________________________________________________
_ ACT II SCENE III
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! By the Lord, our plot is a
good plot as ever was laid; our friends true and constant: a good
plot, good friends, and full of expectation; 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 the
action. Zounds, an 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 honourable an
action! Hang him, let him tell the King! we are prepared. I will set
forward to-night.
[Enter his Lady.]
How now, Kate? I must leave you within these two hours.
LADY.
O my good lord, why are you thus alone?
For what offence have I this fortnight been
A banish'd woman from my Harry's bed,
Tell me, sweet lord, what is't that takes from thee
Thy stomach, pleasure, and thy golden sleep?
Why dost thou bend thine eyes upon the earth,
And start so often when thou sit'st alone?
Why hast thou lost the fresh blood in thy cheeks
And given my treasures and my rights of thee
To thick-ey'd musing and curs'd melancholy?
In thy faint slumbers I by thee have watch'd,
And heard thee murmur tales of iron wars,
Speak terms of manage to thy bounding steed,
Cry 'Courage! to the field!' And thou hast talk'd
Of sallies and retires, of trenches, tent,
Of palisadoes, frontiers, parapets,
Of basilisks, of cannon, culverin,
Of prisoners' ransom, and of soldiers slain,
And all the currents of a heady fight.
Thy spirit within thee hath been so at war,
And thus hath so bestirr'd thee in thy sleep,
That beads of sweat have stood upon thy brow
Like bubbles ill a late-disturbed stream,
And in thy face strange motions have appear'd,
Such as we see when men restrain their breath
On some great sudden hest. O, what portents are these?
Some heavy business hath my lord in hand,
And I must know it, else he loves me not.
HOTSPUR.
What, ho!
[Enter a Servant.]
Is Gilliams with the packet gone?
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 be my throne.
Well, I will back him straight. O esperance!
Bid Butler lead him forth into the park.
[Exit Servant.]
LADY.
But hear you, my lord.
HOTSPUR.
What say'st thou, my lady?
LADY.
What is it carries you away?
HOTSPUR.
Why, my horse, my love- my horse!
LADY.
Out, you mad-headed ape!
A weasel hath not such a deal of spleen
As you are toss'd with. In faith,
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.
Come, come, you paraquito, answer me
Directly unto this question that I ask.
I'll break thy little finger, Harry,
An if thou wilt not tell my all things true.
HOTSPUR.
Away.
Away, you trifler! Love? I love thee not;
I care not for thee, Kate. This is no world
To play with mammets and to tilt with lips.
We must have bloody noses and crack'd crowns,
And pass them current too. Gods me, my horse!
What say'st thou, Kate? What wouldst thou have with me?
LADY.
Do you not love me? do you not indeed?
Well, do not then; for since you love me not,
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 a-horseback, I will swear
I love thee infinitely. But hark you. Kate:
I must not have you henceforth question me
Whither I go, nor reason whereabout.
Whither I must, I must; and to conclude,
This evening must I leave you, gentle Kate.
I know you wise; but yet no farther wise
Than Harry Percy's wife; constant you are,
But yet a woman; and for secrecy,
No lady closer, for I well believe
Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know,
And so far will I trust thee, gentle Kate.
LADY.
How? so far?
HOTSPUR.
Not an inch further. But hark you, Kate:
Whither I go, thither shall you go too;
To-day will I set forth, to-morrow you.
Will this content you, Kate?
LADY.
It must of force.
[Exeunt] _
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