That the united vessel of their blood,

Mingled with venom of suggestion—

As force perforce the age will pour it in-

Shall never leak, though it do work as strong

As aconitum or rash gunpowder.

CLARENCE

I shall observe him with all care and love.

KING HENRY

Why art thou not at Windsor with him, Thomas? 50

CLARENCE

He is not there today; he dines in London.

KING HENRY

And how accompanied? Canst thou tell that?

CLARENCE

With Poins and other his continual followers.

KING HENRY

Most subject is the fattest soil to weeds,

And he, the noble image of my youth,

Is overspread with them; therefore my grief

Stretches itself beyond the hour of death.

The blood weeps from my heart when I do shape

In forms imaginary th’unguided days

And rotten times that you shall look upon 60

When I am sleeping with my ancestors;

For when his headstrong riot hath no curb,

When rage and hot blood are his counsellors,

When means and lavish manners meet together,

O, with what wings shall his affections fly

Towards fronting peril and opposed decay?

WARWICK

My gracious lord, you look beyond him quite.

The Prince but studies his companions,

Like a strange tongue, wherein, to gain the language,

’Tis needful that the most immodest word

Be looked upon and learnt, which once attained,

Your highness knows, comes to no further use

But to be known and hated; so, like gross terms,

The Prince will in the perfectness of time

Cast off his followers, and their memory

Shall as a pattern or a measure live

By which his grace must mete the lives of other,

Turning past evils to advantages.

KING HENRY

’Tis seldom when the bee doth leave her comb

In the dead carrion.

Enter the Earl of Westmorland

Who’s here? Westmorland? 80

WESTMORLAND

Health to my sovereign, and new happiness

Added to that that I am to deliver I

Prince John your son doth kiss your grace’s hand.

Mowbray, the Bishop Scrope, Hastings, and all

Are brought to the correction of your law.

There is not now a rebel’s sword unsheathed,

But peace puts forth her olive everywhere.

The manner how this action hath been borne

Here at more leisure may your highness read,

With every course in his particular.

He gives the King papers

KING HENRY

O Westmorland, thou art a summer bird

Which ever in the haunch of winter sings

The lifting up of day.

Enter Harcourt

Look, here’s more news.

HARCOURT

From enemies heaven keep your majesty;

And when they stand against you, may they fall

As those that I am come to tell you of!

The Earl Northumberland and the Lord Bardolph,

With a great power of English and of Scots,

Are by the sheriff of Yorkshire overthrown.

The manner and true order of the fight

This packet, please it you, contains at large.

He gives the King papers

KING HENRY

And wherefore should these good news make me sick?

Will fortune never come with both hands full,

But write her fair words still in foulest letters?

She either gives a stomach and no food—

Such are the poor in health—or else a feast,

And takes away the stomach—such are the rich,

That have abundance and enjoy it not.

I should rejoice now at this happy news,

And now my sight fails, and my brain is giddy. 110

O me! Come near me now; I am much ill.

He swoons

GLOUCESTER

Comfort, your majesty!

CLARENCE O my royal father!

WESTMORLAND

My sovereign lord, cheer up yourself, look up.

WARWICK

Be patient, princes; you do know these fits

Are with his highness very ordinary. 115

Stand from him, give him air; he’ll straight be well.

CLARENCE

No, no, he cannot long hold out these pangs.

Th’incessant care and labour of his mind

Hath wrought the mure that should confine it in

So thin that life looks through and will break out. 120

GLOUCESTER

The people fear me, for they do observe

Unfathered heirs and loathly births of nature.

The seasons change their manners, as the year

Had found some months asleep and leaped them over.

CLARENCE

The river hath thrice flowed, no ebb between, 125

And the old folk, time’s doting chronicles,

Say it did so a little time before

That our great grandsire Edward sicked and died.

WARWICK

Speak lower, princes, for the King recovers.

GLOUCESTER

This apoplexy will certain be his end.

KING HENRY

I pray you take me up and bear me hence

Into some other chamber; softly, pray.

⌈The King is carried over the stage in his bed⌉

Let there be no noise made, my gentle friends,

Unless some dull and favourable hand

Will whisper music to my weary spirit.

WARWICK

Call for the music in the other room.

⌈Exit one or more. Still music within⌉

KING HENRY

Set me the crown upon my pillow here.

⌈Clarence⌉ takes the crown ⌈from the King’s head⌉, and sets it on his pillow

CLARENCE

His eye is hollow, and he changes much.

⌈A noise within⌉

WARWICK

Less noise, less noise!

Enter Prince Harry

PRINCE HARRY Who saw the Duke of Clarence?