crer; by the Lord, an I do not, I am a villain; I'll be P. Hen. But how shall we part with them in setting damned for never a king's sop in Christendom. forth?

P. Hen. Where shall we take a purse to-morrow, Poins. Why, we will set forth before or after them, Jack?

and appoint them a place of meeting, wherein it is at Fal. Where thou wilt, lad, I'll make one ; an I do our pleasure to fail; and then will they adventure upBot, call me villain, and baffle me.

on the exploit themselves: which they shall have no P. Hen. I see a good amendment of life in thee; sooner achieved, but we'll set upon them. from praying, to purst-taking.

P. Hen. Ay, but, 'tis like, that they will know us, by Enter Poins, at a distance.

our horses, by our habits, and by every other appointFal. Why, Hal, 'tis my vocation, Hal; 'tis no sin for ment, to be ourselves. a man to labour in bis vocation. Poins !--Now shall Poins. Tut! our horses they shall not see, I'll tie we know if Gaulshúill have set a match. O, if men

them in the wood; our visors we will change, after we were to be saved by merit, what hole in hell were hot leave them; and, siriah, I have cases of buckram for enough for him? This is the most omnipotent villain, || the nonce, to immask our noted outward garments. that ever cried, Stand, to a true man.

P. Hen. But, I doubt, they will be too hard for us. P. Hen. Good-morrow, Ned.

Poins. Well, for two of them, I know them to be as Peins. Good morrow, sweet Hal-What says mon

true bred cowards as ever turned back; and for the sieur Remorse? What says sir John Sack-and-Sugar? | thin, if he fight longer than he sees reason, I'll for Jack, how agrees the devil and thee about thy soul, swear arms. The virtue of this jest will be, the inthat thou soldest him on Good-Friday last, for a cup of comprehensible lies that this same fat rogue will tell Madeira, and a cold capon's leg?

us, when we meet at supper: hou thirty, at least, he P. Hen. Sir John stands to his word, the devil shall || fought with; what wards, what blows.what extremities have his bargain; for he was never yet a breaker of he endured ; and, in the re proof of this, lies the jest. proverbs, he will give the devil his due.

P. Hen. Well, I'll go with thee; provide us all Pers. Then art thou damned for keeping thy word things necessary, and meet me to-morrow night in with the devil.

Eastcheap, there I'll sup. Farewell. P. Hen. Else he had been damned for cozening the Poins. Farewell, my lord.

[Erit Poins devil.

P. Hen. I know you all, and will a while uphold Poins. But, my lads, my lads, to-morrow morning, || The unyok'd humour of your idleness : by four o'clock, carly at Gadshill: There are pilgrins Yet herein will I imitate the sun; going to Canterbury with rich offerings, and traders Who doth permit the base contagious clouds riding to London with fat purses: I have visors for To smother up his beauty from the world, you all, you have horses for yourselves; Gadshill lies That, when he please again to be himself, t-night in Rochester ; I have bespoke supper to-mor | Being wantod, he may be more wonderd at, row night in Eastcheap; we may do it as secure as By beeaking through the foul and ugly nists sleep: If you will go, I will stuff your purses full of Of vapours, that did seem to strangle hiin. crowns; if you will not, tarry at home, and be hanged. If all the year were playing holidays,

Fal. Hear me, Yedwanl; if I tarry at home, and gu To sport would be as tedious as to work ; not, I'll hang you for going.

But, when they seldom come, they wish'd-for come, Poins. You will, chops ?

Aud nothing pleaseth but rare accidents. Fal. Hal, wilt thou make one?

So, when this loose behaviour I throw off, P. Hen. Who, I rob? I a thief? not I, by my faith. And pay the debt I never promised,

Fal. There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good By how much better than my word I am, fellowship in thee, nor thou camest not of the blood By so much shall I falsify men's hopes; royal, if thou darest not stand for ten shillings. And, like bright metal on a sullen ground,

P. Hen. Well, then once in my days I'll be a mad. My reformation, glittering o'er my fault, cap.

Shall show more goodly, and attract more eyes, Fal. Why, that's well said.

Than that which hath no foil to set it off. P. Hen. Weli, come what will, I'll tarry at home. I'll so offend, to make offence a skill;

Fal. By the Lord, I'll be a traitor then, when thou Redeeming time, when men think least I will. [Exit. art king. P. Hen. I care not.

SCENE III.-The same. Another Room in the Pal. Poins. Sir John, I prythee, leave the prince and me ace. Enter King Henry, Northumberlard, Woreesalone; I will lay him down such reasons for this ad ter, Hotspur, Sir Walter Blunt, and others. venture, that he shall go.

