Henry IV Part 1 (Annotated)

by

William Shakespeare
(written between 1596 and 1599)

 

Released by Austi Classics edited by Dan Abramson
Austi Classics home   Henry IV Part 1 main   In print at Amazon

The version for sale at Amazon has improvements which are not included in the free version here.

 

 

Falstaff and Prince Hal
A Scene from Henry IV Part I - Act II Scene 4
Painting by John Cawse (1779-1862)

 

ISBN-13: 978-1535470957

ISBN-10: 153547095X

Formatted in Sydney Australia as part of the Austi Classics series.

Email books@austi.org

Phone +61 481 220 104

 

© Copyright 2016, 2022

Licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence

For licence details, see www.creativecommons.org.au

 

Contents

 

 

Preface. iii

Introduction. v

The First part of King Henry the Fourth. 1

Characters of the play (‘dramatis personae’) 1

First Act 3

Second Act 42

Third Act 97

Fourth Act 143

Fifth Act 167

 

 

Preface

 

This edition provides notes adjacent to the text to make the experience of reading Henry IV Part 1 enjoyable and engaging. Most of the notes provide the meaning of a word or phrase so that you can read without the interruption of having to look a word up. Some notes go further and explain the historical circumstances in order to provide context.

 

The lines on each page are for your own handwritten notes.

 

We have borrowed from the notes of William Aldis Wright editor of First Part of King Henry IV Shakespeare Select Plays series Oxford Clarendon Press 1897. Where these notes are used, we acknowledge our debt to Wright with the flag [WAW].

 

 

Introduction

 

About Henry IV Part 1

 

Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1 presents on-stage the rebellion against King Henry IV and the maturing of Henry IV’s son Prince Hal, i.e. Henry V. Henry IV Part 1 also describes residual circumstances resulting from events in Shakespeare’s history play Richard II which precedes Henry IV Part 1, and foreshadows future events in Shakespeare’s history plays Henry IV Part 2 and Henry V.

 

Henry IV came to power by overthrowing Richard II with the promise to the English barons of returning them to their former glory which they had lost under Richard II. Due to the instability of Henry IV’s reign, having gained the crown through rebellion, Henry IV was not able to deliver on his promise of leading England and its barons to glory and wealth through warfare. Henry IV’s son, Henry V, who comes of age in Henry IV Part 1 ultimately delivered on his father’s promise with the invasion of France. The English invasion of France is the subject of Shakespeare’s play Henry V.

 

We briefly explain some relevant political context of the reigns of Richard II (1377-99), Henry IV (1399-1413) and Henry V (1413-1422) to explain how these monarchs affected the lives of the English people. At that time, much of the population of England lived on the lands owned by a baron or lord, who was master of the peasants on their respective lands, and were required to give a proportion of their agricultural produce to their master. In return, some measure of military protection was provided. However, the peasants were required to fight in their master’s army in whatever cause their master chose. Moreover, when the barons fought amongst one another, commonly the first target was the villages in the baron’s purview, and so the system ensured the common people were the targets of the private armies of the barons. When a baron was the target of incursions by a rival, the villages on the baron’s lands were burnt, and the inhabitants slaughtered.

 

Richard II believed the king had the responsibility and authority, independently of the barons, to uplift the condition of his people. Under Richard II, the arts, literature, science and architecture flourished as far as possible. Richard II was an aberration in the line of kings of his era for, since William the Conqueror deposed Edward the Confessor, the barons had ruled England in partnership with the king for their own aggrandisement, in effect waging perpetual warfare amongst each other much like mafia factions and also against foreign nations. On the other hand, Richard II had sought to return England to the nation-building policies of Edward the Confessor. The barons disputed Richard II’s right to determine national policy, and were not pleased with Richard II’s tempering the severity of the barons’ rule.

 

Such a baron was a cousin of King Richard II, Henry Bolingbroke – also known as Henry of Derby – who was exiled and dispossessed on charges of plotting against Richard II. Bolingbroke took his private army to Jerusalem to participate in the Crusades, which were run by the Venetian financial empire to plunder and destroy the burgeoning scientific and advanced cultural Islamic civilisation. Henry Bolingbroke, as a participant in the Crusades, had the ear and support of the Doge of Venice, Antonio Venier.

 

Henry managed to secure the support of a number of disaffected and wealthy families to usurp the crown from Richard II and imprison Richard II. In order to lend legitimacy to the kingship of Henry IV, Henry IV managed to extract statements from Richard II that Richard II had voluntarily given up the throne.

 

Shakespeare during the reign of King James I

 

Nearly half of Shakespeare’s career was during the reign of King James I (figure 1) so Shakespeare was as James’ian as ‘Elizabethan’. Shakespeare was writing for about 15 years under Elizabeth I and for about 12 years under James I.[1] In the James I era, Shakespeare wrote 15 of his 37 plays, including Macbeth, Othello, King Lear and Antony and Cleopatra.

 

James became king on 24 March 1603, the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605 captured popular culture and set the backdrop for James’s rule. King James was a highly intellectual monarch. As King of Scotland, and prior to become King of England, James had written Daemonologie (1597) a book about ‘unlawful arts, necromancy, sorcery and witchcraft’. As King of England, James commissioned the King James Bible (1611) as the official bible of the Church of England. The King James Bible was started in 1604 and completed in 1611 during the height of Shakespeare’s career. The King James Bible comprises translations by a team of 47 Church of England scholars from Greek texts, the Old Testament from Hebrew and Aramaic texts, and the Apocrypha from Greek and Latin texts.

 

Figure 1: King James I of England, c. 1620, by Paul van Somer

 

Live and in the stream of current affairs and public discussion were Henry VIII’s establishment of the Church of England with the English monarch at its head. Also hot topics were the ongoing battle between the monarchy on the one hand and the Catholic Church, Jesuits and witchcraft on the other.

 

Who was William Shakespeare?

 

Shakespeare was from Stratford-on-Avon England, and baptized on 26 April 1564. His family had been in Stratford-on-Avon for generations. Shakespeare’s father was the Catholic mayor of Stratford-on-Avon, and was a leading figure amongst the Augustinian Catholics in Britain. He was driven out of public office by persecution organized jointly by militant Calvinists and their Jesuit allies.

 

Shakespeare’s father was responsible for the trust funds in which English Augustinians concealed investments that would have been confiscated if left in the hands of private individuals. For years Shakespeare himself was involved in legal proceedings to determine the proceeds of such funds.

 

Shakespeare was from a family of community leaders, and political battles were familiar to him and his father John Shakespeare.

 

Ben Jonson, a contemporary of Shakespeare, was a vitriolic attacker of Shakespeare, saying that ‘Shakespeare wanteth art’, that is, ‘Shakespeare lacks art’. Jonson attempted to promote the idea that Shakespeare was an untutored country boy. One possible cause of Shakespeare’s death is poisoning by Ben Jonson. A passage in the diary of John Ward, the vicar of the church where Shakespeare was buried, says that William Shakespeare, after a heavy night of drinking with Michael Drayton, a poet, and Jonson, Shakespeare fell ill and died of a fever. However, the diary entry is dated 1661, which is 45 years after Shakespeare’s death in 1616 and 24 years after Jonson’s death in 1637. As Jonson had powerful sponsors, the vicar may have been afraid to write the entry earlier, but only after several decades wrote his recollection.

 

There are active authorship debates about who actually wrote Shakespeare’s plays. There are theories that the plays actually were written by the Earl of Oxford, or Francis Bacon, and not by William Shakespeare.

 

There is another theory that Amelia Bassano was the author. , Another thesis says that Shakespeare’s plays were written by a team of writers, in which Bassano was the most prolific contributor.

 

I hope you enjoy the play.

 

Dan Abramson, Sydney Australia

1 July 2016, updated 25 April 2022

 

 

 

 

 

The First part of King Henry the Fourth

Characters of the play (‘dramatis personae’)

 

King Henry the Fourth

Henry, Prince of Wales, John of Lancaster sons to the King

Earl of Westmoreland

Sir Walter Blunt

Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester

Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland

Henry Percy, surnamed Hotspur, his son

Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March

Richard Scroop, Archbishop of York

Archibald, Earl of Douglas

Owen Glendower

Sir Richard Vernon

Sir John Falstaff

Sir Michael, a friend to the Archbishop of York

Poins

Gadshill

Peto

Bardolph

Lady Percy, wife to Hotspur, and sister to Mortimer

Lady Mortimer, daughter to Glendower, and wife to Mortimer

Mistress Quickly, hostess of a tavern in Eastcheap

Lords, Officers, Sheriff, Vintner, Chamberlain, Drawers, two Carriers, Travellers, and Attendants

 

Scene: England

 

 

First Act

 

Act I Scene 1

London. The palace.

[Enter KING HENRY, LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER, the EARL of WESTMORELAND, SIR WALTER BLUNT, and others]

 

Henry IV. So shaken as we are, so wan[3] with care,

Find we a time for frighted peace to pant,

And breathe short-winded accents of new broils[4]

To be commenced in stronds afar remote.                                5

No more the thirsty entrance of this soil

Shall daub[5] her lips with her own children’s blood;

Nor more shall trenching war channel her fields,

Nor bruise her flowerets[6] with the armed hoofs

Of hostile paces: those opposed eyes,                                     10

Which, like the meteors of a troubled heaven,

All of one nature, of one substance bred,

Did lately meet in the intestine shock

And furious close of civil butchery[7]

Shall now, in mutual well-beseeming ranks,                            15

March all one way and be no more opposed

Against acquaintance, kindred and allies:

The edge of war[8], like an ill-sheathed knife,

No more shall cut his master[9]. Therefore, friends,

As far as to the sepulchre of Christ,                                        20

Whose soldier now, under whose blessed cross

We are impressed and engaged to fight,

Forthwith a power of English shall we levy;

Whose arms were moulded in their mothers’ womb

To chase these pagans in those holy fields[10]                           25

Over whose acres walk’d those blessed feet

Which fourteen hundred years ago were nail’d

For our advantage on the bitter cross.

But this our purpose now is twelve month old,

And bootless[11] ’tis to tell you we will go:                                30

Therefore we meet not now. Then let me hear

Of you, my gentle cousin Westmoreland,

What yesternight our council did decree

In forwarding this dear expedience[12].

 

 

Earl of Westmoreland. My liege, this haste was hot in question[13],   35

And many limits of the charge[14] set down[15]

But yesternight[16]: when all athwart[17] there came

A post[18] from Wales loaden with heavy news[19];

Whose worst was, that the noble Mortimer,

Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight                              40

Against the irregular[20] and wild[21] Glendower,

Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken[22],

A thousand of his people butchered;

Upon whose dead corpse there was such misuse,

Such beastly shameless transformation[23],                               45

By those Welshwomen done[24]^l as may not be

Without much shame retold or spoken of.

 

Henry IV. It seems then that the tidings of this broil[25]

Brake off our business for the Holy Land[26]ⁿ.

 

Earl of Westmoreland. This match’d with other did[27], my gracious lord;     50

For more uneven and unwelcome news

Came from the north and thus it did import[28]:

On Holy-rood day[29], the gallant Hotspur there,

Young Harry Percy and brave Archibald,

That ever-valiant and approved[30] Scot,                                   55

At Holmedon met,

Where they did spend a sad and bloody hour,

As by discharge of their artillery,

And shape of likelihood[31], the news was told;

For he that brought them, in the very heat                               60

And pride of their contention[32] did take horse[33],

Uncertain of the issue[34] any way.

 

Henry IV. Here is a dear, a true industrious friend,

Sir Walter Blunt, new lighted from his horse.

Stain’d with the variation of each soil[35]                                  65

Betwixt that Holmedon and this seat of ours;

And he hath brought us smooth and welcome news.

The Earl of Douglas is discomfited[36]:

Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights,

Balk’d in their own blood did Sir Walter see                           70

On Holmedon’s plains. Of prisoners, Hotspur took

Mordake the Earl of Fife, and eldest son

To beaten Douglas; and the Earl of Athol,

Of Murray, Angus, and Menteith:

And is not this an honourable spoil[37]?                                    75

A gallant prize? ha, cousin, is it not?

 

Earl of Westmoreland. In faith,

It is a conquest for a prince to boast of.

 

Henry IV. Yea, there thou makest me sad and makest me sin

In envy that my Lord Northumberland                                   80

Should be the father to so blest a son[38],

A son who is the theme of honour’s tongue;

Amongst a grove, the very straightest plant[39];

Who is sweet Fortune’s minion and her pride:

Whilst I, by looking on the praise of him,                               85

See riot[40] and dishonour[41] stain the brow

Of my young Harry. O that it could be proved

That some night-tripping fairy had exchanged

In cradle-clothes our children where they lay,

And call’d mine Percy, his Plantagenet[42]!                                90

Then would I have his Harry, and he mine.

But let him from my thoughts. What think you, coz,

Of this young Percy’s pride? the prisoners,

Which he in this adventure hath surprised[43],

To his own use he keeps; and sends me word,                        95

I shall have none but Mordake Earl of Fife[44].

 

Earl of Westmoreland. This is his uncle’s teaching; this is Worcester,

Malevolent to you in all aspects;

Which makes him prune himself[45], and bristle up

The crest of youth against your dignity[46].                             100

 

Henry IV. But I have sent for him to answer this;

And for this cause awhile we must neglect

Our holy purpose to Jerusalem.

Cousin, on Wednesday next our council we

Will hold at Windsor; so inform the lords[47]:                          105

But come yourself with speed to us again;

For more is to be said and to be done

Than out of anger can be uttered.

 

Earl of Westmoreland. I will, my liege.

 

[Exeunt[48]]

 

Act I Scene 2

London. An apartment of the Prince’s.                                      

 

[Enter the PRINCE OF WALES and FALSTAFF]

 

 

Falstaff. Now, Hal, what time of day is it, lad?

 

Henry V. Thou art so fat-witted, with drinking of old sack[49]

and unbuttoning thee after supper[50] and sleeping upon

benches after noon, that thou hast forgotten to                     115

demand that truly which thou wouldst truly know.

What a devil hast thou to do with the time of the

day? Unless hours were cups of sack and minutes

capons[51] and clocks the tongues of bawds[52] and dials the

signs of leaping-houses[53] and the blessed sun himself[54]        120

a fair hot wench in flame-coloured taffeta[55], I see no

reason why thou shouldst be so superfluous[56] to demand

the time of the day.

Falstaff. Indeed, you come near me now[57], Hal; for we that take

purses go by the moon and the seven stars[58], and not           125

by Phoebus[59], he,’that wandering knight so fair.’ And,

I prithee, sweet wag[60], when thou art king, as, God

save thy grace,—majesty I should say, for grace

thou wilt have none,—

 

Henry V. What, none?                                                          130

 

Falstaff. No, by my troth, not so much as will serve to

prologue to an egg and butter[61].

 

Henry V. Well, how then? come, roundly, roundly[62].

 

Falstaff. Marry, then, sweet wag, when thou art king, let not

us that are squires of the night’s body be called                    135

thieves of the day’s beauty: let us be Diana’s[63]

foresters, gentlemen of the shade, minions of the

moon; and let men say we be men of good government,

being governed, as the sea is, by our noble and

chaste mistress the moon, under whose countenance[64] we steal[65].     140

 

Henry V. Thou sayest well, and it holds well[66] too; for the

fortune of us that are the moon’s men doth ebb and

flow like the sea, being governed, as the sea is,

by the moon[67]. As, for proof, now: a purse of gold

most resolutely snatched on Monday night and most            145

dissolutely spent on Tuesday morning; got with

swearing ‘Lay by’[68] and spent with crying ‘Bring in;’[69]

now in as low an ebb as the foot of the ladder[70]

and by and by in as high a flow as the ridge of the gallows[71].

 

Falstaff. By the Lord, thou sayest true, lad. And is not my   150

hostess of the tavern a most sweet wench?[72]

 

Henry V. As the honey of Hybla[73], my old lad of the castle. And

is not a buff jerkin[74] a most sweet robe of durance[75]?[76]

Falstaff. How now, how now, mad wag! what, in thy quips and

thy quiddities? what a plague have I to do with a                  155

buff jerkin?

 

Henry V. Why, what a pox have I to do with my hostess of the tavern?

 

Falstaff. Well, thou hast called her to a reckoning[77] many a

time and oft.

 

Henry V. Did I ever call for thee to pay thy part[78]?              160

 

Falstaff. No; I’ll give thee thy due, thou hast paid all there.

 

Henry V. Yea, and elsewhere, so far as my coin would stretch;

and where it would not, I have used my credit.

 

Falstaff. Yea, and so used it that were it not here apparent

that thou art heir apparent[79]—But, I prithee[80], sweet             165

wag, shall there be gallows standing in England when

thou art king? and resolution thus fobbed[81] as it is

with the rusty curb of old father antic the law? Do

not thou, when thou art king, hang a thief.

 

Henry V. No; thou shalt.                                                       170

 

Falstaff. Shall I? O rare! By the Lord, I’ll be a brave judge.

 

Henry V. Thou judgest false already: I mean, thou shalt have

the hanging of the thieves and so become a rare hangman[82].

 

Falstaff. Well, Hal, well; and in some sort it jumps with my

humour[83] as well as waiting in the court[84], I can tell              175

you.

 

Henry V. For obtaining of suits[85]?

 

Falstaff. Yea, for obtaining of suits, whereof the hangman

hath no lean wardrobe[86]. ’Sblood[87], I am as melancholy

as a gib cat[88] or a lugged bear[89].                                            180

Henry V. Or an old lion, or a lover’s lute.

 

Falstaff. Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire bagpipe[90].

 

Henry V. What sayest thou to a hare[91], or the melancholy of

Moor-ditch[92]?

 

Falstaff. Thou hast the most unsavoury similes and art indeed 185

the most comparative, rascalliest, sweet young

prince. But, Hal, I prithee, trouble me no more

with vanity. I would to God thou and I knew where a

commodity of good names were to be bought. An old

lord of the council rated me the other day in the                   190

street about you, sir, but I marked him not; and yet

he talked very wisely, but I regarded him not; and

yet he talked wisely, and in the street too.

 

Henry V. Thou didst well; for wisdom cries out in the

streets, and no man regards it.                                               195

 

Falstaff. O, thou hast damnable iteration and art indeed able

to corrupt a saint. Thou hast done much harm upon

me, Hal; God forgive thee for it! Before I knew

thee, Hal, I knew nothing; and now am I, if a man

should speak truly, little better than one of the                      200

wicked. I must give over this life, and I will give

it over: by the Lord, and I do not, I am a villain:

I’ll be damned for never a king’s son in

Christendom.

 

Henry V. Where shall we take a purse tomorrow, Jack?       205

 

Falstaff. ’Zounds[93], where thou wilt, lad; I’ll make one; an I

do not[94], call me villain and baffle me[95].

 

Henry V. I see a good amendment of life in thee; from praying

to purse-taking.

Falstaff. Why, Hal, ’tis my vocation, Hal; ’tis no sin for a    210

man to labour in his vocation.

 

[Enter POINS]

 

Poins! Now shall we know if Gadshill have set a

match[96]. O, if men were to be saved by merit, what

hole in hell were hot enough for him? This is the                 215

most omnipotent villain[97] that ever cried ‘Stand’[98] to

a true man[99].

 

Henry V. Good morrow, Ned.

 

Edward Poins. Good morrow, sweet Hal. What says Monsieur Remorse?

what says Sir John Sack and Sugar[100]? Jack! how                 220

agrees the devil and thee about thy soul, that thou

soldest him on Good-Friday last for a cup of Madeira[101]

and a cold capon’s leg[102]?

 

Henry V. Sir John stands to his word, the devil shall have

his bargain; for he was never yet a breaker of                      225

proverbs[103]: he will give the devil his due[104].

 

Edward Poins. Then art thou damned for keeping thy word with the devil[105].

 

Henry V. Else he had been damned for cozening the devil[106].

