 Act 4 of the second part of Henry IV. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The second part of Henry IV by William Shakespeare. Act 4, Scene 1, Yorkshire, within the Forest of Gulltree. Enter the Archbishop of York, Malbrae, Hastings, and others. What is this forest called? Tis Gulltree Forest, and shall please your grace. Here stand my lords and send discoverers forth to know the numbers of our enemies. We have sent forth already. Tis well done. My friends and brethren in these great affairs, I must acquaint you that I have received new dated letters from Northumberland. Their cold intent, tenor and substance thus. Here Doth he wish his person with such powers as might hold sortance with his quality, though which he could not levy, whereupon he is retired to ripe his growing fortunes to Scotland and concludes in hearty prayers that your attempts may overlive the hazard and fearful melting of their opposite. Thus do the hopes we have in him touch ground and dash themselves to pieces. Enter a messenger. Now what news? West of this forest scarcely off a mile, in goodly form comes on the enemy, and by the ground they hide I judge their number upon or near the rate of thirty thousand. The just proportion that we gave them out. Let us sway on and face them in the field. Enter Westmoreland. What well appointed leader fronts us here. I think it is my lord of Westmoreland. Health and fair greeting from our general, the Prince, Lord John and Duke of Lancaster. Say on, my lord of Westmoreland in peace. What Doth concern your coming? Then, my lord unto your grace, do I in chief address the substance of my speech. If that rebellion came like itself in base and abject routes, led on by bloody youth guarded with rags and countenanced by boys and beggary, I say, if damned commercial so appeared in his true native and most proper shape, Reverend Father and these noble lords had not been here to dress the ugly form of base and bloody insurrection with your fair honours. You, Lord Archbishop, whose sea is by a civil peace maintained, whose beard the silver hand of peace hath touched, whose learning and good letters peace hath tutored, whose white investments figure innocence, the dove and very blessed spirit of peace, wherefore you do so ill translate yourself out of the speech of peace that bears such grace into the harsh and boisterous tongue of war, turning your books to graves, your ink to blood, your pens to lances, and your tongue divine to a loud trumpet and point of war. Wherefore do I this? So the question stands. Briefly to this end, we are all diseased, and with our surfiting and wanton hours have brought ourselves into a burning fever, and we must bleed for it, of which disease our late King Richard, being infected, died. But my most noble Lord of Westmoreland, I take not on me here as a physician, nor do I as an enemy to peace troop in the throngs of military men, but rather show a while like fearful war to die at rank-minds sick of happiness, and purge the obstructions which begin to stop our very veins of life. Hear me more plainly. I have in equal balance justly weighed what wrongs our arms may do, what wrongs we suffer, and find our griefs heavier than our offences. We see which way the stream of time doth run, and are enforced from our most quiet there by the wroth torrent of occasion, and have the summary of all our griefs when time shall serve to show in articles which long ere this we offer to the King, and might by no suit gain our audience. When we are wronged and would unfold our griefs, we are denied access into his person, even by those men that most have done us wrong. The dangers of the days but newly gone whose memory is written on the earth with yet appearing blood, and the examples of every minute's instance present now have put us in these ill-be-seeming arms. Not to break peace or any branch of it, but to establish here a peace indeed concurring both in name and quality. When ever yet was your appeal denied, wherein have you been galled by the King? What peer hath been suborned to great on you that you should seal this lawless, bloody book of forged rebellion with a sealed divine and consecrate commotion's bitter edge? My brother, General, the Commonwealth, to brother born and household cruelty I make my quarrel in particular. There is no need of any such redress, or if there were it not belongs to you. Why not to him in part and to us all that feel the bruises of the days before and suffer the condition of these times to lay a heavy and unequal hand upon our honours? Oh, my good Lord Mowbray, construe the times to their necessities and you shall say indeed it is the time and not the King that does you injuries. Yet for your part it not appears to me either from the King or in the present time that you would have an inch of any ground to build grief on. Were you not restored to all the Duke of Norfolk's signatories your noble and right well-remembered fathers? What thing in honour had my father lost that need to be revived and breathed in me? The King that loved him as the state stood then was force per force compelled to banish him and then that Henry Bolling broke in he being mounted and both roused in their seats their name causers daring of the spur their arm had staves in charge their beavers down their eyes of fire sparkling through sights of steel and the loud trumpet blowing them together then, then, when there was nothing could have stayed my father from the breast of Bolling broke oh, when the King did throw his water down his own life hung upon the staff he threw then threw he down himself and all their lives that by indictment and by dint of sword have since miscarried under Bolling broke You speak Lord Mowbray now you know not what the Earl of Hurford was reputed then in England the most valiant gentleman who knows on whom fortune would then have smiled but if your father had been victor there he near had borne it out of Coventry for all the country in a general voice had cited hate upon him and all their prayers and love were set on Hurford whom they doted on and blessed and graced indeed more than the King but this is mere digression from my purpose here come I from our princely general to know your griefs to tell you from his grace that he will give you audience and wherein it shall appear that your demands are just you shall enjoy them everything set off that might so much as think you enemies but he had forced us to compel this offer and it proceeds from policy not love Mowbray you all weaned to take it so this offer comes from mercy not from fear for low with a ken our army lies upon mine on an all too confident to give admittance to a thought of fear our battle is more full of names than yours our men are more perfect in the use of arms our armor all as strong our cause the best then reason will our hearts should be as good say you not then our offer is compelled well by my will we shall admit no parley that argues but the shame of