Page:Henry IV Part 2 (1921) Yale.djvu/21

King Henry the Fourth, I. i

You cast the event of war, my noble lord,

And summ'd the account of chance, before you said,

'Let us make head.' It was your presurmise

That in the dole of blows your son might drop:

You knew he walk'd o'er perils, on an edge,

More likely to fall in than to get o'er;

You were advis'd his flesh was capable

Of wounds and scars, and that his forward spirit

Would lift him where most trade of danger rang'd:

Yet did you say, 'Go forth'; and none of this,

Though strongly apprehended, could restrain

The stiff-borne action: what hath then befallen,

Or what hath this bold enterprise brought forth,

More than that being which was like to be?

L. Bard. We all that are engaged to this loss

Knew that we ventur'd on such dangerous seas

That if we wrought out life 'twas ten to one;

And yet we ventur'd, for the gain propos'd

Chok'd the respect of likely peril fear'd;

And since we are o'erset, venture again.

Come, we will all put forth, body and goods.

Mor. 'Tis more than time: and, my most noble lord,

I hear for certain, and do speak the truth,

The gentle Archbishop of York is up,

With well-appointed powers: he is a man

Who with a double surety binds his followers.

My lord your son had only but the corpse,

But shadows and the shows of men to fight;

For that same word, rebellion, did divide

The action of their bodies from their souls;

 166-179 Cf. n.

166 cast the event: considered the outcome

168 make head: raise an army

169 dole: distribution

170 edge: dangerous narrow path

172 advis'd: aware

177 stiff-borne: obstinately carried out

180 engaged to: involved in

184 respect: consideration

190 well-appointed: well-equipped 