L. Bard. Who is it like should lead his forces

hither ?
Hast. The Duke of Lancaster and Westmoreland;
60 part-created cost: cost ly fragment 62 churlish : rough
70 a* - - - Drawl: as the turbulent times dictate 31 like: probable
King Henry the Fourth, I. in
28
Against the Welsh, himself and Harry Monmouth: But who is substituted ’gainst the French 84
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. 88
A habitation giddy and unsure
Hath he that buildeth on the vulgar heart.
O thou fond many! with what loud applause Didst thou beat heaven with blessing Bolingbroke 02 Before he was what thou wouldst have him be:
And being now trimm’d in thine own desires.
Thou, beastly feeder, art so full of him
That thou provok’st thyself to cast him up. 96
So, so, thou common dog, didst thou disgorge
Thy glutton bosom of the royal Richard,
And now thou wouldst eat thy dead vomit up,
And howl’st to find it. What trust is in these times ? loo
They that, when Richard liv’d, would have him die, Are now become enamour’d on his grave:
Thou, that threw’st dust upon his goodly head.
When through proud London he came sighing on 104 After the admired heels of Bolingbroke,
Cry’st now, ‘O earth! yield us that king again.
And take thou this!’ O, thoughts of men accurst! Past and to come seem best; things present worst. 103 Mowb. Shall we go draw our numbers and set on? Hast. We are time’s subjects, and time bids be gone. [Exeunt.]
91 fond many: foolish multitude
94 trimm’d . . . desires: supplied with what thou didst desire 109 draw: assemble
The Second Tart of
u
ACT SECOND Scene One [London. A Street ]
Enter Hostess [Quickly of the Tavern ], with two Officers g Fang and Snare .
Host. Master Fang, have you entered the action ?
Fang. It is entered.
Host. Where’s your yeoman? Is ’t a lusty 4 yeoman? will a’ stand to ’t?
Fang. Sirrah! — where’s Snare?
Host. O Lord, ay! good Master Snare.
Snare. Here, here. 8
Fanq. Snare, we must arrest Sir John Fal- staff.
Host. Yea, good Master Snare; I have entered him and all. 12
Snare. It may chance cost some of us our lives, for he will stab.
Host. Alas the day! take heed of him: he stabbed me in mine own house, and that most 16 beastly. In good faith, a’ cares not what mischief he doth if his weapon be out: he will foin like any devil; he will spare neither man, woman, nor child. 20
Fang. If I can close with him I care not for his thrust.
Host. No, nor I neither: I’ll be at your elbow. 24
19 foin: thrust (in fencing)
^ yeoman: sheriff’s officer
? ling Henry the Fourth, II. i
26
Fang. An I but fist him once; an a’ come but within my vice, —
Host. I am undone by his going; I warrant you, he’s an infinitive thing upon my score. 28 Good Master Fang, hold him sure: good Master Snare, let him not ’scape. A’ comes continuantly to Pie-corner— saving your manhoods — to buy a saddle ; and he’s indited to dinner to the Lub- 32 ber’s Head in Lumbert Street, to Master Smooth’s the silkman : I pray ye, since my exion is entered, and my case so openly known to the world, let him be brought in to his answer. A hundred 36 mark is a long one for a poor lone woman to bear ; and I have borne, and borne, and borne ; and have been fubbed off, and fubbed off, and fubbed off, from this day to that day, that it is a 40 shame to be thought on. There is no honesty in such dealing; unless a woman should be made an ass, and a beast, to bear every knave’s wrong. Yonder he comes; and that arrant malmsey- 44 nose knave, Bardolph, with him. Do your offices, do your offices, Master Fang and Master Snare; do me, do me, do me your offices.
Enter Falstaff, and Bardolph.
Fal. How now! whose mare’s dead? what’s 48 the matter?
Fang. Sir John, I arrest you at the suit of Mistress Quickly.
Fal. Away, varlets ! Draw, Bardolph: cut 52
26 vice: figuratively, grip
28 infinitive: infinite ere not, hereafter, glossed) upon my score: in my debt
32, 33 Lubber’s . . . Street: Libbartfs, i.e., Leopard's, Head Inn, in Lombard Street 34 exion: Dame Quickly’ s error for 'action'
37 one: cl. «_ 39 fubbed : fobbed, i.e.. put off deceitfully
44,45 malmsey-nose: red-nosea
The Second Part of
26
me off the villain’s head; throw the quean in the channel.
Host. Throw me in the channel! I’ll throw thee in the channel. Wilt thou? wilt thou? thou 56 bastardly rogue ! Murder, murder ! Ah, thou honey-suekle villain ! wilt thou kill God’s officers and the king’s ? Ah, thou honey-seed rogue ! thou art a honey-seed, a man-queller, and a 60 woman-queller.
Fal. Keep them off, Bardolph.
Fang. A rescue ! a rescue !
Host. Good people, bring a rescue or two! 64 Thou wo’t, wo’t thou? thou wo’t, wo’t ta? do, do, thou rogue ! do, thou hemp-seed !
Fal. Away, you scullion! you rampallian! you fustilarian ! I’ll tickle your catastrophe. 68
Enter Chief Justice.
Ch.Just. What is the matter? keep the peace here, ho !
Host. Good my lord, be good to me! I be¬ seech you, stand to me ! 72
Ch.Just. How now, Sir John! what! are you
brawling here?
Doth this become your place, your time and business ?
You should have been well on your way to York.
Stand from him, fellow: wherefore hang’st upon
him ? 76
Host. O, my most worshipful lord, an ’t please your grace, I am a poor widow of East- cheap, and he is arrested at my suit.
Ch.Just. For what sum? 80
53 quean: hussy S4 channel: kennel, i.e., gutter
58 honey suckle: Dame Quickly’ s error for 'homicidal’
59 honey-seed: homicide 60 man-queller: man-killer
65 wo’t: wouldst ta: thou 67, 68 Cf. n.
King Henry the Fourth, II . i
27
Host. It is more than for some, my lord; it is for all I have. He hath eaten me out of house and home; he hath put all my substance into that fat belly of his : but I will have some of 84 it out again, or I will ride thee o’ nights like the mare.
Fal. I think I am as like to ride the mare if I have any vantage of ground to get up. 8S
Ch.Just. How comes this, Sir John? Fie! what man of good temper would endure this tempest of exclamation? Are you not ashamed to enforce a poor widow to so rough a course to 92 came by her own?
Fal. What is the gross sum that I owe thee?
Host. Marry, if thou wert an honest man, thyself and the money too. Thou didst swear 96 to me upon a parcel-gilt goblet, sitting in my Dolphin-chamber, at the round table, by a sea- coal hre, upon Wednesday in Wheeson week, when the prince broke thy head for liking his 100 father to a singing-man of Windsor, thou didst swear to me then, as I was washing thy wound, to marry me and make me my lady thy wife. Canst thou deny it? Did not goodwife Keech, 104 the butcher’s wife, come in then and call me gossip Quickly? coming in to borrow a mess of vinegar; telling us she had a good dish of prawns ; whereby thou didst desire to eat some, ios whereby I told thee they were ill for a green wound? And didst thou not, when she was gone down stairs, desire me to be no more so famili¬ es mare: nightmare 90 temper: character
97 parcel-gilt: partly gilded
98 sea-coal: mineral coal ( brought by boat from Newcastle)
99 Wheeson: Whitsun 104 Keech: literally ‘a lump of far
109 green : fresh
28
The Second Part of
arity with such poor people; saying that ere 112 long they should call me madam? And didst thou not kiss me and bid me fetch thee thirty shillings? I put thee now to thy book-oath: deny it if thou canst. lit)
Fal. My lord, this is a poor mad soul; and she says up and down the town that her eldest son is like you. She hath been in good case, and the truth is, poverty hath distracted her. 320 But for those foolish officers, I beseech you I may have redress against them.
Ch.Just. Sir John, Sir John, I am well ac¬ quainted with your manner of wrenching the 124 true cause the false way. It is not a confident brow, nor the throng of words that come with such more than impudent sauciness from you, can thrust me from a level consideration ; you 12s have, as it appears to me, practised upon the easy-yielding spirit of this woman, and made her serve your uses both in purse and in person. Host. Yea, in troth, my lord. 132
Ch. Just. Prithee, peace. Pay her the debt you owe her, and unpay the villainy you have done her: the one you may do with sterling money, and the other with current repentance. 136 Fal. My lord, I will not undergo this sneap without reply. You call honourable boldness impudent sauciness: if a man will make curtsy, and say nothing, he is virtuous. No, my lord, 140 my humble duty remembered, I will not be your suitor: I say to you, I do desire deliverance from these officers, being upon hasty employment in the king’s affairs. 144
119 case: circumstances 128 level: steady
136 current: genuine, with pun upon 'sterling' 137 sneap: snub
King Henry the Fourth , II. i
29
Ch.Just. You speak as having power to do wrong: but answer in the effect of your reputa¬ tion, and satisfy the poor woman.
Fal. Come hither, hostess. 148
[ Taking her aside.]
Enter Master Gower.
Ch.Just. Now, Master Gower! what neivs? Gow. The king, my lord, and Harry Prince of
Wales
Are near at hand: the rest the paper tells.
[ Gives a letter .]
Fal. As I am a gentleman. 152
Host. Faith, you said so before.
Fal. As I am a gentleman. Come, no more words of it.
Host. By this heavenly ground I tread on, 156 I must be fain to pawn both my plate and the tapestry of my dining-chambers.
Fal. Glasses, glasses, is the only drinking: and for thy walls, a pretty slight drollery, or the 160 story of the Prodigal, or the German hunting in water-work, is worth a thousand of these bed- hangings and these fly-bitten tapestries. Let it be ten pound if thou canst. Come, an it were 164 not for thy humours, there’s not a better wench in England Go, wash thy face, and draw the action. Come, thou must not be in this humour with me; dost not know me? Come, come, I 168 know thou wast set on to this.
Host. Prithee, Sir John, let it be but twenty
14S Cf.n. 146 in the effect of : in a manner suitable to
159 Cf.n. 160 drollery: humorous painting
161 German hunting: German hunting-scene
162 water-work : water colors 165 humours: caprices
166 draw: withdraw
30
The Second Part of
nobles: i’ faith, I am loath to pawn my plate, so God save me, la ! 171
Fal. Let it alone; I’ll make other shift: you’ll be a fool still.
Host . Well, you shall have it, though I pawn my gown. I hope you’ll come to supper. You’ll 176 pay me all together?
Fal. Will I live? [To Bardolph.] Go, with her, with her; hook on, hook on.
Host. Will you have Doll Tearsheet meet ISO you at supper?
Fal. No more words; let’s have her.
Exeunt Hostess, [Bardolph, Paged and Sergeant[s].
Ch . Just. I have heard better news.
Fal. What’s the news, my lord? 184
Ch.Just. Where lay the king last night?
Gow . At Basingstoke, my lord.
Fal. I hope, my lord, all’s well: what is the news, my lord? 188
Ch.Just. Come all his forces back?
Gow. No; fifteen hundred foot, five hundred horse. Are march’d up to my Lord of Lancaster,
Against Northumberland and the archbishop. 192
Fal. Comes the king back from Wales, my noble lord ?
Ch.Just. You shall have letters of me presently. Come, go along with me, good Master Gower.
Fal. My lord! 196
Ch.Just. What’s the matter?
Fal. Master Gower, shall I entreat you with me to dinner?
171 nobles: gold coins worth about six shillings 194 presently : immediately
King Henry the Fourth, II „ ii
31
Gow. I must wait upon my good lord here; 200 I thank you, good Sir John.
Ch.Just. Sir John, you loiter here too long, being you are to take soldiers up in counties as you go. 204
Fal. Will you sup v/ith me. Master Gower?
Ch . Just. What foolish master taught you these manners, Sir John?
Fal. Master Gower, if they become me not, 203 he was a fool that taught them me. This is the right fencing grace, my lord; tap for tap, and so part fair.
Ch.Just. Now the Lord lighten thee! thou 212 art a great fool. Exeunt ,
Scene Two [ The Same~\
Enter Prince Henry [and] Poins.
Prince . Before God, I am exceeding weary. Poins . Is ’t come to that? I had thought weariness durst not have attached one of so high blood. 4
Prince. Faith, it does me, though it dis- colours the complexion of my greatness to ac¬ knowledge it. Doth it not show vilely in me to desire small beer? 8
Poins. Why, a prince should not be so loosely studied as to remember so weak a composition.
Prince. Belike then my appetite was not princely got ; for, by my troth, I do now re- l?.
210 Cf.n. 212 lighten: enlighten, used quibblingly
3 attached : seized
5 discolours the complexion of my greatness: makes me blush 10 studied : inclined
32
The Second Part of
member the poor creature, small beer. But, indeed, these humble considerations make me out of love with my greatness. What a disgrace is it to me to remember thy name, or to know 18 thy face to-morrow ! or to take note how many pair of silk stockings thou hast; viz. these, and those that were thy peach-coloured ones ! or to bear the inventory of thy shirts ; as, one for 20 superfluity, and another for use! But that the tennis-court-keeper knows better than I, for it is a low ebb of linen with thee when thou keepest not racket there ; as thou hast not done a great 24 while, because the rest of thy low-countries have made a shift to eat vp thy holland: and God knows whether those that bawl out the ruins of thy linen shall inherit his kingdom; but the Vis midwives say the children are not in the fault; whereupon the world increases, and kindreds are mightily strengthened.
Poins. How ill it follows, after you have 32 laboured so hard, you should talk so idly ! Tell me, how many good young princes would do so, their fathers being so sick as yours at this time is? 38
Prince. Shall I tell thee one thing, Poins?
Poins. Yes, faith, and let it be an excellent good thing.
Prince. It shall serve among wits of no higher 40 breeding than thine.
Poins. Go to; I stand the push of your one thing that you will tell.
Prince. Marry, I tell thee, it is not meet that 44 I should be sad. now my father is sick: albeit I
ri *
42 Dush : thrust
King Henry the Fourth, II. ii
88
could tell to thee, — as to one it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend, — I could be sad, and sad indeed too. 4S
Poins. Very hardly upon such a subject.
Prince. By this hand, thou thinkest me as far in the devil’s book as thou and Falstaff for obduracy and persistency : let the end try the 52 man. But I tell thee my heart bleeds inwardly that my father is so sick; and keeping such vi’e company as thou art hath in reason taken from me all ostentation of sorrow. 58
Poins. The reason?
Prince. What wouldst thou think of me if I should weep?
Poins. I would think thee a most princely 60 hypocrite.
Prince. It would be every man’s thought; and thou art a blessed fellow to think as every man thinks : never a man’s thought in the world 34 keeps the road-way better than thine: every man would think me an hypocrite indeed. And what accites your most worshipful thought to think so?
Poins. Why, because you have been so lewd 68 and so much engraffed to Falstaff.
Prince. And to thee.
Poins. By this light, I am well spoke on; I can hear it with mine own ears : the worst that 72 they can say of me is that I am a second brother and that I am a proper fellow of my hands ; and those two things I confess I cannot help. By the mass, here comes Bardolph. 76
Enter Bardolph and Page.
67 accites: invites 68 lewd: worthless
69 much engraffed: closely attached 73 second brother: younger son
74 proper fellow of my hands: good fellow with my fists
The Second Part of
Prince „ And the boy that I gave Falstaff: a’ had him from me Christian; and look, if the fat villain have not transformed him ape.
Bard . God save your Grace ! 80
Prince . And yours, most noble Bardolph.
Poins . [To the Pape.] Come, you virtuous ass, you bashful fool, must you be blushing? where¬ fore blush you now? What a maidenly man-at- 84 » ms are you become! Is ’t such a matter to get a pottle-pot’s maidenhead?
Page . A’ calls me even now, my lord, through a red lattice, and I could discern no part of his 88 face from the window: at last, I spied his eyes, and methought he had made two holes in the ale-wife’s new petticoat, and peeped through. Prince. Hath not the boy profited? 92
Bard. Away, you whoreson upright rabbit, away !
Page. Away, you rascally Althea’s dream, away ! 96
Prince. Instruct us, boy; what dream, boy? Page. Marry, my lord, Althea dreamed she was delivered of a firebrand; and therefore I call him her dream. loo
Prince. A crown’s worth of good interpreta¬ tion. There ’tis, boy. [Gives him money. ]
Poins. O ! that this good blossom could be kept from cankers. Well, there is sixpence to 104 preserve thee.
Bard. An you do not make him be hanged among you, the gallows shall have wrong.
Prince. And how doth thy master, Bardolph? 108
o= iPAttlS;pot: ^o-quart tankard 88 red lattice: ale-house window
95-100 Cf. n. 104 cankers: canker-worms
King Henry the Fourth , II. ii
Bard . Well, my lord. He heard of your Grace’s coming to town: there’s a letter for you.
Poins . Delivered with good respect. And how doth the martlemas, your master? 112
Bard . In bodily health, sir.
