Chapter: Scaena Quarta.


The Trumpets sound.

Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle of
Westmerland, with Worcester & Vernon Prisoners.

  King. Thus euer did Rebellion finde Rebuke.
Ill-spirited Worcester, did we not send Grace,
Pardon, and tearmes of Loue to all of you?
And would'st thou turne our offers contrary?
Misuse the tenor of thy Kinsmans trust?
Three Knights vpon our party slaine to day,
A Noble Earle, and many a creature else,
Had beene aliue this houre,
If like a Christian thou had'st truly borne
Betwixt our Armies, true Intelligence

   Wor. What I haue done, my safety vrg'd me to,
And I embrace this fortune patiently,
Since not to be auoyded, it fals on mee

   King. Beare Worcester to death, and Vernon too:
Other offenders we will pause vpon.

Exit Worcester and Vernon.

How goes the Field?
  Prin. The Noble Scot Lord Dowglas, when hee saw
The fortune of the day quite turn'd from him,
The Noble Percy slaine, and all his men,
Vpon the foot of feare, fled with the rest;
And falling from a hill, he was so bruiz'd
That the pursuers tooke him. At my Tent
The Dowglas is, and I beseech your Grace,
I may dispose of him

   King. With all my heart

   Prin. Then Brother Iohn of Lancaster,
To you this honourable bounty shall belong:
Go to the Dowglas, and deliuer him
Vp to his pleasure, ransomlesse and free:
His Valour shewne vpon our Crests to day,
Hath taught vs how to cherish such high deeds,
Euen in the bosome of our Aduersaries

   King. Then this remaines: that we diuide our Power.
You Sonne Iohn, and my Cousin Westmerland
Towards Yorke shall bend you, with your deerest speed
To meet Northumberland, and the Prelate Scroope,
Who (as we heare) are busily in Armes.
My Selfe, and you Sonne Harry will towards Wales,
To fight with Glendower, and the Earle of March.
Rebellion in this Land shall lose his way,
Meeting the Checke of such another day:
And since this Businesse so faire is done,
Let vs not leaue till all our owne be wonne.

Exeunt.


FINIS. The First Part of Henry the Fourth, with the Life and Death
of
HENRY Sirnamed HOT-SPVRRE.

 Prince Hal is wounded but refuses to rest. He praises the valor of his brother as he watches him fight the enemies. Suddenly, King Henry is challenged by Douglas. It is the third "king" he has encountered that day and Douglas is unsure of his identity. As they begin to fight, Hal realizes that King Henry is in danger of being killed and immediately comes to his fathers rescue. He engages Douglas, who flees from their sight. King Henry is proud of his sons valor and tells him that he has redeemed himself. Hal swears to his father that he never meant him any harm, and the latter exits. Hotspur enters, recognizes the prince, and identifies himself. Hal declares him a "valiant rebel" , but announces, essentially, that England is not big enough for the two of them. Each one knows that this will be a fight to the death. As they begin fighting, Falstaff enters and cheers Hal from a distance. Douglas enters and begins fighting with Falstaff, who falls to the ground as if he were dead. Douglas exits. Hotspur is mortally wounded by Hal. Before dying he tells Hal that the wound to his pride for having lost hurts him more than his impending death. The prince praises Hotspurs valor and remarks on the ephemeral nature of life. He then notices Falstaff on the ground and is moved to find him dead. After giving his companion a warm farewell, he exits. When he is gone, Falstaff gets up. He gives a ridiculous justification for faking his death. Seeing the dead Percy, he decides to kill him again, just in case he rises as he himself did. He stabs the body in the thigh and hoists it onto his shoulders. Prince Hal enters with his brother, Prince John. They are surprised to see Falstaff carting Percy's body, and Hal swears that he killed Percy and saw Falstaff dead. Falstaff replies that they had both been merely "out of breath" and that he had killed Percy himself after a long and terrible fight. He even swears that he gave him the wound in his thigh. John is astounded, but Hal is bemused and allows Falstaff his lie.

