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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    And we with sober speede will follow you.
    Falst. My Lord, I beseech you giue me leaue to go through
    Glostershire, and when you come to court, stand my good lord
    2320in your good report.
    Prince Fare you wel Falstaffe, I, in my condition, shal better
    speake of you then you deserue.
    Fal. I would you had the wit, twere better than your duke-
    dome, good faith this same yong sober blouded boy doth not
    2325loue me, nor a cãnot make him laugh, but thats no maruel,
    he drinkes no wine, theres neuer none of these demure boyes
    come to any proofe, for thin drinke doth so ouer-coole theyr
    blood, and making many fish meales, that they fall into a kind
    2330of male greene sicknes, and then when they marry, they gette
    wenches, they are generally fooles and cowards, which some
    of vs should be too, but for inflammation: a good sherris sacke
    hath a two fold operation in it, it ascendes mee into the braine,
    dries me there all the foolish, and dull, and crudy vapors which
    enuirone it, makes it apprehensiue, quicke, forgetiue, full of
    nimble, fiery, and delectable shapes, which deliuered ore to
    the voyce, the tongue, which is the birth, becomes excellent
    wit. The second property of your excellent sherris, is the war-
    2340ming of the blood, which before (cold & setled,) left the lyuer
    white & pale, which is the badge of pusilanimitie and cowar-
    dize: but the sherris warmes it, and makes it course from the
    inwards to the partes extreames, it illumineth the face, which
    2345as a beakon, giues warning to al the rest of this little kingdom
    man to arme, and then the vitall commoners, and inland petty
    spirits, muster me all to their captaine, the heart: who great, and
    pufft vp with this retinew, doth any deed of courage: and this
    2350valour comes of sherris, so that skill in the weapon is nothing
    without sacke (for that sets it aworke) and learning a meere
    whoord of gold kept by a diuell, till sacke commences it, and
    sets it in act and vse. Hereof comes it, that Prince Harry is
    valiant, for the cold blood he did naturally inherite of his fa-
    2355ther, he hath like leane, sterile, and bare land, manured, hus-
    banded and tilld, with excellent endeuour of drinking good
    H and