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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 history
    some liking, I shall be out of heart shortly, and then I shall haue
    no strength to repent. And I haue not forgotten what the inside
    of a Church is made of, I am a Pepper corne, a brewers Horse,
    the inside of a Church. Company, villainous company, hath been
    the spoile of me.
    Bar. Sir Iohn, you are so fretfull you cannot liue long.
    Fal. Why, there is it; come sing me a bawdie song, make me
    merry. I was as vertuously giuen as a gentleman need to be, ver-
    tuous enough, swore little, dic't not aboue seuen times a weeke,
    went to a baudy house not aboue once in a quarter of an houre,
    2020paid money that I borrowed three or foure times, liued wel, and
    in good compasse, and nowe I liue out of all order, out of all
    compasse.
    Bar. Why, you are so fat, sir Iohn, that you must needes be out
    2025of all compasse: out of all reasonable compasse, sir Iohn.
    Fal. Do thou amend thy face, and ile amend my life: thou art
    our Admiral, thou bearest the lanterne in the poope, but tis in the
    nose of thee: thou art the knight of the burning lampe.
    Bar. Why, sir Iohn, my face does you no harme.
    Fal. No ile be sworn, I make as good vse of it as many a man
    doth of a deaths head, or a memento mori. I neuer see thy face,
    but I thinke vpon hell fire, and Diues that liued in Purple: for
    2035there he is in his robes burning, burning. If thou wert any waie
    giuen to vertue, I would sweare by thy face: my oath should be
    by this fire that Gods Angell. But thou art altogether giuen o-
    uer: and wert indeede but for the light in thy face, the sonne of
    vtter darkenesse. When thou ranst vp Gadshill in the night to
    catch my horse, if I did not thinke thou hadst beene an ignis fa-
    or a ball of wildfire, theres no purchase in money. O thou
    art a perpetuall triumph, an euerlasting bonefire light, thou hast
    saued me a thousand Markes in Linkes, and Torches, walking
    2045with thee in the night betwixt tauerne and tauerne: but the sacke
    that thou hast drunke me, would haue bought me lights as good
    cheape, at the dearest Chandlers in Europe. I haue maintained
    that Sallamander of yours with fire any time this two and thirty
    2050yeares, God reward me for it.
    Bar. Zbloud, I would my face were in your belly.
    Fal. Godamercy, so should I be sure to be hartburnt.
    How