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The oldest sins the newest kind of ways?
Be happy, he will trouble you no more:
England shall double gild his treble guilt;
England shall give him office, honour, might:
For the fifth Harry from curb'd licence plucks
The muzzle of restraint, and the wild dog
Shall flesh his tooth in every innocent.
O my poor kingdom, sick with civil blows!
When that my care could not withhold thy riots,
What wilt thou do when riot is thy care1?
Ó, thou wilt be a wilderness again,
Peopled with wolves, thy old inhabitants!

P. Henry. O, pardon me, my liege! but for my
tears,
[Kneeling.
The moist impediments unto my speech,
I had fore-stall'd this dear and deep rebuke,
Ere you with grief had spoke, and I had heard
The course of it so far. There is your crown;
And He that wears the crown immortally,
Long guard it yours! If I affect it more,
Than as your honour, and as your renown,
Let me no more from this obedience rise,
Which my most true2 and inward-duteous spirit
Teacheth, this prostrate and exterior bending'
Heaven witness with me, when I here came in,
And found no course of breath within your majesty,
How cold it struck my heart! If I do feign,
O, let me in my present wildness die;
And never live to shew the incred ulous world
The noble change that I have purposed!
Coming to look on you, thinking you dead,
(And dead almost, my liege, to think you were)
I spake unto the crown, as having sense,
And thus upbraided it. The care on thee depending,
Hath fed upon the body of my father;
Therefore, thou, best of gold, art worst of gold.
Other, less fine in carrat, is more precious,
Preserving life in med'cine potable':

How troublesome it sat upon my head: To thee it shall descend with better quiet, Better opinion, better confirmation; For all the soil of the atchievement goes 5 With me into the earth. It seem'd in me, But as an honour snatch'd with boisterous hand; And I had many living, to upbraid My gain of it by their assistances;

10

Which daily drew to quarrel, and to blood-shed, Wounding supposed' peace: all these bold fears, Thou see'st, with peril I have answered:— For all my reign hath been but as a scene Acting that argument; and now my death Changes the mode: for what in me was purchas'd, 15 Falls upon thee in a more fairer sort,

20

[do,

So thou the garland wear'st' successively.
Yet, though thou stand'st more sure than I could
Thou art not firm enough, since griefs are green;
And all thy friends, which thou must make thy
friends,

Have but their stings and teeth newly ta'en out;
By whose fell working I was first advanc'd,
And by whose power I well might lodge a fear
To be again displac'd: which to avoid,
251 cut them off; and had a purpose now
To lead out many to the Holy Land;
Lest rest, and lying still, might make them look
Too near into my state. Therefore, my Harry,
Be it thy course, to busy giddy minds [out,
30 With foreign quarrels; that action, hence borne
May waste the memory of the former days.
More would I, but my lungs are wasted so,
That strength of speech is utterly deny'd me.
How I came by the crown, O God, forgive!
And grant it may with thee in true peace live.
P. Henry. My gracious liege,

35

But thou, most fine,most honour'd,most renown'd,
Hast eat thy bearer up. Thus my most royal liege, 40
Accusing it, I put it on my head;

To try with it,as with an enemy,

That had before my face murder'd my father,-
The quarrel of a true inheritor.

But if it did infect my blood with joy,

Or swell my thoughts to any strain of pride;
If any rebel or vain spirit of mine

Did, with the least affection of a welcome,
Give entertainment to the might of it,
Let heaven for ever keep it from my head
And make me as the poorest vassal is,
That doth with awe and terror kneel to it!
K. Henry. O my son;

145

You won it, wore it, kept it, gave it me;
Then plain, and right, must my possession be:
Which I, with more than with a common pain,
Gainst all the world will rightfully maintain.
Enter Lord John of Lancaster, Warwick, &c.
K. Henry. Look, look, here comes my John of
Lancaster.
[father!
Lan. Health, peace, and happiness to my royal
K. Henry. Thou bring'st ine happiness, and

peace, son John;

But health, alack, with youthful wings is flown From this bare, wither'd trunk: upon thy sight, My worldly business makes a period.

