Henry IV, Part II - William Shakespeare (mind reading books .txt) 📗
- Author: William Shakespeare
Book online «Henry IV, Part II - William Shakespeare (mind reading books .txt) 📗». Author William Shakespeare
thyself and the money too. Thou didst swear to me upon a parcel-gilt goblet, sitting in my Dolphin-chamber, at the round table, by a sea-coal fire, upon Wednesday in Wheeson week, when the prince broke thy head for liking his father to a singing-man of Windsor, thou didst swear to me then, as I was washing thy wound, to marry me and make me my lady thy wife. Canst thou deny it? Did not goodwife Keech, the butcher’s wife, come in then and call me gossip Quickly? coming in to borrow a mess of vinegar; telling us she had a good dish of prawns; whereby thou didst desire to eat some; whereby I told thee they were ill for a green wound? And didst thou not, when she was gone down stairs, desire me to be no more so familiarity with such poor people; saying that ere long they should call me madam? And didst thou not kiss me and bid me fetch thee thirty shillings? I put thee now to thy book-oath: deny it, if thou canst.
Falstaff
My lord, this is a poor mad soul; and she says up and down the town that the eldest son is like you: she hath been in good case, and the truth is, poverty hath distracted her. But for these foolish officers, I beseech you I may have redress against them.
Chief-Justice
Sir John, Sir John, I am well acquainted with your manner of wrenching the true cause the false way. It is not a confident brow, nor the throng of words that come with such more than impudent sauciness from you, can thrust me from a level consideration: you have, as it appears to me, practised upon the easy-yielding spirit of this woman, and made her serve your uses both in purse and in person.
Hostess
Yea, in truth, my lord.
Chief-Justice
Pray thee, peace. Pay her the debt you owe her, and unpay the villany you have done her: the one you may do with sterling money, and the other with current repentance.
Falstaff
My lord, I will not undergo this sneap without reply. You call honourable boldness impudent sauciness: if a man will make courtesy and say nothing, he is virtuous: no, my lord, my humble duty remembered, I will not be your suitor. I say to you, I do desire deliverance from these officers, being upon hasty employment in the king’s affairs.
Chief-Justice
You speak as having power to do wrong: but answer in the effect of your reputation, and satisfy this poor woman.
Falstaff
Come hither, hostess.
Enter Gower.
Chief-Justice
Now, Master Gower, what news?
Gower
The king, my lord, and Harry Prince of Wales
Are near at hand: the rest the paper tells.
No; fifteen hundred foot, five hundred horse,
Are march’d up to my lord of Lancaster,
Against Northumberland and the Archbishop.
You shall have letters of me presently:
Come, go along with me, good Master Gower.
London. Another street.
Enter Prince Henry and Poins. Prince Before God, I am exceeding weary. Poins Is’t come to that? I had thought weariness durst not have attached one of so high blood. Prince Faith, it does me; though it discolours the complexion of my greatness to acknowledge it. Doth it not show vilely in me to desire small beer? Poins Why, a prince should not be so loosely studied as to remember so weak a composition. Prince Belike then my appetite was not princely got; for, by my troth, I do now remember the poor creature, small beer. But, indeed, these humble considerations make me out of love with my greatness. What a disgrace is it to me to remember thy name! or to know thy face to-morrow! or to takeFree e-book «Henry IV, Part II - William Shakespeare (mind reading books .txt) 📗» - read online now
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