Page:Henry IV Part 2 (1921) Yale.djvu/47

King Henry the Fourth, II. ii

Bard. Well, my lord. He heard of your

Grace's coming to town: there's a letter for you.

Poins. Delivered with good respect. And how

doth the martlemas, your master?

Bard. In bodily health, sir.

Poins. Marry, the immortal part needs a

physician; but that moves not him: though

that be sick, it dies not.

Prince. I do allow this wen to be as familiar

with me as my dog; and he holds his place, for

look you how he writes.

Poins. [looking over the Prince's shoulder.]

'John Falstaff, knight,'—every man must know

that, as oft as he has occasion to name himself:

even like those that are kin to the king, for they

never prick their finger but they say, 'There's

some of the king's blood spilt.' 'How comes

that?' says he that takes upon him not to con-

ceive. The answer is as ready as a borrower's

cap, 'I am the king's poor cousin, sir.'

Prince. Nay, they will be kin to us, or they

will fetch it from Japhet. But to the letter:

'Sir John Falstaff, knight, to the son of the

king nearest his father, Harry Prince of

Wales, greeting.'

Poins. Why, this is a certificate.

Prince. Peace! 'I will imitate the honourable

Romans in brevity:'

Poins. He sure means brevity in breath, short-

winded.

Prince. 'I commend me to thee, I commend

 112 martlemas; cf. n.

117 wen: swelling, i.e., Falstaff

126 takes upon him: pretends

conceive: understand

127, 128 borrower's cap; cf. n.

130 fetch it from Japhet: trace kinship through Japhet, the son of Noah

130 ff. Cf. n. 