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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 0, 1598)
  • Editor: Rosemary Gaby
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-371-7

    Copyright Rosemary Gaby. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Rosemary Gaby
    Peer Reviewed

    Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 0, 1598)

    of Henry the fourth.
    525By heauen me thinkes it were an easie leape,
    To plucke bright honor from the palefac't moone,
    Or diue into the bottome of the deepe,
    Where fadome line could neuer touch the ground,
    And plucke vp drowned honor by the locks,
    530So he that doth redeeme her thence might weare
    Without corriuall all her dignities,
    But out vpon this halfe fac't fellowship.
    Wor. He apprehends a world of figures here,
    But not the forme of what he should attend,
    535Good coosen giue me audience for a while.
    Hot. I cry you mercy.
    Wor. Those same noble Scots that are your prisoners.
    540Hot. Ile keepe them all;
    By God he shal not haue a Scot of them,
    No, if a Scot would saue his soule he shal not,
    Ile keepe them by this hand.
    Wor. You, start away,
    545And lend no eare vnto my purposes:
    Those prisoners you shal keepe.
    Hot. Nay I wil, thats flat:
    He said he would not ransome Mortimer,
    Forbad my tongue to speake of Mortimer,
    550But I wil find him when he lies asleepe,
    And in his eare ile hollow Mortimer:
    Nay, ile haue a starling shalbe taught to speake
    Nothing but Mortimer, and giue it him
    To keepe his anger stil in motion.
    555Wor. Heare you cosen a word.
    Hot. All studies here I sollemnly defie,
    Saue how to gall and pinch this Bullingbrooke,
    And that same sword and buckler prince of Wales,
    But that I thinke his father loues him not,
    560And would be glad he met with some mischance:
    I would haue him poisoned with a pot of ale.
    Wor. Farewel kinsman, ile talke to you
    when you are better temperd to attend.
    North
    C.i