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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    The second part of
    2050Mou There is a thing within my bosome tells me
    That no conditions of our peace can stand.
    Hastings Feare you not, that if we can make our peace,
    Vpon such large termes, and so absolute,
    As our conditions shall consist vpon,
    2055Our peace shall stand as firme as rockie mountaines.
    Moub. Yea but our valuation shal be such,
    That euery slight, and false deriued cause,
    Yea euery idle, nice, and wanton reason,
    Shall to the King taste of this action,
    2060That were our royal faiths martires in loue,
    We shall be winow'd with so rough a wind,
    That euen our corne shal seeme as light as chaffe,
    And good from bad find no partition.
    Bish. No, no, my lord, note this, the King is weary
    2065Of daintie and such picking greeuances,
    For he hath found, to end one doubt by death,
    Reuiues two greater in the heires of life:
    And therefore will he wipe his tables cleane,
    And keepe no tel-tale to his memorie,
    2070That may repeate, and history his losse,
    To new remembrance: for full wel he knowes,
    He cannot so precisely weed this land,
    As his misdoubts present occasion,
    His foes are so enrooted with his friends,
    2075That plucking to vnfix an enemy,
    He doth vnfasten so, and shake a friend,
    So that this land, like an offensiue wife,
    That hath enragde him on to offer strokes,
    As he is striking, holdes his infant vp,
    2080And hangs resolu'd correction in the arme,
    That was vpreard to execution.
    Hast. Besides, the King hath wasted al his rods,
    On late offendors, that he now doth lacke
    The very instruments of chasticement,
    2085So that his power, like to a phanglesse lion,
    May
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