 

Edward Poins. But, my lads, my lads, to-morrow morning, by four

o’clock, early at Gadshill! there are pilgrims going               230

to Canterbury with rich offerings, and traders

riding to London with fat purses: I have vizards[107]

for you all; you have horses for yourselves:

Gadshill lies to-night in Rochester: I have bespoke

supper to-morrow night in Eastcheap: we may do it              235

as secure as sleep. If you will go, I will stuff

your purses full of crowns; if you will not, tarry

at home and be hanged.

 

Falstaff. Hear ye, Yedward; if I tarry at home and go not,

I’ll hang you for going.                                                         240

 

Edward Poins. You will, chops?

 

Falstaff. Hal, wilt thou make one[108]?

 

Henry V. Who, I rob? I a thief? not I, by my faith.

 

Falstaff. There’s neither honesty, manhood, nor good

fellowship in thee, nor thou camest not of the blood            245

royal, if thou darest not stand[109] for ten shillings.

 

Henry V. Well then, once in my days I’ll be a madcap[110].

 

Falstaff. Why, that’s well said.

 

Henry V. Well, come what will, I’ll tarry at home.

 

Falstaff. By the Lord, I’ll be a traitor then, when thou art king. 250

 

Henry V. I care not.

 

Edward Poins. Sir John, I prithee, leave the prince and me alone:

I will lay him down such reasons for this adventure

that he shall go.

 

Falstaff. Well, God give thee the spirit of persuasion and him 255

the ears of profiting, that what thou speakest may

move and what he hears may be believed, that the

true prince may, for recreation sake, prove a false

thief; for the poor abuses of the time want

countenance. Farewell: you shall find me in Eastcheap.       260

 

Henry V. Farewell, thou latter spring! farewell, All-hallown summer!

 

[Exit Falstaff]

 

Edward Poins. Now, my good sweet honey lord, ride with us

to-morrow: I have a jest to execute that I cannot

manage alone. Falstaff, Bardolph, Peto and Gadshill            265

shall rob those men that we have already waylaid[111]:

yourself and I will not be there; and when they

have the booty[112], if you and I do not rob them, cut

this head off from my shoulders.

 

Henry V. How shall we part with them in setting forth?       270

 

Edward Poins. Why, we will set forth before or after them, and

appoint them a place of meeting, wherein it is at

our pleasure to fail, and then will they adventure

upon the exploit[113] themselves; which they shall have

no sooner achieved, but we’ll set upon[114] them.                   275

 

Henry V. Yea, but ’tis like that they will know us by our

horses, by our habits and by every other

appointment[115], to be ourselves.

 

Edward Poins. Tut! our horses they shall not see: I’ll tie them

in the wood[116]; our vizards[117] we will change after we          280

leave them: and, sirrah[118], I have cases of buckram[119]

for the nonce[120], to immask[121] our noted outward garments.

 

Henry V. Yea, but I doubt they will be too hard[122] for us.

 

Edward Poins. Well, for two of them, I know them to be as

true-bred cowards as ever turned back[123]; and for the           285

third, if he fight longer than he sees reason, I’ll

forswear arms. The virtue of this jest will be, the

incomprehensible lies that this same fat rogue will

tell us when we meet at supper: how thirty, at

least, he fought with; what wards, what blows, what             290

extremities he endured; and in the reproof[124] of this

lies the jest.

 

Henry V. Well, I’ll go with thee: provide us all things

necessary and meet me to-morrow night in Eastcheap;

there I’ll sup[125]. Farewell.                                                      295

 

Edward Poins. Farewell, my lord.

 

[Exit Poins]

 

Henry V. I know you all[126], and will awhile uphold[127]

The unyoked[128] humour[129] of your idleness[130]:

Yet herein will I imitate the sun,                                            300

Who doth permit the base contagious clouds

To smother up his beauty from the world,

That, when he please again to be himself,

Being wanted, he may be more wonder’d at,

By breaking through the foul and ugly mists                         305

Of vapours that did seem to strangle him.

If all the year were playing holidays,

To sport would be as tedious as to work;

But when they seldom come, they wish’d for come[131],

And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.                               310

So, when this loose behavior I throw off

And pay the debt I never promised,

By how much better than my word I am,

By so much shall I falsify men’s hopes[132];

And like bright metal on a sullen ground,                             315

My reformation, glittering o’er my fault,

Shall show more goodly[133] and attract more eyes

Than that which hath no foil to set it off[134].

I’ll so offend, to make offence a skill;

Redeeming time[135] when men think least I will.                    320

 

[Exit]

 

 

 

Act I Scene 3

London. The palace.

[Enter the KING, NORTHUMBERLAND, WORCESTER, HOTSPUR, SIR WALTER BLUNT, with others]

 

Henry IV. My blood hath been too cold and temperate,

Unapt to stir at these indignities,

And you have found me[136]; for accordingly                         325

You tread upon my patience[137]: but be sure

I will from henceforth rather be myself,

Mighty and to be fear’d, than my condition;

Which hath been smooth as oil, soft as young down[138],

And therefore lost that title of respect                                   330

Which the proud soul ne’er pays but to the proud.

 

Earl of Worcester. Our house, my sovereign liege, little deserves

The scourge of greatness to be used on it;

And that same greatness too which our own hands

Have holp[139] to make so portly[140].                                        335

 

Earl of Northumberland. My lord.—

 

Henry IV. Worcester, get thee gone; for I do see

Danger[141] and disobedience in thine eye:

O, sir, your presence is too bold and peremptory[142],

And majesty might never yet endure                                     340

The moody frontier of a servant brow[143].

You have good leave[144] to leave us: when we need

Your use and counsel[145], we shall send for you.

 

[Exit Worcester]

 

You were about to speak.                                                      345

 

[To North]

 

Earl of Northumberland. Yea, my good lord.

Those prisoners in your highness’ name demanded,

Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took,

Were, as he says, not with such strength denied                    350

As is deliver’d to your majesty:

Either envy[146], therefore, or misprision[147]

Is guilty of this fault and not my son.

Hotspur (Henry Percy). My liege, I did deny no prisoners[148].

But I remember, when the fight was done,                            355

When I was dry with rage and extreme toil,

Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword,

Came there a certain lord, neat, and trimly dress’d,

Fresh as a bridegroom; and his chin new reap’d[149]

Show’d like a stubble-land at harvest-home;                         360

He was perfumed like a milliner[150];

And ‘twixt his finger and his thumb he held

A pouncet-box[151], which ever and anon[152]

He gave his nose and took’t away again[153];

Who therewith angry, when it next came there,                     365

Took it in snuff[154]; and still he smiled and talk’d,

And as the soldiers bore dead bodies by,

He call’d them untaught knaves, unmannerly,

To bring a slovenly unhandsome[155] corse[156]

Betwixt the wind and his nobility.                                         370

With many holiday and lady terms[157]

He question’d me; amongst the rest, demanded

My prisoners in your majesty’s behalf.

I then, all smarting with my wounds being cold,

To be so pester’d with a popinjay[158],                                    375

Out of my grief and my impatience,

Answer’d neglectingly I know not what,

He should or he should not[159]; for he made me mad

To see him shine so brisk and smell so sweet

And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman[160]                            380

Of guns and drums and wounds[161],—God save the mark![162]—

And telling me the sovereign’st[163] thing on earth

Was parmaceti[164] for an inward bruise;

And that it was great pity, so it was,

This villanous salt-petre[165] should be digg’d                         385

Out of the bowels of the harmless earth,

Which many a good tall fellow had destroy’d

So cowardly; and but for these vile guns,

He would himself have been a soldier.

This bald unjointed[166] chat of his, my lord,                           390

I answer’d indirectly[167], as I said;

And I beseech you, let not his report

Come current[168] for an accusation

Betwixt my love and your high majesty[169].

 

Blunt. The circumstance consider’d[170], good my lord,          395

Whate’er Lord Harry Percy then had said

To such a person and in such a place,

At such a time, with all the rest retold,

May reasonably die and never rise

To do him wrong or any way impeach[171]                              400

What then he said, so he unsay it[172] now.

 

Henry IV. Why, yet he doth deny his prisoners,

But with proviso and exception,

That we at our own charge shall ransom straight

His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer;                              405

Who, on my soul, hath wilfully betray’d

The lives of those that he did lead to fight

Against that great magician[173], damn’d Glendower[174],

Whose daughter, as we hear, the Earl of March

Hath lately married. Shall our coffers, then,                         410

Be emptied to redeem a traitor home[175]?

Shall we buy treason[176]? and indent with fears[177],

When they have lost and forfeited themselves[178]?

No, on the barren mountains let him starve;

For I shall never hold that man my friend                             415

Whose tongue shall ask me for one penny cost

To ransom home revolted[179] Mortimer.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Revolted Mortimer!

He never did fall off[180], my sovereign liege,

But by the chance of war; to prove that true                         420

Needs no more but one tongue for all those wounds,

Those mouthed wounds, which valiantly he took

When on the gentle Severn’s sedgy bank,

In single opposition, hand to hand,

He did confound the best part of an hour                             425

In changing hardiment[181] with great Glendower:

Three times they breathed and three times did

they drink,

Upon agreement, of swift Severn’s flood[182];

Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks[183],                   430

Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds[184],

And hid his crisp head[185] in the hollow bank,

Bloodstained with these valiant combatants.

Never did base and rotten policy

Colour her working with such deadly wounds;                     435

Nor could the noble Mortimer

Receive so many, and all willingly:

Then let not him be slander’d with revolt[186].

 

Henry IV. Thou dost belie him[187], Percy, thou dost belie him;

He never did encounter with Glendower:                              440

I tell thee,

He durst as well have met the devil alone[188]

As Owen Glendower for an enemy.

Art thou not ashamed? But, sirrah[189], henceforth

Let me not hear you speak of Mortimer:                               445

Send me your prisoners with the speediest means,

Or you shall hear in such a kind from me

As will displease you. My Lord Northumberland,

We licence your departure with your son.

Send us your prisoners, or you will hear of it.                      450

 

[Exeunt King Henry, Blunt, and train]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). An if[190] the devil come and roar for them,

I will not send them: I will after straight[191]

And tell him so; for I will ease my heart,

Albeit I make a hazard of my head.                                      455

 

Earl of Northumberland. What, drunk with choler[192]? stay and pause awhile:

Here comes your uncle.

 

[Re-enter WORCESTER]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Speak of Mortimer!

’Zounds[193], I will speak of him; and let my soul                   460

Want mercy, if I do not join with him[194]:

Yea, on his part I’ll empty all these veins,

And shed my dear blood drop by drop in the dust,

But I will lift the down-trod Mortimer

As high in the air as this unthankful king,                             465

As this ingrate[195] and canker’d[196] Bolingbroke[197].

 

Earl of Northumberland. Brother, the king hath made your nephew mad.

 

Earl of Worcester. Who struck this heat up after I was gone?

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). He will, forsooth[198], have all my prisoners;

And when I urged the ransom once again                             470

Of my wife’s brother[199], then his cheek look’d pale,

And on my face he turn’d an eye of death,

Trembling even at the name of Mortimer.

 

Earl of Worcester. I cannot blame him: was not he proclaim’d

By Richard that dead is the next of blood[200]^,[201]?                   475

 

Earl of Northumberland. He was; I heard the proclamation:

And then it was when the unhappy king,

—Whose wrongs in us God pardon!—did set forth

Upon his Irish expedition[202];

From whence he intercepted did return                                 480

To be deposed and shortly murdered[203].

 

Earl of Worcester. And for whose death we in the world’s wide mouth

Live scandalized and foully spoken of.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). But soft[204], I pray you; did King Richard then

Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer                                485

Heir to the crown?

 

Earl of Northumberland. He did; myself did hear it.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Nay, then I cannot blame his cousin king[205],

That wished him on the barren mountains starve.

But shall it be that you, that set the crown                             490

Upon the head of this forgetful man

And for his sake wear the detested blot

Of murderous subornation[206], shall it be,

That you a world of curses undergo,

Being the agents[207], or base second means,                           495

The cords[208], the ladder, or the hangman rather?

O, pardon me that I descend so low,

To show the line and the predicament

Wherein you range under this subtle king[209];

Shall it for shame be spoken in these days,                           500

Or fill up chronicles in time to come,

That men of your nobility and power

Did gage them both in an unjust behalf[210],

As both of you—God pardon it!—have done,

To put down Richard, that sweet lovely rose,                        505

And plant this thorn, this canker, Bolingbroke?

And shall it in more shame be further spoken,

That you are fool’d, discarded and shook off

By him for whom these shames ye underwent?

No; yet time serves wherein you may redeem                       510

Your banish’d honours and restore yourselves

Into the good thoughts of the world again,

Revenge the jeering and disdain’d contempt

Of this proud king, who studies day and night

To answer all the debt he owes to you                                  515

Even with the bloody payment of your deaths:

Therefore, I say—

 

Earl of Worcester. Peace, cousin, say no more:

And now I will unclasp a secret book,

And to your quick-conceiving discontents                            520

I’ll read you matter deep and dangerous,

As full of peril and adventurous spirit

As to o’er-walk a current roaring loud[211]

On the unsteadfast footing of a spear[212].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). If he fall in, good night! or sink or swim:  525

Send danger from the east unto the west,

So honour cross it from the north to south,

And let them grapple: O, the blood more stirs

To rouse a lion than to start a hare![213]

 

Earl of Northumberland. Imagination of some great exploit 530

Drives him beyond the bounds of patience.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap,

To pluck bright honour from the pale-faced moon,

Or dive into the bottom of the deep,

Where fathom-line could never touch the ground,                535

And pluck up drowned honour by the locks;

So he that doth redeem her thence might wear

Without corrival[214], all her dignities:

But out upon this half-faced fellowship!

 

Earl of Worcester. He apprehends a world of figures[215] here, 540

But not the form[216] of what he should attend[217].

Good cousin, give me audience for a while.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I cry you mercy.

 

Earl of Worcester. Those same noble Scots

That are your prisoners,—                                                    545

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I’ll keep them all;

By God, he shall not have a Scot of them[218];

No, if a Scot would save his soul, he shall not:

I’ll keep them, by this hand.

 

Earl of Worcester. You start away                                       550

And lend no ear unto my purposes.

Those prisoners you shall keep.

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Nay, I will; that’s flat[219]:

He said he would not ransom Mortimer;

Forbad my tongue to speak[220] of Mortimer;                          555

But I will find him when he lies asleep,

And in his ear I’ll holla ‘Mortimer!’

Nay,

I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak

Nothing but ‘Mortimer,’ and give it him                                560

To keep his anger still in motion.

 

Earl of Worcester. Hear you, cousin; a word.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). All studies here I solemnly defy,

Save how to gall and pinch[221] this Bolingbroke:

And that same sword-and-buckler Prince of Wales[222],          565

But that I think his father loves him not

And would be glad he met with some mischance,

I would have him poison’d with a pot of ale[223].

Earl of Worcester. Farewell, kinsman: I’ll talk to you

When you are better temper’d to attend[224].                           570

 

Earl of Northumberland. Why, what a wasp-stung and impatient fool

Art thou to break into this woman’s mood,

Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own!

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, look you, I am whipp’d and scourged with rods,

Nettled and stung with pismires[225], when I hear                    575

Of this vile politician[226], Bolingbroke.

In Richard’s time,—what do you call the place?—

A plague upon it, it is in Gloucestershire;

’Twas where the madcap duke[227] his uncle kept,

His uncle York; where I first bow’d my knee                        580

Unto this king of smiles[228], this Bolingbroke,—

‘Sblood[229]!—

When you and he came back from Ravenspurgh.

 

 

Earl of Northumberland. At Berkley castle[230].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). You say true:                                 585

Why, what a candy deal of courtesy

This fawning greyhound then did proffer me!

Look, ‘when his infant fortune came to age,’

And ‘gentle Harry Percy,’ and ‘kind cousin;’

O, the devil take such cozeners[231]! God forgive me!             590

Good uncle, tell your tale; I have done.

 

Earl of Worcester. Nay, if you have not, to it again;

We will stay your leisure.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I have done, i’ faith.

 

Earl of Worcester. Then once more to your Scottish prisoners. 595

Deliver them up without their ransom straight,

And make the Douglas’ son your only mean[232]

For powers[233] in Scotland; which, for divers reasons

Which I shall send you written, be assured,

Will easily be granted. You, my lord,                                     600

 

[To Northumberland]

 

Your son in Scotland being thus employ’d,

Shall secretly into the bosom[234] creep

Of that same noble prelate, well beloved,

The archbishop.                                                                    605

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Of York, is it not?

 

Earl of Worcester. True; who bears hard[235]

His brother’s death at Bristol, the Lord Scroop.

I speak not this in estimation,

As what I think might be, but what I know                           610

Is ruminated, plotted and set down,

And only stays[236] but to behold the face[237]

Of that occasion that shall bring it on.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I smell it: upon my life, it will do well.

 

Earl of Northumberland. Before the game is afoot, thou still let’st slip[238].  615

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, it cannot choose but be a noble plot;

And then the power of Scotland and of York,

To join with Mortimer, ha?

 

Earl of Worcester. And so they shall.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). In faith, it is exceedingly well aim’d. 620

 

Earl of Worcester. And ’tis no little reason bids us speed,

To save our heads by raising of a head[239];

For, bear ourselves as even[240] as we can,

The king will always think him in our debt[241],

And think we think ourselves unsatisfied[242],                         625

Till he hath found a time to pay us home[243]:

And see already how he doth begin

To make us strangers to his looks of love.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). He does, he does: we’ll be revenged on him.

 

Earl of Worcester. Cousin, farewell: no further go in this   630

Than I by letters shall direct your course[244].

When time is ripe, which will be suddenly[245],

I’ll steal to Glendower and Lord Mortimer;

Where you and Douglas and our powers at once,

As I will fashion it, shall happily meet,                                 635

To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,

Which now we hold at much uncertainty.

 

Earl of Northumberland. Farewell, good brother: we shall thrive, I trust.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Uncle, Adieu: O, let the hours be short

Till fields and blows and groans applaud our sport[246]!          640

 

[Exeunt]

 

 

 

Second Act

 

Act II Scene 1

Rochester. An inn yard.

[Enter a Carrier with a lantern in his hand]

 

First Carrier. Heigh-ho! an it be not four by the day[247], I’ll be

hanged: Charles’ wain[248] is over the new chimney, and

yet our horse not packed. What, ostler[249]!                             645

 

Ostler. [Within] Anon, anon[250].

 

First Carrier. I prithee, Tom, beat Cut’s[251] saddle, put a few flocks[252]

in the point; poor jade[253], is wrung[254] in the withers[255] out

of all cess[256].

 

[Enter another Carrier]                                                        650

 

Second Carrier. Peas and beans are as dank[257] here as a dog, and that

is the next way[258] to give poor jades the bots[259]: this

house is turned upside down since Robin Ostler died.

 

First Carrier. Poor fellow, never joyed[260] since the price of oats

rose; it was the death of him.                                                655

 

Second Carrier. I think this be the most villanous house in all

London road for fleas: I am stung like a tench[261].

 

First Carrier. Like a tench! by the mass, there is ne’er a king

christen[262] could be better bit than I have been since

the first cock[263].                                                                    660

 

Second Carrier. Why, they will allow us ne’er a jordan[264], and then we

leak in your chimney[265]; and your chamber-lie[266] breeds

fleas like a loach[267].

 

First Carrier. What, ostler! come away[268] and be hanged!

 

Second Carrier. I have a gammon[269] of bacon and two razors[270] of ginger, 665

to be delivered as far as Charing-cross[271].

 

First Carrier. God’s body! the turkeys in my pannier[272] are quite

starved. What, ostler! A plague on thee! hast thou

never an eye in thy head? canst not hear? An

’twere not as good deed as drink, to break the pate[273]           670

on thee, I am a very villain. Come, and be hanged!

hast thou no faith in thee?

 

[Enter Gadshill]

 

Gadshill. Good morrow, carriers. What’s o’clock?[274]

 

First Carrier. I think it be two o’clock.                                675

 

Gadshill. I pray thee lend me thy lantern, to see my gelding[275]

in the stable.

 

First Carrier. Nay, by God, soft; I know a trick worth two of that, i’ faith.

 

Gadshill. I pray thee, lend me thine.

 

Second Carrier. Ay, when? can’st tell?[276] Lend me thy lantern, quoth
                                                                                             680

he? marry[277], I’ll see thee hanged first.

 

Gadshill. Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come to London?

 

Second Carrier. Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant

thee. Come, neighbour Mugs, we’ll call up the

gentleman: they will along with company, for they               685

have great charge[278].

 

[Exeunt carriers]

 

Gadshill. What, ho! chamberlain!

 

Chamberlain. [Within] At hand, quoth pick-purse.

 

Gadshill. That’s even as fair as—at hand, quoth the             690

chamberlain; for thou variest no more from picking

of purses than giving direction doth from labouring;

thou layest the plot how[279].

 

[Enter Chamberlain]

Chamberlain. Good morrow, Master Gadshill. It holds current that

                                                                                             695

I told you yesternight[280]: there’s a franklin[281] in the

wild of Kent hath brought three hundred marks with

him in gold: I heard him tell it to one of his

company last night at supper; a kind of auditor; one

that hath abundance of charge too, God knows what.           700

They are up already, and call for eggs and butter;

they will away presently.

 

Gadshill. Sirrah, if they meet not with Saint Nicholas’

clerks[282], I’ll give thee this neck.

 

Chamberlain. No, I’ll none of it: I pray thee keep that for the 705

hangman; for I know thou worshippest St. Nicholas

as truly as a man of falsehood may.

 

Gadshill. What talkest thou to me of the hangman? if I hang,

I’ll make a fat pair of gallows; for if I hang, old

Sir John hangs with me, and thou knowest he is no              710

starveling[283]. Tut! there are other Trojans[284] that thou

dreamest not of, the which for sport sake are

content to do the profession some grace[285]; that would,

if matters should be looked into, for their own

credit sake, make all whole. I am joined with no                  715

foot-land rakers[286], no long-staff sixpenny strikers[287],

none of these mad mustachio purple-hued malt-worms[288];

but with nobility and tranquillity, burgomasters and

great oneyers[289], such as can hold in[290], such as will

strike sooner than speak, and speak sooner than                   720

drink, and drink sooner than pray[291]: and yet, zounds,

I lie; for they pray continually to their saint, the

commonwealth; or rather, not pray to her, but prey

on her, for they ride up and down on her and make

her their boots[292].                                                                  725

Chamberlain. What, the commonwealth their boots? will she hold

out water in foul way[293]?

 

Gadshill. She will, she will; justice hath liquored her[294]. We

steal as in a castle, cocksure; we have the receipt

of fern-seed[295], we walk invisible.                                        730

 

Chamberlain. Nay, by my faith, I think you are more beholding to

the night than to fern-seed for your walking invisible.

 

Gadshill. Give me thy hand: thou shalt have a share in our

purchase[296], as I am a true man.

 

Chamberlain. Nay, rather let me have it, as you are a false thief.     735

 

 

Gadshill. Go to; ‘homo’ is a common name to all men[297]. Bid the

ostler bring my gelding out of the stable. Farewell,

you muddy[298] knave.

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act II Scene 2

The highway, near Gadshill.

 

[Enter PRINCE HENRY and POINS]

 

Edward Poins. Come, shelter, shelter[299]: I have removed Falstaff’s

horse, and he frets like a gummed velvet[300].

 

Henry V. Stand close.

 

[Enter FALSTAFF]

 

Falstaff. Poins! Poins, and be hanged! Poins!                       745

 

Henry V. Peace[301], ye fat-kidneyed rascal! what a brawling dost

thou keep[302]!

 

Falstaff. Where’s Poins, Hal?

 

Henry V. He is walked up to the top of the hill: I’ll go seek him.

 

Falstaff. I am accursed to rob in that thief’s company: the   750

rascal hath removed my horse, and tied him I know

not where. If I travel but four foot by the squier[303]

further afoot, I shall break my wind[304]. Well, I doubt

not but to die a fair death for all this, if I

‘scape hanging for killing that rogue. I have                         755

forsworn his company hourly any time this two and

twenty years, and yet I am bewitched with the

rogue’s company. If the rascal hath not given me

medicines[305] to make me love him, I’ll be hanged; it

could not be else: I have drunk medicines. Poins!                760

Hal! a plague upon you both! Bardolph! Peto!

I’ll starve ere I’ll rob a foot further. An[306] ’twere

not as good a deed as drink, to turn true man and to

leave these rogues, I am the veriest varlet[307] that

ever chewed with a tooth. Eight yards of uneven                  765

ground is threescore and ten miles afoot with me;

and the stony-hearted villains know it well enough:

a plague upon it when thieves cannot be true one to another!

 

[They whistle]

Whew! A plague upon you all! Give me my horse, you        770

rogues; give me my horse, and be hanged!

 

Henry V. Peace, ye fat-guts! lie down; lay thine ear close

to the ground and list[308] if thou canst hear the tread

of travellers.

 

Falstaff. Have you any levers to lift me up again, being down?        775

’Sblood, I’ll not bear mine own flesh so far afoot

again for all the coin in thy father’s exchequer[309].

What a plague mean ye to colt me[310] thus?

 

Henry V. Thou liest; thou art not colted, thou art uncolted.

 

Falstaff. I prithee, good Prince Hal, help me to my horse,    780

good king’s son.

 

Henry V. Out, ye rogue! shall I be your ostler?

 

Falstaff. Go, hang thyself in thine own heir-apparent

garters! If I be ta’en, I’ll peach[311] for this. An I

have not ballads made on you all and sung to filthy             785

tunes[312], let a cup of sack be my poison: when a jest

is so forward, and afoot[313] too! I hate it.

 

[Enter Gadshill, BARDOLPH and PETO]

Gadshill. Stand[314].

 

Falstaff. So I do, against my will.                                         790

 

Edward Poins. O, ’tis our setter[315]: I know his voice. Bardolph,

what news?

 

Bardolph. Case ye[316], case ye; on with your

vizards: there’s money of the king’s coming

down the hill; ’tis going to the king’s exchequer.                   795

 

Falstaff. You lie, ye rogue; ’tis going to the king’s tavern.

 

Gadshill. There’s enough to make us all[317].

 

Falstaff. To be hanged.

 

Henry V. Sirs, you four shall front[318] them in the narrow lane;

Ned Poins and I will walk lower: if they ’scape[319]                 800

from your encounter, then they light on us[320].

 

Peto. How many be there of them?

 

Gadshill. Some eight or ten.

 

Falstaff. ’Zounds, will they not rob us?

 

Henry V. What, a coward, Sir John Paunch?                        805

 

Falstaff. Indeed, I am not John of Gaunt[321], your grandfather;

but yet no coward, Hal.

 

Henry V. Well, we leave that to the proof.

 

Edward Poins. Sirrah Jack, thy horse stands behind the hedge:

when thou needest him, there thou shalt find him.                810

Farewell, and stand fast[322].

 

Falstaff. Now cannot I strike him, if I should be hanged.

 

Henry V. Ned, where are our disguises?

 

Edward Poins. Here, hard by[323]: stand close.

 

[Exeunt PRINCE HENRY and POINS]                                  815

 

Falstaff. Now, my masters, happy man be his dole[324], say I:

every man to his business.

 

[Enter the Travellers]

 

First Traveller. Come, neighbour: the boy shall lead our horses down

the hill; we’ll walk afoot awhile, and ease our legs.              820

 

Thieves. Stand!

 

Travellers. Jesus bless us!

 

Falstaff. Strike; down with them; cut the villains’ throats:

ah! whoreson caterpillars[325]! bacon-fed knaves! they

hate us youth: down with them: fleece them[326].                    825

 

Travellers. O, we are undone, both we and ours for ever!

 

Falstaff. Hang ye, gorbellied[327] knaves, are ye undone? No, ye

fat chuffs[328]: I would your store were here! On,

bacons, on! What, ye knaves! young men must live.

You are Grand-jurors[329], are ye? we’ll jure ye[330], ’faith.        830

 

[Here they rob them and bind them. Exeunt]

 

[Re-enter PRINCE HENRY and POINS]

 

Henry V. The thieves have bound the true men. Now could thou

and I rob the thieves and go merrily to London, it

would be argument[331] for a week, laughter for a month        835

and a good jest for ever.

 

Edward Poins. Stand close; I hear them coming.

 

[Enter the Thieves again]

 

Falstaff. Come, my masters, let us share, and then to horse

before day. An the Prince and Poins be not two                    840

arrant[332] cowards, there’s no equity stirring: there’s

no more valour in that Poins than in a wild-duck[333].

 

Henry V. Your money!

 

Edward Poins. Villains!

 

[As they are sharing, the Prince and Poins set upon             845

them; they all run away; and Falstaff, after a blow

or two, runs away too, leaving the booty behind them]

 

Henry V. Got with much ease. Now merrily to horse:

The thieves are all scatter’d and possess’d with fear

So strongly that they dare not meet each other;                     850

Each takes his fellow for an officer[334].

Away, good Ned. Falstaff sweats to death,

And lards[335] the lean earth as he walks along:

Were ’t not for laughing, I should pity him.

 

 

Edward Poins. How the rogue roar’d!                                  855

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act II Scene 3

Warkworth castle                                                                     

[Enter HOTSPUR, solus[336], reading a letter]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). ‘But for mine own part, my lord, I could be well

contented to be there, in respect of the love I bear

your house.’ He could be contented: why is he not,              860

then? In respect of the love he bears our house:

he shows in this, he loves his own barn better than

he loves our house. Let me see some more. ‘The

purpose you undertake is dangerous;’—why, that’s

certain: ’tis dangerous to take a cold, to sleep, to                  865

drink[337]; but I tell you, my lord fool, out of this

nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety. ‘The

purpose you undertake is dangerous; the friends you

have named uncertain[338]; the time itself unsorted[339]; and

your whole plot too light[340] for the counterpoise of so          870

great an opposition.’ Say you so, say you so? I say

unto you again, you are a shallow cowardly hind, and

you lie. What a lack-brain is this! By the Lord,

our plot is a good plot as ever was laid; our

friends true and constant: a good plot, good                         875

friends, and full of expectation; an excellent plot,

very good friends. What a frosty-spirited[341] rogue is

this! Why, my lord of York commends the plot and the

general course of action. ’Zounds, an I were now by

this rascal, I could brain him[342] with his lady’s fan[343].           880

Is there not my father, my uncle and myself? lord

Edmund Mortimer, My lord of York and Owen Glendower?

is there not besides the Douglas? have I not all

their letters to meet me in arms[344] by the ninth of the

next month? and are they not some of them set                    885

forward[345] already? What a pagan rascal is this! an

infidel! Ha! you shall see now in very sincerity

of fear and cold heart, will he to the king[346] and lay

open all our proceedings[347]. O, I could divide myself

and go to buffets[348], for moving such a dish of                    890

skim milk[349] with so honourable an action! Hang him!

let him tell the king: we are prepared. I will set

forward to-night.

 

[Enter LADY PERCY]

 

How now, Kate! I must leave you within these two hours.    895

 

 

Lady Percy. O, my good lord, why are you thus alone?

For what offence have I this fortnight been

A banish’d woman from my Harry’s bed?

Tell me, sweet lord, what is’t that takes from thee

Thy stomach, pleasure and thy golden sleep?                       900

Why dost thou bend thine eyes upon the earth,

And start so often when thou sit’st alone?

Why hast thou lost the fresh blood in thy cheeks;

And given my treasures and my rights of thee

To thick-eyed musing and cursed melancholy?                     905

In thy faint slumbers I by thee have watch’d,

And heard thee murmur tales of iron wars;

Speak terms of manage to thy bounding steed[350];

Cry ‘Courage! to the field!’ And thou hast talk’d

Of sallies and retires[351], of trenches, tents,                            910

Of palisadoes[352], frontiers[353], parapets[354],

Of basilisks[355], of cannon, culverin[356],

Of prisoners’ ransom and of soldiers slain,

And all the currents of a heady fight[357].

Thy spirit within thee hath been so at war                             915

And thus hath so bestirr’d thee in thy sleep,

That beads of sweat have stood upon thy brow

Like bubbles in a late-disturbed stream;

And in thy face strange motions have appear’d,

Such as we see when men restrain their breath                     920

On some great sudden hest[358]^,[359]. O, what portents are these?

Some heavy business hath my lord in hand,

And I must know it, else he loves me not.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). What, ho!

 

[Enter Servant]                                                                     925

 

Is Gilliams with the packet gone?

 

Servant. He is, my lord, an hour ago.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Hath Butler brought those horses from the sheriff?

 

Servant. One horse, my lord, he brought even now.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). What horse? a roan[360], a crop-ear[361], is it not?       930

Servant. It is, my lord.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). That roan shall by my throne.

Well, I will back him straight[362]: O esperance[363]!

Bid Butler lead him forth into the park.

 

[Exit Servant]                                                                       935

 

Lady Percy. But hear you, my lord.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). What say’st thou, my lady?

 

Lady Percy. What is it carries you away[364]?

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, my horse, my love, my horse.

 

Lady Percy. Out, you mad-headed ape!                               940

A weasel[365] hath not such a deal of spleen[366]

As you are toss’d with[367]. In faith,

I’ll know your business, Harry, that I will.

I fear my brother Mortimer doth stir[368]

About his title[369], and hath sent for you                                945

To line his enterprise[370]: but if you go,—

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). So far afoot, I shall be weary, love.

Lady Percy. Come, come, you paraquito[371], answer me

Directly unto this question that I ask:

In faith, I’ll break thy little finger, Harry,                              950

An if thou wilt not tell me all things true.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Away,

Away, you trifler! Love! I love thee not,

I care not for thee, Kate: this is no world

To play with mammets[372] and to tilt with lips:                       955

We must have bloody noses and crack’d crowns,

And pass them current[373] too. God’s me, my horse!

What say’st thou, Kate? what would’st thou

have with me?

 

Lady Percy. Do you not love me? do you not, indeed?       960

Well, do not then; for since you love me not,

I will not love myself. Do you not love me?

Nay, tell me if you speak in jest or no.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Come, wilt thou see me ride?

And when I am on horseback, I will swear                           965

I love thee infinitely. But hark you, Kate;

I must not have you henceforth question me

Whither I go, nor reason whereabout:

Whither I must, I must; and, to conclude,

This evening must I leave you, gentle Kate.                          970

I know you wise, but yet no farther wise

Than Harry Percy’s wife: constant you are,

But yet a woman: and for secrecy,

No lady closer[374]; for I well believe

Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know;                        975

And so far will I trust thee, gentle Kate.

 

Lady Percy. How! so far?

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Not an inch further. But hark you, Kate:

Whither I go, thither shall you go too;

To-day will I set forth, to-morrow you.                                 980

Will this content you, Kate?

 

Lady Percy. It must of force[375].

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act II Scene 4

The Boar’s-Head Tavern, Eastcheap.

[Enter PRINCE HENRY and POINS]

 

Henry V. Ned, prithee, come out of that fat room, and lend me       985

thy hand to laugh a little.

 

Edward Poins. Where hast been, Hal?

 

Henry V. With three or four loggerheads amongst three or four

score hogsheads[376]. I have sounded the very

base-string of humility[377]. Sirrah, I am sworn brother           990

to a leash of drawers[378]; and can call them all by

their christen names, as Tom, Dick, and Francis.

They take it already upon their salvation, that

though I be but the prince of Wales, yet I am king

of courtesy; and tell me flatly I am no proud Jack,               995

like Falstaff, but a Corinthian[379], a lad of mettle, a

good boy, by the Lord, so they call me, and when I

am king of England, I shall command all the good

lads in Eastcheap. They call drinking deep, dyeing

scarlet[380]; and when you breathe in your watering[381], they 1000

cry ‘hem!’[382] and bid you play it off[383]. To conclude, I

am so good a proficient in one quarter of an hour,

that I can drink with any tinker in his own language

during my life. I tell thee, Ned, thou hast lost

much honour, that thou wert not with me in this sweet       1005

action. But, sweet Ned,—to sweeten which name of

Ned, I give thee this pennyworth of sugar[384], clapped

even now into my hand by an under-skinker[385], one that

never spake other English in his life than ‘Eight

shillings and sixpence’ and ‘You are welcome,’ with          1010

this shrill addition, ‘Anon, anon, sir! Score a pint

of bastard[386] in the Half-Moon[387],’ or so. But, Ned, to

drive away the time till Falstaff come, I prithee,

do thou stand in some by-room, while I question my

puny drawer to what end he gave me the sugar; and do      1015

thou never leave calling ‘Francis,’ that his tale

to me may be nothing but ‘Anon.’ Step aside, and

I’ll show thee a precedent.

 

Edward Poins. Francis!

 

Henry V. Thou art perfect.                                                 1020

 

Edward Poins. Francis!

 

[Exit POINS]

 

[Enter FRANCIS]

 

Francis. Anon, anon, sir. Look down into the Pomgarnet[388], Ralph.

 

Henry V. Come hither[389], Francis.                                      1025

 

Francis. My lord?

 

Henry V. How long hast thou to serve, Francis?

 

Francis. Forsooth[390], five years, and as much as to—

 

Edward Poins. [Within] Francis!

 

Francis. Anon, anon, sir.                                                    1030

 

Henry V. Five year! by’r lady[391], a long lease for the clinking

of pewter[392]. But, Francis, darest thou be so valiant

as to play the coward with thy indenture[393] and show it

a fair pair of heels and run from it?

 

Francis. O Lord, sir, I’ll be sworn upon all the books in     1035

England[394], I could find in my heart[395].

 

Edward Poins. [Within] Francis!

 

Francis. Anon, sir.

 

Henry V. How old art thou, Francis?

 

Francis. Let me see—about Michaelmas next I shall be— 1040

 

Edward Poins. [Within] Francis!

Francis. Anon, sir. Pray stay a little, my lord.

 

Henry V. Nay, but hark you, Francis: for the sugar thou

gavest me,’twas a pennyworth, wast’t not?

 

Francis. O Lord, I would it had been two[396]!                      1045

 

Henry V. I will give thee for it a thousand pound: ask me

when thou wilt, and thou shalt have it.

 

Edward Poins. [Within] Francis!

 

Francis. Anon, anon.

 

Henry V. Anon, Francis? No, Francis; but to-morrow, Francis; 1050

or, Francis, o’ Thursday; or indeed, Francis, when

thou wilt. But, Francis!

 

Francis. My lord?

 

Henry V. Wilt thou rob this leathern jerkin, crystal-button,

not-pated, agate-ring, puke-stocking, caddis-garter,             1055

smooth-tongue, Spanish-pouch[397]^,[398],—

 

Francis. O Lord, sir, who do you mean?

 

Henry V. Why, then, your brown bastard[399] is your only drink;

for look you, Francis, your white canvas doublet[400]

will sully: in Barbary, sir, it cannot come to so much.         1060

 

Francis. What, sir?

 

Edward Poins. [Within] Francis!

 

Henry V. Away, you rogue! dost thou not hear them call?

 

[Here they both call him; the drawer stands amazed,

not knowing which way to go]                                            1065

 

[Enter Vintner]

 

Vintner. What, standest thou still, and hearest such a

calling? Look to[401] the guests within.

 

[Exit Francis]

 

My lord, old Sir John, with half-a-dozen more, are             1070

at the door: shall I let them in?

 

Henry V. Let them alone awhile, and then open the door.

 

[Exit Vintner]

 

Poins!

