Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Lord John of Lancaster,
Sir Walter Blunt, and Falstaff. KING
How bloodily the sun begins to peer
Above yon bulky hill. The day looks pale
At his distemp’rature. PRINCE The southern wind
Doth play the trumpet to his purposes, 5
And by his hollow whistling in the leaves
Foretells a tempest and a blust’ring day. KING
Then with the losers let it sympathize,
For nothing can seem foul to those that win.
The trumpet sounds. | The next morning, the king's forces prepare for the day's battle. |
Enter Worcester and Vernon. How now, my Lord of Worcester? ’Tis not well 10
That you and I should meet upon such terms
As now we meet. You have deceived our trust
And made us doff our easy robes of peace
To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel.
This is not well, my lord; this is not well. 15
What say you to it? Will you again unknit
This churlish knot of all-abhorrèd war
And move in that obedient orb again
Where you did give a fair and natural light,
And be no more an exhaled meteor, 20
A prodigy of fear, and a portent
Of broachèd mischief to the unborn times? WORCESTER Hear me, my liege:
For mine own part I could be well content
To entertain the lag end of my life 25
With quiet hours. For I protest
I have not sought the day of this dislike. KING
You have not sought it. How comes it then? | Worcester and Vernon arrive from the rebel camp for a little chat with the king. Henry urges them to accept his peace offer. |
FALSTAFF Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it. PRINCE Peace, chewet, peace. | Falstaff cracks an inappropriate joke and Hal tells him to zip it. |
WORCESTER
It pleased your Majesty to turn your looks
Of favor from myself and all our house;
And yet I must remember you, my lord,
We were the first and dearest of your friends.
For you my staff of office did I break 35
In Richard’s time, and posted day and night
To meet you on the way and kiss your hand
When yet you were in place and in account
Nothing so strong and fortunate as I.
It was myself, my brother, and his son 40
That brought you home and boldly did outdare
The dangers of the time. You swore to us,
And you did swear that oath at Doncaster,
That you did nothing purpose ’gainst the state,
Nor claim no further than your new-fall’n right, 45
The seat of Gaunt, dukedom of Lancaster.
To this we swore our aid. But in short space
It rained down fortune show’ring on your head,
And such a flood of greatness fell on you—
What with our help, what with the absent king, 50
What with the injuries of a wanton time,
The seeming sufferances that you had borne,
And the contrarious winds that held the King
So long in his unlucky Irish wars
That all in England did repute him dead— 55
And from this swarm of fair advantages
You took occasion to be quickly wooed
To gripe the general sway into your hand,
Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster;
And being fed by us, you used us so 60
As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo’s bird,
Useth the sparrow—did oppress our nest,
Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk
That even our love durst not come near your sight
For fear of swallowing; but with nimble wing 65
We were enforced for safety sake to fly
Out of your sight and raise this present head,
Whereby we stand opposèd by such means
As you yourself have forged against yourself
By unkind usage, dangerous countenance, 70
And violation of all faith and troth
Sworn to us in your younger enterprise. | Worcester says he doesn't necessarily want to fight with the king but
the Henry's left his family no other choice. Worcester says the Percy
family feels like they've been used by the king and reminds him of how
they helped him get his family's land back. |
KING
These things indeed you have articulate,
Proclaimed at market crosses, read in churches,
To face the garment of rebellion 75
With some fine color that may please the eye
Of fickle changelings and poor discontents,
Which gape and rub the elbow at the news
Of hurlyburly innovation.
And never yet did insurrection want 80
Such water colors to impaint his cause,
Nor moody beggars starving for a time
Of pellmell havoc and confusion. | King Henry says the Percys are full of it and they've been spouting off lies all over England – they're just making excuses so they can try to overthrow him. |
PRINCE
In both your armies there is many a soul
Shall pay full dearly for this encounter 85
If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew,
The Prince of Wales doth join with all the world
In praise of Henry Percy. By my hopes,
This present enterprise set off his head,
I do not think a braver gentleman, 90
More active-valiant, or more valiant-young,
More daring or more bold, is now alive
To grace this latter age with noble deeds.
For my part, I may speak it to my shame,
I have a truant been to chivalry, 95
And so I hear he doth account me too.
Yet this before my father’s majesty:
I am content that he shall take the odds
Of his great name and estimation,
And will, to save the blood on either side, 100
Try fortune with him in a single fight. | Prince Hal steps up and offers to fight Hotspur in man-to-man combat to save the troops on both sides from an ugly battle. He gives Hotspur props for being so courageous and says it would be an honor to fight him. |
KING
And, Prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee,
Albeit considerations infinite
Do make against it.—No, good Worcester, no.
We love our people well, even those we love 105
That are misled upon your cousin’s part.
And, will they take the offer of our grace,
Both he and they and you, yea, every man
Shall be my friend again, and I’ll be his.
So tell your cousin, and bring me word 110
What he will do. But if he will not yield,
Rebuke and dread correction wait on us,
And they shall do their office. So begone.
We will not now be troubled with reply.
We offer fair. Take it advisedly. 115 Worcester exits with Vernon. | King Henry tells Worcester that the rebels should accept his peace offer if they know what's good for them. Worcester and Vernon say they'll deliver the message to Hotspur and return to the rebel camp. |
PRINCE
It will not be accepted, on my life.
The Douglas and the Hotspur both together
Are confident against the world in arms. KING
Hence, therefore, every leader to his charge,
For on their answer will we set on them, 120
And God befriend us as our cause is just. | Prince Hal predicts Hotspur will blow off the offer and the king tells his troops to get ready to rumble. |
They exit. Prince and Falstaff remain. FALSTAFF Hal, if thou see me down in the battle and
bestride me, so; ’tis a point of friendship. PRINCE Nothing but a colossus can do thee that friendship.
Say thy prayers, and farewell. 125 FALSTAFF I would ’twere bedtime, Hal, and all well. PRINCE Why, thou owest God a death. He exits. | Alone on stage, Falstaff and Hal discuss the impending battle. Falstaff asks Hal to look out for him. The prince tells the old man he owes "God a death" and leaves. |
FALSTAFF ’Tis not due yet. I would be loath to pay Him
before His day. What need I be so forward with
Him that calls not on me? Well, ’tis no matter. 130
Honor pricks me on. Yea, but how if honor prick me
off when I come on? How then? Can honor set to a
leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a
wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery, then?
No. What is honor? A word. What is in that word 135
“honor”? What is that “honor”? Air. A trim reckoning.
Who hath it? He that died o’ Wednesday. Doth
he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. ’Tis insensible,
then? Yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the
living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it. Therefore, 140
I’ll none of it. Honor is a mere scutcheon. And
so ends my catechism. He exits. | Falstaff delivers his famous speech on "honour." He says honor is nothing but a "word" and doesn't mean anything, especially to the dead who have paid for it with their lives. Falstaff wants no part of it. |