| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| Hie, good Sir Michell, beare this sealed Briefe | Hie, good Sir Michael, bear this sealed brief | 1H4 IV.iv.1 |
| With winged haste to the Lord Marshall, | With winged haste to the Lord Marshal, | 1H4 IV.iv.2 |
| This to my Cousin Scroope, and all the rest | This to my cousin Scroop, and all the rest | 1H4 IV.iv.3 |
| To whom they are directed. If you knew | To whom they are directed. If you knew | 1H4 IV.iv.4 |
| how much they doe import, / You would make haste. | How much they do import you would make haste. | 1H4 IV.iv.5 |
| | | |
| Like enough you doe. | Like enough you do. | 1H4 IV.iv.7.2 |
| To morrow, good Sir Michell, is a day, | Tomorrow, good Sir Michael, is a day | 1H4 IV.iv.8 |
| Wherein the fortune of ten thousand men | Wherein the fortune of ten thousand men | 1H4 IV.iv.9 |
| Must bide the touch. For Sir, at Shrewsbury, | Must bide the touch. For, sir, at Shrewsbury, | 1H4 IV.iv.10 |
| As I am truly giuen to vnderstand, | As I am truly given to understand, | 1H4 IV.iv.11 |
| The King, with mightie and quick-raysed Power, | The King with mighty and quick-raised power | 1H4 IV.iv.12 |
| Meetes with Lord Harry: and I feare, Sir Michell, | Meets with Lord Harry, and, I fear, Sir Michael, | 1H4 IV.iv.13 |
| What with the sicknesse of Northumberland, | What with the sickness of Northumberland, | 1H4 IV.iv.14 |
| Whose Power was in the first proportion; | Whose power was in the first proportion, | 1H4 IV.iv.15 |
| And what with Owen Glendowers absence thence, | And what with Owen Glendower's absence thence, | 1H4 IV.iv.16 |
| Who with them was rated firmely too, | Who with them was a rated sinew too, | 1H4 IV.iv.17 |
| And comes not in, ouer-rul'd by Prophecies, | And comes not in, o'erruled by prophecies, | 1H4 IV.iv.18 |
| I feare the Power of Percy is too weake, | I fear the power of Percy is too weak | 1H4 IV.iv.19 |
| To wage an instant tryall with the King. | To wage an instant trial with the King. | 1H4 IV.iv.20 |
| | | |
| No, Mortimer is not there. | No, Mortimer is not there. | 1H4 IV.iv.23 |
| | | |
| And so there is, but yet the King hath Drawne | And so there is. But yet the King hath drawn | 1H4 IV.iv.27 |
| The speciall head of all the Land together: | The special head of all the land together. | 1H4 IV.iv.28 |
| The Prince of Wales, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, | The Prince of Wales, Lord John of Lancaster, | 1H4 IV.iv.29 |
| The Noble Westmerland, and warlike Blunt; | The noble Westmorland, and warlike Blunt, | 1H4 IV.iv.30 |
| And many moe Corriuals, and deare men | And many more corrivals and dear men | 1H4 IV.iv.31 |
| Of estimation, and command in Armes. | Of estimation and command in arms. | 1H4 IV.iv.32 |
| | | |
| I hope no lesse? Yet needfull 'tis to feare, | I hope no less, yet needful 'tis to fear, | 1H4 IV.iv.34 |
| And to preuent the worst, Sir Michell speed; | And to prevent the worst, Sir Michael, speed. | 1H4 IV.iv.35 |
| For if Lord Percy thriue not, ere the King | For if Lord Percy thrive not, ere the King | 1H4 IV.iv.36 |
| Dismisse his power, he meanes to visit vs: | Dismiss his power he means to visit us, | 1H4 IV.iv.37 |
| For he hath heard of our Confederacie, | For he hath heard of our confederacy, | 1H4 IV.iv.38 |
| And, 'tis but Wisedome to make strong against him: | And 'tis but wisdom to make strong against him. | 1H4 IV.iv.39 |
| Therefore make hast, I must go write againe | Therefore make haste – I must go write again | 1H4 IV.iv.40 |
| To other Friends: and so farewell, Sir Michell. | To other friends. And so, farewell, Sir Michael. | 1H4 IV.iv.41 |