West. Retreat is made, and Execution stay"d
Iohn. Send Colleuile, with his Confederates, To Yorke, to present Execution.
Blunt, leade him hence, and see you guard him sure.
Exit with Colleuile.
And now dispatch we toward the Court (my Lords) I heare the King, my Father, is sore sicke.
Our Newes shall goe before vs, to his Maiestie, Which (Cousin) you shall beare, to comfort him: And wee with sober speede will follow you
Falst. My Lord, I beseech you, giue me leaue to goe through Gloucestershire: and when you come to Court, stand my good Lord, "pray, in your good report
Iohn. Fare you well, Falstaffe: I, in my condition, Shall better speake of you, then you deserue.
Enter.
Falst. I would you had but the wit: "twere better then your Dukedome. Good faith, this same young sober-blooded Boy doth not loue me, nor a man cannot make him laugh: but that"s no maruaile, hee drinkes no Wine. There"s neuer any of these demure Boyes come to any proofe: for thinne Drinke doth so ouer-coole their blood, and making many Fish-Meales, that they fall into a kinde of Male Greene-sicknesse: and then, when they marry, they get Wenches. They are generally Fooles, and Cowards; which some of vs should be too, but for inflamation. A good Sherris-Sack hath a two-fold operation in it: it ascends me into the Braine, dryes me there all the foolish, and dull, and cruddie Vapours, which enuiron it: makes it apprehensiue, quicke, forgetiue, full of nimble, fierie, and delectable shapes; which deliuer"d o"re to the Voyce, the Tongue, which is the Birth, becomes excellent Wit. The second propertie of your excellent Sherris, is, the warming of the Blood: which before (cold, and setled) left the Liuer white, and pale; which is the Badge of Pusillanimitie, and Cowardize: but the Sherris warmes it, and makes it course from the inwards, to the parts extremes: it illuminateth the Face, which (as a Beacon) giues warning to all the rest of this little Kingdome (Man) to Arme: and then the Vitall Commoners, and in-land pettie Spirits, muster me all to their Captaine, the Heart; who great, and pufft vp with his Retinue, doth any Deed of Courage: and this Valour comes of Sherris. So, that skill in the Weapon is nothing, without Sack (for that sets it a-worke:) and Learning, a meere Hoord of Gold, kept by a Deuill, till Sack commences it, and sets it in act, and vse. Hereof comes it, that Prince Harry is valiant: for the cold blood hee did naturally inherite of his Father, hee hath, like leane, stirrill, and bare Land, manured, husbanded, and tyll"d, with excellent endeauour of drinking good, and good store of fertile Sherris, that hee is become very hot, and valiant. If I had a thousand Sonnes, the first Principle I would teach them, should be to forsweare thinne Potations, and to addict themselues to Sack.
Enter Bardolph.
How now Bardolph?
Bard. The Armie is discharged all, and gone
Falst. Let them goe: Ile through Gloucestershire, and there will I visit Master Robert Shallow, Esquire: I haue him alreadie tempering betweene my finger and my thombe, and shortly will I seale with him. Come away.
Exeunt.
Scena Secunda.
Enter King, Warwicke, Clarence, Gloucester.
King. Now Lords, if Heauen doth giue successefull end To this Debate, that bleedeth at our doores, Wee will our Youth lead on to higher Fields, And draw no Swords, but what are sanctify"d.
Our Nauie is addressed, our Power collected, Our Subst.i.tutes, in absence, well inuested, And euery thing lyes leuell to our wish; Onely wee want a little personall Strength: And pawse vs, till these Rebels, now a-foot, Come vnderneath the yoake of Gouernment
War. Both which we doubt not, but your Maiestie Shall soone enioy
King. Humphrey (my Sonne of Gloucester) where is the Prince, your Brother?
Glo. I thinke hee"s gone to hunt (my Lord) at Windsor
King. And how accompanied?
Glo. I doe not know (my Lord.) King. Is not his Brother, Thomas of Clarence, with him?
Glo. No (my good Lord) hee is in presence heere
Clar. What would my Lord, and Father?
King. Nothing but well to thee, Thomas of Clarence.
How chance thou art not with the Prince, thy Brother?
Hee loues thee, and thou do"st neglect him (Thomas.) Thou hast a better place in his Affection, Then all thy Brothers: cherish it (my Boy) And n.o.ble Offices thou may"st effect Of Mediation (after I am dead) Betweene his Greatnesse, and thy other Brethren.
Therefore omit him not: blunt not his Loue, Nor loose the good aduantage of his Grace, By seeming cold, or carelesse of his will.
