First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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Enter two Groomes. | Enter three Grooms, strewers of rushes | | 2H4 V.v.1 | |
1.Groo. | FIRST GROOM | | | |
More Rushes, more Rushes. | More rushes, more rushes! | | 2H4 V.v.1 | |
2.Groo. | SECOND GROOM | | | |
The Trumpets haue sounded twice. | The trumpets have sounded twice. | | 2H4 V.v.2 | |
1.Groo. | THIRD GROOM | | | |
It will be two of the Clocke, ere they come from | 'Twill be two o'clock ere they come from | | 2H4 V.v.3 | |
the Coronation. | the coronation. Dispatch, dispatch! | dispatch, despatch (v.)hurry up, be quick | 2H4 V.v.4 | |
Exit Groo. | Exeunt | | 2H4 V.v.4 | |
| Trumpets sound, and the King and his train pass over | | 2H4 V.v.5.1 | |
Enter Falstaffe, Shallow, Pistoll, | the stage. After them enter Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, | | 2H4 V.v.5.2 | |
Bardolfe, and Page. | Bardolph, and the Page | | 2H4 V.v.5.3 | |
Falstaffe. | FALSTAFF | | | |
Stand heere by me, M. Robert Shallow, I will | Stand here by me, Master Shallow; I will | | 2H4 V.v.5 | |
make the King do you Grace. I will leere vpon him, as he | make the King do you grace. I will leer upon him as 'a | leer (v.)look sideways, cast a side glance, smile disarmingly | 2H4 V.v.6 | |
| | grace (n.)honour, favour, recognition, respect | | |
comes by: and do but marke the countenance that hee | comes by, and do but mark the countenance that he | mark (v.)note, pay attention [to], take notice [of] | 2H4 V.v.7 | |
| | countenance (n.)favour, patronage, approval | | |
will giue me. | will give me. | | 2H4 V.v.8 | |
Pistol. | PISTOL | | | |
Blesse thy Lungs, good Knight. | God bless thy lungs, good knight! | | 2H4 V.v.9 | |
Falst. | FALSTAFF | | | |
Come heere Pistol, stand behind me. | Come here, Pistol, stand behind me. (To | | 2H4 V.v.10 | |
O if I had had time to haue made new | Shallow) O, if I had had time to have made new | | 2H4 V.v.11 | |
Liueries, I would haue bestowed the thousand pound I | liveries, I would have bestowed the thousand pound I | livery (n.)uniform, costume, special clothing | 2H4 V.v.12 | |
| | bestow (v.)give, provide, grant | | |
borrowed of you. But it is no matter, this poore shew doth | borrowed of you. But 'tis no matter; this poor show doth | show (n.)appearance, exhibition, display | 2H4 V.v.13 | |
better: this doth inferre the zeale I had to see him. | better: this doth infer the zeal I had to see him. | infer (v.)imply, demonstrate, illustrate | 2H4 V.v.14 | |
| | zeal (n.)ardour, fervour; or: loyalty, devotion | | |
Shal. | SHALLOW | | | |
It doth so. | It doth so. | | 2H4 V.v.15 | |
Falst. | FALSTAFF | | | |
It shewes my earnestnesse in affection. | It shows my earnestness of affection – | | 2H4 V.v.16 | |
Pist. | SHALLOW | | | |
It doth so. | It doth so. | | 2H4 V.v.17 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
My deuotion. | My devotion – | | 2H4 V.v.18 | |
Pist. | SHALLOW | | | |
It doth, it doth, it doth. | It doth, it doth, it doth! | | 2H4 V.v.19 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
As it were, to ride day and night, / And not to | As it were, to ride day and night; and not to | | 2H4 V.v.20 | |
deliberate, not to remember, / Not to haue patience to | deliberate, not to remember, not to have patience to | | 2H4 V.v.21 | |
shift me. | shift me – | shift (v.)change [clothes] | 2H4 V.v.22 | |
Shal. | SHALLOW | | | |
It is most certaine. | It is best, certain. | | 2H4 V.v.23 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
But to stand stained with Trauaile, and sweating | But to stand stained with travel, and sweating | | 2H4 V.v.24 | |
with desire to see him, thinking of nothing else, putting | with desire to see him, thinking of nothing else, putting | | 2H4 V.v.25 | |
all affayres in obliuion, as if there were nothing els | all affairs else in oblivion, as if there were nothing else | | 2H4 V.v.26 | |
to bee done, but to see him. | to be done but to see him. | | 2H4 V.v.27 | |
Pist. | PISTOL | | | |
'Tis semper idem: for obsque hoc nihil est. 'Tis all | 'Tis semper idem, for obsque hoc nihil est; 'tis all | obsque...apart from this there is nothing | 2H4 V.v.28 | |
