And first, lord marshal, what say you to it? Mowb. I well allow the occasion of our arms; But gladly would be better satisfied How in our means we should advance ourselves To look with forehead bold and big enough Upon the power and puissance of the king. Hast. Our present musters grow upon the file To five-and-twenty thousand men of choice; 11 And our supplies live largely in the hope Of great Northumberland, whose bosom burns With an incensed fire of injuries. L. Bard. The question then, Lord Hastings, standeth thus ; Whether our present five-and-twenty thousand May hold up head without Northumberland. Hast. With him, we may. L. Bard. Ay, marry, there's the point : But if without him we be thought too feeble, My judgement is, we should not step too far 20 Of aids incertain should not be admitted. Arch. 'Tis very true, Lord Bardolph; for indeed It was young Hotspur's case at Shrewsbury. King L. Bard. It was, my lord; who lin'd himself with hope, Eating the air on promise of supply, Flattering himself with project of a power Much smaller than the smallest of his thoughts: Proper to madmen, led his powers to death, 31 Hast. But, by your leave, it never yet did hurt To lay down likelihoods and forms of hope. L. Bard. Yes, if this present quality of war,Indeed the instant action: a cause on footLives so in hope as in an early spring We see the appearing buds, which to prove fruit, Hope gives not so much warrant as despair 40 That frosts will bite them. When we mean to build, We first survey the plot, then draw the model; And when we see the figure of the house, Then must we rate the cost of the erection ; Which if we find outweighs ability, What do we then but draw anew the model In fewer offices, or at last desist To build at all? Much more, in this great work, Which is almost to pluck a kingdom down 50 And set another up, should we survey 60 Hast. Grant that our hopes, yet likely of fair birth, Should be still-born, and that we now possess'd The utmost man of expectation, I think we are a body strong enough, Even as we are, to equal with the king. L. Bard. What, is the king but five-andtwenty thousand ? Hast. To us no more; nay, not so much, Lord Bardolph. For his divisions, as the times do brawl, 70 Are in three heads: one power against the French, And one against Glendower; perforce a third In three divided; and his coffers sound Arch. That he should draw his several strengths together And come against us in full puissance, Need not be dreaded. Hast. If he should do so, He leaves his back unarm'd, the French and Welsh Baying him at the heels: never fear that. 80 L. Bard. Who is it like should lead his forces hither? Hast. The Duke of Lancaster and Westmoreland; Against the Welsh, himself and Harry Monmouth: But who is substituted 'gainst the French, I have no certain notice. Arch. Let us on, And publish the occasion of our arms. The commonwealth is sick of their own choice; Their over-greedy love hath surfeited: An habitation giddy and unsure Hath he that buildeth on the vulgar heart. 90 O thou fond many, with what loud applause Didst thou beat heaven with blessing Bolingbroke, Before he was what thou wouldst have him be! 100 They that, when Richard liv'd, would have him die, worst. Mowb. Shall we go draw our numbers and set on ? Hast. We are time's subjects, and time bids [Exeunt. 110 be gone. |