A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 2 of Henry IV Part 2 from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter Justice Shallow and Justice Silence. SHALLOW Come on, come on, come on. Give me your SILENCE Good morrow, good cousin Shallow. SHALLOW And how doth my cousin your bedfellow? 5 SILENCE Alas, a black ousel, cousin Shallow. SHALLOW By yea and no, sir. I dare say my cousin SILENCE Indeed, sir, to my cost. | Outside his country house in Gloucestershire, Justice Shallow greets his longtime friend, Justice Silence. The two men engage in the easy banter of the middle class – they exchange pleasantries, ask after each other's families, talk about young relatives who are attending law school, the current price of livestock, and so on. |
SHALLOW He must then to the Inns o’ Court shortly. I SILENCE You were called “Lusty Shallow” then, SHALLOW By the Mass, I was called anything, and I SILENCE This Sir John, cousin, that comes hither anon SHALLOW The same Sir John, the very same. I see him SILENCE We shall all follow, cousin. SHALLOW Certain, ’tis certain, very sure, very sure. SILENCE By my troth, cousin, I was not there. SHALLOW Death is certain. Is old Dooble of your town SILENCE Dead, sir. SHALLOW Jesu, Jesu, dead! He drew a good bow, and SILENCE Thereafter as they be, a score of good ewes SHALLOW And is old Dooble dead? SILENCE Here come two of Sir John Falstaff’s men, as I | It's not long before the two begin to reminisce about the "good old days," when Shallow and Silence were young students at the Inns of Court (prestigious law schools in London). Nowadays, so many of their old friends are dead and gone. The old men note that they too will be dead and gone some time soon, death being the one certainty in life. |
Enter Bardolph and one with him. SHALLOW Good morrow, honest gentlemen. BARDOLPH I beseech you, which is Justice Shallow? 60 SHALLOW I am Robert Shallow, sir, a poor esquire of BARDOLPH My captain, sir, commends him to you, my SHALLOW He greets me well, sir. I knew him a good BARDOLPH Sir, pardon. A soldier is better accommodated 70 | Before the Justices can think of any more of their dead friends, Bardolph and Falstaff's Page show up and announce the imminent arrival of Falstaff. The Justices ask how Falstaff's wife is doing and Bardolph replies that Falstaff is "better accommodated" than with a wife. (Translation: Please. Falstaff doesn't need a wife. He sees plenty of action at the brothels.) |
SHALLOW It is well said, in faith, sir, and it is well said BARDOLPH Pardon, sir, I have heard the word— Enter Falstaff. SHALLOW It is very just. Look, here comes good Sir 85 FALSTAFF I am glad to see you well, good Master SHALLOW No, Sir John. It is my cousin Silence, in FALSTAFF Good Master Silence, it well befits you SILENCE Your good Worship is welcome. 95 FALSTAFF Fie, this is hot weather, gentlemen. Have you SHALLOW Marry, have we, sir. Will you sit? They sit at a table. | Falstaff arrives, exchanges pleasantries with the old men, and asks if they've gathered up the men he's asked for. (Falstaff is in Gloucestershire to enlist soldiers into the king's army.) |
FALSTAFF Let me see them, I beseech you. SHALLOW Where’s the roll? Where’s the roll? Where’s 100 Enter Mouldy, followed by Shadow, Wart, Feeble, Let me see, where is Mouldy? 105 MOULDY, coming forward Here, an it please you. SHALLOW What think you, Sir John? A good-limbed FALSTAFF Is thy name Mouldy? MOULDY Yea, an ’t please you. 110 FALSTAFF ’Tis the more time thou wert used. SHALLOW Ha, ha, ha, most excellent, i’ faith! Things FALSTAFF Prick him. 115 Shallow marks the scroll. MOULDY I was pricked well enough before, an you FALSTAFF Go to. Peace, Mouldy. You shall go. Mouldy, MOULDY Spent? | Shallow and Silence have indeed gathered up some men and proceed to trot out the recruits one at a time so Falstaff can inspect them and make fun of them. The first man is Mouldy (that's really his name) who tries to get out of serving by claiming that his wife will be seriously angry at him if he leaves for battle because she won't have anyone to service her or do the household chores. Too bad, says Falstaff, who signs him up for military service anyway. |
SHALLOW Peace, fellow, peace. Stand aside. Know you FALSTAFF Yea, marry, let me have him to sit under. SHALLOW Where’s Shadow? SHADOW, coming forward Here, sir. 130 FALSTAFF Shadow, whose son art thou? SHADOW My mother’s son, sir. FALSTAFF Thy mother’s son! Like enough, and thy SHALLOW Do you like him, Sir John? FALSTAFF Shadow will serve for summer. Prick him, SHALLOW Thomas Wart! FALSTAFF Where’s he? WART, coming forward Here, sir. FALSTAFF Is thy name Wart? WART Yea, sir. 145 FALSTAFF Thou art a very ragged wart. SHALLOW Shall I prick him down, Sir John? FALSTAFF It were superfluous, for his apparel is built SHALLOW Ha, ha, ha. You can do it, sir, you can do it. I FEEBLE, coming forward Here, sir. SHALLOW What trade art thou, Feeble? FEEBLE A woman’s tailor, sir. 155 SHALLOW Shall I prick him, sir? FALSTAFF You may, but if he had been a man’s tailor, FEEBLE I will do my good will, sir. You can have no FALSTAFF Well said, good woman’s tailor, well said, FEEBLE I would Wart might have gone, sir. FALSTAFF I would thou wert a man’s tailor, that thou FEEBLE It shall suffice, sir. FALSTAFF I am bound to thee, reverend Feeble.—Who 175 | Next come Shadow, Wart, and Feeble. The latter is a woman's tailor so Falstaff makes a few cracks about what a "feeble" wimp he must be. He signs up Shadow and Feeble but tells Wart to stand aside. |
