As the dust settles on the battlefield at Shrewsbury, news spreads that the rebel forces fighting against King Henry IV have suffered a terrible defeat. Their leader, Harry “Hotspur” Percy, was killed by Prince Hal. The rebel troops quickly abandon the fight after seeing their leader die. Two powerful cohorts, the Earl of Worcester and Douglas, are taken as prisoners by the King’s men. The Earl of Northumberland vows to avenge his son’s death and plans to seek support from the Archbishop of York.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop has convened his group of allies—Thomas Mowbray, Lord Hastings, and Lord Bardolph—to plan the next battle against King Henry. If they want a chance of winning, they fight on three separate fronts: one to fight King Henry’s forces, one to fight the Welsh rebels led by Owen Glendower, and one to maintain the fight in France. They decide to follow this plan regardless of whether or not Northumberland lends them his army.
As the Prince’s merry team of misfits return to London, Falstaff continues to create mischief wherever he goes. After hearing that his father has fallen sick, Hal starts to regret the days when he used to drink and steal with Falstaff. If he is to be the next king, he must leave behind his past along with his partners in crime.
This Standard Ebooks production is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright’s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
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two of Sir John Falstaff’s men, as I think.
Enter Bardolph and one with him.
Bardolph
Good morrow, honest gentlemen: I beseech you, which is Justice Shallow?
Shallow
I am Robert Shallow, sir; a poor esquire of this county, and one of the king’s justices of the peace: What is your good pleasure with me?
Bardolph
My captain, sir, commends him to you; my captain, Sir John Falstaff, a tall gentleman, by heaven, and a most gallant leader.
Shallow
He greets me well, sir. I knew him a good backsword man. How doth the good knight? may I ask how my lady his wife doth?
Bardolph
Sir, pardon; a soldier is better accommodated than with a wife.
Shallow
It is well said, in faith, sir; and it is well said indeed too. Better accommodated! it is good; yea, indeed, is it: good phrases are surely, and ever were, very commendable. Accommodated! it comes of “accommodo:” very good; a good phrase.
Bardolph
Pardon me, sir; I have heard the word. Phrase call you it? by this good day, I know not the phrase; but I will maintain the word with my sword to be a soldier-like word, and a word of exceeding good command, by heaven. Accommodated; that is, when a man is, as they say, accommodated; or when a man is, being, whereby a’ may be thought to be accommodated; which is an excellent thing.
Shallow
It is very just.
Enter Falstaff.
Look, here comes good Sir John. Give me your good hand, give me your worship’s good hand: by my troth, you like well and bear your years very well: welcome, good Sir John.
Falstaff
I am glad to see you well, good Master Robert Shallow: Master Surecard, as I think?
Shallow
No, Sir John; it is my cousin Silence, in commission with me.
Falstaff
Good Master Silence, it well befits you should be of the peace.
Silence
Your good worship is welcome.
Falstaff
Fie! this is hot weather, gentlemen. Have you provided me here half a dozen sufficient men?
Shallow
Marry, have we, sir. Will you sit?
Falstaff
Let me see them, I beseech you.
Shallow
Where’s the roll? where’s the roll? where’s the roll? Let me see, let me see, let me see. So, so, so, so, so, so, so: yea, marry, sir: Ralph Mouldy! Let them appear as I call; let them do so, let them do so. Let me see; where is Mouldy?
Mouldy
Here, an’t please you.
Shallow
What think you, Sir John? a good-limbed fellow; young, strong, and of good friends.
Falstaff
Is thy name Mouldy?
Mouldy
Yea, an’t please you.
Falstaff
’Tis the more time thou wert used.
Shallow
Ha, ha, ha! most excellent, i’ faith! Things that are mouldy lack use: very singular good! in faith, well said, Sir John, very well said.
Falstaff
Prick him.
Mouldy
I was pricked well enough before, an you could have let me alone: my old dame will be undone now for one to do her husbandry and her drudgery: you need not to have pricked me; there are other men fitter to go out than I.
Falstaff
Go to: peace, Mouldy; you shall go. Mouldy, it is time you were spent.
Mouldy
Spent!
Shallow
Peace, fellow, peace; stand aside: know you where you are? For the other, Sir John: let me see: Simon Shadow!
Falstaff
Yea, marry, let me have him to sit under: he’s like to be a cold soldier.
Shallow
Where’s Shadow?
Shadow
Here, sir.
Falstaff
Shadow, whose son art thou?
Shadow
My mother’s son, sir.
Falstaff
Thy mother’s son! like enough, and thy father’s shadow: so the son of the female is the shadow of the male: it is often so, indeed; but much of the father’s substance!
Shallow
Do you like him, Sir John?
Falstaff
Shadow will serve for summer; prick him, for we have a number of shadows to fill up the muster-book.
Shallow
Thomas Wart!
Falstaff
Where’s he?
Wart
Here, sir.
Falstaff
Is thy name Wart?
Wart
Yea, sir.
Falstaff
Thou art a very ragged wart.
Shallow
Shall I prick him down, Sir John?
Falstaff
It were superfluous; for his apparel is built upon his back and the whole frame stands upon pins: prick him no more.
Shallow
Ha, ha, ha! you can do it, sir; you can do it: I commend you well. Francis Feeble!
Feeble
Here, sir.
Falstaff
What trade art thou, Feeble?
Feeble
A woman’s tailor, sir.
Shallow
Shall I prick him, sir?
Falstaff
You may: but if he had been a man’s tailor, he’d ha’ pricked you. Wilt thou make as many holes in an enemy’s battle as thou hast done in a woman’s petticoat?
Feeble
I will do my good will, sir: you can have no more.
Falstaff
Well said, good woman’s tailor! well said, courageous Feeble! thou wilt be as valiant as the wrathful dove or most magnanimous mouse. Prick the woman’s tailor: well, Master Shallow; deep, Master Shallow.
Feeble
I would Wart might have gone, sir.
Falstaff
I would thou wert a man’s tailor, that thou mightst mend him and make him fit to go. I cannot put him to a private soldier that is the leader of so many thousands: let that suffice, most forcible Feeble.
Feeble
It shall suffice, sir.
Falstaff
I am bound to thee, reverend Feeble. Who is next?
Shallow
Peter Bullcalf o’ the green!
Falstaff
Yea, marry, let’s see Bullcalf.
Bullcalf
Here, sir.
Falstaff
’Fore God, a likely fellow! Come, prick me Bullcalf till he roar again.
Bullcalf
O Lord! good my lord captain—
Falstaff
What, dost thou roar before thou art pricked?
Bullcalf
O Lord, sir! I am a diseased man.
Falstaff
What disease hast thou?
Bullcalf
A whoreson cold, sir, a cough, sir, which I caught with ringing in the king’s affairs upon his coronation-day, sir.
Falstaff
Come, thou shalt go to the wars in a gown; we wilt have away thy cold; and I will take such order that my friends shall ring for thee. Is here all?
Shallow
Here is two more called than your number; you must have but four here, sir: and so, I pray you, go in with me to dinner.
Falstaff
Come, I will go drink with you, but I cannot tarry dinner. I am glad to see you, by my troth, Master Shallow.
Shallow
O, Sir John, do you remember since we lay all
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