 

[Re-enter POINS]

Edward Poins. Anon, anon, sir.

 

Henry V. Sirrah, Falstaff and the rest of the thieves are at

the door: shall we be merry?

 

Edward Poins. As merry as crickets[402], my lad. But hark ye; what

cunning match have you made with this jest of the             1080

drawer? come, what’s the issue?

 

Henry V. I am now of all humours that have showed themselves

humours since the old days of goodman Adam[403] to the

pupil age[404] of this present twelve o’clock at midnight.

 

[Re-enter FRANCIS]                                                           1085

 

What’s o’clock, Francis?

 

Francis. Anon, anon, sir.

 

[Exit]

 

Henry V. That ever this fellow should have fewer words than a

parrot, and yet the son of a woman! His industry is            1090

upstairs and downstairs; his eloquence the parcel of

a reckoning. I am not yet of Percy’s mind[405], the

Hotspur of the north; he that kills me some six or

seven dozen of Scots at a breakfast, washes his

hands, and says to his wife ‘Fie upon this quiet                  1095

life! I want work.’ ‘O my sweet Harry,’ says she,

‘how many hast thou killed to-day?’ ‘Give my roan

horse a drench[406],’ says he; and answers ‘Some

fourteen,’ an hour after; ‘a trifle, a trifle.’ I

prithee, call in Falstaff: I’ll play Percy, and                         1100

that damned brawn[407] shall play Dame Mortimer his

wife. ‘Rivo![408]’ says the drunkard. Call in ribs[409], call in tallow[410].

 

[Enter FALSTAFF, Gadshill, BARDOLPH, and PETO; FRANCIS following with wine]

 

Edward Poins. Welcome, Jack[411]: where hast thou been?

 

Falstaff. A plague of all cowards, I say, and a vengeance too[412]!      1105

marry, and amen[413]! Give me a cup of sack, boy. Ere I

lead this life long, I’ll sew nether stocks[414] and mend

them and foot them too[415]. A plague of all cowards!

Give me a cup of sack, rogue. Is there no virtue extant?

[He drinks]

 

Henry V. Didst thou never see Titan kiss a dish of butter[416]?

pitiful-hearted Titan, that melted at the sweet tale

of the sun’s! if thou didst, then behold that compound[417].

 

Falstaff. You rogue, here’s lime in this sack too: there is

nothing but roguery to be found in villanous man[418]:          1115

yet a coward is worse than a cup of sack with lime

in it[419]. A villanous coward! Go thy ways, old Jack;

die when thou wilt, if manhood, good manhood, be

not forgot upon the face of the earth, then am I a

shotten herring[420]. There live not three good men                1120

unhanged in England; and one of them is fat and

grows old: God help the while! a bad world, I say.

I would I were a weaver; I could sing psalms or any

thing. A plague of all cowards, I say still.

 

Henry V. How now, wool-sack! what mutter you?             1125

 

Falstaff. A king’s son! If I do not beat thee out of thy

kingdom with a dagger of lath[421], and drive all thy

subjects afore thee like a flock of wild-geese,

I’ll never wear hair on my face more. You Prince of Wales!

 

Henry V. Why, you whoreson[422] round man, what’s the matter?       1130

 

Falstaff. Are not you a coward? answer me to that: and Poins there?

 

Edward Poins. ’Zounds, ye fat paunch, an ye call me coward, by the Lord, I’ll stab thee.

 

Falstaff. I call thee coward! I’ll see thee damned ere I call

thee coward[423]: but I would give a thousand pound I          1135

could run as fast as thou canst. You are straight

enough in the shoulders, you care not who sees your

back: call you that backing of your friends[424]? A

plague upon such backing! give me them that will

face me. Give me a cup of sack: I am a rogue, if I              1140

drunk to-day.

 

Henry V. O villain! thy lips are scarce wiped since thou

drunkest last.

 

Falstaff. All’s one for that[425].

 

[He drinks]                                                                         1145

 

A plague of all cowards, still say I.

 

Henry V. What’s the matter?

 

Falstaff. What’s the matter! there be four of us here have

ta’en a thousand pound this day morning.

 

Henry V. Where is it, Jack? where is it?                              1150

 

Falstaff. Where is it! taken from us it is: a hundred upon

poor four of us[426].

 

Henry V. What, a hundred, man?

 

Falstaff. I am a rogue, if I were not at half-sword[427] with a

dozen of them two hours together. I have ’scaped[428] by      1155

miracle. I am eight times thrust through the

doublet[429], four through the hose[430]; my buckler[431] cut

through and through; my sword hacked like a

hand-saw—ecce signum[432]! I never dealt better since

I was a man[433]: all would not do[434]. A plague of all             1160

cowards! Let them speak: if they speak more or

less than truth, they are villains and the sons of darkness.

 

Henry V. Speak, sirs; how was it?

 

Gadshill. We four set upon some dozen[435]—

 

Falstaff. Sixteen at least, my lord.                                       1165

 

Gadshill. And bound them.

 

Peto. No, no, they were not bound.

 

Falstaff. You rogue, they were bound, every man of them; or I

am a Jew else, an Ebrew Jew[436].

 

Gadshill. As we were sharing, some six or seven fresh men[437] set upon us—           1170

 

Falstaff. And unbound the rest, and then come in the other[438].

 

Henry V. What, fought you with them all?

 

Falstaff. All! I know not what you call all; but if I fought

not with fifty of them, I am a bunch of radish: if

there were not two or three and fifty upon poor old            1175

Jack, then am I no two-legged creature[439].

 

Henry V. Pray God you have not murdered some of them.

 

Falstaff. Nay, that’s past praying for[440]: I have peppered[441] two

of them; two I am sure I have paid[442], two rogues

in buckram suits. I tell thee what, Hal, if I tell                     1180

thee a lie, spit in my face, call me horse. Thou

knowest my old ward[443]; here I lay[444] and thus I bore my

point[445]. Four rogues in buckram let drive at me[446]—

 

Henry V. What, four? thou saidst but two even now.

 

Falstaff. Four, Hal; I told thee four.                                    1185

 

Edward Poins. Ay, ay, he said four.

 

Falstaff. These four came all a-front, and mainly[447] thrust at

me. I made me no more ado but took all their seven

points in my target, thus[448].

Henry V. Seven? why, there were but four even now.        1190

 

Falstaff. In buckram?

 

Edward Poins. Ay, four, in buckram suits.

 

Falstaff. Seven, by these hilts, or I am a villain else.

 

Henry V. Prithee, let him alone; we shall have more anon.

 

Falstaff. Dost thou hear me, Hal?                                       1195

 

Henry V. Ay, and mark thee too[449], Jack.

 

Falstaff. Do so, for it is worth the listening to. These nine

in buckram that I told thee of—

 

Henry V. So, two more already.

 

Falstaff. Their points being broken[450],—                            1200

 

Edward Poins. Down fell their hose[451].

 

Falstaff. Began to give me ground[452]: but I followed me close,

came in foot and hand[453]; and with a thought seven of

the eleven I paid[454].

 

Henry V. O monstrous! eleven buckram men[455] grown out of two!  1205

Falstaff. But, as the devil would have it, three misbegotten[456]

knaves in Kendal green[457] came at my back and let drive

at me; for it was so dark, Hal, that thou couldst

not see thy hand.

 

Henry V. These lies are like their father that begets them; 1210

gross as a mountain, open, palpable. Why, thou

clay-brained guts, thou knotty-pated[458] fool, thou

whoreson, obscene, grease tallow-catch[459],—

 

Falstaff. What, art thou mad? art thou mad? is not the truth

the truth?                                                                             1215

 

Henry V. Why, how couldst thou know these men in Kendal

green, when it was so dark thou couldst not see thy

hand? come, tell us your reason: what sayest thou to this?

 

Edward Poins. Come, your reason, Jack, your reason.

 

Falstaff. What, upon compulsion? ’Zounds, an I were at the 1220

strappado[460], or all the racks[461] in the world, I would

not tell you on compulsion. Give you a reason on

compulsion! If reasons were as plentiful as

blackberries, I would give no man a reason upon

compulsion, I.                                                                     1225

 

Henry V. I’ll be no longer guilty of this sin; this sanguine[462]

coward, this bed-presser[463], this horseback-breaker,

this huge hill of flesh,—

 

Falstaff. ’Sblood, you starveling[464], you elf-skin[465], you dried

neat’s tongue[466], you bull’s pizzle[467], you stock-fish[468]! O 1230

for breath to utter what is like thee! you

tailor’s-yard[469], you sheath[470], you bowcase[471]; you vile

standing-tuck[472],—

 

Henry V. Well, breathe awhile, and then to it again: and

when thou hast tired thyself in base comparisons[473],          1235

hear me speak but this.

 

Edward Poins. Mark[474], Jack.

 

Henry V. We two saw you four set on four and bound them[475], and

were masters of their wealth. Mark now, how a plain

tale shall put you down[476]. Then did we two set on you      1240

four; and, with a word, out-faced you[477] from your

prize, and have it; yea, and can show it you here in

the house: and, Falstaff, you carried your guts

away as nimbly, with as quick dexterity, and roared

for mercy and still run and roared, as ever I heard              1245

bull-calf. What a slave art thou, to hack thy sword

as thou hast done, and then say it was in fight!

What trick, what device, what starting-hole[478], canst

thou now find out to hide thee from this open and

apparent shame?                                                                 1250

 

Edward Poins. Come, let’s hear, Jack; what trick hast thou now?

Falstaff. By the Lord, I knew ye as well as he that made ye.

Why, hear you, my masters: was it for me to kill the

heir-apparent? should I turn upon the true prince?

why, thou knowest I am as valiant as Hercules: but            1255

beware instinct; the lion will not touch the true

prince. Instinct is a great matter; I was now a

coward on instinct. I shall think the better of

myself and thee during my life; I for a valiant

lion, and thou for a true prince. But, by the Lord,               1260

lads, I am glad you have the money. Hostess, clap

to the doors: watch to-night, pray to-morrow.

Gallants, lads, boys, hearts of gold, all the titles

of good fellowship come to you! What, shall we be

merry? shall we have a play extempore[479]?                         1265

 

Henry V. Content; and the argument shall be thy running away.

 

Falstaff. Ah, no more of that, Hal, an thou lovest me!

 

[Enter Hostess]

 

Hostess Quickly. O Jesu, my lord the prince!

 

Henry V. How now, my lady the hostess! what sayest thou to 1270

me?

 

Hostess Quickly. Marry, my lord, there is a nobleman of the court at

door would speak with you: he says he comes from

your father.

Henry V. Give him as much as will make him a royal man, and

                                                                                           1275

send him back again to my mother.

Falstaff. What manner of man is he?

 

Hostess Quickly. An old man.

 

Falstaff. What doth gravity out of his bed at midnight? Shall

I give him his answer?                                                        1280

 

Henry V. Prithee, do, Jack.

 

Falstaff. ‘Faith, and I’ll send him packing.

 

[Exit FALSTAFF]

 

Henry V. Now, sirs: by’r lady, you fought fair; so did you,

Peto; so did you, Bardolph: you are lions too, you             1285

ran away upon instinct, you will not touch the true

prince; no, fie[480]!

 

Lord Bardolph. ’Faith, I ran when I saw others run.

 

Henry V. ‘Faith, tell me now in earnest, how came Falstaff’s

sword so hacked?                                                               1290

 

Peto. Why, he hacked it with his dagger, and said he would

swear truth out of England but he would make you

believe it was done in fight, and persuaded us to do the like.

 

Lord Bardolph. Yea, and to tickle our noses with spear-grass to

make them bleed, and then to beslubber our garments        1295

with it and swear it was the blood of true men. I

did that I did not this seven year before, I blushed

to hear his monstrous devices.

Henry V. O villain, thou stolest a cup of sack eighteen years

ago, and wert taken with the manner[481], and ever since      1300

thou hast blushed extempore[482]. Thou hadst fire[483] and

sword on thy side, and yet thou rannest away: what

instinct hadst thou for it?

 

Lord Bardolph. My lord, do you see these meteors[484]? do you behold

these exhalations[485]?                                                           1305

 

Henry V. I do.

 

Lord Bardolph. What think you they portend?

 

Henry V. Hot livers[486] and cold purses[487].

 

Lord Bardolph. Choler[488], my lord, if rightly taken.

 

Henry V. No, if rightly taken[489], halter[490].                           1310

 

[Re-enter FALSTAFF]

 

Here comes lean Jack, here comes bare-bone.

How now, my sweet creature of bombast[491]!

How long is’t ago, Jack, since thou sawest thine own knee?

 

Falstaff. My own knee! when I was about thy years, Hal, I was

                                                                                           1315

not an eagle’s talon in the waist[492]; I could have

crept into any alderman’s thumb-ring: a plague of

sighing and grief! it blows a man up like a

bladder. There’s villanous news abroad: here was

Sir John Bracy from your father; you must to the               1320

court in the morning. That same mad fellow of the

north, Percy, and he of Wales, that gave Amamon[493] the

bastinado[494] and made Lucifer cuckold[495] and swore the

devil his true liegeman[496] upon the cross of a Welsh

hook[497]—what a plague call you him?                                1325

Edward Poins. O, Glendower.

 

Falstaff. Owen, Owen, the same; and his son-in-law Mortimer,

and old Northumberland, and that sprightly Scot of

Scots, Douglas, that runs o’ horseback up a hill

perpendicular,—                                                                 1330

 

Henry V. He that rides at high speed and with his pistol

kills a sparrow flying.

 

Falstaff. You have hit it[498].

 

Henry V. So did he never the sparrow[499].

 

Falstaff. Well, that rascal hath good mettle[500] in him; he will not run.           1335

 

Henry V. Why, what a rascal art thou then, to praise him so

for running[501]!

 

Falstaff. O’ horseback, ye cuckoo; but afoot[502] he will not budge a foot.

 

Henry V. Yes, Jack, upon instinct[503].

Falstaff. I grant ye, upon instinct. Well, he is there too,      1340

and one Mordake, and a thousand blue-caps[504] more:

Worcester is stolen away to-night[505]; thy father’s

beard is turned white with the news: you may buy

land now as cheap as stinking mackerel[506].

 

Henry V. Why, then, it is like, if there come a hot June[507] and 1345

this civil buffeting hold[508], we shall buy maidenheads[509]

as they buy hob-nails[510], by the hundreds.

 

Falstaff. By the mass, lad, thou sayest true; it is like we

shall have good trading that way. But tell me, Hal,

art not thou horrible afeard? thou being                              1350

heir-apparent, could the world pick thee out three

such enemies again as that fiend Douglas, that

spirit[511] Percy, and that devil Glendower? Art thou

not horribly afraid? doth not thy blood thrill[512] at

it?                                                                                        1355

 

Henry V. Not a whit[513], i’ faith[514]; I lack some of thy instinct[515].

Falstaff. Well, thou wert be[516] horribly chid[517] tomorrow when thou

comest to thy father: if thou love me, practise an answer.

 

Henry V. Do thou stand for my father, and examine me upon the

particulars of my life.                                                         1360

 

Falstaff. Shall I? content[518]: this chair shall be my state[519],

this dagger my sceptre, and this cushion my crown.

 

Henry V. Thy state is taken for a joined-stool[520], thy golden

sceptre for a leaden dagger, and thy precious rich

crown for a pitiful bald crown!                                           1365

 

Falstaff. Well, an the fire of grace be not quite out of thee,

now shalt thou be moved[521]. Give me a cup of sack to

make my eyes look red, that it may be thought I have

wept; for I must speak in passion, and I will do it

in King Cambyses’ vein[522].                                                 1370

 

Henry V. Well, here is my leg[523].

Falstaff. And here is my speech. Stand aside, nobility.

 

Hostess Quickly. O Jesu, this is excellent sport, i’ faith!

 

Falstaff. Weep not, sweet queen; for trickling tears are vain.

 

Hostess Quickly. O, the father, how he holds his countenance[524]!                1375

 

Falstaff. For God’s sake, lords, convey my tristful queen[525];

For tears do stop the flood-gates of her eyes.

 

Hostess Quickly. O Jesu, he doth it as like one of these harlotry

players[526] as ever I see!

 

Falstaff. Peace, good pint-pot; peace, good tickle-brain[527]. 1380

Harry, I do not only marvel where thou spendest thy

time, but also how thou art accompanied[528]: for though

the camomile[529], the more it is trodden on the faster

it grows, yet youth, the more it is wasted the

sooner it wears[530]. That thou art my son, I have                  1385

partly thy mother’s word, partly my own opinion,

but chiefly a villanous trick of thine eye and a

foolish-hanging of thy nether lip, that doth warrant

me[531]. If then thou be son to me, here lies the point;

why, being son to me, art thou so pointed at[532]? Shall         1390

the blessed sun of heaven prove a micher[533] and eat

blackberries[534]? a question not to be asked. Shall

the sun of England prove a thief and take purses? a

question to be asked[535]. There is a thing, Harry,

which thou hast often heard of and it is known to              1395

many in our land by the name of pitch[536]: this pitch,

as ancient writers do report, doth defile; so doth

the company thou keepest: for, Harry, now I do not

speak to thee in drink but in tears[537], not in

pleasure but in passion, not in words only, but in               1400

woes also: and yet there is a virtuous man whom I

have often noted in thy company, but I know not his name.

 

Henry V. What manner of man, an it like your majesty?

 

Falstaff. A goodly portly man, i’ faith, and a corpulent; of a

cheerful look, a pleasing eye and a most noble                   1405

carriage; and, as I think, his age some fifty, or,

by’r lady, inclining to three score[538]; and now I

remember me, his name is Falstaff: if that man

should be lewdly given, he deceiveth me; for, Harry,

I see virtue in his looks. If then the tree may be                  1410

known by the fruit, as the fruit by the tree, then,

peremptorily I speak it, there is virtue in that

Falstaff: him keep with, the rest banish[539]. And tell

me now, thou naughty varlet[540], tell me, where hast

thou been this month?                                                         1415

 

Henry V. Dost thou speak like a king? Do thou stand for me,

and I’ll play my father.

 

Falstaff. Depose me? if thou dost it half so gravely, so

majestically, both in word and matter, hang me up by

the heels for a rabbit-sucker[541] or a poulter’s hare[542].          1420

 

Henry V. Well, here I am set[543].

 

Falstaff. And here I stand[544]: judge, my masters[545].

Henry V. Now, Harry, whence come you?

 

Falstaff. My noble lord, from Eastcheap.

 

Henry V. The complaints I hear of thee are grievous.         1425

 

Falstaff. ’Sblood, my lord, they are false: nay, I’ll tickle

ye for a young prince, i’ faith[546].

 

Henry V. Swearest thou, ungracious[547] boy? henceforth ne’er look

on me. Thou art violently carried away from grace:

there is a devil haunts thee in the likeness of an                 1430

old fat man; a tun[548] of man is thy companion. Why

dost thou converse with that trunk of humours[549], that

bolting-hutch[550] of beastliness, that swollen parcel

of dropsies[551], that huge bombard of sack[552], that stuffed

cloak-bag[553] of guts, that roasted Manningtree ox[554] with    1435

the pudding in his belly, that reverend vice[555], that

grey iniquity[556], that father ruffian, that vanity in

years? Wherein is he good, but to taste sack and

drink it? wherein neat and cleanly, but to carve a

capon and eat it? wherein cunning, but in craft[557]?             1440

wherein crafty, but in villany? wherein villanous,

but in all things? wherein worthy, but in nothing?

 

Falstaff. I would your grace would take me with you[558]: whom

means your grace?

 

Henry V. That villanous abominable misleader of youth[559], 1445

Falstaff, that old white-bearded Satan.

 

Falstaff. My lord, the man I know.

 

Henry V. I know thou dost.

