Page:Henry IV Part 2 (1921) Yale.djvu/31

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King Henry the Fourth, I. ii
19

too impatient to bear crosses. Fare you well:
commend me to my cousin Westmoreland.

[Exeunt Chief Justice and Servant.]

Fal. If I do, fillip me with a three-man beetle.
A man can no more separate age and covetous- 260
ness than a' can part young limbs and lechery;
but the gout galls the one, and the pox pinches
the other; and so both the degrees prevent my
curses. Boy! 264

Page. Sir!

Fal. What money is in my purse?

Page. Seven groats and twopence.

Fal. I can get no remedy against this con- 268
sumption of the purse: borrowing only lingers
and lingers it out, but the disease is incurable.
Go bear this letter to my Lord of Lancaster;
this to the prince; this to the Earl of Westmore- 272
land; and this to old Mistress Ursula, whom I
have weekly sworn to marry since I perceived
the first white hair on my chin. About it: you
know where to find me. A pox of this gout! 276
or, a gout of this pox! for the one or the
other plays the rogue with my great toe. 'Tis
no matter if I do halt; I have the wars for my
colour, and my pension shall seem the more 280
reasonable. A good wit will make use of any-
thing; I will turn diseases to commodity. Exeunt.

257 Cf. n.
259 Cf. n.
263 prevent: anticipate
267 groat: a coin worth fourpence
279 halt: limp
280 colour: excuse
282 commodity: merchandise to be sold at a profit