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thou canst. You are straight enough in the shoulders; you care not who sees your back. Call you that backing of your friends? A plague upon such backing! Give me them that will face me. Give me-a cup of sack; I'm a rogue if I have drunk to-day.

Prince H. O villain! thy lips are scarce wiped since thou drankest last.

Falstaff. All's one for that. A plague of all cowards, still say I. Prince H. What's the matter? Falstaff. What's the matter! thousand pounds this morning. Prince H. Where is it, Jack?

There be four of us have ta'en a

Where is it?

Falstaff. Where is it! Taken from us it is: a hundred upon four of us.

Prince H. What! a hundred, man?

Falstaff. I am a rogue if I were not at half-sword with a dozen of them, two hours together. I have escaped by miracle. I am eight times thrust through the doublet, four through the hose; my buckler cut through and through; my sword hacked like a hand-saw, ecce signum. I never dealt better since I was a man! All would not dɔ. A plague of all cowards!

Prince H. Speak, Jack; how was it?

Falstaff. Four of us set upon some dozen, and bound them-every man of them; and as we were sharing, some six or seven fresh men set upon us, and unbound the rest; and then came in the others. Prince H. What! fought ye with them all?

Falstaff. All! I know not what you call all; but if I fought not with fifty of them, I am a bunch of radish; if there were not two or three-and-fifty upon poor old Jack, then am I no two-legged crea

ture.

Prince H. I pray you have not murdered some of them?

Falstaff. Nay; that's past praying for! I have peppered two of them-two, I am sure I have paid--two rogues in buckram suits. I tell thee what, Hal, if I tell thee a lie, spit in my face--call me horse. Thou knowest my old ward; here I lay, and thus I bore my point. Four rogues in buckram let drive at me-

Prince H. What! four? Thou saidst but two even now.

Falstaff Four, Hal; I told thee, four. These four came all afront. and mainly thrust at me. I made no more ado, but took all their seven points in my target, thus.

Prince H. Seven? Why, there were but four even now.

Falstaff. In buckram?

Prince H. Ay, four in buckram suits.

Falstaff Seven, by these hilts, or, I am a villain else. Dost thou hear me, Hal?

Prince H. Ay, and mark thee too.

Falstaff. Do so, for it is worth the listening to. These nine in buckram that I told thee of

Prince H. So, two more, already.

Falstaff. Their points being broken, they began to give me ground; but I followed them close, came in foot and hand, and, with a thought, seven of the eleven I paid.

Prince H. O monstrous! eleven buckram men grown out of two! Falstaff. But, as bad luck would have it, three misbegotten knaves, in Kendal-green, came at my back, and let drive at me; for, it was so dark, Hal, that thou couldst not see thy hand.

Prince H. These lies are like the father that begets them-gross as a mountain, open, palpable. Why, thou clay-brained and knottypated fool, thou obscene, greasy tallow-keech

Falstaff. What! art thou mad? art thou mad? Is not the truth the truth?

Prince H. Why, how couldst thou know these men in Kendal green, when "it was so dark, thou couldst not see thy hand?" Come, What sayest thou to this? Come, your reason,

tell us your reason. Jack, your reason.

Falstaff. What! upon compulsion! No! were I at the strappado, or all the racks in the world, I would not tell you upon compulsion. Give you a reason on compulsion! If reasons were as plenty as blackberries, I would give no man a reason on compulsion, I! Prince H. I'll be no longer guilty of this sin.

Thou sanguine coward, thou bed-presser, thou horse back-breaker, thou huge hill of flesh

Falstaff. Away! you starveling-you eel-skin-you dried neat's tongue-you stock-fish!--O, for breath to utter what is like thee!you tailor's yard-you sheath-you bow-case-you vile standing tuck-

Prince H. Well, breathe awhile, and then to it again; and when thou hast tired thyself in base comparisons, hear me speak but this: -Poins and I saw you four set on four; you bound them, and were masters of their wealth. Mark, now, how plain a tale shall put you down. Then did we two set on you four, and, with a word, outfaced you from your prize, and have it, yea, and can show it you here in the house. And, Falstaff, you carried your mountain-sides away as nimbly, with as quick dexterity, and roared for mercy, and still ran and roared, as ever I heard bull-calf. What a slave art thou to hack thy sword as thou hast done, and then say it was in fight! What trick, what device, what starting-hole canst thou find out, to hide thee from this open and apparent shame ?

Falstaff. Ha ha! ha! I knew ye, as well as he that made you. Why, hear you, my master-was it for me to kill the heir-apparent ? Should I turn upon the true prince? Why, thou knowest, I am as valiant as Hercules, but, beware instinct! The lion will not touch the true prince. Instinct is a great matter! I was a coward-on instinct! I shall think the better of myself and thee during my life; myself for a valiant lion, and thee for a true prince. But I am glad you have the money. Clap to the doors; watch to-night, pray to-morrow. What, shall we be merry? Shall we have a play extempore?

Prince H. Content; and the argument shall be, thy running away. Falstaff. Ah! no more of that, Hal, an' thou lovest me.

V.-CORIOLANUS AND AUFIDIUS.-Shakspeare.
Cor. I plainly, Tullus, by your looks, perceive
You disapprove my conduct.

Auf. I mean not to assail thee with the clamour
Of loud reproaches, and the war of words;
But-pride apart, and all that can pervert
The light of steady reason here, to make
A candid, fair proposal.

Cor. Speak, I hear thee.