your offence a rotten case abides no handling hath the Prince John a full commission in very ample virtue of his father to hear and absolutely to determine of what conditions we shall stand upon that is intended in the general's name I muse you make so slight a question take my Lord of Westmoreland this schedule for this contains our general grievances each several article herein redressed all members of our cause both here and hence that are insinured to this action acquitted by a true substantial form and present execution of our wills to us and to our purposes confined we come within our lawful banks again let our powers to the arm of peace this will I show the general please you Lord's in sight of both our battles we may meet and either end in peace which God so frame or to the place of difference call the swords which must decide it my Lord we will do so exit Westmoreland there is a thing within my bosom tells me that no conditions of our peace can stand fear you not that if we can make peace upon such large terms and so absolute as our conditions shall consist upon our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains yay but our valuation shall be such that every slight and false derived cause yay every idle nice and wanton reason shall to the king taste of this action that where our royal faith smart as in love we shall be winnowed with so rough a wind our corn shall seem as light as chaff and good from bad find no partition no no my Lord note this the king is weary of dainty and such picking grievances for he have found to end one doubt by death revives too greater in the heirs of life and therefore will he wipe his tables clean and keep no tell-tale to his memory that may repeat in history his loss to new remembrance for full well he knows he cannot so precisely weed this land as his misdoubts present occasion his foes are so enrooted with his friends that plucking to unfix an enemy he doth unfasten so and shake a friend so that this land like an offensive wife that hath enraged him on to offer strokes as he is striking holds his infant up and hangs resolved correction in the arm that was upreared to execution besides the king hath wasted all his rods on late offenders that he now doth lack the very instruments of chastisement so that his power like to a fangless lion may offer but not hold it is very true and therefore be assured my good Lord Marshall if we do now make our atonement well our peace will like a broken limb united grow stronger for the breaking be it so here is returned my Lord of Westmoreland re-enter Westmoreland the prince is here at hand please with your worship to meet his grace at just distance between our armies your grace of York in God's name then set forward before and greet his grace my Lord we come exist seem to another part of the forest enter from one side Malbrae attended afterwards the Archbishop Hastings and others from the other side Prince John of Lancaster Westmoreland officers and others you are well encountered here my cousin Malbrae good day to you gentle Lord Archbishop and to you Lord Hastings and to all my Lord of York it better showed with you that your flock assembled by the bell encircled you to here with reverence your exposition of the holy text that now to see you here an iron man cheering a rout of rebels with your drum turning the word to sword and life to death that man that sits within the reach of a monarch's heart and ripens in the sunshine of his favour would he abuse the countenance of the king a lack what mischiefs might he set abroach in shadow of such greatness with you Lord Bishop it is even so who have not heard it spoken how do you were within the books of God to us the speaker in his parliament to us the imagined voice of God himself the very opener and intelligentsia between the grace the sanctities of heaven and our workings oh who shall believe but you misuse the reverence of your place employ the countenance and grace of heaven as a false favourite does his prince's name in deeds dishonourable you have tain up under the counterfeited seal of God the subjects of his substitute my father and of both against the peace of heaven and him have here upsworn them good my lord of Lancaster I am not here against your father's peace but as I told my lord of Westmoreland the time misordered doth in common sense crowd us and crush us to this monstrous form to hold our safety up I sent your grace the parcels and particulars of our grief the witch had been with scorn shoved from the court whereon this hydrous son of war is born whose dangerous eyes may well be charmed asleep with grant of our most just and right desires and true obedience of this madness cured stoop tamely to the foot of majesty if not we ready are to try our fortunes to the last man and though we hear fall down we have supplies to second our attempt if they miscarry there shall second them and so success of mischief shall be born and air from air shall hold this quarrel up whilst England shall have generation you are too shallow hastings much too shallow to sound the bottom of the aftertimes please if your grace to answer them directly how far forth do you like their articles I like them all and do allow well and swear here by the honour of my blood my father's purposes have been mistook and some about him have too lavishly rested his meaning and authority my lord these grief shall be with speed redressed upon my soul they shall if this may please you discharge your powers unto their several counties as we will ours and here between the armies let us drink together friendly and embrace that all their eyes may bear these tokens home of our restored love and amity I take your princely word for these redresses I give it to you and will maintain my word and there upon I drink unto your grace go captain and deliver to the army this news of peace let them have pay and part I know it will well please them hi thee captain exit officer to you my noble lord of Westmoreland I pledge your grace and if you knew what pains I have bestowed to breed this present peace you would drink freely but my love to you shall show itself more openly hereafter I do not doubt you I am glad of it health to my lord and gentle cousin Mowbray you wish me health in a very happy season for I am on the sudden something ill against ill chances men never marry but heaviness for runs the good event therefore be merry cos since sudden sorrow serves to say thus some good thing comes tomorrow believe me I am passing light in spirit so much the worse if your own rule be true shouts within the word of peace is rendered hark how they shout this had been cheerful after victory a pieces of the nature of a conquest for then both parties nobly are subdued and neither party loser go my lord and let our armies be discharged too exit Westmoreland and good my lord so please you let our trains march by us so we may peruse the men we should have cope with all go good lord Hastings dismissed let them march