Poins. Marry, the immortal part needs a physician; but that moves not him: though that be sick, it dies not. 11®
Prince. I do allow this wen to be as familiar with me as my dog; and he holds his place, for look you how he writes.
Poins. [ looking over the Prince’s shoulder .] 12* 'John Falstaff, knight,’ — every man must know that, as oft as he has occasion to name himself: even like those that are kin to the king, for they never prick their finger but they say, ‘There’s 124- some of the king’s blood spilt.’ ‘How comes that?’ says he that takes upon him not to con¬ ceive. The answer is as ready as a borrower’s cap, ‘I am the king’s poor cousin, sir.’ 12S
Prince. Nay, they will be kin to us, or they will fetch it from Japhet. But to the letter: ‘Sir John Falstaff, knight, to the son of the king nearest his father, Harry Prince of 132 Wales, greeting.’
Poins. Why, this is a certificate.
Prince. Peace ! ‘I will imitate the honourable Romans in brevity:’ is®
Poins. He sure means brevity in breath, short- winded.
Prince. ‘I commend me to thee, I commend
112 martlemas; cf. n. 117 wen: swelling, i.e., Falstaff
126 takes upon him: pretends conceive: understand
127, 128 borrower’s cap; cf. n.
130 fetch it from Japhet: trace kinship through Japhet, the son of Noah
130 ff. Cf. n.
86
The Second Part of
thee, and I leave thee. Be not too familiar with 140 Poins; for he misuses thy favours so much that he swears thou art to marry his sister Nell. Re¬ pent at idle times as thou mayest, and so farewell.
‘Thine, by yea and no, — which is as 144 much as to say, as thou usest him. Jack Falstaff, with my familiars; John, with my brothers and sisters, and Sir John with all Europe.' 148
Poins . My lord. I’ll steep this letter in sack and make him eat it.
Prince. That’s to make him eat twenty cf his words. But do you use me thus, Ned? must 152 I marry your sister?
Poins. God send the wench no worse for¬ tune! — but I never said so.
Prince. Well, thus we play the fools with the time, and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds 156 and mock us. Is your master here in London?
Bard . Yea, my lord.
Prince. Where sups he? doth the old boar feed in the old frank? Iso
Bard. At the old place, my lord, in East- cheap.
Prince. What company?
Page. Ephesians, my lord, of the old church. 164
Prince. Sup any women with him?
Page. None, my lord, but old Mistress Quickly and Mistress Doll Tearsheet.
Prince. What pagan may that be? 168
Page. A proper gentlewoman, sir, and a kins¬ woman of my master’s.
Prince. Even such kin as the parish heifers
164 Ephesians: slang term for jolly fellow
J6Q frank: sty
King Henry the Fourth, II. Hi
37
are to the town bull. Shall we steal upon them, 172 Ned, at supper?
Poins. I am your shadow, my lord; I’ll follow you.
Prince. Sirrah, you boy, and Bardolph; no 176 word to your master that I am yet come to town: there’s for your silence. [ Gives money. ] Bard. I have no tongue, sir.
Page. And for mine, sir, I will govern it. 180 Prince. Fare ye well; go. [ Exeunt Bardolph and Pagre.] This Doll Tearsheet should be some road.
Poins. I warrant you, as common as the way between Saint Albans and London. 185
Prince. How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night in his true colours, and not ourselves be seen?
Poins. Put on two leathern jerkins and aprons, and wait upon him at his table as drawers. 191
Prince. From a god to a bull! a heavy descension! it was Jove’s case. From a prince to a prentice ! a low transformation ! that shall be mine; for in every thing the purpose must weigh with the folly. Follow me, Ned. Exeunt
Scene Three
\Warkworth. Before Northumberland’s Castle ]
Enter N or thumb erland, his wife P and the wife to Harry Percy .
North. I pray thee, loving wife, and gentle daugh¬ ter,
186 bestow: behave
192, 193 Cf. m.
ss
The Second Part of
Give even way unto my rough affairs:
Put not you on the visage of the times.
And be like them to Percy troublesome. 4
Lady N. I have given over, I will speak no more : Do what you will; your wisdom be your guide.
North. Alas ! sweet wife, my honour is at pawn ; And, but my going, nothing can redeem it. 8
Lady P. O ! yet for God’s sake, go not to these wars.
The time was, father, that you broke your word When you were more endear’d to it than now;
When your own Percy, when my heart’s dear Harry, 12
Threw many a northward look to see his father Bring up his powers; but he did long in vain.
Who then persuaded you to stay at home?
There were two honours lost, yours and your son’s: lfl For yours, the God of heaven brighten it!
For his, it stuck upon him as the sun In the grey vault of heaven ; and by his light Did all the chivalry of England move 20
To do brave acts: he was indeed the glass Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves:
He had no legs, that practis’d not his gait;
And speaking thick, which nature made his blemish, 24 Became the accents of the valiant;
For those that could speak low and tardily,
Would turn their own perfection to abuse,
To seem like him: so that, in speech, in gait, 28 In diet, in affections of delight,
In military rules, humours of blood,
He was the mark and glass, copy and book,
That fashion’d others. And him, O wondrous him ! 32
11 endear’d: bound
29 affections of delight: favorite pastimes
24 thick: fast 20 blood: disposition
King Henry the Fourth, II. Hi
3S
O miracle of men! him did you leave, —
Second to none, unseconded by you, —
To look upon the hideous god of war In disadvantage; to abide a field SO
Where nothing but the sound of Hotspur’s name Did seem defensible: so you left him.
Never, O ! never, do his ghost the wrong
To hold your honour more precise and nice 40
With others than with him: let them alone.
The marshal and the archbishop are strong:
Had my sweet Harry had but half their numbers, To-day might I, hanging on Hotspur’s neck, 44
Have talk’d of Monmouth’s grave.
North. Beshrew your heart,
Fair daughter! you do draw my spirits from me With new lamenting ancient oversights.
But I must go and meet with danger there, 48
Or it will seek me in another place,
And find me worse provided.
Lady N. O ! fly to Scotland,
Till that the nobles and the armed commons Have of their puissance made a little taste. 51
Lady P. If they get ground and vantage of the king,
Then join you with them, like a rib of steel.
To make strength stronger; but, for all our loves, First let them try themselves. So did your son; 56 He was so suffer’d: so came I a widow;
And never shall have length of life enough To rain upon remembrance with mine eyes.
That it may grow and sprout as high as heaven, 60 For recordation to my noble husband.
38 defensible: able to furnish defense 61 For recordation to : in memory of
40 nice: scrupulous
40
The Second Part of
North. Come, come, go in with me. ’Tis with my mind
As with the tide swell’d up unto his height,
That makes a still-stand, running neither way: 04
Fain would I go to meet the archbishop,
But many thousand reasons hold me back.
I will resolve for Scotland: there am I,
Till time and vantage crave my company. 68
Exeunt.
Scene Four
[ London . A Room in the Boar’s Head Tavern, in Eastcheap ]
Enter two Drawers [ Francis and another ].
First Draw. What the devil hast thou brought there? apple-johns? thou knowest Sir John can¬ not endure an apple-john.
Sec. Draw. Mass, thou sayst true. The prince 4 once set a dish of apple-johns before him, and told him there were five more Sir Johns; and, putting off his hat, said, ‘I will now take my leave of these six dry, round, old withered 8 knights.’ It angered him to the heart; but he hath forgot that.
First Draw. Why then, cover, and set them down : and see if thou canst find out Sneak’s 12 noise; Mistress Tearsheet would fain hear some music. Dispatch: the room where they supped is too hot; they’ll come in straight.
Sec. Draw. Sirrah, here will be the prince 16 and Master Poins anon; and they will put on
2 apple-johns: apples that keep well but become very much shriveled 11 cover: set the table 13 noise: band of musicians
King Henry the Fourth, II. iv
41
two of our jerkins and aprons; and Sir John must not know of it: Bardolph hath brought word. 20
First Draw. By the mass, here will be old ntis: it will be an excellent stratagem.
Sec. Draw. I’ll see if I can find out Sneak.
Exit.
Enter Hostess and Doll.
Host. I’ faith, sweetheart, methinks now you 24 are in an excellent good temperality: your pul- sidge beats as extraordinarily as heart would desire; and your colour, I warrant you, is as red as any rose; in good truth, la! But, i’ faith, 28 you have drunk too much canaries, and that’s a marvellous searching wine, and it perfumes the blood ere one can say, What’s this? How do you now? 3?
Dol. Better than I was: hem!
Host. Why, that’s well said; a good heart’s worth gold. Lo ! here comes Sir John.
Enter Falstaff [ singing ].
Fal. ‘When Arthur first in court’ — Empty 36 the jordan. — [Exit Drawer .] — ‘And was a worthy king.’ How now. Mistress Doll !
Host. Sick of a calm: yea, good faith.
Fal. So is all her sect ; an they be once in a 40 calm they are sick.
Dol. A pox damn you, you muddy rascal, is that all the comfort you give me?
Fal. You make fat rascals, Mistress Doll. 44
21, 22 old utis: rare sport 37 jordan: chamber-pet 40 sect: sex
36 Cf. n.
39 calm: mistake for ‘qualm1
i2
The Second Part of
Dol. I make them! gluttony and diseases make them; I make them not.
Fal. If the cook help to make the glut¬ tony, you help to make the diseases, Doll: we 48 catch of you, Doll, we catch of you; grant that, my poor virtue, grant that.
Dol. Yea, joy, our chains and our jewels.
Fal. ‘Your brooches, pearls, and owches’: — 52 for to serve bravely is to come halting off, you know: to come off the breach with his pike bent bravely, and to surgery bravely ; to venture upon the charged chambers bravely, — 56
Dol. Hang yourself, you muddy conger, hang yourself !
Host. By my troth, this is the old fashion; you two never meet but you fall to some discord: 60 you are both, i’ good truth, as rheumatic as two dry toasts ; you cannot one hear with another’s conformities. What the good-year ! one must bear, and that must be you : you are the weaker 64 vessel, as they say, the emptier vessel.
Dol. Can a weak empty vessel bear such a huge full hogshead? there’s a whole merchant’s venture of Bordeaux stuff in him: you have not 68 seen a hulk better stuffed in the hold. Come, I’ll be friends with thee. Jack: thou art going to the wars ; and whether I shall ever see thee again or no, there is nobody cares. 72
Enter Drawer \Francis~\.
Fran . Sir, Ancient Pistol’s below, and would speak with you.
52 Cf.n. owches: jewels 56 chambers: small cannon
57 conger: eel 61 rheumatic: error for ‘splenetic’ (?)
53 good-year: corruption of French ‘goujere,’ ‘the pox’
73 Ancient: ensign or second lieutenant, Peto being Captain Fat staff's -first lieutenaci
King Henry tne Fourth , IF iv
43
Dol. Hang him, swaggering rascal! let him not come hither : it is the foul-mouthedest rogue 76 in England.
Host . If he swagger, let him not come here: no, by my faith; I must live among my neigh¬ bours; I’ll no swaggerers: I am in good name 80 and fame with the very best. Shut the door; there comes no swaggerers here: I have not lived all this while to have swaggering now: shut the door, I pray you. 84
Fal. Dost thou hear, hostess?
Host. Pray ye, pacify yourself, Sir John: there comes no swaggerers here.
Fal. Dost thou hear? it is mine ancient. 88
Host. Tilly-fally, Sir John, ne’er tell me: your ancient swaggerer comes not in my doors.
I was before Master Tisick, the debuty, t’other day ; and, as he said to me, — ’twas no longer ago 92 than Wedesday last, — ‘I’ good faith, neighbor Quickly,’ says he; — Master Dumbe, our minister, was by then; — ‘Neighbour Quickly,’ says he, ‘re¬ ceive those that are civil, for,’ said he, ‘you are in 96 an ill name’; now, a’ said so, I can tell where¬ upon; ‘for,’ says he, ‘you are an honest woman, and well thought on; therefore take heed what guests you receive : receive,’ says he, ‘no swag- 100 srering companions.’ There comes none here: — you would bless you to hear what he said. No, I’ll no swaggerers.
Fal. He’s no swaggerer, hostess; a tame 104 cheater, i’ faith; you may stroke him as gently as a puppy greyhound: he’ll not swagger with
91 debuty; cf. w.
80 swaggerers: bullies 104, 105 tame cheater; cf. n.
44
The Second Part of
a Barbary hen if her feathers turn back in any show of resistance. Call him up, drawer. 10»
[ Exit Francis .]
Host. Cheater, call you him? I will bar no honest man my house, nor no cheater; but I do not love swaggering, by my troth; I am the worse, when one says swagger. Feel, masters, 112 how I shake; look you, I warrant you.
Dol. So you do, hostess.
Host. Do I? yea, in very truth, do I, an ’twere an aspen leaf : I cannot abide swaggerers. 116
Enter Ancient Pistol, and Bardolph and his boy.
Pist. God save you, Sir John !
Fal. Welcome, Ancient Pistol. Here, Pistol,
I charge you with a cup of sack: do you dis¬ charge upon mine hostess. 120
Pist. I will discharge upon her. Sir John, with two bullets.
Fal. She is pistol-proof, sir; you shall hardly offend her. 124
Host. Come, I’ll drink no proofs nor no bullets: I’ll drink no more than will do me good, for no man’s pleasure, I.
Pist. Then to you, Mistress Dorothy; I will 128 charge you.
Dol. Charge me! I scorn you, scurvy com¬ panion. What ! you poor, base, rascally, cheat¬ ing, lack-linen mate ! Away, you mouldy rogue, 132 away ! I am meat for your master.
Pist . I know you, Mistress Dorothy.
Dol. Away, you cut-purse rascal ! you filthy
107 Barbary hen: a hen whose feathers naturally turn back
130 companion: a term of contempt 132 mate: fellow, "chap"
King H enry the Fourth , II iv
4,5
bung, away ! By this wine, I’ll thrust my knife 136 in your mouldy chaps an you play the saucy cuttle with me. Away, you bottle-ale rascal! you basket-hilt stale juggler, you! Since when,
I pray you, sir ? God’s light ! with two points 140 on your shoulder ? much !
Pist . God let me not live but I will murder your ruff for this !
[Attacking her , and tearing her ruff.]
Fal. No more. Pistol: I would not have you 144 go off here. Discharge yourself of our company, Pistol.
Host. No, good captain Pistol; not here, sweet captain. 148
Dol. Captain ! thou abominable damned cheater, art thou not ashamed to be called captain? An captains were of my mind, they would truncheon you out for taking their names 152 upon you before you have earned them. You a captain, you slave! for what? for tearing a poor whore’s ruff in a bawdy-house? He a captain ! Hang him, rogue ! Pie lives upon 156 mouldy stewed prunes and dried cakes. A captain ! God’s light, these villains will make the word captain as odious as the word ‘occupy,’ which was an excellent good word before it was 160 ill sorted: therefore captains had need look to ’t.
Bard. Pray thee, go down, good ancient.
Fal. Hark thee hither, Mistress Doll.
Pist. Not I; I tell thee what, Corporal Bar- 164
136 bung: slang for ‘sharper1 137 chaps: jaws
138 cuttle: slang for 'cutpurse’
139 basket-hilt: referring to the basket-shaped steel hand-guard on the hilt of Pistol’s sword
juggler: trickster Since when, etc.: a cant exclamation of scorn
140 two points: shoulder tags, mark of an army commission
159 occupy; cf. n.
46
The Second Tart of
dolph; I could tear her. I’ll be revenged of her.
Page. Pray thee, go down.
Pist. I’ll see her damned first; to Pluto’s 168 damned lake, by this hand, to the infernal deep, with Erebus and tortures vile also. Hold hook and line, say I. Down, down, dogs ! down fai- tors. Have we not Hiren here? 172
Host. Good Captain Peesel, be quiet; ’tis very late, i’ faith. I beseek you now, aggravate your choler.
Pist. These be good humours, indeed! Shall pack- horses, 176
And hollow pamper’d jades of Asia,
Which cannot go but thirty mile a day,
Compare with Caesars, and with Cannibals,
And Trojan Greeks? nay, rather damn them with 180 King Cerberus; and let the welkin roar.
Shall we fall foul for toys?
Host. By my troth, captain, these are very bitter words. 181
Bard. Be gone, good ancient: this will grow to a brawl anon.
Pist. Die men like dogs ! give crowns like pins! Have we not Hiren here? 188
Host. O’ my word, captain, there’s none such here. What the good-year ! do you think I would deny her ? for God’s sake ! be quiet.
Pist. Then feed, and be fat, my fair Calipolis. 192 Come, give’s some sack.
Si fortune me tormente, sperato me contento.
Fear we broadsides? no, let the fiend give fire:
171 faitors: imposters 177, 178 Cf. n.
