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Act 5, Scene 1
Henry IV, Part 1 Translation Act 5, Scene 2
Enter WORCESTER and Sir Richard VERNON
WORCESTER
O no, my nephew must not know, Sir Richard,The liberal and kind offer of the King.
WORCESTER
Oh no, Sir Richard! My nephew cannot know about this kind and generous offer from the King.
VERNON
'Twere best he did.
VERNON
It would be better if he did.
WORCESTER
Then are we all undone. It is not possible, it cannot be The King should keep his word in loving us. He will suspect us still and find a time To punish this offense in other faults. Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes, For treason is but trusted like the fox, Who, never so tame, so cherished and locked up, Will have a wild trick of his ancestors. Look how we can, or sad or merrily, Interpretation will misquote our looks, And we shall feed like oxen at a stall, The better cherished still the nearer death. My nephew’s trespass may be well forgot; It hath the excuse of youth and heat of blood, And an adopted name of privilege— A hairbrained Hotspur governed by a spleen: All his offenses live upon my head And on his father’s. We did train him on, And, his corruption being ta'en from us, We as the spring of all shall pay for all. Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know In any case the offer of the King.
WORCESTER
The we would be ruined. There is no way that the King is going to keep his word and forgive us. He will always be suspicious and will find another reason to punish us for this rebellion. This suspicion will always be watching over us. Treason is like a fox—however tame it is, however cared for, even locked up, it still will have the inherited trait of savageness from its ancestors. Whether we look sad or happy, people will lie about our looks. And we will have to act like oxen at their stalls, only treated better when we are close to being slaughtered. My nephew's disloyalty might be forgotten with time, since it could be put down to youth and a bad temper. Also, his nickname lets him act like this—he is just the hare-brained Hotspur, controlled by his rash impulses. All of his offenses are going to be blamed on me and on his father. We encouraged him. And since we were the ones who originally convinced him to start this rebellion, we are the ones who will have to pay for it. Therefore, good Vernon, let's not tell Harry what the King has offered.
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VERNON
Deliver what you will; I’ll say ’tis so.
VERNON
Say what you think is best; I will back you up.
Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS
Here comes your cousin.
Here comes your nephew.
HOTSPUR
My uncle is returned.Deliver up my Lord of Westmoreland.—Uncle, what news?
HOTSPUR
My uncle has returned. Let the Lord of Westmoreland go. What's the latest, uncle?
WORCESTER
The King will bid you battle presently.
WORCESTER
The King said that he will soon fight you in battle.
DOUGLAS
Defy him by the Lord of Westmoreland.
DOUGLAS
Send a message of defiance in response. Send it with the Lord of Westmoreland.
HOTSPUR
Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so.
HOTSPUR
Lord Douglas, go and tell him this.
DOUGLAS
Marry, and shall, and very willingly.
DOUGLAS
Indeed, I will, and gladly.
Exit DOUGLAS
WORCESTER
There is no seeming mercy in the King.
WORCESTER
The King doesn't seem to be very forgiving.
HOTSPUR
Did you beg any? God forbid!
HOTSPUR
Did you ask for forgiveness? I hope not.
WORCESTER
I told him gently of our grievances, Of his oath-breaking, which he mended thus By now forswearing that he is forsworn. He calls us “rebels,” “traitors,” and will scourge With haughty arms this hateful name in us.
WORCESTER
I told him politely why we were annoyed, about how he had broken his promises. He answered by denying all of it and swearing that he is innocent of his treachery. He called us "rebels" and "traitors," and said that his proud army will make us suffer for what we have done.
Enter DOUGLAS
DOUGLAS
Arm, gentlemen; to arms. For I have thrown A brave defiance in King Henry’s teeth, And Westmoreland, that was engaged, did bear it, Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on.
DOUGLAS
Get your weapons gentlemen, get your weapons! I have sent a bold message of defiance to King Henry, and our recent hostage Westmoreland will deliver it to him. This is only going to make the battle start even sooner.
WORCESTER
The Prince of Wales stepped forth before the King,And, nephew, challenged you to single fight.
WORCESTER
The Prince of Wales stepped forward before his father, and challenged you, nephew, to fight him in single combat.
