The First Part of Henry the Fourth (Illustrated) E-Book

William Shakespeare

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Henry IV, Part 1 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. It is the second play in Shakespeare's tetralogy dealing with the successive reigns of Richard II, Henry IV (two plays), and Henry V. Henry IV, Part 1 depicts a span of history that begins with Hotspur's battle at Homildon against the Douglas late in 1402 and ends with the defeat of the rebels at Shrewsbury in the middle of 1403. From the start it has been an extremely popular play both with the public and the critics.

Leseprobe

William Shakespeare

The First Part of Henry the Fourth (Illustrated)

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.

Enter the King, Lord Iohn of Lancaster, Earle of Westmerland,

With others.

King. So shaken as we are, so wan with care,

Finde we a time for frighted Peace to pant,

And breath shortwinded accents of new broils

To be commenc'd in Stronds a-farre remote:

No more the thirsty entrance of this Soile,

Shall daube her lippes with her owne childrens blood:

No more shall trenching Warre channell her fields,

Nor bruise her Flowrets with the Armed hoofes

Of hostile paces. Those opposed eyes,

Which like the Meteors of a troubled Heauen,

All of one Nature, of one Substance bred,

Did lately meete in the intestine shocke,

And furious cloze of ciuill Butchery,

Shall now in mutuall well-beseeming rankes

March all one way, and be no more oppos'd

Against Acquaintance, Kindred, and Allies.

The edge of Warre, like an ill-sheathed knife,

No more shall cut his Master. Therefore Friends,

As farre as to the Sepulcher of Christ,

Whose Souldier now vnder whose blessed Crosse

We are impressed and ingag'd to fight,

Forthwith a power of English shall we leuie,

Whose armes were moulded in their Mothers wombe,

To chace these Pagans in those holy Fields,

Ouer whose Acres walk'd those blessed feete

Which fourteene hundred yeares ago were nail'd

For our aduantage on the bitter Crosse.

But this our purpose is a tweluemonth old,

And bootlesse 'tis to tell you we will go:

Therefore we meete not now. Then let me heare

Of you my gentle Cousin Westmerland,

What yesternight our Councell did decree,

In forwarding this deere expedience

West. My Liege: This haste was hot in question,

And many limits of the Charge set downe

But yesternight: when all athwart there came

A Post from Wales, loaden with heauy Newes;

Whose worst was, That the Noble Mortimer,

Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight

Against the irregular and wilde Glendower,

Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken,

And a thousand of his people butchered:

Vpon whose dead corpes there was such misuse,

Such beastly, shamelesse transformation,

By those Welshwomen done, as may not be

(Without much shame) re-told or spoken of

King. It seemes then, that the tidings of this broile,

Brake off our businesse for the Holy land

West. This matcht with other like, my gracious Lord,

Farre more vneuen and vnwelcome Newes

Came from the North, and thus it did report:

On Holy-roode day, the gallant Hotspurre there,

Young Harry Percy, and braue Archibald,

That euer-valiant and approoued Scot,

At Holmeden met, where they did spend

A sad and bloody houre:

As by discharge of their Artillerie,

And shape of likely-hood the newes was told:

For he that brought them, in the very heate

And pride of their contention, did take horse,

Vncertaine of the issue any way

King. Heere is a deere and true industrious friend,

Sir Walter Blunt, new lighted from his Horse,

Strain'd with the variation of each soyle,

Betwixt that Holmedon, and this Seat of ours:

And he hath brought vs smooth and welcome newes.

The Earle of Dowglas is discomfited,

Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty Knights

Balk'd in their owne blood did Sir Walter see

On Holmedons Plaines. Of Prisoners, Hotspurre tooke

Mordake Earle of Fife, and eldest sonne

To beaten Dowglas, and the Earle of Atholl,

Of Murry, Angus, and Menteith.

And is not this an honourable spoyle?

