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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    of Henrie the fourth.
    Glen. Why that will I.
    Hot. Let me not vnderstand you then, speake it in Welsh.
    1650Glen. I can speake English Lord as well as you,
    For I was traind vp in the English court,
    Where being but yong I framed to the harpe
    Many an English ditty louely well,
    And gaue the tongue a helpeful ornament,
    1655A vertue that was neuer seene in you.
    Hot. Marry and I am glad of it with all my hart,
    I had rather be a kitten and cry mew,
    Then one of these same miter ballet mongers,
    I had rather heare a brazen cansticke turnd,
    1660Or a drie wheele grate on the exle tree,
    And that would set my teeth nothing an edge,
    Nothing so much as minsing poetry,
    Tis like the forc't gate of a shuffling nag.
    Glen. Come, you shal haue Trent turnd.
    1665Hot. I do not care, ile giue thrice so much land
    To any well deseruing friend:
    But in the way of bargaine marke ye me,
    Ile cauill on the ninth part of a haire,
    Are the Indentures drawn, shal we be gone?
    1670Glen. The moon shines faire, you may away by night
    Ile haste the writer, and withal
    Breake with your, wiues of your departure hence,
    I am afraid my daughter will run mad,
    1675So much she doteth on her Mortimer.
    Exit
    Mor. Fie coosen Percy, how you crosse my father.
    Hot. I cannot chuse, sometime he angers me
    With telling me of the Moldwarp and the Ant,
    1680Of the dreamer Merlin and his prophecies,
    And of a Dragon and a finles fish,
    A clipwingd Griffin and a molten rauen,
    A couching Leon and a ramping Cat,
    And such a deale of skimble scamble stuffe,
    1685As puts me from my faith. I tel you what,
    He held me last night at least nine houres
    In reckoning vp the seueral Diuels names
    F2 That