Henry IV, Part ii; Act II, Scene iii First Folio
Henry IV, Part ii Act II, Scene iii Lady Percy
This text is used in our interview with Kelley Curran.
Click here to see a modern version of the script.
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967 Oh yet, for heauens sake, go not to these Warrs;
968 The Time was (Father) when you broke your word,
969 When you were more endeer’d to it, then now,
970 When your owne Percy, when my heart-deere Harry,
971 Threw many a Northward looke, to see his Father
972 Bring vp his Powres: but he did long in vaine.
973 Who then perswaded you to stay at home?
974 There were two Honors lost; Yours, and your Sonnes.
975 For Yours, may heauenly glory brighten it:
976 For His, it stucke vpon him, as the Sunne
977 In the gray vault of Heauen: and by his Light
978 Did all the Cheualrie of England moue
979 To do braue Acts. He was (indeed) the Glasse
980 Wherein the Noble-Youth did dresse themselues.
981 He had no Legges, that practic’d not his Gate:
982 And speaking thicke (which Nature made his blemish)
983 Became the Accents of the Valiant.
984 For those that could speake low, and tardily,
985 Would turne their owne Perfection, to Abuse,
986 To seeme like him. So that in Speech, in Gate,
987 In Diet, in Affections of delight,
988 In Militarie Rules, Humors of Blood,
989 He was the Marke, and Glasse, Coppy, and Booke,
990 That fashion’d others. And him, O wondrous! him,
991 O Miracle of Men! Him did you leaue
992 (Second to none) vn-seconded by you,
993 To looke vpon the hideous God of Warre,
994 In dis-aduantage, to abide a field,
995 Where nothing but the sound of Hotspurs Name
996 Did seeme defensible: so you left him.
997 Neuer, O neuer doe his Ghost the wrong,
998 To hold your Honor more precise and nice
999 With others, then with him. Let them alone:
1000 The Marshall and the Arch-bishop are strong.
1001 Had my sweet Harry had but halfe their Numbers,
1002 To day might I (hanging on Hotspurs Necke)
1003 Haue talk’d of Monmouth’s Graue.
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