No Fear Shakespeare: Henry IV, Part 2: Act 2 Scene 2

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Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Act 2 Scene 2

Original Text

Modern Text

Original Text

Modern Text

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter PRINCE HENRY and POINS	Enter PRINCE HENRY and POINS
PRINCE HENRY Before God, I am exceeding weary.	PRINCE HENRY 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.	POINS Is ’t come to that? I had thought weariness durst not have attached one of so high blood.
PRINCE HENRY Faith, it does me; though it discolors the complexion of my 5 greatness to acknowledge it. Doth it not show vilely in me to desire small beer?	PRINCE HENRY Faith, it does me; though it discolors 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.	POINS Why, a prince should not be so loosely studied as to remember so weak a composition.
PRINCE HENRY Belike then my appetite was not princely got, for, by my 10 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 tomorrow, or to take note how many pair of silk stockings thou hast—with these, and those 15 that were thy peach-colored ones—or to bear the inventory of thy shirts, as, one for superfluity and another for use. But that the tennis-court keeper knows better than I, for it is a low ebb of linen with thee when thou keepest not racket there, as thou hast not done a great while, because the rest of 20 the low countries have made a shift to eat up thy holland; and God knows whether those that bawl out the ruins of thy linen shall inherit His kingdom; but the midwives say the children are not in the fault, whereupon the world increases and kindreds are mightily strengthened.	PRINCE HENRY 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 tomorrow, or to take note how many pair of silk stockings thou hast—with these, and those that were thy peach-colored ones—or to bear the inventory of thy shirts, as, one for superfluity and another for use. But that the tennis-court keeper knows better than I, for it is a low ebb of linen with thee when thou keepest not racket there, as thou hast not done a great while, because the rest of the low countries have made a shift to eat up thy holland; and God knows whether those that bawl out the ruins of thy linen shall inherit His kingdom; but the midwives say the children are not in the fault, whereupon the world increases and kindreds are mightily strengthened.
POINS 25 How ill it follows, after you have labored so hard, you should talk so idly! Tell me, how many good young princes would do so, their fathers being so sick as yours at this time is?	POINS How ill it follows, after you have labored so hard, you should talk so idly! Tell me, how many good young princes would do so, their fathers being so sick as yours at this time is?
PRINCE HENRY Shall I tell thee one thing, Poins?	PRINCE HENRY Shall I tell thee one thing, Poins?
POINS Yes, faith, and let it be an excellent good thing.	POINS Yes, faith, and let it be an excellent good thing.
PRINCE HENRY 30 It shall serve among wits of no higher breeding than thine.	PRINCE HENRY It shall serve among wits of no higher breeding than thine.
POINS Go to. I stand the push of your one thing that you will tell.	POINS Go to. I stand the push of your one thing that you will tell.
PRINCE HENRY Marry, I tell thee it is not meet that I should be sad, now my father is sick—albeit I could tell thee, as to one it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend, I could be sad, and sad 35 indeed too.	PRINCE HENRY Marry, I tell thee it is not meet that I should be sad, now my father is sick—albeit I could tell thee, as to one it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend, I could be sad, and sad indeed too.
POINS Very hardly, upon such a subject.	POINS Very hardly, upon such a subject.
PRINCE HENRY By this hand, thou thinkest me as far in the devil’s book as thou and Falstaff for obduracy and persistency. Let the end try the man. But I tell thee, my heart bleeds inwardly that my 40 father is so sick: and keeping such vile company as thou art hath in reason taken from me all ostentation of sorrow.	PRINCE HENRY By this hand, thou thinkest me as far in the devil’s book as thou and Falstaff for obduracy and persistency. Let the end try the man. But I tell thee, my heart bleeds inwardly that my father is so sick: and keeping such vile company as thou art hath in reason taken from me all ostentation of sorrow.
POINS The reason?	POINS The reason?
PRINCE HENRY What wouldst thou think of me if I should weep?	PRINCE HENRY What wouldst thou think of me if I should weep?
POINS I would think thee a most princely hypocrite.	POINS I would think thee a most princely hypocrite.
PRINCE HENRY 45 It would be every man’s thought, and thou art a blessed fellow to think as every man thinks. Never a man’s thought in the world keeps the roadway better than thine. Every man would think me an hypocrite indeed. And what accites your most worshipful thought to think so?	PRINCE HENRY It would be every man’s thought, and thou art a blessed fellow to think as every man thinks. Never a man’s thought in the world keeps the roadway better than thine. Every man would think me an hypocrite indeed. And what accites your most worshipful thought to think so?
POINS 50 Why, because you have been so lewd and so much engraffed to Falstaff.	POINS Why, because you have been so lewd and so much engraffed to Falstaff.
PRINCE HENRY And to thee.	PRINCE HENRY And to thee.
POINS By this light, I am well spoke on. I can hear it with my own ears. The worst that they can say of me is that I am a second 55 brother, and that I am a proper fellow of my hands; and those two things, I confess, I cannot help. By the Mass, here comes Bardolph.	POINS By this light, I am well spoke on. I can hear it with my own ears. The worst that they can say of me is that I am a second brother, and that I am a proper fellow of my hands; and those two things, I confess, I cannot help. By the Mass, here comes Bardolph.
Enter BARDOLPH and the PAGE	Enter BARDOLPH and the PAGE
PRINCE HENRY And the boy that I gave Falstaff. He had him from me Christian, and look if the fat villain have not transformed 60 him ape.	PRINCE HENRY And the boy that I gave Falstaff. He had him from me Christian, and look if the fat villain have not transformed him ape.
BARDOLPH God save your Grace.	BARDOLPH God save your Grace.
PRINCE HENRY And yours, most noble Bardolph.	PRINCE HENRY And yours, most noble Bardolph.
POINS (to BARDOLPH) Come, you virtuous ass, you bashful fool, must you be blushing? Wherefore blush you now? What a 65 maidenly man-at-arms are you become! Is ’t such a matter to get a pottle-pot’s maidenhead?	POINS (to BARDOLPH) Come, you virtuous ass, you bashful fool, must you be blushing? Wherefore blush you now? What a maidenly man-at-arms are you become! Is ’t such a matter to get a pottle-pot’s maidenhead?
PAGE He calls me e'en now, my lord, through a red lattice, and I could discern no part of his face from the window. At last I spied his eyes, and methought he had made two holes in the 70 ale-wife’s new petticoat and so peeped through.	PAGE He calls me e'en now, my lord, through a red lattice, and I could discern no part of his face from the window. At last I spied his eyes, and methought he had made two holes in the ale-wife’s new petticoat and so peeped through.
PRINCE HENRY Has not the boy profited?	PRINCE HENRY Has not the boy profited?
BARDOLPH Away, you whoreson upright rabbit, away!	BARDOLPH Away, you whoreson upright rabbit, away!
PAGE Away, you rascally Althea’s dream, away!	PAGE Away, you rascally Althea’s dream, away!
PRINCE HENRY Instruct us, boy. What dream, boy?	PRINCE HENRY Instruct us, boy. What dream, boy?
PAGE 75 Marry, my lord, Althea dreamt she was delivered of a firebrand, and therefore I call him her dream.	PAGE Marry, my lord, Althea dreamt she was delivered of a firebrand, and therefore I call him her dream.
PRINCE HENRY A crown’s worth of good interpretation. There ’tis, boy.	PRINCE HENRY A crown’s worth of good interpretation. There ’tis, boy.
POINS O, that this good blossom could be kept from cankers! Well, there is sixpence to preserve thee.	POINS O, that this good blossom could be kept from cankers! Well, there is sixpence to preserve thee.
BARDOLPH 80 An you do not make him hanged among you, the gallows shall have wrong.	BARDOLPH An you do not make him hanged among you, the gallows shall have wrong.
PRINCE HENRY And how doth thy master, Bardolph?	PRINCE HENRY And how doth thy master, Bardolph?
BARDOLPH Well, my good lord. He heard of your Grace’s coming to town. There’s a letter for you.	BARDOLPH Well, my good lord. He heard of your Grace’s coming to town. There’s a letter for you.
POINS 85 Delivered with good respect. And how doth the Martlemas your master?	POINS Delivered with good respect. And how doth the Martlemas your master?
BARDOLPH In bodily health, sir.	BARDOLPH In bodily health, sir.
POINS Marry, the immortal part needs a physician, but that moves not him. Though that be sick, it dies not.	POINS Marry, the immortal part needs a physician, but that moves not him. Though that be sick, it dies not.
PRINCE HENRY (reads to himself) I do allow this wen to be as familiar with me as my dog, and he holds his place, for look you how be writes. (he hands the letter to POINS)	PRINCE HENRY (reads to himself) I do allow this wen to be as familiar with me as my dog, and he holds his place, for look you how be writes. (he hands the letter to POINS)
POINS (reads) John Falstaff, knight. Every man must know that as oft as he has occasion to name himself, even like those that 95 are kin to the King, for they never prick their finger but they say, “There’s some of the King’s blood spilt.” “How comes that?” says he that takes upon him not to conceive. The answer is as ready as a borrower’s cap: “I am the King’s poor cousin, sir.”	POINS (reads) John Falstaff, knight. Every man must know that as oft as he has occasion to name himself, even like those that are kin to the King, for they never prick their finger but they say, “There’s some of the King’s blood spilt.” “How comes that?” says he that takes upon him not to conceive. The answer is as ready as a borrower’s cap: “I am the King’s poor cousin, sir.”
