Shakespeare's First Folio - Part 322
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Part 322

Warw. Hee's walk'd the way of Nature, And to our purposes, he liues no more

Ch.Iust. I would his Maiesty had call'd me with him, The seruice, that I truly did his life, Hath left me open to all iniuries

War. Indeed I thinke the yong King loues you not

Ch.Iust. I know he doth not, and do arme my selfe To welcome the condition of the Time, Which cannot looke more hideously vpon me, Then I haue drawne it in my fantasie.

Enter Iohn of Lancaster, Gloucester, and Clarence.

War. Heere come the heauy Issue of dead Harrie: O, that the liuing Harrie had the temper Of him, the worst of these three Gentlemen: How many n.o.bles then, should hold their places, That must strike saile, to Spirits of vilde sort?

Ch.Iust. Alas, I feare, all will be ouer-turn'd

Iohn. Good morrow Cosin Warwick, good morrow

Glou. Cla. Good morrow, Cosin

Iohn. We meet, like men, that had forgot to speake

War. We do remember: but our Argument Is all too heauy, to admit much talke

Ioh. Well: Peace be with him, that hath made vs heauy Ch.Iust. Peace be with vs, least we be heauier

Glou. O, good my Lord, you haue lost a friend indeed: And I dare sweare, you borrow not that face Of seeming sorrow, it is sure your owne

Iohn. Though no man be a.s.sur'd what grace to finde, You stand in coldest expectation.

I am the sorrier, would 'twere otherwise

Cla. Wel, you must now speake Sir Iohn Falstaffe faire, Which swimmes against your streame of Quality

Ch.Iust. Sweet Princes: what I did, I did in Honor, Led by th' Imperiall Conduct of my Soule, And neuer shall you see, that I will begge A ragged, and fore-stall'd Remission.

If Troth, and vpright Innocency fayle me, Ile to the King (my Master) that is dead, And tell him, who hath sent me after him

War. Heere comes the Prince.

Enter Prince Henrie.

Ch.Iust. Good morrow: and heauen saue your Maiesty Prince. This new, and gorgeous Garment, Maiesty, Sits not so easie on me, as you thinke.

Brothers, you mixe your Sadnesse with some Feare: This is the English, not the Turkish Court: Not Amurah, an Amurah succeeds, But Harry, Harry: Yet be sad (good Brothers) For (to speake truth) it very well becomes you: Sorrow, so Royally in you appeares, That I will deeply put the Fashion on, And weare it in my heart. Why then be sad, But entertaine no more of it (good Brothers) Then a ioynt burthen, laid vpon vs all.

For me, by Heauen (I bid you be a.s.sur'd) Ile be your Father, and your Brother too: Let me but beare your Loue, Ile beare your Cares; But weepe that Harrie's dead, and so will I.

But Harry liues, that shall conuert those Teares By number, into houres of Happinesse

Iohn, &c. We hope no other from your Maiesty

Prin. You all looke strangely on me: and you most, You are (I thinke) a.s.sur'd, I loue you not

Ch.Iust. I am a.s.sur'd (if I be measur'd rightly) Your Maiesty hath no iust cause to hate mee

Pr. No? How might a Prince of my great hopes forget So great Indignities you laid vpon me?

What? Rate? Rebuke? and roughly send to Prison Th' immediate Heire of England? Was this easie?

May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten?

Ch.Iust. I then did vse the Person of your Father: The Image of his power, lay then in me, And in th' administration of his Law, Whiles I was busie for the Commonwealth, Your Highnesse pleased to forget my place, The Maiesty, and power of Law, and Iustice, The Image of the King, whom I presented, And strooke me in my very Seate of Iudgement: Whereon (as an Offender to your Father) I gaue bold way to my Authority, And did commit you. If the deed were ill, Be you contented, wearing now the Garland, To haue a Sonne, set your Decrees at naught?

To plucke downe Iustice from your awefull Bench?

To trip the course of Law, and blunt the Sword That guards the peace, and safety of your Person?

Nay more, to spurne at your most Royall Image, And mocke your workings, in a Second body?

