And all thy friends—which thou must make thy
friends—
Have but their stings and teeth newly ta’en out,
By whose fell working I was first advanced,
And by whose power I well might lodge a fear
To be again displaced; which to avoid
I cut them off, and had a purpose now
To lead out many to the Holy Land,
Lest rest and lying still might make them look
Too near unto my state. Therefore, my Harry,
Be it thy course to busy giddy minds
With foreign quarrels, that action hence borne out
May waste the memory of the former days.
More would I, but my lungs are wasted so
That strength of speech is utterly denied me.
How I came by the crown, O God forgive,
And grant it may with thee in true peace live!
PRINCE HARRY My gracious liege,
You won it, wore it, kept it, gave it me;
Then plain and right must my possession be,
Which I with more than with a common pain
’Gainst all the world will rightfully maintain.
Enter Prince John of Lancaster ⌈followed by⌉ the Earl of Warwick ⌈and others⌉
KING HENRY
Look, look, here comes my John of Lancaster.
PRINCE JOHN
Health, peace, and happiness to my royal father!
KING HENRY
Thou bring’st me happiness and peace, son John;
But health, alack, with youthful wings is flown
From this bare withered trunk. Upon thy sight
My worldly business makes a period.
Where is my lord of Warwick?
PRINCE HARRY My lord of Warwick!
⌈Warwick comes forward to the King⌉
KING HENRY
Doth any name particular belong
Unto the lodging where I first did swoon?
WARWICK
’Tis called Jerusalem, my noble lord.
KING HENRY
Laud be to God! Even there my life must end.
It hath been prophesied to me many years
I should not die but in Jerusalem,
Which vainly I supposed the Holy Land;
But bear me to that chamber; there I’ll lie;
In that Jerusalem shall Harry die.
Exeunt, bearing the King in his bed
5.1 Enter Shallow, ⌈Silence,⌉ Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, and the Page
SHALLOW (to Sir John ) By cock and pie, you shall not away tonight.—What, Davy, I say!
SIR JOHN You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow.
SHALLOW I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused; excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be excused.—Why, Davy!
Enter Davy
DAVY Here, sir.
SHALLOW Davy, Davy, Davy; let me see, Davy; let me see. William Cook—bid him come hither.—Sir John, you shall not be excused.
DAVY Marry, sir, thus: those precepts cannot be served. And again, sir: shall we sow the headland with wheat?
SHALLOW With red wheat, Davy. But for William Cook; are there no young pigeons?
DAVY Yes, sir. Here is now the smith’s note for shoeing and plough-irons.
SHALLOW Let it be cast and paid. Sir John, you shall not be excused.
DAVY Sir, a new link to the bucket must needs be had; and, sir, do you mean to stop any of William’s wages, about the sack he lost at Hinkley Fair?
SHALLOW A shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William Cook.
DAVY Doth the man of war stay all night, sir?
SHALLOW Yea, Davy. I will use him well; a friend i’th’ court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy, for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite.
DAVY No worse than they are back-bitten, sir, for they have marvellous foul linen.
SHALLOW Well conceited, Davy. About thy business, Davy.
DAVY I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of Wo’ncot against Clement Perks o’th’ Hill.
SHALLOW There is many complaints, Davy, against that Visor. That Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.
DAVY I grant your worship that he is a knave, sir; but yet God forbid, sir, but a knave should have some countenance at his friend’s request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. I have served your worship truly, sir, this eight years. An I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have little credit with your worship. The knave is mine honest friend, sir; therefore I beseech you let him be countenanced.
SHALLOW Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy. ⌈Exit Davy⌉ Where are you, Sir John? Come, off with your boots.—Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.
BARDOLPH I am glad to see your worship. 49
SHALLOW I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph. ⌈To the Page⌉ And welcome, my tall fellow.—Come, Sir John.
SIR JOHN I’ll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.
Exit Shallow ⌈With Silence⌉
Bardolph, look to our horses. 54
Exit Bardolph ⌈With the Page⌉
If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermits’ staves as Master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men’s spirits and his. They, by observing him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like servingman. Their spirits are so married in conjunction, with the participation of society, that they flock together in consent like so many wild geese. If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humour his men with the imputation of being near their master; if to his men, I would curry with Master Shallow that no man could better command his servants. It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught as men take diseases, one of another; therefore let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Harry in continual laughter the wearing out of six fashions—which is four terms, or two actions—and a shall laugh without intervallums. O, it is much that a lie with a slight oath, and a jest with a sad brow, will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders! O, you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up!
SHALLOW (within) Sir John!
SIR JOHN I come, Master Shallow; I come, Master Shallow.
Exit
5.2 Enter the Earl of Warwick ⌈at one door⌉, and the Lord Chief Justice ⌈at another door⌉
WARWICK
How now, my Lord Chief Justice, whither away ?
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE How doth the King ?
WARWICK
Exceeding well: his cares are now all ended.
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE
I hope not dead.
WARWICK He’s walked the way of nature,
And to our purposes he lives no more.