Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Henry IV, Part Two (1623 First Folio Edition)
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Act III
Scene i
1420: Actus Tertius. Scena Prima.
1421: [ Enter the King, with a Page.]
1422:
King.
Goe, call the Earles of Surrey, and of Warwick:
1423: But ere they come, bid them ore-reade these Letters,
1424: And well consider of them: make good speed. [ Exit.]
1425: How many thousand of my poorest Subiects
1426: Are at this howre asleepe? O Sleepe, O gentle Sleepe,
1427: Natures soft Nurse, how haue I frighted thee,
1428: That thou no more wilt weigh my eye-lids downe,
1429: And steepe my Sences in Forgetfulnesse?
1430: Why rather (Sleepe) lyest thou in smoakie Cribs,
1431: Vpon vneasie Pallads stretching thee,
1432: And huisht with bussing Night, flyes to thy slumber,
1433: Then in the perfum'd Chambers of the Great?
1434: Vnder the Canopies of costly State,
1435: And lull'd with sounds of sweetest Melodie?
1436: O thou dull God, why lyest thou with the vilde,
1437: In loathsome Beds, and leau'st the Kingly Couch,
1438: A Watch-case, or a common Larum-Bell?
1439: Wilt thou, vpon the high and giddie Mast,
1440: Seale vp the Ship-boyes Eyes, and rock his Braines,
1441: In Cradle of the rude imperious Surge,
1442: And in the visitation of the Windes,
1443: Who take the Ruffian Billowes by the top,
1444: Curling their monstrous heads, and hanging them
1445: With deaff'ning Clamors in the slipp'ry Clouds,
1446: That with the hurley, Death it selfe awakes?
1447: Canst thou (O partiall Sleepe) giue thy Repose
1448: To the wet Sea-Boy, in an houre so rude:
1449: And in the calmest, and most stillest Night,
1450: With all appliances, and meanes to boote,
1451: Deny it to a King? Then happy Lowe, lye downe,
1452: Vneasie lyes the Head, that weares a Crowne.
1453: [ Enter Warwicke and Surrey.]
1454:
War.
Many good-morrowes to your Maiestie.
1455:
King.
Is it good-morrow, Lords?
1456:
War.
'Tis One a Clock, and past.
1457:
King.
Why then good-morrow to you all (my Lords:)
1458: Haue you read o're the Letters that I sent you?
1459:
War.
We haue (my Liege.)
1460:
King.
Then you perceiue the Body of our Kingdome,
1461: How foule it is: what ranke Diseases grow,
1462: And with what danger, neere the Heart of it?
1463:
War.
It is but as a Body, yet distemper'd,
1464: Which to his former strength may be restor'd,
1465: With good aduice, and little Medicine:
1466: My Lord Northumberland will soone be cool'd.
1467:
King.
Oh Heauen, that one might read the Book of Fate,
1468: And see the reuolution of the Times
1469: Make Mountaines leuell, and the Continent
1470: (Wearie of solide firmenesse) melt it selfe
1471: Into the Sea: and other Times, to see
1472: The beachie Girdle of the Ocean
1473: Too wide for Neptunes hippes; how Chances mocks
1474: And Changes fill the Cuppe of Alteration
1475: With diuers Liquors. 'Tis not tenne yeeres gone,
1476: Since Richard, and Northumberland, great friends,
1477: Did feast together; and in two yeeres after,
1478: Were they at Warres. It is but eight yeeres since,
1479: This Percie was the man, neerest my Soule,
1480: Who, like a Brother, toyl'd in my Affaires,
1481: And layd his Loue and Life vnder my foot:
1482: Yea, for my sake, euen to the eyes of Richard
1483: Gaue him defiance. But which of you was by
1484: (You Cousin Neuil, as I may remember)
1485: When Richard, with his Eye, brim-full of Teares,
1486: (Then check'd, and rated by Northumberland)
1487: Did speake these words (now prou'd a Prophecie:)
1488: Northumberland, thou Ladder, by the which
1489: My Cousin Bullingbrooke ascends my Throne:
1490: (Though then, Heauen knowes, I had no such intent,
1491: But that necessitie so bow'd the State,
1492: That I and Greatnesse were compell'd to kisse:)
1493: The Time shall come (thus did hee follow it)
1494: The Time will come, that foule Sinne gathering head,
1495: Shall breake into Corruption: so went on,
1496: Fore-telling this same Times Condition,
1497: And the diuision of our Amitie.