by exit Hastings I trust lords we shall lie tonight together re-enter Westmoreland now cousin wherefore stands our army still the leaders having charge from you to stand will not go off until they hear you speak they know their duties re-enter Hastings my lord our army is dispersed already like youthful steers unyoked they take their courses east, west, north, south or like a school broke up each hurries toward his home and sporting place good tidings my lord Hastings for the which I do arrest the traitor of high treason and you lord archbishop and you lord mowbray of capital treason I attach you both is this proceeding just and honourable is your assembly so I pawn the num I promise you redress of these same grievances whereof you did complain which by my honour I will perform with our most Christian care but for you rebels look to taste the due meat for rebellion and such acts of yours most shallowly did you these arms commence fondly brought here and foolishly sent hence strike up our drums pursue the scatter of stray God and not we have safely fought today some guard these traitors of the block of death treason's true bed and yield of breath EGZENT SCENE 3 another part of the forest ALARM excursions enter Falstaff and Colville meeting what's your name sir of what condition are you and of what place I pray I am a knight sir and my name is Colville of the Dale well then Colville is your name a knight is your degree and your place the Dale Colville shall still be your name a traitor your degree and a dungeon your place a place deep enough so shall you be still Colville of the Dale and not you sir John Falstaff as good a man is he sir who where I am do you yield sir or shall I sweat for you if I do sweat there are the drops of thy lovers and they weep for thy death therefore rouse up fear and trembling and do observance to my mercy I think you are sir John Falstaff and in that thought yield me I have a whole school of tongues in this belly of mine and not a tongue of them all speaks any other word but my name and I had but a belly of any indifference see I was simply the most active fellow in Europe my womb my womb my womb undoes me here comes our general enter Prince John of Lancaster Westmoreland Blunt and others the heat is past follow no further now call in the powers good cousin Westmoreland exit Westmoreland now Falstaff where have you been all this while when everything is ended then you come these tardy tricks of yours will buy my life one time or other break some gallows back I would be sorry my lord but it should be thus I never knew yet but rebuke and chuck was the reward valour do you think me a swallow an arrow or a bullet have I in my poor and old motion the expedition of thought I have speeded hither with the very extremist inch of possibility I have found it nine score and odd posts and here travel tainted as I am have in my pure and immaculate valor taken Sir John Colville of the Dale a most furious knight and valorous enemy but what of that he saw me and yielded that I may justly say with a hook-nosed fellow of Rome I came, saw and overcame it was more of his courtesy than your deserving I know not here he is and here I yield him and I beseech your grace let it be booked with the rest of this day's deeds or by the Lord I will have it in a particular ballad else with my own picture on the top aunt Colville kissing my foot to the witch course if I be enforced if you do not all show like guilt to pence's to me and I in the clear sky of fame or shine you as much as the full moon doth the cinders of the element which show like pins heads to her believe not the word of the noble therefore let me have right and let desert mount lines too heavy to mount let it shine then lines too thick to shine let it do something my good lord let me do me good and call it what you will is thy name Colville it is my lord a famous rebel art there Colville and a famous true subject took him I am my lord but as my betters are that led me hither had they been ruled by me you should have won them dearer than you have I know not how they sold themselves but thou like a kind fellow gave us thy self away gratis and I thank thee for thee re-enter Westmoreland now have you left pursuit retreat is made and execution staid send Colville with his confederates to York to present execution blunt leave him hence and see you guard him sure accent blunt and others and now dispatch me to the court my lords I hear the king my father is so sick and you shall go before us to his majesty which cousin you shall bear to comfort him and we with sober speed will follow you my lord I beseech you give me leave to go through Gloucestershire and when you come to court stand by my good lord pray in your good report fare you well forstaff I in my condition shall better speak of you than you deserve accent all but fallstaff I would you had but the wit to a better than your dukedom good faith the same young sober-blooded boy doth not love me nor a man cannot make him laugh but that's no marvel he drinks no wine there's never none of these demure boys come to any proof for thin drink doth so over cool their blood and making many fish meals that they fall into a kind of male green sickness and then when they marry they get wenches they are generally fools and cowards which some of us should be to but for inflammation a good sherry sack have a two-fold operation in it it ascends me into the brain dries me there all the foolish and dull and crudy vapours which environ it makes it apprehensive, quick, forgettive full of nimble, fiery and delectable shapes which delivered, or to the voice, the tongue which is the berth becomes excellent wit the second property of your excellent sherrys is the warming of the blood which, before cold and settled left the liver white and pale which is the badge of pusillanimity and cowardice but the sherrys warms it and makes it coarse from the inwards to the parts extremes it lumineth the face which as a beacon gives warning to all the rest of this little kingdom man to arm and then the vital commoners and inland petty spirits must me all to their captain the heart who great and puffed up with his retinue doth any deed of courage and this valor comes of sherrys so that skill in the weapon is nothing without sack for that sets it to work and learning a mere horde of gold kept by a devil till sack commences it and sets it in act and use hereof comes it that Prince Harry is valiant for the cold blood he did naturally inherit of his father he hath like lean sterile in bare land manured, husbanded and tilled with excellent endeavor of drinking good and good store of fertile sherrys that he has become very hot and valiant if I had a thousand sons the first humane principal I would teach them should be to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack Enter Bardolf How now, Bardolf? The army is discharged all and gone Let them go I'll through Gloucestershire and there will I visit Master Robert