50 Where is my lord of Warwick?

Heaven put it in thy mind to take it hence,
That thou might'st win the more thy father's love, 55
Pleading so wisely in excuse of it.

Come hither, Harry, sit thou by my bed;
And hear, I think, the very latest counsel
That ever I shall breathe. Heaven knows, my son,
By what by-paths, and indirect crook'd
I met this crown; and 1 myself know well,

ways,

P. Henry. My lord of Warwick !

K. Henry. Doth any name particular belong
Unto the lodging where I first did swoon?
War. 'Tis called Jerusalem, my noble lord.
K. Henry. Laud be to God!-even there my
life must end.

It hath been prophesy'd to ine many years,
I should not die but in Jerusalem;
Which vainly I suppos'd the Holy Land:-
60 But, bear me to that chamber; there I'll lie;
In that Jerusalem shall Harry die.

[Exeunt.

1i. e. curator: a bold figure. 2 i. e. loval. 'Dr. Johnson says, "There has long prevailed an opinion, that a solution of gold has great medicinal virtues, and that the incorruptibility of gold might be communicated to the body impregnated with it. Some have pretended to make potable gold, among other frauds practised on credulity." i. e. turpitude, reproach. 'i. e. counterfeited, imagined. Fear is here used for that which causes fear. i. e. by order of succession. Perhaps we should read my friends.

8

ACT

SCENE I.

ACT V.

Shallow's Seat in Glostershire.
Enter Shallow, Falstaff, Bardolph, and Page.
Shal. BY cock and pye', sir, you shall not away 5
to-night.What, Davy, I say!

Fal. You must excuse me, master Robert Shal-
low.

Shal. I will not excuse you; you shall not be excus'd; excuses shall not be admitted: there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be excus'd.Why, Davy!

Davy. Here, sir.

Enter Davy.

Shal. Davy, Davy, Davy,-let me see, Davy: let me see-yea, marry, William cook, bid him come hither.-Sir John, you shall not be excus'd,

10

15

Davy. Marry, sir, thus;-those precepts' cannot be serv'd: and, again, sir,-Shall we sow the 20 head-land with wheat?

Shal. With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook; are there no young pigeons?

Davy. Yes, sir.Here is now the smith's note, for shoeing, and plough-irons.

Shal. Let it be cast, and paid:-Sir John, you shall not be excus'd.

man, I have but very little credit with your worship. The knave is mine honest friend, sir;. therefore, I beseech your worship, let him be countenanc'd.

Shul. Go to; I say, he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy. Where are you, Sir John? Come, off with your boots.-Give me your hand, master Bardolph.

Bard. I am glad to see your worship.

Shal. I thank thee with all my heart, kind master Bardolph:---and welcome, my tall fellow. [to the page.] Come, Sir John.

Fal. I'll follow you, good master Robert Shallow. Bardolph, look to our horses. [Exeunt Shallow, Bardolph, &c.]—If I were saw'd into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermit's staves as master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing, to see the semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his: They, by observing of him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justicelike serving-man: their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society, that they flock together in consent, like so many wild25 geese. If I had a suit to master Shallow, I would humour his men, with the imputation of being near their master: if to his men, I would curry with master Shallow, that no man could better command his servants. It is certain, that either wise bearing, or ignorant carriage, is caught, as men take diseases, one of another: therefore, let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shaliow, to keep prince Harry in continual laughter, the wearing-out of six fashions (which is four terms, or two actions), and he shall laugh without intervallums. O, it is much, that a lie, with a slight oath, and a jest with a sad brow, will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders! O, you shall see 40 him laugh 'till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up.

Davy. Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must needs be had:-And, sir, do you mean to stop any of William's wages, about the sack he lost the 30 other day at Hinckley fair?

Shal. He shall answer it:-Some pigeons, Davy; a couple of short-legg'd hens; a joint of mutton; and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.

Davy, Doth the man of war stay all night, sir? Shal. Yes, Davy. I will use him well; A friend i' the court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy; for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite.