K. Hen. My blood bath been too cold and temperate, Fal. Well, may'st thou have the spirit of persuasion, | Unapt to stir at these indiguities, and be the ears of profiting, that what thou speakest And you have found me; for, accordingly, may move, and what he hears may be believed, that You tread upon my patience : but, be sure, the true prince may (for recreation sake,) prove a false

I will from henceforth rather be myself, dief; for the poor abuses of the time want counte Mighty, and to be fear'd, than my condition; nance. Farewell: You shall find me in Eastcheap. Which hath been smooth as oil, soft as young duwa,

P. Hen. Farewell, thou latter spring! Farewell, And therefore lost that title of respect,
All-lallow suminer!

[Erit Falstaff. Which the proud soul ne'er pays, but to the proud. Poins. Now, my good sweet honey lord, ride with Wor. Our house, my sovereign liege, little deserves us tomorrow; I have a jest to execute, that I cannot The scourge of greatness to be sud on it; manage alone. Falstait, Bardolph, Peto, and Gadshill And that same greatness too which our own brands shall rob those men that we have already way-la id; Have hulp to make so portly. yourself, and I, will not be there: and when they have North.

My lord, the booty, if you and I do not rob them, cut this head K. Hen. Worcester, get thee gone, for I see danger frua ssy shoulders.

And disobedience in thine eye: 0, sir,

Your presence is too bold and peremptory,

Hath lately married. Shall our coffers dien And majesty might never yet endure

Be emptied, to redeem a traitor home? The moorly frontier of a servant brow.

Shall we buy treason? and indent with fears, You have good leave to leave us; when we need When they have lost and forfeited theinselves? Your use and counsel, we shall send for you.

No, on the barren mountains let him starve;

[Exit Worcester. For I shall never hold that inan my friend, You were about to speak.

[To North, Whose tongue shall ask me for one penny cost North. Yea, my gouel lord.

To ransome home revolted Mortimer. "l'hose prisoners in your highness' name demantled,

Hot. Revolted Mortimer!
Which Harry Perey here at Holmevlon took,

He never did fall off, my sovereign liege,
Were, as he says, noi with such strength denied But by the chance of war ;-To prove that true,
As is deliver'd to your majesty :

Needs no more but one tongue for all those wounds, Either envy, therefore, or misprision

Those mouthed wounds, which valiantly he tooki Is guilty of this fault, and not my son.

When on the gentle Severn's sedgy bank, Hot. My liege, I did deny no prisoners.

In single opposition, hand to hand, But, I remember, when the fight was done,

He did confound the best part of an hour When I was dry with rage, and extreme toil,

In changing hardiment with great Glendower: Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword, Three times they breath'd, and three times did they Came there a certain lorú, neat, trimly dressid,

drink, Fresh as a bridegroom; and his chin, new reap d, Upon agreement, of swift Severn's flood; Show'd like a stubble land at harvest home;

Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks, He was perfumed like a milliner;

Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds, And 'twixt bis finger and his thumb he held

And hid his crisp head in the hollow bank A pouncet box, which ever and anon

Blood-stained with these valiant combatants. He gave his nose, and took't away again;

Never did bare and rotten policy Who, therewith angry, when it next came there,

Colour her working with such deadly wounds; Took it in snuif :-and still he smild, and talk'd;

Nor never could the noble Mortimer And, as the soldiers bore dead bodies by,

Receive so many, and all willingly: He calld them-untanght knaves, unmannerly,

Then let him not be slander'd with revolt. To bring a slovenly unhandsome corse

K. Hen. Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost belia Betwixt the wind and his nobilit.

him, With many holiday and lady terms

He never did encounter with Glendower; He question'd me; among the rest demanded

I tell thee, My prisoners, in your majesty's b:half.

He durst as well have met the devil alone, I then, all smariing, with iny wound, being cold,

As Owen Glendower for an enemy. To be so pestemd with a popinjay,

Art not ashamed? But, sirrah, henceforth Out of my grief and my impatience,

Let me not hear you speak of Mortimer: Answerd neglectingly, I know not what;

Send me your prisoners with the speediest means, He should, or be should not ;-for he made me mad, Or you shall hear in such a kind from me To see him shine so brisk, and sinell so sweet,

As will displease you.-My lord Northumberland, And talk so like a waiting-antle woman,

We license your departure with your son :orguns, and drunus, and wounds, (God save the mark !) Send us your prisoners, or you'll hear of it. And telling me, the sovereigo'st thing on earth

[Exeunt King Henry, Blunt, and Treino Was parmaceti, for an inward bruise ;

Hof. And if the devil come and roar for them, And that it was great pity, so it was,

I will not send them :-I will after straight, That villanons salt-p tre should be diggd

And tell him so; for I will ease my heart, Out of the bowels of the harmdess earth,

Although it be with bazard of my head. Which many a good tall fellow had destroy'd

North. What, drunk with choler? stay, and passe So cowardly; and, but for these vile guns,

awhile: He would himself have been a soldier.

