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Henry IV part one

Act II, Scene 3

Warkworth Castle.
 
[Enter HOTSPUR, solus, reading a letter]
 
HOTSPUR
But for mine own part, my lord, I could be well contented to be there, in respect of the love I bear your house.
He could be contented: why is he not then? In respect of the love he bears our house. he shows in this, he loves his own barn better than he loves our house. Let me see some more.
The purpose you undertake is dangerous.
Why that's certain: 'tis dangerous to take a cold, to sleep, to drink: but I tell you (my lord fool) out of this nettle, danger; we pluck this flower, safety.
The purpose you undertake is dangerous, the friends you have named uncertain, the time itself unsorted, and your whole plot too light, for the counterpoise of so great an opposition.
Say you so, say you so: I say unto you again, you are a shallow cowardly hind, and you lie. What a lack-brain is this? I protest, our plot is a good plot as ever was laid; our friends true and constant: a good plot, good friends, and full of expectationL an excellent plot, very good friends. What a frosty-spirited rogue is this? Why, my lord of York commends the plot, and the general course of action. By this hand, if I were now by this rascal, I could brain him with his lady's fan. Is there not my father, my uncle, and myself, lord Edmund Mortimer, my lord of York, and Owen Glendower? is there not besides, the Douglas? have I not all their letters, to meet me in arms by the ninth of the next month? and are they not some of them set forward already? What a pagan rascal is this? an infidel. Ha, you shall see now in very sincerity of fear and cold heart, will he to the king, and lay open all our proceedings. O, I could divide myself, and go to buffets, for moving such a dish of skim milk with so honorable an action. Hang him, let him tell the king we are prepared. I will set forward tonight. How now Kate, I must leave you within these two hours.
 
[Enter LADY PERCY]
 
LADY PERCY
      ,              ,     ,              ,       ,
      O my | good* lord,| why are | you thus | alone?
            ,        ,          ,          ,    ,
      For what | offense | have I | this fort|night been
         ,         ,       ,        ,        ,
      A ban|ished wom|an from | my Har|ry's bed?
        ,                ,           x            ,            ,
      Tell me |(sweet* lord)| what is it | that takes | from thee
           ,          ,         ,         ,        ,
      Thy stom|ach, pleas|ure, and | thy gold|en sleep?
            ,           ,            ,      ,          ,
      Why dost | thou bend | thine eyes | upon | the earth?
            ,         ,       ,           ,        ,
      And start | so of|ten when | thou sitst | alone?
            ,           ,          ,       ,               ,
      Why hast | thou lost | the fresh | blood in | thy cheeks?
            x          ,         ,          ,          ,
      And given | my treas|ures and | my rights | of thee,
       .   T     T   T      2       ,      ,     ,
      To thick-eyed mus|ing, and cursed | melan|choly?  ??
                ,     ,        ,        ,            ,
      In my / faint slum|bers, I | by thee | have watched,
            ,           ,        ,         ,      ,
      And heard | thee mur|mur tales | of ir|on wars:
        T     T    .  T       ,        ,         ,
      Speak terms of man|age to |thy bound|ing steed,
       ,   ,                  ,           ,            ,
      Cry cour/age to | the field.| And thou | hast talked
          ,         ,        ,       ,         ___
      Of sal|lies, and | retires;| trenches,| tents,
          ,    ,         ,    T     T . T
      Of pal|isad|oes, front|iers, parapets,
          ,     ,         ,        ,      ,
      Of bas|ilisks,| of can|non, cul|verin,
          ,    2      ,        ,        ,          ,
      Of pris|oners' rans|om, and | of sol|diers slain,
           ,         ,         ,      ,       ,
      And all | the cur|rents of | a hea|dy fight.
             x         ,           ,          ,       ,
      Thy spirit | within | thee hath | been so | at war,
            ,          ,        ,            ,         ,
      And thus | hath so | bestirred | thee in | thy sleep,
             ,          ,            ,       ,          ,
      That beads | of sweat | have stood | upon | thy brow,
        ,   ,                ,        ,        ,
      Like bub/bles in | a late-|disturb|ed stream;
       ,    2        T     T     T         ,         ,
      And in thy | face strange mo|tions have | appeared,
        ,           ,          ,         ,              ,
      Such as | we see | when men | restrain | their breath
                  ,    ,        ,     2      ,        2      ,
      On some / great sud|den hest.| O what por|tents* are these?  ??
            ,      ,          ,         ,         ,
      Some hea|vy bus|iness hath | my lord | in hand,
          ,          ,          ,         ,         ,
      And I | must know | it: else | he loves | me not.
 