Davy. No worse than they are back-bitten, sir for they have marvellous foul linen.

;

Shal. Well conceited, Davy. About thy business, Davy.

35

Davy. I beseech you, sir, to countenance Wil-45 liam Visor of Woncot, against Clement Perkes of the hill.

Shal. There are many complaints, Davy, against that Visor; that Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.

Shal, [within] Sir John!

Fal. I come, master Shallow; I come, master
Shallow.
[Exit Falstaff.

SCENE II.
The Court, in London.
Enter the Earl of Warwick, and the Lord Chief
Justice.
War. How now, my lord chief justice; whither
50 away?

Davy. I grant your worship that he is a knave, -sir: but yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave should have some countenance at his friend's request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. I have serv'd your worship truly, 55 sir, these eight years; and if I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest

'See note*, p. 48.

[ended.

Ch. Just. How doth the king?
War. Exceeding well; his cares are now all
Ch. Just. I hope, not dead.

War. He's walk'd the way of nature;
And, to our purposes, he lives no more.

Ch. Just. I would his majesty had call'd me
with him:

Anciently, the lower orders of people had no surnames, but in their stead were content to adopt the titles of their several professions. ? Precept is a justice's warrant.

The

The service that I truly did his life,

Hath left me open to all injuries.

War. Indeed, I think, the young king love: you not.

Ch. Just. I know, he doth not; and do arm 5
myself,

To welcome the condition of the time;
Which cannot look more hideously upon me
Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.

Enter Lord John of Lancaster, Gloster, and Cla-10
rence, &c.

War. Here come the heavy issue of dead
Harry:-

O, that the living Harry had the temper
Of him, the worst of these three gentlemen!
How many nobles then should hold their places,
That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!

Ch. Just. Alas, I fear, all will be overturn'd.
Lan. Good morrow, cousin Warwick.
Glo. Cla. Good morrow, cousin.

Lan. We meet like men that had forgot to speak.
War. We do remember; but our argument
Is all too heavy to admit much talk.

Lan. Well, peace be with him that hath made
us heavy!

Ch. Just. Peace be with us, lest we be heavier! Glo. O, good my lord, you have lost a friend indeed:

War. Here comes the prince.

Enter King Henry.

Ch. Just. Good morrow; and heaven save your majesty!

K. Henry. This new and gorgeous garment,
majesty,

Sits not so easy on me as you think.-
Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear;
This is the English, not the Turkish court;
Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,

But Harry, Harry:-Yet be sad, good brothers,
For, to speak truth, it very well becomes you;
Sorrow so royally in you appears,

That I will deeply put the fashion on,
15 And wear it in my heart. Why then, be sad:
But entertain no more of it, good brothers,
Than a joint burthen laid upon us all.
For me, by heaven, I bid you be assur'd,
I'll be your father and your brother too;

20 Let me but bear your love, I'll bear your cares.
Yet weep that Harry's dead; and so will I:
But Harry lives, that shall convert those tears,
By number, into hours of happiness.

25

And I dare swear, you borrow not that face
Of seeming sorrow; it is, sure, your own. [find, 30
Lan. Though no man be assur'd what grace to
You stand in coldest expectation:

I am the sorrier; 'would, 'twere otherwise.
Cla. Well, you must now speak Sir John Fal-
staff fair;

Which swims against your stream of quality.
Ch. Just. Sweet princes, what I did, I did in
honour,

Led by the impartial conduct of my soul;
And never shall you see, that I will beg
A ragged and forestall'd remission'.—
If truth and upright innocency fail me,
I'll to the king my master that is dead,
And tell him who hath sent me after him.

1

you most;

Lun. &c. We hope no other from your majesty.
K. Henry. You all look strangely on me:-and
[To the Ch. Just.
You are, I think, assur'd I love you not.
Ch. Just. I am assur'd, if I be measur'd rightly,
Your majesty hath no just cause to hate me.

K. Henry. No! How might a prince of my
great hopes forget

So great indignities you laid upon me?
What rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison
The immediate heir of England! Was this easy?
35 May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten?

Ch. Just. I then did use the person of your

father;

The image of his power lay then in mes
And, in the administration of his law,
40 Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth,
Your highness pleased to forget my place,
The majesty and power of law and justice,
The image of the king whom I presented,
And struck me in my very seat of judginent2;

Whereon,

Meaning, abase, ignominious pardon, begged by a voluntary concession of offence, and anticipation of the charge. 2 The chief justice, in this play, was Sir William Gascoigne, of whom the following memoir is given by Sir John Hawkins: "While at the bar, Henry of Bolingbroke had been his client; and upon the decease of John of Gaunt, by the above Henry, his heir, then in banishment, he was appointed his attorney, to sue in the court of Wards the livery of the estates descended to him. Richard II. revoked the letters patent for this purpose, and defeated the intent of them, and thereby furnished a ground for the invasion of his kingdom by the heir of Gaunt; who becoming afterwards Henry IV. appointed Gascoigne chief justice of the King's Bench in the first year of his reign. In that station Gascoigne acquired the character of a learned, an upright, a wise, and an intrepid judge. The story so frequently alluded to of his committing the prince for an insult on his person, and the court wherein he presided, is thus related by Sir Thomas Elyot, in his book entitled, The Governour: "The moste renomed prince king Henry the fyfte, late kynge of Englande, durynge the lyfe of his father, was noted to be fiers and of wanton courage: it hapned, that one of his seruantes, whom he well fauoured, was for felony by him committed, arrained at the kynges benche: whereof the prince being aduertised, and incensed by lyghte persones aboute him, in furious rage came hastily to the barre, where his seruant stode as a prisoner, and commaunded hym to be vngyued and set at libertie: wherat all men were abashed, reserued the chiefe justice, who humbly exhorted the prince, to be contented, that his seruaunt mought be ordred, accordynge to the aunciente lawes of this realme: or if he wolde haue hym saued from the rigour of the lawes, that

he

Whereon, as an offender to your father,
I gave bold way to my authority,
And did commit you. If the deed were ill,
Be you contented, wearing now the garland,
To have a son set your decrees at nought;
To pluck down justice from your awful bench;
To trip the course of law', and blunt the sword
That guards the peace and safety of your person:
Nay, more; to spurn at your most royal image,
And mock your workings in a second body2,
Question your royal thoughts,make the case yours;
Be now the father, and propose a son':
Hear your own dignity so much protan'd,
See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted,
Behold yourself so by a son disdained;
And then imagine me taking your part,
And, in your power, so silencing your son:-
After this cold considerance, sentence me;
And, as you are a king, speak in your state,-
What I have done, that misbecame my place,
My person, or my liege's sovereignty.

K.Henry. You are right, justice, and you weigh
this well;

Therefore still bear the balance, and the sword:
And I do wish your honours may increase,
"Till you do live to see a son of mine
Offend you, and obey you, as I did.
So shall I live to speak my father's words;---
Happy am I, that have a man so bold,
That dares do justice on my proper son:
And not less happy, having such a son,
That would deliver up his greatness so

Into the hands of justice.-You did commit me:
For which, I do commit into your hand
The unstained sword that you have us'd to bear;
With this remembrance, That you use the same
5 With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit,
As you have done 'gainst me. There is my hand;
You shall be as a father to my youth:
My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear;
And I will stoop and humble my intents
10 To your well practis'd, wise directions.-
Aud, princes all, believe me, I beseech you;-
My father is gone wild into his grave,
For in his tomb lie my affections";
And with his spirit sadly I survive,
15To mock the expectations of the world;
To frustrate prophecies; and to raze out
Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down
After my seeming. The tide of blood in me
Hath proudly flow'd in vanity, 'till now:
20 Now doth it turn, and ebb back to the sea;
Where it shall mingle with the state of floods,
And flow henceforth in formal majesty.