182 toys: trifles
172 Hiren; cf. n. 179 Cannibals: blunder for ‘Hannibals' 192 Cf. n. 194 Cf. iu
King Henry the Fourth, II. iv
47
Give me some sack ; and, sweetheart, lie thou there. 196
[Laying down his sword.]
Come we to full points here, and are et ceteras noth¬ ing?
Fal. Pistol, I would be quiet.
Fist. Sweet knight, I kiss thy neif. What ! we have seen the seven stars. 200
Dol. For God’s sake, thrust him down stairs!
I cannot endure such a fustian rascal.
Fist. ‘Thrust him down stairs !’ know we not Galloway nags ? 204
Fal. Quoit him down, Bardolph, like a shove- groat shilling: nay, an a’ do nothing but speak nothing, a’ shall be nothing here.
Bard. Come, get you down stairs. 208
Fist. What! shall we have incision? Shall we imbrue? [Snatching up his sword.]
Then death rock me asleep, abridge my doleful days !
Why then, let grievous, ghastly, gaping wounds
Untwine the Sisters Three! Come, Atropos, I say ! 212
Host. Here’s goodly stuff toward!
Fal. Give me my rapier, boy.
Dol. I pray thee, Jack, I pray thee, do not draw. 216
Fal. Get you down stairs. [Drawing.]
Host. Here’s a goodly tumult! Ill forswear keeping house, afore I’ll be in these tirrits and frights. So; murder, I warrant now. Alas, alas ! 220 put up your naked weapons; put up your naked weapons. [Exeunt Bardolph and Pistol.]
197 full points: a full stop 199 neif: fist
200 seven stars: the Pleiades _ _ 202 fustian : nonsensical
204 Galloway nags: small and inferior breed of horses
205 Quoit: pitch shove-groat; cf. n. 209 imbrue: draw blood
212 Sisters Three: the Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos
213 toward: at hand 219 tirrits: blunder for terrors (H
48
The Second Part of
Dol. I pray thee. Jack, be quiet; the rascal’s gone. Ah ! you whoreson little valiant villain, 224 you !
Host . Are you not hurt i’ the groin? me- thought a’ made a shrewd thrust at your belly.
[Enter Bardolph .]
Fal. Have you turned him out o’ doors? 228
Bard. Yea, sir: the rascal’s drunk. You have hurt him, sir, i’ the shoulder.
Fal. A rascal, to brave me!
Dol. Ah, you sweet little rogue, you ! Alas, 232 poor ape, how thou sweatest ! Come, let me wipe thy face ; come on, you whoreson chops. Ah, rogue 1 i’ faith, I love thee. Thou art as valorous as Hector of Troy, worth five of Agamemnon, 236 and ten times better than the Nine Worthies. Ah, villain !
Fal. A rascally slave! I will toss the rogue in a blanket. 240
Dol. Do, an thou darest for thy heart: an thou dost, I’ll canvass thee between a pair of sheets.
Enter Music.
Page. The music is come, sir. 244
Fal. Let them play. Play, sirs. Sit on my knee, Doll. A rascal bragging slave ! the rogue fled from me like quicksilver.
Dol. I’ faith, and thou followedst him like a 248 church. Thou whoreson little tidy Bartholomew boar-pig, when wilt thou leave fighting o’ days,
iJ34 chops: fat-face
249, 250 Bartholomew boar-pig: roast pig , a favorite dish at Barthold mew Fair
King Henry the Fourth, II. iv
49
and foining o’ nights, and begin to patch up thine old body for heaven? 252
Enter [ behind ] the Prince and Poins, disguised [ like Drawers J.
Fal. Peace, good Doll! do not speak like a death’s head: do not bid me remember mine end.
Dot. Sirrah, what humour’s the prince of? 258
Fal. A good shallow young fellow: a’ would have made a good pantler, a’ would have chipped bread well.
Dol. They say, Poins has a good wit. 26®
Fal. He a good wit! hang him, baboon! his wit is as thick as Tewksbury mustard: there is no more conceit in him than is in a mallet.
Dol. Why does the prince love him so, then? 264
Fal. Because their legs are both of a bigness, and a’ plays at quoits well, and eats conger and fennel, and drinks off candles’ ends for flap- dragons, and rides the wild mare with the boys, 268 and jumps upon joint-stools, and swears with a good grace, and wears his boots very smooth, like unto the sign of the leg, and breeds no bate with telling of discreet stories ; and such other 272 gambol faculties a’ has, that show a weak mind and an able body, for the which the prince admits him: for the prince himself is such another; the weight of a hair will turn the 276 scales between their avoirdupois.
258 pantler: servant in charge of the pantry
263 conceit: imagination 267 drinks . . . flapdragons; cf. n.
268 rides . . . mare : plays see-saw
269 joint-stools: stools made by a joiner, as distinguished from those of rough make
271 sign of the leg: a shoemaker's sign
breeds no bate: causes no strife 2 73 gambol: sportive
60
The Second Pari of
Prince. Would not this nave of a wheel have his ears cut off?
Poins . Let’s beat him before his whore. 280
Prince. Look, whether the withered elder hath not his poll clawed like a parrot.
Poins. Is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance? 284
Fal. Kiss me, Doll.
Prince. Saturn and Venus this year in con¬ junction! what says the almanack to that?
Poins. And, look, whether the fiery Trigon, 288 his man, be not lisping to his master’s old tables, his note-book, his counsel-keeper.
Fal. Thou dost give me flattering busses.
Dol. By my troth, I kiss thee with a most 292 constant heart.
Fal. I am old, I am old.
Dol. I love thee better than I love e’er a scurvy young boy of them all. 296
Fal. What stuff wilt have a kirtle of? I shall receive money o’ Thursday; shalt have a eap to-morrow. A merry song! come: it grows late ; we’ll to bed. Thou’lt forget me when I 30© am gone.
Dol. By my troth, thou’lt set me a-weeping an thou sayst so: prove that ever I dress myself handsome till thy return. Well, hearken at the 304 end.
Fal. Some sack, Francis!
Prince. ) [ Coming forward .] Anon, anon,
Poins. ) sir. 308
278 nave of a wheel: FalstafTs knavery and rotundity are both **• eluded in this phrase 282 poll: head 286 Cf.n.
288 fiery Trigon: Bardolph; cf. n.
289 lisping: making love
old tables: old account book, i.e., the hostess
297 kirtle: waist or skirt or both 304 hearken at:
King Henry the Fourth, II. iv
51
Fal. Ha! a bastard son of the king’s? And art not thou Poins his brother?
Prince. Why, thou globe of sinful continents, what a life dost thou lead! 312
Fal. A better than thou: I am a gentleman; thou art a drawer.
Prince. Very true, sir; and I come to draw you out by the ears. 316
Host. O! the Lord preserve thy good Grace; by my troth, welcome to London. Now, the Lord bless that sweet face of thine! O Jesu! are you come from Wales? 320
Fal. Thou whoreson mad compound of majesty, by this light flesh and corrupt blood [pointing to DoZZ], thou art welcome.
Dol. How, you fat fool ! I scorn you. 324
Poins. My lord, he will drive you out of your revenge and turn all to a merriment, if you take not the heat.
Prince. You whoreson candle-mine, you, how 328 vilely did you speak of me even now before this honest, virtuous, civil gentlewoman !
Host. God’s blessing of your good heart ! and so she is, by my troth. 332
Fal. Didst thou hear me?
Prince. Yea; and you knew me, as you did when you ran away by Gadshill: you knew I was at your back, and spoke it on purpose to try 33C my patience.
Fal. No, no, no; not so; I did not think thou wast within hearing.
Prince. I shall drive you then to confess the 349
326,327 take . . . the heat: strike while the iron’s hot 328 candle-mine : mine of tallow
62
The Second Part of
wilful abuse; and then I know how to handle you.
Fal. No abuse, Hal, o’ mine honour; no abuse. 344
Prince. Not to dispraise me, and call me pantler and bread-chipper and I know not what?
Fal. No abuse, Hal.
Poins. No abuse! 348
Fal . No abuse, Ned, in the world; honest Ned, none. I dispraised him before the wicked, that the wicked might not fall in love with him; in which doing I have done the part of a careful 352 friend and a true subject, and thy father is to give me thanks for it. No abuse, Hal; none, Ned, none: no, faith, boys, none.
Prince. See now, whether pure fear and 358 entire cowardice doth not make thee wrong this virtuous gentlewoman to close with us? Is she of the wicked? Is thine hostess here of the wicked ? Or is thy boy of the wicked ? Or 360 honest Bardolph, whose zeal burns in his nose, of the wicked?
Poins. Answer, thou dead elm, answer.
Fal. The fiend hath pricked down Bardolph 364 irrecoverable; and his face is Lucifer’s privy- kitchen, where he doth nothing but roast malt- worms. For the boy, there is a good angel about him; but the devil outbids him too. 368
Prince. For the women?
Fal. For one of them, she is in hell already, and burns poor souls. For the other, I owe her money ; and whether she be damned for that, I 372 know not.
31 8 close: make peace 363 dead elm; cf, n.
364 pricked down : marked 366,367 malt-worms: ale-topers
King Henry the Fourth , II iv
53
Host. No, I warrant you.
Fal. No, I think thou art not; 1 think thou art quit for that. Marry, there is another in- 376 dictment upon thee, for suffering flesh to be eaten in thy house, contrary to the law; for the which I think thou wilt howl.
Host. All victuallers do so: what’s a joint of 380 mutton or two in a whole Lent?
Prince. You, gentlewoman, —
Dol. What says your Grace?
Fal. His Grace says that which his flesh 384 rebels against.
Peto knocks at door.
Host. Who knocks so loud at door? Look to the door there, Francis.
Enter Peto.
Prince. Peto, how now ! what news ? 388
Peto. The king your father is at Westminster; And there are twenty weak and wearied posts Come from the north: and as I came along,
I met and overtook a dozen captains, 392
Bare-headed, sweating, knocking at the taverns, And asking every one for Sir John Falstaff.
Prince. By heaven, Poins, I feel me much to blame.
So idly to profane the precious time, 396
When tempest of commotion, like the south.
Borne with black vapour, doth begin to melt And drop upon our bare unarmed heads.
Give me my sword and cloak. Falstaff, good night. 40°
Exeunt Prince and Poins \Bardolph and Peto ].
376 quit: absolved 390 Dosts: courier! 397 south: soutl- wind
54
The Second Part of
Fal. New comes in the sweetest morsel of the night, and we must hence and leave it un¬ picked. [ Knocking within.'] More knocking at the door! 40*
[Enter Bardolph.]
How now ! what’s the matter ?
Bard. You must away to court, sir, presently;
A dozen captains stay at door for you.
Fal. [To the Page]. Pay the musicians, sirrah. 408 Farewell, hostess, farewell, Doll. You see, my good wenches, how men of merit are sought after: the undeserver may sleep when the man of action is called on. Farewell, good wenches. 412 If I be not sent away post, I will see you again ere I go.
Dol. I cannot speak; if my heart be not ready to burst, — well, sweet Jack, have a care 416 of thyself.
Fal. Farewell, farewell.
Exit [Falstaff, with Bardolph ].*
Host. Well, fare thee well: I have known thee these twenty-nine years, come peascod- 420 time; but an honester, and truer-hearted man,
— well, fare thee well.
Bard. [Within.] Mistress Tearsheet!
Host. What’s the matter? 424
Bard. [Within.] Bid Mistress Tearsheet come to my master.
Host. O! run, Doll, run; run, good Doll. Come ! She comes blubbered. 428
Yea, will you come, Doll? Exeunt.
423 post:»» haste
428 S. d. blubbered: in tears
King Henry the Fourth, III. i
65
ACT THIRD Scene One
[ Westminster . The Palace]
Enter the King in his night-gown, with a Page.
King. Go, call the Earls of Surrey and of Wai» wick ;
But, ere they come, bid them o’er-read these letters. And well consider of them. Make good speed.
[ Exit Page.]
How many thousand of my poorest subjects 4
Are at this hour asleep ! O sleep ! O gentle sleep ! Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down And steep my senses in forgetfulness? 8
Why rather, sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs.
Upon uneasy pallets stretching thee.
And hush’d with buzzing night-flies to thy slumber, Than in the perfum’d chambers of the great, 12 Under the canopies of costly state,
And lull’d with sound of sweetest melody?
O thou dull god ! why liest thou with the vile In loathsome beds, and leav’st the kingly couch 16 A watch-case or a common ’larum bell?
Wilt thou upon the high and giddy mast Seel up the ship-boy’s eyes, and rock his brains In cradle of the rude imperious surge, 20
And in the visitation of the winds.
Who take the ruffian billows by the top,
Curling their monstrous heads, and hanging them With deaf’ning clamour in the slippery clouds,. 24
S. d. night-gown : dressing gown
17 watch-case: sentry-box 19 Seel: sew together (o hawking term)
56
The Second Part of
That with the hurly death itself awakes?
Canst thou, O partial sleep ! give thy repose To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude,
And in the calmest and most stillest night, 28
With all appliances and means to boot,
Deny it to a king? Then, happy low, lie down! Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.
Enter Warwick and Surrey.
War . Many good morrows to your majesty! 82 King. Is it good morrow, lords?
War. ’Tis one o’clock, and past.
King. Why then, good morrow to you all, my lords. Have you read o’er the letters that I sent you? 36 War. We have, my liege.
King. Then you perceive the body of our kingdom. How foul it is; what rank diseases grow.
And with what danger, near the heart of it. 40
War. It is but as a body, yet distemper’d,
Which to his former strength may be restor’d With good advice and little medicine:
My Lord Northumberland will soon be cool’d. 44 King. O God ! that one might read the book of fate,
And see the revolution of the times Make mountains level, and the continent, —
Weary of solid firmness, — melt itself 48
Into the sea ! and, other times, to see
The beachy girdle of the ocean
Too wide for Neptune’s hips; how chances mock,
And changes fill the cup of alteration 62
With divers liquors! O! if this were seen.
The happiest youth, viewing his progress through, What perils past, what crosses to ensue,
25 hurly : tumult
King Henry the Fourth , III. i
57
Would shut the book, and sit him down and die. 56 ’Tis not ten years gone
Since Richard and Northumberland, great friends. Did feast together, and in two years after Were they at wars: it is but eight years since 60 This Percy was the man nearest my soul.
Who like a brother toil’d in my affairs And laid his love and life under my foot;
Yea, for my sake, even to the eyes of Richard 64 Gave him defiance. But which of you was by, —
[To Warwick .] You, cousin Nevil, as I may remem¬ ber, —
When Richard, with his eye brimful of tears,
Then check’d and rated by Northumberland, 68 Did speak these words, now prov’d a prophecy? ‘Northumberland, thou ladder, by the which My cousin Bolingbroke ascends my throne’;
Though then, God knows, I had no such intent, 72
But that necessity so bow’d the state
That I and greatness were compelled to kiss :
‘The time shall come/ thus did he follow it,
‘The time will come, that foul sin, gathering head, 76 Shall break into corruption’: — so went on,
Foretelling this same time’s condition And the division of our amity.
War. There is a history in all men’s lives, 80 Figuring the nature of the times deceas’d;
The which observ’d, a man may prophesy,
With a near aim, of the main chance of thins*
As yet not come to life, which in their seeds a4 And weak beginnings lie intreasured.
Such things become the hatch and brood of time;
And by the necessary form of this
68 check’d: rebuked 81 Figuring: symbolisint
B7 necessary form: logical necessity
68
The Second Part of
King Richard might create a perfect guess 88
That great Northumberland, then false to him,
Would of that seed grow to a greater falseness. Which should not find a ground to root upon.
Unless on you.
King. Are these things then necessities? 92
Then let us meet them like necessities ;
And that same word even now cries out on us.
They say the bishop and Northumberland Are fifty thousand strong.
War. It cannot be, my lord! 98
Rumour doth double, like the voice and echo.
The numbers of the fear’d. Please it your Grace To go to bed: upon my soul, my lord,
The powers that you already have sent forth 100 Shall bring this prize in very easily.
To comfort you the more, I have receiv’d A certain instance that Glendower is dead.
Your majesty hath been this fortnight ill, 104
And these unseason’d hours perforce must add Unto your sickness.
King. I will take your counsel:
And were these inward wars once out of hand,
We would, dear lords, unto the Holy Land. 108
Exeunt.
Scene Two
[ Before Justice Shallow’s House in Gloucestershire ]
Enter Shallow and Silence, with Mouldy, Shadow, Wart, Feeble, Bullcalf \and Servants ].
Shal. Come on, come on, come on, sir; give me your hand, sir, give me your hand, sir: an 103 instance: proof 105 unseason’d; unseasonable
King Henry the Fourth, III. ii
59
early stirrer, by the rood! And how doth my good cousin Silence? 4
Sil. Good morrow, good cousin Shallow.
Shal. And how doth my cousin, your bed¬ fellow? and your fairest daughter and mine, my god-daughter Ellen? 8
Sil. Alas ! a black ousel, cousin Shallow !
