The Dramatic Works of Shakespeare

Accusing it, I put it on my head;

To try with it, as with an enemy,
That had before my face murder'd my father, -
The quarrel of a true inheritor.

But if it did infect my blood with joy,

Or swell my thoughts to any strain of pride;
If any rebel or vain spirit of mine

Did, with the least affection of a welcome,
Give entertainment to the might of it,
Let God for ever keep it from my head!
And make me as the poorest vassal is,
That doth with awe and terror kneel to it!
K. Hen. O, my son!

Heaven put it in thy mind, to take it hence,
That thou might'st win the more thy father's love,
Pleading so wisely in excuse of it.
Come hither, Harry, sit thou by my bed;
And hear, I think, the very latest counsel,
That ever 1 shall breathe. Heaven knows, my son,
By what by-paths, and indirect crook'd ways,

I met this crown; and I myself know well,
How troublesome it sat upon my head:
To thee it shall descend with better quiet,
Better opinion, better confirmation;
For all the soil of the achievement goes
With me into the earth. It seem'd in me,

But as an honour snatch'd with boisterous hand;
And I had many living, to upbraid
My gain of it by their assistances;
Which daily grew to quarrel, and to bloodshed,
Wounding supposed peace: all these bold fears,
Thou see'st, with peril I have answered:
For all my reign hath been but as a scene
Acting that argument; and now my death
Changes the mode: for what in me was purchas'd,
Falls upon thee in a more fairer sort;
So thou the garland wear'st successively.
Yet, though thou stand'st more sure than I could do,
Thou art not firm enough, since griefs are green;
And all thy friends, which thou must make thy friends,
Have but their stings and teeth newly ta'en out;
By whose fell working I was first advanc'd,
And by whose power I well might lodge a fear
To be again displac'd: which to avoid,
I cut them off; and had a purpose now
To lead out many to the Holy Land;
Lest rest, and lying still, might make them look
Too near unto my state. Therefore, my Harry,
Be it thy course, to busy giddy minds
With foreign quarrels; that action, hence borne out,
May waste the memory of the former days.
More would I, but my lungs are wasted so,
That strength of speech is utterly denied me.
How I came by tl crown, O God, forgive!
And grant it may with thee in true peace live!
P. Hen. My gracious liege,

You won it, wore it, kept it, gave it me; Then plain, and right must my possession be: Which I, with more than with a common pain, 'Gainst all the world will rightfully maintain. Enter Prince JoHN of LANCASTER, WARWICK, Lords, and Others.

K. Hen. Look, look, here comes my John of Lan

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Shal. He shall answer it.· Some pigeons, Davy; a couple of short-legged hens; a joint of mutton; and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook. Davy. Doth the man of war stay all night, sir? Shal. Yes, Davy. I will use him well. A friend i'the court is better, than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy; for they are arrant kuaves, and will backbite. Davy. No worse than they are back-bitten, sir; for they have marvellous foul linen.

Shal. Well conceited, Davy. About thy business, Davy.

Davy. I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of Wincot against Clement Perkes of the hill. Shal. There are many complaints, Davy, against that Visor; that Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge. Davy. I grant your worship, that he is a knave sir: but yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave should have some countenance at his friend's request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. I have served your worship truly, sir, these eight years: and if I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have but a very little credit with your worship. The knave is mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I beseech your worship, let him be countenanced.

Shal. Go, to; I say, he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy. [Exit Davy.] Where are you, sir John? Come, off with your boots. Give me your hand, master Bardolph.

Bard. I am glad to see your worship. Shal. I thank thee with all my heart, kind master Bardolph: and welcome, my tall fellow! [To the Page.] Come, sir John! [Exit Shallow.

Fal. I'll follow you, good master Robert Shallow.

Enter King HENRY V.

Bardolph, look to our horses. [Exeunt Bardolph and Led by the impartial conduct of my soul;
Page.] IfI were sawed into quantities, I should make And never shall you see, that I will beg
four dozen of such bearded hermit'i-staves as master A ragged and forestall'd remission.-
Shallow. It is a wonderful thing, to see the semblable If truth and upright innocency fail me,
coherence of his men's spirits and his. They, by ob- I'll to the king my master, that is dead,
serving him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; And tell him who hath sent me after him.
he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice- War. Here comes the prince.
like serving-man; their spirits are so married in con-
junction with the participation of society, that they
flock together in consent, like so many wild-geese. If
I had a suit to master Shallow, I would humour his
men, with the imputation of being near their master:
if to his men, I would curry with master Shallow, that
no man could better command his servants. It is cer-
tain, that either wise bearing, or ignorant carriage, is
caught, as men take diseases, one of another: there-
fore, let men take heed of their company. I will devise
matter enough out of this Shallow, to keep prince Har-
ry in continual laughter, the wearing-out of six fa-
shions, (which is four terms, or two actions,) and he
shall laugh without intervallums. O, it is much, that
a lie, with a slight oath, and a jest, with a sad brow,
will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his
shoulders! O, you shall see him laugh, till his face
be like a wet cloak ill laid up.

