Great Britain -- History -- Henry IV, 1399-1413 -- Drama; Henry IV, King of England, 1367-1413 -- Drama; Historical drama
WORCESTER.
Cousin, farewell. No further go in this
Than I by letters shall direct your course.
When time is ripe, which will be suddenly,
I’ll steal to Glendower and Lord Mortimer,
Where you and Douglas, and our powers at once,
As I will fashion it, shall happily meet,
To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,
Which now we hold at much uncertainty.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Farewell, good brother; we shall thrive, I trust.
HOTSPUR.
Uncle, adieu. O, let the hours be short,
Till fields and blows and groans applaud our sport!
[_Exeunt._]
ACT II
SCENE I. Rochester. An Inn-Yard.
Enter a Carrier with a lantern in his hand.
FIRST CARRIER.
Heigh-ho! an it be not four by the day, I’ll be hang’d. Charles’ wain
is over the new chimney, and yet our horse not pack’d.—What, ostler!
OSTLER.
[_within._] Anon, anon.
FIRST CARRIER.
I prithee, Tom, beat Cut’s saddle, put a few flocks in the point; poor
jade is wrung in the withers out of all cess.
Enter another Carrier.
SECOND CARRIER.
Peas and beans are as dank here as a dog, and that is the next way to
give poor jades the bots. This house is turned upside down since Robin
ostler died.
FIRST CARRIER.
Poor fellow never joyed since the price of oats rose, it was the death
of him.
SECOND CARRIER.
I think this be the most villainous house in all London road for fleas.
I am stung like a tench.
FIRST CARRIER.
Like a tench! By the Mass, there is ne’er a king christen could be
better bit than I have been since the first cock.
SECOND CARRIER.
Why, they will allow us ne’er a jordan, and then we leak in your
chimney, and your chamber-lye breeds fleas like a loach.
FIRST CARRIER.
What, ostler! Come away and be hanged, come away.
SECOND CARRIER.
I have a gammon of bacon and two razes of ginger, to be delivered as
far as Charing Cross.
FIRST CARRIER.
God’s body! The turkeys in my pannier are quite starved.—What, ostler!
A plague on thee! Hast thou never an eye in thy head? Canst not hear?
An ’twere not as good deed as drink to break the pate on thee, I am a
very villain. Come, and be hanged. Hast no faith in thee?
Enter Gadshill.
GADSHILL.
Good morrow, carriers. What’s o’clock?
FIRST CARRIER.
I think it be two o’clock.
GADSHILL.
I prithee, lend me thy lantern, to see my gelding in the stable.
FIRST CARRIER.
Nay, by God, soft! I know a trick worth two of that, i’faith.
GADSHILL.
I pray thee, lend me thine.
SECOND CARRIER.
Ay, when? Canst tell? “Lend me thy lantern,” quoth he! Marry, I’ll see
thee hanged first.
GADSHILL.
Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come to London?
SECOND CARRIER.
Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant thee. Come, neighbour
Mugs, we’ll call up the gentlemen. They will along with company, for
they have great charge.
[_Exeunt Carriers._]
GADSHILL.
What, ho! Chamberlain!
Enter Chamberlain.
CHAMBERLAIN.
At hand, quoth pick-purse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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