SHALLOW Peter Bullcalf o’ th’ green. FALSTAFF Yea, marry, let’s see Bullcalf. BULLCALF, coming forward Here, sir. FALSTAFF Fore God, a likely fellow. Come, prick me 180 BULLCALF O Lord, good my lord captain— FALSTAFF What, dost thou roar before thou art BULLCALF O Lord, sir, I am a diseased man. 185 FALSTAFF What disease hast thou? BULLCALF A whoreson cold, sir, a cough, sir, which I FALSTAFF Come, thou shalt go to the wars in a gown. 190 | Then a young man named Bullcalf is trotted out. When Falstaff enlists him, Bullcalf complains that he's "diseased." Apparently, he caught a cold while he was celebrating the king's recent coronation and, sadly, he's now unfit to serve the king in the army. Falstaff signs him up anyway. |
SHALLOW Here is two more called than your number. FALSTAFF Come, I will go drink with you, but I cannot SHALLOW O, Sir John, do you remember since we lay 200 FALSTAFF No more of that, good Master Shallow, no SHALLOW Ha, ’twas a merry night. And is Jane Nightwork FALSTAFF She lives, Master Shallow. SHALLOW She never could away with me. FALSTAFF Never, never. She would always say she could SHALLOW By the Mass, I could anger her to th’ heart. 210 FALSTAFF Old, old, Master Shallow. SHALLOW Nay, she must be old. She cannot choose but | Enlisting unwilling men into the military is thirsty work so Justice Shallow invites Falstaff in for a drink and a nice, hot meal. Of course Falstaff will stay for a drink but he doesn't have time for dinner. Shallow can't wait to reminisce with Falstaff about the old days, when they were law students together and spent their free time raising hell in the taverns and brothels. Shallow asks if an old acquaintance, Jane Nightwork, is still alive and Falstaff says yes but she's old these days. (We're guessing by her name that Ms. Nightwork is a prostitute the men used to visit.) |
SILENCE That’s fifty-five year ago. SHALLOW Ha, cousin Silence, that thou hadst seen that FALSTAFF We have heard the chimes at midnight, Master SHALLOW That we have, that we have, that we have. In Shallow, Silence, and Falstaff rise and exit. | Wow, says, Justice Silence, that was over fifty years ago. Yep, says, Falstaff. We've seen a whole lot in our day. Shallow urges Falstaff to join him and Silence for dinner. The three old school chums go inside, leaving the lackeys outside. |
BULLCALF Good Master Corporate Bardolph, stand my BARDOLPH Go to. Stand aside. 235 MOULDY And, good Master Corporal Captain, for my BARDOLPH Go to. Stand aside. FEEBLE By my troth, I care not. A man can die but BARDOLPH Well said. Th’ art a good fellow. FEEBLE Faith, I’ll bear no base mind. | Bullcalf steps forward and offers Bardolph a bribe. Bardolph takes it, of course. Mouldy thinks this is a good idea so he offers Bardolph money as well. |
Enter Falstaff and the Justices. FALSTAFF Come, sir, which men shall I have? 250 SHALLOW Four of which you please. BARDOLPH, aside to Falstaff Sir, a word with you. I FALSTAFF Go to, well. SHALLOW Come, Sir John, which four will you have? 255 FALSTAFF Do you choose for me. SHALLOW Marry, then, Mouldy, Bullcalf, Feeble, and FALSTAFF Mouldy and Bullcalf! For you, Mouldy, stay Mouldy and Bullcalf exit. | Then Falstaff, Shallow, and Silence return and Bardolph informs Falstaff that Bullcalf and Mouldy have coughed up some cash so they can let them go. Falstaff excuses Mouldy and Bullcalf from service. |
SHALLOW Sir John, Sir John, do not yourself wrong. FALSTAFF Will you tell me, Master Shallow, how to | Shallow points out that Mouldy and Bullcalf are the most able bodied men in the bunch and Falstaff pretends to be miffed that another man would tell him how to do his job. |
BARDOLPH, giving Wart a musket Hold, Wart. Traverse. FALSTAFF, to Wart Come, manage me your caliver: so, SHALLOW He is not his craft’s master. He doth not do it FALSTAFF These fellows will do well, Master Shallow. SHALLOW Sir John, the Lord bless you. God prosper FALSTAFF Fore God, would you would, Master SHALLOW Go to. I have spoke at a word. God keep you. FALSTAFF Fare you well, gentle gentlemen. 310 Shallow and Silence exit. | Then Falstaff makes Wart march around and demonstrate how to load and discharge a firearm before he declares that he'd take a ragged and skinny soldier like Wart over Mouldy and Bullcalf any old day of the week. Shallow points out that Wart has absolutely no idea what he's doing. Falstaff blows him off and says he's got a long way to march that night. |
On, Bardolph. Lead the men away. All but Falstaff exit. As I return, I will fetch off these justices. I do see He exits. | Falstaff takes his leave of the old men but not before he tells the audience he's going to swindle Justices Shallow and Silence on his way back from the war. Then Falstaff says that all old men are liars. They love to talk about the good old days but their memories and stories are garbage. |