Read the full text of Henry IV Part 1 Act 4 Scene 2 with a side-by-side translation HERE.
- In Coventry, on the road to Shrewsbury, Falstaff and his foot soldiers take a breather and Falstaff sends Bardolph to town for a bottle of sack (wine).
- Falstaff tells us that he's abused his powers as a captain. He's allowed able-bodied soldiers to buy their way out of service and has, consequently, amassed a sad looking group of scraggly troops, most of whom are fresh out of prison.
- Prince Hal enters with Westmoreland and asks Falstaff about his raggedy troops. Falstaff responds that they're "food for [gun] powder" and will "fill a pit" as well as any dead body.
- Yikes! Westmoreland comments that the troops are "exceeding poor and bare, too beggarly."