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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    Not Peer Reviewed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
    fell Alectoes snake, for Doll is in: Pistoll speakes nought but
    truth.
    Falst. I will deliuer her.
    3245Pist. There roared the sea, and trumpet Clangor sounds.
    Enter the King and his traine.
    3250Falst. God saue thy grace King Hall, my royall Hall.
    Pist. The heauens thee gard and keep, most royal impe of
    fame.
    Falst. God saue thee, my sweet boy.
    King My Lord chiefe iustice, speake to that vaine man.
    Iust. Haue you your wits? know you what tis you speake?
    Falst. My King, my Ioue, I speake to thee, my heart.
    King I know thee not old man, fall to thy praiers,
    3260How ill white heires becomes a foole and iester,
    I haue long dreampt of such a kind of man,
    So surfet-sweld, so old, and so prophane:
    But being awakt, I do despise my dreame,
    Make lesse thy body (hence) and more thy grace,
    3265Leaue gourmandizing, know the graue doth gape
    For thee, thrice wider then for other men,
    Reply not to me with a foole-borne iest,
    Presume not that I am the thing I was,
    For God doth know, so shall the world perceiue,
    3270That I haue turnd away my former selfe,
    So will I those that kept me company:
    When thou dost heare I am as I haue bin,
    Approch me, and thou shalt be as thou wast,
    The tutor and the feeder of my riots:
    3275Till then I banish thee, on paine of death,
    As I haue done the rest of my misleaders,
    Not to come neare our person by ten mile:
    For competence of life, I wil allow you,
    That lacke of meanes enforce you not to euills,
    3280And as we heare you do reforme your selues,
    We will according to your strengths and qualities,
    Giue you aduauncement. Be it your charge, my lord,
    To