Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/76

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And of a dragon, and a finless fish,

A clip-wing'd griffin, and a moulten raven,

A couching lion, and a ramping cat,

And such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff

As puts me from my faith. I'll tell thee what;

He held me last night at least nine hours

In reckoning up the several devils' names

That were his lackeys: I cried 'hum!' and 'well, go to.'

But mark'd him not a word. O! he's as tedious

As a tired horse, a railing wife;

Worse than a smoky house. I had rather live

With cheese and garlic in a windmill, far,

Than feed on cates and have him talk to me

In any summer-house in Christendom.

Mort. In faith, he is a worthy gentleman,

Exceedingly well read, and profited

In strange concealments, valiant as a lion

And wondrous affable, and as bountiful

As mines of India. Shall I tell you, cousin?

He holds your temper in a high respect,

And curbs himself even of his natural scope

When you do cross his humour; faith, he does.

I warrant you, that man is not alive

Might so have tempted him as you have done,

Without the taste of danger and reproof:

But do not use it oft, let me entreat you.

Wor. In faith, my lord, you are too wilful-blame;

And since your coming hither have done enough

To put him quite beside his patience.

You must needs learn, lord, to amend this fault:

 153 skimble-skamble: nonsensical

162 cates: dainties

163 summer-house: country house

165 profited: proficient

166 concealments: mysteries

170 scope: tendencies

176 too wilful-blame: to be blamed for too great wilfulness 