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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Thy life did manifest thou lou'dst me not,
    And thou wilt haue me die, assurde of it,
    Thou hidst a thousand daggers in thy thoughts,
    2640Whom thou hast whetted on thy stony heart,
    To stab at halfe an hower of my life.
    What, canst thou not forbeare me halfe an hower?
    Then get thee gone, and digge my graue thy selfe,
    And bid the mery bells ring to thine eare,
    2645That thou art crowned, not that I am dead:
    Let all the teares that should bedew my hearse
    Be drops of Balme, to sanctifie thy head,
    Only compound me with forgotten dust.
    Giue that which gaue thee life, vnto the wormes,
    2650Plucke downe my officers, breake my decrees,
    For now a time is come to mocke at Forme:
    Harry the fift is crownd, vp vanitie,
    Downe royall state, all you sage counsailers, hence,
    And to the English Court assemble now
    2655From euery region, apes of idlenesse:
    Now neighbour confines, purge you of your scumme
    Haue you a ruffin that will sweare, drinke, daunce,
    Reuell the night, rob, murder, and commit
    The oldest sinnes, the newest kind of waies?
    2660Be happy, he will trouble you no more.
    England shal double gild his trebble gilt,
    England shall giue him office, honour, might:
    For the fift Harry, from curbd licence, plucks
    The mussel of restraint, and the wild dogge
    2665Shal flesh his tooth on euery innocent.
    O my poore kingdome! sicke with ciuill blowes:
    When that my care could not withhold thy riots,
    What wilt thou do when riot is thy care?
    O thou wilt be a wildernesse againe,
    2670Peopled with woolues, thy old inhabitants.
    Prince O pardon me, my liege, but for my teares,
    The moist impediments vnto my speech,
    I I
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