William Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part I

ACT V. 4. Scene IV. Another Part of the Field.

[Alarums. Excursions. Enter King Henry, Prince Henry,
Lancaster, and Westmoreland.]

KING.
I pr'ythee,
Harry, withdraw thyself; thou bleedest too much.--
Lord John of Lancaster, go you unto him.

LAN.
Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.

PRINCE.
I do beseech your Majesty, make up,
Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.

KING.
I will do so.--
My Lord of Westmoreland, lead him to his tent.

WEST.
Come, my lord, I'll lead you to your tent.

PRINCE.
Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help:
And God forbid, a shallow scratch should drive
The Prince of Wales from such a field as this,
Where stain'd nobility lies trodden on,
And rebels' arms triumph in massacres!

LAN.
We breathe too long:--come, cousin Westmoreland,
Our duty this way lies; for God's sake, come.

[Exeunt Lancaster and Westmoreland.]

PRINCE.
By Heaven, thou hast deceived me, Lancaster;
I did not think thee lord of such a spirit:
Before, I loved thee as a brother, John;
But now I do respect thee as my soul.

KING.
I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.

PRINCE.
O, this boy
Lends mettle to us all!

[Exit.]

[Alarums. Enter Douglas.]

DOUG.
Another king! they grow like Hydra's heads:
I am the Douglas, fatal to all those

That wear those colours on them.--What art thou,
That counterfeit'st the person of a king?

KING.
The King himself; who, Douglas, grieves at heart
So many of his shadows thou hast met,
And not the very King. I have two boys
Seek Percy and thyself about the field:
But, seeing thou fall'st on me so luckily,
I will assay thee; so, defend thyself.