Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/110

96

So long in his unlucky Irish wars,

That all in England did repute him dead:

And from this swarm of fair advantages

You took occasion to be quickly woo'd

To gripe the general sway into your hand;

Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster;

And being fed by us you us'd us so

As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird,

Useth the sparrow: did oppress our nest,

Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk

That even our love durst not come near your sight

For fear of swallowing; but with nimble wing

We were enforc'd, for safety's sake, to fly

Out of your sight and raise this present head;

Whereby we stand opposed by such means

As you yourself have forg'd against yourself

By unkind usage, dangerous countenance,

And violation of all faith and troth

Sworn to us in your younger enterprise.

King. These things indeed, you have articulate,

Proclaim'd at market-crosses, read in churches,

To face the garment of rebellion

With some fine colour that may please the eye

Of fickle changelings and poor discontents,

Which gape and rub the elbow at the news

Of hurlyburly innovation:

And never yet did insurrection want

Such water-colours to impaint his cause;

Nor moody beggars, starving for a time

Of pell-mell havoc and confusion.

Prince. In both our armies there is many a soul

Shall pay full dearly for this encounter,

 60 gull: an unfledged nestling; cf. n.

69 dangerous: threatening

72 articulate: set forth in articles

74 face: trim

78 innovation: revolution 