With this reading there is no alternative but to suppose that some fresh understanding had been arrived at between the King and the Lord Chief Justice, and that the latter had been sent back "to take vengeance" for some inexplicable offence on the already crestfallen old man.
In the First Folio edition of the plays, however, the whole forms a continuous and unbroken episode. Not only do we, as Johnson says, "not lose sight of Falstaff till he is carried to the Fleet," but we do not lose sight of the Chief Justice either, as the following exact copy from the Folio will show:—
The Trumpets sound. Enter King Henrie the Fift, Brothers, Lord Chiefe Justice.
Falst. Save thy Grace, King Hall, my Royall Hall.
Pist. The heavens thee guard, and keepe, most royall Impe of Fame.
Fal. 'Save thee my sweet Boy.
King. My Lord Chiefe Justice, speake to that vaine man.
Ch. Just. Have you your wits?
Know you what 'tis you speake?
Falst. My King, my Jove; I speake to thee my heart.
King. I know thee not, old man: Fall to thy Prayers: &c.
•••••
Till then, I banish thee, on paine of death,
As I have done the rest of my Misleaders,
Not to come neere our Person by ten mile.
For competence of life, I will allow you,
That lacke of meanes enforce you not to evill:
And as we heare you do reforme your selves,
We will according to your strength, and qualities,
Give you advancement. Be it your charge (my Lord)
To see perform'd the tenure of our word. Set on:
Exit King.
Fal. Master Shallow, I owe you a thousand pound.
Shal. I marry Sir John, which I beseech you to let me have home with me.
Fal. That can hardly be, M. Shallow, do not you
grieve at this: I shall be sent for in private to
him: Looke you, he must seeme thus to the
world: feare not your advancement: I will be the
man yet, that shall make you great.
Shal. I cannot well perceive how ....
Fal. Sir, I will be as good as my word. This that you heard was but a colour.
Shall. A colour I feare, that you will dye, in Sir John.
Fal. Feare no colours, go with me to dinner:
Come Lieutenant Pistol, come Bardolfe,
I shall be sent for soone at night.
Ch. Just. Go carry Sir John Falstaffe to the Fleete,
Take all his Company along with him.
Fal. My Lord, my Lord.
Ch. Just. I cannot now speake, I will heare you soone: Take them away.
Pist. Si fortuna me tormento, spera me contento.
Exit. Manet Lancaster and Chiefe Justice.
John. I like this faire proceeding of the Kings:
He hath intent his wonted Followers
Shall all be very well provided for:
But all are banisht, till their conversations
Appeare more wise, and modest to the world.
Ch. Just. And so they are.
According to the above, the King alone leaves the stage, while the Chief Justice remains till the procession has passed, keeping Falstaff under observation until he makes a move to depart, when he orders his arrest. How otherwise could he have known where to find Sir John? What guarantee had he that the irrepressible old knight would not once more try to force himself into the King's presence? How tedious might have been the search, involving, perhaps, as once before,
A dozen captains,
Bare-headed, sweating, knocking at the taverns,
And asking every one for Sir John Falstaff.
II. iv. 392 ('Oxford Shakespeare.')
ere he could have assured his royal master that Sir John had been duly escorted to the ten-mile limit, and that arrangements had been made by which he would receive his "competence of life." The words speak, for themselves:—
Be it your charge, my Lord,
To see performed the tenour of our word.
[Exit King.
How would the King have looked if, after receiving this charge, the Chief Justice had calmly continued his course in the procession, leaving Falstaff to the freedom of his will?
One thing, perhaps, the Justice might have done. He might have executed all the arrangements for Falstaff's allowance and banishment immediately; but he was not prepared to sacrifice the festivities of the coronation for the sake of his old antagonist; therefore, having received full authority, he prefers to make his person secure in the meantime, and attend to the details later.
The episode may be looked upon, perhaps, as the revenge of the Lord Chief Justice, and in this light is dramatic enough for Shakespeare's purpose. The two old men have been brought into frequent opposition throughout the Second Part of 'Henry IV.,' and the opposition reaches its climax in the words of Prince Clarence to the Chief Justice after the death of Henry IV.:—
Well, you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair
Which swims against your stream of quality.
But the tables are turned, and Falstaff can no longer browbeat authority and "speak as having power to do wrong" (II. i. 145). Plain conscientious adherence to duty has