| | semper...always the same | | |
in euery part. | in every part. | | 2H4 V.v.29 | |
Shal. | SHALLOW | | | |
'Tis so indeed. | 'Tis so, indeed. | | 2H4 V.v.30 | |
Pist. | PISTOL | | | |
My Knight, I will enflame thy Noble Liuer, | My knight, I will inflame thy noble liver, | liver (n.)part of the body thought to be the seat of the passions [especially sexual desire] | 2H4 V.v.31 | |
and make thee rage. | And make thee rage. | | 2H4 V.v.32 | |
Thy Dol, and Helen of thy noble thoghts | Thy Doll, and Helen of thy noble thoughts, | | 2H4 V.v.33 | |
is in base Durance, and contagious prison: | Is in base durance and contagious prison, | durance (n.)confinement, imprisonment, incarceration | 2H4 V.v.34 | |
| | contagious (adj.)pestilential, harmful, noxious | | |
| | base (adj.)poor, wretched, of low quality | | |
Hall'd thither | Haled thither | hale (v.)drag, pull, haul | 2H4 V.v.35 | |
by most Mechanicall and durty hand. | By most mechanical and dirty hand. | mechanical (adj.)common, servile, menial | 2H4 V.v.36 | |
Rowze vppe Reuenge from Ebon den, with fell Alecto's Snake, | Rouse up Revenge from ebon den with fell Alecto's snake, | ebon (adj.)dark, sombre | 2H4 V.v.37 | |
| | fell (adj.)cruel, fierce, savage | | |
| | Alecto (n.)[pron: a'lektoh] one of the Furies, whose name means never-ceasing | | |
for Dol is in. Pistol, speakes nought but troth. | For Doll is in. Pistol speaks naught but truth. | in (adv.)in prison | 2H4 V.v.38 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
I will deliuer her. | I will deliver her. | deliver (v.)free, release, liberate | 2H4 V.v.39 | |
The Trumpets sound. | The trumpets sound | | 2H4 V.v.40 | |
Pistol. | PISTOL | | | |
There roar'd the Sea: and Trumpet Clangour sounds. | There roared the sea, and trumpet-clangour sounds. | | 2H4 V.v.40 | |
Enter King Henrie the Fift, Brothers, Lord Chiefe Iustice | Enter the King and his train, the Lord Chief Justice | | 2H4 V.v.41.1 | |
| among them | | 2H4 V.v.41.2 | |
Falst. | FALSTAFF | | | |
Saue thy Grace, King Hall, my Royall Hall. | God save thy grace, King Hal, my royal Hal! | | 2H4 V.v.41 | |
Pist. | PISTOL | | | |
The heauens thee guard, and keepe, most royall | The heavens thee guard and keep, most royal | | 2H4 V.v.42 | |
Impe of Fame. | imp of fame! | imp (n.)child, scion, son | 2H4 V.v.43 | |
| | fame (n.)reputation, renown, character | | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
'Saue thee my sweet Boy. | God save thee, my sweet boy! | | 2H4 V.v.44 | |
King. | KING HENRY V | | | |
My Lord Chiefe Iustice, speake to that | My Lord Chief Justice, speak to that | | 2H4 V.v.45 | |
vaine man. | vain man. | vain (adj.)foolish, silly, stupid | 2H4 V.v.46 | |
Ch.Iust. | LORD CHIEF JUSTICE | | | |
Haue you your wits? / Know you | Have you your wits? Know you | | 2H4 V.v.47 | |
what 'tis you speake? | what 'tis you speak? | | 2H4 V.v.48 | |
Falst. | FALSTAFF | | | |
My King, my Ioue; I speake to thee, my heart. | My king! My Jove! I speak to thee, my heart! | Jove (n.)[pron: johv] alternative name for Jupiter, the Roman supreme god | 2H4 V.v.49 | |
King. | KING HENRY V | | | |
I know thee not, old man: Fall to thy Prayers: | I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers. | | 2H4 V.v.50 | |
How ill white haires become a Foole, and Iester? | How ill white hairs become a fool and jester. | ill (adv.)badly, adversely, unfavourably | 2H4 V.v.51 | |
| | become (v.)be fitting, befit, be appropriate to | | |
I haue long dream'd of such a kinde of man, | I have long dreamed of such a kind of man, | | 2H4 V.v.52 | |
So surfeit-swell'd, so old, and so prophane: | So surfeit-swelled, so old, and so profane, | surfeit-swelled (adj.)swollen through over-indulgence | 2H4 V.v.53 | |
But being awake, I do despise my dreame. | But being awaked I do despise my dream. | | 2H4 V.v.54 | |
Make lesse thy body (hence) and more thy Grace, | Make less thy body hence, and more thy grace; | grace (n.)virtue, fine quality | 2H4 V.v.55 | |
Leaue gourmandizing; Know the Graue doth gape | Leave gormandizing; know the grave doth gape | | 2H4 V.v.56 | |