1498:
War.
There is a Historie in all mens Liues,
1499: Figuring the nature of the Times deceas'd:
1500: The which obseru'd, a man may prophecie
1501: With a neere ayme, of the maine chance of things,
1502: As yet not come to Life, which in their Seedes
1503: And weake beginnings lye entreasured:
1504: Such things become the Hatch and Brood of Time;
1505: And by the necessarie forme of this,
1506: King Richard might create a perfect guesse,
1507: That great Northumberland, then false to him,
1508: Would of that Seed, grow to a greater falsenesse,
1509: Which should not finde a ground to roote vpon,
1510: Vnlesse on you.
1511:
King.
Are these things then Necessities?
1512: Then let vs meete them like Necessities;
1513: And that same word, euen now cryes out on vs:
1514: They say, the Bishop and Northumberland
1515: Are fiftie thousand strong.
1516:
War.
It cannot be (my Lord:)
1517: Rumor doth double, like the Voice, and Eccho,
1518: The numbers of the feared. Please it your Grace
1519: To goe to bed, vpon my Life (my Lord)
1520: The Pow'rs that you alreadie haue sent forth,
1521: Shall bring this Prize in very easily.
1522: To comfort you the more, I haue receiu'd
1523: A certaine instance, that Glendour is dead.
1524: Your Maiestie hath beene this fort-night ill,
1525: And these vnseason'd howres perforce must adde
1526: Vnto your Sicknesse.
1527:
King.
I will take your counsaile:
1528: And were these inward Warres once out of hand,
1529: Wee would (deare Lords) vnto the Holy-Land.
1530: [ Exeunt.]
Scene ii
1531: Scena Secunda.
1532: [ Enter Shallow and Silence: with Mouldie, Shadow,
Wart, Feeble, Bull-calfe]
1534:
Shal.
Come-on, come-on, come-on: giue mee your
1535: Hand, Sir; giue mee your Hand, Sir: an early stirrer, by
1536: the Rood. And how doth my good Cousin Silence?
1537:
Sil.
Good-morrow, good Cousin Shallow.
1538:
Shal.
And how doth my Cousin, your Bed-fellow?
1539: and your fairest Daughter, and mine, my God-Daughter
1540: Ellen?
1541:
Sil.
Alas, a blacke Ouzell (Cousin Shallow.)
1542:
Shal.
By yea and nay, Sir. I dare say my Cousin William
1543: is become a good Scholler? hee is at Oxford still, is hee
1544: not?
1545:
Sil.
Indeede Sir, to my cost.
1546:
Shal.
Hee must then to the Innes of Court shortly: I
1547: was once of Clements Inne; where (I thinke) they will
1548: talke of mad Shallow yet.
1549:
Sil.
You were call'd lustie Shallow then (Cousin.)
1550:
Shal.
I was call'd any thing: and I would haue done
1551: any thing indeede too, and roundly too. There was I, and
1552: little Iohn Doit of Staffordshire, and blacke George Bare,
1553: and Francis Pick-bone, and Will Squele a Cot-sal-man, you
1554: had not foure such Swindge-bucklers in all the Innes of
1555: Court againe: And I may say to you, wee knew where
1556: the Bona-Roba's were, and had the best of them all at
1557: commandement. Then was Iacke Falstaffe (now Sir Iohn)
1558: a Boy, and Page to Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Nor-folke.
1559: _
1560:
Sil.
This Sir Iohn (Cousin) that comes hither anon a-bout
1561: Souldiers?
1562:
Shal.
The same Sir Iohn, the very same: I saw him
1563: breake Scoggan's Head at the Court-Gate, when hee was
1564: a Crack, not thus high: and the very same day did I fight
1565: with one Sampson Stock-fish, a Fruiterer, behinde Greyes-Inne.
1566: Oh the mad dayes that I haue spent! and to see
1567: how many of mine olde Acquaintance are dead?
1568:
Sil.
Wee shall all follow (Cousin.)
1569:
Shal.
