COLEVILLE It is, my lord. 60

PRINCE JOHN

A famous rebel art thou, Coleville.

SIR JOHN And a famous true subject took him.

COLEVILLE

I am, my lord, but as my betters are

That led me hither. Had they been ruled by me,

You should have won them dearer than you have.

SIR JOHN

I know not how—they sold themselves, but thou

Like a kind fellow gav’st thyself away,

And I thank thee for thee.

Enter the Earl of Westmorland

PRINCE JOHN Have you left pursuit?

WESTMORLAND

Retreat is made, and execution stayed.

PRINCE JOHN

Send Coleville with his confederates 70

To York, to present execution.

Blunt, lead him hence, and see you guard him sure.

Exit Blunt, with Coleville

And now dispatch we toward the court, my lords.

I hear the King my father is sore sick.

(To Westmorland) Our news shall go before us to his

majesty,

Which, cousin, you shall bear to comfort him;

And we with sober speed will follow you.

SIR JOHN

My lord, I beseech you give me leave to go

Through Gloucestershire, and when you come to court

Stand, my good lord, pray, in your good report.

PRINCE JOHN

Fare you well, Falstaff. I in my condition

Shall better speak of you than you deserve.

Exeunt all but Sir John

SIR JOHN I would you had but the wit; ‘twere better than your dukedom. Good faith, this same young sober-blooded boy doth not love me, nor a man cannot make him laugh. But that’s no marvel; he drinks no wine. There’s never none of these demure boys come to any proof; for thin drink doth so overcool their blood, and making many fish meals, that they fall into a kind of male green-sickness; and then when they marry, they get wenches. They are generally fools and cowards—which some of us should be too, but for inflammation. A good sherry-sack hath a two-fold operation in it. It ascends me into the brain, dries me there all the foolish and dull and crudy vapours which environ it, makes it apprehensive, quick, forgetive, full of nimble, fiery, and delectable shapes, which, delivered o’er to the voice, the tongue, which is the birth, becomes excellent wit. The second property of your excellent sherry is the warming of the blood, which, before cold and settled, left the liver white and pale, which is the badge of pusillanimity and cowardice. But the sherry warms it, and makes it course from the inwards to the parts’ extremes; it illuminateth the face, which, as a beacon, gives warning to all the rest of this little kingdom, man, to arm; and then the vital commoners and inland petty spirits muster me all to their captain, the heart; who, great and puffed up with his retinue, doth any deed of courage. And this valour comes of sherry. So that skill in the weapon is nothing without sack, for that sets it a-work; and learning a mere hoard of gold kept by a devil, till sack commences it and sets it in act and use. Hereof comes it that Prince Harry is valiant; for the cold blood he did naturally inherit of his father he hath, like lean, sterile, and bare land, manured, husbanded, and tilled, with excellent endeavour of drinking good, and good store of fertile sherry, that he is become very hot and valiant. If I had a thousand sons, the first human principle I would teach them should be to forswear thin potations, and to addict themselves to sack. 121

Enter Bardolph

How now, Bardolph?

BARDOLPH

The army is discharged all and gone.

SIR JOHN Let them go. I’ll through Gloucestershire, and there will I visit Master Robert Shallow, Esquire. I have him already tempering between my finger and my thumb, and shortly will I seal with him. Come, away!

Exeunt

4.3 Enter King Henry ⌈in his bed⌉, attended by the Earl of Warwick, Thomas Duke of Clarence, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, ⌈and others⌉

KING HENRY

Now, lords, if God doth give successful end

To this debate that bleedeth at our doors,

We will our youth lead on to higher fields,

And draw no swords but what are sanctified.

Our navy is addressed, our power collected,

Our substitutes in absence well invested,

And everything lies level to our wish;

Only we want a little personal strength,

And pause us till these rebels now afoot

Come underneath the yoke of government. 10

WARWICK

Both which we doubt not but your majesty

Shall soon enjoy.

KING HENRY Humphrey, my son of Gloucester,

Where is the Prince your brother?

GLOUCESTER

I think he’s gone to hunt, my lord, at Windsor.

KING HENRY

And how accompanied?

GLOUCESTER I do not know, my lord. 15

KING HENRY

Is not his brother Thomas of Clarence with him?

GLOUCESTER

No, my good lord, he is in presence here.

CLARENCE What would my lord and father?

KING HENRY

Nothing but well to thee, Thomas of Clarence.

How chance thou art not with the Prince thy brother?

He loves thee, and thou dost neglect him, Thomas.

Thou hast a better place in his affection

Than all thy brothers. Cherish it, my boy,

And noble offices thou mayst effect

Of mediation, after I am dead, 25

Between his greatness and thy other brethren.

Therefore omit him not, blunt not his love,

Nor lose the good advantage of his grace

By seeming cold or careless of his will;

For he is gracious, if he be observed; 30

He hath a tear for pity, and a hand

Open as day for melting charity.

Yet notwithstanding, being incensed, he is flint,

As humorous as winter, and as sudden

As flaws congealed in the spring of day.

His temper therefore must be well observed.

Chide him for faults, and do it reverently,

When you perceive his blood inclined to mirth;

But being moody, give him line and scope

Till that his passions, like a whale on ground,

Confound themselves with working. Learn this,

Thomas,

And thou shalt prove a shelter to thy friends,

A hoop of gold to bind thy brothers in,