They, by observing him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like serving-man; their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society, that they flock together in consent, like so many wild geese. If I had a suit to master Shallow, I would humor his men, with the imputation of being near their master; if to his men, I would curry with master Shallow, that no man could better command his servants. It is certain, that either wise bearing, or ignorant carriage, is caught, as men take diseases, one of another; therefore, let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow, to keep prince Harry in continual laughter, the wearing-out of six fashions, (which is four terms, or two actions,1) and he shall laugh without intervallums. O, it is much, that a lie, with a slight oath, and a jest, with a sad brow, will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders! O, you shall see him laugh, till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up.

Shal. [Within.] Sir John!

Fal. I come, master Shallow; I come, master Shallow. [Exit FALSTAFF.

SCENE II. Westminster. A Room in the Palace.

Enter WARWICK and the Lord Chief Justice. War. How now, my lord chief justice? whither away?

Ch. Just. How doth the king?

War. Exceeding well; his cares are now all ended. Ch. Just. I hope, not dead.

War.

He's walked the way of nature;

And, to our purposes, he lives no more.

Ch. Just. I would his majesty had called me with

him.

1 Actions for debt.

The service that I truly did his life,

Hath left me open to all injuries.

War. Indeed, I think the young king loves you not. Ch. Just. I know he doth not; and do arm myself, To welcome the condition of the time;

Which cannot look more hideously upon me

Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.

Enter PRINCE JOHN, PRINCE HUMPHREY, CLAREnce, WESTMORELAND, and others.

War. Here come the heavy issue of dead Harry. O that the living Harry had the temper

Of him, the worst of these three gentlemen!
How many nobles then should hold their places,
That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!

Ch. Just. Alas! I fear all will be overturned.
P. John. Good morrow, cousin Warwick.
P. Humph. Cla. Good morrow, cousin.

P. John. We meet like men that had forgot to speak.

War. We do remember; but our argument Is all too heavy to admit much talk.

P. John. Well, peace be with him that hath made us heavy!

Ch. Just. Peace be with us, lest we be heavier ! P. Humph. O, good my lord, you have lost a friend, indeed;

And I dare swear, you borrow not that face

Of seeming sorrow; it is, sure, your own.

P. John. Though no man be assured what grace to find,

You stand in coldest expectation.

I am the sorrier; 'would 'twere otherwise.

Cla. Well, you must now speak sir John Falstaff

fair;

Which swims against your stream of quality.

Ch. Just. Sweet princes, what I did, I did in honor, Led by the impartial conduct of my soul;

And never shall you see, that I will beg

A ragged and forestalled remission.-1
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.
War. Here comes the prince.

Enter KING HENRY V.

Ch. Just. Good morrow; and Heaven save your majesty!

King. 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;
Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,

But Harry, Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers;
For, to speak truth, it very well becomes you:
Sorrow so royally in you appears,

That I will deeply put the fashion on,

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 assured,
I'll be your father and your brother too;
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.

P. John, &c. We hope no other from your majesty. King. You all look strangely on me;-and you [To the Chief Justice.

most;

You are, I think, assured I love you not.

Ch. Just. I am assured, if I be measured rightly, Your majesty hath no just cause to hate me.

King. No!

How might a prince of my great hopes forget

So great indignities you laid upon me?

1 "A ragged and forestalled remission" is a remission or pardon ob

tained by beggarly supplication. Forestalling is prevention.

What! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison
The immediate heir of England? Was this easy ?1
May this be washed in Lethe, and forgotten?

your father

Ch. Just. I then did use the person of
The image of his power lay then in me;
And, in the administration of his law,
Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth,
Your highness pleased to forget my place,
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,

2

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
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:

3

Hear your own dignities so much profaned,
See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted,
Behold yourself so by a son disdained;
And then imagine me taking your part,
And, in your power, soft silencing your son.
After this cold considerance, sentence me;

1 Was this easy? was this a light offence?

2 It has already been remarked that sir William Gascoigne, the chief justice in this play, died in the reign of Henry IV.; and consequently this scene has no foundation in fact. Shakspeare was misled by Stowe, or probably was careless about the matter. While Gascoigne was at the bar, Henry of Bolingbroke was his client, who appointed him his attorney to sue out his livery in the Court of Wards: but Richard II. defeated his purpose. When Bolingbroke became Henry IV., he appointed Gascoigne chief justice. In that station he acquired the character of a learned, upright, wise, and intrepid judge. The story of his committing the prince is told by sir Thomas Elyot, in his book entitled The Governor; but Shakspeare followed the Chronicles.

3 i. e. image to yourself that you have a son.

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.

King. You are right, justice, and you weigh this well;

Therefore still bear the balance and the sword;
And I do wish your honors 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;-
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 :
For which I do commit into your hand

The unstained sword that you have used 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;
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-practised, wise directions.

And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you ;—
My father is gone wild into his grave,
For in his tomb lie my affections;
And with his spirit sadly I survive,
To mock the expectation of the world;
To frustrate prophecies; and to raze out
Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down
After my seeming. The tide of blood in me
Hath proudly flowed in vanity, till now.
Now doth it turn, and ebb back to the sea;
Where it shall mingle with the state3 of floods,

1 In your regal character and office.

2 The meaning may be, My wild dispositions having ceased on my father's death, and being now, as it were, buried in his tomb, he and wildness are interred in the same grave.

3 That is, with the majestic dignity of the ocean, the chief of floods.