Here comes your uncle. This bald unjointed chat of his, my lord,

Reenter Worcester. I answerd indirectly, as I said ;

Speak of Mortimer? And, I beseech you, let not his report

'Zounds, I will speak of him; and let my soul Come current for an accusation,

Want mercy, if I do not join with him : Betwixt my love and your high majesty.

Yea, on his part, I'll empty all these veins, Blunt. The circumstance consider'd, good my lord, And shed my dear blood drop by drop i' the dust, Whatesei Hairy Percy then had said,

But I will lift the down-trod Mortimer To such a person, and in such a place,

As high i' the air as this uuthankful king, At such a time, with all the rest re-told,

As this ingrate and cankerid Bolingbroke. May reasonably die, and never risa

North. Brother, the king hath made your pephe* To do him wrong, or any way impeach

mad. What then he said, so he unsay it now.

Ilor. Who struck this lieat up, after I was gone? K. Hcn. Why, yet he doth rieny his prisoners; Hol. He will, forsooth, have all my prisoners ; But with proviso, and exception, -

And wlien I urg'd the ransome once again That we, at our own charge, shall ransome straight of my wife's brother, then his cheek lookd pale; His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer;

And on my face he turn'd an eye of death, Who, on my soul, bath wilfully betray'd

Trembling even at the name of Mortimer. The lives of those that he did lead to fight

Ilor, I cannot blame him: Was he not proclaimed, Against the great magician, danın'd Glendower; By Richard that dead is, the next of blood ? Whose daughter, as we huar, the earl of March

North. He was; I heard the proclamation :

Hot.

[To War.

Hot. Why, it cannot choose but be a noble plot : 1 Car. Nay, soft, I pray ye ; I know a trick worth
And then the power of Scotland, and of York, two of that, i'faith,
To join with Mortimer, ha ?

Gads. I pr’ythee, lend me thine.
Wor,
And so they shall.

2 Car. Ay, when ? canst tell?-Lend me thy lanHot. In faith, it is exceedingly well aim'd.

tern, quoth a ?-marry, I'll see thee banged first. Wor. And 'tis no little reason bids us speed,

Gads. Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to To save our heads by raising of a head :

come to London ? For, bear ourselves as even as we can,

2 Car. Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I The king will always think him in our debt;

warrant thee.-Come, neighbour Mugs, we'll call up And think we think ourselves unsatisfied,

the gentlemen; they will along with company, for Till he hath found a time to pay us home.

they have great charge.

[Exeunt Carriera And see already, how he doth begin

Gads. What, ho! chamberlain ! To make us strangers to his looks of love.

Cham. [l'ithèn.] At hand, quoth pick-purse. Hot. He does, he does; we'll be reveng'd on him. Gads. That's even as fair as-at hand, quoth the

Wor. Cousin, Farewell :-No further go in this, chamberlain : for thou variest no more from picking Than I by letters shall direct your course.

of purses, than giving direction doth from labouring; When time is ripe, (which will be suddenly,)

thou lay'st the plot how. I'll steal to Glendower, and lord Mortimer ;

Enter Chamberlain. Where you and Douglas, and our powers at once,

Cham, Good morrow, master Gadshill. It holds er (As I will fashion it,) shall happily meet,

rent, that I told you yesternight: There's a franklin To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,

in the wild of Kent, hath brought three hundred marks Which now we hold at much uncertainty,

with him in gold : I heard him tell it to one of his North. Farewell, good brother: we shall thrive, I

company, last night at supper; a kind of auditor; one trust.

that hath abundance of charge too, God knows what. Hot. Uncle, adieu :-0, let the hours be short, Till fields, and blows, and groans applaud our sport !

They are up already, and call for eggs and butter :

They will [Excunt.

away presently. Guds. Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas elerks, I'll give thee this neck.

Cham. No, I'll none of it: I prythee keep that for ACT II.

the hangman; for, I know, thou worship'st saint Nich SCENE I.-Rochester. An Inn Yard. Enter a Car olas as truly as a man of falsehood may. rier, with a Lantern in his hand.

Gads. What talkest thou to me of the hangman? if 1 Carrier.

