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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 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
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1598)

    The Historie
    Hotsp. My liege, I did denie no prisoners,
    But I remember when the fight was done,
    When I was drie with rage, and extreame toile,
    Breathles and faint, leaning vpon my sword,
    355Came there a certaine Lord, neat and trimly drest,
    Fresh as a bridegroome, and his chin new rept,
    Shewd like a stubble land at haruest home,
    He was perfumed like a Milliner,
    And twixt his finger and his thumbe he helde
    360A pouncet boxe, which euer and anon
    He gaue his nose, and tookt away againe,
    Who therewith angry, when it next came there
    Tooke it in snuffe, and still hee smild and talkt:
    And as the souldiours bore dead bodies by,
    365He cald them vntaught knaues, vnmanerlie,
    To bring a slouenly vnhandsome coarse
    Betwixt the winde and his nobilitie:
    With many holly-day and ladie termes
    He questioned me, amongst the rest demanded
    370My prisoners in your Maiesties behalfe.
    I then, all smarting with my wounds being cold,
    To be so pestred with a Popingay,
    Out of my griefe and my impacience
    Answerd neglectingly, I know not what
    375He should, or he should not, for he made me mad
    To see him shine so briske, and smell so sweet,
    And talke so like a waiting gentlewoman,
    Of guns, and drums, and wounds, God saue the mark:
    And telling me the soueraignest thing on earth
    380Was Parmacitie, for an inward bruise,
    And that it was great pitty, so it was,
    This villanous saltpeeter, should be digd
    Out of the bowels of the harmeles earth,
    Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed
    385So cowardly, and but for these vile guns
    He would himselfe haue beene a souldior.
    This bald vnioynted chat of his (my Lord)
    I answered indirectly (as I said)
    And