Shal. By yea and nay, sir, I dare say my cousin William is become a good scholar. He is at Oxford still, is he not? 12
Sil. Indeed, sir, to my cost.
Shal. A’ must, then, to the inns o’ court shortly. I was once of Clement’s Inn; where I think they will talk of mad Shallow yet. 16
Sil. You were called ‘lusty Shallow’ then, cousin.
Shal. By the mass, I was called anything; and I would have done anything indeed too, 20 and roundly too. There was I, and Little John Doit of Staffordshire, and black George Barnes, and Francis Pickbone, and Will Squele a Cots- wold man ; you had not four such swinge-buck- 24 lers in all the inns o’ court again : and, I may say to you, we knew where the bona-robas were, and had the best of them all at commandment. Then was Jack Falstaff, now Sir John, a boy, and 28 page to Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk.
Sil. This Sir John, cousin, that comes hither anon about soldiers?
Shal. The same Sir John, the very same. I 32 see him break Skogan’s head at the court gate, when a’ was a crack not thus high : and the very
3 rood : cross 9 ousel r blackbird
14 inns o’ court: colleges of law 21 roundly: thoroughly
24 swinge-bucklers: roisterers 26 bona-robas: showy harlots
28,29 Cf.n. 33 Skogan; cf. n. 34 crack : lively youngster
60
The Second Part of
same day did I fight with one Sampson Stock¬ fish, a fruiterer, behind Gray’s Inn. Jesu! Jesu! sa the mad days that I have spent; and to see how many of my old acquaintance are dead!
Sil. We shall all follow, cousin.
Shal. Certain, 'tis certain; very sure, very 40 sure: death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all; all shall die. How a good yoke of bullocks at Stamford fair?
Sil. By my troth, I was not there. 44
Shal. Death is certain. Is old Double of your town living yet?
Sil. Dead, sir.
Shal. Jesu! Jesu! dead! a’ drew a good 48 bow; and dead! a’ shot a fine shoot: John a Gaunt loved him well, and betted much money on his head. Dead ! a’ would have clapped i’ the clout at twelve score; and carried you a fore- 52 hand shaft a fourteen and fourteen and a half, that it would have done a man’s heart good to see. How a score of ewes now?
Sil. Thereafter as they be: a score of good 56 ewes may be worth ten pounds.
Shal. And is old Double dead?
Sil. Here come two of Sir John Falstaff’s men, as I think. 60
Enter Bardolph, and his Boy.
Shal. Good morrow, honest gentlemen.
Bard. I beseech you, which is Justice Shallow?
Shal. I am Robert Shallow, sir ; a poor esquire of this county, and one of the king’s 66
42 How: what price
51 clapped i’ the clout: hit the white mark in the target
52 at twelve score: at twelve score yards
52, 53 forehand shaft: arrow made for shooting straight forward
53 a fourteen, etc. : fourteen score yards
King Henry the Fourth , III . ii
61
justices of the peace: what is your good pleasure with me?
Bard. My captain, sir, commends him to you; my captain. Sir John Falstaff: a tall gentleman, 68 by heaven, and a most gallant leader.
Shal. He greets me well, sir. I knew him a good backsword man. How doth the good knight ? may I ask how my lady his wife doth ? 72
Bard. Sir, pardcn; a soldier is better accom¬ modated than with a wife.
Shal. It is well said, in faith, sir; and it is well said indeed too. ‘Better accommodated !’ 76 it is good; yea indeed, is it: good phrases are surely and ever were, very commendable. Ac¬ commodated! it comes of accommodo: very good; a good phrase. 80
Bard. Pardon me, sir; I have heard the word. ‘Phrase,’ call you it? By this good day,
I know not the phrase; but I will maintain the word with my sword to be a soldier-like word, 84 and a word of exceeding good command, by heaven. Accommodated; that is, when a man is, as they say, accommodated; or, when a man is, being, whereby, a’ may be thought to be 88 accommodated, which is an excellent thing.
Enter Falstaff.
Shal. It is ^ery just. Look, here comes good Sir John. Give me your good hand, give me your worship’s good hand. By my troth, you 92 look well and bear your years very well: wel¬ come, good Sir John.
68 tall: doughty 71 backsword man: fighter at single-stickt
73 accommodated; cf. n.
62
The Second Part of
Fal. I am glad to see you well, good Master Robert Shallow. Master Surecard, as I think. 9«
Shal. No, Sir John; it is my cousin. Silence, in commission with me.
Fal. Good Master Silence, it well befits you should be of the peace. 100
Sil. Your good worship is welcome.
Fal. Fie! this is hot weather, gentlemen. Have you provided me here half a dozen sufficient men ? 104
Shal. Marry, have we, sir. Will you sit?
Fal. Let me see them, I beseech you.
Shal. Where’s the roll? where’s the roll? where’s the roll ? Let me see, let me see, 108 So, so, so, so, so, so, so: yea, marry, sir: Ralph Mouldy ! let them appear as I call ; let them do so, let them do so. Let me see; where is Mouldy?
Moul. Here, an ’t please you. 112
Shal. What think you, Sir John? a good- limbed fellow; young, strong, and of good friends.
Fal. Is thy name Mouldy? lie
Moul. Yea, an ’t please you.
Fal . ’Tis the more time thou wert used.
Shal. Ha, ha, ha ! most excellent, i’ faith ! things that are mouldy lack use: very singular 120 good. In faith, well said. Sir John; very well said.
Fal . Prick him.
Moul . I was pricked well enough before, an 124 you could have let me alone: my old dame will be undone now for one to do her husbandry and
96 Surecard: the name signifies ' boon companion ' 58 commission: office 123 Prick: mark down
104 sufficient: fit
King Henry the Fourth, III. ii
63
her drudgery: you need not to have pricked me; there are other men fitter to go out than I. 128
Fal. Go to: peace, Mouldy! you shall go. Mouldy, it is time you were spent.
Moul. Spent !
Shal. Peace, fellow, peace! stand aside: know 132 you where you are? For the other. Sir John: let me see. Simon Shadow !
Fal. Yea, marry, let me have him to sit under: he’s like to be a cold soldier. 136
Shal. Where’s Shadow?
Shad. Here, sir.
Fal. Shadow, whose son art thou?
Shad . My mother’s son, sir. 140
Fal. Thy mother’s son! like enough, and thy father’s shadow: so the son of the female is the shadow of the male: it is often so, indeed; but not of the father’s substance. 144
Shal. Do you like him. Sir John?
Fal. Shadow will serve for summer; prick him, for we have a number of shadows to fill up the muster-book. 148
Shal . Thomas Wart?
Fal. Where’s he?
Wart. Here, sir.
Fal. Is thy name Wart? 152
Wart. Yea, sir.
Fal. Thou art a very ragged wart.
Shal. Shall I prick him. Sir John?
Fal. It were superfluous ; for his apparel is 156 built upon his back, and the whole frame stands upon pins: prick him no more.
S47 shadows: names, for which we receive pay, though we have »M>* the men
64
The Second Part of
Skal. Ha, ha, ha! you can do it, sir; you can do it: I commend you well. Francis Feeble! 169
Fee. Here, sir.
Fal. What trade art thou. Feeble?
Fee. A woman’s tailor, sir.
Shal. Shall I prick him, sir? 164
Fal. You may; but if he had been a man’s tailor he’d have pricked you. Wilt thou make as many holes in an enemy’s battle as thou hast done in a woman’s petticoat? 168
Fee. I will do my good will, sir: you can have no more.
Fal. Well said, good woman’s tailor! well said, courageous Feeble ! Thou wilt be as valiant 172 as the wrathful dove or most magnanimous mouse. Prick the woman’s tailor; well, Master Shallow; deep, Master Shallow.
Fee. I would Wart might have gone, sir. 178
Fal. I would thou wert a man’s tailor, that thou mightst mend him, and make him fit to go. I cannot put him to a private soldier that is the leader of so many thousands : let that 180 suffice, most forcible Feeble.
Fee. It shall suffice, sir.
Fal. I am bound to thee, reverend Feeble. Who is next? 1S4
Shal. Peter Bullcalf o’ the green !
Fal. Yea, marry, let’s see Bullcalf.
Bull. Here, sir.
Fal. ’Fore God, a likely fellow! Come, prick 188 me Bullcalf till he roar again.
Bull. O Lord! good my lord captain, —
Fal. What! dost thou roar before thou art pricked ? 192
467 battle: army 180 thousands: i.e., vermin
King Henry the Fourth, III. ii
6S
Bull. O Lord, sir! I am a diseased man.
Fal. What disease hast thou?
Bull. A whoreson cold, sir; a cough, sir, which I caught with ringing in the king’s affairs 196 upon his coronation day, sir.
Fal. Come, thou shalt go to the wars in a gown; we will have away thy cold; and I will take such order that thy friends shall ring for 200 thee. Is here all?
Shal. Here is two more called than your number; you must have but four here, sir: and so, I pray you, go in with me to dinner. 204
Fal. Come, I will go drink with you, but I cannot tarry dinner. I am glad to see you, by my troth, Master Shallow.
Shal. O, Sir John, do you remember since we 208 lay all night in the windmill in Saint George’s field?
Fal. No more of that, good Master Shallow, no more of that. 212
Shal. Ha! ’twas a merry night. And is Jane Nightwork alive?
Fal. She lives, Master Shallow.
Shal. She never could away with me. 216
Fal. Never, never; she would always say she could not abide Master Shallow.
Shal. By the mass, I could anger her to the heart. She was then a bona-roha. Doth she 220 hold her own well?
Fal. Old, old, Master Shallow.
Shal. Nay, she must be old; she cannot choose but be old ; certain she’s old ; and had Robin 224
200 such order: such measures
216 away witk: endure
66
The Second Part of
Nightwork by old Nightwork before I came to Clement’s Inn.
Sil. That’s fifty-five years ago.
Shal. Ha ! cousin Silence, that thou hadst 22S seen that that this knight and I have seen. Ha ! Sir John, said I well?
Fal. We have heard the chimes at midnight, Master Shallow. 232
Shal. That we have, that we have, that we have; in faith, Sir John, we have. Our watch¬ word was, ‘Hem boys!’ Come, let’s to dinner; come, let’s to dinner. Jesus, the days that we 236 have seen ! Come, come.
Exeunt \_Falstaff, Shallow , and Silence ].
Bull. Good Master Corporate Bardolph, stand my friend, and here’s four Harry ten shillings in French crowns for you. In very truth, sir, I had 240 as lief be hanged, sir, as go: and yet, for mine own part, sir, I do not care; but rather, because I am unwilling, and, for mine own part, have a desire to stay with my friends : else, sir, I did 244 not care, for mine own part, so much.
Bard. Go to; stand aside.
Mold. And, good Master corporal captain, for my old dame’s sake, stand my friend: she has 248 nobody to do anything about her, when I am gone; and she is old, and cannot help herself. You shall have forty, sir.
Bard. Go to; stand aside. 252
Fee. By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death. I’ll ne’er bear a base mind: an ’t be my destiny, so; an ’t be not, so. No man’s too good to serve’s prince; 256
238 Corporate: blunder for 'Corpora?
139 Harry ten shillings; cf. n.
King Henry the Fourth , III. ii
67
and let it go which way it will, he that dies this year is quit for the next.
Bard » Well said; thou’rt a good fellow.
Fee. Faith, I'll bear no base mind. 260
Enter Falstaff and the Justices.
Fal. Come, sir, which men shall I have?
Shal. Four, of which you please.
Bard. [To Falstaff .] Sir, a word with you.
I have three pound to free Mouldy and Bullcalf. 264
Fal. [ Aside to Bardolph .] Go to; well.
Shal. Come, Sir John, which four will you have ?
Fal. Do you choose for me. 26S
Shal. Marry, then. Mouldy, Bullcalf, Feeble, and Shadow.
Fal. Mouldy, and Bullcalf: for you. Mouldy, stay at home till you are past service: and for 272 your part, Bullcalf, grow till you come unto it:
I will none of you.
Shal. Sir John, Sir John, do not yourself wrong : they are your likeliest men, and I would 27S have you served with the best.
Fal. Will you tell me, Master Shallow, how to choose a man? Care I for the limb, the thewes, the stature, bulk, and big assemblance of a man ! 286 Give me the spirit, Master Shallow. Here’s Wart; you see what a ragged appearance it is: a’ shall charge you and discharge you with the motion of a pewterer’s hammer, come off and on 284 swifter than he that gibbets on the brewer’s bucket. And this same half-faced fellow, Shadow, give me this man: he presents no mark to the
264 three pound; cf. n. 280 assemblance : appearance
285 vibbets; cf. n.
88
The Second Part of
enemy ; the foeman may with as great aim level 288 at the edge of a penknife. And, for a retreat; how swiftly will this Feeble the woman’s tailor run off! O ! give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones. Put me a caliver into Wart’s 202 hand, Bardolph.
Bard. Hold, Wart, traverse; thus, thus, thus.
Fal. Come, manage me your caliver. So: very well: go to: very good: exceeding good. 296 O, give me always a little, lean, old, chopp’d, bald shot. Well said, i’ faith. Wart; thou’rt a good scab: hold, there’s a tester for thee.
Shal. He is not his craft’s master, he doth 300 not do it right. I remember at Mile-end Green, when I lay at Clement’s Inn, — I was then Sir Dagonet in Arthur’s show, — there was a little quiver fellow, and a’ would manage you his 304 piece thus: and a’ would about and about, and come you in, and come you in; ‘rah, tah, tah,’ would a’ say; ‘bounce,’ would a’ say; and away again would a’ go, and again would a’ come : I 308 shall never see such a fellow.
Fal. These fellows will do well, Master Shal¬ low. God keep you. Master Silence: I will not use many words with you. Fare you well, gentle- 312 men both: I thank you: I must a dozen mile to-night. Bardolph, give the soldiers coats-
Shal. Sir John, the Lord bless you ! God pros¬ per your affairs ! God send us peace ! At your 316 return visit our house; let our old acquaintance he renewed: peradventure I will with ye to the court.
292 caliver: light musket 294 traverse: march
297 chopp’d: chapped 299 tester : sixpence
301-303 Cf. n. 304 quiver: nimble
306 come you in: make a home thrust 307 bounce: bang
King Henry the Fourth, III. ii
69
Fal. ’Fore God I would you would. Master 320 Shallow.
Shal. Go to; I have spoke at a word. God keep you.
Fal. Fare you well, gentle gentlemen. 324
Exit [ Shallow , with Silence]. On, Bardolph; lead the men away.
[Exit Bardolph, with recruits.]
As I return, I will fetch off these justices:
I do see the bottom of Justice Shallow. Lord, Lord! how subject we old men are to this 32S vice of lying. This same starved justice hath done nothing but prate to me of the wildness of his youth and the feats he hath done about Turnbull Street; and every third word a lie, duer 332 paid to the hearer than the Turk’s tribute. I do remember him at Clement’s Inn like a man made after supper of a cheese-paring: when a’ was naked he was for all the world like a forked 33S radish, with a head fantastically carved upon it with a knife: a’ was so forlorn that his dimen¬ sions to any thick sight were invisible: a’ was the very genius of famine; yet lecherous as a 340 monkey, and the whores called him mandrake: a’ came ever in the rearward of the fashion and sung those tunes to the over-scutched huswives that he heard the carmen whistle, and sware 344 they were his fancies or his good-nights. And now is this Vice’s dagger become a squire, and talks as familiarly of John a Gaunt as if he had
322 at a word: briefly but sincerely
326 fetch off : get the better of, 'take in’ 332 duer : more dulj
343 over-scutched huswives: cant term for ‘harlots’
344 carmen: teamsters
345 fancies . . . good-nights: common names for little poems
346 dagger: cf n.
70
The Second Part of
been sworn brother to him; and I’ll be sworn a’ 348 never saw him but once in the Tilt-yard, and then he burst his head for crowding among the marshal’s men. I saw it and told John a Gaunt he beat his own name ; for you might have thrust 352 him and all his apparel into an eel-skin; the case of a treble hautboy was a mansion for him, a court; and now has he land and beefs. Well, I’ll be acquainted with him, if I return; and 356 it shall go hard but I’ll make him a philoso¬ pher’s two stones to me. If the young dace be a bait for the old pike, I see no reason in the law of nature but I may snap at him. Let time 360 diape, and there an end. Exit.
ACT FOURTH Scene One
Enter the Archbishop, Mowbray, [Lord] Bardolph, Hastings, within the Forest of Gaultree.
Arclu What is this forest call’d?
Hast. ’Tis Gaultree Forest, an ’t shall please your Grace.
Arch. Here stand, my lords, and send discoverers forth,
To know the numbers of our enemies. \
Hast . We have sent forth already.
Arch . ’Tis well done.
My friends and brethren in these great affairs,
I must acquaint you that I have receiv’d New-dated letters from Northumberland; 8
354 hautboy: slender reed instrument, oboe 357 philosopher’s two stones; cf. n.
