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Henry IV, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1598).

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Warwike, duke Humphrey, L. chiefe Iustice, Thomas
2879.1
Clarence, Prince, Iohn Westmerland.
War. How now, my lord chiefe Iustice, whither away?
Iust. How doth the King?
War. Exceeding well, his cares are now all ended.
Iust. I hope not dead.
War. Hees walkt the way of nature,
And to our purposes he liues no more.
Iust. I would his Maiestie had calld me with him:
2890The seruice that I truely did his life,
Hath left me open to all iniuries.
War. Indeede I thinke the yong King loues you not.
Iust. I know he doth not, and do arme my selfe
To welcome the condition of the time,
2895Which cannot looke more hideously vpon me,
Than I haue drawne it in my fantasie.
Enter Iohn, Thomas, and Humphrey.
War. Heere come the heauy issue of dead Harry:
2900O that the liuing Harry had the temper
Of he, the worst of these three gentlemen!
How many Nobles then should holde their places,
That must strike saile to spirites of vile sort?
Iust. O God, I feare all will be ouer-turnd.
2905 Iohn Good morrow coosin Warwicke, good morrow.
Prin. ambo Good morrow coosin.
Iohn We meete like men that had forgot to speake.
War. We do remember, but our argument
Is all too heauy to admit much talke.
2910Iohn Well, peace be with him that hath made vs heauy.
Iust. Peace be with vs, lest we be heauier.
Humph. O good my lord, you haue lost a friend indeede,
And I dare sweare you borrow not that face
Of seeming sorrow, it is sure your owne.
2915Iohn Though no man be assurde what grace to finde,
You stand in coldest expectation,
I am the sorier, would twere otherwise.
Cla. Well, you must now speake sir Iohn Falstaffe faire,
Which swimmes against your streame of quallitie.
2920Iust. Sweet princes, what I did, I did in honor,
Led by th'impartiall conduct of my soule.
And neuer shall you see that I will begge
A ragged and forestald remission,
If truth and vpright innocencie faile me.
2925Ile to the King my maister that is dead,
And tell him who hath sent me after him.
Enter the Prince
War. Here comes the Prince.
Iust. Good morrow, and God saue your maiestie.
2930Prince This new and gorgeous garment Maiesty
Sits not so easie on me, as you thinke:
Brothers, you mixt your sadnesse with some feare,
This is the English, not the Turkish court,
Not Amurath an Amurath succeedes,
2935But Harry Harry: yet be sad, good brothers,
For by my faith 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,
2940But entertaine no more of it, good brothers,
Then a ioynt burden layd vpon vs all,
For me, by heauen (I bid you be assurde)
Ile be your father, and your brother too,
Let me but beare your loue, Ile beare your cares:
2945Yet weepe that Harries dead, and so will I,
But Harry liues, that shal conuert those teares
By number into howres of happinesse.
Bro. We hope no otherwise from your maiesty.
Prince You al looke strangely on me, and you most,
2950You are I thinke assurde I loue you not.
Iust. I am assurde, if I be measurde rightly,
Your maiesty hath no iust cause to hate me.
Prince No? how might a prince of my great hopes forget,
So great indignities you laid vpon me?
2955What, rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison,
Th'immediate heire of England? was this easie?
May this be washt in lethy and forgotten?
Iust. I then did vse the person of your father,
The image of his power lay then in me,
2960And in th'administration of his law,
Whiles I was busie for the common wealth,
Your Highnesse pleased to forget my place,
The maiestie and power of law and iustice,
The image of the King whom I presented,
2965And strooke me in my very seate of iudgement,
Whereon, (as an offendor 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,
2970To haue a sonne set your decrees at naught?
To plucke downe Iustice from your awful bench?
To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword,
That guards the peace and safetie of your person?
Nay more, to spurne at your most royall image,
2975And 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,
2980Behold 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,
2985What I haue done that misbecame my place,
My person, or my lieges soueraigntie.
Prince 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,
2990Til 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,
Happie am I that haue a man so bold,
That dares do iustice on my proper sonne:
2995And not lesse happie, 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 vsde to beare,
3000With this remembrance, that you vse the same
With the like bold, iust, and impartial 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,
3005And I wil stoope and humble my intents,
To your well practizde wise directions.
And princes all, beleeue me I beseech you,
My father is gone wild into his graue:
For in his toomb lie my affections,
3010And with his spirites sadly I suruiue,
To mocke the expectation of the world,
To frustrate prophecies, and to race out,
Rotten opinion, who hath writ me downe
After my seeming, the tide of bloud in me
3015Hath prowdely flowd in vanitie till now:
Now doth it turne, and ebbe backe to the sea,
Where it shall mingle with the state of flouds,
And flow henceforth in formall maiestie.
Now call we our high court of parliament,
3020And let vs chuse such limbs of noble counsaile,
That the great bodie of our state may goe,
In equall ranke with the best gouernd Nation,
That warre, or peace, or both at once, may be,
As things acquainted and familiar to vs,
3025In which your father shall haue formost hand:
Our coronation done, we wil accite,
(As I before remembred) all our state,
And (God consigning to my good intents,)
No prince nor peere shall haue iust cause to say,
3030God shorten Harries happy life one day.
exit.