Henry IV, Pt. 2
Act V, Scene 4
London . A street .
Doll Tearsheet being arrested
Richard Rhodes, 18th century
- Enter Beadle and three or four Officers with Hostess Quickly
- and Doll Tearsheet .
Mistress Quickly
1 - 3- No , thou arrant knave , I would to God that I might die , that
- I might have thee hang’d . Thou hast drawn my shoulder out of
- joint .
Beadle
4 - 6- The constables have deliver’d her over to me , and she shall
- have whipping cheer , I warrant her . There hath been a man or
- two kill’d about her .
Doll Tearsheet
7 - 10-
Nuthook
,
nuthook
,
you
lie
.
Come
on
!
I’ll
tell
thee
what
,
Feb 25, 2019 Miko “Nuthook” was slang for a beadle. The word literally means a hooked stick for pulling down branches of nut trees for harvest. -
thou
damn’d
tripe
-
visag’d
rascal
,
and
the
child
I
go
with
do
Feb 25, 2019 Miko In this insult, Doll is saying to the Beadle (or possibly one of the officers) that his face resembles tripe (the intestine of an ox). - miscarry , thou wert better thou hadst struck thy mother ,
-
thou
paper
-
fac’d
villain
!
Feb 25, 2019 Miko Has a pale face, i.e. as white as paper.
Mistress Quickly
11 - 13- O the Lord , that Sir John were come ! I would make this a
- bloody day to somebody . But I pray God the fruit of her womb
- miscarry .
Beadle
14 - 16- If it do , you shall have a dozen of cushions again ; you have
- but eleven now . Come , I charge you both go with me , for the
- man is dead that you and Pistol beat amongst you .
Doll Tearsheet
17 - 20-
I’ll
tell
you
what
,
you
thin
man
in
a
censer
,
I
will
have
Feb 25, 2019 Miko A censer is a container used for burning incense. Scholars are not agreed what Doll meant by this comment. In Shakespeare's day, censers had thin human figures carved in the lids, so it is supposed that Doll is calling the beadle thin. - you as soundly swing’d for this — you blue - bottle rogue , you
- filthy famish’d correctioner , if you be not swing’d , I’ll
- forswear half - kirtles .
Beadle
21- Come , come , you she knight - arrant , come .
Mistress Quickly
22 - 23- O God , that right should thus overcome might ! Well , of
- sufferance comes ease .
Doll Tearsheet
24- Come , you rogue , come bring me to a justice .
Mistress Quickly
25- Ay , come , you starv’d bloodhound .
Doll Tearsheet
26- Goodman Death , goodman Bones !
Mistress Quickly
27- Thou atomy , thou !
Doll Tearsheet
28- Come , you thin thing , come , you rascal .
Beadle
29- Very well .
- Exeunt .