For hee is gracious, if hee be obseru"d: Hee hath a Teare for Pitie, and a Hand Open (as Day) for melting Charitie: Yet notwithstanding, being incens"d, hee"s Flint, As humorous as Winter, and as sudden, As Flawes congealed in the Spring of day.
His temper therefore must be well obseru"d: Chide him for faults, and doe it reuerently, When you perceiue his blood enclin"d to mirth: But being moodie, giue him Line, and scope, Till that his pa.s.sions (like a Whale on ground) Confound themselues with working. Learne this Thomas, And thou shalt proue a shelter to thy friends, A Hoope of Gold, to binde thy Brothers in: That the vnited Vessell of their Blood (Mingled with Venome of Suggestion, As force, perforce, the Age will powre it in) Shall neuer leake, though it doe worke as strong As Aconitum, or rash Gun-powder
Clar. I shall obserue him with all care, and loue
King. Why art thou not at Windsor with him (Thomas?) Clar. Hee is not there to day: hee dines in London
King. And how accompanyed? Canst thou tell that?
Clar. With Pointz, and other his continuall followers
King. Most subiect is the fattest Soyle to Weedes: And hee (the n.o.ble Image of my Youth) Is ouer-spread with them: therefore my griefe Stretches it selfe beyond the howre of death.
The blood weepes from my heart, when I doe shape (In formes imaginarie) th" vnguided Dayes, And rotten Times, that you shall looke vpon, When I am sleeping with my Ancestors.
For when his head-strong Riot hath no Curbe, When Rage and hot-Blood are his Counsailors, When Meanes and lauish Manners meete together; Oh, with what Wings shall his Affections flye Towards fronting Perill, and oppos"d Decay?
War. My gracious Lord, you looke beyond him quite: The Prince but studies his Companions, Like a strange Tongue: wherein, to gaine the Language, "Tis needfull, that the most immodest word Be look"d vpon, and learn"d: which once attayn"d, Your Highnesse knowes, comes to no farther vse, But to be knowne, and hated. So, like grosse termes, The Prince will, in the perfectnesse of time, Cast off his followers: and their memorie Shall as a Patterne, or a Measure, liue, By which his Grace must mete the liues of others, Turning past-euills to aduantages
King. "Tis seldome, when the Bee doth leaue her Combe In the dead Carrion.
Enter Westmerland.
Who"s heere? Westmerland?
West. Health to my Soueraigne, and new happinesse Added to that, that I am to deliuer.
Prince Iohn, your Sonne, doth kisse your Graces Hand: Mowbray, the Bishop, Scroope, Hastings, and all, Are brought to the Correction of your Law.
There is not now a Rebels Sword vnsheath"d, But Peace puts forth her Oliue euery where: The manner how this Action hath beene borne, Here (at more leysure) may your Highnesse reade, With euery course, in his particular
King. O Westmerland, thou art a Summer Bird, Which euer in the haunch of Winter sings The lifting vp of day.
Enter Harcourt.
Looke, heere"s more newes
Harc. From Enemies, Heauen keepe your Maiestie: And when they stand against you, may they fall, As those that I am come to tell you of.
The Earle Northumberland, and the Lord Bardolfe, With a great Power of English, and of Scots, Are by the Sherife of Yorkeshire ouerthrowne: The manner, and true order of the fight, This Packet (please it you) containes at large
King. And wherefore should these good newes Make me sicke?
Will Fortune neuer come with both hands full, But write her faire words still in foulest Letters?
Shee eyther giues a Stomack, and no Foode, (Such are the poore, in health) or else a Feast, And takes away the Stomack (such are the Rich, That haue aboundance, and enioy it not.) I should reioyce now, at this happy newes, And now my Sight fayles, and my Braine is giddie.
O me, come neere me, now I am much ill
Glo. Comfort your Maiestie
Cla. Oh, my Royall Father
West. My Soueraigne Lord, cheare vp your selfe, looke vp
War. Be patient (Princes) you doe know, these Fits Are with his Highnesse very ordinarie.
Stand from him, giue him ayre: Hee"le straight be well
Clar. No, no, hee cannot long hold out: these pangs, Th" incessant care, and labour of his Minde, Hath wrought the Mure, that should confine it in, So thinne, that Life lookes through, and will breake out
Glo. The people feare me: for they doe obserue Vnfather"d Heires, and loathly Births of Nature: The Seasons change their manners, as the Yeere Had found some Moneths asleepe, and leap"d them ouer
Clar. The Riuer hath thrice flow"d, no ebbe betweene: And the old folke (Times doting Chronicles) Say it did so, a little time before That our great Grand-sire Edward sick"d, and dy"de
War. Speake lower (Princes) for the King recouers