966908Prin. Ned, preethe come out of that fat roome, and lende me

967909thy hand to laugh a little.

968910Poi. Where hast bin Hal?

969911Prin. With three or foure loggerheades, amongest three or

970912fourescore hogsheades. I haue sounded the verie base string of

971913humilitie. Sirrha, I am sworne brother to a leash of drawers, and

972914can call them all by their christen names, as Tom, Dicke, and

973915Francis, they take it already vpon their saluation, that though I

974916be but prince of Wales, yet I am the king of Curtesie, and tel me

975917flatly I am no proud Iacke like Falstalffe, but a Corinthian, a lad

976918of metall, a good boy (by the Lord so they call me) and when I

977919am king of England I shall command all the good lads in East-

978920cheape. They call drinking deepe, dying scarlet, and when you

979921breath in your watering they cry hem, and bid you play it off.

980922To conclude, I am so good a proficiẽt in one quarter of an houre

981923that I can drinke with any Tinker in his owne language, during

982924my life. I tell thee Ned thou hast lost much honour, that thou

984925wert not with me in this action; but sweete Ned, to sweeten

985926which name of Ned, I giue thee this peniworth of sugar, clapt e-

986927uen now into my hand by an vnderskinker, one that neuer spake

987928other English in his life then eight shillings and sixe pence, and

988929you are welcome, with this shrill addition, anon, anon sir; skore a

989930pint of bastard in the halfe moone, or so. But Ned, to driue a-

990931waie the time till Falstalffe come: I preethe doe thou stande in

991932some by-roome, while I question my puny drawer to what end

992933he gaue me the sugar, and do thou neuer leaue calling Frances,

993934that his tale to me may bee nothing but anon, step aside and ile

995935shew thee a present.

996936Po. Frances. Prin. Thou art perfect.

997937Prin. Frances. Enter Drawer.

1000938Fran. Anon, anon sir. Looke downe into the Pomgarnet,

1001939Ralphe.

D2 Prin.

1002940Prin. Come hether Frances.

1004941Prin. How long hast thou to serue Frances?

1005942Fran. Forsooth, fiue yeeres, and as much as to.

1006943Poi. Frances.

1007944Fran. Anon, anon sir.

1008945Prin. Fiue yeare, berlady a long lease for the clinking of pew-

1009946ter; but Frances, darest thou be so valiant, as to play the cowarde

1010947with thy Indenture, and shewe it a faire paire of heeles, and run

1011948from it?

1012949Fran. O Lord sir, ile be sworne vpon all the bookes in Eng-

1013950land, I could find in my hart.

1014951Poin. Frances. Fran. Anon sir.

1016952Prin. How old art thou Frances?

1017953Fran. Let me see, about Michelmas next I shalbe.

1018954Poin. Frances.

1019955Fran. Anon sir, pray stay a little my Lord.

1020956Prin. Nay but harke you Frances, for the sugar thou gauest

1021957me, twas a peniworth, wast not?

1022958Fran. O Lord, I would it had bin two.

1023959Prince. I will giue thee for it a thousand pound, aske me when

1024960thou wilt, and thou shalt haue it,

1025961Poin. Frances. Fran. Anon, anon.

1027962Prin. Anon Frances, no Frances, but to morrow Frances: or

1028963Frances a Thursday; or indeede Fraunces when thou wilt. But

1029964Fraunces.

1030965Fran. My Lord.

1031966Prin. Wilt thou rob this leathern Ierkin, cristall button, not-

1032967pated, agat ring, puke stocking, Caddice garter, smothe tongue,

1033968spanish pouch?

1034969Fran. O Lord sir, who do you meane?

1035970Prin. Why then your brown bastard is your only drinke? for

1036971looke you Fraunces, your white canuas doublet will sulley. In

1037972Barbary sir, it cannot come to so much.

1038973Fran. What sir? Poin. Frances.

1040974Prin. Away you rogue, dost thou not heare them cal.

1044977Vint. What standst thou stil and hearst such a calling? looke

1045978to the guests within. My Lord, old sir Iohn with halfe a douzen

1046979more are at the doore, shal I let them in?

1048980Pri. Let them alone awhile, and then open the doore: Poines.

1051981Poi. Anon, anon sir.

1052982Prince. Sirrha, Falstalffe and the rest of the theeues are at the

1053983doore, shall we be merrie?

1054984Po. As merry as Crickets my lad, but harke ye, what cunning

1055985match haue you made with this iest of the Drawer: come whats

1056986the issue?

1057987Prin. I am now of all humors, that haue shewed themselues

1058988humors since the oulde dayes of good man Adam, to the pupill

1059989age of this present twelue a clocke at midnight. Whats a clocke

1060990Frances?

1061991Fran. Anon, anon sir.

1062992Pr. That euer this fellowe should haue fewer wordes then a

1063993Parrat, and yet the sonne of a woman. His industrie is vp staires

1064994and down staires, his eloquence the parcel of a reckoning. I am

1065995not yet of Percyes minde, the Hotspur of the North, he that kils

1066996mee some sixe or seuen douzen of Scots at a breakefast: washes

1067997his handes, and saies to his wife, fie vpon this quiet life, I want

1068998worke. O my sweet Harry saies she! how manie hast thou kild

1069999to day? Giue my roane horse a drench (sayes hee) and aun-

10701000sweres some foureteene, an houre after: a trifle, a trifle. I preethe

10721001call in Falstalffe, ile play Percy, and that damnde brawne shall

10731002play dame Mortimer his wife. Riuo saies the drunkarde: call in

10741003Ribs, cal in Tallow.

10761005Poin. Welcome Iacke, where hast thou bin?

10771006Falst. A plague of al cowards I say, and a vengeance too, mar-

10781007ry and Amen: giue me a cup of sacke boy. Eare I lead this life

10791008long, ile sow neatherstocks and mend them, and foote them too.

10801009A plague of all cowards. Giue me a cup of sacke rogue, is there

10811010no vertue extant? he drinketh.

10821011Prin. Didst thou neuer see Titan kisse a dish of butter, pittifull

10831012harted Titan that melted at the sweet tale of the sonnes, if thou

10841013didst, then behold that compound.

D3 Falst.

10851014Falst. You rogue, heeres lime in this sacke too: there is no-

10861015thing but rogery to be found in villanous man, yet a cowarde is

10871016worse then a cup of sacke with lime in it. A villanous cowarde.

10881017Go thy waies old Iacke, die when thou wilt, if manhood, good

10891018manhood be not forgot vpon the face of the earth, then am I a

10901019shotten herring: there liues not three good men vnhangde in

10911020England, and one of them is fat, and growes old, God helpe the

10921021while, a bad world I say, I would I were a weauer. I could sing

10941022psalmes, or any thing. A plague of all cowards I say still.

10951023Prin. How now Wolsacke, what mutter you?

10961024Falst. A kings sonne, if I do not beat thee out of thy kingdom

10971025with a dagger of lath, and driue all thy subiects afore thee like a

10981026flock of wild geese, ile neuer weare haire on my face more, you

10991027prince of Wales.

11001028Prin. Why you horeson round-man, whats the matter?

11011029Falst. Are not you a cowarde? aunswere mee to that, and

11021030Poines there.

11031031Poin. Zoundes ye fat paunch, and ye call me cowarde by the

11041032Lord ile stab thee.

11051033Falst. I call thee cowarde, ile see thee damnde ere I call thee

11061034coward, but I woulde giue a thousand pound I coulde runne as

11071035fast as thou canst. You are streight enough in the shoulders, you

11081036care not who sees your backe: call you that backing of your

11091037friends, a plague vpon such backing, giue me them that will

11101038face me, giue me a cup of sacke. I am a rogue if I drunke to day.

11121039Prin. O villain, thy lips are scarse wipt since thou drunkst last.

11141040Falst. All is one for that.

11151041A plague of all cowards still say I.

11161042Prin, Whats the matter?

11171043Falst. Whats the matter, there be foure of vs here haue tane a

11181044thousand pound this day morning

11191045Prin. Where is it Iacke, where is it?

11201046Fal. Where is it? taken from vs it is: a hundred vppon poore

11211047foure of vs.

11221048Prin. What, a hundred, man?

11231049Falst. I am a rogue if I were not at halfe sword with a douzen

11241050of them two houres together. I haue scapt by myracle. I am

11251051eight times thrust through the doublet, foure through the hose,

11261052my buckler cut through and through, my sworde hackt like a

11271053handsaw, ecce signum. I neuer dealt better since I was a man, al

11281054would not do. A plague of all cowards, let them speake, if they

11291055speake more or lesse then truth, they are villains, and the sonnes

11311056of darknesse.

11321057Gad. Speake sirs, how was it?

11331058Ross. We foure set vpon some douzen.

11341059Falst. Sixteene at least my Lord.

11351060Ross. And bound them.

11361061Peto. No, no, they were not bound.

11371062Falst. You rogue they were bounde euerie man of them, or

11381063I am a Iew else: an Ebrew Iew.

11391064Ross. As we were sharing, some sixe or seuen fresh men set

11401065vpon vs.

11411066Falst. And vnbound the rest, and then come in the other.

11431067Prin. What, fought you with them all?

11441068Falst. Al, I know not what you cal al, but if I fought not with

11451069fiftie of them I am a bunch of radish: if there were not two or

11461070three and fiftie vpon poore olde Iacke, then am I no two legd

11471071Creature.

11481072Prin. Pray God you haue not murdred some of them.

11501073Falst. Nay, thats past praying for, I haue pepperd two of them.

11511074Two I am sure I haue paied, two rogues in buckrom sutes: I tel

11521075thee what Hall, if I tell thee a lie, spit in my face; call me horse,

11531076thou knowest my olde warde: here I lay, and thus I bore my

11541077poynt, foure rogues in Buckrom let driue at me.

11561078Prin What foure? thou saidst but two euen now.

11571079Falst. Foure Hal, I told thee foure.

11581080Poin. I, I, he said foure.

11591081Fal. These foure came all a front, and mainely thrust at me,

11601082I made me no more adoe, but tooke all their seuen points in my

11611083target, thus.

11621084Prin. Seuen, why there were but foure euen now.

11631085Falst. In Buckrom.

11641086Po. I foure in Buckrom suites.

11651087Falst. Seuen by these hilts, or I am a villaine else.

11661088Pr. Preethe let him alone, we shall haue more anon.

11671089Falst. Doest thou heare me Hal?

11681090Prince. I, and marke thee to iacke.

11691091Falst. Do so, for it is worth the listning to, these nine in Buck-

1092rom that I told thee of.

11711093Prince. So, two more alreadie.

11721094Falst. Their points being broken.

11731095Poy. Downe fell their hose.

11741096Falst. Began to giue me ground: but I followed me close, came

11751097in, foot, and hand, and with a thought, seuen of the eleuen I paid.

11771098Prin. O monstrous! eleuen Buckrom men growne out of two.

11791099Fal. But as the diuell would haue it, three misbegotten knaues

11801100in Kendall greene came at my backe, and let driue at mee, for it

11811101was so darke Hal, that thou couldest not see thy hand.

11831102Prin. These lies are like their father that begets them, grosse as

11841103a mountaine, open, palpable. Why thou clay-braind guts, thou

11851104knotty-pated foole, thou horeson obscene greasie tallow-catch.

11871105Falst. What art thou mad? art thou mad? is not the truth the

11881106truth?

11891107Pr. Why, how couldst thou know these men in Kendal greene

11901108when it was so darke thou couldst not see thy hand, come tell vs

11911109your reason. What sayest thou to this?

11931110Po. Come your reason, Iacke, your reason.

11941111Falst. What, vppon compulsion: Zoundes, and I were at the

11951112strappado, or all the rackes in the worlde, I would not tell you on

11961113compulsion. Giue you a reason on compulsion? if reasons were

11971114as plentifull as blackberries, I would giue no man a reason vppon

11981115compulsion, I.

11991116Prin. Ile be no longer guiltie of this sinne. This sanguine co-

12001117ward, this bed-presser, this horse-backe-breaker, this huge hill

12011118of flesh.

12021119Fa. Zbloud you starueling, you elsskin, you dried neatstong, you

12031120bulspizzle, you stockfish: O for breath to vtter what is like thee,

12041121you tailers yard, you sheath, you bowcase, you vile standing tuck.

12061122Prin. Wel, breath a while, and then to it againe, and when thou

12071123hast tired thy selfe in base comparisons heare mee speake but this.

12091124Po. Marke iacke.

12101125Prin. We two saw you foure set on foure, and bound them and

12111126were maisters of their wealth: marke now how a plaine tale shall

12121127put you downe, then did wee two set on you foure, and with a

12131128worde outfac't you from your prize, & haue it, yea & can shew

12141129it you here in the house: and Falstalffe you carried your guts a-

12151130way as nimbly, with as quicke dexteritie, & roard for mercy, and

12161131stil run and roard, as euer I heard bul-calf. What a slaue art thou

12181132to hacke thy sworde as thou hast done? and then say it was in

12191133fight. What tricke? what deuice? what starting hole canst thou

12201134now find out, to hide thee from this open and apparant shame?

12221135Po. Come, lets heare iacke, what tricke hast thou now?

12241136Falst. By the Lord, I knew ye as wel as he that made ye. Why

12251137heare you my maisters, was it for me to kill the heire apparant?

12261138should I turne vpon the true prince? why thou knowest I am as

12271139valiant as Hercules: but beware instinct, the lion will not touch

12281140the true prince, instinct is a great matter. I was now a cowarde

12291141on instinct, I shall thinke the better of my selfe, and thee during

12301142my life; I for a valiant lion, and thou for a true prince: but by

12311143the Lord, lads, I am glad you haue the money, Hostesse clap to

12321144the doores, watch to night, pray to morrowe, gallants, lads,

12331145boyes, hearts of golde, all the titles of good fellowship come

12341146to you. What shall wee bee merrie, shall wee haue a play ex-

12351147tempore?