Shallow, Esquire I have him already tempering between my finger and my thumb and shortly will I seal with him Come away Exant Scene 4 Westminster, the Jerusalem Chamber Enter the King, Prince Thomas of Clarence Prince Humphrey of Gloucester, Warwick and others Now, lords, if God doth give successful end to this debate that bleedeth at our doors we will our youth lead on to higher fields and draw no swords but what are sanctified Our navy is addressed Our power collected Our substitutes in absence well invested and everything lies level to our wish only we want a little personal strength and pause us till these rebels now afoot come underneath the oak of government Both, which we doubt not but your majesty shall soon enjoy Humphrey, my son of Gloucester where is the prince, your brother? I think he's gone to hunt, my lord, at Windsor accompanied I do not know, my lord Is not his brother, Thomas of Clarence, with him? No, my good lord, he is in presence here What would my lord and father? Nothing but well to thee, Thomas of Clarence How chanced thou art not with the prince thy brother He loves thee and thou dost neglect him, Thomas Thou hast a better place in his affection than all thy brothers Cherish it, my boy In noble offices thou mayest effect of mediation after I am dead between his greatness and thy other brethren Therefore omit him not blood not his love nor lose the good advantage of his grace by seeming cold or careless of his will for he is gracious, if he be observed he hath a tear for pity and a hand open as day for melting charity yet not withstanding being incensed he's flint as humorous as winter and as sudden as flaws congealed in the spring of day his temper therefore must be well observed chide him for faults and do it reverently when thou perceive his blood inclined to mirth but being moody give him line and scope till that his passions like a whale on ground confound themselves with working learn this, Thomas and thou shalt prove a shelter to thy friends a hoop of gold to bend thy brothers in that the united vessel of their blood mingled with venom of suggestion as force per force the age will pour it in shall never leak though it do work as strong as a conitum or rash gunpowder I shall observe him with all care and love Why art thou not at Windsor with him, Thomas? He is not there today he dines in London and how accompanied canst thou tell that? with points and other his continual followers most subject is the fattest soil to weeds and he, the noble image of my youth is overspread with them therefore my grief stretches itself beyond the hour of death the blood weeps from my heart when I do shape in forms imaginary the unguided days and rotten times that you shall look upon when I am sleeping with my ancestors for when his head strong ride hath no curb when rage and hot blood are his counsellors when means and lavish manners meet together oh, with what wings shall his affections fly towards fronting peril and opposed decay My gracious lord, you look beyond him quite the prince but studies his companions like a strange tongue wherein to gain the language let the most immodest word be looked upon and learnt which once attained your highness nose comes to no further use but to be known and hated so like gross terms the prince will in the perfectness of time cast off his followers and their memory shall as a pattern or a measure live by which his grace must met the lives of other turning past evils to advantages to seldom when the bee doth leave her comb in the dead carrion enter Westmoreland who's here, Westmoreland? health to my sovereign, a new happiness added to that that I am to deliver Prince John, your son, doth kiss your grace's hand Möbre, the bishop's group, hastings and all are brought to the correction of your law there is not now a rebel sword unsheathed but peace puts forth her olive everywhere manner how this action hath been borne here at more leisure may your highness read with every course in his particular oh, Westmoreland, thou art a summer bird which ever in the haunch of winter sings the lifting up of day enter Harcourt look, here's more news from enemies, heaven keep your majesty and when they stand against you may they fall as those that I am come to tell you of the earl northumberland and the lord Bardoff with a great power of English end of Scots are by the shrieve of Yorkshire overthrown the manner and true order of the fight this packet, please it you, contains at large and wherefore should these good news make me sick? will fortune never come with both hands full but write her fair words still in foulest letters she either gives a stomach and no food such are the poor in health or else a feast and takes away the stomach such are the rich that have abundance and enjoy it not I should rejoice now at this happy news and now my sight fails and my brain is giddy oh, me, come near me, now I am much ill comfort your majesty oh, my royal father my sovereign lord, cheer up yourself, look up be patient, princes, you do know these fits are with his highness very ordinary stand from him, give him air, he'll straight be well no, no, he cannot long hold out these pangs then cessant care and labor of his mind hath wrought the mure that should confine it in so thin that life looks through and will break out the people fear me, for they do observe unfathored heirs and loathly births of nature the seasons changed their manners as the year had found some months of sleep and leapt them over the river hath thrice flowed, no ebb between and the old folk, times doting chronicles say it did so a little time before that our great grand sire Edward Sicton died speak lower, princes, for the king recovers this apoplexy will certainly be his end I pray you, take me up and bear me hence into some other chamber softly, pray exit scene five Westminster, another chamber the king lying on a bed Clarence, Gloucester, Warwick and others in attendance let there be no noise made, my gentle friends unless some dull and favourable hand will whisper music to my weary spirit call for the music in the other room set me the crown upon my pillow here his eye is hollow and he changes much less noise, less noise enter, Prince Henry who saw the Duke of Clarence? I am here, brother, full of heaviness how now? rain within doors and none abroad how doth the king? exceeding ill heard he the good news yet? tell it him he altered much upon the hearing it he be sick with joy he'll recover without physique not so much noise, my lords sweet Prince, speak low the king your father is disposed to sleep let us withdraw into the other room wilt please your grace to go along with us? no I will sit and watch here by the king exit all but the Prince why does the crown lie there upon his pillow being so troublesome a bedfellow a polished perturbation cold in care that keeps the ports of slumber open wide too many a watchful night sleep with it now yet not so sound and half so deeply sweet as whose brow