Certaine: 'tis certaine: very sure, very sure:
1570: Death is certaine to all, all shall dye. How a good Yoke
1571: of Bullocks at Stamford Fayre?
1572:
Sil.
Truly Cousin, I was not there.
1573:
Shal.
Death is certaine. Is old Double of your Towne
1574: liuing yet?
1575:
Sil.
Dead, Sir.
1576:
Shal.
Dead? See, see: hee drew a good Bow: and
1577: dead? hee shot a fine shoote. Iohn of Gaunt loued
1578: him well, and betted much Money on his head. Dead?
1579: hee would haue clapt in the Clowt at Twelue-score, and
1580: carryed you a fore-hand Shaft at foureteene, and foure-teene
1581: and a halfe, that it would haue done a mans heart
1582: good to see. How a score of Ewes now?
1583:
Sil.
Thereafter as they be: a score of good Ewes
1584: may be worth tenne pounds.
1585:
Shal.
And is olde Double dead?
1586: [ Enter Bardolph and his Boy.]
1587:
Sil.
Heere come two of Sir Iohn Falstaffes Men (as I
1588: thinke.)
1589:
Shal.
Good-morrow, honest Gentlemen.
1590:
Bard.
I beseech you, which is Iustice Shallow?
1591:
Shal.
I am Robert Shallow (Sir) a poore Esquire of this
1592: Countie, and one of the Kings Iustices of the Peace:
1593: What is your good pleasure with me?
1594:
Bard.
My Captaine (Sir) commends him to you:
1595: my Captaine, Sir Iohn Falstaffe: a tall Gentleman, and a
1596: most gallant Leader.
1597:
Shal.
Hee greetes me well: (Sir) I knew him a
1598: good Back-Sword-man. How doth the good Knight?
1599: may I aske, how my Lady his Wife doth?
1600:
Bard.
Sir, pardon: a Souldier is better accommoda-ted,
1601: then with a Wife.
1602:
Shal.
It is well said, Sir; and it is well said, indeede,
1603: too: Better accommodated? it is good, yea indeede is
1604: it: good phrases are surely, and euery where very com-mendable.
1605: Accommodated, it comes of Accommodo:
1606: very good, a good Phrase.
1607:
Bard.
Pardon, Sir, I haue heard the word. Phrase
1608: call you it? by this Day, I know not the Phrase: but
1609: I will maintaine the Word with my Sword, to bee a
1610: Souldier-like Word, and a Word of exceeding good
1611: Command. Accommodated: that is, when a man is
1612: (as they say) accommodated: or, when a man is, being
1613: whereby he thought to be accommodated, which is an
1614: excellent thing.
1615: [ Enter Falstaffe.]
1616:
Shal.
It is very iust: Looke, heere comes good Sir
1617: Iohn. Giue me your hand, giue me your Worships good
1618: hand: Trust me, you looke well: and beare your yeares
1619: very well. Welcome, good Sir Iohn.
1620:
Fal.
I am glad to see you well, good M[aster]. Robert Shal-low:
1621: Master Sure-card as I thinke?
1622:
Shal.
No sir Iohn, it is my Cosin Silence: in Commissi-on
1623: with mee.
1624:
Fal.
Good M[aster]. Silence, it well befits you should be of
1625: the peace.
1626:
Sil.
Your good Worship is welcome.
1627:
Fal.
Fye, this is hot weather (Gentlemen) haue you
1628: prouided me heere halfe a dozen of sufficient men?
1629:
Shal.
Marry haue we sir: Will you sit?
1630:
Fal.
Let me see them, I beseech you.
1631:
Shal.
Where's the Roll? Where's the Roll? Where's
1632: the Roll? Let me see, let me see, let me see: so, so, so, so:
1633: yea marry Sir. Raphe Mouldie: let them appeare as I call:
1634: let them do so, let them do so: Let mee see, Where is
1635: Mouldie?
1636:
Moul.
Heere, if it please you.
1637:
Shal.
What thinke you (Sir Iohn) a good limb'd fel-low:
1638: yong, strong, and of good friends.
1639:
Fal.
Is thy name Mouldie?
1640:
Moul.
Yea, if it please you.
1641:
Fal.
'Tis the more time thou wert vs'd.
