Great Britain -- History -- Henry IV, 1399-1413 -- Drama; Henry IV, King of England, 1367-1413 -- Drama; Historical drama
HASTINGS.
My lord, our army is dispersed already.
Like youthful steers unyoked, they take their courses
East, west, north, south; or, like a school broke up,
Each hurries toward his home and sporting-place.
WESTMORELAND.
Good tidings, my Lord Hastings; for the which
I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason;
And you, Lord Archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray,
Of capital treason I attach you both.
MOWBRAY.
Is this proceeding just and honourable?
WESTMORELAND.
Is your assembly so?
ARCHBISHOP.
Will you thus break your faith?
LANCASTER.
I pawn’d thee none.
I promised you redress of these same grievances
Whereof you did complain; which, by mine honour,
I will perform with a most Christian care.
But for you, rebels, look to taste the due
Meet for rebellion and such acts as yours.
Most shallowly did you these arms commence,
Fondly brought here and foolishly sent hence.
Strike up our drums, pursue the scattr’d stray:
God, and not we, hath safely fought today.
Some guard these traitors to the block of death,
Treason’s true bed and yielder-up of breath.
[_Exeunt._]
SCENE III. Another part of the forest.
Alarum. Excursions. Enter Falstaff and Colevile, meeting.
FALSTAFF.
What’s your name, sir? Of what condition are you, and of what place, I
pray?
COLEVILE.
I am a knight, sir, and my name is Colevile of the Dale.
FALSTAFF.
Well, then, Colevile is your name, a knight is your degree, and your
place the Dale. Colevile shall be still your name, a traitor your
degree, and the dungeon your place, a place deep enough; so shall you
be still Colevile of the Dale.
COLEVILE.
Are not you Sir John Falstaff?
FALSTAFF.
As good a man as he, sir, whoe’er I am. Do ye yield, sir, or shall I
sweat for you? If I do sweat, they are the drops of thy lovers, and
they weep for thy death. Therefore rouse up fear and trembling, and do
observance to my mercy.
COLEVILE.
I think you are Sir John Falstaff, and in that thought yield me.
FALSTAFF.
I have a whole school of tongues in this belly of mine, and not a
tongue of them all speaks any other word but my name. An I had but a
belly of any indifferency, I were simply the most active fellow in
Europe. My womb, my womb, my womb undoes me. Here comes our general.
Enter Prince John of Lancaster, Westmoreland, Blunt, and others.
LANCASTER.
The heat is past; follow no further now.
Call in the powers, good cousin Westmoreland.
[_Exit Westmoreland._]
Now, Falstaff, where have you been all this while?
When everything is ended, then you come.
These tardy tricks of yours will, on my life,
One time or other break some gallows’ back.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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