with homely big and bound snores out the watch of night oh, Majesty when thou dost pinch thine bearer thou dost sit like a rich armor worn in heat of day that sculpts with safety by his gates of breath there lies a downy feather which stirs not did he suspire that light and weightless down perfoseness move my gracious lord my father this sleep is sound indeed this is a sleep that from this golden regal half divorced so many English kings thy dew from me is tears and heavy sorrows of the blood which nature, love, and filial tenderness shall, oh dear father pay thee plentiously my dew from thee is this imperial crown which as immediate from thy place and blood derives itself to me putting on the crown low where it sits which God shall guard the world's whole strength into one giant arm it shall not force this lineal honour from me this from thee will I to mine leave as it is left to me exit warwick Gloucester Clarence re-enter Warwick Gloucester Clarence doth the king call? what would your Majesty how fair is your grace? why did you leave me here alone, my lords? we left the prince my brother here in my liege who undertook to sit and watch by you the Prince of Wales where is he? let me see him he is not here this door is open he has gone this way he came not through the chamber where we stayed where is the crown? who took it from my pillow? when we withdrew my liege we left it here the Prince have taken it thence go seek him out is he so hasty that he doth suppose my sleep my death find him, my Lord of Warwick chide him hither exit Warwick this part of his conjoins with my disease and helps to end me see, sons, what things you are how quickly nature falls into revolt when gold becomes her object for this the foolish over-careful fathers have broke their sleep with thoughts their brains with care their bones with industry for this they have engrossed and piled up the cankered heaps of strange achieved gold for this they have been thoughtful to invest their sons with arts and martial exercises when, like the bee culling from every flower the virtuous sweets our thighs packed with wax our mouths with honey we bring it to the hive and like the bees are murdered for our pains my Lord, I found the prince in the next room washing with kindly tears his gentle cheeks with such a deep demeanor in great sorrow that tyranny which never quaffed but blood would by beholding him have washed his knife with gentle eyedrops he is coming hither but wherefore did he take away the crown re-enter Prince Henry lo, where he comes come hither to me, Harry depart the chamber leave us here alone accent all but the king and the prince I never thought to hear you speak again thy wish was father, Harry, to that thought I stay too long by thee I weary thee dost thou so hunger for mine empty chair that thou wilt needs invest thee with my honors before thy hour be ripe oh foolish youth thou seekest the greatness that will overwhelm thee stay but a little for my cloud of dignity is held from falling with so weak a wind that it will quickly drop my day is dim thou hast stolen that which after some few hours were thine without offence and at my death thou hast sealed up my expectation thy life did manifest thou lovest me not and thou wilt have me die assured of it thou hideest a thousand daggers in thy thoughts which thou hast wedded on thy stony heart to stab at half an hour of my life what canst thou not forbate me half an hour then yet thee gone and dig my grave thyself and bid the merry bells ring to thine ear that thou art crowned not that I am dead let all the tears that should be do my hearse be drops of balm to sanctify thy head only compound me with forgotten dust give that which gave thee life unto the worms pluck down my officers break my decrees for now a time is come to mock at form harry the fifth is crowned up vanity down royal state hall usage counsellors hence and to the English court assemble now from every region apes of idleness now neighbor confines purge you of your scum have you a ruffian that will swear, drink, dance revel the night, rob, murder and commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways be happy he will trouble you no more England shall double-guild his treble-guilt England shall give him office, honour, might for the fifth harry from curbed license plucks the muzzle of restraint and the wild dog shall flesh his tooth on every innocent oh my poor kingdom sick with civil blows when that my care could not withhold thy riots what wilt thou do when riot is thy care oh thou wilt be a wilderness again people with wolves thy old inhabitants oh pardon me my liege but for my tears the moist impediments under my speech I had this forestala to this dear and deep rebuke ere you with grief had spoken and I had heard the course of it so far there is your crown and he that wears the crown immortally long guarded yours kneeling if I effected more than as your honour and as your renown let me know more from this obedience rise which my most inward true and deudiest spirit teaches this prostrate and exterior bending God witness with me when I here came in and found no course of breath within your majesty how cold it struck my heart if I do faint oh let me in my present wildness die and never live to show the incredulous world the noble change that I have purposed coming to look on you thinking you dead and dead almost my liege to think you were I spake unto this crown as having sense and thus uprated it the caron thee depending hath fed upon the body of my father therefore thou best of gold art worst of gold other less fine and carrot is more precious preserving life in medicine potable but thou most fine, most honoured, most renowned hath did I bear up thus my most royal liege accusing it I put it on my head to try with it as with an enemy that had before my face murdered my father the quarrel of the true inheritor but if it didn't reflect 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 mind of it let God forever keep it from my head and make me as the poorest vassal is that doth with awe and terror kneel to it oh my son God put it in thy mind to take it hence that thou mightst win the more thy father's love pleading so wisely in excuse of it come hither Harry set thou by my bed and here I think the very latest council that ever I shall breathe God knows my son by what by paths and indirect crooked ways I met this crown and I myself know well how troublesome it sat upon my head to thee it shall descend with bitter quiet better opinion better confirmation for all the soil of the achievement goes with me into the earth it seemed in me but as an honour snatched with boisterous hand and I had many living to up braid my gain of it by their assistances which daily grew to quarrel and to bloodshed wounding supposed peace all these bold fears thou seest with peril I have answered for all my reign have been but as a scene acting that argument and now my death changes the mode for what in me