King Henry the Fourth, IV . i
71
Their cold intent, tenour and substance, thus:
Here doth he wish his person, with such powers As might hold sortance with his quality;
The which he could not levy; whereupon la
He is retir’d, to ripe his growing fortunes,
To Scotland; and concludes in hearty prayers That your attempts may overlive the hazard And fearful meeting of their opposite. id
Mowh. Thus do the hopes we have in him touch ground
And dash themselves to pieces.
Enter a Messenger.
Hast. Now, what news?
Mess. West of this forest, scarcely off a mile.
In goodly form comes on the enemy; 2d
And, by the ground they hide, I judge their number Upon or near the rate of thirty thousand.
Mowb. The just proportion that we gave them out. Let us sway on and face them in the field. 24
Enter Westmoreland.
Arch. What well-appointed leader fronts us here? Mowb. I think it is my Lord of Westmoreland. West. Health and fair greeting from our general. The Prince, Lord John and Duke of Lancaster. 28 Arch. Say on, my Lord of Westmoreland, in peace, What doth concern your coming.
West. Then, my lord.
Unto your Grace do I in chief address The substance of my speech. If that rebellion 32 Came like itself, in base and abject routs,
11 hold sortance: be in accord quality: rank
20 form : formation
23 just proportion: exact size gave them out: described them
33 routs: gangs
72
The Second Part of
Led on by bloody youth, guarded with rags.
And countenanc’d by boys and beggary;
I say, if damn'd commotion so appear’d, 36
In his true, native, and most proper shape.
You, reverend father, and these noble lords Had not been here, to dress the ugly form Of base and bloody insurrection 40
With your fair honours. You, lord archbishop,
Whose see is by a civil peace maintain’d,
Whose beard the silver hand of peace hath touch’d. Whose learning and good letters peace hath tutor’d, 44 Whose white investments figure innocence,
The dove and very blessed spirit of peace,
Wherefore do you so ill translate yourself
Out of the speech of peace that bears such grace 48
Into the harsh and boisterous tongue of war;
Turning your books to greaves, your ink to blood, Your pens to lances, and your tongue divine To a loud trumpet and a point of war? 52
Arch. Wherefore do I this? so the question stands. Briefly to this end: we are all diseas’d;
And, with our surfeiting and wanton hours Have brought ourselves into a burning fever, 59 And we must bleed for it: of which disease Our late king, Richard, being infected, died.
But, my most noble Lord of Westmoreland,
I take not on me here as a physician, w.
Nor do I as an enemy to peace Troop in the throngs of military men;
But rather show a while like fearful war.
To diet rank minds sick of happiness 64
And purge the obstructions which begin to stop Our very veins of life. Hear me more plainly:
34 guarded : decked 52 point: trumpet signal
King Henry the Fourth, IV. i
7?
I have in equal balance justly weigh’d What wrongs our arms may do, what wrongs w-3 suffer, 68
And find our griefs heavier than our offences.
We see which way the stream of time doth run And are enforc’d from our most quiet sphere By the rough torrent of occasion; 72
And have the summary of all our griefs.
When time shall serve, to show in articles,
Which long ere this we offer’d to the king,
And might by no suit gain our audience. 76
When we are wrong’d and would unfold our griefs,
We are denied access unto his person
Even by those men that most have done us wrong.
The dangers of the days but newly gone, — 80
Whose memory is written on the earth
With yet appearing blood, — and the examples
Of every minute’s instance, present now,
Have put us in these ill-beseeming arms; 84
Not to break peace, or any branch of it,
But to establish here a peace indeed.
Concurring both in name and quality.
West. When ever yet was your appeal denied? 88 Wherein have you been galled by the king?
What peer hath been suborn’d to grate on you.
That you should seal this lawless bloody book Of forg’d rebellion with a seal divine, 92
And consecrate commotion’s bitter edge?
Arch. My brother general, the commonwealth,
To brother born an household cruelty,
I make my quarrel in particular. 96
West. There is no need of any such redress;
Or if there were, it not belongs to you.
69 griefs: grievances 93 commotion’s! instruction's
94-96 Cf. n.
74
The Second Part of
Mowb „ Why not to him in part, and to us all That feel the bruises of the days before, 100
And suffer the condition of these times To lay a heavy and unequal hand Upon our honours?
West. O ! my good Lord Mowbray,
Construe the times to their necessities, 104
And you shall say indeed, it is the time.
And not the king, that doth you injuries.
Yet, for your part, it not appears to me Either from the king or in the present time 10#
That you should have an inch of any ground To build a grief on: were you not restor’d To all the Duke of Norfolk’s signories,
Your noble and right well-remember’d father’s? 118 Mowb. What thing, in honour, had my father lost. That need to be reviv’d and breath’d in me?
The king tha t lov’d him as the state stood then,
Was force perforce compell’d to banish him: 113
And then that Harry Bolingbroke and he.
Being mounted and both roused in their seats.
Their neighing coursers daring of the spur.
Their armed staves in charge, their beavers down, 129 Their eyes of fire sparkling through sights of steel, And the loud trumpet blowing them together.
Then, then when there was nothing could have stay’d My father from the breast of Bolingbroke, 124
O ! when the king did throw his warder down.
His own life hung upon the staff he threw;
Then threw he down himself and all their lives That by indictment and by dint of sword 128
104 to-, according to 114 breath’d : given breath of life
117 ff. Cf. n.
120 armed staves: lances in charge: in rest for the charae
beavers: movable fronts of the helmets
121 sights: eyeholes of the helmet 125 warder: staff of command
King Henry the Fourth , IV . i
75
Have since miscarried under Bolingbroke.
West . You speak. Lord Mowbray, now you know not what.
The Earl of Hereford was reputed then In England the most valiant gentleman: 182
Who knows on whom Fortune would then have smil’d ?
But if your father had been victor there,
He ne’er had borne it out of Coventry;
For all the country in a general voice 188
Cried hate upon him ; and all their prayers and love Were set on Hereford, whom they doted on And bless’d and grac’d indeed, more than the king. But this is mere digression from my purpose. 140 Here come I from our princely general To know your griefs; to tell you from his Grace That he will give you audience ; and wherein It shall appear that your demands are just, 144 You shall enjoy them; everything set off That might so much as think you enemies.
Mowb . But he hath forc’d us to compel this offer, And it proceeds from policy, not love. 148
West. Mowbray, you overween to take it so.
This offer comes from mercy, not from fear:
For, lo! within a ken our army lies
Upon mine honour, all too confident 182
To give admittance to a thought of fear.
Our battle is more full of names than yours,
Our men more perfect in the use of arms,
Our armour all as strong, our cause the best; 156 Then reason will our hearts should be as good:
129 miscarried: perished
131 Earl of Hereford: King Henry, actually Duke of Hereford at the time of his banishment ( cf . Richard II, I. Hi. ei)
14S set off : ignored 149 overween : are arrogant
151 within a ken: within seeing distance iS4 names: noble and soldierly names
76
The Second Part of
Say you not then our offer is compell’d.
Mowb. Well, by my will we shall admit no parley. West. That argues but the shame of your offence: 160
A rotten case abides no handling.
Hast. Hath the Prince John a full commission.
In very ample virtue of his father.
To hear and absolutely to determine 164
Of what conditions we shall stand upon?
West. That is intended in the general’s name.
I muse you make so slight a question.
Arch. Then take, my Lord of Westmoreland, this schedule, 168
For this contains our general grievances:
Each several article herein redress’d;
All members of our cause, both here and hence,
That are insinew’d to this action, 172
Acquitted by a true substantial form;
And present execution of our wills To us and to our purposes consign’d;
We come within our awful banks again 176
And knit our powers to the arm of peace.
West. This will I show the general. Please you, lords.
In sight of both our battles we may meet;
And either end in peace, which God so frame ! 180
Or to the place of difference call the swords Which must decide it.
Arch. My lord, we will do so.
Exit Westmoreland. Mowb. There is a thing within my bosom tells me That no conditions of our peace can stand. 184
163 In . . . virtue: 631 complete authority 166 intended : implied
167 muse: wonder slight: trivial
172 insinew’d: joined as by sinews 175 consign’d; cf. n.
176 awful: resbectiul. reverentu»>
King Henry the Fourth, IV. i
77
Hast. Fear you not that: if we can make our peace
Upon such large terms, and so absolute As our conditions shall consist upon,
Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains. 188 Mowb. Yea, but our valuation shall be such That every slight and false-derived cause.
Yea, every idle, nice, and wanton reason
Shall to the king taste of this action; I9f
That, were our royal faiths martyrs in love,
We shall be winnow’d with so rough a wind That even our corn shall seem as light as chaff And good from bad find no partition. 19«
Arch. No, no, my lord. Note this; the king is weary
Of dainty and such picking grievances:
For he hath found to end one doubt by death Revives two greater in the heirs of life ; 200
And therefore will he wipe his tables clean.
And keep no tell-tale to his memory
That may repeat and history his loss
To new remembrance; for full well he knows 204
He cannot so precisely weed this land
As his misdoubts present occasion:
His foes are so enrooted with his friends
That, plucking to unfix an enemy, 208
He doth unfasten so and shake a friend.
So that this land, like an offensive wife.
That hath enrag’d him on to offer strokes.
As he is striking, holds his infant up 2i2
And hangs resolv’d correction in the arm That was uprear’d to execution.
189 our valuation: the king's estimation of us 191 nice: trivial
198 picking: fastidious 206 misdoubts: suspicions
913 hangs: suspends
resolv’d correction: chastisement which had been determined upon
7 8 The S econd Part of
Hast . Besides, the king hath wasted all his rods On late offenders, that he now doth lack 216
The very instruments of chastisement;
So that his power, like to a fangless lion,
May offer, but not hold.
Arch. ’Tis very true:
And therefore be assur’d, my good lord marshal, 220 If we do now make our atonement well,
Our peace will, like a broken limb united,
Grow stronger for the breaking.
Mowb . Be it so.
Here is return’d my Lord of Westmoreland. 224
Enter Westmoreland.
West. The prince is here at hand: pleaseth your lordship,
To meet his Grace just distance ’tween our armies? Mowb. Your Grace of York, in God’s name then, set forward.
Arch. Before, and greet his Grace: my lord, we come. 228
Scene Two [ The Same ]
Enter Prince John of Lancaster and his army.
Lane. You are well encounter’d here, my cousin Mowbray :
Good day to you, gentle lord archbishop;
And so to you. Lord Hastings, and to all.
My Lord of York, it better show’d with you. 4
When that your flock, assembled by the bell,
219 offer: attack
228 Before: go before me
221 atonement: reconciliation Scene Two; cf. n.
King Henry the Fourth, IV Ai
79
Encircled you to hear with reverence
Your exposition on the holy text
Than now to see you here an iron man, 8
Cheering a rout of rebels with your drum.
Turning the word to sword and life to death.
That man that sits within a monarch’s heart
And ripens in the sunshine of his favour, 12
Would he abuse the countenance of the king,
Alack ! what mischiefs might he set abroach In shadow of such greatness. With you, lord bishop. It is even so. Who hath not heard it spoken 16 How deep you were within the books of God?
To us the speaker in his parliament;
To us the imagin’d voice of God himself;
The very opener and intelligencer 20
Between the grace, the sanctities of heaven,
And our dull workings. O ! who shall believe But you misuse the reverence of your place.
Employ the countenance and grace of heaven, 24 As a false favourite doth his prince’s name.
In deeds dishonourable? You have taken up.
Under the counterfeited zeal of God,
The subjects of his substitute, my father; 28
And both against the peace of heaven and him Have here upswarm’d them.
Arch. Good my Lord of Lancaster,
I am not here against your father’s peace ;
But, as I told my Lord of Westmoreland, 32
The time misorder’d doth, in common sense.
Crowd us and crush us to this monstrous form,
To hold our safety up. I sent your Grace
The parcels and particulars of our grief, — 36
20 intelligencer: interpreter 2C taken up : levied
22 workings: actions
80
The Second Part of
The which hath been with scorn shov’d from the court, —
Whereon this Hydra son of war is born;
Whose dangerous eyes may well be charm’d asleep With grant of our most just and right desires, 40 And true obedience, of this madness cur’d.
Stoop tamely to the foot of majesty.
Mowb. If not, we ready are to try our fortunes To the last man.
Hast. And though we here fall down, 44
We have supplies to second our attempt:
If they miscarry, theirs shall second them;
And so success of mischief shall be born.
And heir from heir shall hold this quarrel up 48 Whiles England shall have generation.
Lane. You are too shallow, Hastings, much too shallow.
To sound the bottom of the after-times.
West. Pleasetli your Grace, to answer them directly 52
How far forth you do like their articles.
Lane. I like them all, and do allow them well; And swear here, by the honour of my blood.
My father’s purposes have been mistook, 56
And some about him have too lavishly Wrested his meaning and authority.
My lord, these griefs shall be with speed redress’d; Upon my soul, they shall. If this may please you, 60 Discharge your powers unto their several counties, As we will ours: and here between the armies Let’s drink together friendly and embrace,
That all their eyes may bear those tokens home 64 Of our restored love and amity.
♦7 success : succession
King Henry the Fourth, IV. it
81
Arch. I take your princely word for these re¬ dresses.
Lane. I give it you, and will maintain my word: And thereupon I drink unto your Grace. 68
Hast. [To an Officer. ] Go, captain, and deliver to the army
This news of peace: let them have pay, and part:
I know it will well please them: hie thee, captain.
Exit [ Officer ].
Arch. To you, my noble Lord of Westmoreland. 72 West. I pledge your Grace: and, if you knew what pains
I have bestow’d to breed this present peace,
You would drink freely; but my love to you Shall show itself more openly hereafter. 7&
Arch. I do not doubt you.
West. I am glad of it.
Health to my lord and gentle cousin, Mowbray.
Mowb. You wish me health in very happy season; For I am, on the sudden, something ill. 80
Arch. Against ill chances men are ever merry,
But heaviness foreruns the good event.
West. Therefore be merry, coz; since sudden sor¬ row
Serves to say thus, Some good thing comes to-mor¬ row. 84
Arch. Believe me, I am passing light in spirit. Mowb. So much the worse if your own rule be true. Shout [within~\.
Lane. The word of peace is render’d: hark, how they shout!
Mowb. This had been cheerful, after victory. 88
70 part: depart 82 heaviness: depression p7 render’d ".reported
81 Against: when about to face 85 passing: exceedingly
82
The Second Part of
Arch. A peace is of the nature of a conquest;
For then both parties nobly are subdu’d.
And neither party loser.
Lane. Go, my lord,
And let our army be discharged too. 92
Exit [ Westmoreland ].
And, good my lord, so please you, let our trains March by us, that we may peruse the men We should have cop’d withal.
Arch. Go, good Lord Hastings, 99
And, ere they be dismiss’d, let them march by.
Exit [ Hastings ]. Lane. I trust, lords, we shall lie to-night together.
Enter Westmoreland.
Now, cousin, wherefore stands our army still?
West. The leaders, having charge from you to stand, 100
Will not go off until they hear you speak.
Lane. They know their duties.
Enter Hastings.
Hast. My lord, our army is dispers’d already:
Like youthful steers unyok’d, they take their courses 104
East, west, north, south; or, like a school broke up, Each hurries toward his home and sporting-place. West. Good tidings, my Lord Hastings; for the which
I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason: ios
And you, lord archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray, Of capital treason I attach you both.
Mowb. Is this proceeding just and honourable? West. Is your assembly so? 112
94 peruse : ip sped
King Henry the Fourth , IV. Hi
83
Arch. Will you thus break your faith?
Lane. I pawn’d thee none.
I promis’d you redress of these same grievances Whereof you did complain; which, by mine honour,
I will perform with a most Christian care. 116
But for you, rebels, look to taste the due Meet for rebellion and such acts as yours.
Most shallowly did you these arms commence. Fondly brought here and foolishly sent hence. 12G Strike up our drums! pursue the scatter’d stray: God, and not we, hath safely fought to-day.
Some guard these traitors to the block of death; Treason’s true bed, and yielder up of breath. 124
Exeunt.
Scene Three
[Another Part of the Forest ]
Alarums, Excursions. Enter Falstaff and Colevile ,
Fal. What’s your name, sir? of what con¬ dition are you, and of what place, I pray ?
Cole. I am a knight, sir; and my name is Colevile of the dale. 4
Fal. Well then, Colevile is your name, a knight is your degree, and your place the dale: Colevile shall be still your name, a traitor your degree, and the dungeon your place, a place 8 deep enough; so shall you be still Colevile of the dale.
Cole. Are not you Sir John Falstaff?
Fal, As good a man as he, sir, whoe’er I am. 12 Do ye yield, sir, or shall I sweat for you? If
113 pawn’d: pledged 119 shallowly: thoughtlessly
120 Fondiv: foolishly 1 condition: rank
84
The Second Part of
I do sweaty they are the drops of thy lovers, and they weep for thy death: therefore rouse up fear and trembling, and do observance to 18 my mercy.