HOTSPUR
What ho; Is Gilliams with the packet gone?
 
[Enter Servant]
 
SERVANT
He is my lord, an hour ago.
 
HOTSPUR
Hath Butler brought those horses from the sheriff?
 
SERVANT
One horse, my lord, he brought even now.
 
HOTSPUR
What horse? a roan, a crop-ear, is it not.
 
SERVANT
It is my lord.
 
HOTSPUR
That roan shall by my throne. Well, I will back him straight. Esperance, bid Butler lead him forth into the park.
 
[Exit Servant]
 
LADY PERCY
But hear you, my lord.
 
HOTSPUR
What sayst thou, my lady?
 
LADY PERCY
What is it carries you away?
 
HOTSPUR
Why, my horse (my love) my horse.
 
LADY PERCY
Out you mad-headed ape, a weasel hath not such a deal of spleen, as you are tossed with. In sooth I'll know your business Harry, that I will. I fear my brother Mortimer doth stir about his title, and hath sent for you to line his enterprise: but if you go--
 
HOTSPUR
So far afoot, I shall be weary, love.
 
LADY PERCY
Come, come, you paraquito, answer me directly unto this question, that I shall ask. Indeed, I'll break thy little finger Harry, if thou wilt not tell me true.
 
HOTSPUR
Away, away you trifler: Love, I love thee not,
          ,     ,               ,               ,   ,
      I care | not for | thee Kate:| this is / no world
           ,          ,         ,         ,           ,
      To play | with mam|mets, and | to tilt | with lips.
       ,               ,      ,               ,       ,
      We must | have bloo|dy nos|es, and / cracked crowns,
            ,          ,        ,       ,            ,
      And pass | them cur|rent too.| God's me,| my horse.
             ,            ,      ,                   ,          ,
      What sayst | thou Kate?| What wouldst | thou have | with me?
 
LADY PERCY
       ,             ,         ,        ,        ,
      Do you | not love | me? Do | you not | indeed?
        ,         ,               ,           ,        ,
      Well, do | not then.| For since | you love | me not,
          ,          ,        ,     ,    2        ,
      I will | not love | myself.| Do you not | love me?
       ,     ,                  ,          ,        ,
      Nay, tell / me if | you speak | in jest,| or no.
 
HOTSPUR
        ,                ,         ,
      Come, wilt | thou see | me ride?  \\
            ,       ,        ,     ,              ,
      And when | I am | on horse|back, I | will swear
          ,          ,    2   ,         ,          ,
      I love | thee in|finitely.| But hark | you Kate,
                ,    ,          ,            ,        ,
      I must / not have | you hence|forth, ques|tion me,
       ,           ,        ,        ,      ,
      Whither | I go:| nor reas|on where|about.
       ,            ,        ,     ,            ,
      Whither | I must,| I must:| and to | conclude,
            ,         ,        ,            ,        ,
      This ev|ening must | I leave | thee, gent|le Kate.
          ,          ,         ,        ,         ,
      I know | you wise,| but yet | no farth|er wise
            ,      ,         ,     ,              ,
      Than Har|ry Per|cy's wife.| Constant | you are,
           ,       ,       ,         ,    ,
      But yet | a wom|an: and | for sec|recy,
          ,     ,        ,        ,        ,
      No la|dy clos|er. For | I well | believe
             ,         ,       ,           ,          ,
      Thou wilt | not ut|ter what | thou dost | not^know,
           ,    ,             ,            ,        ,
      And so | far will | I trust | thee, gent|le Kate.
 
LADY PERCY
       T   T  T
      How so far?  \\
 
HOTSPUR
       ,         ,    ,               T   T    T
      Not an | inch furth/er. But | hark you Kate,
       ,        T  T   T      2       ,         ,
      Whither | I go, thith|er shall you | go* too:
         ,         ,          ,        ,       ,
      Today | will I | set*forth,| tomor|row you.
             ,         ,          ,
      Will this | content | you Kate?
 
LADY PERCY
                                           ,         ,
                                      It must | of force.
 
[Exeunt]

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