was purchased falls upon thee in a more fairer sort so thou the garland wearest successively yet though the stennis more sure that I could do thou art not firm enough since griefs are green and all my friends which thou must make thy friends have but their stings and teeth newly taken out by whose fell working I was first advanced and by whose power I well might lodge of fear to be again displaced which to avoid I cut them off and had a purpose now to lead out many to the holy land lest resting 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 speeches utterly denied me how I came by the crown oh God forgive and grant it may with thee in true peace live my gracious leash you want it war it kept it gave it me then plain and right must my possession be which I with more than with a common pain against all the world will rightfully maintain enter Prince John of Lancaster Warwick lords and others look look here comes my John of Lancaster health peace and happiness to my royal father thou bringest me happiness and peace son John but health a lack with youthful wings is flown from this bear with a trunk upon thy sight my worldly business makes a period where is my lord of Warwick my lord of Warwick doth any name particular belong unto the lodging where I first did swoon his called Jerusalem my noble lord Lord be to God even there my life must end it hath been prophesied to me many years I should not die but in Jerusalem which vainly I supposed the holy land but bear me to that chamber there I'll lie in that Jerusalem shall Harry die exit end of act four act five of the second part of Henry the fourth this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the second part of Henry the fourth by William Shakespeare act five scene one Gloucestershire shallows house enter shallow fallstaff Bardolph and Paige by cock and pie sir you shall not away tonight what Davey I say you must excuse me master Robert shallow I will not excuse you you shall not be excused excuses shall not be admitted there is no excuse shall serve you shall not be excused why Davey enter Davey here sir Davey Davey Davey Davey let me see Davey let me see Davey let me see yay Mary William Cook bid him come hither sir John you shall not be excused Mary sir thus those precepts cannot be served and again sir shall we sell the headland with wheat with red wheat Davey but for William Cook are there no young pigeons yes sir here is now the smith's note for shoeing and plow irons let it be cast and paid sir John you shall not be excused now sir a new link to the bucket must needs be had sir do you mean to stop any of William's wages about the sack he lost the other day at Hinckley fair he shall answer it some pigeons Davey a couple of shortlegged hens a joint of mutton and any pretty little tiny kick shores tell William Cook that the man of war stay all night sir yay Davey I will use him well a friend in the court is better than a penny in purse use his men well Davey for they are aren't knaves and will backbite no worse than that they are back bitten sir for they have marvelous foul linen well conceited Davey about thy business Davey I beseech you sir to countenance William Visor of one caught against Clement Perks on the hill there is many complaints Davey against that Visor that Visor is an aren't knave on my knowledge I grant your worship that he is a knave sir but yet God forbids 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 this eight years and 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 you let him be countenanced go to I say he shall have no wrong look about Davey exit Davey where are you sir John come come come off with your boots give me your hand master Bardolph I am glad to see your worship I thank thee with all my heart kind master Bardolph to the page and welcome my tall fellow come sir John I'll follow you good master Robert Shallow exit Shallow Bardolph look to our horses exit Bardolph and Page if I were soared into quantities I should make four dozen of such bearded hermit staves as master Shallow it is a wonderful thing to see the assembleable coherence of his men's spirits in his they by observing of him do bear themselves like foolish justices he by conversing with them is turned into a justice like serving man their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society that they flock together and consent like so many wild geese if I had a suit to master Shallow I would humor 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 certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught as men take diseases one of another therefore let men take heed of their company I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Harry in continual laughter the wearing out of six fashions which is four terms or two actions and it shall laugh without intervallums oh it is much that a lie with a slight oath and just with a sad brow will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders oh you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill-layed up within Sir John I come master Shallow I come master Shallow Exit Scene two Westminster the palace enter severally Warwick and the Lord Chief Justice how now my Lord Chief Justice wither away how doth the king exceeding well his cares are now all ended I hope not dead he's walked the way of nature and to our purposes he lives no more what his majesty had called me with him the service that I truly did his life has left me open to all injures indeed I think the young king loves you not I know he doth not and do arm myself to welcome the condition of the time which cannot look more hijously upon me than I have drawn in my fantasy enter Lancaster Clarence Gloucester Westmoreland and others here comes the heavy issue of dead Harry oh that the living Harry had the temper of he the worst of these three gentlemen oh god I fear all will be overturned good morrow cousin Warwick good morrow good morrow cousin we meet like men that had forgot to speak we do remember but our argument is all too heavy to admit much talk well peace be with him that have made us heavy peace be with us lest we be heavier oh 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 though no man be assured what grace to find you stand in coldest expectation I am the Soria wood to her otherwise well you must now speaks for John Falstaff fair which swims against your stream of quality sweet prince what I did I did in honor led by the impartial conduct of my soul and never shall you see that I will beg a ragged and forest old remission if truth and upright innocence if fail me I'll to the king my master that is dead and tell him who has sent me after him here comes the prince enter King Henry the fifth attended good morrow and God save your majesty 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 Amorath and Amorath succeeds but Harry, Harry yet be sad good brothers for by my faith it very well becomes you sorrow so royally in you appears that I will deeply put the