Page:William Hazlitt - Characters of Shakespear's Plays (1817).djvu/212

182 Aumerle. And if I do not, may my hands rot off, And never brandish more revengeful steel Over the glittering helmet of my foe. Who sets me else? By heav'n, I'll throw at all. I have a thousand spirits in my breast, To answer twenty thousand such as you. Surry. My lord Fitzwater, I remember well The very time Aumerle and you did talk. Fitzwater. My lord, 'tis true: you were in presence then: And you can witness with me, this is true. Surry. As false, by heav'n, as heav'n itself is true. Fitzwater. Surry, thou liest. Surry. Dishonourable boy, That lie shall lye so heavy on my sword, That it shall render vengeance and revenge, Till thou the lie-giver and that lie rest In earth as quiet as thy father's skull. In proof whereof, there is mine honour's pawn: Engage it to the trial, if thou dar'st. Fitzwater. How fondly dost thou spur a forward horse: If I dare eat or drink or breathe or live, I dare meet Surry in a wilderness, And spit upon him, whilst I say he lies, And lies, and lies: there is my bond of faith, To tie thee to thy strong correction. As I do hope to thrive in this new world, Aumerle is guilty of my true appeal."

The truth is, that there is neither truth nor honour in all these noble persons: they answer words with words, as they do blows with blows, in mere self defence: nor have they any principle whatever but that of courage in maintaining any wrong they dare commit, or any