Auf. I need not tell thee, that I have performed
My utmost promise. Thou hast been protected,
Hast had thy amplest, most ambitious wish;
Thy wounded pride is healed, thy dear revenge
Completely sated; and, to crown thy fortune,
At the same time, thy peace with Rome restored.
Thou art no more a Volscian, but a Roman :
Return, return; thy duty calls upon thee
Still to protect the city thou hast saved;
It still may be in danger from our arms:
Retire: I will take care thou may'st with safety.
Cor. With safety ?--Heavens

and thinkest thou Coriolanus Will stoop to thee for safety ?-No! my safeguard Is in myself, a bosom void of fear.

O, 'tis an act of cowardice and baseness,

To seize the very time my hands are fettered

By the strong chain of former obligation,

The safe, sure moment to insult me!-Gods!
Were I now free, as on that day I was
When at Corioli I tamed thy pride--
This had not been!

Auf. Thou speak'st the truth: it had not.
O, for that time again! propitious gods,

If you will bless me, grant it! Know, for that--
For that dear purpose I have now proposed

Thou shouldst return: I pray thee, Marcius, do it!

And we shall meet again on nobler terms.

Cor. "Till I have cleared my honour in your council,
And proved before them all,-to thy confusion,--
The falsehood of thy charge; as soon in battle

I would before thee fly, and howl for mercy,

As quit the station they've assigned me here.

Auf. Thou canst not hope acquittal from the Volscians?
Cor. I do :-Nay, more, expect their approbation,

Their thanks. I will obtain then such a peace

As thou durst never ask; a perfect union

Of their whole nation with imperia. Rome,

In all her privileges, all her rights;

By the just gods, I will.--What wouldst thou more?

Auf. What would I more, proud Roman? This I would

Fire the curs'd forest, where these Roman wolves

Haunt and infest their nobler neighbours round them;

Extirpate from the bosom of this land

A false, perfidious people, who, beneath
The mask of freedom, are a combination
Against the liberty of human kind-

The genuine seed of outlaws and of robbers.

Cor. The seed of gods !-'Tis not for thee, vain boaster,

"Tis not for such as thou,--so often spared

By her victorious sword,-to speak of Rome,
But with respect and awful veneration.--
Whate'er her blots, whate'er her giddy factions,
There is more virtue in one single year

Of Roman story, than your Volscian annals

Can boast through all their creeping, dark duration ! Auf. I thank thy rage: -This full displays the traitor. Cor. Traitor !-How now?

Auf. Ay, traitor, Marcius.

Cor. Marcius!

Auf. Ay, Marcius, Caius Marcius! Dost thou think I'll grace thee with that robbery, thy stolen name, Coriolanus, in Corioli ?

You lords, and heads o' the state, perfidiously
He has betrayed your business, and given up,
For certain drops of salt, your city Rome,-
I say, your city,. -to his wife and mother;
Breaking his oath and resolution, like
A twist of rotten silk; never admitting
Counsel o' the war: but, at his nurse's tears,
He whined and roared away your victory,
That pages blushed at him, and men of heart
Looked wondering at each other.

Cor. Hear'st thou, Mars?

Auf. Name not the god, thou boy of tears.

Cor. Measureless liar! thou hast made my heart
Too great for what contains it.--Boy!O slave !—
Cut me to pieces, Volscians; men and lads,
Stain all your edges on me.--Boy!--False hound!
If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,

That, like an eagle in a dove-cot, I

Fluttered your Volscians in Corioli;

Alone I did it :--Boy!

But let us part;

Lest my rash hand should do a hasty deed
My cooler thought forbids.

Auf. I court

The worst thy sword can do; while thou from me
Hast nothing to expect, but sore destruction.

Quit then this hostile camp; once more I tell thee,
Thou art not here one single hour in safety.
Cor. O, that I had thee in the field,

With six Aufidiuses, or more,-thy tribe, --
To use my lawful sword!

VI.-WOLSEY AND CROMWELL.-Shakspeare.

Wolsey. Farewell, a long farewell to all my greatness This is the state of man ;-to-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of hope; to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him:
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost;
And when he thinks, good easy man! full surely
His greatness is a-ripening-nips his root,
And then he falls as I do. I have ventured,
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
These many summers in a sea of glory-
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now has left me,

Weary, and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of the world, I hate you!
I feel my heart new opened: O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on prince's favours!
There is, betwixt that smile he would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and his ruin,
More pangs and fears than war or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again!—

Enter CROMWELL.

Wol. Why, how now, Cromwell?

Crom. I have no power to speak, sir.

Wol. What! amazed

At my misfortunes? Can thy spirit wonder

A great man should decline? Nay, an' you weep,
I'm fallen indeed.

Crom. How does your grace?

Wol. Why, well,

Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell.

I know myself now; and I feel within me

A peace above all earthly dignities—

A still and quiet conscience.

Crom. I'm glad your grace has made that right use of it.
Wol. I hope I have: I'm able now, methinks,

Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,

To endure more miseries and greater far,

Than my weak-hearted enemies dare offer,

What news abroad?

Crom. The heaviest and the worst

Is your displeasure with the king.

Wol. God bless him!

Crom. The next is, that Sir Thomas More is chosen Lord Chancellor in your place.

Wol. That's somewhat sudden :

But he's a learned man. May he continue

Long in his highness' favour, and do justice

For truth's sake and his conscience', that his bones,
When he has run his course and sleeps in blessings,
May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on them!—
What more?

Crom. That Cranmer is returned with welcome,
Installed Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.

Wol. That's news indeed!

Crom. Last, that the Lady Anne,

Whom the king hath in secrecy long married,

This day was viewed in open as his queen,

Going to chapel: and the voice is now

Only about her coronation.

Wol. There was the weight that pulled me down Cromwell! The king has gone beyond me; all my glories,

In that one woman, I have lost for ever:

No sun shall ever usher forth my honours,

Or gild again the noble troops that waited

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