A gallant prize? Ha Cosin, is it not? Infaith it is

West. A Conquest for a Prince to boast of

King. Yea, there thou mak'st me sad, & mak'st me sin,

In enuy, that my Lord Northumberland

Should be the Father of so blest a Sonne:

A Sonne, who is the Theame of Honors tongue;

Among'st a Groue, the very straightest Plant,

Who is sweet Fortunes Minion, and her Pride:

Whil'st I by looking on the praise of him,

See Ryot and Dishonor staine the brow

Of my yong Harry. O that it could be prou'd,

That some Night-tripping-Faiery, had exchang'd

In Cradle-clothes, our Children where they lay,

And call'd mine Percy, his Plantagenet:

Then would I haue his Harry, and he mine:

But let him from my thoughts. What thinke you Coze

Of this young Percies pride? The Prisoners

Which he in this aduenture hath surpriz'd,

To his owne vse he keepes, and sends me word

I shall haue none but Mordake Earle of Fife

West. This is his Vnckles teaching. This is Worcester

Maleuolent to you in all Aspects:

Which makes him prune himselfe, and bristle vp

The crest of Youth against your Dignity

King. But I haue sent for him to answer this:

And for this cause a-while we must neglect

Our holy purpose to Ierusalem.

Cosin, on Wednesday next, our Councell we will hold

At Windsor, and so informe the Lords:

But come your selfe with speed to vs againe,

For more is to be saide, and to be done,

Then out of anger can be vttered

West. I will my Liege.

Exeunt.

Scaena Secunda.

Enter Henry Prince of Wales, Sir Iohn Falstaffe, and Pointz.

Fal. Now Hal, what time of day is it Lad?

Prince. Thou art so fat-witted with drinking of olde

Sacke, and vnbuttoning thee after Supper, and sleeping

vpon Benches in the afternoone, that thou hast forgotten

to demand that truely, which thou wouldest truly know.

What a diuell hast thou to do with the time of the day?

vnlesse houres were cups of Sacke, and minutes Capons,

and clockes the tongues of Bawdes, and dialls the signes

of Leaping-houses, and the blessed Sunne himselfe a faire

hot Wench in Flame-coloured Taffata; I see no reason,

why thou shouldest bee so superfluous, to demaund the

time of the day

Fal. Indeed you come neere me now Hal, for we that

take Purses, go by the Moone and seuen Starres, and not

by Phoebus hee, that wand'ring Knight so faire. And I

prythee sweet Wagge, when thou art King, as God saue

thy Grace, Maiesty I should say, for Grace thou wilte

haue none

Prin. What, none?

Fal. No, not so much as will serue to be Prologue to

an Egge and Butter

Prin. Well, how then? Come roundly, roundly

Fal. Marry then, sweet Wagge, when thou art King,

let not vs that are Squires of the Nights bodie, bee call'd

Theeues of the Dayes beautie. Let vs be Dianaes Forresters,

Gentlemen of the Shade, Minions of the Moone;

and let men say, we be men of good Gouernment, being

gouerned as the Sea, by our noble and chast mistris the

Moone, vnder whose countenance we steale

Prin. Thou say'st well, and it holds well too: for the

fortune of vs that are the Moones men, doeth ebbe and

flow like the Sea, beeing gouerned as the Sea is, by the

Moone: as for proofe. Now a Purse of Gold most resolutely

snatch'd on Monday night, and most dissolutely

spent on Tuesday Morning; got with swearing, Lay by:

and spent with crying, Bring in: now, in as low an ebbe

as the foot of the Ladder, and by and by in as high a flow

as the ridge of the Gallowes

Fal. Thou say'st true Lad: and is not my Hostesse of

the Tauerne a most sweet Wench?

Prin. As is the hony, my old Lad of the Castle: and is

not a Buffe Ierkin a most sweet robe of durance?

Fal. How now? how now mad Wagge? What in thy

quips and thy quiddities? What a plague haue I to doe

with a Buffe-Ierkin?

Prin. Why, what a poxe haue I to doe with my Hostesse

of the Tauerne?

Fal. Well, thou hast call'd her to a reck'ning many a

time and oft

Prin. Did I euer call for thee to pay thy part?

