William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (225 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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NORTHUMBERLAND (
to Worcester
)
to Worcester
)
Brother, the King hath made your nephew mad.
WORCESTER
Who struck this heat up after I was gone?
HOTSPUR
He will forsooth have all my prisoners;
And when I urged the ransom once again
Of my wife’s brother, then his cheek looked pale,
And on my face he turned an eye of death,
Trembling even at the name of Mortimer.
And when I urged the ransom once again
Of my wife’s brother, then his cheek looked pale,
And on my face he turned an eye of death,
Trembling even at the name of Mortimer.
WORCESTER
I cannot blame him: was not he proclaimed
By Richard, that dead is, the next of blood?
By Richard, that dead is, the next of blood?
NORTHUMBERLAND
He was; I heard the proclamation.
And then it was when the unhappy King,
Whose wrongs in us God pardon, did set forth
Upon his Irish expedition,
From whence he, intercepted, did return
To be deposed, and shortly murdered.
And then it was when the unhappy King,
Whose wrongs in us God pardon, did set forth
Upon his Irish expedition,
From whence he, intercepted, did return
To be deposed, and shortly murdered.
WORCESTER
And for whose death we in the world’s wide mouth
Live scandalized and foully spoken of.
Live scandalized and foully spoken of.
HOTSPUR
But soft, I pray you; did King Richard then
Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer
Heir to the crown?
Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer
Heir to the crown?
NORTHUMBERLAND He did; myself did hear it.
HOTSPUR
Nay, then I cannot blame his cousin King
That wished him on the barren mountains starve.
But shall it be that you that set the crown
Upon the head of this forgetful man,
And for his sake wear the detested blot
Of murderous subornation, shall it be
That you a world of curses undergo,
Being the agents or base second means,
The cords, the ladder, or the hangman, rather?
O, pardon me that I descend so low
To show the line and the predicament
Wherein you range under this subtle King!
Shall it for shame be spoken in these days,
Or fill up chronicles in time to come,
That men of your nobility and power
Did gage them both in an unjust behalf,
As both of you, God pardon it, have done:
To put down Richard, that sweet lovely rose,
And plant this thorn, this canker, Bolingbroke?
And shall it in more shame be further spoken
That you are fooled, discarded, and shook off
By him for whom these shames ye underwent?
No; yet time serves wherein you may redeem
Your banished honours, and restore yourselves
Into the good thoughts of the world again,
Revenge the jeering and disdained contempt
Of this proud King, who studies day and night
To answer all the debt he owes to you
Even with the bloody payment of your deaths.
Therefore, I say—
That wished him on the barren mountains starve.
But shall it be that you that set the crown
Upon the head of this forgetful man,
And for his sake wear the detested blot
Of murderous subornation, shall it be
That you a world of curses undergo,
Being the agents or base second means,
The cords, the ladder, or the hangman, rather?
O, pardon me that I descend so low
To show the line and the predicament
Wherein you range under this subtle King!
Shall it for shame be spoken in these days,
Or fill up chronicles in time to come,
That men of your nobility and power
Did gage them both in an unjust behalf,
As both of you, God pardon it, have done:
To put down Richard, that sweet lovely rose,
And plant this thorn, this canker, Bolingbroke?
And shall it in more shame be further spoken
That you are fooled, discarded, and shook off
By him for whom these shames ye underwent?
No; yet time serves wherein you may redeem
Your banished honours, and restore yourselves
Into the good thoughts of the world again,
Revenge the jeering and disdained contempt
Of this proud King, who studies day and night
To answer all the debt he owes to you
Even with the bloody payment of your deaths.
Therefore, I say—
WORCESTER Peace, cousin, say no more.
And now I will unclasp a secret book,
And to your quick-conceiving discontents
I’ll read you matter deep and dangerous,
As full of peril and adventurous spirit
As to o’erwalk a current roaring loud
On the unsteadfast footing of a spear.
And to your quick-conceiving discontents
I’ll read you matter deep and dangerous,
As full of peril and adventurous spirit
As to o’erwalk a current roaring loud
On the unsteadfast footing of a spear.