 

Falstaff. But to say I know more harm in him than in myself,

were to say more than I know. That he is old, the               1450

more the pity, his white hairs do witness it; but

that he is, saving your reverence, a whoremaster[560],

that I utterly deny. If sack and sugar be a fault,

God help the wicked! if to be old and merry be a

sin, then many an old host that I know is damned: if          1455

to be fat be to be hated, then Pharaoh’s lean kine[561]

are to be loved. No, my good lord; banish Peto,

banish Bardolph, banish Poins[562]: but for sweet Jack

Falstaff, kind Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff,

valiant Jack Falstaff, and therefore more valiant,               1460

being, as he is, old Jack Falstaff, banish not him

thy Harry’s company, banish not him thy Harry’s

company: banish plump Jack, and banish all the world.

 

Henry V. I do, I will[563].

[A knocking heard]

[Exeunt Hostess, FRANCIS, and BARDOLPH]

[Re-enter BARDOLPH, running]

 

Lord Bardolph. O, my lord, my lord! the sheriff with a most

monstrous watch[564] is at the door.

 

Falstaff. Out, ye rogue! Play out the play: I have much to 1470

say in the behalf of that Falstaff[565].

 

[Re-enter the Hostess]

 

Hostess Quickly. O Jesu, my lord, my lord!

 

Henry V. Heigh, heigh! the devil rides upon a fiddlestick:

what’s the matter?                                                               1475

 

Hostess Quickly. The sheriff and all the watch are at the door: they

are come to search the house. Shall I let them in?

 

Falstaff. Dost thou hear, Hal? never call a true piece of

gold a counterfeit[566]: thou art essentially mad,

without seeming so[567].                                                         1480

Henry V. And thou a natural coward, without instinct.

 

Falstaff. I deny your major[568]: if you will deny the sheriff,

so[569]; if not, let him enter: if I become not a cart

as well as another man[570], a plague on my bringing up!

I hope I shall as soon be strangled with a halter[571] as another. 1485

 

Henry V. Go, hide thee behind the arras[572]: the rest walk up

above[573]. Now, my masters, for a true face and good

conscience[574].

 

Falstaff. Both which I have had: but their date is out[575], and

therefore I’ll hide me.                                                         1490

 

Henry V. Call in the sheriff.

 

[Exeunt all except PRINCE HENRY and PETO]

[Enter Sheriff and the Carrier]

Now, master sheriff, what is your will with me?

 

Sheriff. First, pardon me, my lord. A hue and cry               1495

Hath follow’d certain men unto this house.

 

Henry V. What men?

 

Sheriff. One of them is well known, my gracious lord,

A gross fat man.

 

Carrier. As fat as butter.                                                     1500

 

Henry V. The man, I do assure you, is not here;

For I myself at this time have employ’d him.

And, sheriff, I will engage my word to thee

That I will, by to-morrow dinner-time,

Send him to answer thee, or any man,                                1505

For any thing he shall be charged withal:

And so let me entreat you leave the house.

 

Sheriff. I will, my lord. There are two gentlemen

Have in this robbery lost three hundred marks.

 

Henry V. It may be so: if he have robb’d these men,         1510

He shall be answerable; and so farewell.

 

Sheriff. Good night, my noble lord.

 

Henry V. I think it is good morrow, is it not?

 

Sheriff. Indeed, my lord, I think it be two o’clock.

 

[Exeunt Sheriff and Carrier]

 

Henry V. This oily rascal is known as well as Paul’s[576]. Go,

call him forth.

 

Peto. Falstaff!—Fast asleep behind the arras, and

snorting like a horse.

 

Henry V. Hark, how hard he fetches breath. Search his pockets.

                                                                                           1520

[He searcheth his pockets, and findeth certain papers]

 

What hast thou found?

 

Peto. Nothing but papers, my lord.

 

Henry V. Let’s see what they be: read them.

 

Peto. [Reads] Item, A capon,. . 2s. 2d.                               1525

Item, Sauce,. . . 4d.

Item, Sack, two gallons, 5s. 8d.

Item, Anchovies and sack after supper, 2s. 6d.

Item, Bread, ob.

 

Henry V. O monstrous! but one half-penny-worth of bread to 1530

this intolerable deal of sack! What there is else,

keep close; we’ll read it at more advantage: there

let him sleep till day. I’ll to the court in the

morning. We must all to the wars, and thy place

shall be honourable. I’ll procure this fat rogue a                 1535

charge of foot; and I know his death will be a

march of twelve-score[577]. The money shall be paid

back again with advantage[578]^,[579]. Be with me betimes[580] in

the morning; and so, good morrow, Peto.

 

[Exeunt]

 

Peto. Good morrow, good my lord.                                    1540

 

 

Third Act

 

Act III Scene 1

Bangor. The Archdeacon’s house.

[Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, MORTIMER, and GLENDOWER]

 

Mortimer. These promises are fair[581], the parties sure[582],

And our induction[583] full of prosperous hope.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Lord Mortimer, and cousin Glendower,

                                                                                           1545

Will you sit down?

And uncle Worcester: a plague upon it!

I have forgot the map.

 

Glendower. No, here it is.

Sit, cousin Percy; sit, good cousin Hotspur,                         1550

For by that name as oft as Lancaster[584]

Doth speak of you, his cheek looks pale and with

A rising sigh he wisheth you in heaven.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). And you in hell, as oft as he hears Owen Glendower spoke of.

 

Glendower. I cannot blame him: at my nativity[585]              1555

The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes,

Of burning cressets[586]; and at my birth

The frame and huge foundation of the earth

Shaked like a coward.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, so it would have done at the same season, if           1560

your mother’s cat had but kittened, though yourself

had never been born.

 

Glendower. I say the earth did shake when I was born.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). And I say the earth was not of my mind,

If you suppose as fearing you it shook.                              1565

 

Glendower. The heavens were all on fire, the earth did tremble.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). O, then the earth shook to see the heavens on fire,

And not in fear of your nativity.

Diseased nature oftentimes breaks forth

In strange eruptions; oft the teeming earth                          1570

Is with a kind of colic[587] pinch’d and vex’d

By the imprisoning of unruly wind

Within her womb; which, for enlargement striving[588],

Shakes the old beldam[589] earth and topples down

Steeples and moss-grown towers. At your birth                   1575

Our grandam earth, having this distemperature[590],

In passion shook.

 

Glendower. Cousin, of many men

I do not bear these crossings[591]. Give me leave

To tell you once again that at my birth                                1580

The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes,

The goats ran from the mountains, and the herds

Were strangely clamorous[592] to the frighted fields[593].

These signs have mark’d me extraordinary;

And all the courses of my life do show                              1585

I am not in the roll[594] of common men.

Where is he living, clipp’d in with the sea

That chides[595] the banks of England, Scotland, Wales,

Which calls me pupil[596], or hath read to me[597]?

And bring him out that is but woman’s son[598]                     1590

Can trace[599] me in the tedious ways of art[600]

And hold me pace[601] in deep experiments[602].

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I think there’s no man speaks better Welsh[603]. I’ll to dinner.

 

Mortimer. Peace, cousin Percy; you will make him mad.   1595

 

Glendower. I can call spirits[604] from the vasty[605] deep[606].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why, so can I, or so can any man;

But will they come when you do call for them?

 

Glendower. Why, I can teach you, cousin, to command

The devil.                                                                            1600

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). And I can teach thee, coz, to shame the devil

By telling truth[607]: tell truth and shame the devil.

If thou have power to raise him, bring him hither,

And I’ll be sworn I have power to shame him hence.

O, while you live, tell truth and shame the devil!                1605

 

Mortimer. Come, come, no more of this unprofitable chat.

 

Glendower. Three times hath Henry Bolingbroke made head

Against my power; thrice from the banks of Wye[608]

And sandy-bottom’d Severn[609] have I sent him

Bootless[610] home and weather-beaten back[611].                    1610

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Home without boots[612], and in foul weather too!

How ’scapes he agues[613], in the devil’s name?

 

Glendower. Come, here’s the map: shall we divide our right[614]

According to our threefold order ta’en[615]?

 

Mortimer. The archdeacon hath divided it                         1615

Into three limits very equally:

England, from Trent[616] and Severn hitherto,

By south and east is to my part assign’d:

All westward, Wales beyond the Severn shore,

And all the fertile land within that bound[617],                       1620

To Owen Glendower: and, dear coz, to you

The remnant[618] northward, lying off from Trent.

And our indentures[619] tripartite[620] are drawn;

Which being sealed interchangeably[621],

A business that this night may execute[622],                           1625

To-morrow, cousin Percy, you and I

And my good Lord of Worcester will set forth[623]

To meet your father and the Scottish power,

As is appointed us, at Shrewsbury.

My father Glendower[624] is not ready yet,                            1630

Nor shall we need his help these fourteen days.

Within that space you may have drawn together[625]

Your tenants[626], friends and neighbouring gentlemen.

 

Glendower. A shorter time shall send me to you, lords[627]:

And in my conduct shall your ladies come[628];                    1635

From whom you now must steal[629] and take no leave[630],

For there will be a world of water shed

Upon the parting of your wives and you.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Methinks my moiety[631], north from Burton[632] here,

In quantity equals not one of yours:                                   1640

See how this river comes me cranking[633] in,

And cuts me from the best of all my land

A huge half-moon, a monstrous cantle[634] out[635].

I’ll have the current in this place damm’d up[636];

And here the smug and silver[637] Trent shall run                  1645

In a new channel, fair and evenly;

It shall not wind with such a deep indent,

To rob me of so rich a bottom[638] here.

 

Glendower. Not wind? it shall, it must; you see it doth[639].

 

Mortimer. Yea, but                                                             1650

Mark how he bears his course, and runs me up

With like advantage on the other side[640];

Gelding[641] the opposed continent[642] as much

As on the other side it takes from you.

 

Earl of Worcester. Yea, but a little charge[643] will trench him[644] here            1655

And on this north side win this cape of land[645];

And then he runs straight and even[646].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I’ll have it so: a little charge will do it.

 

Glendower. I’ll not have it alter’d.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Will not you?                              1660

 

Glendower. No, nor you shall not.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Who shall say me nay?

 

Glendower. Why, that will I.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Let me not understand you, then; speak it in Welsh.

 

Glendower. I can speak English, lord, as well as you;        1665

For I was train’d up in the English court;

Where, being but young, I framed to the harp

Many an English ditty lovely well

And gave the tongue a helpful ornament,

A virtue that was never seen in you.                                   1670

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Marry,

And I am glad of it with all my heart:

I had rather be a kitten and cry mew

Than one of these same metre ballad-mongers;

I had rather hear a brazen canstick turn’d,                          1675

Or a dry wheel grate on the axle-tree;

And that would set my teeth nothing on edge,

Nothing so much as mincing poetry:

’tis like the forced gait of a shuffling nag.

 

Glendower. Come, you shall have Trent turn’d.                 1680

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I do not care: I’ll give thrice so much land

To any well-deserving friend;

But in the way of bargain, mark ye me,

I’ll cavil on the ninth part of a hair.

Are the indentures drawn? shall we be gone?                     1685

 

Glendower. The moon shines fair; you may away by night:

I’ll haste the writer and withal

Break with your wives of your departure hence:

I am afraid my daughter will run mad,

So much she doteth on her Mortimer.                                 1690

 

[Exit GLENDOWER]

Mortimer. Fie, cousin Percy! how you cross my father!

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I cannot choose: sometime he angers me

With telling me of the mouldwarp[647] and the ant,

Of the dreamer Merlin[648] and his prophecies[649],                  1695

And of a dragon and a finless fish,

A clip-wing’d griffin[650] and a moulten raven[651],

A couching lion and a ramping cat[652],

And such a deal of skimble-skamble[653] stuff

As puts me from my faith[654]. I tell you what;                      1700

He held me last night at least nine hours[655]

In reckoning up[656] the several devils’ names

That were his lackeys: I cried ‘hum,’ and ‘well, go to,’

But mark’d him not a word. O, he is as tedious

As a tired horse, a railing[657] wife;                                        1705

Worse than a smoky house: I had rather live

With cheese and garlic in a windmill, far,

Than feed on cates[658] and have him talk to me

In any summer-house[659] in Christendom[660].

Mortimer. In faith, he is a worthy gentleman,                      1710

Exceedingly well read, and profited[661]

In strange[662] concealments[663], valiant as a lion

And as wondrous affable and as bountiful

As mines of India[664]. Shall I tell you, cousin?

He holds your temper[665] in a high respect                           1715

And curbs himself even of his natural scope[666]

When you come ’cross his humour; faith, he does:

I warrant you, that man is not alive

Might so have tempted him[667] as you have done,

Without the taste of danger and reproof:                             1720

But do not use it oft, let me entreat you.

 

Earl of Worcester. In faith, my lord, you are too wilful-blame[668];

And since your coming hither have done enough

To put him quite beside his patience[669].

You must needs learn[670], lord, to amend this fault:              1725

Though sometimes it show greatness, courage, blood,—

And that’s the dearest grace it renders you,—

Yet oftentimes it doth present harsh rage,

Defect of manners, want of government[671],

Pride, haughtiness[672], opinion[673] and disdain[674]:                  1730

The least of which haunting a nobleman

Loseth men’s hearts and leaves behind a stain

Upon the beauty of all parts besides,

Beguiling them of commendation[675].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Well, I am school’d[676]: good manners be your speed[677]!   1735

Here come our wives, and let us take our leave.

 

[Re-enter GLENDOWER with the ladies]

 

Mortimer. This is the deadly spite[678] that angers me;

My wife can speak no English, I no Welsh.

 

Glendower. My daughter weeps[679]: she will not part with you; 1740

She’ll be a soldier too, she’ll to the wars[680].

 

Mortimer. Good father, tell her that she and my aunt Percy[681]

Shall follow in your conduct[682] speedily[683].

 

[Glendower speaks to her in Welsh, and she answers him in the same]

 

Glendower. She is desperate here; a peevish self-will’d[684] harlotry[685],

                                                                                           1745

one that no persuasion can do good upon[686].

 

[The lady speaks in Welsh]

 

Mortimer. I understand thy looks: that pretty Welsh

Which thou pour’st down from these swelling heavens

I am too perfect in; and, but for shame,                              1750

In such a parley[687] should I answer thee.

 

[The lady speaks again in Welsh]

 

I understand thy kisses and thou mine,

And that’s a feeling disputation[688]:

But I will never be a truant[689], love,                                    1755

Till I have learned thy language; for thy tongue

Makes Welsh as sweet as ditties highly penn’d[690],

Sung by a fair queen in a summer’s bower[691],

With ravishing[692] division[693], to her lute.

Glendower. Nay, if you melt[694], then will she run mad.      1760

 

[The lady speaks again in Welsh]

 

Mortimer. O, I am ignorance itself in this!

Glendower. She bids you on the wanton rushes[695] lay you down

And rest your gentle head upon her lap,

And she will sing the song that pleaseth you                       1765

And on your eyelids crown the god of sleep[696].

Charming your blood with pleasing heaviness,

Making such difference ’twixt[697] wake and sleep

As is the difference betwixt[698] day and night

The hour before the heavenly-harness’d team[699]                1770

Begins his golden progress in the east[700].

Mortimer. With all my heart I’ll sit and hear her sing:

By that time will our book, I think, be drawn[701].

 

Glendower. Do so;

And those musicians that shall play to you                         1775

Hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence[702],

And straight they shall be here: sit, and attend[703].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Come, Kate, thou art perfect in lying down[704]: come,

quick, quick, that I may lay my head in thy lap.

 

Lady Percy. Go, ye giddy goose[705].                                    1780

 

[The music plays]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Now I perceive the devil understands Welsh[706];

And ’tis no marvel he is so humorous[707].

By’r lady, he is a good musician.

 

Lady Percy. Then should you be nothing but musical for you are

                                                                                           1785

altogether governed by humours[708]. Lie still, ye thief[709],

and hear the lady sing in Welsh.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I had rather hear Lady[710], my brach[711], howl in Irish[712].

 

Lady Percy. Wouldst thou have thy head broken?

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). No.                                              1790

 

Lady Percy. Then be still.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Neither[713]; ’tis a woman’s fault[714].

 

Lady Percy. Now God help thee!

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). To the Welsh lady’s bed.

 

Lady Percy. What’s that?                                                   1795

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Peace! she sings.

 

[Here the lady sings a Welsh song]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Come, Kate, I’ll have your song too[715].

 

Lady Percy. Not mine, in good sooth[716].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Not yours, in good sooth! Heart! you swear[717] like a        1800

comfit-maker’s wife[718]. ‘Not you, in good sooth,’ and

‘as true as I live,’ and ‘as God shall mend me,’ and

‘as sure as day,’

And givest such sarcenet surety[719] for thy oaths,

As if thou never walk’st further than Finsbury[720].               1805

Swear me, Kate, like a lady as thou art,

A good mouth-filling oath[721], and leave ‘in sooth,’[722]

And such protest of pepper-gingerbread[723],

To velvet-guards[724] and Sunday-citizens[725].

Come, sing[726].                                                                     1810

 

Lady Percy. I will not sing.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). ’tis the next way to turn tailor, or be red-breast

teacher[727]. An[728] the indentures be drawn, I’ll away[729]

within these two hours; and so, come in[730] when ye will.

 

[Exit] [731]                                                                              1815

 

Glendower. Come, come, Lord Mortimer; you are as slow

As hot Lord Percy is on fire to go.

By this our book is drawn; we’ll but seal[732],

And then to horse immediately.

 

Mortimer. With all my heart.                                              1820

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act III Scene 2

London. The palace.

 

[Enter KING HENRY IV, PRINCE HENRY, and others]

 

Henry IV. Lords, give us leave; the Prince of Wales and I

Must have some private conference; but be near at hand,

For we shall presently[733] have need of you.                        1825

 

[Exeunt Lords]

 

I know not whether God will have it so,

For some displeasing service I have done,

That, in his secret doom, out of my blood

He’ll breed revengement and a scourge for me;                  1830

But thou dost in thy passages of life

Make me believe that thou art only mark’d[734]

For[735] the hot vengeance and the rod of heaven[736]

To punish my mistreadings[737]. Tell me else,

Could such inordinate and low desires,                               1835

Such poor, such bare, such lewd, such mean attempts,

Such barren pleasures, rude society[738],

As thou art match’d withal[739] and grafted to[740],

Accompany the greatness of thy blood[741]

And hold their level with thy princely heart?                      1840

 

Henry V. So please your majesty, I would I could

Quit all offences[742] with as clear excuse

As well as I am doubtless I can purge

Myself of many[743] I am charged withal[744]:

Yet such extenuation[745] let me beg,                                     1845

As, in reproof of many tales devised[746],

which oft the ear of greatness needs must hear[747],

By smiling pick-thanks[748] and base news-mongers[749],

I may, for some things true, wherein my youth

Hath faulty wander’d and irregular,                                    1850

Find pardon on my true submission[750].

 

Henry IV. God pardon thee[751]! yet let me wonder, Harry,

At thy affections, which do hold a wing

Quite from the flight of all thy ancestors[752].

Thy place in council thou hast rudely lost[753].                      1855

Which by thy younger brother is supplied[754],

And art almost an alien to the hearts

Of all the court and princes of my blood:

The hope and expectation of thy time

Is ruin’d[755], and the soul of every man                               1860

Prophetically doth forethink thy fall[756].

Had I so lavish of my presence been[757],

So common-hackney’d in the eyes of men,

So stale and cheap to vulgar company,

Opinion, that did help me to the crown[758],                          1865

Had still kept loyal to possession

And left me in reputeless banishment[759],

A fellow of no mark nor likelihood[760].

By being seldom seen, I could not stir

But like a comet I was wonder’d at[761];                                1870

That men would tell their children ‘This is he;’

Others would say ‘Where, which is Bolingbroke?’

And then I stole all courtesy from heaven[762],

And dress’d myself in such humility[763]

That I did pluck allegiance[764] from men’s hearts,                1875

Loud shouts and salutations from their mouths,

Even in the presence of the crowned king[765].

Thus did I keep my person fresh and new[766];

My presence, like a robe pontifical[767],

Ne’er seen but wonder’d at[768]: and so my state[769],              1880

Seldom but sumptuous[770], showed like a feast

And won by rareness such solemnity.

The skipping king, he ambled[771] up and down

With shallow jesters[772] and rash bavin wits[773],

Soon kindled and soon burnt[774]; carded[775] his state,            1885

Mingled his royalty with capering fools,

Had his great name profaned with their scorns

And gave his countenance, against his name,

To laugh at gibing boys and stand the push

Of every beardless vain comparative,                                 1890

Grew a companion to the common streets[776],

Enfeoff’d[777] himself to popularity[778];

That, being daily swallow’d by men’s eyes[779],

They surfeited with honey[780] and began

To loathe the taste of sweetness, whereof a little                 1895

More than a little is by much too much.

So when he had occasion to be seen,

He was but as the cuckoo is in June,

Heard, not regarded; seen, but with such eyes

As, sick and blunted with community,                                1900

Afford no extraordinary gaze,

Such as is bent on sun-like majesty[781]

When it shines seldom in admiring eyes;

But rather drowzed[782] and hung their eyelids down[783],

Slept in his face and render’d[784] such aspect[785]                   1905

As cloudy men[786] use to their adversaries,

Being with his presence glutted, gorged and full.

And in that very line, Harry, standest thou[787];

For thou has lost thy princely privilege

With vile participation[788]: not an eye                                   1910

But is a-weary of thy common sight,

Save mine, which hath desired to see thee more;

Which now doth that I would not have it do,

Make blind itself with foolish tenderness[789].

 

Henry V. I shall hereafter, my thrice gracious lord,            1915

Be more myself[790].

 

Henry IV. For all the world

As thou art to this hour was Richard then

When I from France set foot at Ravenspurgh[791],

And even as I was then is Percy now[792].                             1920

Now, by my sceptre and my soul to boot[793],

He hath more worthy interest to the state

Than thou the shadow of succession[794];

For of no right, nor colour like to right[795],

He doth fill fields with harness[796] in the realm[797],               1925

Turns head against the lion’s armed jaws[798],

And, being no more in debt to years than thou[799],

Leads ancient lords and reverend bishops on[800]

To bloody battles and to bruising arms.

What never-dying honour hath he got                                 1930

Against renowned Douglas! whose high deeds,

Whose hot incursions and great name in arms

Holds from all soldiers chief majority

And military title capital

Through all the kingdoms that acknowledge Christ[801]:        1935

Thrice hath this Hotspur, Mars[802] in swathling clothes[803],

This infant warrior, in his enterprises

Discomfited great Douglas, ta’en him once[804],

Enlarged him and made a friend of him,

To fill the mouth of deep defiance up                                 1940

And shake the peace and safety of our throne[805].

And what say you to this? Percy, Northumberland,

The Archbishop’s grace of York, Douglas, Mortimer,

Capitulate against us and are up.

But wherefore do I tell these news to thee?                         1945

Why, Harry, do I tell thee of my foes,

Which art my near’st and dearest enemy[806]?

Thou that art like enough[807], through vassal fear,

Base inclination and the start of spleen

To fight against me under Percy’s pay,                                1950

To dog his heels[808] and curtsy at his frowns[809],

To show how much thou art degenerate[810].

 

Henry V. Do not think so; you shall not find it so:

And God forgive them that so much have sway’d

Your majesty’s good thoughts away from me!                    1955

I will redeem all this on Percy’s head

And in the closing of some glorious day

Be bold to tell you that I am your son;

When I will wear a garment all of blood

And stain my favours in a bloody mask,                            1960

Which, wash’d away, shall scour my shame with it:

And that shall be the day, whene’er it lights[811],

That this same child of honour and renown,

This gallant Hotspur, this all-praised knight,

And your unthought-of Harry chance to meet.                   1965

For every honour sitting on his helm[812],

Would they were multitudes[813], and on my head

My shames redoubled! for the time will come,

That I shall make this northern youth exchange

His glorious deeds for my indignities.                                 1970

Percy is but my factor[814], good my lord,

To engross up[815] glorious deeds on my behalf;

And I will call him to so strict account,

That he shall render every glory up,

Yea, even the slightest worship of his time,                         1975

 Or I will tear the reckoning from his heart[816].

This, in the name of God, I promise here:

The which if He be pleased I shall perform[817],

I do beseech your majesty may salve[818]

The long-grown wounds of my intemperance:                    1980

If not, the end of life cancels all bands[819];

And I will die a hundred thousand deaths

Ere break[820] the smallest parcel[821] of this vow.

Henry IV. A hundred thousand rebels die in this:

Thou shalt have charge[822] and sovereign trust[823] herein[824]. 1985

 

[Enter BLUNT]

 

How now, good Blunt? thy looks are full of speed[825].

 

Blunt. So hath the business that I come to speak of[826].

Lord Mortimer of Scotland hath sent word

That Douglas and the English rebels met                             1990

The eleventh of this month at Shrewsbury

A mighty and a fearful head[827] they are,

If promises be kept on every hand[828],

As ever offer’d foul play in the state.

 

Henry IV. The Earl of Westmoreland set forth to-day;       1995

With him my son, Lord John of Lancaster;

For this advertisement[829] is five days old:

On Wednesday next, Harry, you shall set forward;

On Thursday we ourselves will march: our meeting

Is Bridgenorth: and, Harry, you shall march                        2000

Through Gloucestershire; by which account,

Our business valued, some twelve days hence

Our general forces at Bridgenorth shall meet.

Our hands are full of business: let’s away;

Advantage feeds him fat, while men delay[830].                    2005

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act III Scene 3

Eastcheap. The Boar’s-Head Tavern.

 

[Enter FALSTAFF and BARDOLPH]

 

Falstaff. Bardolph, am I not fallen away[831] vilely since this last

action? do I not bate? do I not dwindle? Why my

skin hangs about me like an like an old lady’s loose           2010

gown; I am withered like an old apple-john[832]. Well,

I’ll repent, and that suddenly, while I am in some

liking; I shall be out of heart shortly, and then I

shall have no strength to repent. An I have not

forgotten what the inside of a church is made of[833], I         2015

am a peppercorn, a brewer’s horse[834]: the inside of a

church! Company, villanous company, hath been the

spoil of me.

 

Lord Bardolph. Sir John, you are so fretful, you cannot live long.

 

Falstaff. Why, there is it: come sing me a bawdy song; make 2020

me merry. I was as virtuously given as a gentleman

need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not

above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once

in a quarter—of an hour; paid money that I

borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in                 2025

good compass[835]: and now I live out of all order[836], out

of all compass.

 

Lord Bardolph. Why, you are so fat, Sir John, that you must needs

be out of all compass, out of all reasonable

compass, Sir John.                                                              2030

 

Falstaff. Do thou amend thy face[837], and I’ll amend my life:

thou art our admiral, thou bearest the lantern in

the poop[838], but ’tis in the nose of thee; thou art the

Knight of the Burning Lamp.

 

Lord Bardolph. Why, Sir John, my face does you no harm. 2035

 

Falstaff. No, I’ll be sworn; I make as good use of it as many

a man doth of a Death’s-head or a memento mori[839]: I

never see thy face but I think upon hell-fire and

Dives[840] that lived in purple; for there he is in his

robes, burning, burning. If thou wert any way                    2040

given to virtue, I would swear by thy face; my oath

should be ‘By this fire, that’s God’s angel:’ but

thou art altogether given over[841]; and wert indeed, but

for the light in thy face, the son of utter

darkness. When thou rannest up Gadshill in the                 2045

night to catch my horse, if I did not think thou

hadst been an ignis fatuus[842] or a ball of wildfire,

there’s no purchase in money[843]. O, thou art a

perpetual triumph, an everlasting bonfire-light!

Thou hast saved me a thousand marks[844] in links and         2050

torches[845], walking with thee in the night betwixt

tavern and tavern: but the sack that thou hast

drunk me[846] would have bought me lights[847] as good cheap

at the dearest chandler’s[848] in Europe. I have

maintained that salamander[849] of yours with fire[850] any      2055

time this two and thirty years; God reward me for

it!

 

Lord Bardolph. ’Sblood, I would my face were in your belly!

 

Falstaff. God-a-mercy! so should I be sure to be heart-burned.

[Enter Hostess]                                                                   2060

How now, Dame Partlet the hen[851]! have you inquired

yet who picked my pocket?

 

Hostess Quickly. Why, Sir John, what do you think, Sir John? do you

think I keep thieves in my house? I have searched,

I have inquired, so has my husband, man by man, boy      2065

by boy, servant by servant: the tithe of a hair

was never lost in my house before[852].

 

Falstaff. Ye lie, hostess: Bardolph was shaved and lost many

a hair; and I’ll be sworn my pocket was picked. Go

to, you are a woman, go.                                                     2070

Hostess Quickly. Who, I? no; I defy thee: God’s light, I was never

called so in mine own house before.

 

Falstaff. Go to, I know you well enough.

 

Hostess Quickly. No, Sir John; You do not know me, Sir John. I know

you, Sir John: you owe me money, Sir John; and now        2075

you pick a quarrel to beguile me of it[853]: I bought

you a dozen of shirts to your back.

 

Falstaff. Dowlas[854], filthy dowlas: I have given them away to

bakers’ wives, and they have made bolters[855] of them.

 

Hostess Quickly. Now, as I am a true woman, holland[856] of eight     2080

shillings[857] an ell[858]. You owe money here besides, Sir

John, for your diet and by-drinkings[859], and money lent

you, four and twenty pound[860].

 

Falstaff. He had his part of it; let him pay[861].

 

Hostess Quickly. He? alas, he is poor; he hath nothing.     2085

 

Falstaff. How! poor? look upon his face; what call you rich?

let them coin his nose, let them coin his cheeks:

I’ll not pay a denier[862]. What, will you make a younker[863]

of me? shall I not take mine case in mine inn but I

shall have my pocket picked? I have lost a                         2090

seal-ring of my grandfather’s worth forty mark[864].

 

Hostess Quickly. O Jesu, I have heard the prince tell him, I know not how oft, that ring was copper!

 

Falstaff. How! the prince is a Jack[865], a sneak-cup[866]: ’sblood, an

he were here, I would cudgel[867] him like a dog, if he          2095

would say so[868].

 

[Enter PRINCE HENRY and PETO, marching, and FALSTAFF meets them playing on his truncheon like a fife]

 

How now, lad! is the wind in that door, i’ faith?

must we all march?                                                             2100

 

Lord Bardolph. Yea, two and two, Newgate fashion[869].

 

Hostess Quickly. My lord, I pray you, hear me.

 

Henry V. What sayest thou, Mistress Quickly? How doth thy

husband? I love him well; he is an honest man.

 

Hostess Quickly. Good my lord, hear me.                          2105

 

Falstaff. Prithee[870], let her alone[871], and list[872] to me.

 

Henry V. What sayest thou, Jack?

 

Falstaff. The other night I fell asleep here behind the arras[873]

and had my pocket picked: this house is turned

bawdy-house[874]; they pick pockets.                                    2110

 

Henry V. What didst thou lose, Jack?

 

Falstaff. Wilt thou believe me, Hal? three or four bonds[875] of

forty pound apiece[876], and a seal-ring[877] of my

grandfather’s.

 

Henry V. A trifle, some eight-penny matter.                        2115

 

Hostess Quickly. So I told him, my lord; and I said I heard your

grace[878] say so: and, my lord, he speaks most vilely

of you, like a foul-mouthed man as he is; and said

he would cudgel you.

 

Henry V. What! he did not?                                                2120

 

Hostess Quickly. There’s neither faith, truth, nor womanhood in me else.

 

Falstaff. There’s no more faith in thee than in a stewed

prune; nor no more truth in thee than in a drawn

fox; and for womanhood, Maid Marian may be the

deputy’s wife of the ward to thee. Go, you thing,               2125

go.

Hostess Quickly. Say, what thing? what thing?

 

Falstaff. What thing! why, a thing to thank God on.

 

Hostess Quickly. I am no thing to thank God on, I would thou

shouldst know it; I am an honest man’s wife: and,              2130

setting thy knighthood aside, thou art a knave to

call me so.

 

Falstaff. Setting thy womanhood aside, thou art a beast to say

otherwise.

 

Hostess Quickly. Say, what beast, thou knave, thou?         2135

 

Falstaff. What beast! why, an otter.

 

Henry V. An otter, Sir John! Why an otter?

 

Falstaff. Why, she’s neither fish nor flesh; a man knows not

where to have her.

 

Hostess Quickly. Thou art an unjust man in saying so: thou or any

man knows where to have me, thou knave, thou!

 

Henry V. Thou sayest true, hostess; and he slanders thee most grossly.

 

Hostess Quickly. So he doth you, my lord; and said this other day you ought[879] him a thousand pound.

 

Henry V. Sirrah, do I owe you a thousand pound?             2145

 

Falstaff. A thousand pound, Ha! a million: thy love is worth

a million: thou owest me thy love.

 

Hostess Quickly. Nay, my lord, he called you Jack, and said he would cudgel you.

 

Falstaff. Did I, Bardolph?                                                   2150

 

Lord Bardolph. Indeed, Sir John, you said so.

 

Falstaff. Yea, if he said my ring was copper.

 

Henry V. I say ’tis copper: darest thou be as good as thy word now?

 

Falstaff. Why, Hal, thou knowest, as thou art but man, I dare:

but as thou art prince, I fear thee as I fear the                     2155

roaring of a lion’s whelp.

 

Henry V. And why not as the lion?

 

Falstaff. The king is to be feared as the lion: dost thou

think I’ll fear thee as I fear thy father? nay, an

I do[880], I pray God my girdle break.                                    2160

 

Henry V. O, if it should, how would thy guts fall about thy

knees! But, sirrah, there’s no room for faith,

truth, nor honesty in this bosom of thine; it is all

filled up with guts and midriff. Charge an honest

woman with picking thy pocket! why, thou whoreson,       2165

impudent, embossed[881] rascal, if there were anything in

thy pocket but tavern-reckonings, memorandums of

bawdy-houses, and one poor penny-worth of

sugar-candy to make thee long-winded[882], if thy pocket

were enriched with any other injuries but these[883], I           2170

am a villain: and yet you will stand to it[884]; you will

not pocket up wrong[885]: art thou not ashamed?

 

Falstaff. Dost thou hear, Hal? thou knowest in the state of

innocency Adam fell[886]; and what should poor Jack

Falstaff do in the days of villany? Thou seest I                  2175

have more flesh than another man, and therefore more

frailty[887]. You confess then, you picked my pocket[888]?

Henry V. It appears so by the story[889].

 

Falstaff. Hostess, I forgive thee[890]: go, make ready breakfast;

love thy husband, look to thy servants, cherish thy            2180

guests: thou shalt find me tractable to any honest

reason[891]: thou seest I am pacified still. Nay,

prithee, be gone.

 

[Exit Hostess]

 

Now Hal, to the news at court: for the robbery,                  2185

lad, how is that answered[892]?

 

Henry V. O, my sweet beef[893], I must still be good angel to

thee: the money is paid back again.

 

Falstaff. O, I do not like that paying back; ’tis a double labour[894].

 

Henry V. I am good friends with my father and may do any thing[895].          2190

Falstaff. Rob me the exchequer the first thing thou doest[896], and

do it with unwashed hands too[897].

 

Lord Bardolph. Do, my lord.

 

Henry V. I have procured thee, Jack, a charge of foot[898].

 

Falstaff. I would it had been of horse[899]. Where shall I find 2195

one[900] that can steal well? O for a fine thief, of the

age of two and twenty or thereabouts! I am

heinously unprovided. Well, God be thanked for

these rebels[901], they offend none but the virtuous[902]: I

laud them, I praise them.                                                     2200

 

Henry V. Bardolph!

 

Lord Bardolph. My lord?

 

Henry V. Go bear this letter to Lord John of Lancaster, to my

brother John; this to my Lord of Westmoreland.

 

[Exit Bardolph]                                                                   2205

 

Go, Peto, to horse, to horse; for thou and I have

thirty miles to ride yet ere dinner time[903].

 

[Exit Peto]

 

Jack, meet me to-morrow in the temple hall at two

o’clock in the afternoon.                                                     2210

There shalt thou know thy charge[904]; and there receive

Money and order for their furniture[905].

The land is burning; Percy stands on high;

And either we or they must lower lie.

 

[Exit PRINCE HENRY]

 

Falstaff. Rare words[906]! brave world[907]! Hostess, my breakfast, come!

O, I could wish this tavern were my drum[908]!

 

[Exit]

 

Fourth Act

 

Act IV Scene 1

The rebel camp near Shrewsbury.

 

[Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, and DOUGLAS]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Well said, my noble Scot: if speaking truth

                                                                                           2220

In this fine age were not thought flattery,

Such attribution[909] should the Douglas have,

As not a soldier of this season’s stamp[910]

Should go so general current[911] through the world.

By God, I cannot flatter; I do defy                                      2225

The tongues of soothers[912]; but a braver place

In my heart’s love hath no man than yourself:

Nay, task me to my word; approve me, lord.

 

Earl of Douglas. Thou art the king of honour:

No man so potent[913] breathes upon the ground[914]               2230

But I will beard him[915].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Do so[916], and ’tis well.

[Enter a Messenger with letters]

 

What letters hast thou there?—I can but thank you.

 

Messenger. These letters come from your father.               2235

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Letters from him! why comes he not himself?

 

Messenger. He cannot come, my lord; he is grievous sick.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). ’Zounds! how has he the leisure to be sick

In such a rustling[917] time? Who leads his power[918]?

Under whose government[919] come they along?                   2240

 

Messenger. His letters bear his mind[920], not I, my lord.

 

Earl of Worcester. I prithee, tell me, doth he keep his bed?

 

Messenger. He did, my lord, four days ere I set forth[921];

And at the time of my departure thence

He was much fear’d[922] by his physicians.                           2245

 

Earl of Worcester. I would the state of time had first been whole[923]

Ere he by sickness had been visited:

His health was never better worth than now[924].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Sick now! droop now! this sickness doth infect

The very life-blood of our enterprise[925];                             2250

’tis catching hither, even to our camp.

He writes me here, that inward sickness—

And that his friends by deputation could not

So soon be drawn[926], nor did he think it meet[927]

To lay so dangerous and dear a trust                                   2255

On any soul removed but on his own[928].

Yet doth he give us bold advertisement[929],

That with our small conjunction we should on[930],

To see how fortune is disposed to us;

For, as he writes, there is no quailing now.                          2260

Because the king is certainly possess’d

Of all our purposes. What say you to it?

 

Earl of Worcester. Your father’s sickness is a maim to us.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). A perilous gash, a very limb lopp’d off:

And yet, in faith, it is not; his present want                         2265

Seems more than we shall find it[931]: were it good

To set the exact wealth of all our states

All at one cast[932]? to set so rich a main

On the nice hazard of one doubtful hour[933]?

It were not good; for therein should we read                       2270

The very bottom and the soul of hope,

The very list[934], the very utmost bound

Of all our fortunes[935].

 

Earl of Douglas. ’Faith, and so we should[936];

Where now remains a sweet reversion[937]:                           2275

We may boldly spend upon the hope of what

Is to come in[938]:

A comfort of retirement lives in this[939].

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). A rendezvous, a home to fly unto.

If that the devil and mischance look big                             2280

Upon the maidenhead of our affairs[940].

Earl of Worcester. But yet I would[941] your father had been here.