I hang, I'll make a fat pair of gallows: for, if I hang, HEIGH ho! An't be not four by the day, I'll be old sir John hangs with me; and, thou know'st, he's banged: Charles' wain is over the new chimney, and no starveling. Tut! there are other Trojans that thon yet our horse not packed. What, ostler !

dreamest not of, the which, for sport sake, are content Ost. (Within.) Anon, anon.

to do the profession some grace; that would, if mat1 Car. I pr’ythee, Tom, beat Cut's saddle, put a few ters should be looked into, for their own credit sake, Hocks in the point; the poor jade is wrung in the with make all whole. I am joined with no foot land-rakers, ers out of all cess.

no long-staff, sixpenny strikers ; none of these mad, Enter another Carrier.

mustachio purple-hued malt worms: but with nobili2 Car. Pease and beans are as dank here as a dog, and ty, and tranquillity; burgomasters, and great one yers; that is the next way to give poor jades the bots: this

such as can hold in ; such as will strike sooner than house is turned upside down, since Robin ostler died. speak, and speak sooner than drink, and drink sooner 1 Car. Poor fellow! never joyed since the price of

than pray: And yet I lie; for they pray continually oats rose; it was the death of him.

to their saint, the commonwealth ; or, rather, not pray 2 Car. I think this be the most villanous house in

to her, but prey on her; for they ride up and down on all London road for fleas : I am stung like a tench.

her, and make her their boots. 1 Car. Like a tench? by the mass, there is ne'er a

Cham. What, the commonwealth their boots ? will king in Christendom could be better bit than I have

she hold out water in foul way? been since the first cock.

Gads. She will, she will ; justice bath liquored her ; 2 Car. Why, they will allow us ne'er a jorden, and

We steal as in a castle, cock sure; we have the receipt then we leak in your chimney; and your chamber-lie

of fern-seed, we walk invisible. breeds fleas like a loach.

Cham. Nay, by my faith ; I think you are more bo 1 Car. What, ostler! come away and be hanged,

holden to the night, than to fern-seed, for your wallcome away.

ing invisible. 2 Car. I have a gammon of bacon, and two razes of

Gads. Give me thy hand : thou shalt have a share ginger, to be delivered as far as Charing across.

in our purchase, as I am a true man. i Car. 'Odsbody! the turkies in my pannier are

Cham. Nay, rather let me have it, as you are a false

thief. quite starved.- What, ostler!-A plague on thee! hast thou never an eye in thy head ? canst not hear? An

Gads. Go to; Homo is a common name to all met 'twere not as good a deed as drink, to break the pate | Bid the ostler bring my gelding out of the stable. of thee, I am a very villain.-Come, and be hanged: Farewell, you muddy knave.

(E.peut Hast no faith in thee? Enter Gadshill.

SCENE II.-The road by Gadshill. Enter Prince Gads. Good-morrow, carriers. What's o'clock? Henry and Poins ; Bardolph and Peto, at some dir 1 Car. I think it be two o'clock.

tance. Gads. I pr’ythee, lend me tby lantern, to see my Poins. Come, shelter, shelter; I have removed Fate gelding in the stable.

staff's horse, and he frets like a gummed yelyet.

P. Hen. Stand close.

P. Hen. Well, we leave that to the proof.
Enter Falstaff.

Poins. Sirrah Jack, thy horse stands behind the Fal. Poins ! Poins, and be hanged ! Poins!

hedge; when thou needest him, there thou shalt find

him. Farewell, and stand fast. P. Hen. Peace, ye fat-kidneyed rascal; What a brawling dost thou keep?

Fal. Now cannot I strike bojim, if I should be hanged.

P. Hen. Ned, where are our disguises ?
Fal. Where's Poins, Hal ?
P. Hen. He is walked up to the top of the hill; I'll

Poins. Here, hard by; stand close.

(Exeunt P. Henry and Poins. go seek him.

[Pretends to seek Poins. Fal. I am accursed to rob in that thief's company:

Fal. Now, my masters, happy man be his dole, say the mascal hath removed my horse, and tied him I know

I; every man to his business. Dot where. If I travel but four foot by the squire fur

Enter Travellers. ther afoot, I shall break my wind. Well, I doubt not

i Trav. Come, neighbour ; the boy shall lead out but to die a fair death for all this

, if I 'scape hanging horses down the hill : we'll walk afoot a while, and for killing that rogue. I have forsworn his company

case our legs. kourly any time this two-and-twenty years, and yet I

Thieves. Stand. am bewitched with the rogue's company. If the ras

Trav. Jesu bless us! eal have not given me medicines to make me love him,

Fal. Strike; down with them ; cut the vilains: I'll be hanged; It could not be else; I have drunk

throats: Ah! whoreson caterpillars! bacon-fed knaves! medicines.—Poins !-Hal!-a plague upon you both! | they hate us youth : down with them; fleece them. -Bandolph !--Peto - I'N starve, ere l'll rob a foot fur

