Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Rosemary Gaby
Not Peer Reviewed

Henry IV, Part 1 (Quarto 1, 1598)

The Historie
As they are sharing the Prince & Poins
Prin. Your money.
set vpon them, they all runne away, and
Poin. Villaines. Falstaffe after a blow or two runs away
840 too, leauing the bootie behind them.
Prin. Got with much ease. Now merrily to horse: the theeues
are all scattered, and possest with feare so strongly, that they dare
not meete each other, each takes his fellow for an officer, awaie
good Ned, Falstalffe sweates to death, and lards the leane earth
845as he walkes along, wert not for laughing I should pittie him.
Poynes. How the rogue roard.
Exeunt.
Enter Hotspur solus reading a letter.
But for mine own part my Lord I could be well contented to bee
there, in respect of the loue I beare your house.
He could be contented, why is hee not then? in the respect of
the loue he beares our house: he shewes in this, he loues his own
barne better then he loues our house. Let me see some more.
The purpose you vndertake is dangerous,
Why thats certaine, tis daungerous to take a cold, to sleepe, to
drinke, but I tell you (my Lord foole) out of this nettle danger, we
plucke this flower safetie.
The purpose you vndertake is dangerous, the friends you haue na-
860med vncertaine, the time it selfe vnsorted, and your whole plot too
light, for the counterpoyse of so great an opposition.
Say you so, say you so, I say vnto you againe, you are a shal-
low cowardly hind, and you lie: what a lacke braine is this? by
the Lord our plot is a good plot, as euer was laid, our friends true
865and constant: a good plot, good friends, and ful of expectation: an
excellent plot, verie good friends; what a frosty spirited rogue is
this? why my Lord of York commends the plot, and the gene-
rall course of the Action. Zoundes and I were nowe by this ras-
870call I could braine him with his Ladies fanne. Is there not my
father, my vncle, and my selfe; Lord Edmond Mortimer, my
Lord of Yorke, and Owen Glendower: is there not besides the
Dowglas, haue I not all their letters to meete me in armes by the
ninth of the next month, and are they not some of them set for-
875ward alreadie? What a pagan rascall is this, an infidell? Ha, you
shall see now in very sinceritie of feare and cold heart, will hee to
the King, and lay open all our proceedings? O I could deuide
my