PRINCE HENRY Nay, they will be kin to us, or they will fetch it from Japheth. But to the letter. (takes the letter and reads) Sir John alstaff, knight, to the son of the King nearest his father, Harry Prince of Wales, greeting.	PRINCE HENRY Nay, they will be kin to us, or they will fetch it from Japheth. But to the letter. (takes the letter and reads) Sir John alstaff, knight, to the son of the King nearest his father, Harry Prince of Wales, greeting.
POINS Why, this is a certificate.	POINS Why, this is a certificate.
PRINCE HENRY Peace! (reads) I will imitate the honorable Romans in brevity.	PRINCE HENRY Peace! (reads) I will imitate the honorable Romans in brevity.
POINS He sure means brevity in breath, short-winded.	POINS He sure means brevity in breath, short-winded.
PRINCE HENRY (reads) I commend me to thee, I commend thee, and I leave thee. Be not too familiar with Poins, for he misuses thy favors so much that he swears thou art to marry his sister	PRINCE HENRY (reads) I commend me to thee, I commend thee, and I leave thee. Be not too familiar with Poins, for he misuses thy favors so much that he swears thou art to marry his sister
Nell. Repent at idle times as thou mayest, and so, farewell. Thine by yea and no, which is as much as to say, as thou usest him, Jack Falstaff with my familiars, John with my brothers and sisters, and Sir John with all Europe.	Nell. Repent at idle times as thou mayest, and so, farewell. Thine by yea and no, which is as much as to say, as thou usest him, Jack Falstaff with my familiars, John with my brothers and sisters, and Sir John with all Europe.
POINS 115 My lord, I’ll steep this letter in sack and make him eat it.	POINS My lord, I’ll steep this letter in sack and make him eat it.
PRINCE HENRY That’s to make him eat twenty of his words. But do you use me thus, Ned? Must I marry your sister?	PRINCE HENRY That’s to make him eat twenty of his words. But do you use me thus, Ned? Must I marry your sister?
POINS God send the wench no worse fortune! But I never said so.	POINS God send the wench no worse fortune! But I never said so.
PRINCE HENRY Well, thus we play the fools with the time, and the spirits of 120 the wise sit in the clouds and mock us. (to BARDOLPH) Is your master here in London?	PRINCE HENRY Well, thus we play the fools with the time, and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us. (to BARDOLPH) Is your master here in London?
BARDOLPH Yea, my lord.	BARDOLPH Yea, my lord.
PRINCE HENRY Where sups he? Doth the old boar feed in the old frank?	PRINCE HENRY Where sups he? Doth the old boar feed in the old frank?
BARDOLPH At the old place, my lord, in Eastcheap.	BARDOLPH At the old place, my lord, in Eastcheap.
PRINCE HENRY 125 What company?	PRINCE HENRY What company?
PAGE Ephesians, my lord, of the old church.	PAGE Ephesians, my lord, of the old church.
PRINCE HENRY Sup any women with him?	PRINCE HENRY Sup any women with him?
PAGE None, my lord, but old Mistress Quickly and Mistress Doll Tearsheet.	PAGE None, my lord, but old Mistress Quickly and Mistress Doll Tearsheet.
PRINCE HENRY 130 What pagan may that be?	PRINCE HENRY What pagan may that be?
PAGE A proper gentlewoman, sir, and a kinswoman of my master’s.	PAGE A proper gentlewoman, sir, and a kinswoman of my master’s.
PRINCE HENRY Even such kin as the parish heifers are to the town bull.— Shall we steal upon them, Ned, at supper?	PRINCE HENRY Even such kin as the parish heifers are to the town bull.— Shall we steal upon them, Ned, at supper?
POINS 135 I am your shadow, my lord. I’ll follow you.	POINS I am your shadow, my lord. I’ll follow you.
PRINCE HENRY Sirrah—you, boy—and Bardolph, no word to your master that I am yet come to town. (gives them money) There’s for your silence.	PRINCE HENRY Sirrah—you, boy—and Bardolph, no word to your master that I am yet come to town. (gives them money) There’s for your silence.
BARDOLPH I have no tongue, sir.	BARDOLPH I have no tongue, sir.
PAGE 140 And for mine, sir, I will govern it.	PAGE And for mine, sir, I will govern it.
PRINCE HENRY Fare you well. Go.	PRINCE HENRY Fare you well. Go.
Exeunt BARDOLPH and PAGE	Exeunt BARDOLPH and PAGE
This Doll Tearsheet should be some road.	This Doll Tearsheet should be some road.
POINS I warrant you, as common as the way between Saint Alban’s and London.	POINS I warrant you, as common as the way between Saint Alban’s and London.
PRINCE HENRY 145 How might we see Falstaff bestow himself tonight in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen?	PRINCE HENRY How might we see Falstaff bestow himself tonight in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen?
POINS Put on two leathern jerkins and aprons, and wait upon him at his table as drawers.	POINS Put on two leathern jerkins and aprons, and wait upon him at his table as drawers.
PRINCE HENRY From a god to a bull: a heavy decension. It was Jove’s case. 150 From a prince to a 'prentice: a low transformation that shall be mine, for in everything the purpose must weigh with the folly. Follow me, Ned.	PRINCE HENRY From a god to a bull: a heavy decension. It was Jove’s case. From a prince to a 'prentice: a low transformation that shall be mine, for in everything the purpose must weigh with the folly. Follow me, Ned.
Exeunt	Exeunt