Cole. I think you are Sir John Falstaff, and in that thought yield me.
Fal. I have a whole school of tongues in this 20 belly of mine, and not a tongue of them all speaks any other word but my name. An I had but a belly of any indifferency, I were simply the most active fellow in Europe : my womb, my 24 womb, my womb undoes me. Here comes our general.
Enter Prince John, Westmoreland and the rest.
Lane. The heat is past, follow no further now.
Call in the powers, good cousin Westmoreland. 28
[Exit Westmoreland .]
Now, Falstaff, where have you been all this while?
When everything is ended, then you come:
These tardy tricks of yours will, on my life.
One time or other break some gallows’ back. 32
Fal. I would be sorry, my lord, but it should be thus: I never knew yet but rebuke and check was the reward of valour. Do you think me a swallow, an arrow, or a bullet? have I, in my 36 poor and old motion, the expedition of thought?
I have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility; I have foundered nine score and odd posts ; and here, travel-tainted as I am, 40 have, in my pure and immaculate valour, taken Sir John Colevile of the dale, a most furious
16 observance: homage 27 heat: race, pursuit 37 expedition : speed
23 indifferency : moderate size 34 check: reproof 40 posts: tonst-horses
King Henry the Fourth, IV. in
85
knight and valorous enemy. But what of that? he saw me, and yielded; that I may justly say 44 with the hook-nosed fellow of Rome, ‘I came, saw, and overcame.’
Lane. It was more of his courtesy than your deserving. 4S
Fal. I know not: here he is, and here I yield him; and I beseech your Grace, let it be booked with the rest of this day’s deeds; or, by the Lord,
1 will have it in a particular ballad else, with 52 mine own picture on the top on ’t, Colevile kissing my foot. To the which course if I be enforced, if you do not all show like gilt two- pences to me, and I in the clear sky of fame 50 o’ershine you as much as the full moon doth the cinders of the element, which show like pins’ heads to her, believe not the word of the noble. Therefore let me have right, and let desert 60 mount.
Lane. Thine’s too heavy to mount.
Fal. Let it shine then.
Lane. Thine’s too thick to shine. 64
Fal. Let it do something, my good lord, that may do me good, and call it what you will.
Lane. Is thy name Colevile?
Cole. It is, my lord. 68
Lane. A famous rebel art thou, Colevile.
Fal. And a famous true subject took him.
Cole. I am, my lord, but as my betters are That led me hither: had they been rul’d by me 72 You should have won them dearer than you have.
Fal. I know not how they sold themselves:
58 cinders: alowino coals, stars element: sky
86
The Second Part of
but thou, like a kind fellow, gavest thyself away gratis, and I thank thee for thee. 76
Enter Westmoreland.
Lane . Now, have you left pursuit?
West. Retreat is made and execution stay’d.
Lane. Send Colevile with his confederates To York, to present execution. 80
Blunt, lead him hence, and see you guard him sure.
Exit [Blunt ] with Colevile. And now dispatch we toward the court, my lords :
I hear, the king my father is sore sick:
Our news shall go before us to his majesty, 84 Which, cousin [addressing Westmoreland ], you shall bear, to comfort him;
And we with sober speed will follow you.
Fal. My lord, I beseech you, give me leave to go. Through Gloucestershire, and when you come to court 88
Stand my good lord, pray, in your good report.
Lane. Fare you well, Falstaff: I, in my condition. Shall better speak of you than you deserve.
[Exeunt all but Falstaff .] Fal. I would you had but the wit: ’twere 92 better than your dukedom. Good faith, this same young sober-blooded boy doth not love me; nor a man cannot make him laugh; but that’s no marvel, he drinks no wine. There’s 96 never none of these demure boys come to any proof ; for thin drink doth so over-cool their blood, and making many fish-meals, that they fall into a kind of male green-sickness ; and then, loo
80 present: immediate 82 dispatch we: let us hasten
89 Stand my good lord: be my kind patron
90 condition: official capacity
92, 98 come to any proof : turn out well
87
King Henry the Fourth , IV „ Hi
when they marry, they get wenches. They are generally fools and cowards, which some of us should be too but for inflammation. A good sherris-sack hath a two-fold operation in it. 104 It ascends me into the brain; dries me there all the foolish and dull and crudy vapours which environ it; makes it apprehensive, quick, forget- ive, full of nimble, fiery and delectable shapes ; 108 which, deliver’d o’er to the voice, the tongue, which is the birth, becomes excellent wit. The second property of your excellent sherris is, the warming of the blood; which, before cold and 112 settled, left the liver white and pale, which is the badge of pusillanimity and cowardice: but the sherris warms it and makes it course from the inwards to the parts extreme. It iilumineth 116 the face, which, as a beacon, gives warning to all the rest of this little kingdom, man, to arm; and then the vital commoners and inland petty spirits muster me all to their captain, the heart, 120 who, great and puffed up with this retinue, doth any deed of courage; and this valour comes of sherris. So that skill in the weapon is nothing without sack, for that sets it a-work; and learn- 124 ing, a mere hoard of gold kept by a devil till sack commences it and sets it in act and use. Hereof comes it that Prince Harry is valiant; for the cold blood he did naturally inherit of 128 his father, he hath, like lean, sterile, and bare land, manured, husbanded, and tilled, with ex¬ cellent endeavour of drinking good and good store of fertile sherris, that he is become very 132 hot and valiant. If I had a thousand sons, the
101 get wenches: beget girls _ 104 sherris-sack: sherry
106 crudy: crude, raw 107 forgetives inventive 135 Cf.n
88
The Second Part of
first human principle I would teach them should be, to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack. 138
Enter Bardolph.
How now, Bardolph?
Bard. The army is discharged all and gone.
Fal. Let them go. I’ll through Gloucester¬ shire ; and there will I visit Master Robert 140 Shallow, esquire: I have him already tempering between my finger and my thumb, and shortly will I seal with him. Come away. Exeunt.
Scene Four
[ Westminster . The Jerusalem Chamber ]
Enter the King, Warwick, Thomas Dulce of Clarence, Humphrey of Gloucester \_and others ].
King. Now, loras, if God doth give successful end To this debate that bleedeth at our doors,
We will our youth lead on to higher fields
And draw no swords, but what are sanctified. 4
Our navy is address’d, our power collected.
Our substitutes in absence well invested.
And everything lies level to our wish:
Only, we want a little personal strength; 8
And pause us, till these rebels, now afoot.
Come underneath the yoke of government.
War. Both which we doubt not but your majesty Shall soon enjoy.
King. Humphrey, my son of Gloucester, 12
141-143 temperinp . . . seal: the allusion is to sealing-wax Scene Four S. d. Jerusalem Chamber; cf. «.
5 address’d : prepared 6 invested: invested with authority
89
King Ileni'y the Fourth , IV. iv
Where is tbe prince your brother?
Glo. I think lie’s gone to hunt, my lord, at Windsor. King. And how accompanied?
Glo. I do not know, my lord.
King. Is not his brother Thomas of Clarence with him ? 16
Glo. No, my good lord; he is in presence here. Cla. What would my lord and father?
King. Nothing but well to thee, Thomas of Clarence.
How chance thou art not with the prince thy brother ? 20
He loves thee, and thou dost neglect him, Thomas; Thou hast a better place in his affection Than all thy brothers: cherish it, my boy.
And noble offices thou mayst effect 24
Of mediation, after I am dead.
Between his greatness and thy other brethren: Therefore omit him not; blunt not his love.
Nor lose the good advantage of his grace 28
By seeming cold or careless of his will;
For he is gracious, if he be observ’d:
He hath a tear for pity and a hand
Open as day for melting charity; 32
Yet, notwithstanding, being incens’d, he’s flint;
As humorous as winter, and as sudden As flaws congealed in the spring of day.
His temper therefore must be well observ’d:
Chide him for faults, and do it reverently,
When you perceive his blood inclin’d to mirth;
But, being moody, give him line and scope.
Till that his passions, like a whale on ground, 40
27 omit : neglect 33-35 Cf.n.
30 observ’d: humored
90
The Second Part of
Confound themselves with working. Learn this* Thomas,
And thou shalt prove a shelter to thy friends,
A hoop of gold to bind thy brothers in.
That the united vessel of their blood, 44
Mingled with venom of suggestion —
As, force perforce, the age will pour it in —
Shall never leak, though it do work as strong As aconitum or rash gunpowder. 48
Cla. I shall observe him with all care and love. King. Why art thou not at Windsor with him, Thomas ?
Cla. He is not there to-day; he dines in London. King. And how accompanied? canst thou tell that? 52
Cla. With Poins and other his continual followers. King. Most subject is the fattest soil to weeds; And he, the noble image of my youth,
Is overspread with them: therefore my grief 56 Stretches itself beyond the hour of death:
The blood weeps from my heart when I do shape In forms imaginary the unguided days And rotten times that you shall look upon 60
When I am sleeping with my ancestors.
For when his headstrong riot hath no curb.
When rage and hot blood are his counsellors,
When means and lavish manners meet together, 64 O ! with what wings shall his affections fly Towards fronting peril and oppos’d decay.
War. My gracious lord, you look beyond him quite: The prince but studies his companions 68
Like a strange tongue, wherein, to gain the language, ’Tis needful that the most immodest word
41 Confound: exhaust 44-48 Cf . n.
€5 affections: inclinations 67 look beyond: misjudge
King Henry the Fourth , IV . iv
91
Be look’d upon, and learn’d; which once attain’d. Your highness knows, comes to no further use 7* But to be known and hated. So, like gross terms. The prince will in the perfectness of time Cast off his followers ; and their memory Shall as a pattern or a measure live, 76
By which his Grace must mete the lives of others. Turning past evils to advantages.
King. ’Tis seldom when the bee doth leave her comb
In the dead carrion.
Enter Westmoreland.
Who’s here? Westmoreland! 80 West. Health to my sovereign, and new happiness Added to that that I am to deliver !
Prince John your son doth kiss your Grace’s hand: Mowbray, the Bishop Scroop, Hastings and all 84 Are brought to the correction of your law.
There is not now a rebel’s sword unsheath'd,
But Peace puts forth her olive everywhere.
The manner how this action hath been borne 8& Here at more leisure may your highness read.
With every course in his particular.
King. O Westmoreland! thou art a summer bird. Which ever in the haunch of winter sings 9&
The lifting up of day.
Enter Harcourt.
Look ! here’* more news. Har. From enemies heaven keep your majesty; And, when they stand against you, may they fall As those that I am come to tell you of ! 99
77 mete : measure 90 particular: detail
79, 80 Cf. n. 92 haunch: end
92
The Second Part of
The Earl Northumberland, and the Lord Bardolph, With a great power of English and of Scots,
Are by the sheriff of Yorkshire overthrown.
The manner and true order of the fight 100
This packet, please it you, contains at large.
King. And wherefore should these good news make me sick?
Will Fortune never come with both hands full But write her fair words still in foulest letters? 10* She either gives a stomach and no food;
Such are the poor, in health: or else a feast And takes away the stomach; such are the rich.
That have abundance and enjoy it not. 108
I should rejoice now at this happy news.
And now my sight fails, and my brain is giddy.
O me ! come near me, now I am much ill.
Glo. Comfort, your majesty!
Cla. O my royal father! 112
West. My sovereign lord, cheer up yourself: look up !
War. Be patient, princes: you do know these fits Are with his highness very ordinary:
Stand from him, give him air; he’ll straight be well. lie
Cla. No, no; he cannot long hold out these pangs: The incessant care and labour of his mind Hath wrought the mure that should confine it in So thin, that life looks through and will break out. 120 Glo. The people fear me; for they do observe Unfather’d heirs and loathly births of nature:
The seasons change their manners, as the year
105 stomach: appetite 119 wrought the mure: worn the wail
121 fear: frighten
122 ( Such portents as) creatures born without parents and other
monstrosities 123 as: as tf
King Henry the Fourth, IV. v
93
Had found some months asleep and leap’d them over. 124
Cla. The river hath thrice flow’d, no ebb between; And the old folk, time’s doting chronicles,
Say it did so a little time before
That our great-grandsire, Edward, sick’d and died. 128 War. Speak lower, princes, for the king recovers. Glo. This apoplexy will certain be his end.
King. I pray you take me up, and bear me hence Into some other chamber: softly, pray. 132
[Attendants and Lords take the King up, convey him into an inner room, and lay him upon a bed. ]
Scene Five [. Another Chamber
King Henry lying on a bed: Clarence, Gloucester, Warwick, and Others in attendance .]
King. Let there be no noise made, my gentle friends ;
Unless some dull and favourable hand Will whisper music to my weary spirit.
War. Call for the music in the other room. 4
King, Set me the crown upon my pillow here.
Cla. His eye is hollow, and he changes much.
War. Less noise, less noise !
Enter Prince Henry.
Prince. Who saw the Duke of Clarence?
Cla. I am here, brother, full of heaviness. 8
Prince. How now ! rain within doors, and none abroad !
2 'mil : soothing, drowsy
The Second Part of
94-
How doth the king?
Glo. Exceeding ill.
Prince. Heard he the good news yet?
Tell it him.
Glo. He alter’d much upon the hearing it. 12
Prince. If he be sick with joy, he’ll recover without physic.
War. Not so much noise, my lords. Sweet prince, speak low;
The king your father is dispos’d to sleep. 16
Cla. Let us withdraw into the other room.
War. Will ’t please your Grace to go along with us ?
Prince. No; I will sit and watch here by the king.
[Exeunt all but the Prince .] Why doth the crown lie there upon his pillow, 20 Being so troublesome a bedfellow?
Q polish’d perturbation ! golden care !
That keep’st the ports of slumber open wide To many a watchful night! Sleep with it now! 24 Yet not so sound, and half so deeply sweet As he whose brow with homely biggin bound Snores out the watch of night. O majesty!
When thou dost pinch thy bearer, thou dost sit 28 Like a rich armour worn in heat of day,
That scalds with safety. By his gates of breath There lies a downy feather which stirs not:
Did he suspire, that light and weightless down 32 Perforce must move. My gracious lord ! my father ! This sleep is sound indeed; this is a sleep That from this golden rigol hath divorc’d So many English kings. Thy due from me 36
23 ports -.gates
30 with safety: while it gives safety t$ rigol: circle, crown
26 biggin: nightcap 32 suspire: breathe
King Henry the Fourth, IV. v
95
Is tears and heavy sorrows of the blood,
Which nature, love, and filial tenderness Shall, O dear father ! pay thee plenteously:
My due from thee is this imperial crown, 40
Which, as immediate from thy place and blood, Derives itself to me. Lo! here it sits,
[ Putting it on his head.] Which God shall guard; and put the world’s whole strength
Into one giant arm, it shall not force 44
This lineal honour from me. This from thee Will I to mine leave, as ’tis left to me. Exit.
King. [Waking.] Warwick! Gloucester! Clarence.'
Enter Warwick, Gloucester, Clarence [ and the rest].
Cla. Doth the king call?
War. What would your majesty? How fares your
Grace ? 48
King. Why did you leave me here alone, my lords? Cla. We left the prince my brother here, my liege. Who undertook to sit and watch by you.
King. The Prince of Wales! Where is he? let me see him : 52
He is not here.
War. This door is open; he is gone this way.
Glo. He came not through the chamber where we stay’d.
King. Where is the crown? who took it from my
pillow ? 56
War. When we withdrew, my liege, we left it here. King. The prince hath ta’en it hence: go, seek him out.
Is he so hasty that he doth suppose
4J immediate: next in
9 G
The Second Part of
My sleep my death? 60
Find him, my Lord of Warwick; chide him hither.
[Exit Warwick .]
This part of his conjoins with my disease.
And helps to end me. See, sons, what things you are ! How quickly nature falls into revolt 64
When gold becomes her obj ect !
For this the foolish over-careful fathers Have broke their sleep with thoughts.
Their brains with care, their bones with industry; 68 For this they have engrossed and pil’d up The canker’d heaps of strange-achieved gold;
For this they have been thoughtful to invest Their sons with arts and martial exercises: 72
When, like the bee, culling from every flower The virtuous sweets,
Our thighs packed with wax, our mouths with honey, We bring it to the hive, and like the bees, 76
Are murder’d for our pains. This bitter taste Yield his engrossments to the ending father.
Enter Warwick.
Now, where is he that will not stay so long Till his friend sickness hath determin’d me? 89 War. My lord, I found the prince in the nest room,
Washing with kindly tears his gentle cheeks,
With such a deep demeanour in great sorrow That tyranny, which never quaff’d but blood, 84 Would, by beholding him, have wash’d his knife With gentle eye-drops. He is coming hither.
King. But wherefore did he take away the crown?
