Henry IV, Part II by William Shakespeare
Act 5 - Scene 2
Westminster. The palace
Lord Chief Justice : How doth the King?
Lord Chief Justice : I hope, not dead.
Lord Chief Justice : I would his Majesty had call'd me with him.
[p]The service that I
truly did his life
[p]Hath left me open to all injuries.
Lord Chief Justice : I know he doth not, and do arm myself
[p]To welcome the condition of
the time,
[p]Which cannot look more hideously upon me
[p]Than I have
drawn it in my fantasy.
Lord Chief Justice : O God, I fear all will be overturn'd.
Prince Humphrey : [with CLARENCE:] Good morrow, cousin.
Lord Chief Justice : Peace be with us, lest we be heavier!
Prince Humphrey : O, good my lord, you have lost a friend
[p]And I dare swear you borrow
not that face
[p]Of seeming sorrow--it is sure your own.
Prince Thomas : Well, you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair;
[p]Which swims
against your stream of quality.
Lord Chief Justice : Sweet Princes, what I did, I did in honour,
[p]Led by th' impartial
conduct of my soul;
[p]And never shall you see that I will beg
[p]A
ragged and forestall'd remission.
[p]If truth and upright innocency
fail me,
[p]I'll to the King my master that is dead,
[p]And tell him
who hath sent me after him.
Lord Chief Justice : Good morrow, and God save your Majesty!
Brothers : We hope no otherwise from your Majesty.
Lord Chief Justice : I am assur'd, if I be measur'd rightly,
[p]Your Majesty hath no just
cause to hate me.
Lord Chief Justice : I then did use the person of your father;
[p]The image of his power
lay then in me;
[p]And in th' administration of his law,
[p]Whiles I
was busy for the commonwealth,
[p]Your Highness pleased to forget my
place,
[p]The majesty and power of law and justice,
[p]The image of
the King whom I presented,
[p]And struck me in my very seat of
judgment;
[p]Whereon, as an offender to your father,
[p]I gave bold
way to my authority
[p]And did commit you. If the deed were ill,
[p]Be
you contented, wearing now the garland,
[p]To have a son set your
decrees at nought,
[p]To pluck down justice from your awful
bench,
[p]To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword
[p]That
guards the peace and safety of your person;
[p]Nay, more, to spurn at
your most royal image,
[p]And mock your workings in a second
body.
[p]Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours;
[p]Be now
the father, and propose a son;
[p]Hear your own dignity so much
profan'd,
[p]See your most dreadful laws so loosely
slighted,
[p]Behold yourself so by a son disdain'd;
[p]And then
imagine me taking your part
[p]And, in your power, soft silencing your
son.
[p]After this cold considerance, sentence me;
[p]And, as you are
a king, speak in your state
[p]What I have done that misbecame my
place,
[p]My person, or my liege's sovereignty.
Previous: Act 5 - Scene 1
Next: Act 5 - Scene 3
