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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Let heauen kisse earth, now let not Natures hand
    Keepe the wild floud confind, let Order die,
    215And let this world no longer be a stage,
    To feed contention in a lingring act:
    But let one spirite of the first borne Cain
    Raigne in all bosomes, that ech heart being set
    On bloudy courses, the rude sceane may end,
    220And darknesse be the burier of the dead.
    220.1Vmfr. This strained passion doth you wrong my lord.
    Bard. Sweet earle, diuorce not wisedom from your honor,
    Mour. The liues of all your louing complices,
    Leaue on you health, the which if you giue ore,
    To stormy passion must perforce decay.
    Bard. We all that are ingaged to this losse,
    240Knew that we ventured on such dangerous seas,
    That if we wrought out life, twas ten to one,
    And yet we venturd for the gaine proposde,
    Choakt the respect of likely perill fear'd,
    And since we are oreset, venture againe:
    245Come, we will al put forth body and goods.
    Mour. Tis more then time, and my most noble lord,
    I heare for certaine, and dare speake the truth.
    North. I knew of this before, but to speake truth,
    270This present griefe had wipte it from my mind,
    Go in with me and counsell euery man,
    The aptest way for safety and reuenge,
    Get postes and letters, and make friends with speed,
    Neuer so few, and neuer yet more need. exeunt.

    Enter sir Iohn alone, with his page bearing his sword
    276.1 and buckler.

    Iohn Sirra, you giant, what saies the doctor to my water?
    Page He said sir, the water it self was a good healthy water,
    but for the party that owed it, he might haue moe diseases then
    280he knew for.
    B Iohn