Fal. No, Ile giue thee thy due, thou hast paid al there

Prin. Yea and elsewhere, so farre as my Coine would

stretch, and where it would not, I haue vs'd my credit

Fal. Yea, and so vs'd it, that were it heere apparant,

that thou art Heire apparant. But I prythee sweet Wag,

shall there be Gallowes standing in England when thou

art King? and resolution thus fobb'd as it is, with the rustie

curbe of old Father Anticke the Law? Doe not thou

when thou art a King, hang a Theefe

Prin. No, thou shalt

Fal. Shall I? O rare! Ile be a braue Iudge

Prin. Thou iudgest false already. I meane, thou shalt

haue the hanging of the Theeues, and so become a rare

Hangman

Fal. Well Hal, well: and in some sort it iumpes with

my humour, as well as waiting in the Court, I can tell

you

Prin. For obtaining of suites?

Fal. Yea, for obtaining of suites, whereof the Hangman

hath no leane Wardrobe. I am as Melancholly as a

Gyb-Cat, or a lugg'd Beare

Prin. Or an old Lyon, or a Louers Lute

Fal. Yea, or the Drone of a Lincolnshire Bagpipe

Prin. What say'st thou to a Hare, or the Melancholly

of Moore Ditch?

Fal. Thou hast the most vnsauoury smiles, and art indeed

the most comparatiue rascallest sweet yong Prince.

But Hal, I prythee trouble me no more with vanity, I wold

thou and I knew, where a Commodity of good names

were to be bought: an olde Lord of the Councell rated

me the other day in the street about you sir; but I mark'd

him not, and yet hee talk'd very wisely, but I regarded

him not, and yet he talkt wisely, and in the street too

Prin. Thou didst well: for no man regards it

Fal. O, thou hast damnable iteration, and art indeede

able to corrupt a Saint. Thou hast done much harme vnto

me Hall, God forgiue thee for it. Before I knew thee

Hal, I knew nothing: and now I am (if a man shold speake

truly) little better then one of the wicked. I must giue ouer

this life, and I will giue it ouer: and I do not, I am a

Villaine. Ile be damn'd for neuer a Kings sonne in Christendome

Prin. Where shall we take a purse to morrow, Iacke?

Fal. Where thou wilt Lad, Ile make one: and I doe

not, call me Villaine, and baffle me

Prin. I see a good amendment of life in thee: From

Praying, to Purse-taking

Fal. Why, Hal, 'tis my Vocation Hal: 'Tis no sin for a

man to labour in his Vocation

Pointz. Now shall wee know if Gads hill haue set a

Watch. O, if men were to be saued by merit, what hole

in Hell were hot enough for him? This is the most omnipotent

Villaine, that euer cryed, Stand, to a true man

Prin. Good morrow Ned

Poines. Good morrow sweet Hal. What saies Monsieur

remorse? What sayes Sir Iohn Sacke and Sugar:

Iacke? How agrees the Diuell and thee about thy Soule,

that thou soldest him on Good-Friday last, for a Cup of

Madera, and a cold Capons legge?

Prin. Sir Iohn stands to his word, the diuel shall haue

his bargaine, for he was neuer yet a Breaker of Prouerbs:

He will giue the diuell his due

Poin. Then art thou damn'd for keeping thy word with

the diuell

Prin. Else he had damn'd cozening the diuell

Poy. But my Lads, my Lads, to morrow morning, by

foure a clocke early at Gads hill, there are Pilgrimes going

to Canterbury with rich Offerings, and Traders riding

to London with fat Purses. I haue vizards for you

all; you haue horses for your selues: Gads-hill lyes to

night in Rochester, I haue bespoke Supper to morrow in

Eastcheape; we may doe it as secure as sleepe: if you will

go, I will stuffe your Purses full of Crownes: if you will

not, tarry at home and be hang'd

Fal. Heare ye Yedward, if I tarry at home and go not,

Ile hang you for going

Poy. You will chops

Fal. Hal, wilt thou make one?