For thee, thrice wider then for other men. | For thee thrice wider than for other men. | | 2H4 V.v.57 | |
Reply not to me, with a Foole-borne Iest, | Reply not to me with a fool-born jest. | | 2H4 V.v.58 | |
Presume not, that I am the thing I was, | Presume not that I am the thing I was, | | 2H4 V.v.59 | |
For heauen doth know (so shall the world perceiue) | For God doth know, so shall the world perceive, | | 2H4 V.v.60 | |
That I haue turn'd away my former Selfe, | That I have turned away my former self; | | 2H4 V.v.61 | |
So will I those that kept me Companie. | So will I those that kept me company. | | 2H4 V.v.62 | |
When thou dost heare I am, as I haue bin, | When thou dost hear I am as I have been, | | 2H4 V.v.63 | |
Approach me, and thou shalt be as thou was't | Approach me, and thou shalt be as thou wast, | | 2H4 V.v.64 | |
The Tutor and the Feeder of my Riots: | The tutor and the feeder of my riots; | riot (n.)dissipation, debauchery, wantonness | 2H4 V.v.65 | |
Till then, I banish thee, on paine of death, | Till then I banish thee, on pain of death, | | 2H4 V.v.66 | |
As I haue done the rest of my Misleaders, | As I have done the rest of my misleaders, | | 2H4 V.v.67 | |
Not to come neere our Person, by ten mile. | Not to come near our person by ten mile. | | 2H4 V.v.68 | |
For competence of life, I will allow you, | For competence of life I will allow you, | life (n.)means of life, way of survival | 2H4 V.v.69 | |
| | competence (n.)sufficiency, adequate supply | | |
That lacke of meanes enforce you not to euill: | That lack of means enforce you not to evils; | | 2H4 V.v.70 | |
And as we heare you do reforme your selues, | And as we hear you do reform yourselves, | | 2H4 V.v.71 | |
We will according to your strength, and qualities, | We will, according to your strengths and qualities, | | 2H4 V.v.72 | |
Giue you aduancement. Be it your charge (my Lord) | Give you advancement. (to the Lord Chief Justice) Be it your charge, my lord, | | 2H4 V.v.73 | |
To see perform'd the tenure of our word. | To see performed the tenor of my word. | | 2H4 V.v.74 | |
Set on. | Set on. | | 2H4 V.v.75 | |
Exit King. | Exeunt King and his train | | 2H4 V.v.75 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pound. | Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pound. | | 2H4 V.v.76 | |
Shal. | SHALLOW | | | |
I marry Sir Iohn, which I beseech you to | Yea, marry, Sir John, which I beseech you to | marry (int.)[exclamation] by Mary | 2H4 V.v.77 | |
let me haue home with me. | let me have home with me. | | 2H4 V.v.78 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
That can hardly be, M. Shallow, do not | That can hardly be, Master Shallow. Do not | | 2H4 V.v.79 | |
you grieue at this: I shall be sent for in priuate to him: | you grieve at this. I shall be sent for in private to him | | 2H4 V.v.80 | |
Looke you, he must seeme thus to the world: feare not | Look you, he must seem thus to the world. Fear not | | 2H4 V.v.81 | |
your aduancement: I will be the man yet, that shall | your advancements; I will be the man yet that shall | advancement (n.)preferment, elevation, progress | 2H4 V.v.82 | |
make you great. | make you great. | | 2H4 V.v.83 | |
Shal. | SHALLOW | | | |
I cannot well perceiue how, vnlesse you should giue me | I cannot perceive how, unless you give me | | 2H4 V.v.84 | |
your Doublet, and stuffe me out with Straw. I beseech | your doublet, and stuff me out with straw. I beseech | doubletman's close-fitting jacket with short skirt | 2H4 V.v.85 | |
you, good Sir Iohn, let mee haue fiue hundred of my | you, good Sir John, let me have five hundred of my | | 2H4 V.v.86 | |
thousand. | thousand. | | 2H4 V.v.87 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
Sir, I will be as good as my word. This that | Sir, I will be as good as my word. This that | | 2H4 V.v.88 | |
you heard, was but a colour. | you heard was but a colour. | colour (n.)pretext, pretence | 2H4 V.v.89 | |
Shall. | SHALLOW | | | |
A colour I feare, that you will dye in, Sir Iohn. | A colour that I fear you will die in, Sir John. | collar, colour (n.)noose, hangman's halter | 2H4 V.v.90 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