HOTSPUR
If he fall in, good night, or sink or swim.
Send danger from the east unto the west,
So honour cross it from the north to south;
And let them grapple. O, the blood more stirs
To rouse a lion than to start a hare!
So honour cross it from the north to south;
And let them grapple. O, the blood more stirs
To rouse a lion than to start a hare!
NORTHUMBERLAND (
to Worcester
)
to Worcester
)
Imagination of some great exploit
Drives him beyond the bounds of patience.
Drives him beyond the bounds of patience.
⌈HOTSPUR⌉
By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap
To pluck bright honour from the pale-faced moon,
Or dive into the bottom of the deep,
Where fathom-line could never touch the ground,
And pluck up drowned honour by the locks,
So he that doth redeem her thence might wear,
Without corrival, all her dignities.
But out upon this half-faced fellowship!
To pluck bright honour from the pale-faced moon,
Or dive into the bottom of the deep,
Where fathom-line could never touch the ground,
And pluck up drowned honour by the locks,
So he that doth redeem her thence might wear,
Without corrival, all her dignities.
But out upon this half-faced fellowship!
WORCESTER (
to Northumberland
)
to Northumberland
)
He apprehends a world of figures here,
But not the form of what he should attend.
(
To Hotspur
) Good cousin, give me audience for a while,
And list to me.
But not the form of what he should attend.
(
To Hotspur
) Good cousin, give me audience for a while,
And list to me.
HOTSPUR
I cry you mercy.
WORCESTER Those same noble Scots
That are your prisoners—
HOTSPUR I’ll keep them all.
By God, he shall not have a Scot of them;
No, if a scot would save his soul he shall not.
I’ll keep them, by this hand.
WORCESTER You start away,
And lend no ear unto my purposes.
Those prisoners you shall keep.
HOTSPUR Nay, I will; that’s flat.
He said he would not ransom Mortimer,
Forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer;
But I will find him when he lies asleep,
And in his ear I’ll hollo ‘Mortimerl’
Nay, I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak
Nothing but ‘Mortimer’, and give it him
To keep his anger still in motion.
Forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer;
But I will find him when he lies asleep,
And in his ear I’ll hollo ‘Mortimerl’
Nay, I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak
Nothing but ‘Mortimer’, and give it him
To keep his anger still in motion.
WORCESTER Hear you, cousin, a word.
HOTSPUR
All studies here I solemnly defy,
Save how to gall and pinch this Bolingbroke.
And that same sword-and-buckler Prince of Wales—
But that I think his father loves him not
And would be glad he met with some mischance—
I would have him poisoned with a pot of ale.
Save how to gall and pinch this Bolingbroke.
And that same sword-and-buckler Prince of Wales—
But that I think his father loves him not
And would be glad he met with some mischance—
I would have him poisoned with a pot of ale.
WORCESTER
Farewell, kinsman. I’ll talk to you
When you are better tempered to attend.
When you are better tempered to attend.
NORTHUMBERLAND (
to Hotspur
)
to Hotspur
)
Why, what a wasp-stung and impatient fool
Art thou to break into this woman’s mood,
Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own I
Art thou to break into this woman’s mood,
Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own I
HOTSPUR
Why, look you, I am whipped and scourged with rods,
Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear
Of this vile politician Bolingbroke.
In Richard’s time—what d‘ye call the place?
A plague upon’t, it is in Gloucestershire.
‘Twas where the madcap Duke his uncle kept—
His uncle York—where I first bowed my knee
Unto this king of smiles, this Bolingbroke.
’Sblood, when you and he came back from
Ravenspurgh.
Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear
Of this vile politician Bolingbroke.
In Richard’s time—what d‘ye call the place?
A plague upon’t, it is in Gloucestershire.
‘Twas where the madcap Duke his uncle kept—
His uncle York—where I first bowed my knee
Unto this king of smiles, this Bolingbroke.