1642:
Shal.
Ha, ha, ha, most excellent. Things that are moul-die,
1643: lacke vse: very singular good. Well saide Sir Iohn,
1644: very well said.
1645:
Fal.
Pricke him.
1646:
Moul.
I was prickt well enough before, if you could
1647: haue let me alone: my old Dame will be vndone now, for
1648: one to doe her Husbandry, and her Drudgery; you need
1649: not to haue prickt me, there are other men fitter to goe
1650: out, then I.
1651:
Fal.
Go too: peace Mouldie, you shall goe. Mouldie,
1652: it is time you were spent.
1653:
Moul.
Spent?
1654:
Shallow.
Peace, fellow, peace; stand aside: Know you
1655: where you are? For the other sir Iohn: Let me see: Simon
1656: Shadow.
1657:
Fal.
I marry, let me haue him to sit vnder: he's like to
1658: be a cold souldier.
1659:
Shal.
Where's Shadow?
1660:
Shad.
Heere sir.
1661:
Fal.
Shadow, whose sonne art thou?
1662:
Shad.
My Mothers sonne, Sir.
1663:
Falst.
Thy Mothers sonne: like enough, and thy Fa-thers
1664: shadow: so the sonne of the Female, is the shadow
1665: of the Male: it is often so indeede, but not of the Fathers
1666: substance.
1667:
Shal.
Do you like him, sir Iohn?
1668:
Falst.
Shadow will serue for Summer: pricke him: For
1669: wee haue a number of shadowes to fill vppe the Muster-Booke.
1670: _
1671:
Shal.
Thomas Wart?
1672:
Falst.
Where's he?
1673:
Wart.
Heere sir.
1674:
Falst.
Is thy name Wart?
1675:
Wart.
Yea sir.
1676:
Fal.
Thou art a very ragged Wart.
1677:
Shal.
Shall I pricke him downe,
1678: Sir Iohn?
1679:
Falst.
It were superfluous: for his apparrel is built vp-on
1680: his backe, and the whole frame stands vpon pins: prick
1681: him no more.
1682:
Shal.
Ha, ha, ha, you can do it sir: you can doe it: I
1683: commend you well.
1684: Francis Feeble.
1685:
Feeble.
Heere sir.
1686:
Shal.
What Trade art thou Feeble?
1687:
Feeble.
A Womans Taylor sir.
1688:
Shal.
Shall I pricke him, sir?
1689:
Fal.
You may:
1690: But if he had beene a mans Taylor, he would haue prick'd
1691: you. Wilt thou make as many holes in an enemies Bat-taile,
1692: as thou hast done in a Womans petticote?
1693:
Feeble.
I will doe my good will sir, you can haue no
1694: more.
1695:
Falst.
Well said, good Womans Tailour: Well sayde
1696: Couragious Feeble: thou wilt bee as valiant as the wrath-full
1697: Doue, or most magnanimous Mouse. Pricke the wo-mans
1698: Taylour well Master Shallow, deepe Maister Shal-low.
1699: _
1700:
Feeble.
I would Wart might haue gone sir.
1701:
Fal.
I would thou wert a mans Tailor, that y might'st
1702: mend him, and make him fit to goe. I cannot put him to
1703: a priuate souldier, that is the Leader of so many thou-sands.
1704: Let that suffice, most Forcible Feeble.
1705:
Feeble.
It shall suffice.
1706:
Falst.
I am bound to thee, reuerend Feeble. Who is
1707: the next?
1708:
Shal.
Peter Bulcalfe of the Greene.
1709:
Falst.
Yea marry, let vs see Bulcalfe.
1710:
Bul.
Heere sir.
1711:
Fal.
Trust me, a likely Fellow. Come, pricke me Bul-calfe
1712: till he roare againe.
1713:
Bul.
Oh, good my Lord Captaine.
1714:
Fal.
What? do'st thou roare before th'art prickt.
1715:
Bul.
Oh sir, I am a diseased man.
1716:
Fal.
What disease hast thou?
1717:
Bul.
A whorson cold sir, a cough sir, which I caught
1718: with Ringing in the Kings affayres, vpon his Coronation
1719: day, sir.
1720:
Fal.
