William Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part I

ACT IV.
3. Scene III. The Rebel Camp near Shrewsbury.

[Enter Hotspur, Worcester, Douglas, and Vernon.]

HOT.
We'll fight with him to-night.

WOR.
It may not be.

DOUG.
You give him, then, advantage.

VER.
Not a whit.

HOT.
Why say you so? looks he not for supply?

VER.
So do we.

HOT.
His is certain, ours is doubtful.

WOR.
Good cousin, be advised; stir not to-night.

VER.
Do not, my lord.

DOUG.
You do not counsel well:
You speak it out of fear and cold heart.

VER.
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.

DOUG.
Yea, or to-night.

VER.
Content.

HOT.
To-night, say I.

VER.
Come, come, it may 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 to-day;
And now their pride and mettle is asleep,
Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,
That not a horse is half the half himself.

HOT.
So are the horses of the enemy
In general, journey-bated and brought low:
The better part of ours are full of rest.

WOR.
The number of the King exceedeth ours.
For God's sake, cousin, stay till all come in.

This is page 70 of 88. [Marked]
This title is on Your Bookshelf.
Customize text appearance:
Color: A A A A A   Font: Aa Aa   Size: 1 2 3 4 5   Defaults
(c) 2003-2012 LiteraturePage.com and Michael Moncur. All rights reserved.
For information about public domain texts appearing here, read the copyright information and disclaimer.