62 part: act 69 engrossed: amassed
70 canker’d: tarnished strange-achieved: gained in foreign lands 74 virtuous: beneficial 80 determin’d: ended
8 2 kindly: natural
King Henry the Fourth, IV ,v
97
Enter Prince Henry.
Lo, where lie comes. Come hither to me, Harry. 88 Depart the chamber, leave us here alone.
Exeunt [ Warwick , and the rest ]. Prince. I never thought to hear you speak again. King . Thy wish was father, Harry, to that thought:
I stay too long by thee, I weary thee. »2
Dost thou so hunger for mine empty chair That thou wilt needs invest thee with my honours Before thy hour be ripe? O foolish youth!
Thou seek’st the greatness that will overwhelm thee. 90
Stay but a little; for my cloud of dignity Is held from falling with so weak a wind That it will quickly drop: my day is dim.
Thou hast stol’n that which after some few hours 100 Were thine without offence; and at my death Thou hast seal’d up my expectation:
Thy life did manifest thou lov’dst me not.
And thou wilt have me die assur’d of it. 104
Thou hid’st a thousand daggers in thy thoughts, Which thou hast whetted on thy stony heart,
To stab at half an hour of my life.
What! canst thou not forbear me half an hour? 108 Then get thee gone and dig my grave thyself.
And bid the merry bells ring to thine ear That thou art crowned, not that I am dead.
Let all the tears that should bedew my hearse 112 Be drops of balm to sanctify thy head:
Only compound me with forgotten dust;
Give that which gave thee life unto the worms.
Pluck down my officers, break my decrees; 11#
102 seal’d up: confirmed fully
ss
The Second Part of
For now a time is come to mock at form.
Harry the Fifth is crown’d! Up, vanity!
Down, royal state ! all you sage counsellors, hence ! And to the English court assemble now, 120
From every region, apes of idleness!
Now, neighbour confines, purge you of your scum: Have you a ruffian that will swear, drink, dance. Revel the night, rob, murder, and commit 124
The oldest sins the newest kind of ways?
Be happy, he will trouble you no more:
England shall double gild his treble guilt.
England shall give him office, honour, might; 128 For the fifth Harry from curb’d licence plucks The muzzle of restraint, and the wild dog Shall flesh his tooth in every innocent.
O my poor kingdom ! sick with civil blows, 132
When that my care could not withhold thy riots, What wilt thou do when riot is thy care?
O ! thou wilt be a wilderness again,
Peopled with wolves, thy old inhabitants. 136
Prince. O ! pardon me, my liege ; but for my tears, The moist impediments unto my speech,
I had forestall’d this dear and deep rebuke
Ere you with grief had spoke and I had heard 140
The course of it so far. There is your crown;
And he that wears the crown immortally
Long guard it yours ! If I affect it more
Than as your honour and as your renown, 144
Let me no more from this obedience rise, —
Which my most inward, true, and duteous spirit Teacheth, — this prostrate and exterior bending.
God witness with me, when I here came in, 148
And found no course of breath within your majesty,
117 form: order 118 vanity : folly 134 care: special study
139 dear: earnest 143 affect: aspire to
King Henry the Fourth, IV. v
99
How cold it struck my heart! if I do feign,
O ! let me in my present wildness die
And never live to show the incredulous world 152
The noble change that I have purposed.
Coming to look on you, thinking you dead,
And dead almost, my liege, to think you were,
I spake unto the crown as having sense, 15«
And thus upbraided it: ‘The care on thee depending Hath fed upon the body of my father;
Therefore, thou best of gold art worst of gold: Other, less fine in carat, is more precious, 160
Preserving life in medicine potable:
But thou most fine, most honour’d, most renown’d. Hast eat thy bearer up.’ Thus, my most royal liege, Accusing it, I put it on my head, 164
To try with it, as with an enemy That had before my face murder’d my father,
The quarrel of a true inheritor.
But if it did infect my blood with joy, 168
Or swell my thoughts to any strain of pride;
If any rebel or vain spirit of mine
Did with the least affection of a welcome
Give entertainment to the might of it, 172
Let God for ever keep it from my head.
And make me as the poorest vassal is That doth with awe and terror kneel to it!
King. O my son ! 176
God put it in thy mind to take it hence.
That thou mightst win the more thy father’s love. Pleading so wisely in excuse of it.
Come hither, Harry: sit thou by my bed; 180
And hear, I think, the very latest counsel
That ever I shall breathe. God knows, my son.
161 medicine potable; cf. n.
100
The Second Part of
By what by-paths and indirect crook’d ways I met this crown; and I myself know well 184
How troublesome it sat upon my head:
To thee it shall descend with better quiet.
Better opinion, better confirmation;
For all the soil of the achievement goes 188
With me into the earth. It seem’d in me
But as an honour snatch’d with boisterous hand,
And I had many living to upbraid My gain of it by their assistances; 192
Which daily grew to quarrel and to bloodshed. Wounding supposed peace. All these bold fears Thou seest with peril I have answered;
For all my reign hath been but as a scene 196
Acting that argument; and now my death Changes the mode: for what in me was purchas’d. Falls upon thee in a more fairer sort;
So thou the garment wear’st successively. 200
Yet, though thou stand’st more sure than I could do. Thou art not firm enough, since griefs are green; And all my friends, which thou must make thy friends,
Have but their stings and teeth newly ta'en out; 204 By whose fell working I was first advanc’d,
And by whose power I well might lodge a fear To be again displac’d: which to avoid,
I cut them off; and had a purpose now 208
To lead out many to the Holy Land,
Lest rest and lying still might make them look Too near unto my state. Therefore, my Harry,
Be it thy course to busy giddy minds 212
With foreign quarrels; that action, hence borne out,
188 soil: pollution 197 argument: story
198 mode; cf. n. purchas’d: acquired by my own act, not inherited 200 successively: by right of succession 213 hence: in other lands
King Henry the Fourth, IV. v
101
May waste the memory of the former days.
More would I, but my lungs are wasted so
That strength of speech is utterly denied me. 216
How I came by the crown, O God, forgive!
And grant it may with thee in true peace live.
Prince. My gracious liege,
You won it, wore it, kept it, gave it me; 220
Then plain and right must my possession be: Which I with more than with a common pain 'Gainst all the world will rightfully maintain.
Enter Lord John of Lancaster, and Warwick. King. Look, look, here comes my John of Lan¬ caster. 224
Lane. Health, peace, and happiness to my royal father !
King. Thou bring’st me happiness and peace, son John ;
But health, alack, with youthful wings is flown From this bare wither’d trunk: upon thy sight 228 My worldly business makes a period.
Where is my Lord of Warwick?
Prince. My Lord of Warwick!
[ Warwick comes forward .]
King. Doth any name particular belong Unto the lodging where I first did swound? 232 War. ’Tis call’d Jerusalem, my noble lord.
King. Laud be to God! even there my life must end.
It hath been prophesied to me many years I should not die but in Jerusalem, 236
Which vainly I suppos’d the Holy Land.
But bear me to that chamber; there I’ll lie:
In that Jerusalem shall Harry die. Exeunt.
ZIA waste: consume
102
The Second Part of
ACT FIFTH Scene One
[Justice Shallow’s House in Gloucestershire ]
Enter Shallow, Falstaff, Bardolph [and Bardolph’s
boy].
Shal. By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night. What! Davy, I say.
Fal. You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow. 4
Shal. I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused; excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be ex¬ cused. Why, Davy! 8
Enter Davy.
Davy. Here, sir.
Shal. Davy, Davy, Davy, Davy, let me see, Davy; let me see: yea, marry, William cook, bid him come hither. Sir John, you shall not be 12 excused.
Davy. Marry, sir, thus; those precepts can¬ not be served: and again, sir, shall we sow the headland with wheat? 16
Shal. With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook: are there no young pigeons?
Davy. Yes, sir. Here is now the smith’s note for shoeing and plough-irons. 26
Shal. Let it be cast and paid. Sir John, you shall not be excused.
Davy. Now, sir, a new link to the bucket
1 tock and pie; cf. n. 14 precepts: summonses
21 cast: reckoned
King Henry the Fourth, V. i
108
must needs be had : and, sir, do you mean to 24 stop any of William’s wages, about the sack he lost the other day at Hinckley fair?
Shal. A’ shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of 28 mutton, and any petty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.
Davy. Doth the man of war stay all night, sir? 32
Shal. Yea, Davy. I will use him well. A friend i’ the court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy, for* they are arrant knaves, and will backbite. 30
Davy. No worse than they are back-bitten, sir; for they have marvellous foul linen.
Shal. Well conceited, Davy: about thy busi¬ ness, Davy. 40
Davy. I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of Wincot against Clement Perkes o’ the hill.
Shal. There is many complaints, Davy, 44 against that Visor: that Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.
Davy. I grant your worship that he is a knave, sir ; but yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave 48 should have some countenance at his friend’s request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. I have served your worship truly, sir, this eight years ; and if 52 I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have but a very little credit with your worship. The knave is
29 kickshaws : fancy dishes 39 Well conceited: cleverly put
41 countenance: favor
104
The Second Part of
mine honest friend, sir ; therefore, I beseech your 58 worship, let him be countenanced.
Shal. Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy. [ Exit Davy.'] Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come; off with your 60 boots. Give me your hand. Master Bardolph.
Bard. I am glad to see your worship.
Shal. I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph: — [To the Page.] and wel- 64 come, my tall fellow. Come, Sir John.
Fal. I’ll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow. [Exit Shallow.] Bardolph, look to our horses. [Exeunt Bardolph and Page.] If I 68 were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermit’s staves as Master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men’s spirits and his: 72 they, by observing him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like serving-man. Their spirits are so married in conjunction with the 76 participation of society that they flock together in consent, like so many wild-geese. If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humour his men with the imputation of being near their master: 80 if to his men, I would curry with Master Shallow that no man could better command his servants.
It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of 84 another: therefore let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Harry in continual
69 quantities: small pieces
72 semblable coherence: approach to Kkenjtu
/8 consent: agreement
King H enry the Fourth , V. ii
105
laughter the wearing out of six fashions, — which 88 is four terms, or two actions, — and a’ shall laugh without intervaliums. O ! it is much that a lie with a slight oath and a jest with a sad brow will do with a fellow that never had the ache in 92 his shoulders. O ! you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up !
Slial. [ Within .] Sir John!
Fal. I come, Master Shallow : I come, Master 96 Shallow. [Exit.]
Scene Two
[ Westminster . The Palace ]
Enter the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Chief Justice.
War. How now, my Lord Chief Justice! whither away ?
Ch.Just. How doth the king?
War. Exceeding well: his cares are now all ended. Ch. Just. I hope not dead.
War. He’s walk’d the way of nature; 4
And to our purposes he lives no more.
Ch.Just. I would his majesty had call’d me with him :
The service that I truly did his life Hath left me open to all injuries. 8
War. Indeed I think the young king loves you not. Ch. Just. I know he doth not, and do arm myself To welcome the condition of the time.
Which cannot look more hideously upon me 12
89 terras: ».
90 intervallums: intervals 91 sad: sober
94 ill laid up: carelessly put away
106
The Second Part of
Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.
Enter John of Lancaster, Gloucester, Clarence [W estmoreland, and others ].
War. Here come the heavy issue of dead Harry: O ! that the living Harry had the temper Of him, the worst of these three gentlemen. 10 How many nobles then should hold their places. That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort !
Ch.Just. O God! I fear all will be overturn'd. Lane. Good morrow, cousin Warwick, good mor¬ row. 20
Glo. ) . — i j
S- Good morrow, cousm.
C la. )
Lane. We meet like men that had forgot to speak. War. We do remember; but our argument Is all too heavy to admit much talk. 24
Lane. Well, peace be with him that hath made us heavy !
Ch. Just. Peace be with us, lest we be heavier ! Glo. O ! good my lord, you have lost a friend indeed ;
And I dare swear you borrow not that face 28
Of seeming sorrow; it is sure your own.
Lane. Though no man be assur’d what grace to find,
5fou stand in coldest expectation.
I am the sorrier; would 'twere otherwise. 32
Cla. Well, you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair,
Which swims against your stream of quality.
Ch.Just. Sweet princes, what I did, I did in honour,
14 heavy : sorrowful 31 co’dest: most hopeless
23 argument: subject of conversation
34 Cf. n.
King Henry the Fourth , V. ii
107
Led by the impartial conduct of my soul; M
And never shall you see that I will beg A ragged and forestall’d remission.
If truth and upright innocency fail me.
I’ll to the king my master that is dead, 40
And tell him who hath sent me after him.
War. Here comes the prince.
Enter the Prince and Blunt.
Ch. Just. Good morrow, and God save your majesty !
Prince. This new and gorgeous garment, maj¬ esty, 44
Sits not so easy on me as you think.
Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear:
This is the English, not the Turkish court;
Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds, 48
But Harry Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers,
Tor, by my faith, it very well becomes you:
Sorrow so royally in you appears
That I will deeply put the fashion on 68
And wear it in my heart. Why then, be sad;
But entertain no more of it, good brothers.
Than a joint burden laid upon us all.
For me, by heaven, I bid you be assur’d, 66
I’ll be your father and your brother too;
Let me but bear your love. I’ll bear your cares:
Yet weep that Harry’s dead, and so will I ;
But Harry lives that shall convert those tears 60 By number into hours of happiness.
Brothers. We hope no other from your majesty. Prince. You all look strangely on me: [To the Chief Justice .] and you most;
33 ragged: beggarly . ...
forestall’d remission: pardon that is sure not to be granted 48 Cf. n.
108
The Second Part of
You are, I think, assur’d I love you not. «4
Ch . Just. I am assur’d, if I be measur’d rightly, Your majesty hath no just cause to hate me.
Prince. No?
How might a prince of my great hopes forget @8 So great indignities you laid upon me?
What ! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison The immediate heir of England'. Was this easy? May this be wash’d in Lethe, and forgotten? 72 Ch. Just. I then did use the person of your father ;
The image oi his power lay then in me:
And, in the administration of his law.
Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth, 78
Your highness pleased to forget my place.
The majesty and power of law and justice.
The image of the king whom I presented.
And struck me in my very seat of judgment; 8® Whereon, as an offender to your father,
I gave bold way to my authority,
And did commit you. If the deed were ill.
Be you contented, wearing now the garland, 84 To have a son set your decrees at nought,
To pluck down justice from your awful bench.
To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword That guards the peace and safety of your nersea; s& Nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image And mock your workings in a second body.
Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours; Be now the father and propose a son, 92
Hear your own dignity so much profan’d,
See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted,
71 easy: trivial 72 Lethe: the river of oblivion
73 use the person: make use of my position as personal representative 79 presented ’.represented 84 garland: crown
90 second body : deputy 92 propose: imagine
King Henry the Fourth, V . ii
109
Behold yourself so by a son disdain’d;
And then imagine me taking your part, ••
And in your power soft silencing your son:
After this cold considerance, sentence me;
And, as you are a king, speak in your state What I have done that misbecame my place, 100 My person, or my liege’s sovereignty.
Prince. You are right, justice; and you weigh this well;
Therefore still bear the balance and the sword:
And I do wish your honours may increase 104
Till you do live to see a son of mine Offend you and obey you, as I did.
So shall I live to speak my father’s words:
'Happy am I, that have a man so bold 108
That dares do justice on my proper son;
And not less happy, having such a son.
That would deliver up his greatness so Into the hands of justice.’ You did commit me: 112 For which, I do commit into your hand The unstained sword that you have us’d to bear; With this remembrance, that you use the same With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit 110 As you have done ’gainst me. There is my hand: You shall be as a father to my youth;
My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear. And I will stoop and humble my intents 129
To your well-practis’d wise directions.
And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you;
My father is gone wild into his grave,
For in his tomb lie my affections; 120
And with his spirit sadly I survive,
98 considerance: consideration
103 balance and the sword: emblems of Justice _ #
>09 proper: own US remembrance: admonitro#
123,124 Cf.n. 125 sadl y: so harts
no
The Second Part of
To mock the expectation of the world,
To frustrate prophecies, and to raze out Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down 128
After my seeming. The tide of blood in me Hath proudly flow’d in vanity till now:
Now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea.
Where it shall mingle with the state of floods 182 And flow henceforth in formal majesty.
Now call we our high court of parliament;
And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel.
That the great body of our state may go 188
In equal rank with the best govern’d nation;
That war or peace, or both at once, may be As things acquainted and familiar to us;
In which you, father, shall have foremost hand. 140 Our coronation done, we will accite,
As I before remember’d, all our state:
And, God consigning to my good intents,
No prince nor peer shall have just cause to say, 144 God shorten Harry’s happy life one day. Exeunt.
Scene Three
[ The Garden of Justice Shallow’s House in Gloucestershire ]
Enter Sir John, Shallow, Silence, Davy, Bardolph,
Page.
