Great Britain -- History -- Henry IV, 1399-1413 -- Drama; Henry IV, King of England, 1367-1413 -- Drama; Historical drama
FALSTAFF.
Yea, I thank your pretty sweet wit for it. But look you pray, all you
that kiss my lady Peace at home, that our armies join not in a hot day;
for, by the Lord, I take but two shirts out with me, and I mean not to
sweat extraordinarily. If it be a hot day, and I brandish anything but
a bottle, I would I might never spit white again. There is not a
dangerous action can peep out his head but I am thrust upon it. Well, I
cannot last ever. But it was alway yet the trick of our English nation,
if they have a good thing, to make it too common. If ye will needs say
I am an old man, you should give me rest. I would to God my name were
not so terrible to the enemy as it is. I were better to be eaten to
death with a rust than to be scoured to nothing with perpetual motion.
CHIEF JUSTICE.
Well, be honest, be honest, and God bless your expedition!
FALSTAFF.
Will your lordship lend me a thousand pound to furnish me forth?
CHIEF JUSTICE.
Not a penny, not a penny; you are too impatient to bear crosses. Fare
you well: commend me to my cousin Westmoreland.
[_Exeunt Chief Justice and Servant._]
FALSTAFF.
If I do, fillip me with a three-man beetle. A man can no more separate
age and covetousness than he can part young limbs and lechery: but the
gout galls the one, and the pox pinches the other; and so both the
degrees prevent my curses. Boy!
PAGE.
Sir?
FALSTAFF.
What money is in my purse?
PAGE.
Seven groats and two pence.
FALSTAFF.
I can get no remedy against this consumption of the purse. Borrowing
only lingers and lingers it out, but the disease is incurable. Go bear
this letter to my Lord of Lancaster; this to the Prince; this to the
Earl of Westmoreland; and this to old Mistress Ursula, whom I have
weekly sworn to marry since I perceived the first white hair of my
chin. About it. You know where to find me. [_Exit Page_.] A pox of this
gout! or a gout of this pox! for the one or the other plays the rogue
with my great toe. ’Tis no matter if I do halt; I have the wars for my
colour, and my pension shall seem the more reasonable. A good wit will
make use of anything. I will turn diseases to commodity.
[_Exit._]
SCENE III. York. The Archbishop’s palace.
Enter the Archbishop, the Lords Hastings, Mowbray and Bardolph.
ARCHBISHOP.
Thus have you heard our cause and known our means,
And, my most noble friends, I pray you all
Speak plainly your opinions of our hopes.
And first, Lord Marshal, what say you to it?
MOWBRAY.
I well allow the occasion of our arms,
But gladly would be better satisfied
How in our means we should advance ourselves
To look with forehead bold and big enough
Upon the power and puissance of the King.
HASTINGS.
Our present musters grow upon the file
To five and twenty thousand men of choice;
And our supplies live largely in the hope
Of great Northumberland, whose bosom burns
With an incensed fire of injuries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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