Come, thou shalt go to the Warres in a Gowne:
1721: we will haue away thy Cold, and I will take such order,
1722: that thy friends shall ring for thee. Is heere all?
1723:
Shal.
There is two more called then your number:
1724: you must haue but foure heere sir, and so I pray you go in
1725: with me to dinner.
1726:
Fal.
Come, I will goe drinke with you, but I cannot
1727: tarry dinner. I am glad to see you in good troth, Master
1728: Shallow.
1729:
Shal.
O sir Iohn, doe you remember since wee lay all
1730: night in the Winde-mill, in S[aint]. Georges Field.
1731:
Falstaffe.
No more of that good Master Shallow: No
1732: more of that.
1733:
Shal.
Ha? it was a merry night. And is Iane Night-worke
1734: aliue?
1735:
Fal.
She liues, M[aster]. Shallow.
1736:
Shal.
She neuer could away with me.
1737:
Fal.
Neuer, neuer: she would alwayes say shee could
1738: not abide M[aster]. Shallow.
1739:
Shal.
I could anger her to the heart: shee was then a
1740: Bona-Roba. Doth she hold her owne well.
1741:
Fal.
Old, old, M[aster]. Shallow.
1742:
Shal.
Nay, she must be old, she cannot choose but be
1743: old: certaine shee's old: and had Robin Night-worke, by
1744: old Night-worke, before I came to Clements Inne.
1745:
Sil.
That's fiftie fiue yeeres agoe.
1746:
Shal.
Hah, Cousin Silence, that thou hadst seene that,
1747: that this Knight and I haue seene: hah, Sir Iohn, said I
1748: well?
1749:
Falst.
Wee haue heard the Chymes at mid-night, Ma-ster
1750: Shallow.
1751:
Shal.
That wee haue, that wee haue; in faith, Sir Iohn,
1752: wee haue: our watch-word was, Hem-Boyes. Come,
1753: let's to Dinner; come, let's to Dinner: Oh the dayes that
1754: wee haue seene. Come, come.
1755:
Bul.
Good Master Corporate Bardolph, stand my
1756: friend, and heere is foure Harry tenne shillings in French
1757: Crownes for you: in very truth, sir, I had as lief be hang'd
1758: sir, as goe: and yet, for mine owne part, sir, I do not care;
1759: but rather, because I am vnwilling, and for mine owne
1760: part, haue a desire to stay with my friends: else, sir, I did
1761: not care, for mine owne part, so much.
1762:
Bard.
Go-too: stand aside.
1763:
Mould.
And good Master Corporall Captaine, for my
1764: old Dames sake, stand my friend: shee hath no body to
1765: doe any thing about her, when I am gone: and she is old,
1766: and cannot helpe her selfe: you shall haue fortie, sir.
1767:
Bard.
Go-too: stand aside.
1768:
Feeble.
I care not, a man can die but once: wee owe a
1769: death. I will neuer beare a base minde: if it be my desti-nie,
1770: so: if it be not, so: no man is too good to serue his
1771: Prince: and let it goe which way it will, he that dies this
1772: yeere, is quit for the next.
1773:
Bard.
Well said, thou art a good fellow.
1774:
Feeble.
Nay, I will beare no base minde.
1775:
Falst.
Come sir, which men shall I haue?
1776:
Shal.
Foure of which you please.
1777:
Bard.
Sir, a word with you: I haue three pound, to
1778: free Mouldie and Bull-calfe.
1779:
Falst.
Go-too: well.
1780:
Shal.
Come, sir Iohn, which foure will you haue?
1781:
Falst.
Doe you chuse for me.
1782:
Shal.
Marry then, Mouldie, Bull-calfe, Feeble, and
1783: Shadow.
1784:
Falst.
Mouldie, and Bull-calfe: for you Mouldie, stay
1785: at home, till you are past seruice: and for your part, Bull-calfe,
1786: grow till you come vnto it: I will none of you.
1787:
Shal.
Sir Iohn, Sir Iohn, doe not your selfe wrong, they
1788: are your likelyest men, and I would haue you seru'd with
1789: the best.
1790:
Falst.