Now call we our high court of parliament: And let us chuse such limbs of noble counsel, 25 That the great body of our state may go

30

In equal rank with the best-govern'd nation;
That war, or peace, or both at once, may be
As things acquainted and familiar to us;-
In which you, father, shall have foremost hand.--
[To the Lord Chief Justice.
Our coronation done, we will accite,
As I before remember'd, all our state;

he shulde opteyne, if he moughte, of the kynge his father, bis gratious pardon, wherby no lawe or iustyce shulde be derogate. With whiche answere the prince nothynge appeased, but rather more inflamed, endeuored him selfe to take away his seruant. The judge considering the perilous example, and inconuenience that mought therby insue, with a valyant spirite and courage, commanded the prince upon his alege.nce, to leaue the prisoner, and depart his way. With which commandment the prince being set all in a fury, all chafed and in a terrible maner, came vp to the place of iugement, men thynking that he wold haue slayne the iuge, or haue done to hym some damage: but the iuge sittynge styll without mouing, declaring the maiestie of the kynges place of iugement, and with an assured and bolde countenat nice, had to the prince, these wordes followyng, Syr, remembre your selfe, I kepe here the place of the kyng your soueraine lorde and father, to whom ye owe double obedience, wherfore eftesoones in his name, I charge you desyste of your wylfulnes and vnlauful enterprise, & from hensforth giue good example to those, whyche hereafter shall be your propre subiectes. And nowe, for your contempte and disobedience, goo you to the prysone of the kynges benche, wherevnto I commyttee you, and remayne ye there prisoner vntyll the pleasure of the kynge your father be further knowen.' With whiche wordes beinge abashed, and also wondrynge at the ineruaylous grauitie of that worshypfulle justyce, the noble prince layinge his weapon aparte, doynge reuerence, departed, and wente to the Kynges benche, as he was commanded. Whereat his seruauntes di daynynge, came and shewed to the kynge all the hole affaire. Whereat he awhyles studyenge, after as a man all rauyshed with gladnesse, holdynge his eien and handes vp towarde heuen, abraided, saying with a loude voice, O mercyfull God, howe moche am I, aboue all other men, bounde to your infinite goodnes, specially for that ye haue gyuen me a iuge, who feareth nat to minister iustyce, and also a soune, who can suffre semblably, and obeye iustyce?" And here it may be noted, that Shakspeare has deviated from history in bringing the chief justice and Henry V. together; for it is expressly said by Fuller, in his Worthies in Yorkshire, and that on the best authority, that Gascoigne died in the life-time of his father, z. on the first day of November, 14 Henry IV. See Dugd. Origines Juridic. in the Chronica Series, fol. 54. 56. Mr. Malone adds, that in the foregoing account of this transaction, there is no mention of the prince's having struck Gascoigne, the chief justice.-Speed, however, who quotes Elyot, says, on I know not what authority, that the prince gave the judge a blow on the face. To defeat the process of justice. 2i. e. to treat with con

tempt your acts executed by a representative. 'i. e. image to yourself a son. i. e. admonition. "The meaning seems to be-My wild dispositions having ceased on iny father's death, and being now as it were buried in his tomb, he and wildness are interred in the same grave. 'i. e. seriously, gravely. Sad is opposed to wild. 'i. e. the assembly, or general meeting of the floods: for all rivers, running into the sea, are there represented as holding their sessions.

And

And (heaven consigning to my good intents)
No prince, nor peer, shall have just cause to say,-
Heaven shorten Harry's happy life one day! [Exe.
SCENE III.

Shallow's Seat in Glostershire.
Enter Falstaff, Shallow, Silence, Bardolph, the
Page, and Davy.

5

Shal. Nay, you shall see mine orchard: where, in an arbour, we will eat a last year's pippin of 10| my own grafting, with a dish of carraways', and so forth;-come, cousin Silence;-and then to bed.

Fal. You have here a goodly dwelling, and a rich. Shal. Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beg-15 gars all, Sir John:-marry, good air.- -Spread, Davy, spread, Davy: well said, Davy.

Fal. This Davy serves you for good uses: he is your serving-man, and your husband-man.

Shal. A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good 20 varlet, Sir John.-By the mass, I have drank too much sack at supper::-a good varlet. Now sit down, now sit down:—come, cousin.

