We’ll fight with him tonight.
We will engage him in battle tonight.
We fight him tonight.
we fight tonight
It may not be.
That may not happen.
That might not work.
maybe not
You give him then advantage.
Then you're handing him the advantage.
Then you're giving him an advantage.
giving him advantage
Not a whit.
Not at all.
Not really.
nah
Why say you so? Looks he not for supply?
Why do you say that? Isn't he waiting for reinforcements?
Why would you say that? Isn't he waiting for more troops?
why? isn't he waiting for reinforcements?
So do we.
So are we.
So are we.
us too
His is certain, ours is doubtful.
His reinforcements are certain, ours are uncertain.
His will definitely come. Ours might not.
his are coming. ours aren't sure
Good cousin, be advised, stir not tonight.
Good cousin, take my advice and don't move tonight.
Look, cousin, don't do anything tonight.
cousin don't move tonight
Do not, my lord.
Don't do it, my lord.
I agree, my lord.
don't my lord
You do not counsel well.
You speak it out of fear and cold heart.
You give poor counsel. You speak out of fear and cowardice.
That's bad advice. You're just scared.
weak counsel speaking from fear
Do me no slander, Douglas; by my life,
And I dare well maintain it with my life,
If well-respected honour bid me on,
I hold as little counsel with weak fear
As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives.
Let it be seen tomorrow in the battle
Which of us fears.
Don't insult me, Douglas. By my life, and I'll defend it with my life, if honor demands it, I listen to fear as little as you do, my lord, or any Scot alive today. Let tomorrow's battle show which of us is afraid.
Don't call me a coward, Douglas. I swear on my life, and I'll fight to prove it, that honor means everything to me. I'm as fearless as you are, or any Scot. Let tomorrow's battle show which one of us is actually afraid.
don't insult me douglas i'll prove i'm brave let's see tomorrow who's scared
Yea, or tonight.
Yes, or even tonight.
Yeah, or tonight.
or tonight
Content.
Agreed.
Fine.
ok
Tonight, say I.
That's what I say—tonight.
I say tonight.
i say tonight
Come, come, it may not be. I wonder much,
Being men of such great leading as you are,
That you foresee not what impediments
Drag back our expedition. Certain horse
Of my cousin Vernon’s are not yet come up.
Your uncle Worcester’s horse came but today,
And now their pride and mettle is asleep,
Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,
That not a horse is half the half himself.
Come now, it's not possible. I'm surprised, given that you are such capable leaders, that you don't foresee what obstacles hinder our campaign. Some of my cousin Vernon's horses haven't yet arrived. Your uncle Worcester's horses only came today, and now they are exhausted and worn out, their spirit and strength weakened by hard travel, so that not a single horse is half as strong.
Come on, we can't do it. I'm amazed that leaders like you don't see the problems. Some of my cousin's horses haven't shown up yet. Your uncle's horses only got here today, and they're exhausted from the journey. They're in no shape to fight.
we can't fight now horses aren't here worcester's horses just got here they're exhausted can't fight
Hotspur's history of how the Percys made and were betrayed by Henry IV is essentially accurate. The Percys did help Bolingbroke take the throne. They did ransom Douglas at their own expense. They were promised rewards and didn't receive them. Mortimer was declared a traitor in questionable circumstances. The historical grievances are real — which is what makes Hotspur so sympathetic even when he is clearly in the wrong. Shakespeare is careful not to make this a simple tyranny vs. rebellion story. Henry IV has genuinely wronged the Percys; the Percys are genuinely willing to tear the country apart over it. Both things are true at once.
So are the horses of the enemy
In general, journey-bated and brought low.
The better part of ours are full of rest.
So too are the King's horses generally tired from travel and worn down. Most of our horses are well-rested.
So are the King's horses—they're exhausted and tired out from the journey. But our horses are mostly rested.
enemy horses are tired too ours are rested we're good
The number of the King exceedeth ours.
For God’s sake, cousin, stay till all come in.
The King's numbers exceed ours. For God's sake, cousin, wait until all our forces arrive.
The King has more soldiers than we do. For heaven's sake, cousin, wait until everyone gets here.
king's got more soldiers wait till everyone arrives
I come with gracious offers from the King,
If you vouchsafe me hearing and respect.
I come with generous offers from the King, if you will grant me a hearing and show respect.
I come with generous offers from the King, if you'll listen to me.
king sent me with generous offers will you listen?
Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt, and would to God
You were of our determination!
Some of us love you well, and even those some
Envy your great deservings and good name,
Because you are not of our quality,
But stand against us like an enemy.
Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt, and I wish to God you were on our side! Some of us respect you greatly, and even those envy your excellent merit and good reputation, because you are not one of us, but stand against us like an enemy.
Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt. I wish you were on our side! Some of us really respect you, and even those who do wish you were with us because you have a great reputation. But instead you stand against us like an enemy.
welcome blunt wish you were with us we respect you but you're against us
And God defend but still I should stand so,
So long as out of limit and true rule
You stand against anointed majesty.
But to my charge. The King hath sent to know
The nature of your griefs, and whereupon
You conjure from the breast of civil peace
Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land
Audacious cruelty. If that the King
Have any way your good deserts forgot,
Which he confesseth to be manifold,
He bids you name your griefs, and with all speed
You shall have your desires with interest
And pardon absolute for yourself and these
Herein misled by your suggestion.
Indeed, I must continue to stand against you as long as you stand against the rightful anointed king outside the proper bounds. But to my purpose: The King wants to know the nature of your complaints and why you have risen in armed rebellion against a peaceful kingdom, teaching cruelty to a dutiful people. If the King has forgotten any good service you have done—and he acknowledges you have done much—he asks you to name your grievances. With all speed you will have what you demand, with extra reward, and complete pardon for yourself and all these men who were misled by your persuasion.
As long as you stand against the rightful king, I have to stand against you. But here's the King's message: He wants to understand your complaints and why you've turned to armed rebellion. If he's forgotten any good things you've done for him—and he admits there are many—he wants you to tell him what you want. He'll give you everything you ask for, plus extra reward, and he'll pardon you and everyone here who was influenced by you.
i stand against you because you stand against the king king asks: what do you want? he'll give it with reward and pardon for everyone here
The King is kind, and well we know the King
Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.
My father and my uncle and myself
Did give him that same royalty he wears,
And when he was not six-and-twenty strong,
Sick in the world’s regard, wretched and low,
A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home,
My father gave him welcome to the shore:
And when he heard him swear and vow to God
He came but to be Duke of Lancaster,
To sue his livery, and beg his peace
With tears of innocence and terms of zeal,
My father, in kind heart and pity moved,
Swore him assistance, and performed it too.
Now, when the lords and barons of the realm
Perceived Northumberland did lean to him,
The more and less came in with cap and knee,
Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,
Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,
Laid gifts before him, proffer’d him their oaths,
Give him their heirs as pages, follow’d him
Even at the heels in golden multitudes.
He presently, as greatness knows itself,
Steps me a little higher than his vow
Made to my father while his blood was poor
Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurgh;
And now forsooth takes on him to reform
Some certain edicts and some strait decrees
That lie too heavy on the commonwealth;
Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep
Over his country’s wrongs; and by this face,
This seeming brow of justice, did he win
The hearts of all that he did angle for;
Proceeded further—cut me off the heads
Of all the favourites that the absent King
In deputation left behind him here
When he was personal in the Irish war.
The King is gracious, and well we know the King understands when to make promises and when to pay them. My father, my uncle, and I gave him the very kingship he now wears. When he was powerless, regarded with scorn, wretched and low, a poor forgotten outlaw sneaking home, my father welcomed him to the shore: and when he heard him swear and vow to God that he came only to reclaim his duchy of Lancaster, to recover his inheritance, and seek peace with tears of innocence and words of loyalty, my father, moved by compassion and kindness, swore to help him, and did so. Now, when the lords and nobles of the realm perceived that Northumberland supported him, great and small came bowing and scraping, met him in towns, cities, villages, greeted him on bridges, lined the roads, laid gifts before him, offered him their oaths, gave him their sons as pages, followed him even at his heels in golden numbers. He then, as powerful men do, stepped up higher than his promise made to my father when he was poor on the bare shore at Ravenspurgh; and now, pretending to reform certain laws and harsh decrees that weigh too heavily on the people, cries out about wrongs, seems to weep over his country's suffering; and with this display, this false show of justice, he won over all those he desired; then went further—he had executed all the favorites that the absent King had left behind in power here when he was fighting in Ireland.