Shal. Nay, you shall see my orchard, where, in an arbour, we will eat a last year’s pippin of
129 After my seeming: according to appearances 132 state of floods: majesty of the ocean
137 In equal rank : step by step 141 accite: summon
142 remember’d: mentioned 143 consigning to : confirming
King Henry the Fourth , V. in
ill
mine own grafting, with a dish of caraways, and so forth; come, cousin Silence; and then to bed. 4
Fal. ’Fore God, you have here a goodly dwelling, and a rich.
Shal. Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beggars all, Sir John: marry, good air. Spread, 8 Davy; spread: well said, Davy.
Fal. This Davy serves you for good uses; he is your serving-man and your husband.
Shal. A good varlet, a good varlet, a very 12 good varlet, Sir John: by the mass, I have drunk too much sack at supper: a good varlet. Now sit down, now sit down. Come, cousin.
Sil. Ah, sirrah ! quoth a’, we shall 16
‘Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer,
And praise God for the merry year;
When flesh is cheap and females dear,
And lusty lads roam here and there, 20
So merrily.
And ever among so merrily.’
Fal. There’s a merry heart! Good Master Silence, I’ll give you a health for that anon. 24
Shal. Give Master Bardolph some wine, Davy.
Davy. Sweet sir, sit; I’ll be with you anon: most sweet sir, sit. Master page, good master page, sit. Proface! What you want in meat 28 we’ll have in drink: but you must bear: the heart’s all. [ Exit.~\
Shal. Be merry. Master Bardolph; and my little soldier there, be merry. 32
3 grafting: grafting caraways: confection made with caraway seeds 9 said -.done 11 husband: husbandman
22 ever among: all the while
28 Proface: may it do you good ( Italian ‘pro vi faccia’)
30 heart: intention
112
The Second Part of
Sil. ‘Be merry, be merry, my wife has all;
For women are shrews, both short and tall; ’Tis merry in hall when beards wag all.
And welcome merry Shrove-tide. 8«
Be merry, be merry.’
Fal. I did not think Master Silence had been a man of this mettle.
Sil. Who, I? I have been merry twice and 40 once ere now.
[Enter Davy.]
Davy . There’s a dish of leather-coats for you.
[Setting them, before Bardolph .]
Shal. Davy!
Davy. Your worship ! I’ll be with you straight. 44 A cup of wine, sir?
Sil. ‘A cup of wine that’s brisk and fine And drink unto the leman mine ;
And a merry heart lives long-a.' 48
Fal. Well said, Master Silence.
Sil. And we shall be merry, now comes in the sweet o’ the night.
Fal. Health and long life to you. Master 52 Silence.
SU. ‘Fill the cup, and let it come;
I’ll pledge you a mile to the bottom.’
Shal. Honest Bardolph, welcome: if thou want- 5« est anything and wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. [To the Page.] Welcome, my little tiny thief; and welcome indeed too. I’ll drink to Master Bardolph and to all the cavaleros about London. 6&
36 Shrove tide: a time of special merriment at the close of ths carnival 42 leather-coats: russet apples
47 leman x sweetheart 60 cavaleros: cavaliers
King Henry the Fourth, V. in
113
Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die. Bard. An I might see you there, Davy, —
Shal. By the mass, you’ll crack a quart to¬ gether: ha! will you not, Master Bardolph? 64 Bard. Yea, sir, in a pottle-pot.
Shal. By God’s liggens, I thank thee. The knave will stick by thee, I can assure thee that: a’ will not out; he is true bred. 08
Bard. And I’ll stick by him, sir.
Shal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. [ One knocks at the door.]
Look who’s at door there. Ho ! who knocks ? 72
[Exit Davy.]
Fal. [To Silence, who drinks a bumper .] Why, now you have done me right.
Sil. ‘Do me right,
And dub me knight: 76
Samingo.’
Is 't not so?
Fal. ’Tis so.
Sil. Is ’t so? Why, then, say an old man can 80 do somewhat.
[Enter Davy.]
Davy. An ’t please your worship, there’s one Pistol come from the court with news.
Fal. From the court! let him come in. 84
Enter Pistol.
How now, Pistol !
Pist. Sir John, God save you, sir!
66 liggens: an original oath of Shallow’s 68 will not out: will not fail ( sporting term)
74 done me right! a common expression tn drinking heowris 76 dub me knight; cf. n. .......
7? Samingo: .San Domingo , a common refrain tn drinking song-.'
114
The Second Part of
Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol?
Pist. Not the ill wind which blows no man to good. 88
Sweet knight, thou art now one of the greatest men in this realm.
Sil. By ’r lady, I think a’ be, but goodman Puff of Barson. 92
Pist. Puff!
Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base !
Sir John, I am thy Pistol and thy friend.
And helter-skelter have I rode to thee, 96
And tidings do I bring and lucky joys
And golden times and happy news of price.
Fal. I prithee now, deliver them like a man of this world.
Pist. A foutra for the world and worldlings base ! 100
I speak of Africa and golden joys.
Fal. O base Assyrian knight, what is thy news?
Let King Cophetua know the truth thereof.
Sil. ‘And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John.’ 104
Pist. Shall dunghill curs confront the Helicons? And shall good news be baffled?
Then, Pistol, lay thy head in Furies’ lap.
Shal. Honest gentleman, I know not your 108 breeding.
Pist. Why then, lament therefore.
Shal. Give me pardon, sir: if, sir, you come with news from the court, I take it there’s but 112 two ways: either to utter them, or to conceal them. I am sir, under the king, in some authority.
91 but: except 92 Barson: Barston in Warwickshire
98 price: value 100 foutra: exclamation of contempt
103, 104 These lines refer to popular ballads 105 Cf. n.
King Henry the Fourth, V. in
115
Pist. Under which king, Bezonian? speak, or die. 116
Shal. Under King Harry.
Pist. Harry the Fourth? or Fifth?
Shal. Harry the Fourth.
Pist. A foutra for thine office!
Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is king;
Harry the Fifth’s the man. I speak the truth: 120 When Pistol lies, do this ; and fig me, like The bragging Spaniard.
Fal. What! is the old king dead?
Pist. As nail in door: the things I speak are just. 124
Fal. Away, Bardolph ! saddle my horse. Master Robert Shallow, choose what office thou wilt in the land, ’tis thine. Pistol, I will double charge thee with dignities. 128
Bard. O joyful day!
I would not take a knighthood for my fortune.
Pist. What ! I do bring good news.
Fal. Carry Master Silence to bed. Master 132 Shallow, my Lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am Fortune’s steward. Get on thy boots: we’ll ride all night. O sweet Pistol ! Away, Bardolph ! [Exit Bardolph.] Come, Pistol, utter more to 136 me; and withal devise something to do thyself good. Boot, boot. Master Shallow: I know the young king is sick for me. Let us take any man’s horses; the laws of England are at my 140 commandment. Blessed are they which have been my friends, and woe to my lord chief justice !
115 Bezonian: base beggar
121 fig: to thrust the thumb between two closed fingers, or into tht mouth, a vulgar insult, imported from St>ain 124 just: correct
116
The Second Part of
Pist. Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also! 144 ‘Where is the life that late I led?’ say they:
Why, here it is : welcome these pleasant days !
Exeunt.
Scene Four [London. A Street ]
Enter Hostess Quickly, Doll Tearsheet, and Beadles.
Host. No, thou arrant knave: I would to God that I might die that I might have thee hanged; thou hast drawn my shoulder out of joint.
First Bead. The constables have delivered 4 her over to me, and she shall have whipping- cheer enough, I warrant her: there hath been a man or two lately killed about her.
Dol. Nut-hook, nut-hook, you lie. Come on; 8 I’ll tell thee what, thou damned tripe-visaged rascal, an the child I now go with do miscarry, thou wert better thou hadst struck thy mother, thou paper-faced villain. 12
Host. O the Lord! that Sir John were come; he would make this a bloody day to somebody. But I pray God the fruit of her womb miscarry !
First Bead. If it do, you shall have a dozen 16 of cushions again; you have but eleven now. Come, I charge you both go with me ; for the man is dead that you and Pistol beat amongst you.
Dol. I’ll tell you what, you thin man in a 20 censer, I will have you as soundly swinged for
145 Quotation from another ballad
8 nut-hook: slang for beadle; cf. catchpole
20, 21 in a censer : i.e., a figure embossed on a censer
21 swinged : whipped
King Henry the Fourth, V. v
117
this, you blue-bottle rogue! you filthy famished correctioner ! if you be not swinged, I’ll for¬ swear half-kirtles. 24
First Bead. Come, come, you she knight-errant,
come.
Host. O God, that right should thus overcome might ! Well, of sufferance comes ease.
Hoi. Come, you rogue, come: bring me to 28 a justice.
Host. Ay; come, you starved blood-hound.
Dol. Goodman death ! goodman bones !
Host. Thou atomy, thou! 32
Hoi. Come, you thin thing; come, you rascal!
First Bead. Very well. Exeunt.
Scene Five
[A public Place near Westminster Abbey~\ Enter two Grooms, strewers of rushes.
First Groom. More rushes, more rushes.
Sec. Groom. The trumpets have sounded twice.
First Groom. ’Twill be two o’clock ere they 4 come from the coronation. Dispatch, dispatch.
Exeunt Grooms.
Trumpets sound, and the King and his train pass
over the stage. After them, enter Falstaff,
Shallow, Pistol, Bardolph, and the Boy.
Fal. Stand here by me. Master Robert Shal¬ low; I will make the king do you grace. I will
22 blue bottle: the reference is to the beadle’s blue livery 24 half-kirtles: waists or skirts 27 of sufferance : out of suffering
32 atomy: Dame Quickly' s confusion of ‘atom’ with ‘anatomy’ = skeleton
118
The Second Part of
leer upon him, as a’ comes by; and do but mark 8 the countenance that he will give me.
Pist. God bless thy lungs, good knight.
Fal. Come here. Pistol; stand behind me.
O ! if I had had time to have made new liveries, 12 I would have bestowed the thousand pound I borrowed of you. But ’tis no matter; this poor show doth better: this doth infer the zeal I had to see him. 16
Shal. It doth so.
Fal. It shows my earnestness of affection.
Shal. It doth so.
Fal. My devotion. 20
Shal. It doth, it doth, it doth.
Fal. As it were, to ride day and night; and not to deliberate, not to remember, not to have patience to shift me. 24
Shal. It is best, certain.
Fal. But to stand stained with travel, and sweating with desire to see him; thinking of nothing else ; putting all affairs else in oblivion, 28 as if there were nothing else to be done but to see him.
Pist. ’Tis semper idem, for absque hoc nihil est: ’Tis all in every part. 32
Shal. ’Tis so, indeed.
Pist. My knight, I will inflame thy noble liver, And make thee rage.
Thy Doll, and Helen of thy noble thoughts, 36
Is in base durance and contagious prison;
Hal’d thither
By most mechanical and dirty hand:
31.32 Cf.H.
39 mechanical : common, vulgar
King Ilenry the Fourth, V. v
119
Rouse up revenge from ebon den with fell Alecto’s snake, 4^
For Doll is in: Pistol speaks nought but truth.
Fal. I will deliver her.
[ Shouts within and trumpets soured.] Pist. There roar’d the sea, and trumpet-clangour sounds.
The trumpets sound. Enter King Henry the Fifth, Brothers, Lord Chief Justice.
Fal. God save thy grace, King Hal! my royal 44 Hal !
Pist. The heavens thee guard and keep, most royal imp of fame !
Fal. God save thee, my sweet boy! 48
K.Hen.V. My lord chief justice, speak to that vain man.
Ch.Just. Have you your wits? know you what ’tis you speak?
Fal. My king! my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart !
K. Hen. V. I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers ; 52
How ill white hairs become a fool and jester!
I have long dream’d of such a kind of man.
So surfeit-swell’d, so old, and so profane;
But, being awak’d, I do despise my dream. 56
Make less thy body hence, and more thy grace;
Leave gormandising; know the grave doth gape For thee thrice wider than for other men.
Reply not to me with a fool-born jest: 60
Presume not that I am the thing I was ;
For God doth know, so shall the world perceive,
40 ebon : black
47 imp: child
Alecto : one of the Furies
49 vain: foolish
120
The Second Part of
That I have turn’d away my former self;
So will I those that kept me company. 64
When thou dost hear I am as I have been.
Approach me, and thou shalt be as thou wast.
The tutor and the feeder of my riots:
Till then, I banish thee, on pain of death, 68
As I have done the rest of my misleaders.
Not to come near our person by ten mile.
For competence of life I will allow you,
That lack of means enforce you not to evil: 72
And, as we hear you do reform yourselves,
We will, according to your strength and qualities, Give you advancement. Be it your charge, my lord, To see perform’d the tenour of our word. 76
Set on. Exit the King [with his Train~\.
Fal. Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pound.
Shal. Yea, marry, Sir John; which I beseech you to let me have home with me. so
Fal. That can hardly be. Master Shallow. Do not you grieve at this: I shall be sent for in private to him. Look you, he must seem thus to the world. Fear not your advancements; I 84 will be the man yet that shall make you great.
Shal. I cannot perceive how, unless you give me your doublet and stuff me out with straw.
I beseech you, good Sir John, let me have five 88 hundred of my thousand.
Fal. Sir, I will be as good as my word: this that you heard was but a colour.
Shal. A colour that I fear you will die in. Sir 92 John.
Fal. Fear no colours: go with me to dinner.
92 colour: pun on collar, halter
94 Fear no colours: have no fear; originally, fear no enemy
King Henry the Fourth, V. v
121
Come, Lieutenant Pistol; come, Bardolph: I shall be sent for soon at night. 96
Enter Justice and Prince John.
Ch.Just. Go, carry Sir John Falstaff to the Fleet; Take all his company along with him.
Fal. My lord, my lord!
Ch.Just. I cannot now speak: I will hear yon soon. 106
Take them away.
Pist. Si fortuna me tormenta, spero contenta. Exeunt. Mane[n]t [ Prince John of] Lancaster
and Chief Justice.
Lane. I like this fair proceeding of the king’s.
He hath intent his wonted followers 104
Shall all be very well provided for;
But all are banish’d till their conversations Appear more wise and modest to the world.
Ch. Just. And so they are. 108
Lane. The king hath call’d his parliament, my
lord.
Ch. Just. He hath.
Lane. I will lay odds, that, ere this year expire. We bear our civil swords and native fire 112
As far as France. I heard a bird so sing,
Whose music, to my thinking, pleas’d the king.
Come, will you hence? Exeunt.
97 the Fleet •. a London prison
106 conversations: habits
121
The Second Part of
EPILOGUE [Spoken by a Dancer .]
First, my fear; then, my curtsy; last my speech. My fear is, your displeasure, my curtsy, my duty, and my speech, to beg your pardon. If you look for a good speech now, you 4 undo me; for what I have to say is of mine own making; and what indeed I should say will, I doubt, prove mine own marring. But to the purpose, and so to the venture. Be it known 8 to you, — as it is very well, — I was lately here in the end of a displeasing play, to pray your patience for it and to promise you a better. I did mean indeed to pay you with this ; which, 12 if like an ill venture it come unluckily home, I break, and you, my gentle creditors, lose. Here,
I promised you I would be, and here I commit my body to your mercies: bate me some and I 16 will pay you some; and, as most debtors do, promise you infinitely.
If my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me, will you command me to use my legs ? and yet 20 that were but light payment, to dance out of your debt. But a good conscience will make any possible satisfaction, and so will I. All the gentlewomen here have forgiven me: if the 24 gentlemen will not, then the gentlemen do not agree with the gentlewomen, which was never seen before in such an assembly.
One word more, I beseech you. If you be not 28 too much cloyed with fat meat, our humble
Epilogue; cf. n.
>4 Veak: became bankrupt
7 doubt: fear 16 bate: remit
King Henry the Fourth, Epil.
123
author will continue the story, with Sir John in it, and make you merry with fair Katharine of France: where, for anything I know, Falstaff32 shall die of a sweat, unless already a’ be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary ; when my legs are too, I will bid you 86 good night: and so kneel down before you; but, indeed, to pray for the queen.
38 to pray for the queen; cf.n.
NOTES.
Ind. S. d. Rumour, painted full of tongues. Vergil (JEneid iv. 174) describes Fame, or Rumour, as cov¬ ered with ears, eyes, and tongues. Cf. also Chaucer, Hous of Fame, 1389-90.
Ind. 24. Shrewsbury. The last act of Shake¬ speare’s Henry IV, Part I, is devoted to the battle of Shrewsbury, in which the King and his armies over¬ come the rebel forces under young Harry Percy (Hotspur) ; his uncle, the Earl of Worcester; and the Scottish Earl of Douglas.
Ind. 29. Harry Monmouth. Henry, Prince of Wales, who, according to Shakespeare, killed Hot¬ spur in single combat at the battle of Shrewsbury. Monmouth was the place of his birth.
Ind. 35. hole. Shakespeare is obviously playing on the words hole and hold. Most modern editors have spoiled the rather poor pun by substituting the word hold for hole.