Feare no colours, go with me to dinner: Come | Fear no colours. Go with me to dinner. Come, | colours, fear nofear no enemy, fear nothing | 2H4 V.v.91 | |
Lieutenant Pistol, come Bardolfe, I shall be sent for | Lieutenant Pistol; come, Bardolph. I shall be sent for | | 2H4 V.v.92 | |
soone at night. | soon at night. | night, atat nightfall, this evening | 2H4 V.v.93 | |
| Enter the Lord Chief Justice and Prince John, with | | 2H4 V.v.94.1 | |
| officers | | 2H4 V.v.94.2 | |
Ch.Iust. | LORD CHIEF JUSTICE | | | |
Go carry Sir Iohn Falstaffe to the Fleete, | Go, carry Sir John Falstaff to the Fleet. | Fleet (n.)debtor's prison near Fleet Street, London | 2H4 V.v.94 | |
Take all his Company along with him. | Take all his company along with him. | | 2H4 V.v.95 | |
Fal. | FALSTAFF | | | |
My Lord, my Lord. | My lord, my lord – | | 2H4 V.v.96 | |
Ch.Iust. | LORD CHIEF JUSTICE | | | |
I cannot now speake, I will heare you soone: | I cannot now speak; I will hear you soon. | | 2H4 V.v.97 | |
Take them away. | Take them away. | | 2H4 V.v.98 | |
Pist. | PISTOL | | | |
Si fortuna me tormento, spera me contento. | Si fortune me tormenta, spero me contenta. | si fortune...if fortune torments me, hope contents me | 2H4 V.v.99 | |
Exit. Manent Lancaster and | Exeunt all but Prince John and | | 2H4 V.v.100.1 | |
Chiefe Iustice. | the Lord Chief Justice | | 2H4 V.v.100.2 | |
| PRINCE JOHN | | | |
I like this faire proceeding of the Kings: | I like this fair proceeding of the King's. | | 2H4 V.v.100 | |
He hath intent his wonted Followers | He hath intent his wonted followers | intent (n.)intention, purpose, aim | 2H4 V.v.101 | |
| | wonted (adj.)accustomed, usual, customary | | |
Shall all be very well prouided for: | Shall all be very well provided for, | | 2H4 V.v.102 | |
But all are banisht, till their conuersations | But all are banished till their conversations | conversation (n.)way of life, behaviour, manners, conduct | 2H4 V.v.103 | |
Appeare more wise, and modest to the world. | Appear more wise and modest to the world. | | 2H4 V.v.104 | |
Ch.Iust. | LORD CHIEF JUSTICE | | | |
And so they are. | And so they are. | | 2H4 V.v.105 | |
Iohn. | PRINCE JOHN | | | |
The King hath call'd his Parliament, My Lord. | The King hath called his parliament, my lord. | | 2H4 V.v.106 | |
Ch.Iust. | LORD CHIEF JUSTICE | | | |
He hath. | He hath. | | 2H4 V.v.107 | |
Iohn. | PRINCE JOHN | | | |
I will lay oddes, that ere this yeere expire, | I will lay odds that, ere this year expire, | | 2H4 V.v.108 | |
We beare our Ciuill Swords, and Natiue fire | We bear our civil swords and native fire | civil (adj.)of civil war | 2H4 V.v.109 | |
As farre as France. I heare a Bird so sing, | As far as France. I heard a bird so sing, | | 2H4 V.v.110 | |
Whose Musicke (to my thinking) pleas'd the King. | Whose music, to my thinking, pleased the King. | | 2H4 V.v.111 | |
Come, will you hence? | Come, will you hence? | | 2H4 V.v.112 | |
Exeunt | Exeunt | | 2H4 V.v.112 | |
EPILOGVE. | EPILOGUE | | | |
| | | | |
FIRST, my Feare: then, my Curtsie: last, my Speech. | First, my fear; then, my curtsy; last, my speech. | curtsy, curtsey (n.)act of courteous respect, deferential action, bow | 2H4 epilogue.1 | |
| | | | |
My Feare, is your Displeasure: My Curtsie, my Dutie: | My fear is your displeasure; my curtsy, my duty; | | 2H4 epilogue.2 | |
And my speech, to Begge your Pardons. If you looke for a | and my speech, to beg your pardons. If you look for a | | 2H4 epilogue.3 | |
good speech now, you vndoe me: For what I haue to say, | good speech now, you undo me, for what I have to say | undo (v.)bring to nought | 2H4 epilogue.4 | |
is of mine owne making: and what (indeed) I should say, | is of mine own making; and what indeed I should say | | 2H4 epilogue.5 | |
will (I doubt) prooue mine owne marring. But to the | will, I doubt, prove mine own marring. But to the | marring (n.)harm, detriment, loss | 2H4 epilogue.6 | |
| | doubt (v.)fear, be afraid [for], feel anxious [for] | | |
