Great Britain -- History -- Henry IV, 1399-1413 -- Drama; Henry IV, King of England, 1367-1413 -- Drama; Historical drama
Come, Pistol, utter more to me; and withal devise something to do
thyself good. Boot, boot, Master Shallow. I know the young King is sick
for me. Let us take any man’s horses. The laws of England are at my
commandment. Blessed are they that have been my friends, and woe to my
Lord Chief Justice!
PISTOL.
Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also!
“Where is the life that late I led?” say they:
Why, here it is; welcome these pleasant days!
[_Exeunt._]
SCENE IV. London. A street.
Enter Beadles, dragging in Hostess Quickly and Doll Tearsheet.
HOSTESS.
No, thou arrant knave. I would to God that I might die, that I might
have thee hanged. Thou hast drawn my shoulder out of joint.
FIRST BEADLE.
The constables have delivered her over to me, and she shall have
whipping-cheer enough, I warrant her. There hath been a man or two
lately killed about her.
DOLL.
Nut-hook, nut-hook, you lie! Come on, I’ll tell thee what, thou damned
tripe-visaged rascal, an the child I now go with do miscarry, thou wert
better thou hadst struck thy mother, thou paper-faced villain.
HOSTESS.
O the Lord, that Sir John were come! He would make this a bloody day to
somebody. But I pray God the fruit of her womb miscarry!
FIRST BEADLE.
If it do, you shall have a dozen of cushions again; you have but eleven
now. Come, I charge you both go with me, for the man is dead that you
and Pistol beat amongst you.
DOLL.
I’ll tell you what, you thin man in a censer, I will have you as
soundly swinged for this, you bluebottle rogue, you filthy famished
correctioner, if you be not swinged, I’ll forswear half-kirtles.
FIRST BEADLE.
Come, come, you she knight-errant, come.
HOSTESS.
O God, that right should thus overcome might! Well, of sufferance comes
ease.
DOLL.
Come, you rogue, come, bring me to a justice.
HOSTESS.
Ay, come, you starved bloodhound.
DOLL.
Goodman death, goodman bones!
HOSTESS.
Thou atomy, thou!
DOLL.
Come, you thin thing, come, you rascal!
FIRST BEADLE.
Very well.
[_Exeunt._]
SCENE V. A public place near Westminster Abbey.
Enter two Grooms, strewing rushes.
FIRST GROOM.
More rushes, more rushes.
SECOND GROOM.
The trumpets have sounded twice.
FIRST GROOM.
’Twill be two o’clock ere they come from the coronation. Dispatch,
dispatch.
[_Exeunt._]
Trumpets sound, and the King and his train pass over the stage. Enter
Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, Bardolph and Page.
FALSTAFF.
Stand here by me, Master Robert Shallow. I will make the King do you
grace. I will leer upon him as he comes by, and do but mark the
countenance that he will give me.
PISTOL.
God bless thy lungs, good knight!
FALSTAFF.
Come here, Pistol, stand behind me. O, if I had had time to have made
new liveries, I would have bestowed the thousand pound I borrowed of
you. But ’tis no matter, this poor show doth better. This doth infer
the zeal I had to see him.
SHALLOW.
It doth so.
FALSTAFF.
It shows my earnestness of affection—
SHALLOW.
It doth so.
FALSTAFF.
My devotion—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account