’Sblood, when you and he came back from
Ravenspurgh.
NORTHUMBERLAND
At Berkeley castle.
HOTSPUR You say true.
Why, what a candy deal of courtesy
This fawning greyhound then did proffer me!
‘Look when his infant fortune came to age’,
And ‘gentle Harry Percy’, and ‘kind cousin’.
O, the devil take such cozeners!—God forgive me.
Good uncle, tell your tale; I have done.
This fawning greyhound then did proffer me!
‘Look when his infant fortune came to age’,
And ‘gentle Harry Percy’, and ‘kind cousin’.
O, the devil take such cozeners!—God forgive me.
Good uncle, tell your tale; I have done.
WORCESTER
Nay, if you have not, to’t again.
We’ll stay your leisure.
HOTSPUR I have done, i’faith.
WORCESTER
Then once more to your Scottish prisoners.
Deliver them up without their ransom straight;
And make the Douglas’ son your only mean
For powers in Scotland, which, for divers reasons
Which I shall send you written, be assured
Will easily be granted. (
To Northumberland
) You, my
lord,
Your son in Scotland being thus employed,
Shall secretly into the bosom creep
Of that same noble prelate well-beloved,
The Archbishop.
And make the Douglas’ son your only mean
For powers in Scotland, which, for divers reasons
Which I shall send you written, be assured
Will easily be granted. (
To Northumberland
) You, my
lord,
Your son in Scotland being thus employed,
Shall secretly into the bosom creep
Of that same noble prelate well-beloved,
The Archbishop.
HOTSPUR Of York, is’t not?
WORCESTER True, who bears hard
His brother’s death at Bristol, the Lord Scrope.
I speak not this in estimation,
As what I think might be, but what I know
Is ruminated, plotted, and set down,
And only stays but to behold the face
Of that occasion that shall bring it on.
I speak not this in estimation,
As what I think might be, but what I know
Is ruminated, plotted, and set down,
And only stays but to behold the face
Of that occasion that shall bring it on.
HOTSPUR
I smell it; upon my life, it will do well!
NORTHUMBERLAND
Before the game is afoot thou still lett’st slip.
HOTSPUR
Why, it cannot choose but be a noble plot—
And then the power of Scotland and of York
To join with Mortimer, ha?
And then the power of Scotland and of York
To join with Mortimer, ha?
WORCESTER And so they shall.
HOTSPUR
In faith, it is exceedingly well aimed.
WORCESTER
And ’tis no little reason bids us speed
To save our heads by raising of a head;
For, bear ourselves as even as we can,
The King will always think him in our debt,
And think we think ourselves unsatisfied
Till he hath found a time to pay us home.
And see already how he doth begin
To make us strangers to his looks of love.
To save our heads by raising of a head;
For, bear ourselves as even as we can,
The King will always think him in our debt,
And think we think ourselves unsatisfied
Till he hath found a time to pay us home.
And see already how he doth begin
To make us strangers to his looks of love.
HOTSPUR
He does, he does. We’ll be revenged on him.
WORCESTER
Cousin, farewell. No further go in this
Than I by letters shall direct your course.
When time is ripe, which will be suddenly,
I’ll steal to Glyndŵr and Lord Mortimer,
Where you and Douglas and our powers at once,
As I will fashion it, shall happily meet,
To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,
Which now we hold at much uncertainty.
Than I by letters shall direct your course.
When time is ripe, which will be suddenly,
I’ll steal to Glyndŵr and Lord Mortimer,
Where you and Douglas and our powers at once,
As I will fashion it, shall happily meet,
To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,
Which now we hold at much uncertainty.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Farewell, good brother. We shall thrive, I trust.
HOTSPUR (
to Worcester
)
to Worcester
)
Uncle, adieu. O, let the hours be short
Till fields and blows and groans applaud our sport!
Till fields and blows and groans applaud our sport!
