Act 4, Scene 3: The rebel camp near Shrewsbury

SCENE III. The rebel camp near Shrewsbury.

    Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, DOUGLAS, and VERNON

HOTSPUR

    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.

HOTSPUR

    Why say you so? looks he not for supply?

VERNON

    So do we.

HOTSPUR

    His is certain, ours is doubtful.

EARL OF WORCESTER

    Good cousin, be advised; stir not tonight.

VERNON

    Do not, my lord.

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,
    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.

VERNON

    Content.

HOTSPUR

    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
    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,
    That not a horse is half the half of himself.

HOTSPUR

    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:
    For God's sake. cousin, stay till all come in.

    The trumpet sounds a parley

    Enter SIR WALTER BLUNT

SIR WALTER BLUNT

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

HOTSPUR

    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,
    But stand against us like an enemy.

SIR WALTER 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
    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,
    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.

HOTSPUR

    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,
    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,
    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
    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,
    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,
    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
    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
    In deputation left behind him here,
    When he was personal in the Irish war.

SIR WALTER BLUNT

    Tut, I came not to hear this.

HOTSPUR

    Then to the point.
    In short time after, he deposed the king;
    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,
    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;
    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.

SIR WALTER BLUNT

    Shall I return this answer to the king?

HOTSPUR

    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
    Bring him our purposes: and so farewell.

SIR WALTER BLUNT

    I would you would accept of grace and love.

HOTSPUR

    And may be so we shall.

SIR WALTER BLUNT

    Pray God you do.

    Exeunt