Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/46

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32
The First Part of

Scene Three

[Warkworth Castle]

Enter Hotspur, solus, reading a letter.

"But for mine own part, my lord, I could be
well contented to be there, in respect of the love
I bear your house."
He could be contented; why is he not then? In
respect of the love he bears our house: he shows
in this he loves his own barn better than he
loves our house. Let me see some more.

"The purpose you undertake is dangerous;—" 8
Why, that's certain: 'tis dangerous to take a
cold, to sleep, to drink; but I tell you, my lord
fool, out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this
flower, safety. 12

"The purpose you undertake is dangerous; the
friends you have named uncertain; the time itself
unsorted; and your whole plot too light for the
counterpoise of so great an opposition." 16
Say you so, say you so? I say unto you again,
you are a shallow cowardly hind, and you lie.
What a lack-brain is this! By the Lord, our plot
is a good plot as ever was laid; our friends true
and constant: a good plot, good friends, and full
of expectation; an excellent plot, very good
friends. What a frosty-spirited rogue is this!
Why, my Lord of York commends the plot and
the general course of the action. 'Zounds! an
I were now by this rascal, I could brain him
with his lady's fan. Is there not my father, my
uncle, and myself? Lord Edmund Mortimer, my

1 Cf. n.
15 unsorted: ill-chosen
18 hind: servant, slave