fashion on and wear it in my heart why then be sad but entertain no more of it good brothers then a joint burden laid upon us all for me by heaven I bid you be assured 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 we hope no otherwise from your majesty you all look strangely on me and you most you are I think assured I love you not I am assured if I be measured rightly your majesty has no just cause to hate me no how might a prince of my great hopes forget so great in dignities you laid upon me what rate rebuke and roughly sent to prison the immediate air of England was this easy may this be washed and lethy and forgotten I then deduce the person of your father the image of his power lay then in me and in the administration of his law whilst 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 where on as an offender to your father I gave bold way to my authority and I did commit you if the deed were ill be you contented wearing now the garland to have a sunset you decrease at naught you 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 profaned see your most dreadful law so loosely slighted behold yourself by a son disdained and then imagine me taking your part and in your power soft silencing your son after this cold considerance sentence me and as you are a king speak in your state what I have done that miss became my place my person or my leech is sovereignty you are right justice and you weigh this well therefore still bear the balance and the sword and I do wish your honors 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 unstained sword that you have used to bear with this remembrance that you use the same with the like, bold, just and impartial spirit as you have done against me there is my hand you shall be as a father to my youth my voice shall sound as you do prompt my in ear and I will stoop and humble my intents to your well-practiced 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 spirits sadly I survive to mock the expectation of the world to frustrate prophecies and to raise out rotten opinion who hath written me down after my seeming the tide of blood in me hath proudly flowed in vanity till now now doth it turn and ebb back into the sea where it shall mingle with the state of floods and flow hence forth 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 governed 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 Our coronation done, we will excite as I before remembered all our state and God consigning to my good intents no prince nor peer shall have just cause to say God shortened Harry's happy life one day Exant Scene 3 Gloucestershire, Shallow's Orchard Enter Falstaff, Shallow, Silence, Bardolf, The Page, and Davy Nay, you shall see my orchard where in an arb we will eat a last year's pipin of my own graffing with a dish of caraways and so forth Come, cousin, silence and then to bed For God, you have been here a goodly dwelling and rich Baron, Baron, Baron beggars all, beggars all, Sir John Mary, good air, spread Davy, spread Davy Well said, Davy This Davy serves you for good uses He is your serving man and your husband A good violet, a good violet, a very good violet, Sir John By the mass I've drunk too much sack at supper A good violet Now sit down, now sit down Come, cousin Ah, sir, ah, quoth are we shall Do nothing but eat and make good cheer and praise God for the merry year when flesh is cheap and females dear and lusty lads roam here and there so merrily and ever among so merrily There's a merry heart Good master, silence I'll give you a health for that anon Give Master Bardolf some wine, Davy Sweet sir, sit I'll be with you anon, most sweet sir Sit, Master Page Good Master Page, sit Proface, what you want in meat will have in drink But you must bear the hearts all Exit Be merry, Master Bardolf And my little soldier there, be merry Be merry, be merry, my wife has all For women are shrews both short and tall Tis merry in hall when beards wagon And welcome merry shrove tide Be merry, be merry I did not think, Master Silence, it'd been a man of this metal Who, I? I have been merry twice and once ere now Re-enter, Davy To Bardolf There's a dish of leather coats for you Davy Worship, I'll be with you straight To Bardolf A cup of wine, sir? A cup of wine, that's brisk and fine And drink unto the lemen mine And a merry heart lives longer Well said, Master Silence And we shall be merry now comes in the sweet of the night Health and long life to you, Master Silence Have a cup and let it come I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom Honest Bardolf, welcome If thou want'st anything and wilt not call Be shrew thy heart Welcome, my little tiny thief And welcome, indeed, too I'll drink to Master Bardolf And to all the caballeros about London I hope to see London once ere I die And I might see you there, Davy By the mass You'll crack a quads together, ha! Will you not, Master Bardolf? Yes, sir, and a pot kettle By God's liggins I thank thee The navels stick thee, I can assure thee that He will not out, he did's true bread And I'll stick by him, sir Why, there spoke a king Lack nothing, be merry One knocks at door Look, who's at door there, ho? Who knocks? Exit Davy To Silence, who has drunk a bumper Why, now you have done me right Do me right, and up may night Summingo, is't not so? Tis so Is't so? Why then, say an old man can do somewhat? Re-enter Davy And it pleases you, worship, there's one pistol come from court with news From the court, let him come in Enter pistol How now, pistol? Sir John, God save you What wind blew you hither, pistol? Not the ill wind which blows no man to good Sweet knight, thou art now one of the greatest men in this realm Bar Lady, I think I be But good man Puff of Barson Puff? Puff in thy teeth, most requiant coward base Sir John, I am thy pistol and thy friend And hath the skill to have our road to thee And tidings do I bring in lucky joys And golden times and happy news of price I pray thee now, deliver them like a man of this world A foutre for the world and wordlings base I speak of Africa and golden joys O base, a Syrian knight, what is thy news? Let King Cafetua know the truth thereof And Robin Hood, Scarlet and John Shall Dunghill Curse confront the helicons And shall good news be baffled Then pistol lay thy head in Fiori's lap Honest gentleman, I know not your breathing Why then lament therefore Give me pardon, sir If, sir, you come with news from the court I take it there's but two ways Either to utter them or conceal them I am, sir, under the king in some authority Under which king, Bisonian, speak or die? Under King Harry Harry the fourth or fifth Harry the fourth A foutre for thine office Sir John, thy tender lamkin now is king Harry the fifth, the man, I speak the truth When pistol lords do this And fig me like the bragging Spaniard What is the old king dead? Has an helendore, the things I speak are just Away, bardoff, saddle my horse Master Robert Shallow, choose what office thou wilt