Open Source Shakespeare

History of Henry IV, Part II

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Act V, Scene 2

Westminster. The palace

       

Enter, severally, WARWICK, and the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE

  • Earl of Warwick. How now, my Lord Chief Justice; whither away? 3245
  • Lord Chief Justice. How doth the King?
  • Earl of Warwick. Exceeding well; his cares are now all ended.
  • Lord Chief Justice. I hope, not dead.
  • Earl of Warwick. He's walk'd the way of nature;
    And to our purposes he lives no more. 3250
  • Lord Chief Justice. I would his Majesty had call'd me with him.
    The service that I truly did his life
    Hath left me open to all injuries.
  • Earl of Warwick. Indeed, I think the young king loves you not.
  • Lord Chief Justice. I know he doth not, and do arm myself 3255
    To welcome the condition of the time,
    Which cannot look more hideously upon me
    Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.

Enter LANCASTER, CLARENCE, GLOUCESTER, WESTMORELAND, and others

  • Earl of Warwick. Here comes the heavy issue of dead Harry. 3260
    O that the living Harry had the temper
    Of he, the worst of these three gentlemen!
    How many nobles then should hold their places
    That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!
  • Lord Chief Justice. O God, I fear all will be overturn'd. 3265
  • Prince John. Good morrow, cousin Warwick, good morrow.
  • Prince Humphrey. [with CLARENCE:] Good morrow, cousin.
  • Prince John. We meet like men that had forgot to speak.
  • Earl of Warwick. We do remember; but our argument
    Is all too heavy to admit much talk. 3270
  • Prince John. Well, peace be with him that hath made us heavy!
  • Lord Chief Justice. Peace be with us, lest we be heavier!
  • Prince Humphrey. O, good my lord, you have lost a friend
    And I dare swear you borrow not that face
    Of seeming sorrow—it is sure your own. 3275
  • Prince John. Though no man be assur'd what grace to find,
    You stand in coldest expectation.
    I am the sorrier; would 'twere otherwise.
  • Prince Thomas. Well, you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair; 3280
    Which swims against your stream of quality.
  • Lord Chief Justice. Sweet Princes, what I did, I did in honour,
    Led by th' impartial conduct of my soul;
    And never shall you see that I will beg
    A ragged and forestall'd remission. 3285
    If truth and upright innocency fail me,
    I'll to the King my master that is dead,
    And tell him who hath sent me after him.
  • Earl of Warwick. Here comes the Prince.

Enter KING HENRY THE FIFTH, attended

  • Lord Chief Justice. Good morrow, and God save your Majesty!
  • Henry IV. This new and gorgeous garment, majesty,
    Sits not so easy on me as you think.
    Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear.
    This is the English, not the Turkish court; 3295
    Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,
    But Harry Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers,
    For, by my faith, it very well becomes you.
    Sorrow so royally in you appears
    That I will deeply put the fashion on, 3300
    And wear it in my heart. Why, then, be sad;
    But entertain no more of it, good brothers,
    Than a joint burden laid upon us all.
    For me, by heaven, I bid you be assur'd,
    I'll be your father and your brother too; 3305
    Let me but bear your love, I'll bear your cares.
    Yet weep that Harry's dead, and so will I;
    But Harry lives that shall convert those tears
    By number into hours of happiness.
  • Brothers. We hope no otherwise from your Majesty. 3310
  • Henry V. You all look strangely on me; and you most.
    You are, I think, assur'd I love you not.
  • Lord Chief Justice. I am assur'd, if I be measur'd rightly,
    Your Majesty hath no just cause to hate me.
  • Henry V. No? 3315
    How might a prince of my great hopes forget
    So great indignities you laid upon me?
    What, rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison,
    Th' immediate heir of England! Was this easy?
    May this be wash'd in Lethe and forgotten? 3320
  • Lord Chief Justice. I then did use the person of your father;
    The image of his power lay then in me;
    And in th' administration of his law,
    Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth,
    Your Highness pleased to forget my place, 3325
    The majesty and power of law and justice,
    The image of the King whom I presented,
    And struck me in my very seat of judgment;
    Whereon, as an offender to your father,
    I gave bold way to my authority 3330
    And did commit you. If the deed were ill,
    Be you contented, wearing now the garland,
    To have a son set your decrees at nought,
    To pluck down justice from your awful bench,
    To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword 3335
    That guards the peace and safety of your person;
    Nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image,
    And mock your workings in a second body.
    Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours;
    Be now the father, and propose a son; 3340
    Hear your own dignity so much profan'd,
    See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted,
    Behold yourself so by a son disdain'd;
    And then imagine me taking your part
    And, in your power, soft silencing your son. 3345
    After this cold considerance, sentence me;
    And, as you are a king, speak in your state
    What I have done that misbecame my place,
    My person, or my liege's sovereignty.
  • Henry V. You are right, Justice, and you weigh this well; 3350
    Therefore still bear the balance and the sword;
    And I do wish your honours may increase
    Till you do live to see a son of mine
    Offend you, and obey you, as I did.
    So shall I live to speak my father's words: 3355
    'Happy am I that have a man so bold
    That dares do justice on my proper son;
    And not less happy, having such a son
    That would deliver up his greatness so
    Into the hands of justice.' You did commit me; 3360
    For which I do commit into your hand
    Th' unstained sword that you have us'd to bear;
    With this remembrance—that you use the same
    With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit
    As you have done 'gainst me. There is my hand. 3365
    You shall be as a father to my youth;
    My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear;
    And I will stoop and humble my intents
    To your well-practis'd wise directions.
    And, Princes all, believe me, I beseech you, 3370
    My father is gone wild into his grave,
    For in his tomb lie my affections;
    And with his spirits sadly I survive,
    To mock the expectation of the world,
    To frustrate prophecies, and to raze out 3375
    Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down
    After my seeming. The tide of blood in me
    Hath proudly flow'd in vanity till now.
    Now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea,
    Where it shall mingle with the state of floods, 3380
    And flow henceforth in formal majesty.
    Now call we our high court of parliament;
    And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel,
    That the great body of our state may go
    In equal rank with the best govern'd nation; 3385
    That war, or peace, or both at once, may be
    As things acquainted and familiar to us;
    In which you, father, shall have foremost hand.
    Our coronation done, we will accite,
    As I before rememb'red, all our state; 3390
    And—God consigning to my good intents-
    No prince nor peer shall have just cause to say,
    God shorten Harry's happy life one day. Exeunt