Exeunt
⌈
Worcester at one door, Northumberland and Hotspur at another door
⌉
2.1⌈
Worcester at one door, Northumberland and Hotspur at another door
⌉
Enter a Carrier, with a lantern in his hand
FIRST CARRIER Heigh-ho! An’t be not four by the day, I’ll be hanged. Charles’s Wain is over the new chimney, and yet our horse not packed. What, ostler!
OSTLER (
within
) Anon, anon!
within
) Anon, anon!
FIRST CARRIER I prithee, Tom, beat cut’s saddle, put a few flocks in the point. Poor jade is wrung in the withers, out of all cess.
Enter another Carrier
SECOND CARRIER Peas and beans are as dank here as a dog, and that is the next way to give poor jades the bots. This house is turned upside down since Robin Ostler died.
FIRST CARRIER Poor fellow never joyed since the price of oats rose; it was the death of him.
SECOND CARRIER I think this be the most villainous house in all London road for fleas. I am stung like a tench.
FIRST CARRIER Like a tench? By the mass, there is ne’er a king christen could be better bit than I have been since the first cock.
SECOND CARRIER Why, they will allow us ne’er a jordan, and then we leak in your chimney, and your chamber-lye breeds fleas like a loach.
FIRST CARRIER What, ostler! Come away, and be hanged, come away!
SECOND CARRIER I have a gammon of bacon and two races of ginger to be delivered as far as Charing Cross.
FIRST CARRIER God’s body, the turkeys in my pannier are quite starved! What, ostler! A plague on thee, hast thou never an eye in thy head? Canst not hear? An ’twere not as good deed as drink to break the pate on thee, I am a very villain. Come, and be hanged! Hast no faith in thee?
Enter Gadshill
GADSHILL Good morrow, carriers. What’s o’clock?
FIRST CARRIER I think it be two o’clock.
GADSHILL I prithee lend me thy lantern to see my gelding in the stable.
FIRST CARRIER Nay, by God, soft. I know a trick worth two of that, i’faith.
GADSHILL (
to Second Carrier
) I pray thee, lend me thine.
to Second Carrier
) I pray thee, lend me thine.
SECOND CARRIER Ay, when? Canst tell? ‘Lend me thy lantern,’ quoth a. Marry, I’ll see thee hanged first.
GADSHILL Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come to London?
SECOND CARRIER Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant thee.—Come, neighbour Mugs, we’ll call up the gentlemen. They will along with company, for they have great charge. Exeunt Carriers
GADSHILL What ho, chamberlain!
Enter Chamberlain
CHAMBERLAIN ’At hand’ quoth Pickpurse.
GADSHILL That’s even as fair as ‘ “At hand” quoth the chamberlain’, for thou variest no more from picking of purses than giving direction doth from labouring: thou layest the plot how.
CHAMBERLAIN Good morrow, Master Gadshill. It holds current that I told you yesternight. There’s a franklin in the Weald of Kent hath brought three hundred marks with him in gold. I heard him tell it to one of his company last night at supper—a kind of auditor, one that hath abundance of charge too, God knows what. They are up already, and call for eggs and butter; they will away presently.
GADSHILL Sirrah, if they meet not with Saint Nicholas’s clerks, I’ll give thee this neck.
CHAMBERLAIN No, I’ll none of it; I pray thee keep that for the hangman, for I know thou worshippest Saint Nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may.
GADSHILL What talkest thou to me of the hangman? If I hang, I’ll make a fat pair of gallows, for if I hang, old Sir John hangs with me, and thou knowest he’s no starveling. Tut, there are other Trojans that thou dreamest not of, the which for sport’ sake are content to do the profession some grace, that would, if matters should be looked into, for their own credit’ sake make all whole. I am joined with no foot-landrakers, no long-staff sixpenny strikers, none of these mad mustachio purple-hued maltworms, but with nobility and tranquillity, burgomasters and great ‘oyez’-ers; such as can hold in, such as will strike sooner than speak, and speak sooner than drink, and drink sooner than pray. And yet, zounds, I lie, for they pray continually to their saint the commonwealth; or rather, not pray to her, but prey on her; for they ride up and down on her and make her their boots.
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