Henry IV, Part ii; Act II, Scene ii First Folio
This speech is used in our interview with John Ahlin.
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2323 I would you had but the wit: 'twere better
2324 then your Dukedome. Good faith, this same young so-
2325 ber-blooded Boy doth not loue me, nor a man cannot
2326 make him laugh: but that's no maruaile, hee drinkes no
2327 Wine. There's neuer any of these demure Boyes come
2328 to any proofe: for thinne Drinke doth so ouer-coole
2329 their blood, and making many Fish-Meales, that they
2330 fall into a kinde of Male Greene-sicknesse: and then,
2331 when they marry, they get Wenches. They are generally
2332 Fooles, and Cowards; which some of vs should be too,
2333 but for inflamation. A good Sherris-Sack hath a two-
2334 fold operation in it: it ascends me into the Braine, dryes
2335 me there all the foolish, and dull, and cruddie Vapours,
2336 which enuiron it: makes it apprehensiue, quicke, forge-
2337 tiue, full of nimble, fierie, and delectable shapes; which
2338 deliuer'd o're to the Voyce, the Tongue, which is the
2339 Birth, becomes excellent Wit. The second propertie of
2340 your excellent Sherris, is, the warming of the Blood:
2341 which before (cold, and setled) left the Liuer white, and
2342 pale; which is the Badge of Pusillanimitie, and Cowar-
2343 dize: but the Sherris warmes it, and makes it course
2344 from the inwards, to the parts extremes: it illuminateth
2345 the Face, which (as a Beacon) giues warning to all the
2346 rest of this little Kingdome (Man) to Arme: and then
2347 the Vitall Commoners, and in-land pettie Spirits, muster
2348 me all to their Captaine, the Heart; who great, and pufft
2349 vp with his Retinue, doth any Deed of Courage: and this
2350 Valour comes of Sherris. So, that skill in the Weapon
2351 is nothing, without Sack (for that sets it a-worke:) and
2352 Learning, a meere Hoord of Gold, kept by a Deuill, till
2353 Sack commences it, and sets it in act, and vse. Hereof
2354 comes it, that Prince Harry is valiant: for the cold blood
2356 hee did naturally inherite of his Father, hee hath, like
2357 leane, stirrill, and bare Land, manured, husbanded, and
2358 tyll'd, with excellent endeauour of drinking good, and
2359 good store of fertile Sherris, that hee is become very hot,
2360 and valiant. If I had a thousand Sonnes, the first Principle
2361 I would teach them, should be to forsweare thinne Pota-
2362 tions, and to addict themselues to Sack.