HOTSPUR
O, would the quarrel lay upon our heads, And that no man might draw short breath today But I and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me, How showed his tasking? Seemed it in contempt?
HOTSPUR
Oh, I wish that the whole fight could just be between the two of us, and that the only people who would have to die today would be me and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me, how did he make this challenge? Did it seem like he did it out of hatred for me?
VERNON
No, by my soul. I never in my life Did hear a challenge urged more modestly, Unless a brother should a brother dare To gentle exercise and proof of arms. He gave you all the duties of a man, Trimmed up your praises with a princely tongue, Spoke your deservings like a chronicle, Making you ever better than his praise By still dispraising praise valued in you, And, which became him like a prince indeed, He made a blushing cital of himself, And chid his truant youth with such a grace As if he mastered there a double spirit Of teaching and of learning instantly. There did he pause: but let me tell the world: If he outlive the envy of this day, England did never owe so sweet a hope, So much misconstrued in his wantonness.
VERNON
No, on my life. I have never heard a challenge made with more grace. It felt like it was a brother daring another brother to practice fighting with him. He gave you all the respect that a man deserves, spoke your praises like a true prince. He spoke of how deserving you are, as if he knew your entire life history. He claimed that you were even better than praise itself, since words weren't enough to complement your heroic actions. He also spoke of himself very modestly, which was fitting for a prince, and criticized his foolish youth with such grace it was almost like he was both a responsible adult teaching and a foolish child learning at the same time. He stopped there. But let me tell you, if he manages to survive this battle, England has a very hopeful future and he has been very misunderstood because of his wild behavior.
HOTSPUR
Cousin, I think thou art enamorèd On his follies. Never did I hear Of any Prince so wild a liberty. But be he as he will, yet once ere night I will embrace him with a soldier’s arm, That he shall shrink under my courtesy.— Arm, arm with speed, and, fellows, soldiers, friends, Better consider what you have to do Than I that have not well the gift of tongue Can lift your blood up with persuasion.
HOTSPUR
Cousin, I think you might have been enchanted by his foolishness. I've never heard of a Prince who used his freedom so irresponsibly. But whatever he is really like, before this night is over I will embrace him with a soldier's arms, and he will tremble when I do. Get your weapons, get your weapons quickly! Friends, soldiers, partners, think about what you have to do in this battle as I am not a good enough speaker to motivate you with my words alone.
Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER
My lord, here are letters for you.
MESSENGER
My lord, here are letters for you.
HOTSPUR
I cannot read them now.— O gentlemen, the time of life is short; To spend that shortness basely were too long If life did ride upon a dial’s point, Still ending at the arrival of an hour. An if we live, we live to tread on kings; If die, brave death, when princes die with us. Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair When the intent of bearing them is just.
HOTSPUR
I can't read them now. Oh, gentlemen, life is short. If you spend your short life doing stupid things you are wasting your time. Even if life only lasted one hour, it would always end too soon. If we live, we will triumph over kings. If we die, it will be a glorious death to die with princes. Now, as for this battle, it is perfectly okay for us to bear arms because we are fighting for a just cause.
Enter another MESSENGER
SECOND MESSENGER
My lord, prepare. The King comes on apace.
SECOND MESSENGER
Get ready my lord. The King is almost here.
HOTSPUR
I thank him that he cuts me from my tale, For I profess not talking. Only this: Let each man do his best. And here draw I a sword, Whose temper I intend to stain With the best blood that I can meet withal In the adventure of this perilous day. Now, Esperance! Percy! And set on. Sound all the lofty instruments of war, And by that music let us all embrace, For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall A second time do such a courtesy.
HOTSPUR
I am thankful that he has stopped me from saying anymore, since I am not good with words. I will just say this—each man should do his best. And with that I will draw my sword. During this battle, on this dangerous day, I hope to stain my shining sword with the blood of all the noble men I encounter. Now, be hopeful! Percy! Let's go! Let the trumpets of war sound, and when they do, let's embrace each other. It's certain that some of us will never get to embrace one another again.
Here they embrace. The trumpets sound.
Exeunt
