Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Per. Do so, and tis wel. What letters hast thou there?
    2235I can but thanke you.
    Mes. These letters come from your father.
    Per. Letters from him, why comes he not himselfe?
    Mes. He cannot come my lord, he is grieuous sicke.
    Per. Zounds, how has he the leisure to be sicke
    In such a iustling time, who leads his power?
    Vnder whose gouernment come they along?
    Mes. His letters beares his mind, not I my mind.
    2245Wor. I preethe tel me, doth he keepe his bed?
    Mes. He did my Lord, foure daies ere I set forth,
    And at the time of my departure thence,
    He was much fearde by his Phisitions.
    Wor. I would the state of time had first been whole,
    2250Eare he by sicknesse had bin visited,
    His health was neuer better worth then now.
    Per. Sicke now, droupe now, this sicknes doth infect
    The very life bloud of our enterprise,
    Tis catching hither euen to our campe,
    2255He writes me here that inward sicknesse,
    And that his friends by deputation
    Could not so soone be drawn, nor did he thinke it meet
    To lay so dangerous and deare a trust
    On any soule remoou'd but on his own,
    2260Yet doth he giue vs bold aduertisement,
    That with our small coniunction we should on,
    To see how fortune is disposd to vs,
    For as he writes there is no quailing now,
    Because the king is certainly possest
    2265Of al our purposes, what say you to it?
    Wor. Your fathers sicknesse is a maime to vs.
    Per. A perillous gash, a very limbe lopt off,
    And yet in faith it is not, his present want
    Seemes more then we shal find it: were it good
    2270To set the exact wealth of al our states
    Al at one cast? to set so rich a maine
    On the nice hazard of one doubtfull houre?
    It were not good for therein should we read
    H1. The
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC