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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 2 (Folio 1 1623)
  • Editor: Rosemary Gaby

    • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 2 (Folio 1 1623)

    Scena Secunda.
    Enter the Earle of Warwicke, and the Lord
    2880Chiefe Iustice.
    Warwicke. How now, my Lord Chiefe Iustice, whe-
    ther away?
    Ch. Iust. How doth the King?
    Warw. Exceeding well: his Cares
    2885Are now, all ended.
    Ch. Iust. I hope, not dead.
    Warw. Hee's walk'd the way of Nature,
    And to our purposes, he liues no more.
    Ch. Iust. I would his Maiesty had call'd me with him,
    2890The seruice, that I truly did his life,
    Hath left me open to all iniuries.
    War.
    The second Part of King Henry the Fourth. 97
    War. Indeed I thinke the yong King loues you not.
    Ch. Iust. I know he doth not, and do arme my selfe
    To welcome the condition of the Time,
    2895Which cannot looke more hideously vpon me,
    Then I haue drawne it in my fantasie.
    Enter Iohn of Lancaster, Gloucester,
    and Clarence.
    War. Heere come the heauy Issue of dead Harrie:
    2900O, that the liuing Harrie had the temper
    Of him, the worst of these three Gentlemen:
    How many Nobles then, should hold their places,
    That must strike saile, to Spirits of vilde sort?
    Ch. Iust. Alas, I feare, all will be ouer-turn'd.
    2905Iohn. Good morrow Cosin Warwick, good morrow.
    Glou. Cla. Good morrow, Cosin.
    Iohn. We meet, like men, that had forgot to speake.
    War. We do remember: but our Argument
    Is all too heauy, to admit much talke.
    2910Ioh. Well: Peace be with him, that hath made vs heauy
    Ch. Iust. Peace be with vs, least we be heauier.
    Glou. O, good my Lord, you haue lost a friend indeed:
    And I dare sweare, you borrow not that face
    Of seeming sorrow, it is sure your owne.
    2915Iohn. Though no man be assur'd what grace to finde,
    You stand in coldest expectation.
    I am the sorrier, would 'twere otherwise.
    Cla. Wel, you must now speake Sir Iohn Falstaffe faire,
    Which swimmes against your streame of Quality.
    2920Ch. Iust. Sweet Princes: what I did, I did in Honor,
    Led by th'Imperiall Conduct of my Soule,
    And neuer shall you see, that I will begge
    A ragged, and fore-stall'd Remission.
    If Troth, and vpright Innocency fayle me,
    2925Ile to the King (my Master) that is dead,
    And tell him, who hath sent me after him.
    War. Heere comes the Prince.
    Enter Prince Henrie.
    Ch. Iust. Good morrow: and heauen saue your Maiesty
    2930Prince. This new, and gorgeous Garment, Maiesty,
    Sits not so easie on me, as you thinke.
    Brothers, you mixe your Sadnesse with some Feare:
    This is the English, not the Turkish Court:
    Not Amurah, an Amurah succeeds,
    2935But Harry, Harry: Yet be sad (good Brothers)
    For (to speake truth) it very well becomes you:
    Sorrow, so Royally in you appeares,
    That I will deeply put the Fashion on,
    And weare it in my heart. Why then be sad,
    2940But entertaine no more of it (good Brothers)
    Then a ioynt burthen, laid vpon vs all.
    For me, by Heauen (I bid you be assur'd)
    Ile be your Father, and your Brother too:
    Let me but beare your Loue, Ile beare your Cares;
    2945But weepe that Harrie's dead, and so will I.
    But Harry liues, that shall conuert those Teares
    By number, into houres of Happinesse.
    Iohn, &c. We hope no other from your Maiesty.
    Prin. You all looke strangely on me: and you most,
    2950You are (I thinke) assur'd, I loue you not.
    Ch. Iust. I am assur'd (if I be measur'd rightly)
    Your Maiesty hath no iust cause to hate mee.
    Pr. No? How might a Prince of my great hopes forget
    So great Indignities you laid vpon me?
    2955What? Rate? Rebuke? and roughly send to Prison
    Th'immediate Heire of England? Was this easie?
    May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten?
    Ch. Iust. I then did vse the Person of your Father:
    The Image of his power, lay then in me,
    2960And in th'administration of his Law,
    Whiles I was busie for the Commonwealth,
    Your Highnesse pleased to forget my place,
    The Maiesty, and power of Law, and Iustice,
    The Image of the King, whom I presented,
    2965And strooke me in my very Seate of Iudgement:
    Whereon (as an Offender to your Father)
    I gaue bold way to my Authority,
    And did commit you. If the deed were ill,
    Be you contented, wearing now the Garland,
    2970To haue a Sonne, set your Decrees at naught?
    To plucke downe Iustice from your awefull Bench?
    To trip the course of Law, and blunt the Sword
    That guards the peace, and safety of your Person?
    Nay more, to spurne at your most Royall Image,
    2975And mocke your workings, in a Second body?
    Question your Royall Thoughts, make the case yours:
    Be now the Father, and propose a Sonne:
    Heare your owne dignity so much prophan'd,
    See your most dreadfull Lawes, so loosely slighted;
    2980Behold your selfe, so by a Sonne disdained:
    And then imagine me, taking you part,
    And in your power, soft silencing your Sonne:
    After this cold considerance, sentence me;
    And, as you are a King, speake in your State,
    2985What I haue done, that misbecame my place,
    My person, or my Lieges Soueraigntie.
    Prin. You are right Iustice, and you weigh this well:
    Therefore still beare the Ballance, and the Sword:
    And I do wish your Honors may encrease,
    2990Till you do liue, to see a Sonne of mine
    Offend you, and obey you, as I did.
    So shall I liue, to speake my Fathers words:
    Happy am I, that haue a man so bold,
    That dares do Iustice, on my proper Sonne;
    2995And no lesse happy, hauing such a Sonne,
    That would deliuer vp his Greatnesse so,
    Into the hands of Iustice. You did commit me:
    For which, I do commit into your hand,
    Th'vnstained Sword that you haue vs'd to beare:
    3000With this Remembrance; That you vse the same
    With the like bold, iust, and impartiall spirit
    As you haue done 'gainst me. There is my hand,
    You shall be as a Father, to my Youth:
    My voice shall sound, as you do prompt mine eare,
    3005And I will stoope, and humble my Intents,
    To your well-practis'd, wise Directions.
    And Princes all, beleeue me, I beseech you:
    My Father is gone wilde into his Graue,
    (For in his Tombe, lye my Affections)
    3010And with his Spirits, sadly I suruiue,
    To mocke the expectation of the World;
    To frustrate Prophesies, and to race out
    Rotten Opinion, who hath writ me downe
    After my seeming. The Tide of Blood in me,
    3015Hath prowdly flow'd in Vanity, till now.
    Now doth it turne, and ebbe backe to the Sea,
    Where it shall mingle with the state of Floods,
    And flow henceforth in formall Maiesty.
    Now call we our High Court of Parliament,
    3020And let vs choose such Limbes of Noble Counsaile,
    That
    98The second Part of King Henry the Fourth.
    That the great Body of our State may go
    In equall ranke, with the best gouern'd Nation,
    That Warre, or Peace, or both at once may be
    As things acquainted and familiar to vs,
    3025In which you (Father) shall haue formost hand.
    Our Coronation done, we will accite
    (As I before remembred) all our State,
    And heauen (consigning to my good intents)
    No Prince, nor Peere, shall haue iust cause to say,
    3030Heauen shorten Harries happy life, one day. Exeunt.
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