Come, shelter, shelter! I have removed Falstaff's horse, 737and he frets like a gummed velvet.

Stand close.

Poins! Poins, and be hanged! Poins!

Peace, ye fat-kidneyed rascal! What a brawling dost thou 742keep!

Where's Poins, Hal?

He is walked up to the top of the hill. I'll go seek him.

I am accursed to rob in that thief's company. The rascal 747hath removed my horse and tied him I know not where. If I 748travel but four foot by the square further afoot, I shall break 749my wind. Well, I doubt not but to die a fair death, for all 750this if I scape hanging for killing that rogue. I have forsworn 751his company hourly any time this two-and-twenty years, and yet I am 752bewitched with the rogue's company. If the rascal have not 754given me medicines to make me love him, I'll be hanged. It could 755not be else -- I have drunk medicines. Poins! Hal! A plague 756upon you both! Bardolph! Peto! I'll starve ere I'll rob a foot 757further. An 'twere not as good a deed as drink to turn true 758man and to leave these rogues, I am the veriest varlet that ever 759chewed with a tooth. Eight yards of uneven ground is 760threescore and ten miles afoot with me, and the stony-hearted 761villains know it well enough. A plague upon it when thieves 762cannot be true one to another! 763

2.2.8764Whew! A plague upon you all!

2.2.9Give me my horse, you rogues; 765give me my horse, and be hanged!

Peace, ye fat-guts. Lie down, lay thine ear close to the 767ground, and list if thou canst hear the tread of travelers.

Have you any levers to lift me up again, being down? 770'Sblood, I'll not bear my own flesh so far afoot again for 771all the coin in thy father's exchequer. What a plague mean 772ye to colt me thus?

Thou liest: thou art not colted, thou art uncolted.

I prithee, good Prince Hal, help me to my horse, good 775king's son.

Out, ye rogue, shall I be your ostler?

Hang thyself in thine own heir-apparent garters! 778If I be ta'en, I'll peach for this. An I have not ballads made on 779you all and sung to filthy tunes, let a cup of sack be my 780poison. When a jest is so forward -- and afoot too -- I hate it.

Stand!

So I do, against my will.

Oh, 'tis our setter, I know his voice. Bardolph, what news?

Case ye, case ye, on with your vizards! There's money 788of the king's coming down the hill; 'tis going to the king's 789exchequer.

You lie, ye rogue, 'tis going to the king's tavern.

There's enough to make us all.

To be hanged.

Sirs, you four shall front them in the narrow lane. Ned 794Poins and I will walk lower. If they scape from your 795encounter, then they light on us.

How many be there of them?

Some eight or ten.

Zounds, will they not rob us?

What, a coward, Sir John Paunch?

Indeed I am not John of Gaunt your grandfather, but 801yet no coward, Hal.

Well, we leave that to the proof.

Sirrah Jack, thy horse stands behind the hedge. When 804thou need'st him, there thou shalt find him. Farewell, and stand fast.

Now cannot I strike him if I should be hanged.

[Aside to Poins] Ned, where are our disguises?

[Aside to the prince] Here, hard by, stand close.

Now, my masters, happy man be his dole, say I; every 810man to his business.

Come, neighbor, the boy shall lead our horses down 813the hill. We'll walk afoot a while, and ease their legs.

Stand!

Jesus bless us!

Strike, down with them, cut the villains' throats. Ah, 818whoreson caterpillars, bacon-fed knaves! They hate us youth. 819Down with them, fleece them!

Oh, we are undone, both we and ours forever!

Hang, ye gorbellied knaves, are ye undone? No, ye fat 822chuffs, I would your store were here. On, bacons, on! What, ye 823knaves, young men must live. You are grand-jurors, are ye? We'll 824jure ye, faith.

The thieves have bound the true men. Now could 828thou and I rob the thieves and go merrily to London, it would 829be argument for a week, laughter for a month, and a good jest 830forever.

Stand close, I hear them coming.

Come, my masters, let us share, and then to horse before 834day. An the prince and Poins be not two arrant cowards, 835there's no equity stirring. There's no more valor in that Poins 836than in a wild duck.

Your money.

Villains!

Got with much ease. Now merrily to horse. The thieves 842are all scattered and possessed with fear so strongly that they dare 843not meet each other. Each takes his fellow for an officer. Away, 844good Ned. Falstaff sweats to death, and lards the lean earth 845as he walks along. Were't not for laughing, I should pity him.

How the fat rogue roared!