Ch. Just. Good morrow; and heaven save your ma-
jesty!

Shal. [Within.] Sir John!

Fal. I come, master Shallow; I come, master Shal-
low.
[Exit Falstaff.
SCENE II. - Westminster. A room in the palace.
Enter WARWICK, and the Lord Chief Justice.
War. How now, my lord chief justice? whither away?
Ch. Just. How doth the king?

War. Exceeding well; his cares are now all ended.
Ch. Just. I hope, not dead.

War. He's walk'd the way of nature;

And, to our purposes, he lives no more..

King. This new and gorgeous garment, majesty,
Sits not so easy on me as you think.-
Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear;
This is the English, not the Turkish court;
Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,
But Harry Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers,
For, to speak truth, it very well becomes you;
Sorrow so royally in you appears,
That I will deeply put the fashion on,
Aud wear it in my heart. Why then, be sad:
But entertain no more of it, good brothers,
Than a joint burden laid upon us all.
For me, by heaven, I bid you be assur'd,
I'll be your father and your brother too;
Let me but bear your love, I'll bear your cares.
Yet weep, that Harry's dead; and so will I:
But Harry lives, that shall convert those tears,
By number, into hours of happiness.
P. John, etc. We hope no other from your majesty.
King. You all look strangely on me ;-and you most:
[To the Chief Justice.

You are, I think, assur'd I love you not.
Ch. Just. I am assur'd, if I be measur'd rightly,
Your majesty hath no just cause to hate me.
King. No!

How might a prince of my great hopes forget
So great indignities you laid upon me?

Ch. Just. I would, his majesty had call'd me with What! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison him:

The service that I truly did his life,
Hath left me open to all injuries.

War. Indeed, I think, the young king loves you not.
Ch. Just. I know, he doth not; and do arm myself,
To welcome the condition of the time;
Which cannot look more hideously upon me
Than I have drawn it in my phantasy.
Enter Prince JoHN, Prince HUMPHREY, CLARENCE,
WESTMORELAND, and Others.

War. Here come the heavy issue of dead Harry:
O, that the living Harry had the temper
Of him, the worst of these three gentlemen!
How many nobles then should hold their places,
That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!
Ch. Just. Alas! I fear, all will be overturn'd.
P. John. Good morrow, cousin Warwick!
P. Humph. Cla. Good morrow, cousin!
P. John, We meet like men that had forgot to speak.
War. We do remember; but our argument
Is all too heavy to admit much talk.

P. John. Well, peace be with him, that hath made
us heavy!

Ch. Just. Peace be with us, lest we be heavier!
P. Humph. O, good my lord, you have lost a friend,
indeed:

And I dare swear, you borrow not that face
Of seeming sorrow; it is, sure, your own.

The immediate heir of England! Was this easy?
May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten?
Ch. Just. I then did use the person of your father:
The image of his power lay then in me:
And, in the administration of his law,
Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth,
Your highness pleased to forget my place,
The majesty and power of law and justice,
The image of the king, whom I presented,
And struck me in my very seat of judgment;
Whereon, as an offender to your father,
I gave bold way to my authority,
And did commit you. If the deed were ill,
Be you contented, wearing now the garland,
To have a son set your decrees at nought;
To pluck down justice from your awful bench;
To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword
That guards the peace and safety of your person:
Nay, more; to spurn at your most royal image,
And mock your workings in a second body.
Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours;
Be now the father, and propose a son:
Hear your own dignity so much profan'd,
See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted,
Behold yourself so by a son disdain'd;
And then imagine me taking your part,
And, in your power, soft silencing your son:
After this cold considerance, sentence me;

P. John. Though no man be assur'd what grace to And, as you are a king, speak in your state,-
find,

You stand in coldest expectation:

I am the sorrier; 'would, 'twere otherwise.
Cla. Well, you must now speak sir John Falstaff fair;
Which swims against your stream of quality.
Ch. Just Sweet princes, what I did, I did in honour,

What I have done, that misbecame my place,
My person, or my liege's sovereignty.
King. You are right, justice, and you weigh this well;
Therefore still bear the balance, and the sword:
And I do wish your honours may increase,
Till you do live to see a son of mine

Offend you and obey you, as I did.
So shall I live to speak my father's words;-
Happy am I, that have a man so bold,
That dares do justice on my proper son:
And not less happy, having such a son,
That would deliver up his greatness so

Into the hands of justice.-You did commit me;
For which, I do commit into your hand

The unstain'd sword that you have us'd to bear;
With this remembrance, — that you use the same
With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit,
As you have done 'gainst me. There is my hand;
You shall be as a father to my youth:

My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear;
And I will stoop and humble my intents
To your well-practis'd, wise directions.-

And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you;—
My father is gone wild into his grave,
For in his tomb lie my affections;
And with his spirit sadly I survive,
To mock the expectation of the world;
To frustrate prophecies; and to raze out
Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down
After my seeming. The tide of blood in me
Hath proudly flow'd in vanity, till now;
Now doth it turn, and ebb back to the sea;
Where it shall mingle with the state of floods,
And flow hencefo-h in formal majesty.
Now call we our high court of parliament:
And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel,
That the great body of our state may go
In equal rank with the best govern'd nation;
That war, or peace, or both at once, may be
As things acquainted and familiar to us; -
In which you, father, shall have foremost hand.
[To the Lord Chief Justice.
Our coronation done, we will accite,
As I before remember'd, all our state:
And, (God consigning to my good intents,)
No prince, nor peer, shall have just cause to say,-
Heaven shorten Harry's happy life one day. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Glostershire. The garden of SHALLOW's

house.

at another table.]I'll be with you anon:—most sweet
sir, sit.-Master page, good master page, sit: pro-
face! What you want in meat, we'll have in drink.
But you must bear; the heart's all.
[Exit.
Shal. Be merry, master Bardolph; -and my little
soldier there, be merry.

Enter FALSTAFF, SHALLOW, SILENCE, BARDOLPH, the
Page, and Davy.

Shal. Nay, you shall see mine orchard: where, in an arbour, we will eat a last year's pippin of my own graffing, with a dish of carraways, and so forth;come, cousin Silence; and then to bed.

Fal. 'Fore God, you have here a goodly dwelling, and a rich.

Shal. Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beggars all, sir John:-marry, good air.-Spread, Davy; spread, Davy; well said, Davy.

Ful. This Davy serves you for good uses; he is your serving-man, and your husbandman.

Sil. Be merry, be merry, my wife's as all; .[Singing. For women are shrews, both short and tall: 'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all, And welcome merry shrove-tide.

Be merry, be merry, etc.

Fal. I did not think, master Silence had been a man of this mettle.

Sil. Who, I? I have been merry twice and once, ere

now.

Shal. A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good varlet, sir John. By the mass, I have drunk too much sack at supper: A good varlet. Now sit down, now sit down: Come, cousin!

Sil. Ah, sirrah! quoth-a,

-we shall

Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer,

[Singing.

And praise heaven for the merry year ; When flesh is cheap, and females dear, And lusty lads roam here and there,

So merrily,

And ever among so merrily. Fal. There's a merry heart! Good master lence, I'll give ye a health for that anon. Shal. Give master Bardolph some wine, Davy!

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Fal. Well said, master Silence.
Sil. And we shall be merry;
sweet of the night.
Fal. Health and long life to you, master Silence.
Sil. Fill the cup, and let it come;

I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom. Shal. Honest Bardolph, welcome! If thou wantest any thing, and wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. Welcome, my little tiny thief; [To the Page.] and welcome, indeed, too!-I'll drink to master Bardolph, and to all the cavaleroes about London.

Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die.
Bard. An I might see you there, Davy,-
Shal. By the mass, you'll crack a quart together.
Ha! will you not, master Bardolph?
Bard. Yes, sir, in a pottle pot.

Shal. I thank thee. The knave will stick by thee, I can assure thee that; he will not out; he is true

How now,
Pist. God save yon, sir John!

Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol?

Pist. Not the ill wind, which blows no man to good.Sweet knight, thou art now one of the greatest men in the realm.

Sil. By'r lady, I think 'a be; but goodman Puff of Si-Barson.

Pist. Puff?

Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base! Davy.Sweet sir,sit. [Seating Bardolph and the Page Sir John, I am thy Pistol, and thy friend,

And helter-skelter have I rode to thee:
And tidings do I bring, and lucky joys,
And golden times, and happy news of price.
Fal. I pr'ythee now, deliver them like a man of this
world.

Pist. A foutra for the world, and worldlings base! I speak of Africa, and golden joys.

Fal. O base Assyrian knight, what is thy news? Let king Cophetua know the truth thereof.

Sil. And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John. [Sings.
Pist, Shall dunghill curs confront the Helicons?
And shall good news be baffled?
Then, Pistol, lay thy head in Furies' lap.

Shal. Honest gentleman, I know not your breeding.
Pist. Why then, lament therefore.

Shal. Give me pardon, sir. If, sir, you come with news from the court, I take it, there is but two ways; either to utter them, or to conceal them. I am, sir, under the king, in some authority.

Pist. Under which king, Bezonian? speak, or die.
Shal. Under king Harry.

Pist. Harry the fourth? or fifth?
Shal. Harry the fourth.

Pist. A foutra for thine office!

Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is king;
Harry the fifth's the man. I speak the truth:
When Pistol lies, do this; and fig me, like
The bragging Spaniard.

Fal. What! is the old king dead?

Dol. I'll tell thee what, thou thin man in a censer! I will have you as soundly swinged for this, you bluebottle rogue! you filthy famished correctioner! if you be not swinged, I'll forswear half-kirtles.

Pist. As nail in door: the things I speak, are just. Fal. Away, Bardolph; saddle my horse.- Master Robert Shallow, choose what office thou wilt in the land, 'tis thine. - Pistol, I will double charge thee with dignities.

1 Bead. Come, come, you she knight-errant, come! Host. O, that right should thus overcome might! Well; of sufferance comes case.

Bard O joyful day!—I would not take a knighthood for my fortune.

Pist. What? I do bring good news ?

Dol. Come, you rogue, come; bring me to a justice!
Host. Ay; come, you starv'd blood-hound!
Dol. Goodman death! "goodman bones!
Host. Thou atomy thou!

Dol. Come, you thin thing; come, you rascal!
1 Bead. Very well.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.- A public place near Westminster Abbey.
Enter two Grooms, strewing rushes.

Fal. Carry master Silence to bed. - Master Shallow, my lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am fortune's steward. Get on thy boots; we'll ride all night :O, sweet Pistol. Away, Bardolph! [Exit Bard.] Come Pistol, utter more to me; and, withal, devise something, to do thyself good. -Boot, boot, master Shallow; I know, the young king is sick for me. Let us take any man's horses; the laws of England are at my commandment. Happy are they which have been my friends; and woe to my lord chief justice! Pist. Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also! Where is the life that I led, say they: Why, here it is; welcome these pleasant days.

1 Groom. More rushes, more rushes!
2 Groom. The trumpets have sounded twice.
1 Groom. It will be two o'clock ere they come from
the coronation. Despatch,despatch ![Exeunt Grooms.
Enter FALSTAFF, SHALLOW, PISTOL, BARDOLPH, and
the Page.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. - London. A Street. Enter Beadles, dragging in Hostess QUICKLY, and

DOLL TEAR-SHEET.

Fal. Stand here by me, master Robert Shallow; I will make the king do you grace: I will leer upon him, as 'a comes by; and do but mark the countenance that he will give me.

Host. No, thou arrant knave; I would I might die, that I might have thee hanged: thou hast drawn my shoulder out of joint.

Pist. God bless thy lungs, good knight.

Fal. Come here, Pistol; stand behind me.- -0, if I had had time to have made new liveries, I would have bestowed the thousand pound I borrowed of you. [To Shallow.] But 'tis no matter; this poor show doth better: this doth infer the zeal I had to see him.

1 Bead. The constables have delivered her over to me; and she shall have whipping-cheer enough, I warrant her. There hath been a man or two lately killed about her.

Dol. Nut-hook, nut-hook, you lie. Come on; I'll tell thee what, thou damned tripe-visaged rascal; an the child I now go with, do miscarry, thou hadst better thou hadst struck thy mother, thou paper-faced villain.

Host. O the Lord, that sir John were come! he would make this a bloody day to somebody. But I pray God the fruit of her womb miscarry!

1 Bard. If it do, you shall have a dozen of cushions again; you have but eleven now. Come, I charge you both go with me; for the man is dead, that you and Pistol beat among you.

Shal. It doth so.

Enter the King,and his train, the Chief Justice among them.

Fal. God save thy grace, king Hal! my royal Hal! Pist. The heavens thee guard and keep, most royal imp of fame!

Fal. God save thee, my sweet boy!
King. My lord chief justice, speak to that vain man.
Ch. Just. Have you your wits? know you what'tis
you speak?

Fal. My king; my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart! King. I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers;

Ma
Le
Fo
Re

How ill white hairs become a fool, and jester!
I have long dream'd of such a kind of man,
So surfeit-swell'd, so old, and so profane;
But, being awake, I do despise my dream.
Make less thy body, hence, and more thy grace;
Leave gormandizing; know, the grave doth gape
For thee thrice wider than for other men:
Reply not to me with a fool-born jest ;
Presume not, that I am the thing I was:

For heaven doth know, so shall the world perceive,
That I have turn'd away my former self;
So will I those, that kept me company.
When thou dost hear I am as I have been,
Approach me; and thou shalt be as thou wast,
The tutor and the feeder of my riots :
Till then, I banish thee, on pain of death, -
As I have done the rest of my misleaders,-
Not to come near our person by ten mile.
For competence of life, I will allow you;
That lack of means enforce you not to evil:
And, as we hear you do reform yourselves,
We will, according to your strength, and qualities,-
Give you advancement.-Be it your charge, my lord,
To see perform'd the tenor of our word.
Set on.

[Exeunt King, and his train. Fal. Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pound. Shal. Ay, marry, sir John; which I beseech you to let me have home with me.

Fal. That can hardly be, master Shallow. Do not you grieve at this; I shall be sent for in private to him: look you, he must seem thus to the world. Fear not your advancement; I will be the man yet, that shall make you great.

Shal. I cannot perceive how; unless you give me your doublet, and stuff me out with straw. I beseech you, good sir John, let me have five hundred of my thousand.

Fal. Sir, I will be as good as my word: this that you heard, was but a colour.

Shal. A colour, I fear, that you will die in, sir John. Fal. Fear no colours; go with me to dinner. Come, lieutenant Pistol;-come, Bardolph :-I shall be sent for soon at night.

Re-enter Prince Jous, the Chief Justice, Officers, etc.
Ch. Just. Go, carry sir John Falstaff to the Fleet;
Take all his company along with him.
Fal. My lord, my lord,-

Ch. Just. I cannot now speak: I will hear you soon.
Take them away.

Pist. Si fortuna me tormenta, spero me contenta. [Exeunt Fal. Shal. Pist. Bard. Page and Officers. P. John. I like this fair proceeding of the king's

He hath intent, his wonted followers
Shall all be very well provided for;
But all are banish'd, till their conversations
Appear more wise and modest to the world.
Ch. Just. And so they are.

P.John. The king hath call'd his parliament, my lord.
Ch. Just. He hath.

P.John. I will lay odds, that, ere this year expire,
We bear our civil swords, and native fire,
As far as France: I heard a bird so sing,
Whose music, to my thinking, pleas'd the king.
Come, will you hence?
[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.

SPOKEN BY A DANCER.

First, my fear; then, my court'sy; last, my speech. My fear is, your displeasure; my court'sy, my duty; and my speech, to beg your pardons. If you look for a good speech now, you undo me: for what I have to say, is of mine own making; and what, indeed, I should say, will, I doubt, prove mine own marring. But to the purpose, and so to the venture.Be it known to you, (as it is very well,) I was lately here in the end of a displeasing play, to pray your patience for it, and to promise you a better. I did mean, indeed, to pay you with this; which, if like an ill venture, it come unluckily home, I break, and you, my gentle creditors, lose. Here, I promised you, I would be, and here I commit my body to your mercies: bate me some, and I will pay you some, and, as most debtors do, promise you infinitely. If my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me, will you command me to use my legs? and yet that were but light payment, -to dance out of your debt. But a good conscience will make any possible satisfaction, and so will I. All the gentlewomen here have forgiven me; if the gentlemen will not, then the gentlemen do not agree with the gentlewomen, which was never seen before in such an assembly. One word more, I beseech you. If you be not too much cloyed with fat meat, our humble author will continue the story, with Sir John in it, and make you merry with fair Katharina of France: where, for any thing I know, Falstaff shall die of a sweat, unless already he be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary; when my legs are too, I will bid you good night: and so kneel down before you ;but, indeed, to pray for the queen.

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