Prin. Who, I rob? I a Theefe? Not I

Fal. There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good fellowship

in thee, nor thou cam'st not of the blood-royall,

if thou dar'st not stand for ten shillings

Prin. Well then, once in my dayes Ile be a mad-cap

Fal. Why, that's well said

Prin. Well, come what will, Ile tarry at home

Fal. Ile be a Traitor then, when thou art King

Prin. I care not

Poyn. Sir Iohn, I prythee leaue the Prince & me alone,

I will lay him downe such reasons for this aduenture, that

he shall go

Fal. Well, maist thou haue the Spirit of perswasion;

and he the eares of profiting, that what thou speakest,

may moue; and what he heares may be beleeued, that the

true Prince, may (for recreation sake) proue a false theefe;

for the poore abuses of the time, want countenance. Farwell,

you shall finde me in Eastcheape

Prin. Farwell the latter Spring. Farewell Alhollown

Summer

Poy. Now, my good sweet Hony Lord, ride with vs

to morrow. I haue a iest to execute, that I cannot mannage

alone. Falstaffe, Haruey, Rossill, and Gads-hill, shall

robbe those men that wee haue already way-layde, your

selfe and I, wil not be there: and when they haue the booty,

if you and I do not rob them, cut this head from my

shoulders

Prin. But how shal we part with them in setting forth?

Poyn. Why, we wil set forth before or after them, and

appoint them a place of meeting, wherin it is at our pleasure

to faile; and then will they aduenture vppon the exploit

themselues, which they shall haue no sooner atchieued,

but wee'l set vpon them

Prin. I, but tis like that they will know vs by our

horses, by our habits, and by euery other appointment to

be our selues

Poy. Tut our horses they shall not see, Ile tye them in

the wood, our vizards wee will change after wee leaue

them: and sirrah, I haue Cases of Buckram for the nonce,

to immaske our noted outward garments

Prin. But I doubt they will be too hard for vs

Poin. Well, for two of them, I know them to bee as

true bred Cowards as euer turn'd backe: and for the third

if he fight longer then he sees reason, Ile forswear Armes.

The vertue of this Iest will be, the incomprehensible lyes

that this fat Rogue will tell vs, when we meete at Supper:

how thirty at least he fought with, what Wardes, what

blowes, what extremities he endured; and in the reproofe

of this, lyes the iest

Prin. Well, Ile goe with thee, prouide vs all things

necessary, and meete me to morrow night in Eastcheape,

there Ile sup. Farewell

Poyn. Farewell, my Lord.

Exit Pointz

Prin. I know you all, and will a-while vphold

The vnyoak'd humor of your idlenesse:

Yet heerein will I imitate the Sunne,

Who doth permit the base contagious cloudes

To smother vp his Beauty from the world,

That when he please againe to be himselfe,

Being wanted, he may be more wondred at,

By breaking through the foule and vgly mists

Of vapours, that did seeme to strangle him.

If all the yeare were playing holidaies,

To sport, would be as tedious as to worke;

But when they seldome come, they wisht-for come,

And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.

So when this loose behauiour I throw off,

And pay the debt I neuer promised;

By how much better then my word I am,

By so much shall I falsifie mens hopes,

And like bright Mettall on a sullen ground:

My reformation glittering o're my fault,

Shall shew more goodly, and attract more eyes,

Then that which hath no foyle to set it off.

Ile so offend, to make offence a skill,

Redeeming time, when men thinke least I will.

Scoena Tertia.

Enter the King, Northumberland, Worcester, Hotspurre, Sir Walter

Blunt, and others.

King. My blood hath beene too cold and temperate,

Vnapt to stirre at these indignities,

And you haue found me; for accordingly,

You tread vpon my patience: But be sure,

I will from henceforth rather be my Selfe,

Mighty, and to be fear'd, then my condition

Which hath beene smooth as Oyle, soft as yong Downe,

And therefore lost that Title of respect,

Which the proud soule ne're payes, but to the proud

Wor. Our house (my Soueraigne Liege) little deserues

The scourge of greatnesse to be vsed on it,

And that same greatnesse too, which our owne hands

Haue holpe to make so portly

Nor. My Lord