Question your Royall Thoughts, make the case yours: Be now the Father, and propose a Sonne: Heare your owne dignity so much prophan'd, See your most dreadfull Lawes, so loosely slighted; Behold your selfe, so by a Sonne disdained: And then imagine me, taking your part, And in your power, soft silencing your Sonne: After this cold considerance, sentence me; And, as you are a King, speake in your State, What I haue done, that misbecame my place, My person, or my Lieges Soueraigntie

Prin. You are right Iustice, and you weigh this well: Therefore still beare the Ballance, and the Sword: And I do wish your Honors may encrease, Till you do liue, to see a Sonne of mine Offend you, and obey you, as I did.

So shall I liue, to speake my Fathers words: Happy am I, that haue a man so bold, That dares do Iustice, on my proper Sonne; And no lesse happy, hauing such a Sonne, That would deliuer vp his Greatnesse so, Into the hands of Iustice. You did commit me: For which, I do commit into your hand, Th' vnstained Sword that you haue vs'd to beare: With this Remembrance; That you vse the same With the like bold, iust, and impartiall spirit As you haue done 'gainst me. There is my hand, You shall be as a Father, to my Youth: My voice shall sound, as you do prompt mine eare, And I will stoope, and humble my Intents, To your well-practis'd, wise Directions.

And Princes all, beleeue me, I beseech you: My Father is gone wilde into his Graue, (For in his Tombe, lye my Affections) And with his Spirits, sadly I suruiue, To mocke the expectation of the World; To frustrate Prophesies, and to race out Rotten Opinion, who hath writ me downe After my seeming. The Tide of Blood in me, Hath prowdly flow'd in Vanity, till now.

Now doth it turne, and ebbe backe to the Sea, Where it shall mingle with the state of Floods, And flow henceforth in formall Maiesty.

Now call we our High Court of Parliament, And let vs choose such Limbes of n.o.ble Counsaile, That the great Body of our State may go In equall ranke, with the best gouern'd Nation, That Warre, or Peace, or both at once may be As things acquainted and familiar to vs, In which you (Father) shall haue formost hand.

Our Coronation done, we will accite (As I before remembred) all our State, And heauen (consigning to my good intents) No Prince, nor Peere, shall haue iust cause to say, Heauen shorten Harries happy life, one day.

Exeunt.

Scena Tertia.

Enter Falstaffe, Shallow, Silence, Bardolfe, Page, and Pistoll.

Shal. Nay, you shall see mine Orchard: where, in an Arbor we will eate a last yeares Pippin of my owne graffing, with a dish of Carrawayes, and so forth. (Come Cosin Silence, and then to bed

Fal. You haue heere a goodly dwelling, and a rich

Shal. Barren, barren, barren: Beggers all, beggers all Sir Iohn: Marry, good ayre. Spread Dauy, spread Dauie: Well said Dauie

Falst. This Dauie serues you for good vses: he is your Seruingman, and your Husband

Shal. A good Varlet, a good Varlet, a very good Varlet, Sir Iohn: I haue drunke too much Sacke at Supper. A good Varlet. Now sit downe, now sit downe: Come Cosin

Sil. Ah sirra (quoth-a) we shall doe nothing but eate, and make good cheere, and praise heauen for the merrie yeere: when flesh is cheape, and Females deere, and l.u.s.tie Lads rome heere, and there: so merrily, and euer among so merrily

Fal. There's a merry heart, good M[aster]. Silence, Ile giue you a health for that anon

Shal. Good M[aster]. Bardolfe: some wine, Dauie

Da. Sweet sir, sit: Ile be with you anon: most sweete sir, sit. Master Page, good M[aster]. Page, sit: Proface. What you want in meate, wee'l haue in drinke: but you beare, the heart's all

Shal. Be merry M[aster]. Bardolfe, and my little Souldiour there, be merry

Sil. Be merry, be merry, my wife ha's all.

For women are Shrewes, both short, and tall: 'Tis merry in Hall, when Beards wagge all; And welcome merry Shrouetide. Be merry, be merry

Fal. I did not thinke M[aster]. Silence had bin a man of this Mettle

Sil. Who I? I haue beene merry twice and once, ere now

Dauy. There is a dish of Lether-coats for you

Shal. Dauie