1 Trav. O, we are undone, both we and ours, forever. ther. An 'twere not as good a deed as drink; to turn

Fal. Hang ye. gorbellied knaves; are ye undone ? true man, and leave these rogues, I am the veriest var

No, ye fat chuffs; I would your store were here! On, let that ever chewed with a tooth. Eight yards of un- bacons, on! What, ye knaves? young men must live; even ground, is threescore and ten miles afoot with me;

You are grand-jurors, are ye? We'll jure ye, i'faith. and the stony-bearted villains know it well enough: A

[Exe. Falstaff, Ú'c. driving the Travellers out. plague upon's, wben thieves cannot be true to one a

Reenter Prince Henry and Poins. nother! [They whistle.] Whew!-A plague upon you

P. Hen. The thieves have bound the true men: all! Give me my horse, you rogues; give me my horse, Now could thou and I rob the thieves, and go merrily and be hanged.

to London, it would be argument for a week, laughter P. Hen. Peace, ye fat-guts! lie down; lay thine ear for a month, and a good jest for ever. close to the ground, and list if thou canst hear the tread Poins. Stand close, I hear them coming. of travellers.

Re-enter Thieves. Fal. Have you any levers to lift me up again, being

Fal. Come, my masters, let us share, and then to down? 'Sblood, I'll not bear mine own flesh so far afoot

horse before day. An the Prince and Poins be not again, for all the coin in thy father's exchequer. What

two arrant cowards, there's no equity stirring: there's a plague mean ye to colt me thus ?

no more valour in that Poins, than in a wild duck. P. Hen. Thou liest, thou art not colted, thou art un P. Hen. Your money. [Rushing out upon them. colted.

Poins. Villains. Fal. I pr'ythee, good prince Hal, help me to my horse ; good king's son.

[As they are sharing, the Prince and Poins set

upon them. Falstaff, after a blow or two, ana P. Hen. Out, you rogue! shall I be your ostler!

the rest, run away, leaving their booty behind Fal. Go, hang thyself in thy own heir-apparent gar

them. ters! If I be ta’en, I'll peach for this. An I have not

P. Hen. Got with much ease. Now merrily to horse: ballads made on you all, and sung to filthy tunes, let a çap of saek be my poison : When a jest is so forward, So strongly, that they dare not meet each other ;

The thieves are scattered, and possess'd with tear and afoot too, I hate it.

Each takes his fellow for an officer.
Enter Gadshill.

Away, good Ned. Falstaff sweats to death,
Gads. Stand.

And lards the lean earth as he walks along : Fol. So I do, against my will.

Were't not for laughing, I should pity him. Poina. 0, 'uis our setter: I know his voice.

Poins. How the rogue roard!

[Eacunt. Enter Bardolph.

SCENE III.-Warkworth. A Room in the Castle. Bard. What news?

Enter Hotspur, reading a letter. Gads. Case ye, case ye; on with your visors ; there's -But, for mine own part, my lord, I could be well money of the king's coming down the hill; 'tis going contented to be there, in respect of the Love I bear your to the king's exchequer.

house.--He could be contented, -Why is he not then? Fal. You lie, you rogue ; 'tis going to the king's tav: In respect to the love he bears our house :-be shows

in this, he loves his own barn better than he loves our Gads There's enough to make us all.

house. Let me see some more. The purpose you unFal. To be hanged.

dertake, is dangerous ;-Why, that's certain ; 'tis danP. Hen. Sirs, you four shall front them in the nar gerous to take a cold, to sleep, to drink: but I tell you, how lane; Ned Poids, and I will walk lower: if they || my lord fool, out of this nettle, danger, we piuck this cape from your eneounter, then they light on us. flower, safety. The purpose you underlake, is dangerPete. How many be there of them?

ous ; the friends you have named, uncertain; the rime Gads. Sonne eigbt, or ten.

ilself, unsorted; and your whole plot too light, for the Fal. Zounds! will they not rob us?

counterpoise of so great an otposition.-Say you so, say P. Hen. What, a cowarl, sir John Paunch? you so? I say unto you again, you are a shallow, cow

Fal. Indeel, I am not John of Gaunt, your grand- | ardly hind, and you lie. What a lack-bruin is this? By Alther; but yet no coward, Hal.

the Lord, our plot is a good plot as ever was laid ; ow'