Great Britain -- History -- Henry IV, 1399-1413 -- Drama; Henry IV, King of England, 1367-1413 -- Drama; Historical drama
haunts thee in the likeness of an old fat man; a tun of man
is
thy companion. Why dost thou converse with that trunk of
humours,
that bolting hutch of beastliness, that swoll'n parcel of
dropsies, that huge bombard of sack, that stuff'd cloakbag of
guts, that roasted Manningtree ox with the pudding in his
belly,
that reverend vice, that grey iniquity, that father ruffian,
that
vanity in years? Wherein is he good, but to taste sack and
drink
it? wherein neat and cleanly, but to carve a capon and eat
it?
wherein cunning, but in craft? wherein crafty, but in
villany?
wherein villanous, but in all things? wherein worthy, but in
nothing?
Fal. I would your Grace would take me with you. Whom means your
Grace?
Prince. That villanous abominable misleader of youth, Falstaff,
that old white-bearded Satan.
Fal. My lord, the man I know.
Prince. I know thou dost.
Fal. But to say I know more harm in him than in myself were to
say
more than I know. That he is old (the more the pity) his
white
hairs do witness it; but that he is (saving your reverence) a
whoremaster, that I utterly deny. If sack and sugar be a
fault,
God help the wicked! If to be old and merry be a sin, then
many
an old host that I know is damn'd. If to be fat be to be
hated,
then Pharaoh's lean kine are to be loved. No, my good lord.
Banish Peto, banish Bardolph, banish Poins; but for sweet
Jack
Falstaff, kind Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff, valiant
Jack
Falstaff, and therefore more valiant being, as he is, old
Jack
Falstaff, banish not him thy Harry's company, banish not him
thy
Harry's company. Banish plump Jack, and banish all the world!
Prince. I do, I will. [A knocking heard.]
[Exeunt Hostess, Francis, and Bardolph.]
Enter Bardolph, running.
Bard. O, my lord, my lord! the sheriff with a most monstrous
watch
is at the door.
Fal. Out, ye rogue! Play out the play. I have much to say in
the
behalf of that Falstaff.
Enter the Hostess.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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