in the land Tis thine Pistol, I will double-charge thee with dignities O joyful day, I would not take a knighthood for my fortune What do I bring good news? Carry master silence to bed Master Shallow, my lord Shallow, be what thou wilt I am fortune-steward Yet all my boots will ride all night O sweet pistol, away, bardoff Exit, bardoff Come, pistol, utter more to me And with all devise is 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 Blessed are they that have been my friends And woe to my lord chief justice Let vultures boil seas on his lungs also Where is the life that late I led they say Why here it is? Welcome these pleasant days Bring in hostess quickly and doll tearsheet No, thou errant knave, I would to God that I might die That I might have thee hanged Thou has drawn my shoulder out of joint The constipates have delivered her over to me And she shall have whipping cheer enough I warrant her There has been a man or two lately killed about her Nothook, nothook, you lie Come on, I'll tell thee what thou damned trunks visage rascal While dine I'll go with thee, Miss Carrie Thou art better, thou would struck thy mother, thou paper-faced villain Oh, 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, Miss Carrie If it do, you shall have a dozen cushions again But you have eleven now Come, I charge you both to go with me For the man is dead that you and Bistro beat amongst you I tell you what, you thin man in a censor I will have you as soundly swinge for this You blue-boiled rogue, you filthy, famished correctioner If you be not swinged half or swear half-curtles Come, come, you she knight errant, come Oh, God, that right should thus overcome might Well, if sufferance comes ease Come, you rogue, come, bring me to a justice Aye, come, you starved bloodhound Good man, death, good man, bones Thou at me, thou Come, you thin thing, come, you rascal Very well Exant Scene 5 Westminster, near the Abbey Enter Groom, strewing rushes More rushes, more rushes The trumpets have sounded twice It will be two o'clock ere they come from the coronation Dispatch, dispatch Exant Trumpets sound and the king and his train pass over the stage After them enter Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, Bardolf and Page Stand here by me, Master Robert Shallow I will make the king do you grace I will leer upon him as he comes by And do but mark the countenance that he will give me God bless thy lungs, good night Come here, Pistol, stand behind me To Shallow Oh, if I had had to have made new liveries I would have bestowed the thousand pound I borrowed of you But is no matter, this poor show doth better This doth infer the zeal I had to see him It doth so? It shows my earnestness of affection It doth so? My devotion It doth, it doth, it doth As it were, to ride day and night and not to deliberate Not to remember, not to have patience to shift me It is best, certain But to stand, stained with travel And sweating with desire to see him The thinking of nothing else Putting all affairs else in oblivion As if there were nothing else to be done But to see him Tis Semperoidum, for obsque hoc nihilest Tis all in every part Tis so indeed My knight, I will inflame thy noble liver And make thee rage Thy doll, in hellen of thy noble thoughts Is in base-durance and contagious prison Held thither by most mechanical and dirty hands Rows up revenge from ebb and den With foul electos, snake For doll is in! Pistol speaks not but truth I will deliver her Shouts within, and the trumpet sound There roared the sea, and trumpet clangor sounds Enter the king and his train The Lord Chief Justice among them God save thy grace, King Hal My royal Hal The heavens thee guard and keep Most royal imp of fame God save thee, my sweet boy My Lord Chief Justice Speak to that vain man Have you your witch? Know you what this you speak? My king, my jove I speak to thee my heart I know thee not, old man Fault of thy prayers How ill white hairs Become a fool and jester I have long dreamt of such a kind of man So surfeit swelled so old And so profane But being awaked 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-bomb jest Presume not that I am the thing I was For God doth know so shall the world perceive That I have turned away my former self So will I those that kept me company For 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 beings enforce you not to evils And as we hear you do reform yourselves We will, according to your strength and qualities Give you advancement Be at your charge, my lord, To see perform the tenor of our word Exant the king and his train Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pounds Yea, marry, sir John, Which I beseech you to let me have home with me That can hardly be, Master Shallow Do not you grieve at this I shall be sent for in private to him Look, you, he must seem thus to the world Fear not your advancements I will be the man yet that shall make you great 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 Sir, I will be as good as my word This that you heard was but a colour A colour that I fear you will die in, sir John Fear no colours Go with me to dinner Come, Lieutenant Pister Come, Bardov I shall be sent for soon at night Re-enter Prince John, the lord chief justice, with officers Go, Kerry, sir John, fallstaff to the fleet Take all his company along with him My lord, my lord I cannot now speak I will hear you soon, take them away See, Fortuna, my tormenta, sparrow me contenta Exant all but Prince John and the lord chief justice I like this fair proceeding of the kings He hath intent his wanted followers shall all be very well provided for But all are banished till their conversations appear more wise and modest to the world And so they are The king hath called his parliament, my lord He hath I will lay odds that ere this year expire We will bear as civil swords and native fire as far as France I heard a bird so sing Whose music to my thinking pleased the king Come, will you hence Exant Epilogue First my fear, then my curtsy, last my speech My fear is your displeasure, my curtsy, 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 mooring 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 meant 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 Bait me some and I will pay you some And, as most debtors do, promise you infinitely And so I kneel down before you But indeed to pray for the queen 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 would I All the gentle women here have forgiven me If the gentleman will not Then the gentleman do not agree with the gentle women 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 marry with Fair Catherine of France Where, for anything I know, Falstaff shall die of a sweat Unless already I be killed with your hard opinions For Old Castle died a martyr And this is not the man My tongue is weary When my legs are too I will bid you good night End of Act V End of the second part of Henry IV by William Shakespeare