Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Rosemary Gaby
Peer Reviewed

Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 0, 1598)

The Hystorie
North. Why what a waspe-stung and impatient foole
565Art thou, to breake into this womans moode,
Tying thine eare to no tongue but thine owne.
Hot. Why looke you? I am whip and scourgd with rods,
Netled, and stung with pismires, when I heare
Of this vile polititian Bullingbrooke,
570In Richards time, what do you cal the place?
A plague vpon it, it is in Glocestershire;
Twas where the mad-cap duke his vnckle kept
His vncle Yorke, where I first bowed my knee
Vnto this king of smiles, this Bullingbrooke:
575Zbloud, when you and he came backe from Rauenspurgh.
North. At Barkly castle.
Hot. You say true.
Why what a candy deale of curtesie,
This fawning greyhound then did proffer me,
580Looke when his infant fortune came to age,
And gentle Harry Percy, and kind coosen:
O the diuel take such coosoners, god forgiue me,
Good vncle tel your tale, I haue done.
Wor. Nay, if you haue not, to it againe,
585We wil stay your leisure.
Hot. I haue done Ifaith.
Wor. Then once more to your Scottish prisoners,
Deliuer them vp without their ransome straight,
And make the Douglas sonne your onely meane
590For Powers in Scotland, which for diuers reasons
Which I shall send you written, be assur'd
Wil easely be granted you my Lord.
Your sonne in Scotland being thus emploied,
Shal secretly into the bosome creepe
595Of that same noble Prelat wel belou'd,
The Archbishop.
Hot. Of Yorke, is it not?
Wor. True, who beares hard
His brothers death at Bristow the lord Scroop,
600I speake not this in estimation,
As