). Not so, Sir Walter: we'll withdraw awhile.
  Go to the king; and let there be impawn'd
  Some surety for a safe return again,
  And in the morning early shall my uncle 2570
  Bring him our purposes: and so farewell.

• Blunt. I would you would accept of grace and love.

• Hotspur (Henry Percy). And may be so we shall.

• Blunt. Pray God you do.

[Exeunt]