William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (230 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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WORCESTER
Yea, but a little charge will trench him here,
And on this north side win this cape of land,
And then he runs straight and even. no
And on this north side win this cape of land,
And then he runs straight and even. no
HOTSPUR
I’ll have it so; a little charge will do it.
GLYNDŴR I’ll not have it altered.
HOTSPUR Will not you?
GLYNDŴR No, nor you shall not.
HOTSPUR Who shall say me nay? 115
GLYNDŴR Why, that will I.
HOTSPUR
Let me not understand you, then: speak it in Welsh.
GLYNDŴR
I can speak English, lord, as well as you;
For I was trained 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.
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.
HOTSPUR
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 turned,
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.
Than one of these same metre ballad-mongers.
I had rather hear a brazen canstick turned,
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.
GLYNDŴR Come, you shall have Trent turned.
HOTSPUR
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—135
I’ll cavil on the ninth part of a hair.
Are the indentures drawn? Shall we be gone?
To any well-deserving friend;
But in the way of bargain—mark ye me—135
I’ll cavil on the ninth part of a hair.
Are the indentures drawn? Shall we be gone?
GLYNDŴR
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. Exit
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. Exit
MORTIMER
Fie, cousin Percy, how you cross my father!
HOTSPUR
I cannot choose. Sometime he angers me
With telling me of the moldwarp and the ant,
Of the dreamer Merlin and his prophecies,
And of a dragon and a finless fish,
A clip-winged griffin and a moulten raven,
A couching lion and a ramping cat,
And such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff 150
As puts me from my faith. I tell you what,
He held me last night at the least nine hours
In reckoning up the several devils’ names
That were his lackeys. I cried, ‘Hum!’ and, ‘Well,
go to!’,
But marked him not a word. O, he is as tedious
As a tired horse, a railing wife,
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. 160
With telling me of the moldwarp and the ant,
Of the dreamer Merlin and his prophecies,
And of a dragon and a finless fish,
A clip-winged griffin and a moulten raven,
A couching lion and a ramping cat,
And such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff 150
As puts me from my faith. I tell you what,
He held me last night at the least nine hours
In reckoning up the several devils’ names
That were his lackeys. I cried, ‘Hum!’ and, ‘Well,
go to!’,
But marked him not a word. O, he is as tedious
As a tired horse, a railing wife,
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. 160
MORTIMER
In faith, he is a worthy gentleman,
Exceedingly well read, and profited
In strange concealments, valiant as a lion,
And wondrous affable, and as bountiful
As mines of India. Shall I tell you, cousin? 165
He holds your temper in a high respect,
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.
But do not use it oft, let me entreat you.
Exceedingly well read, and profited
In strange concealments, valiant as a lion,
And wondrous affable, and as bountiful
As mines of India. Shall I tell you, cousin? 165
He holds your temper in a high respect,
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.
But do not use it oft, let me entreat you.
WORCESTER (
to Hotspur
)
to Hotspur
)
In faith, my lord, you are too wilful-blame,
And since your coming hither have done enough
To put him quite besides his patience.
You must needs learn, lord, to amend this fault.
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,
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. 185
And since your coming hither have done enough
To put him quite besides his patience.
You must needs learn, lord, to amend this fault.
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,
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. 185
HOTSPUR
Well, I am schooled. Good manners be your speed!
Enter Glyndŵr with Lady Percy and Mortimer’s wife
Here come our wives, and let us take our leave.
Mortimer’s wife weeps, and speaks to him in Welsh
⌉
MORTIMER
This is the deadly spite that angers me:
My wife can speak no English, I no Welsh.
My wife can speak no English, I no Welsh.
GLYNDŴR
My daughter weeps she’ll not part with you.
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.
Shall follow in your conduct speedily.
Glyndŵr speaks to her in Welsh, and she answers him in the same
GLYNDWR
She is desperate here, a peevish self-willed harlotry,
One that no persuasion can do good upon. 195
One that no persuasion can do good upon. 195
The lady speaks in Welsh
MORTIMER
I understand thy looks. That pretty Welsh
Which thou down pourest from these swelling
heavens
I am too perfect in, and but for shame
In such a parley should I answer thee.
Which thou down pourest from these swelling
heavens
I am too perfect in, and but for shame
In such a parley should I answer thee.
The lady kisses him, and speaks again in Welsh
MORTIMER
I understand thy kisses, and thou mine,
And that’s a feeling disputation;
But I will never be a truant, love,
Till I have learnt thy language, for thy tongue
Makes Welsh as sweet as ditties highly penned,
Sung by a fair queen in a summer’s bower
With ravishing division, to her lute.