Purpose, and so to the Venture. Be it knowne to you (as it | purpose, and so to the venture. Be it known to you, as it | purpose (n.)point at issue, matter in hand | 2H4 epilogue.7 | |
| | venture (n.)risky enterprise, hazardous attempt | | |
is very well) I was lately heere in the end of a displeasing | is very well, I was lately here in the end of a displeasing | lately (adv.)recently, of late | 2H4 epilogue.8 | |
Play, to pray your Patience for it, and to promise you a | play, to pray your patience for it, and to promise you a | | 2H4 epilogue.9 | |
Better: I did meane (indeede) to pay you with this, which if | better. I meant indeed to pay you with this, which, if | | 2H4 epilogue.10 | |
(like an ill Venture) it come vnluckily home, I breake; and | like an ill venture it come unluckily home, I break, and | ill (adj.)bad, adverse, unfavourable | 2H4 epilogue.11 | |
| | unluckily (adv.)unsuccessfully, disastrously | | |
| | venture (n.)deal, enterprise, business, expedition | | |
| | break (v.)break one's promise, not keep one's word | | |
you, my gentle Creditors lose. Heere I promist you I | you, my gentle creditors, lose. Here I promised you I | gentle (adj.)well-born, honourable, noble | 2H4 epilogue.12 | |
would be, and heere I commit my Bodie to your Mercies: | would be, and here I commit my body to your mercies. | | 2H4 epilogue.13 | |
Bate me some, and I will pay you some, and (as most | Bate me some, and I will pay you some, and, as most | bate (v.)[of quantities] lessen, reduce, deduct | 2H4 epilogue.14 | |
Debtors do) promise you infinitely. and so kneele downe | debtors do, promise you infinitely. And so I kneel down | | 2H4 epilogue.15 | |
before you; But (indeed) to pray for the Queene. | before you – but, indeed, to pray for the Queen. | | 2H4 epilogue.16 | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
If my Tongue cannot entreate you to acquit me: will | If my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me, will | acquit (v.)release, free, discharge | 2H4 epilogue.17 | |
you command me to use my Legges? And yet that were | you command me to use my legs? And yet that were | | 2H4 epilogue.18 | |
but light payment, to Dance out of your debt: But a | but light payment, to dance out of your debt. But a | | 2H4 epilogue.19 | |
good Conscience, will make any possible satisfaction, | good conscience will make any possible satisfaction, | | 2H4 epilogue.20 | |
and so will I. All these Gentlewomen heere, haue forgiuen | and so would I. All the gentlewomen here have forgiven | gentlewoman (n.)woman of good breeding, well-born lady | 2H4 epilogue.21 | |
me, if the Gentlemen will not, then the Gentlemen do | me. If the gentlemen will not, then the gentlemen do | | 2H4 epilogue.22 | |
not agree with the Gentlewomen, which was neuer seene before, | not agree with the gentlewomen, which was never seen | | 2H4 epilogue.23 | |
in such an Assembly. | in such an assembly. | | 2H4 epilogue.24 | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
One word more, I beseech you: if you be not too | One word more, I beseech you. If you be not too | | 2H4 epilogue.25 | |
much cloid with Fat Meate, our humble Author will | much cloyed with fat meat, our humble author will | cloy (v.)satiate, gorge, satisfy | 2H4 epilogue.26 | |
continue the Story (with Sir Iohn in it) and make you | continue the story, with Sir John in it, and make you | | 2H4 epilogue.27 | |
merry, with faire Katherine of France: where (for any thing | merry with fair Katharine of France – where, for anything | | 2H4 epilogue.28 | |
I know) Falstaffe shall dye of a sweat, vnlesse already | I know, Falstaff shall die of a sweat, unless already | sweat (n.)sweating-sickness [type of plague] | 2H4 epilogue.29 | |
he be kill'd with your hard Opinions: For Old-Castle dyed | 'a be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died | | 2H4 epilogue.30 | |
a Martyr, and this is not the man. My Tongue is wearie, | martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary; | | 2H4 epilogue.31 | |
when my Legs are too, I will bid you good night; | when my legs are too, I will bid you good night. | | 2H4 epilogue.33 | |
| | | | |