House.

Enter SHALLOW, Falstaff, BARDOLPH, and Page. Shal. By cock and pye, sir, you shall not away to-night. What, Davy, I say!

Fal. You must excuse me, master Robert Shallow. Shal. I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused; excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be excused. Why, Davy!

Davy. Here, sir.

Enter DAVY.

Shal. Davy, Davy, Davy,-let me see, Davy; let me see:-yea, marry, William cook, bid him come hither.-Sir John, you shall not be excused.

Davy. Marry, sir, thus;-those precepts cannot be served: and, again, sir,-Shall we sow the headland with wheat?

Shal. With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook;- Are there no young pigeons? Davy. Yes, sir. Here is now the smith's note, for shoeing and plough-irons. Shal. Let it be cast, and paid:-sir John, you shall not be excused.

Davy. Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must needs be had.-And, sir, do you mean to stop any of William's wages, about the sack he lost the other day at Hinckley fair?

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. 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. 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, this 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 my 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. Bardolph, look to our horses. [Exeunt BARDOLPH and Page.] If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermit's staves as master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his: They, by observing him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like serving man; their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society, that they flock together in 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

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 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.

Shal. [Within.] Sir John!

Fal. I come, master Shallow; I come, master Shallow. [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.

And, to our purposes, he lives no more.
He's walk'd the way of nature;
Ch. Just. I would his majesty had called me with

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.

To welcome the condition of the time;
Ch. Just. I know he doth not; and do arm myself,
Which cannot look more hideously upon me
Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.

Enter PRINCE JOHN, PRINCE HUMPHREY, CLARENCE,
WESTMORELAND, and others.

O, that the living Harry had the temper
War. Here comes the heavy issue of dead Harry:
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!

Is

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
all too heavy to admit such talk.

P. John. Well, peace be with him that hath

made us heavy!

Ch. Just. Peace be with us, least 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.

P. John. Though no man be assur'd what grace to find,

I am the sorrier; 'would 'twere otherwise.
You stand in coldest expectation:

Cla. Well, you must now speak sir John Falstaff
Which swims against your stream of quality.
fair;
Ch. Just. Sweet princes, what I did,

Led by the impartial conduct of my soul;
honor,
And never shall you see, that I will beg
A ragged and forestall'd remission.-
If truth and upright innocency fail me,
I'll to the king my master that is dead,
And tell him who hath sent me after him.
War. Here comes the prince.

Enter KING HENRY V.

did in

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

2A serious face.

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,

And wear it in my heart. Why then, be sad:
But entertain no more of it, good brothers,
Than a joint burden laid upon us all.
For me, by Heaven, I bid you be assur'd,
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, &c. 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?
What! rate, rebuke, and roughly sent to prison
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 profaned,
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 consideration, sentence me;
And, as you are a king, speak in your state,
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 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 unstain'd 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 '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

Emperor of the Turk s, died in 1596; his son, who succeeded him, had all his brothers strangled. In your regal character and office.

| 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 henceforth in formal majesty.
Now call we our high court of parliament:
And let us choose such limbs of noble council,
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

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

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

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 Silence, I'll give you a health for that anon.

Shal. Give master Bardolph some wine, Davy. Davy. Sweet sir, sit; [Seating BARDOLPH and the Page at another table.] I'll be with you anon;most sweet sir, sit.- Master page, good master page, sit: proface! 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.

Sil. Be merry, be merry, my wive's as all;

[Singing. For woman are shrews, both short and tall; 'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all,

And welcome merry shrove-tide.

Be merry, be merry, &c.

Fa!. I did not think master Silence had been a man of this mettle.

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

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 bred.

Bard. And I'll stick by him, sir. Shal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. [Knocking heard.] Look who's at door there: Ho! who knocks! [Exit DAVY. Fal. Why, now you have done me right. [TO SILENCE, who drinks a bumper. Sil. Do me right, [Singing. And dub me knight:

Samingo.

Is't not so?

Fal. 'Tis so.

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 iny friends; and woe to my lord chief Justice!

Pist. Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also! Where is the life that late I led? say they: Why, here it is; welcome these pleasant days. [Exeunt

SCENE IV. London. A Street. Enter Beadles, dragging in HOSTESS QUICKLY, and DOLL TEAR-SHEET.

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

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

Doll. Nut-hook, nut-hook, you lie. Come, on!

somewhat.