The quality and hair of our attempt[942]

Brooks no division[943]: it will be thought

By some, that know not why he is away,                            2285

That wisdom, loyalty and mere dislike

Of our proceedings kept the earl from hence[944]:

And think how such an apprehension

May turn the tide of fearful faction

And breed a kind of question in our cause;                        2290

For well you know we of the offering side[945]

Must keep aloof from strict arbitrement[946],

And stop all sight-holes[947], every loop from whence

The eye of reason may pry in upon us:

This absence of your father’s draws a curtain[948],                2295

That shows the ignorant a kind of fear

Before not dreamt of.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). You strain too far.

I rather of his absence make this use:

It lends a lustre and more great opinion,                             2300

A larger dare to our great enterprise,

Than if the earl were here; for men must think,

If we without his help can make a head

To push against a kingdom, with his help

We shall o’erturn it topsy-turvy down.                                2305

Yet all goes well, yet all our joints are whole.

 

Earl of Douglas. As heart can think: there is not such a word

Spoke of in Scotland as this term of fear.

 

[Enter SIR RICHARD VERNON]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). My cousin Vernon, welcome, by my soul. 2310

 

Vernon. Pray God my news be worth a welcome, lord.

The Earl of Westmoreland, seven thousand strong,

Is marching hitherwards; with him Prince John.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). No harm: what more?

 

Vernon. And further, I have learn’d,                                   2315

The king himself in person is set forth,

Or hitherwards intended speedily,

With strong and mighty preparation.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). He shall be welcome too. Where is his son,

The nimble-footed madcap Prince of Wales,                      2320

And his comrades, that daff’d the world aside,

And bid it pass?

Vernon. All furnish’d, all in arms;

All plumed like estridges that with the wind

Baited like eagles having lately bathed;                               2325

Glittering in golden coats, like images;

As full of spirit as the month of May,

And gorgeous as the sun at midsummer;

Wanton as youthful goats, wild as young bulls.

I saw young Harry, with his beaver[949] on,                           2330

His cuisses[950] on his thighs, gallantly arm’d

Rise from the ground like feather’d Mercury[951],

And vaulted with such ease into his seat,

As if an angel dropp’d down from the clouds,

To turn and wind a fiery Pegasus[952]                                    2335

And witch[953] the world with noble horsemanship.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). No more, no more: worse than the sun in March,

This praise doth nourish agues[954]. Let them come:

They come like sacrifices in their trim[955],

And to the fire-eyed maid of smoky war                            2340

All hot and bleeding will we offer them:

The mailed Mars[956] shall on his altar sit

Up to the ears in blood. I am on fire

To hear this rich reprisal is so nigh

And yet not ours. Come, let me taste my horse,                  2345

Who is to bear me like a thunderbolt[957]

Against the bosom of the Prince of Wales:

Harry to Harry shall, hot horse to horse,

Meet and ne’er part till one drop down a corse[958].

O that Glendower were come!                                            2350

 

Vernon. There is more news:

I learn’d in Worcester, as I rode along,

He cannot draw his power this fourteen days[959].

 

Earl of Douglas. That’s the worst tidings that I hear of yet[960].

 

Earl of Worcester. Ay, by my faith, that bears a frosty sound. 2355

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). What may the king’s whole battle reach unto?

 

Vernon. To thirty thousand.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Forty let it be:

My father and Glendower being both away,

The powers of us may serve so great a day.                        2360

Come, let us take a muster speedily:

Doomsday[961] is near; die all, die merrily[962].

Earl of Douglas. Talk not of dying: I am out of fear

Of death or death’s hand for this one-half year.

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act IV Scene 2

A public road near Coventry.

[Enter FALSTAFF and BARDOLPH]

 

Falstaff. Bardolph, get thee before to Coventry; fill me a

bottle of sack: our soldiers shall march through;

we’ll to Sutton Co’fil’ tonight.

 

Lord Bardolph. Will you give me money, captain?            2370

 

Falstaff. Lay out, lay out.

 

Lord Bardolph. This bottle makes an angel[963].

 

Falstaff. An if it do, take it for thy labour[964]; and if it make

twenty, take them all; I’ll answer the coinage[965]. Bid

my lieutenant Peto meet me at town’s end.                         2375

 

Lord Bardolph. I will, captain: farewell.

 

[Exit]

 

Falstaff. If I be not ashamed of my soldiers, I am a soused[966]

gurnet[967]. I have misused the king’s press damnably.

I have got, in exchange of a hundred and fifty                   2380

soldiers, three hundred and odd pounds. I press me

none but good house-holders, yeoman’s sons[968]; inquire

me out contracted bachelors, such as had been asked

twice on the banns[969]; such a commodity of warm slaves,

as had as lieve[970] hear the devil as a drum[971]; such as         2385

fear the report of a caliver[972] worse than a struck

fowl or a hurt wild-duck. I pressed me none but such

toasts-and-butter[973], with hearts in their bellies no

bigger than pins’ heads, and they have bought out

their services; and now my whole charge consists of          2390

ancients, corporals, lieutenants, gentlemen of

companies[974], slaves as ragged as Lazarus in the

painted cloth[975], where the glutton’s dogs licked his

sores; and such as indeed were never soldiers, but

discarded unjust serving-men[976], younger sons to               2395

younger brothers, revolted tapsters[977] and ostlers

trade-fallen[978], the cankers of a calm world and a

long peace, ten times more dishonourable ragged than

an old faced ancient: and such have I, to fill up

the rooms of them that have bought out their                      2400

services, that you would think that I had a hundred

and fifty tattered prodigals lately come from

swine-keeping, from eating draff and husks[979]. A mad

fellow met me on the way and told me I had unloaded

all the gibbets and pressed the dead bodies. No eye            2405

hath seen such scarecrows. I’ll not march through

Coventry with them, that’s flat[980]: nay, and the

villains march wide betwixt the legs, as if they had

gyves[981] on; for indeed I had the most of them out of

prison. There’s but a shirt and a half in all my                    2410

company; and the half shirt is two napkins tacked

together and thrown over the shoulders like an

herald’s coat without sleeves; and the shirt, to say

the truth, stolen from my host at Saint Alban’s, or

the red-nose innkeeper of Daventry[982]. But that’s all          2415

one; they’ll find linen enough on every hedge[983].

 

[Enter the PRINCE and WESTMORELAND]

 

Henry V. How now, blown[984] Jack! how now, quilt[985]!

 

Falstaff. What, Hal! how now, mad wag! what a devil dost thou

in Warwickshire? My good Lord of Westmoreland, I          2420

cry you mercy: I thought your honour had already been

at Shrewsbury[986].

 

Earl of Westmoreland. Faith, Sir John,’tis more than time that I were

there, and you too; but my powers are there already.

The king, I can tell you, looks for us all: we must               2425

away[987] all night.

 

Falstaff. Tut, never fear me: I am as vigilant[988] as a cat to

steal cream.

 

Henry V. I think, to steal cream indeed, for thy theft hath

already made thee butter. But tell me, Jack, whose             2430

fellows are these that come after?

 

Falstaff. Mine, Hal, mine.

 

Henry V. I did never see such pitiful rascals.

 

Falstaff. Tut, tut; good enough to toss[989]; food for powder, food

for powder[990]; they’ll fill a pit as well as better[991]:              2435

tush, man, mortal men, mortal men[992].

 

Earl of Westmoreland. Ay, but, Sir John, methinks they are exceeding poor

and bare, too beggarly.

 

Falstaff. ’Faith, for their poverty, I know not where they had

that; and for their bareness, I am sure they never                2440

learned that of me[993].

 

Henry V. No I’ll be sworn; unless you call three fingers on

the ribs bare[994]. But, sirrah, make haste: Percy is

already in the field.

 

Falstaff. What, is the king encamped?                                2445

 

Earl of Westmoreland. He is, Sir John: I fear we shall stay too long[995].

 

Falstaff. Well,

To the latter end of a fray and the beginning of a feast[996]

Fits a dull fighter and a keen guest[997].

 

[Exeunt]

 

 

Act IV Scene 3

The rebel camp near Shrewsbury.

[Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, DOUGLAS, and VERNON]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). We’ll fight with him to-night.

 

Earl of Worcester. It may not be.

 

Earl of Douglas. You give him then the advantage[998].

 

Vernon. Not a whit.                                                            2455

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Why say you so? looks he not for supply[999]?

 

Vernon. So do we.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). His is certain, ours is doubtful.

 

Earl of Worcester. Good cousin, be advised; stir not tonight.

 

Vernon. Do not, my lord.                                                   2460

 

Earl of Douglas. You do not counsel well:

You speak it out of fear and cold heart.

 

Vernon. Do me no slander, Douglas: by my life,

And I dare well maintain it with my life,

If well-respected honour bid me on,                                   2465

I hold as little counsel with weak fear

As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives:

Let it be seen to-morrow in the battle

Which of us fears.

 

Earl of Douglas. Yea, or to-night.                                       2470

 

Vernon. Content.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). To-night, say I.

 

Vernon. Come, come it may not be. I wonder much,

Being men of such great leading[1000] as you are,

That you foresee not what impediments                             2475

Drag back our expedition: certain horse

Of my cousin Vernon’s are not yet come up:

Your uncle Worcester’s horse came but today[1001];

And now their pride and mettle is asleep,

Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,                    2480

That not a horse is half the half of himself.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). So are the horses of the enemy

In general, journey-bated[1002] and brought low:

The better part of ours are full of rest.

 

Earl of Worcester. The number of the king exceedeth ours: 2485

For God’s sake. cousin, stay till all come in[1003].

 

[The trumpet sounds a parley]

[Enter SIR WALTER BLUNT]

 

Blunt. I come with gracious offers from the king,

if you vouchsafe me hearing and respect[1004].                      2490

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God

You were of our determination[1005]!

Some of us love you well; and even those some

Envy your great deservings and good name,

Because you are not of our quality[1006],                               2495

But stand against us like an enemy[1007].

 

Blunt. And God defend but still I should stand so,

So long as out of limit and true rule

You stand against anointed majesty.

But to my charge[1008]. The king hath sent to know               2500

The nature of your griefs, and whereupon

You conjure from the breast of civil peace

Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land

Audacious cruelty. If that the king

Have any way your good deserts forgot,                             2505

Which he confesseth to be manifold,

He bids you name your griefs; and with all speed

You shall have your desires with interest

And pardon absolute for yourself and these

Herein misled by your suggestion.                                      2510

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). The king is kind; and well we know the king

Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.

My father and my uncle and myself

Did give him that same royalty he wears;

And when he was not six and twenty strong,                      2515

Sick in the world’s regard, wretched and low,

A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home[1009],

My father gave him welcome to the shore;

And when he heard him swear and vow to God

He came but to be Duke of Lancaster,                                2520

To sue his livery[1010] and beg his peace,

With tears of innocency and terms of zeal,

My father, in kind heart and pity moved,

Swore him assistance and perform’d it too.

Now when the lords and barons of the realm                      2525

Perceived Northumberland did lean to him[1011],

The more and less came in with cap and knee[1012];

Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,

Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,

Laid gifts before him, proffer’d him their oaths,                2530

Gave him their heirs, as pages[1013] follow’d him

Even at the heels in golden multitudes.

He presently, as greatness knows itself,

Steps me a little higher than his vow[1014]

Made to my father, while his blood was poor[1015],               2535

Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurgh[1016];

And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform[1017]

Some certain edicts and some strait decrees[1018]

That lie too heavy on the commonwealth[1019],

Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep                                2540

Over his country’s wrongs; and by this face,

This seeming brow of justice[1020], did he win

The hearts of all that he did angle for[1021];

Proceeded further; cut me off the heads[1022]

Of all the favourites that the absent king                             2545

In deputation left behind him here,

When he was personal in the Irish war[1023].

 

Blunt. Tut, I came not to hear this.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Then to the point.

In short time after, he deposed the king;                             2550

Soon after that, deprived him of his life;

And in the neck of that, task’d the whole state:

To make that worse, suffer’d his kinsman March[1024],

Who is, if every owner were well placed,

Indeed his king, to be engaged in Wales,                             2555

There without ransom to lie forfeited;

Disgraced me in my happy victories,

Sought to entrap me by intelligence;

Rated mine uncle from the council-board;

In rage dismiss’d my father from the court;                        2560

Broke oath on oath, committed wrong on wrong,

And in conclusion drove us to seek out

This head of safety; and withal to pry

Into his title[1025], the which we find

Too indirect[1026] for long continuance[1027].                            2565

 

Blunt. Shall I return this answer to the king?

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Not so, Sir Walter: we’ll withdraw awhile.

Go to the king; and let there be impawn’d[1028]

Some surety for a safe return again[1029],

And in the morning early shall my uncle                            2570

Bring him our purposes: and so farewell.

 

Blunt. I would[1030] you would accept of grace and love.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). And may be so we shall[1031].

Blunt. Pray God you do.

 

[Exeunt]

 

Act IV Scene 4

York. The ARCHBISHOP’S palace.

[Enter the ARCHBISHOP and SIR MICHAEL]

 

Archbishop Scroop. Hie[1032], good Sir Michael; bear this sealed brief[1033]

With winged haste[1034] to the lord marshal;

This to my cousin Scroop, and all the rest

To whom they are directed. If you knew                            2580

How much they do import[1035], you would make haste[1036].

 

Sir Michael. My good lord,

I guess their tenor[1037].

 

Archbishop Scroop. Like enough you do[1038].

To-morrow, good Sir Michael, is a day                                2585

Wherein the fortune of ten thousand men

Must bide the touch[1039]; for, sir, at Shrewsbury,

As I am truly given to understand,

The king with mighty and quick-raised power

Meets with Lord Harry: and, I fear, Sir Michael,                 2590

What with the sickness of Northumberland,

Whose power was in the first proportion[1040],

And what with Owen Glendower’s absence thence,

Who with them was a rated sinew[1041] too

And comes not in, o’er-ruled by prophecies[1042],                 2595

I fear the power of Percy is too weak

To wage an instant trial with the king.

 

Sir Michael. Why, my good lord, you need not fear;

There is Douglas and Lord Mortimer.

 

Archbishop Scroop. No, Mortimer is not there.                  2600

Sir Michael. But there is Mordake, Vernon, Lord Harry Percy,

And there is my Lord of Worcester and a head

Of gallant warriors, noble gentlemen.

 

Archbishop Scroop. And so there is: but yet the king hath drawn

The special head of all the land together:                            2605

The Prince of Wales, Lord John of Lancaster,

The noble Westmoreland and warlike Blunt;

And moe corrivals[1043] and dear men[1044]

Of estimation and command in arms.

 

Sir Michael. Doubt not, my lord, they shall be well opposed. 2610

Archbishop Scroop. I hope no less, yet needful ’tis to fear;

And, to prevent the worst, Sir Michael, speed:

For if Lord Percy thrive not, ere the king

Dismiss his power, he means to visit us,

For he hath heard of our confederacy[1045],                           2615

And ’tis but wisdom to make strong against him:

Therefore make haste. I must go write again

To other friends; and so farewell, Sir Michael.

 

[Exeunt]

 

 

Fifth Act

 

Act V Scene 1

KING HENRY IV’s camp near Shrewsbury.

[Enter KING HENRY, PRINCE HENRY, Lord John of LANCASTER, EARL OF WESTMORELAND, SIR WALTER BLUNT, and FALSTAFF]

 

Henry IV. How bloodily the sun[1046] begins to peer

Above yon busky hill[1047]! the day looks pale

At his distemperature[1048].

 

Henry V. The southern wind

Doth play the trumpet to his purposes,                                2625

And by his hollow whistling in the leaves

Foretells a tempest and a blustering day.

 

Henry IV. Then with the losers let it sympathize,

For nothing can seem foul to those that win.

 

[The trumpet sounds]                                                          2630

 

[Enter WORCESTER and VERNON]

 

How now, my Lord of Worcester! ’tis not well

That you and I should meet upon such terms

As now we meet. You have deceived our trust,

And made us doff[1049] our easy robes of peace,                  2635

To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel:

This is not well, my lord, this is not well.

What say you to it? will you again unknit

This churlish knot of[1050] all-abhorred war?

And move in that obedient orb again                                  2640

Where you did give a fair and natural light,

And be no more an exhaled meteor[1051],

A prodigy of fear and a portent

Of broached mischief to the unborn times[1052]?

 

Earl of Worcester. Hear me, my liege:                               2645

For mine own part, I could be well content

To entertain the lag-end[1053] of my life

With quiet hours; for I do protest,

I have not sought the day of this dislike[1054].

 

Henry IV. You have not sought it! how comes it, then?      2650

 

Falstaff. Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.

 

Henry V. Peace, chewet, peace!

 

Earl of Worcester. It pleased your majesty to turn your looks

Of favour from myself and all our house;

And yet I must remember you, my lord,                             2655

We were the first and dearest of your friends.

For you my staff of office did I break

In Richard’s time; and posted day and night

to meet you on the way, and kiss your hand,

When yet you were in place and in account                        2660

Nothing so strong and fortunate as I.

It was myself, my brother and his son,

That brought you home and boldly did outdare

The dangers of the time. You swore to us,

And you did swear that oath at Doncaster,                          2665

That you did nothing purpose ’gainst the state;

Nor claim no further than your new-fall’n right,

The seat of Gaunt, dukedom of Lancaster:

To this we swore our aid. But in short space

It rain’d down fortune showering on your head;                 2670

And such a flood of greatness fell on you,

What with our help, what with the absent king,

What with the injuries of a wanton time,

The seeming sufferances that you had borne,

And the contrarious winds that held the king                      2675

So long in his unlucky Irish wars

That all in England did repute him dead:

And from this swarm of fair advantages

You took occasion to be quickly woo’d

To gripe the general sway into your hand;                           2680

Forget your oath to us at Doncaster;

And being fed by us you used us so

As that ungentle hull, the cuckoo’s bird,

Useth the sparrow; did oppress our nest;

Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk                               2685

That even our love durst not come near your sight

For fear of swallowing; but with nimble wing

We were enforced, for safety sake, to fly

Out of sight and raise this present head[1055];

Whereby we stand opposed by such means                        2690

As you yourself have forged against yourself

By unkind usage, dangerous countenance,

And violation of all faith and troth

Sworn to us in your younger enterprise.

 

Henry IV. These things indeed you have articulate,           2695

Proclaim’d at market-crosses, read in churches,

To face[1056] the garment of rebellion

With some fine colour that may please the eye

Of fickle changelings[1057] and poor discontents,

Which gape and rub the elbow at the news                         2700

Of hurlyburly innovation[1058]:

And never yet did insurrection want

Such water-colours to impaint his cause[1059];

Nor moody beggars, starving for a time

Of pellmell havoc and confusion[1060].                                  2705

 

Henry V. In both your armies there is many a soul

Shall pay full dearly for this encounter,

If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew,

The Prince of Wales doth join with all the world

In praise of Henry Percy: by my hopes,                              2710

This present enterprise set off his head,

I do not think a braver gentleman,

More active-valiant or more valiant-young,

More daring or more bold, is now alive

To grace this latter age with noble deeds.                            2715

For my part, I may speak it to my shame,

I have a truant been to chivalry;

And so I hear he doth account me too;

Yet this before my father’s majesty—

I am content that he shall take the odds                              2720

Of his great name and estimation,

And will, to save the blood on either side,

Try fortune with him in a single fight.

 

Henry IV. And, Prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee[1061],

Albeit considerations infinite                                              2725

Do make against it. No, good Worcester, no,

We love our people well[1062]; even those we love

That are misled upon your cousin’s part;

And, will they take the offer of our grace,

Both he and they and you, every man                                2730

Shall be my friend again and I’ll be his:

So tell your cousin, and bring me word

What he will do: but if he will not yield,

Rebuke and dread correction wait on us

And they shall do their office[1063]. So, be gone;                   2735

We will not now be troubled with reply:

We offer fair; take it advisedly.

 

[Exeunt WORCESTER and VERNON]

Henry V. It will not be accepted, on my life:

The Douglas and the Hotspur both together                        2740

Are confident against the world in arms.

 

Henry IV. Hence, therefore, every leader to his charge[1064];

For, on their answer, will we set on them[1065]:

And God befriend us, as our cause is just[1066]!

