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 skimmed milk with so honorable an action! Hang him! let him tell the king. We are prepared; I will set forward to-night. Enter LADY PERCY. 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 banished 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-eyed musing, and cursed melancholy? In thy faint slumbers, I by thee have watched, And heard thee murmur tales of iron wars; Speak terms of manage to thy bounding steed; Cry, Courage!-to the field! And thou hast talked Of sallies, and retires; of trenches, tents, Of palisadoes, frontiers,3 parapets; 1 Shakspeare either mistook the name of Hotspur's wife (which was not Katharine, but Elizabeth), or else designedly changed it, out of the remarkable fondness he seems to have had for the name of Kate. Hall and Holinshed call her, erroneously, Elinor. 2 Retires are retreats. 3 Frontiers formerly meant, not only the bounds of different territories, but also the forts built along or near those limits. Of basilisks,' of cannon, culverin; Of prisoners' ransom, and of soldiers slain, And in thy face strange motions have appeared, Some heavy business hath my lord in hand, And I must know it, else he loves me not. Hot. What, ho! is Gilliams with the packet gone? Enter Servant. Serv. He is, my lord, an hour ago. Hot. Hath Butler brought those horses from the sheriff? Serv. One horse, my lord, he brought even now. Hot. What horse? a roan, a crop-ear, is it not? Serv. It is, my lord. Hot. That roan shall be my throne. Well, I will back him straight. O esperance!-3 Bid Butler lead him forth into the park. [Exit Servant. Lady. But hear you, my lord. A weasel hath not such a deal of spleen, I'll know your business, Harry, that I will. I fear my brother Mortimer doth stir 1 Basilisks are a species of ordnance, probably so named from the imaginary serpent or dragon, with figures of which it was ordinary to orna. ment great guns. 2 Occurrences. 3 The motto of the Percy family. About his title; and hath sent for you, In faith, I'll break thy little finger, Harry, Away, you trifler!-Love? I love thee not, Lady. Do you not love me? do you not indeed? No lady closer; for I well believe Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know; Hot. Not an inch further. But hark 1 i. e. to strengthen. you, Kate! 2 Mammets were puppets or dolls, here used by Shakspeare for a female plaything; a diminutive of mam. Mr. Gifford has thrown out a conjecture about the meaning of mammets from the Italian mammetta, which signified a bosom as well as a young wench. |