And that’s a feeling disputation;
But I will never be a truant, love,
Till I have learnt thy language, for thy tongue
Makes Welsh as sweet as ditties highly penned,
Sung by a fair queen in a summer’s bower
With ravishing division, to her lute.
GLYNDŴR
Nay, if you melt, then will she run mad.
The lady
⌉
speaks again in Welsh
MORTIMER
O, I am ignorance itself in this!
GLYNDŴR
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,
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 215
The hour before the heavenly-harnessed team
Begins his golden progress in the east.
And rest your gentle head upon her lap,
And she will sing the song that pleaseth you,
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 215
The hour before the heavenly-harnessed team
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.
He sits
,
⌉
YNDWR
Do so, and those musicians that shall play to you
Hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence,
And straight they shall be here. Sit and attend.
Hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence,
And straight they shall be here. Sit and attend.
HOTSPUR
Come, Kate, thou art perfect in lying down.
Come, quick, quick, that I may lay my head in thy lap.
LADY PERCY (
sitting
) Go, ye giddy goose!
sitting
) Go, ye giddy goose!
Hotspur sits, resting his head on Lady Percy’s lap. The music plays
HOTSPUR
Now I perceive the devil understands Welsh;
And ’tis no marvel, he is so humorous.
By’r Lady, he’s a good musician.
LADY PERCY
Then should you be nothing but musical,
For you are altogether governed by humours.
Lie still, ye thief, and hear the lady sing in Welsh.
For you are altogether governed by humours.
Lie still, ye thief, and hear the lady sing in Welsh.
HOTSPUR I had rather hear Lady my brach howl in Irish.
LADY PERCY Wouldst thou have thy head broken?
HOTSPUR No.
LADY PERCY Then be still. 235
HOTSPUR Neither—’tis a woman’s fault.
LADY PERCY Now God help thee!
HOTSPUR To the Welsh lady’s bed.
LADY PERCY What’s that?
HOTSPUR Peace; she sings.
Here the lady sings a Welsh song
HOTSPUR Come, Kate, I’ll have your song too.
LADY PERCY Not mine, in good sooth.
HOTSPUR Not yours, in good sooth! Heart, you swear like a comfit-maker’s wife: ‘Not you, in good sooth!’ and ‘As true as I live!’ and 245 ‘As God shall mend me!’ and ‘As sure as day!’; And giv‘st such sarcenet surety for thy oaths As if thou never walk’st further than Finsbury. Swear me, Kate, like a lady as thou art, A good mouth-filling oath, and leave ’in sooth’ 250 And such protest of pepper gingerbread To velvet-guards and Sunday citizens. Come, sing.
LADY PERCY I will not sing.
HOTSPUR ’Tis the next way to turn tailor, or be redbreast teacher. (
Rising
) An the indentures be drawn, I’ll away within these two hours; and so come in when ye will.
Rising
) An the indentures be drawn, I’ll away within these two hours; and so come in when ye will.
Exit
GLYNDŴR
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, 260
And then to horse immediately.
As hot Lord Percy is on fire to go.
By this our book is drawn. We’ll but seal, 260
And then to horse immediately.
MORTIMER (
rising
) With all my heart.
rising
) With all my heart.
The ladies rise, and all exeunt
3.2Enter King Henry, Prince Harry, and lords
KING HENRY
Lords, give us leave—the Prince of Wales and I
Must have some private conference—but be near at
hand,
For we shall presently have need of you.
Must have some private conference—but be near at
hand,
For we shall presently have need of you.
Exeunt Lords
I know not whether God will have it so
For some displeasing service I have done,
That in his secret doom out of my blood
He’ll breed revengement and a scourge for me,
But thou dost in thy passages of life
Make me believe that thou art only marked
For the hot vengeance and the rod of heaven
To punish my mistreadings. Tell me else,
Could such inordinate and low desires,
Such poor, such bare, such lewd, such mean attempts,
Such barren pleasures, rude society,
As thou art matched withal and grafted to, 15
Accompany the greatness of thy blood,
And hold their level with thy princely heart?
For some displeasing service I have done,
That in his secret doom out of my blood
He’ll breed revengement and a scourge for me,
But thou dost in thy passages of life
Make me believe that thou art only marked
For the hot vengeance and the rod of heaven
To punish my mistreadings. Tell me else,
Could such inordinate and low desires,
Such poor, such bare, such lewd, such mean attempts,
Such barren pleasures, rude society,
As thou art matched withal and grafted to, 15
Accompany the greatness of thy blood,
And hold their level with thy princely heart?
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