 

[Exeunt all but PRINCE HENRY and FALSTAFF]

 

Falstaff. Hal, if thou see me down in the battle and bestride

me, so[1067]; ’tis a point of friendship.

 

Henry V. Nothing but a colossus can do thee that friendship.

Say thy prayers, and farewell.

 

Falstaff. I would ’twere bed-time, Hal, and all well.           2750

 

Henry V. Why, thou owest God a death[1068].

 

[Exit PRINCE HENRY]

 

Falstaff. ’tis not due yet; I would be loath to pay him before

his day. What need I be so forward with him that

calls not on me? Well, ’tis no matter; honour pricks            2755

me on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when I

come on? how then? Can honour set to a leg? no: or

an arm? no: or take away the grief of a wound? no.

Honour hath no skill in surgery, then? no. What is

honour? a word. What is in that word honour? what           2760

is that honour? air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it?

he that died o’ Wednesday. Doth he feel it? no.

Doth he hear it? no. ’tis insensible, then. Yea,

to the dead. But will it not live with the living?

no. Why? detraction will not suffer it. Therefore                2765

I’ll none of it. Honour is a mere scutcheon[1069]: and so

ends my catechism[1070].

 

[Exit]

 

 

Act V Scene 2

The rebel camp.

[Enter WORCESTER and VERNON]

 

Earl of Worcester. O, no, my nephew must not know, Sir Richard,

                                                                                           2770

The liberal and kind offer of the king.

Vernon. ’Twere best he did.

Earl of Worcester. Then are we all undone.

It is not possible, it cannot be,

The king should keep his word in loving us;                       2775

He will suspect us still and find a time

To punish this offence in other faults:

Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes;

For treason is but trusted like the fox,

Who, ne’er so tame, so cherish’d and lock’d up,                2780

Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.

Look how we can, or sad or merrily,

Interpretation will misquote our looks,

And we shall feed like oxen at a stall,

The better cherish’d, still the nearer death.                          2785

My nephew’s trespass may be well forgot;

it hath the excuse of youth and heat of blood,

And an adopted name of privilege,

A hair-brain’d Hotspur, govern’d by a spleen:

All his offences live upon my head                                    2790

And on his father’s; we did train him on,

And, his corruption being ta’en from us,

We, as the spring of all, shall pay for all.

Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know,

In any case, the offer of the king.                                       2795

Vernon. Deliver what you will; I’ll say ’tis so.

Here comes your cousin.

 

[Enter HOTSPUR and DOUGLAS]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). My uncle is return’d:

Deliver up my Lord of Westmoreland.                                2800

Uncle, what news?

 

Earl of Worcester. The king will bid you battle presently.

 

Earl of Douglas. Defy him by the Lord of Westmoreland.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Lord Douglas, go you and tell him so.

Earl of Douglas. Marry, and shall, and very willingly.       2805

 

[Exit]

 

Earl of Worcester. There is no seeming mercy in the king.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Did you beg any? God forbid!

 

Earl of Worcester. I told him gently of our grievances,

Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus,                     2810

By now forswearing that he is forsworn:

He calls us rebels, traitors; and will scourge

With haughty arms this hateful name in us.

 

[Re-enter the EARL OF DOUGLAS]

 

Earl of Douglas. Arm, gentlemen; to arms! for I have thrown 2815

A brave defiance in King Henry’s teeth,

And Westmoreland, that was engaged, did bear it;

Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on.

 

Earl of Worcester. The Prince of Wales stepp’d forth before the king,

And, nephew, challenged you to single fight.                      2820

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). O, would the quarrel lay upon our heads,

And that no man might draw short breath today

But I and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me,

How show’d his tasking? seem’d it in contempt?

 

Vernon. No, by my soul; I never in my life                        2825

Did hear a challenge urged more modestly,

Unless a brother should a brother dare

To gentle exercise and proof of arms.

He gave you all the duties of a man;

Trimm’d up your praises with a princely tongue,                2830

Spoke to your deservings like a chronicle,

Making you ever better than his praise

By still dispraising praise valued in you;

And, which became him like a prince indeed,

He made a blushing cital of himself;                                   2835

And chid his truant youth with such a grace

As if he master’d there a double spirit.

Of teaching and of learning instantly.

There did he pause: but let me tell the world,

If he outlive the envy of this day,                                       2840

England did never owe so sweet a hope,

So much misconstrued in his wantonness.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Cousin, I think thou art enamoured

On his follies: never did I hear

Of any prince so wild a libertine.                                        2845

But be he as he will, yet once ere night

I will embrace him with a soldier’s arm,

That he shall shrink under my courtesy.

Arm, arm with speed: and, fellows, soldiers, friends,

Better consider what you have to do                                   2850

Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,

Can lift your blood up with persuasion.

 

[Enter a Messenger]

 

Messenger. My lord, here are letters for you.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I cannot read them now.              2855

O gentlemen, the time of life is short!

To spend that shortness basely were too long,

If life did ride upon a dial’s point,

Still ending at the arrival of an hour.

An if we live, we live to tread on kings;                              2860

If die, brave death, when princes die with us!

Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair,

When the intent of bearing them is just.

 

[Enter another Messenger]

 

Messenger. My lord, prepare; the king comes on apace.    2865

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale,

For I profess not talking; only this—

Let each man do his best: and here draw I

A sword, whose temper I intend to stain

With the best blood that I can meet withal                           2870

In the adventure of this perilous day.

Now, Esperance[1071]! Percy! and set on.

Sound all the lofty instruments of war,

And by that music let us all embrace;

For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall                       2875

A second time do such a courtesy.

 

[The trumpets sound. They embrace, and exeunt]

 

 

 

Act V Scene 3

Plain between the camps.

[KING HENRY enters with his power. Alarum to the battle. Then enter DOUGLAS and SIR WALTER BLUNT]

 

Blunt. What is thy name, that in the battle thus

Thou crossest me? what honour dost thou seek                  2880

Upon my head?

 

Earl of Douglas. Know then, my name is Douglas;

And I do haunt thee in the battle thus

Because some tell me that thou art a king.

 

Blunt. They tell thee true.                                                   2885

 

Earl of Douglas. The Lord of Stafford dear to-day hath bought

Thy likeness, for instead of thee, King Harry,

This sword hath ended him: so shall it thee,

Unless thou yield thee as my prisoner.

 

Blunt. I was not born a yielder, thou proud Scot;                2890

And thou shalt find a king that will revenge

Lord Stafford’s death.

 

[They fight. DOUGLAS kills SIR WALTER BLUNT.

Enter HOTSPUR]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon thus, 2895

I never had triumph’d upon a Scot[1072].

Earl of Douglas. All’s done, all’s won; here breathless lies the king.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Where?

 

Earl of Douglas. Here.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). This, Douglas? no: I know this face full well:       2900

A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt;

Semblably furnish’d like[1073] the king himself.

 

Earl of Douglas. A fool go with thy soul, whither it goes!

A borrow’d title hast thou bought too dear:

Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king?                     2905

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). The king hath many marching in his coats.

 

Earl of Douglas. Now, by my sword, I will kill all his coats;

I’ll murder all his wardrobe, piece by piece,

Until I meet the king.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Up, and away!                            2910

Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day.

 

[Exeunt]

 

[Alarum. Enter FALSTAFF, solus]

 

Falstaff. Though I could ’scape shot-free at London, I fear

the shot here; here’s no scoring but upon the pate.              2915

Soft! who are you? Sir Walter Blunt: there’s honour

for you! here’s no vanity! I am as hot as moulten

lead, and as heavy too: God keep lead out of me! I

need no more weight than mine own bowels. I have

led my ragamuffins where they are peppered: there’s         2920

not three of my hundred and fifty left alive; and

they are for the town’s end, to beg during life.

But who comes here?

 

[Enter PRINCE HENRY]

 

Henry V. What, stand’st thou idle here? lend me thy sword: 2925

Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff

Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies,

Whose deaths are yet unrevenged: I prithee,

lend me thy sword.

 

Falstaff. O Hal, I prithee, give me leave to breathe awhile. 2930

Turk Gregory never did such deeds in arms as I have

done this day. I have paid Percy, I have made him sure.

 

Henry V. He is, indeed; and living to kill thee. I prithee,

lend me thy sword.

 

Falstaff. Nay, before God, Hal, if Percy be alive, thou get’st 2935

not my sword; but take my pistol, if thou wilt.

 

Henry V. Give it to me: what, is it in the case?

 

Falstaff. Ay, Hal; ’tis hot, ’tis hot; there’s that will sack a city.

 

[PRINCE HENRY draws it out, and finds it to be a bottle of sack]

 

Henry V. What, is it a time to jest and dally now?              2940

[He throws the bottle at him. Exit]

 

Falstaff. Well, if Percy be alive, I’ll pierce him. If he do

come in my way, so: if he do not, if I come in his

willingly, let him make a carbonado of me. I like

not such grinning honour as Sir Walter hath: give me          2945

life: which if I can save, so; if not, honour comes

unlooked for, and there’s an end.

 

[Exit FALSTAFF]

 

 

Act V Scene 4

Another part of the field.

 

[Alarum. Excursions. Enter PRINCE HENRY, LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER, and EARL OF WESTMORELAND]

 

Henry IV. I prithee,                                                            2950

Harry, withdraw thyself; thou bleed’st too much.

Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.

 

Prince John. Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.

 

Henry V. I beseech your majesty, make up,

Lest your retirement do amaze your friends.                       2955

 

Henry IV. I will do so.

My Lord of Westmoreland, lead him to his tent.

 

Earl of Westmoreland. Come, my lord, I’ll lead you to your tent.

 

Henry V. Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help:

And God forbid a shallow scratch should drive                  2960

The Prince of Wales from such a field as this,

Where stain’d nobility lies trodden on,

and rebels’ arms triumph in massacres!

 

Prince John. We breathe too long: come, cousin Westmoreland,

Our duty this way lies; for God’s sake come.                      2965

 

[Exeunt LANCASTER and WESTMORELAND]

 

Henry V. By God, thou hast deceived me, Lancaster;

I did not think thee lord of such a spirit:

Before, I loved thee as a brother, John;

But now, I do respect thee as my soul.                                2970

Henry IV. I saw him hold Lord Percy at the point

With lustier maintenance than I did look for

Of such an ungrown warrior.

 

Henry V. O, this boy

Lends mettle to us all!                                                         2975

 

[Exit]

 

[Enter DOUGLAS]

 

Earl of Douglas. Another king! they grow like Hydra’s heads:

I am the Douglas, fatal to all those

That wear those colours on them: what art thou,                 2980

That counterfeit’st the person of a king?

Henry IV. The king himself; who, Douglas, grieves at heart

So many of his shadows thou hast met

And not the very king. I have two boys

Seek Percy and thyself about the field:                               2985

But, seeing thou fall’st on me so luckily,

I will assay thee: so, defend thyself.

Earl of Douglas. I fear thou art another counterfeit;

And yet, in faith, thou bear’st thee like a king:

But mine I am sure thou art, whoe’er thou be,                    2990

And thus I win thee.

 

[They fight. KING HENRY being in danger, PRINCE HENRY enters]

 

Henry V. Hold up thy head, vile Scot, or thou art like

Never to hold it up again! the spirits

Of valiant Shirley, Stafford, Blunt, are in my arms:            2995

It is the Prince of Wales that threatens thee;

Who never promiseth but he means to pay.

 

[They fight: DOUGLAS flies]

 

Cheerly, my lord. how fares your grace?

Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succor sent, 3000

And so hath Clifton: I’ll to Clifton straight.

 

Henry IV. Stay, and breathe awhile:

Thou hast redeem’d thy lost opinion,

And show’d thou makest some tender of my life[1074],

In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.                         3005

 

Henry V. O God! they did me too much injury

That ever said I hearken’d for your death.

If it were so, I might have let alone

The insulting hand of Douglas over you,

Which would have been as speedy in your end                  3010

As all the poisonous potions in the world

And saved the treacherous labour of your son.

 

 

Henry IV. Make up to Clifton: I’ll to Sir Nicholas Gawsey.

 

[Exit]

 

[Enter HOTSPUR]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.

 

Henry V. Thou speak’st as if I would deny my name.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). My name is Harry Percy.

 

Henry V. Why, then I see

A very valiant rebel of the name.                                        3020

I am the Prince of Wales; and think not, Percy,

To share with me in glory any more:

Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere;

Nor can one England brook a double reign,

Of Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales.                            3025

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). Nor shall it, Harry; for the hour is come

To end the one of us; and would to God

Thy name in arms were now as great as mine!

 

Henry V. I’ll make it greater ere I part from thee;

And all the budding honours on thy crest                           3030

I’ll crop, to make a garland for my head.

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). I can no longer brook thy vanities.

 

[They fight]

 

 

[Enter FALSTAFF]

 

Falstaff. Well said, Hal! to it Hal! Nay, you shall find no   3035

boy’s play here, I can tell you.

 

[Re-enter DOUGLAS; he fights with FALSTAFF,]

 

who falls down as if he were dead, and exit

DOUGLAS. HOTSPUR is wounded, and falls]

 

Hotspur (Henry Percy). O, Harry, thou hast robb’d me of my youth!         3040

I better brook the loss of brittle life

Than those proud titles thou hast won of me[1075];

They wound my thoughts worse than sword my flesh:

But thought’s the slave of life, and life time’s fool;

And time, that takes survey of all the world,                       3045

Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,

But that the earthy and cold hand of death

Lies on my tongue: no, Percy, thou art dust

And food for—

 

[Dies]

 

Henry V. For worms, brave Percy: fare thee well, great heart!

Ill-weaved ambition, how much art thou shrunk!

When that this body did contain a spirit,

A kingdom for it was too small a bound;

But now two paces of the vilest earth                                 3055

Is room enough: this earth that bears thee dead

Bears not alive so stout a gentleman.

If thou wert sensible of courtesy,

I should not make so dear a show of zeal:

But let my favours hide thy mangled face;                         3060

And, even in thy behalf, I’ll thank myself

For doing these fair rites of tenderness.

Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven!

Thy ignominy sleep with thee in the grave,

But not remember’d in thy epitaph!                                    3065

 

[He spieth FALSTAFF on the ground]

 

What, old acquaintance! could not all this flesh

Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewell!

I could have better spared a better man:

O, I should have a heavy miss of thee,                               3070

If I were much in love with vanity!

Death hath not struck so fat a deer to-day,

Though many dearer, in this bloody fray.

Embowell’d will I see thee by and by:

Till then in blood by noble Percy lie.                                  3075

 

[Exit PRINCE HENRY]

 

Falstaff. [Rising up] Embowelled! if thou embowel me to-day,

I’ll give you leave to powder me and eat me too

to-morrow. ’Sblood, ’twas time to counterfeit, or

that hot termagant[1076] Scot[1077] had paid[1078] me scot and lot[1079] too.    3080

Counterfeit? I lie, I am no counterfeit: to die,

is to be a counterfeit; for he is but the

counterfeit of a man who hath not the life of a man:

but to counterfeit dying, when a man thereby

liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true and                    3085

perfect image of life indeed. The better part of

valour is discretion; in the which better part I

have saved my life. ’Zounds, I am afraid of this

gunpowder Percy, though he be dead: how, if he

should counterfeit too and rise? by my faith, I am              3090

afraid he would prove the better counterfeit.

Therefore I’ll make him sure; yea, and I’ll swear I

killed him. Why may not he rise as well as I?

Nothing confutes me but eyes, and nobody sees me.

Therefore, sirrah,                                                                3095

 

[Stabbing him]

 

with a new wound in your thigh, come you along with me.

 

[Takes up HOTSPUR on his back]

 

[Re-enter PRINCE HENRY and LORD JOHN OF LANCASTER]

 

Henry V. Come, brother John; full bravely hast thou flesh’d 3100

Thy maiden sword.

 

Prince John. But, soft! whom have we here?

Did you not tell me this fat man was dead?

 

Henry V. I did; I saw him dead,

Breathless and bleeding on the ground. Art                         3105

thou alive?

Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight?

I prithee, speak; we will not trust our eyes

Without our ears: thou art not what thou seem’st.

 

Falstaff. No, that’s certain; I am not a double man: but if I 3110

be not Jack Falstaff, then am I a Jack. There is Percy:

 

[Throwing the body down]

 

if your father will do me any honour, so; if not, let

him kill the next Percy himself. I look to be either

earl or duke, I can assure you.                                            3115

 

Henry V. Why, Percy I killed myself and saw thee dead.

 

Falstaff. Didst thou? Lord, Lord, how this world is given to

lying! I grant you I was down and out of breath;

and so was he: but we rose both at an instant and

fought a long hour by Shrewsbury clock. If I may be         3120

believed, so; if not, let them that should reward

valour bear the sin upon their own heads. I’ll take

it upon my death, I gave him this wound in the

thigh: if the man were alive and would deny it,

’zounds, I would make him eat a piece of my sword.         3125

 

Prince John. This is the strangest tale that ever I heard.

 

Henry V. This is the strangest fellow, brother John.

Come, bring your luggage[1080] nobly on your back:

For my part, if a lie may do thee grace,

I’ll gild it with the happiest terms I have.                            3130

 

[A retreat is sounded]

 

The trumpet sounds retreat; the day is ours.

Come, brother, let us to the highest of the field,

To see what friends are living, who are dead.

 

[Exeunt PRINCE HENRY and LANCASTER]

 

Falstaff. I’ll follow, as they say, for reward. He that

rewards me, God reward him! If I do grow great,

I’ll grow less; for I’ll purge[1081], and leave sack[1082], and

live cleanly as a nobleman should do.

 

[Exit]

 

Act V Scene 5

Another part of the field.

 

 

[The trumpets sound. Enter KING HENRY IV, PRINCE HENRY, LORD JOHN LANCASTER, EARL OF WESTMORELAND, with WORCESTER and VERNON prisoners]

 

Henry IV. Thus ever did rebellion find rebuke.

Ill-spirited Worcester! did not we send grace,

Pardon and terms of love to all of you?

And wouldst thou turn our offers contrary?                        3145

Misuse the tenor of thy kinsman’s trust?[1083]

Three knights upon our party slain to-day,

A noble earl and many a creature else

Had been alive this hour,

If like a Christian thou hadst truly borne                             3150

Betwixt our armies true intelligence.

 

Earl of Worcester. What I have done my safety urged me to;

And I embrace this fortune patiently,

Since not to be avoided it falls on me.

 

Henry IV. Bear Worcester to the death and Vernon too:     3155

Other offenders we will pause upon.

 

[Exeunt WORCESTER and VERNON, guarded]

 

How goes the field?

 

Henry V. The noble Scot, Lord Douglas, when he saw

The fortune of the day quite turn’d from him,                    3160

The noble Percy slain, and all his men

Upon the foot of fear, fled with the rest;

And falling from a hill, he was so bruised

That the pursuers took him. At my tent

The Douglas is; and I beseech your grace                           3165

I may dispose of him.

 

Henry IV. With all my heart.

 

Henry V. Then, brother John of Lancaster, to you

This honourable bounty shall belong:

Go to the Douglas, and deliver him                                     3170

Up to his pleasure, ransomless and free:

His valour shown upon our crests to-day

Hath taught us how to cherish such high deeds

Even in the bosom of our adversaries.

 

Prince John. I thank your grace for this high courtesy,      3175

Which I shall give away immediately.

 

Henry IV. Then this remains, that we divide our power[1084].

You, son John, and my cousin Westmoreland

Towards York shall bend you with your dearest speed,

To meet Northumberland and the prelate Scroop,               3180

Who, as we hear, are busily in arms:

Myself and you, son Harry, will towards Wales,

To fight with Glendower and the Earl of March.

Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway,

Meeting the cheque of such another day:                            3185

And since this business so fair is done,

Let us not leave till all our own be won.

 

[Exeunt]