Will you tell me (Master Shallow) how to chuse
1791: a man? Care I for the Limbe, the Thewes, the stature,
1792: bulke, and bigge assemblance of a man? giue mee the
1793: spirit (Master Shallow.) Where's Wart? you see what
1794: a ragged appearance it is: hee shall charge you, and
1795: discharge you, with the motion of a Pewterers Ham-mer:
1796: come off, and on, swifter then hee that gibbets on
1797: the Brewers Bucket. And this same halfe-fac'd fellow,
1798: Shadow, giue me this man: hee presents no marke to the
1799: Enemie, the foe-man may with as great ayme leuell at
1800: the edge of a Pen-knife: and for a Retrait, how swiftly
1801: will this Feeble, the Womans Taylor, runne off. O, giue
1802: me the spare men, and spare me the great ones. Put me a
1803: Calyuer into Warts hand, Bardolph.
1804:
Bard.
Hold Wart, Trauerse: thus, thus, thus.
1805:
Falst.
Come, manage me your Calyuer: so: very well,
1806: go-too, very good, exceeding good. O, giue me alwayes
1807: a little, leane, old, chopt, bald Shot. Well said Wart, thou
1808: art a good Scab: hold, there is a Tester for thee.
1809:
Shal.
Hee is not his Crafts-master, hee doth not doe
1810: it right. I remember at Mile-end-Greene, when I lay
1811: at Clements Inne, I was then Sir Dagonet in Arthurs
1812: Show: there was a little quiuer fellow, and hee would
1813: manage you his Peece thus: and hee would about,
1814: and about, and come you in, and come you in: Rah,
1815: tah, tah, would hee say, Bownce would hee say, and
1816: away againe would hee goe, and againe would he come:
1817: I shall neuer see such a fellow.
1818:
Falst.
These fellowes will doe well, Master Shallow.
1819: Farewell Master Silence, I will not vse many wordes with
1820: you: fare you well, Gentlemen both: I thanke you:
1821: I must a dozen mile to night. Bardolph, giue the Souldiers
1822: Coates.
1823:
Shal.
Sir Iohn, Heauen blesse you, and prosper your
1824: Affaires, and send vs Peace. As you returne, visit
1825: my house. Let our old acquaintance be renewed: per-aduenture
1826: I will with you to the Court.
1827:
Falst.
I would you would, Master Shallow.
1828:
Shal.
Go-too: I haue spoke at a word. Fare you
1829: well. [ Exit.]
1830:
Falst.
Fare you well, gentle Gentlemen. On Bar-dolph,
1831: leade the men away. As I returne, I will fetch off
1832: these Iustices: I doe see the bottome of Iustice Shal-low.
1833: How subiect wee old men are to this vice of Ly-ing?
1834: This same staru'd Iustice hath done nothing but
1835: prate to me of the wildenesse of his Youth, and the
1836: Feates hee hath done about Turnball-street, and euery
1837: third word a Lye, duer pay'd to the hearer, then the
1838: Turkes Tribute. I doe remember him at Clements Inne,
1839: like a man made after Supper, of a Cheese-paring. When
1840: hee was naked, hee was, for all the world, like a forked
1841: Radish, with a Head fantastically caru'd vpon it with a
1842: Knife. Hee was so forlorne, that his Dimensions (to
1843: any thicke sight) were inuincible. Hee was the very
1844: Genius of Famine: hee came euer in the rere-ward of
1845: the Fashion: And now is this Vices Dagger become a
1846: Squire, and talkes as familiarly of Iohn of Gaunt, as if
1847: hee had beene sworne Brother to him: and Ile be sworne
1848: hee neuer saw him but once in the Tilt-yard, and then he
1849: burst his Head, for crowding among the Marshals men.
1850: I saw it, and told Iohn of Gaunt, hee beat his owne
1851: Name, for you might haue truss'd him and all his Ap-parrell
1852: into an Eele-skinne: the Case of a Treble Hoe-boy
1853: was a Mansion for him: a Court: and now hath
1854: hee Land, and Beeues. Well, I will be acquainted with
1855: him, if I returne: and it shall goe hard, but I will make
1856: him a Philosophers two Stones to me. If the young
1857: Dace be a Bayt for the old Pike, I see no reason, in the
1858: Law of Nature, but I may snap at him. Let time shape,
1859: and there an end. [ Exeunt.]