The King is generous, sure, but we all know he's good at promising things and then deciding whether to pay up. My father, uncle, and I gave him the crown he wears. When he was nobody—poor, despised, a forgotten outlaw sneaking back home—my father welcomed him. He swore to God he just wanted his duchy back, to get his inheritance and make peace, with tears and talk about loyalty. My father, feeling sorry for him, helped him and backed him up. Then when other nobles saw my father supporting him, everyone started coming to him—all the important people bowing and scraping, meeting him in towns and villages, lining the roads, giving him gifts and oaths, sending him their sons as servants, following him everywhere. And then he acted like powerful men do—he climbed higher than his promise. He started pretending to fix corrupt laws and help the people, crying about wrongs done to the country. With that fake show of justice, he won everyone over. Then he went even further and had the King's favorites executed—the ones who had been left in power when the old King was fighting in Ireland.
we gave him the crown he promised he just wanted his duchy swore loyalty, tears, all that we helped him then other nobles backed him too he climbed higher than his promise faked caring about the people won everyone over then executed the king's men
Tut, I came not to hear this.
Look, I didn't come here for this.
Come on, I didn't come for a history lesson.
i didn't come for this
Then to the point.
In short time after, he deposed the King,
Soon after that deprived him of his life,
And, in the neck of that, task’d the whole state.
To make that worse, suffer’d his kinsman March
(Who is, if every owner were well placed,
Indeed his king) to be engaged in Wales,
There without ransom to lie forfeited;
Disgraced me in my happy victories,
Sought to entrap me by intelligence,
Rated mine uncle from the Council-board,
In rage dismiss’d my father from the court,
Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong,
And in conclusion drove us to seek out
This head of safety, and withal to pry
Into his title, the which now we find
Too indirect for long continuance.
Then to the point. Shortly after, he deposed the King, soon after that he had him killed, and then he taxed everyone heavily. To make it worse, he let his kinsman March (who would be the rightful king if everyone had their proper titles) be taken captive in Wales, there to stay without ransom; he shamed me for my military victories, sought to trap me through spies, removed my uncle from the Council, in anger dismissed my father from court, broke oath after oath, committed wrong after wrong, and finally drove us to raise this army and also to examine his right to rule, which we now find is not legitimate and cannot last.
To sum it up: soon after, he overthrew the King, killed him, and then taxed everyone. Then he let his kinsman March—who should be king if anyone's rightfully entitled—get captured in Wales with no hope of ransom. He insulted me for my victories, tried to trap me with spies, threw my uncle out of the Council, kicked my father out of court in anger, broke promise after promise, did wrong after wrong. Finally he pushed us to raise an army and question his right to rule, which we've determined is illegal and won't hold up.
he overthrew the king had him killed taxed everyone let march be captured insulted us tried to trap us so we raised an army his rule is illegal
Shall I return this answer to the King?
Should I take this answer back to the King?
So should I tell the King all this?
i tell the king all this?
Not so, Sir Walter. We’ll withdraw awhile.
Go to the King, and let there be impawn’d
Some surety for a safe return again,
And in the morning early shall my uncle
Bring him our purposes. And so, farewell.
Not quite, Sir Walter. We'll step back for now. Go to the King, and let there be given some pledge for your safe return, and early tomorrow morning my uncle will bring him our intentions. And so, farewell.
Not exactly, Sir Walter. Let's take some time. Go back to the King, but get something guaranteeing your safe passage back. Early tomorrow morning my uncle will send him our proposal. And goodbye.
not yet go tell king but get safe passage first uncle sends word tomorrow goodbye
I would you would accept of grace and love.
I wish you would accept his mercy and goodwill.
I wish you'd just accept his offer and make peace.
wish you'd accept his peace
And maybe so we shall.
Perhaps we will.
Maybe we will.
maybe
Pray God you do.
May God make it so.
I hope so.
hope so
The Reckoning
The debate scene before the battle — and what's striking is how reasonable everyone is. They weigh timing, supplies, odds. Hotspur's history of the Percy grievances is passionate and detailed. And then the rebels do something unexpected: they ask for a hearing. Not because they want peace, but because Worcester needs time and Hotspur wants to finish the story. The pardon offer hangs in the air, and the audience doesn't yet know it will be suppressed.
If this happened today…
A board meeting the night before a hostile takeover vote. One faction wants to move tonight, another says wait for reinforcements. A lawyer arrives from the other side with a settlement offer. One executive spends ten minutes outlining every historical grievance against the current CEO. Then they send the lawyer back to say they'll consider it — buying time, not peace.