An outline of humor: Being a true chronicle from prehistoric ages to the twentieth century
History
An outline of humor: Being a true chronicle from prehistoric ages to the twentieth century
Wit and humor
_Falstaff._ Shall I? Oh, rare! By the Lord, I’ll be a brave judge.
_Prince Henry._ Thou judgest false already; I mean thou shalt have
the hanging of the thieves, and so become a rare hangman.
_Falstaff._ Well, Hal, well; and in some sort it jumps with my
humor, as well as waiting in the court, I can tell you.
_Prince Henry._ For obtaining of suits?
_Falstaff._ Yea, for obtaining of suits; whereof the hangman hath
no lean wardrobe. ’Sblood, I am as melancholy as a gib-cat or a lugged
bear.
_Prince Henry._ Or an old lion; or a lover’s lute.
_Falstaff._ Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire bagpipe.
_Prince Henry._ What say’st thou to a hare, or the melancholy of
Moor-ditch.
_Falstaff._ Thou hast the most unsavory similes; and art, indeed,
the most comparative, rascalliest,--sweet young prince,--But Hal, I
pr’ythee trouble me no more with vanity. I would to God thou and I
knew where a commodity of good names were to be bought: an old lord of
the council rated me the other day in the street about you, sir; but I
marked him not; and yet he talked very wisely; but I regarded him not:
and yet he talked wisely, and in the street too.
_Prince Henry._ Thou didst well; for wisdom cries out in the
streets and no man regards it.
_Falstaff._ Oh, thou hast damnable iteration; and art, indeed,
able to corrupt a saint. Thou hast done much harm upon me, Hal,--God
forgive thee for it! Before I knew thee, Hal, I knew nothing; and
now am I, if a man should speak truly, little better than one of the
wicked. I must give over this life, and I will give it over; by the
Lord, and I do not, I am a villain; I’ll be damned for never a king’s
son in Christendom.
_Prince Henry._ Where shall we take a purse tomorrow, Jack?
_Falstaff._ Zounds, where thou wilt, lad; I’ll make one; an I do
not, call me villain, and baffle me.
_Prince Henry._ I see a good amendment of life in thee; from
praying to purse-taking.
_FROM MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING_
CONRADE, BORACHIO, DOGBERRY, VERGES, SEXTON, _and the_
WATCH.
_Dogberry._ Is our whole dissembly appeared?
_Verges._ Oh, a stool and a cushion for the sexton!
_Sexton._ Which be the malefactors?
_Dogberry._ Marry, that am I and my partner.
_Verges._ Nay, that’s certain. We have the exhibition to examine.
_Sexton._ But which are the offenders that are to be examined? Let
them come before master constable.
_Dogberry._ Yea, marry, let them come before me. What is your
name, friend?
_Borachio._ Borachio.
_Dogberry._ Pray, write down--Borachio.--Yours, sirrah?
_Conrade._ I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is Conrade.
_Dogberry._ Write down--master gentleman Conrade.--Masters, do you
serve God?
_Conrade, Borachio._ Yea, sir, we hope.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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