Please it your Honour, knock but at the gate, And he himself will answer. L. Bard. Here comes the earl. [Exit Porter above. Enter NORTHUMBERLAND. North. What news, Lord Bardolph? every minute now Should be the father of some stratagem: 1 The times are wild; contention, like a horse L. Bard. Noble earl, I bring you certain news from Shrewsbury. North. Good, an God will! L. Bard. As good as heart can wish : The King is almost wounded to the death; North. Saw How is this derived? you the field? came you from Shrewsbury? L. Bard. I spake with one, my lord, that came from thence, 1 Stratagem for dreadful event or calamity. So in 3 Henry VI., ii. 5: "What stratagems, how fell, how butcherly, this deadly quarrel daily doth beget!" 2 Prince Henry was surnamed Monmouth from the town of that name in Wales, where he was born. - Brawn, here, is roll of flesh. See page 54, note 16. A gentleman well bred and of good name, That freely render'd me these news for true. North. Here comes my servant Travers, whom I sent On Tuesday last to listen after news. L. Bard. My lord, I over-rode him on the way; And he is furnish'd with no certainties More than he haply may retail from me. Enter TRAVERS. North. Now, Travers, what good tidings come with you? Tra. My lord, Sir John Umfreville turn'd me back With joyful tidings; and, being better horsed, Out-rode me. After him came spurring hard A gentleman, almost forspent 3 with speed, That stopp'd by me to breathe his bloodied horse. He ask'd the way to Chester; and of him I did demand what news from Shrewsbury: He told me that rebellion had ill luck, And that young Harry Percy's spur was cold. With that, he gave his able horse the head, And, bending forward, struck his armèd heels Against the panting sides of his poor jade Up to the rowel-head; and, starting so, He seem'd in running to devour the way,4 Staying no longer question. Said he young Harry Percy's spur was cold? Had met ill luck? L. Bard. My lord, I'll tell you what : If my young lord your son have not the day, 3 Forspent is spent utterly; the prepositive for being here intensive. 4 So in Job: "He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage." Upon mine honour, for a silken point 5 I'll give my barony: ne'er talk of it. North. Why should the gentleman that rode by Travers Give, then, such instances of loss? L. Bard. Who, he? He was some hilding fellow,6 that had stol'n The horse he rode on; and, upon my life, Spoke at a venture. Look, here comes more news. Enter MORTON. North. Yea, this man's brow, like to a title-leaf,7 So looks the strand whereon th' imperious flood Say, Morton, didst thou come from Shrewsbury? North. How doth my son and brother? So dull, so dead in look, so woe-begone, And I my Percy's death ere thou report'st it. 5 A silken point is a tagged lace. See page 58, note 26. 6 Hilding was a term of contempt for a vile, cowardly person. 7 Alluding to the title-pages of elegies, which were printed all black. 8 An attestation of its ravage. Usurpation very much in the sense of encroachment; invading another's rights. 9 That is, withdrew the curtain, or drew it aside. Your brother thus; so fought the noble Douglas; Ending with Brother, son, and all are dead. But, for Why, he is dead. See what a ready tongue suspicion hath! He that but fears the thing he would not know Hath by instinct knowledge from others' eyes Tell thou thy earl his divination lies, And I will take it as a sweet disgrace, And make thee rich for doing me such wrong. Your spirit is too true, your fears too certain, And he doth sin that doth belie the dead, or sin 10 Fear for danger, or the thing feared, or that should be feared. 11 Sullen, here, is gloomy or dismal. Often so. — The allusion is to what was called the passing-bell; it being an old custom in England to give notice, by the tolling of a bell, when any one was in the agonies of death, that those who heard it might offer up their prayers in behalf of the dying person. So Sir Thomas Browne, in Religio Medici, 1643: "I never hear the toll of a passing-bell, though in my mirth, without my prayers and best wishes for the departing spirit." Remember'd knolling a departing friend. L. Bard. I cannot think, my lord, your son is dead. Mor. I'm sorry I should force you to believe But these mine eyes saw him in bloody state, 13 From whence with life he never more sprung up. Turn'd on themselves, like dull and heavy lead: 12 Quittance is requital or return. A feeble return of blows is the meaning. The Poet has quittance repeatedly so. 13 Bruited is noised abroad or reported. 14 Began to fall his courage, to let his spirits sink under his fortune. To vail is to lower, to cast down. ·Stomach was often used for courage, and sometimes for pride. |