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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 (Quarto 1, 1600)

    Henry the fourth.
    tion of your eares, and I care not if I doe become your
    phisitian.
    Falst. I am as poore as Iob my lord, but not so pacient,
    395your Lordship may minister the potion of imprisonment to
    me, in respect of pouerty, but how I should be your pacient to
    follow your prescriptions, the wise may make som dramme of
    a scruple, or indeede a scruple it selfe.
    Iust. I sent for you when there were matters against you for
    400your life to come speake with me.
    Falst. As I was then aduisde by my learned counsail in the
    lawes of this land seruice, I did not come.
    Iust. Wel, the truth is sir Iohn, you liue in great infamy.
    Falst. He that buckles himselfe in my belt cannot liue in
    lesse.
    405Iust. Your meanes are very slender, and your waste is great.
    Falst. I would it were otherwise, I would my meanes were
    greater and my waste slender.
    Iust. You haue misled the youthfull prince.
    Falst. The yong prince hath misled me, I am the felow with
    410the great belly, and he my dogge.
    Iust. Wel, I am loth to gall a new heald wound, your daies
    seruice at Shrewsbury, hath a little guilded ouer your nights
    exploit on Gadshill, you may thanke th'vnquiet time, for your
    quiet oreposting that action.
    415Falst. My lord.
    Iust. But since all is well, keepe it so, wake not a sleeping
    wolfe.
    Falst. To wake a wolfe, is as bad as smell a fox.
    Iust. What you are as a candle, the better part, burnt out.
    Falst. A wassel candle my lord, al tallow, if I did say of wax,
    420my growth would approue the truth.
    Iust. There is not a white haire in your face, but should
    haue his effect of grauity.
    Falst. His effect of grauy, grauie, grauie.
    Iust. You follow the yong prince vp and downe, like his
    425ill angell.
    B3 Falst.