Sil. Ah, sirrah! quoth-a,

We shal do nothing but eat, and make good chear, 25

[Singing.

And praise heaven for the merry year;
When flesh is cheap and females dear,
And lusty lads roam here and there;

So merrily, and ever among so merrily, &c. 30 Fal. There's a merry heart!-Good master Silence, I'll give you a health for that anon.

Shal. Give master Bardolph some wine, Davy. Davy. Sweet sir, sit:-I'll be with you anon; -most sweet sir, sit.-Master page, good master 35 page, sit: Proface! What you want in meat, we'll have in drink. But you must bear; The heart's' all. [Exit.

Shal. Be merry, master Bardolph;-and my little soldier there, be merry.

Sil. [Singing] Be merry, be merry, mywife has all;
For women are shews, both short and tall:
'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all,
And welcome merry shrove-tide.

Be merry, be merry, &c.

Fal. I did not think, master Silence had been a man of this mettle.

Sil. Who, I? I have been merry twice and

once, ere now.

3

6

Re-enter Davy.

Davy. There is a dish of leather-coats for you. [Setting them before Bardolph.

Shal. Davy,-
Davy. Your worship? I'll be with you
stra ght.-A cup of wine, sir?

Sil. [Singing] A cup of wine, that's brisk and fine,
And drink unto the leman mine;-

And a merry heart lives long-a.

Fal. Well said, master Silence.

Sil. An we shall be merry, now comes in the sweet of the night.

Ful. Health and long life to you, master Silence!
Sil. Fill the cup, and let it come;
I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom.

Shal. Honest Bardolph, welcome: If thou
want'st any thing, and wilt not cal!, beshrew thy
heart.-Welcome, my little tiny thief; [to the page]
and welcome, indeed, too.---I'll drink to master
Bardolph, and to all the 'cavaleroes about London.
Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die.
Bard. An I might see you there, Davy,-
Shal. You'll crack a quart together. Ha! will
you not, master Bardolph?

Bard. Yes, sir, in a pottle pot.

Shal. I thank thee:-The knave will stick by thee, I can assure thee that: he will not out; he is true bred.

Bard. And I'll stick by him, sir.

[One knocks at the door. Shal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. Look who's at door there: Ho! who knocks?

Fal. Why, now you have done me right.

[To Silence, who drinks a bumper.
Sil. [Singing] Do me right, and dub me knight:
Samingo'.-
Is't not so?
Fal. 'Tis so.

Sil. Is't so? Why, then say, an old man can do
40 somewhat.
[Re-enter Dary.
Dary. An it please your worship, there's one
Pistol come from the court with news.

145

Fal. From the court? let him come in.-
Enter Pistol.

How now, Pistol?

Pist. Sir John, 'save you, sir!

Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol?
Pist. Not the ill wind which blows no man

A comfit or confection so called in our author's time, according to Dr. Warburton; but a dish of apples of that name, according to Dr. Goldsmith; and Mr. Steevens says, there is a pear called a carraway, which may be corrupted from caillouel, Fr. 2 Here the double sense of the word dear must be remembered. Italian, from profaccia; that is, much good may it do you. That is, the intention with which the entertainment is given. This was the term by which an airy, splendid, irregular fellow was distinguished. To do a man right and to do him reason, were formerly the usual expressions in pledging healths. He who drank a bumper expected a bumper should be drank to his toast. It was the custom of the good fellows in Shakspeare's days to drink a very large draught of wine, and sometimes a less palatable potation, on their knees, to the health of their mistress. He who performed this exploit was dubb'd a knight for the evening. Samingo, that is, San Domingo, as Sir T. Hanmer has rightly observed. But what is the meaning and propriety of the name here, has not been shewn. Justice Silence is here introduced as in the midst of his cups: and Mr. Warton says, he remembers ablack-letter bailad, in which either a San Domingo or a signior Domingo, is celebrated for his miraculous fe ts in drinking. Silence, in the abundance of his festivity, touches upon some old song, in which this convivial saint or signior was the burden. Perhaps too the pronunciation is here suited to the character.

7

good.

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