Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Rosemary Gaby
Not Peer Reviewed

Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1598)

The Historie
witcht with the rogues companie. If the rascall haue not gi-
uen me medicines to make mee loue him, ile be hangd. It could
755not be else, I haue drunke medicines, Poynes, Hall, a plague
vpon you both. Bardoll, Peto, ile starue ere ile rob a foote
further, and twere not as good a deede as drinke to turne true-
man, and to leaue these rogues, I am the veriest varlet that euer
chewed with a tooth: eight yeardes of vneuen ground is three-
760score and ten myles a foote with mee, and the stonie hearted
villaines knowe it well inough, a plague vpon it when theeues
can not be true one to another:
They whistle,
Whew, a plague vpon you all, giue mee my horse you rogues,
765giue me my horse and be hangd:
Prin. Peace ye fat guts, lie downe, laie thine eare close to the
ground, and list if thou canst heare the treade of trauellers.
Falst. Haue you any leauers to lift me vp againe being down,
770zbloud ile not beare mine owne flesh so farre a foote againe for
all the coine in thy fathers Exchequer: What a plague meane
ye to colt me thus?
Prin. Thou liest, thou art not colted, thou art vncolted.
Falst. I preethe good prince, Hal, helpe me to my horse, good
775kings sonne.
Prin. Out ye rogue, shall I be your Ostler?
Falst. Hang thy selfe in thine owne heire apparant garters,
if I be tane, ile peach for this: and I haue not Ballads made on
you all, and sung to filthie tunes, let a cuppe of sacke bee my
780poyson, when a ieast is so forward, and a foote too I hate it.
Enter Gadshill.
Gad. Stand. Falst. So I do against my will.
785Po. O tis our setter, I know his voice, Bardoll, what newes.
Bar. Case yee, case yee on with your vizards, theres money
of the kings comming downe the hill, tis going to the Kings
Exchequer.
790Falst. You lie ye rougue, tis going to the kings Tauerne.
Gad. Theres inough to make vs all:
Falst. To be hangd.
Prin. Sirs you foure shall front them in the narrowe lane: Ned
Poines, and I wil walke lower, if they scape from your encoun-
ter