Re-enter DAVY.

an the child, I now go with, do miscarry, thou had'st better thou had'st struck thy mother, thou paper faced villain!

Host. O the Lord, that sir John were come! he

come from the court with news.

Fal. From the court! let him come in.

Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base!-
Sir John, I am thy Pistol, and thy friend,

And helter-skelter have I rode to thee;
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 conceal them. I am, sir, under the king, in some authority. Pist. Under which king, Bezonian? speak, or die. Shal. Under king Harry. Pist.

Shal. Harry the fourth. Pist.

Harry the fourth? or fifth?

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

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

Pist. What? I do bring good news?

I pray God, the fruit of her womb miscarry!

1 Bead. If I 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.

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

1 Bead. Come, come, you she knight-errant,

come.

Host. O, that right should thus overcome might! Well; of sufferance comes case.

Doll. Come, you rogue, come; bring me to a justice.

Host. Ay; come, you starved blood-hound.
Doll. Goodman death! goodman bones!
Host. Thou atomy, thou!

Doll. 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.

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.

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.

Pist. God bless thy lungs, good knight.

Fal. Come here, Pistol; stand behind me.-0, if I had had time to have niade 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.

Shal. It doth so.

Fal. It shows my earnestness of affection. Shal. It doth so.

1 A term of reproach for a catchpoll. To stuff her out to counterfeit pregnacy. Beadles usually wore a blue livery 4 Short cloaks.

'Tis all in every part.

Shal. 'Tis so indeed.

Pist. My knight, I will inflame thy noble liver, And make thee rage.

Thy Doll, and Helen of thy noble thoughts,
Is in base durance, and contagious prison;
Haul'd thither

By most mechanical and dirty hand:

Rouse up revenge from ebon den with fell Alecto's snake,

For Doll is in; Pistol speaks nought but truth.
Fal. I will deliver her.

[Shouts within, and the Trumpets sound. Pist. There roar'd the sea, the trumpet-clangor

sounds.

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 'tis you speak?

you what

Fal. My king! my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart!

King. I know thee not, old man: Fall to thy prayers;

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 my 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 miles.
For competence of life, I will allow you,
That lack of means enforce you not to evil:

We will, according to your strength, and quali

ties,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. 1 beseech you, good sir John, let me have five hun dred of my thousand.

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

Shal A color, I fear, that you will die in, sir John. Fal. Fear no colors; go with me to dinner. Come, lieutenant Pistol;-come, Bardolph:-I shall be sent for soon at night. [Exeunt. Re-enter PRINCE JOHN, the Chief Justice, Officers, &c. 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 Take them away.

soon.

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.

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

'Tis all in all, and all in every part.
Henceforward.

that were but light payment,-to dance out of your debt. But a good conscience will make any possi ble satisfactum, and so will I. All the gentlewo men 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 Katharine of France: where, for anything 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?

Most of the ancient interludes conclude with a prayer for the king or queen. Hence, perhaps, the Virant Rez & Regina, at the bottom of our modern play-bills.

DUKE OF EXETER, Uncle to the King.

DUKE OF YORK, Cousin to the King.

CHARLES THE SIXTH, King of France. LEWIS, the Dauphin.

The CONSTABLE of France.

RAMBURES, and GRANDPRE, French Lords.
Governor of Harfleur.

MONTJOY, a French Herald.

Ambassadors to the King of England.

ISABEL, Queen of France.

KATHARINE, Daughter of Charles and Isabel. ALICE, a Lady attending on the Princess Katharine QUICKLY, Pistol's Wife, an Hostess.

Lords, Ladies, Officers, French and English Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants.

Enter CHORUS.

O, for a muse of fire that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention!
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act,
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,
Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword, and
fire,

Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all,
The flat unraised spirit, that hath dared,
On this unworthy scaffold, to bring forth
So great an object: Can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France, or may we cram
Within the wooden O, the very casques,2
That did affright the air at Agincourt?
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest, in little place, a million;

King's Palace.

Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, and BISHOP

OF ELY.

Cant. My lord, I'll tell you,-that self bill is urged,

Which, in the eleventh year o' the last king's reign, Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd,

1 An allusion to the circular form of the theatre. 2 Helmets.

Did push it out of further question.

Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? Cant. It must be thought on. If it pass against

us,

We lose the better half of our possession:
For all the temporal lands, which men devout
By testament have given to the church,
Would they strip from us; being valued thus,-
As much as would maintain to the king's honor,

3 Powers of fancy.