Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • 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)

    Enter a Carrier with a lanterne in his hand.
    6351 Car. Heigh ho. An it be not foure by the day ile be hangd,
    Charles-waine is ouer the new Chimney, and yet our horse not
    packt. What Ostler.
    Ost. Anon, anon.
    Cii. 1 Car.
    The Hystorie
    1 Car. I preethe Tom beat Cuts saddle, put a few flockes in
    640the point, poore iade is wroong in the withers, out of all cesse.
    Enter another Carier.
    2 Car. Pease and beanes are as danke here as a dog, and that
    is the next way to giue poore iades the bottes: this house is tur-
    645ned vpside downe since Robin Ostler died.
    1 Car. Poore fellow neuer ioyed since the prise of Oates rose,
    it was the death of him.
    2 Car. I thinke this bee the most villainous house in all Lon-
    650don road for fleas, I am stung like a Tench.
    1 Car. Like a Tench, by the Masse there is nere a King chri-
    sten could be better bit then I haue bin since the first cocke.
    2 Car. Why, they will allowe vs nere a Iordan, and then
    655we leake in your Chimney, and your chamber-lie breedes fleas
    like a loach.
    1 Car. What Ostler, come away and be hangd, come away.
    2 Car. I haue a gammon of bacon, and two razes of Gin-
    660ger, to be deliuered as far as Charing Crosse.
    1 Car. Gods bodie, the Turkies in my Panier are quite star-
    ued: what Ostler? a plague on thee, hast thou neuer an eie in thy
    heade? canst not heare, and twere not as good deed as drinke to
    break the pate on thee, I am a verie villain, come and be hangd,
    665hast no faith in thee?
    Enter Gadshill:
    Gadshill. Good morrow Cariers, whats a clocke?
    Car: I thinke it be two a clocke.
    Gad: I preethe lend me thy lanterne, to see my gelding in the
    670stable.
    1 Car: Nay by God soft, I knowe a trike worth two of that
    I fayth.
    Gad: I pray thee lend me thine.
    2 Car. I when canst tell? lend mee thy lanterne (quoth he)
    675marry ile see thee hangd first.
    Gad. Sirrha Carrier, what time do you meane to come to
    London?
    2 Car. Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant
    thee, come neighbour Mugs, weele call vp the Gentlemen,
    they
    of Henrie the fourth.
    680[t]hey will along with companie, for they haue great charge.
    Enter Chamberlaine, Exeunt.
    Gad. What ho: Chamberlaine.
    Cham. At hand quoth pickepurse.
    685Gad. Thats euen as faire as at hand quoth the Chamberlaine:
    for thou variest no more from picking of purses, then giuing di-
    rection doth from labouring: thou layest the plot how.
    Cham: Good morrow maister Gadshil, it holdes currant that
    690I tolde you yesternight, ther's a Frankelin in the wild of Kent
    hath brought three hundred Markes with him in golde, I heard
    him tell it to one of his company last night at supper, a kinde of
    Auditor, one that hath abundance of charge too, God knowes
    what, they are vp alreadie, and call for Egges and Butter, they
    695will away presently.
    Gad: Sirrha, if they meete not with Saint Nicholas clearkes,
    [ile] giue thee this necke.
    Cham. No, ile none of it, I pray thee keepe that for the hang-
    700[ma]n, for I know thou worshippest Saine Nicholas, as trulie as
    [a] man of falshood may.
    Ga. What talkest thou to me of the hãgman? if I hang, ile make
    a fat paire of Gallowes: for if I hang, olde sir Iohn hangs with
    me, and thou knowest he is no starueling: tut, there are other
    705Troyans that thou dreamst not of, the which for sport sake
    are content to do the profession, some grace, that would (if mat-
    ters should be lookt into) for their owne credit sake make all
    whole.I am ioyned with no footland rakers, no long-staffe six-
    710pennie strikers, none of these mad mustachio purplehewd malt-
    worms, but with nobilitie, & tranquilitie, Burgomasters & great
    Oneyres, such as can hold in such as wil strike sooner then speak,
    and speake sooner then drinke, and drinke sooner then pray, and
    yet (zoundes) I lie, for they pray continually to their Saint the
    715Common-wealth, or rather not pray to her, but pray on her, for
    they ride vp and downe on her, and make her their bootes.
    Cham. What, the Common-wealth their bootes? will shee
    hold out water in foule way?
    720Gad. She will, she will, Iustice hath liquord her: wee steale as
    in a Castell cocksure: we haue the receyte of Ferneseede, wee
    Ciii. walke
    The Hystorie
    walke inuisible.
    Cham: Nay by my faith, I thinke you are more beholding to
    the night then to Ferneseed, for your walking inuisible.
    Gad. Giue me thy hand, thou shalt haue a share in our pur-
    chase, as I am a true man.
    Cham. Nay rather let me haue it, as you are a false theefe.
    Gad. Go to, homo is a common name to al men: bid the Ost-
    ler bring my gelding out of the stable, farewell you muddye
    knaue.
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC