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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 1 (Folio 1 1623)
  • Editor: Rosemary Gaby

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-371-7

    Copyright Rosemary Gaby. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Rosemary Gaby
    Peer Reviewed

    Henry IV, Part 1 (Folio 1 1623)

    Scena Quarta.
    965 Enter Prince and Poines.
    Prin. Ned, prethee come out of that fat roome, & lend
    me thy hand to laugh a little.
    Poines. Where hast bene Hall?
    Prin. With three or foure Logger-heads, amongst 3.
    970or fourescore Hogsheads. I haue sounded the verie base
    string of humility. Sirra, I am sworn brother to a leash of
    Drawers, and can call them by their names, as Tom, Dicke,
    and Francis. They take it already vpon their confidence,
    that though I be but Prince of Wales, yet I am the King
    975of Curtesie: telling me flatly I am no proud Iack like Fal-
    staffe, but a Corinthian, a lad of mettle, a good boy, and
    when I am King of England, I shall command al the good
    Laddes in East-cheape. They call drinking deepe, dy-
    ing Scarlet; and when you breath in your watering, then
    e3 they
    56 The First Part of King Henry the Fourth.
    980they cry hem, and bid you play it off. To conclude, I am
    so good a proficient in one quarter of an houre, that I can
    drinke with any Tinker in his owne Language during my
    life. I tell thee Ned, thou hast lost much honor, that thou
    wer't not with me in this action: but sweet Ned, to swee-
    985ten which name of Ned, I giue thee this peniworth of Su-
    gar, clapt euen now into my hand by an vnder Skinker,
    one that neuer spake other English in his life, then Eight
    shillings and six pence, and, You are welcome: with this shril
    addition, Anon, Anon sir, Score a Pint of Bastard in the
    990Halfe Moone, or so. But Ned, to driue away time till Fal-
    staffe come, I prythee doe thou stand in some by-roome,
    while I question my puny Drawer, to what end hee gaue
    me the Sugar, and do neuer leaue calling Francis, that his
    Tale to me may be nothing but, Anon: step aside, and Ile
    995shew thee a President.
    Poines. Francis.
    Prin. Thou art perfect.
    Poin. Francis.
    Enter Drawer.
    1000Fran. Anon, anon sir; looke downe into the Pomgar-
    net, Ralfe.
    Prince. Come hither Francis.
    Fran. My Lord.
    Prin. How long hast thou to serue, Francis?
    1005Fran. Forsooth fiue yeares, and as much as to---
    Poin. Francis.
    Fran. Anon, anon sir.
    Prin. Fiue yeares: Berlady a long Lease for the clin-
    king of Pewter. But Francis, darest thou be so valiant, as
    1010to play the coward with thy Indenture, & shew it a faire
    paire of heeles, and run from it?
    Fran. O Lord sir, Ile be sworne vpon all the Books in
    England, I could finde in my heart.
    Poin. Francis.
    1015Fran. Anon, anon sir.
    Prin. How old art thou, Francis?
    Fran. Let me see, about Michaelmas next I shalbe---
    Poin. Francis.
    Fran. Anon sir, pray you stay a little, my Lord.
    1020Prin. Nay but harke you Francis, for the Sugar thou
    gauest me, 'twas a penyworth, was't not?
    Fran. O Lord sir, I would it had bene two.
    Prin. I will giue thee for it a thousand pound: Aske
    me when thou wilt, and thou shalt haue it.
    1025Poin. Francis.
    Fran. Anon, anon.
    Prin. Anon Francis? No Francis, but to morrow Fran-
    cis: or Francis, on thursday: or indeed Francis when thou
    wilt. But Francis.
    1030Fran. My Lord.
    Prin. Wilt thou rob this Leatherne Ierkin, Christall
    button, Not-pated, Agat ring, Puke stocking, Caddice
    garter, Smooth tongue, Spanish pouch.
    Fran. O Lord sir, who do you meane?
    1035Prin. Why then your browne Bastard is your onely
    drinke: for looke you Francis, your white Canuas doub-
    let will sulley. In Barbary sir, it cannot come to so much.
    Fran. What sir?
    Poin. Francis.
    1040Prin. Away you Rogue, dost thou heare them call?
    Heere they both call him, the Drawer stands amazed,
    not knowing which way to go.
    Enter Vintner.
    Vint. What, stand'st thou still, and hear'st such a cal-
    1045ling? Looke to the Guests within: My Lord, olde Sir
    Iohn with halfe a dozen more, are at the doore: shall I let
    them in?
    Prin. Let them alone awhile, and then open the doore.
    Poines.
    1050 Enter Poines.
    Poin. Anon, anon sir.
    Prin. Sirra, Falstaffe and the rest of the Theeues, are at
    the doore, shall we be merry?
    Poin. As merrie as Crickets my Lad. But harke yee,
    1055What cunning match haue you made this iest of the
    Drawer? Come, what's the issue?
    Prin. I am now of all humors, that haue shewed them-
    selues humors, since the old dayes of goodman Adam, to
    the pupill age of this present twelue a clock at midnight.
    1060What's a clocke Francis?
    Fran. Anon, anon sir.
    Prin. That euer this Fellow should haue fewer words
    then a Parret, and yet the sonne of a Woman. His indu-
    stry is vp-staires and down-staires, his eloquence the par-
    1065cell of a reckoning. I am not yet of Percies mind, the Hot-
    spurre of the North, he that killes me some sixe or seauen
    dozen of Scots at a Breakfast, washes his hands, and saies
    to his wife; Fie vpon this quiet life, I want worke. O my
    sweet Harry sayes she, how many hast thou kill'd to day?
    1070Giue my Roane horse a drench (sayes hee) and answeres,
    some fourteene, an houre after: a trifle, a trifle. I prethee
    call in Falstaffe, Ile play Percy, and that damn'd Brawne
    shall play Dame Mortimer his wife. Riuo, sayes the drun-
    kard. Call in Ribs, call in Tallow.
    1075 Enter Falstaffe.
    Poin. Welcome Iacke, where hast thou beene?
    Fal. A plague of all Cowards I say, and a Vengeance
    too, marry and Amen. Giue me a cup of Sacke Boy. Ere
    I leade this life long, Ile sowe nether stockes, and mend
    1080them too. A plague of all cowards. Giue me a Cup of
    Sacke, Rogue. Is there no Vertue extant?
    Prin. Didst thou neuer see Titan kisse a dish of Butter,
    pittifull hearted Titan that melted at the sweete Tale of
    the Sunne? If thou didst, then behold that compound.
    1085Fal. You Rogue, heere's Lime in this Sacke too: there
    is nothing but Roguery to be found in Villanous man; yet
    a Coward is worse then a Cup of Sack with lime. A vil-
    lanous Coward, go thy wayes old Iacke, die when thou
    wilt, if manhood, good manhood be not forgot vpon the
    1090face of the earth, then am I a shotten Herring: there liues
    not three good men vnhang'd in England, & one of them
    is fat, and growes old, God helpe the while, a bad world I
    say. I would I were a Weauer, I could sing all manner of
    songs. A plague of all Cowards, I say still.
    1095Prin. How now Woolsacke, what mntter you?
    Fal. A Kings Sonne? If I do not beate thee out of thy
    Kingdome with a dagger of Lath, and driue all thy Sub-
    iects afore thee like a flocke of Wilde-geese, Ile neuer
    weare haire on my face more. You Prince of Wales?
    1100Prin. Why you horson round man? what's the matter?
    Fal. Are you not a Coward? Answer me to that, and
    Poines there?
    Prin. Ye fatch paunch, and yee call mee Coward, Ile
    stab thee.
    1105Fal. I call thee Coward? Ile see thee damn'd ere I call
    the Coward: but I would giue a thousand pound I could
    run as fast as thou canst. You are straight enough in the
    shoulders, you care not who sees your backe: Call you
    that
    The First Part of Henry the Fourth. 57
    that backing of your friends? a plague vpon such bac-
    1110king: giue me them that will face me. Giue me a Cup
    of Sack, I am a Rogue if I drunke to day.
    Prin. O Villaine, thy Lippes are scarce wip'd, since
    thou drunk'st last.
    Falst. All's one for that. He drinkes.
    1115A plague of all Cowards still, say I.
    Prince. What's the matter?
    Falst. What's the matter? here be foure of vs, haue
    ta'ne a thousand pound this Morning.
    Prince. Where is it, Iack? where is it?
    1120Falst. Where is it? taken from vs, it is: a hundred
    vpon poore foure of vs.
    Prince. What, a hundred, man?
    Falst. I am a Rogue, if I were not at halfe Sword with
    a dozen of them two houres together. I haue scaped by
    1125miracle. I am eight times thrust through the Doublet,
    foure through the Hose, my Buckler cut through and
    through, my Sword hackt like a Hand-saw, ecce signum.
    I neuer dealt better since I was a man: all would not doe.
    A plague of all Cowards: let them speake; if they speake
    1130more or lesse then truth, they are villaines, and the sonnes
    of darknesse.
    Prince. Speake sirs, how was it?
    Gad. We foure set vpon some dozen.
    Falst. Sixteene, at least, my Lord.
    1135Gad. And bound them.
    Peto. No, no, they were not bound.
    Falst. You Rogue, they were bound, euery man of
    them, or I am a Iew else, an Ebrew Iew.
    Gad. As we were sharing, some sixe or seuen fresh men
    1140set vpon vs.
    Falst. And vnbound the rest, and then come in the
    other.
    Prince. What, fought yee with them all?
    Falst. All? I know not what yee call all: but if I
    1145fought not with fiftie of them, I am a bunch of Radish:
    if there were not two or three and fiftie vpon poore olde
    Iack, then am I no two-legg'd Creature.
    Poin. Pray Heauen, you haue not murthered some of
    them.
    1150Falst. Nay, that's past praying for, I haue pepper'd
    two of them: Two I am sure I haue payed, two Rogues
    in Buckrom Sutes. I tell thee what, Hal, if I tell thee a
    Lye, spit in my face, call me Horse: thou knowest my olde
    word: here I lay, and thus I bore my point; foure Rogues
    1155in Buckrom let driue at me.
    Prince. What, foure? thou sayd'st but two, euen now.
    Falst. Foure Hal, I told thee foure.
    Poin. I, I, he said foure.
    Falst. These foure came all a-front, and mainely thrust
    1160at me; I made no more adoe, but tooke all their seuen
    points in my Targuet, thus.
    Prince. Seuen? why there were but foure, euen now.
    Falst. In Buckrom.
    Poin. I, foure, in Buckrom Sutes.
    1165Falst. Seuen, by these Hilts, or I am a Villaine else.
    Prin. Prethee let him alone, we shall haue more anon.
    Falst. Doest thou heare me, Hal?
    Prin. I, and marke thee too, Iack.
    Falst. Doe so, for it is worth the listning too: these
    1170nine in Buckrom, that I told thee of.
    Prin. So, two more alreadie.
    Falst. Their Points being broken.
    Poin. Downe fell his Hose.
    Falst. Began to giue me ground: but I followed me
    1175close, came in foot and hand; and with a thought, seuen of
    the eleuen I pay'd.
    Prin. O monstrous! eleuen Buckrom men growne
    out of two?
    Falst. But as the Deuill would haue it, three mis-be-
    1180gotten Knaues, in Kendall Greene, came at my Back, and
    let driue at me; for it was so darke, Hal, that thou could'st
    not see thy Hand.
    Prin. These Lyes are like the Father that begets them,
    grosse as a Mountaine, open, palpable. Why thou Clay-
    1185brayn'd Guts, thou Knotty-pated Foole, thou Horson ob-
    scene greasie Tallow Catch.
    Falst. What, art thou mad? art thou mad? is not the
    truth, the truth?
    Prin. Why, how could'st thou know these men in
    1190Kendall Greene, when it was so darke, thou could'st not
    see thy Hand? Come, tell vs your reason: what say'st thou
    to this?
    Poin. Come, your reason Iack, your reason.
    Falst. What, vpon compulsion? No: were I at the
    1195Strappado, or all the Racks in the World, I would not
    tell you on compulsion. Giue you a reason on compulsi-
    on? If Reasons were as plentie as Black-berries, I would
    giue no man a Reason vpon compulsion, I.
    Prin. Ile be no longer guiltie of this sinne. This san-
    1200guine Coward, this Bed-presser, this Hors-back-breaker,
    this huge Hill of Flesh.
    Falst. Away you Starueling, you Elfe-skin, you dried
    Neats tongue, Bulles-pissell, you stocke-fish: O for breth
    to vtter. What is like thee? You Tailors yard, you sheath
    1205you Bow-case, you vile standing tucke.
    Prin. Well, breath a-while, and then to't againe: and
    when thou hast tyr'd thy selfe in base comparisons, heare
    me speake but thus.
    Poin. Marke Iacke.
    1210Prin. We two, saw you foure set on foure and bound
    them, and were Masters of their Wealth: mark now how
    a plaine Tale shall put you downe. Then did we two, set
    on you foure, and with a word, outfac'd you from your
    prize, and haue it: yea, and can shew it you in the House.
    1215And Falstaffe, you caried your Guts away as nimbly, with
    as quicke dexteritie, and roared for mercy, and still ranne
    and roar'd, as euer I heard Bull-Calfe. What a Slaue art
    thou, to hacke thy sword as thou hast done, and then say
    it was in fight. What trick? what deuice? what starting
    1220hole canst thou now find out, to hide thee from this open
    and apparant shame?
    Poines. Come, let's heare Iacke: What tricke hast
    thou now?
    Fal. I knew ye as well as he that made ye. Why heare
    1225ye my Masters, was it for me to kill the Heire apparant?
    Should I turne vpon the true Prince? Why, thou knowest
    I am as valiant as Hercules: but beware Instinct, the Lion
    will not touch the true Prince: Instinct is a great matter.
    I was a Coward on Instinct: I shall thinke the better of
    1230my selfe, and thee, during my life: I, for a valiant Lion,
    and thou for a true Prince. But Lads, I am glad you haue
    the Mony. Hostesse, clap to the doores: watch to night,
    pray to morrow. Gallants, Lads, Boyes, Harts of Gold,
    all the good Titles of Fellowship come to you. What,
    1235shall we be merry? shall we haue a Play extempory.
    Prin. Content, and the argument shall be, thy runing
    away.
    Fal. A, no more of that Hall, and thou louest me.
    Enter Hostesse
    1240Host. My Lord, the Prince?
    Prin.
    58 The First Part of King Henry the Fourth.
    Prin. How now my Lady the Hostesse, what say'st
    thou to me?
    Hostesse. Marry, my Lord, there is a Noble man of the
    Court at doore would speake with you: hee sayes, hee
    1245comes from your Father.
    Prin. Giue him as much as will make him a Royall
    man, and send him backe againe to my Mother.
    Falst. What manner of man is hee?
    Hostesse. An old man.
    1250Falst. What doth Grauitie out of his Bed at Midnight?
    Shall I giue him his answere?
    Prin. Prethee doe Iacke.
    Falst. 'Faith, and Ile send him packing. Exit.
    Prince. Now Sirs: you fought faire; so did you
    1255Peto, so did you Bardol: you are Lyons too, you ranne
    away vpon instinct: you will not touch the true Prince;
    no, fie.
    Bard. 'Faith, I ranne when I saw others runne.
    Prin. Tell mee now in earnest, how came Falstaffes
    1260Sword so hackt?
    Peto. Why, he hackt it with his Dagger, and said, hee
    would sweare truth out of England, but hee would make
    you beleeue it was done in fight, and perswaded vs to doe
    the like.
    1265Bard. Yea, and to tickle our Noses with Spear-grasse,
    to make them bleed, and then to beslubber our garments
    with it, and sweare it was the blood of true men. I did
    that I did not this seuen yeeres before, I blusht to heare
    his monstrous deuices.
    1270Prin. O Villaine, thou stolest a Cup of Sacke eigh-
    teene yeeres agoe, and wert taken with the manner, and
    euer since thou hast blusht extempore: thou hadst fire
    and sword on thy side, and yet thou ranst away; what
    instinct hadst thou for it?
    1275Bard. My Lord, doe you see these Meteors? doe you
    behold these Exhalations?
    Prin. I doe
    Bard. What thinke you they portend?
    Prin. Hot Liuers, and cold Purses.
    1280Bard. Choler, my Lord, if rightly taken.
    Prin. No, if rightly taken, Halter.
    Enter Falstaffe.
    Heere comes leane Iacke, heere comes bare-bone. How
    now my sweet Creature of Bombast, how long is't agoe,
    1285Iacke, since thou saw'st thine owne Knee?
    Falst. My owne Knee? When I was about thy yeeres
    ( Hal) I was not an Eagles Talent in the Waste, I could
    haue crept into any Aldermans Thumbe-Ring: a plague
    of sighing and griefe, it blowes a man vp like a Bladder.
    1290There's villanous Newes abroad; heere was Sir Iohn
    Braby from your Father; you must goe to the Court in
    the Morning. The same mad fellow of the North, Percy;
    and hee of Wales, that gaue Amamon the Bastinado,
    and made Lucifer Cuckold, and swore the Deuill his true
    1295Liege-man vpon the Crosse of a Welch-hooke; what a
    plague call you him?
    Poin. O, Glendower.
    Falst. Owen, Owen; the same, and his Sonne in Law
    Mortimer, and old Northumberland, and the sprightly
    1300Scot of Scots, Dowglas, that runnes a Horse-backe vp a
    Hill perpendicular.
    Prin. Hee that rides at high speede, and with a Pistoll
    kills a Sparrow flying.
    Falst. You haue hit it.
    1305Prin. So did he neuer the Sparrow.
    Falst. Well, that Rascall hath good mettall in him,
    hee will not runne.
    Prin. Why, what a Rascall art thou then, to prayse him
    so for running?
    1310Falst. A Horse-backe (ye Cuckoe) but a foot hee will
    not budge a foot.
    Prin. Yes Iacke, vpon instinct.
    Falst. I grant ye, vpon instinct: Well, hee is there too,
    and one Mordake, and a thousand blew-Cappes more.
    1315Worcester is stolne away by Night: thy Fathers Beard is
    turn'd white with the Newes; you may buy Land now
    as cheape as stinking Mackrell.
    Prin. Then 'tis like, if there come a hot Sunne, and this
    ciuill buffetting hold, wee shall buy Maiden-heads as
    1320they buy Hob-nayles, by the Hundreds.
    Falst. By the Masse Lad, thou say'st true, it is like wee
    shall haue good trading that way. But tell me Hal, art
    not thou horrible afear'd? thou being Heire apparant,
    could the World picke thee out three such Enemyes a-
    1325gaine, as that Fiend Dowglas, that Spirit Percy, and that
    Deuill Glendower? Art not thou horrible afraid? Doth
    not thy blood thrill at it?
    Prin. Not a whit: I lacke some of thy instinct.
    Falst. Well, thou wilt be horrible chidde to morrow,
    1330when thou commest to thy Father: if thou doe loue me,
    practise an answere.
    Prin. Doe thou stand for my Father, and examine mee
    vpon the particulars of my Life.
    Falst. Shall I? content: This Chayre shall bee my
    1335State, this Dagger my Scepter, and this Cushion my
    Crowne.
    Prin. Thy State is taken for a Ioyn'd-Stoole, thy Gol-
    den Scepter for a Leaden Dagger, and thy precious rich
    Crowne, for a pittifull bald Crowne.
    1340Falst. Well, and the fire of Grace be not quite out of
    thee, now shalt thou be moued. Giue me a Cup of Sacke
    to make mine eyes looke redde, that it may be thought I
    haue wept, for I must speake in passion, and I will doe it
    in King Cambyses vaine.
    1345Prin. Well, heere is my Legge.
    Falst. And heere is my speech: stand aside Nobilitie.
    Hostesse. This is excellent sport, yfaith.
    Falst. Weepe not, sweet Queene, for trickling teares
    are vaine.
    1350Hostesse. O the Father, how hee holdes his counte-
    nance?
    Falst. For Gods sake Lords, conuey my trustfull Queen,
    For teares doe stop the floud-gates of her eyes.
    Hostesse. O rare, he doth it as like one of these harlotry
    1355Players, as euer I see.
    Falst. Peace good Pint-pot, peace good Tickle-braine.
    Harry, I doe not onely maruell where thou spendest thy
    time; but also, how thou art accompanied: For though
    the Camomile, the more it is troden, the faster it growes;
    1360yet Youth, the more it is wasted, the sooner it weares.
    Thou art my Sonne: I haue partly thy Mothers Word,
    partly my Opinion; but chiefely, a villanous tricke of
    thine Eye, and a foolish hanging of thy nether Lippe, that
    doth warrant me. If then thou be Sonne to mee, heere
    1365lyeth the point: why, being Sonne to me, art thou so
    poynted at? Shall the blessed Sonne of Heauen proue a
    Micher, and eate Black-berryes? a question not to bee
    askt. Shall the Sonne of England proue a Theefe, and
    take Purses? a question to be askt. There is a thing,
    1370Harry, which thou hast often heard of, and it is knowne to
    many
    The First Part of King Henry the Fourth. 59
    many in our Land, by the Name of Pitch: this Pitch (as
    ancient Writers doe report) doth defile; so doth the com-
    panie thou keepest: for Harry, now I doe not speake to
    thee in Drinke, but in Teares; not in Pleasure, but in Pas-
    1375sion; not in Words onely, but in Woes also: and yet
    there is a vertuous man, whom I haue often noted in thy
    companie, but I know not his Name.
    Prin. What manner of man, and it like your Ma-
    iestie?
    1380Falst. A goodly portly man yfaith, and a corpulent,
    of a chearefull Looke, a pleasing Eye, and a most noble
    Carriage, and as I thinke, his age some fiftie, or (byrlady)
    inclining to threescore; and now I remember mee, his
    Name is Falstaffe: if that man should be lewdly giuen,
    1385hee deceiues mee; for Harry, I see Vertue in his Lookes.
    If then the Tree may be knowne by the Fruit, as the Fruit
    by the Tree, then peremptorily I speake it, there is Vertue
    in that Falstaffe: him keepe with, the rest banish. And
    tell mee now, thou naughtie Varlet, tell mee, where hast
    1390thou beene this moneth?
    Prin. Do'st thou speake like a King? doe thou stand
    for mee, and Ile play my Father.
    Falst. Depose me: if thou do'st it halfe so grauely, so
    maiestically, both in word and matter, hang me vp by the
    1395heeles for a Rabbet-sucker, or a Poulters Hare.
    Prin. Well, heere I am set.
    Falst. And heere I stand: iudge my Masters.
    Prin. Now Harry, whence come you?
    Falst. My Noble Lord, from East-cheape.
    1400Prin. The complaints I heare of thee, are grieuous.
    Falst. Yfaith, my Lord, they are false: Nay, Ile tickle
    ye for a young Prince.
    Prin. Swearest thou, vngracious Boy? henceforth
    ne're looke on me: thou art violently carryed away from
    1405Grace: there is a Deuill haunts thee, in the likenesse of a
    fat old Man; a Tunne of Man is thy Companion: Why
    do'st thou conuerse with that Trunke of Humors, that
    Boulting-Hutch of Beastlinesse, that swolne Parcell of
    Dropsies, that huge Bombard of Sacke, that stuft Cloake-
    1410bagge of Guts, that rosted Manning Tree Oxe with the
    Pudding in his Belly, that reuerend Vice, that grey Ini-
    quitie, that Father Ruffian, that Vanitie in yeeres? where-
    in is he good, but to taste Sacke, and drinke it? wherein
    neat and cleanly, but to carue a Capon, and eat it? where-
    1415in Cunning, but in Craft? wherein Craftie, but in Villa-
    nie? wherein Villanous, but in all things? wherein wor-
    thy, but in nothing?
    Falst. I would your Grace would take me with you:
    whom meanes your Grace?
    1420Prince. That villanous abhominable mis-leader of
    Youth, Falstaffe, that old white-bearded Sathan.
    Falst. My Lord, the man I know.
    Prince. I know thou do'st.
    Falst. But to say, I know more harme in him then in
    1425my selfe, were to say more then I know. That hee is olde
    (the more the pittie) his white hayres doe witnesse it:
    but that hee is (sauing your reuerence) a Whore-ma-
    ster, that I vtterly deny. If Sacke and Sugar bee a fault,
    Heauen helpe the Wicked: if to be olde and merry, be a
    1430sinne, then many an olde Hoste that I know, is damn'd:
    if to be fat, be to be hated, then Pharaohs leane Kine are
    to be loued. No, my good Lord, banish Peto, banish
    Bardolph, banish Poines: but for sweete Iacke Falstaffe,
    kinde Iacke Falstaffe, true Iacke Falstaffe, valiant Iacke Fal-
    1435staffe, and therefore more valiant, being as hee is olde Iack
    Falstaffe, banish not him thy Harryes companie, banish
    not him thy Harryes companie; banish plumpe Iacke, and
    banish all the World.
    Prince. I doe, I will.
    1440 Enter Bardolph running.
    Bard. O, my Lord, my Lord, the Sherife, with a most
    most monstrous Watch, is at the doore.
    Falst. Out you Rogue, play out the Play: I haue much
    to say in the behalfe of that Falstaffe.
    1445 Enter the Hostesse.
    Hostesse. O, my Lord, my Lord.
    Falst. Heigh, heigh, the Deuill rides vpon a Fiddle-
    sticke: what's the matter?
    Hostesse. The Sherife and all the Watch are at the
    1450doore: they are come to search the House, shall I let
    them in?
    Falst. Do'st thou heare Hal, neuer call a true peece of
    Gold a Counterfeit: thou art essentially made, without
    seeming so.
    1455Prince. And thou a naturall Coward, without in-
    stinct.
    Falst. I deny your Maior: if you will deny the
    Sherife, so: if not, let him enter. If I become not a Cart
    as well as another man, a plague on my bringing vp: I
    1460hope I shall as soone be strangled with a Halter, as ano-
    ther.
    Prince. Goe hide thee behinde the Arras, the rest
    walke vp aboue. Now my Masters, for a true Face and
    good Conscience.
    1465Falst. Both which I haue had: but their date is out,
    and therefore Ile hide me. Exit.
    Prince. Call in the Sherife.
    Enter Sherife and the Carrier.
    Prince. Now Master Sherife, what is your will with
    1470mee?
    She. First pardon me, my Lord. A Hue and Cry hath
    followed certaine men vnto this house.
    Prince. What men?
    She. One of them is well knowne, my gracious Lord,
    1475a grosse fat man.
    Car. As fat as Butter.
    Prince. The man, I doe assure you, is not heere,
    For I my selfe at this time haue imploy'd him:
    And Sherife, I will engage my word to thee,
    1480That I will by to morrow Dinner time,
    Send him to answere thee, or any man,
    For any thing he shall be charg'd withall:
    And so let me entreat you, leaue the house.
    She. I will, my Lord: there are two Gentlemen
    1485Haue in this Robberie lost three hundred Markes.
    Prince. It may be so: if he haue robb'd these men,
    He shall be answerable: and so farewell.
    She. Good Night, my Noble Lord.
    Prince. I thinke it is good Morrow, is it not?
    1490She. Indeede, my Lord, I thinke it be two a Clocke.
    Exit.
    Prince. This oyly Rascall is knowne as well as Poules:
    goe call him forth.
    Peto. Falstaffe? fast asleepe behinde the Arras, and
    1495snorting like a Horse.
    Prince. Harke, how hard he fetches breath: search his
    Pockets.
    He
    60 The First Part of King Henry the Fourth.
    He searcheth his Pockets, and findeth
    certaine Papers.
    1500Prince. What hast thou found?
    Peto. Nothing but Papers, my Lord.
    Prince. Let's see, what be they? reade them.
    Peto. Item, a Capon. ii.s.ii.d.
    Item, Sawce iiii.d.
    1505Item, Sacke, two Gallons. v.s.viii.d.
    Item, Anchoues and Sacke after Supper. ii.s.vi.d.
    Item, Bread. ob.
    Prince. O monstrous, but one halfe penny-worth of
    Bread to this intollerable deale of Sacke? What there is
    1510else, keepe close, wee'le reade it at more aduantage: there
    let him sleepe till day. Ile to the Court in the Morning:
    Wee must all to the Warres, and thy place shall be hono-
    rable. Ile procure this fat Rogue a Charge of Foot,
    and I know his death will be a Match of Twelue-score.
    1515The Money shall be pay'd backe againe with aduantage.
    Be with me betimes in the Morning: and so good mor-
    row Peto.
    Peto. Good morrow, good my Lord.
    Exeunt.
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