ACT IV
SCENE IV York. The ARCHBISHOP'S palace.


 [Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK and SIR MICHAEL]

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Hie, good Sir Michael; bear this sealed brief
 With winged haste to the lord marshal;
 This to my cousin Scroop, and all the rest
 To whom they are directed. If you knew
 How much they do to import, you would make haste.

SIR MICHAEL My good lord,
 I guess their tenor.

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Like enough you do.
 To-morrow, good Sir Michael, is a day
 Wherein the fortune of ten thousand men
 Must bide the touch; for, sir, at Shrewsbury,
 As I am truly given to understand,
 The king with mighty and quick-raised power
 Meets with Lord Harry: and, I fear, Sir Michael,
 What with the sickness of Northumberland,
 Whose power was in the first proportion,
 And what with Owen Glendower's absence thence,
 Who with them was a rated sinew too
 And comes not in, o'er-ruled by prophecies,
 I fear the power of Percy is too weak
 To wage an instant trial with the king.

SIR MICHAEL Why, my good lord, you need not fear;
 There is Douglas and Lord Mortimer.

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK No, Mortimer is not there.

SIR MICHAEL But there is Mordake, Vernon, Lord Harry Percy,
 And there is my Lord of Worcester and a head
 Of gallant warriors, noble gentlemen.

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK And so there is: but yet the king hath drawn
 The special head of all the land together:
 The Prince of Wales, Lord John of Lancaster,
 The noble Westmoreland and warlike Blunt;
 And moe corrivals and dear men
 Of estimation and command in arms.

SIR MICHAEL Doubt not, my lord, they shall be well opposed.

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK I hope no less, yet needful 'tis to fear;
 And, to prevent the worst, Sir Michael, speed:
 For if Lord Percy thrive not, ere the king
 Dismiss his power, he means to visit us,
 For he hath heard of our confederacy,
 And 'tis but wisdom to make strong against him:
 Therefore make haste. I must go write again
 To other friends; and so farewell, Sir Michael.

 [Exeunt]




 1 KING HENRY IV


ACT V