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No Fear Shakespheare

Henry IV Part 1

William Shakespeare

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Act 1, Scene 2, Page 3

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FALSTAFF
Well, thou hast called her to a reckoning many a time
and oft.
 FALSTAFF
You’ve asked her for the bill enough times.

PRINCE HENRY
Did I ever call for thee to pay thy part?
 PRINCE HENRY
Did I ever ask you to pay for any of it?

45		 FALSTAFF
No, I’ll give thee thy due. Thou hast paid all there.
 FALSTAFF
No. I’ve got to admit, you’ve settled with her all by yourself.


PRINCE HENRY
Yea, and elsewhere, so far as my coin would stretch, and
where it would not, I have used my credit.
 PRINCE HENRY
And not just with her, but wherever my cash was good. And when I ran out, I switched to credit.



50

 FALSTAFF
Yea, and so used it that were it not here apparent that thou
art heir apparent—But I prithee, sweet wag, shall there be
gallows standing in England when thou art king? And
resolution thus fubbed as it is with the rusty curb of old father Antic the law?
Do not thou, when thou art king, hang a thief.
 FALSTAFF
And you’ve stretched that so far that if it weren’t “here apparent” that you’re the “heir apparent,” your credit wouldn’t be worth a thing. But listen, pretty boy. Will England still have hangmen when you’re king? And will a thief’s courage still be thwarted by that nasty old clown, the law? When you’re king, don’t hang thieves.

PRINCE HENRY
No, thou shalt.
 PRINCE HENRY
No. You will.

FALSTAFF
Shall I? O rare! By the Lord, I’ll be a brave judge.
 FALSTAFF
I will? Excellent! By God, I’ll be a great judge.

55
 PRINCE HENRY
Thou judgest false already: I mean thou shalt have the
hanging of the thieves, and so become a rare hangman.
 PRINCE HENRY
You’ve judged wrong already. I mean, you’ll be in charge of hanging thieves, and become a superb hangman.


FALSTAFF
Well, Hal, well, and in some sort it jumps with my humor as
well as waiting in the court, I can tell you.
 FALSTAFF
All right, Hal. I’ll tell you this: in a way, being a hangman agrees with me just as well as hanging around the court.

PRINCE HENRY
For obtaining of suits?
 PRINCE HENRY
Waiting to get your suits granted?
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