12361148Prin. Content, and the argument shall bee thy running away.

12381149Falst. A, no more of that Hal and thou louest me. Enter hostesse

12401150Ho. O Iesu, my Lord the prince!

12411151Prin. How now my lady the hostesse, what saist thou to me?

12431152Ho. Marry my Lo. there is a noble man of the court at doore

12441153would speake with you: he saies he commes from your father.

12461154Prin. Giue him as much as will make him a royall man, and

12471155send him backe againe to my mother.

12481156Fal. What maner of man is he?

12491157Host. An olde man.

12501158Falst. What doth grauitie out of his bed at midnight? Shall I

12511159giue him his answere?

12521160Prin. Preethe do iacke.

Fa. Faith and ile send him packing.

12541162Prin. Now sirs, birlady you fought faire, so did you Peto, so

12551163did you Bardol, you are lions, to you ran away vpon instinct, you

12561164will not touch the true prince, no fie.

12581165Bar. Faith I ran when I saw others runne.

E Prin.

12591166Prin. Faith tell me now in earnest, how came Falstalffs sword

12601167so hackt?

12611168Peto. Why, he hackt it with his dagger, and said hee woulde

12621169sweare truth out of England, but hee would make you beleeue

12631170it was done in fight, and perswaded vs to do the like.

12651171Bar. Yea, and to tickle our noses with spearegrasse, to make

12661172them bleed, and then to beslubber our garments with it, and

12671173sweare it was the blood of true men. I did that I did not this se-

12681174uen yeare before, I blusht to heare his monstrous deuices.

12701175Prin. O villaine, thou stolest a cup of Sacke eighteene yeares

12711176ago, and wert taken with the maner, and euer since thou hast

12721177blusht extempore, thou hadst fire and sword on thy side, and yet

12731178thou ranst away, what instinct hadst thou for it?

12751179Bar. My Lord do you see these meteors? do you behold these

12781181Bar. What thinke you they portend?

12791182Prin. Hot liuers, and cold purses.

12801183Bar. Choler, my Lord, if rightly taken.

12811185Prin. No if rightly taken halter. Here commes leane iacke, here

12831186commes bare bone: how now my sweete creature of bumbast,

12841187how long ist ago iacke since thou sawest thine owne knee?

12861188Fal. My owne knee, when I was about thy yeares (Hall) I was

12871189not an Eagles talent in the waste, I could haue crept into anie

12881190Aldermans thumbe ring: a plague of sighing and grief, it blowes

12891191a man vp like a bladder. Thers villainous newes abroade, heere

12901192was sir Iohn Bracy, from your father: you must to the court in

12921193the morning. That same mad fellow of the North Percie, and

12931194he of Wales that gaue Amamon the bastinado, and made Luci-

12941195fer cuckold, and swore the diuel his true liegeman vpõ the crosse

12951196of a Welsh hooke: what a plague call you him?

12971197Poynes. O Glendower.

12981198Falst. Owen, Owen, the same, and his sonne in lawe Morti-

12991199mer, and olde Northumberland, and that sprightly Scot of

13001200Scottes, Dowglas, that runnes a horsebacke vp a hill perpendi-

13011201cular.

13021202Prin. He that rides at high speede, and with his pistoll killes a

13031203sparrow flying.

13041204Falst. You haue hit it.

13051205Prin. So did he neuer the sparrow.

13061206Fal. Well, that rascall hath good mettall in him, hee will not

13071207runne.

13081208Prin. Why, what a rascall art thou then, to praise him so for

13091209running?

13101210Fal. A horsebacke (ye cuckoe) but a foote hee will not budge

13111211a foote.

13121212Prin. Yes Iacke, vpon instinct.

13131213Falst. I grant ye vpon instinct: well hee is there to, and one

13141214Mordacke, and a thousand blew caps more. Worcester is stolne

13151215away to night, thy fathers beard is turnd white with the newes,

13161216you may buy land now as cheape as stinking Mackrel.

13181217Prin. Why then, it is like if there come a hote Iune, and this

13191218ciuill buffeting hold, we shall buy maidenheads as they buy hob

13201219nailes, by the hundreds.

13211220Falst. By the masse lad thou saiest true, it is like wee shall haue

13221221good trading that way: but tell mee Hall, art not thou horrible

13231222afearde? thou being heire apparant, could the world picke thee

13241223out three such enemies againe? as that fiend Dowglas, that spi-

13251224rit Percy, and that diuel Glendower, art thou not horribly afraid?

13261225doth not thy bloud thril at it?

13281226Prin. Not a whit ifaith, I lacke some of thy instinct.

13291227Falst. Well thou wilt bee horriblie chidde to morrowe when

13301228thou commest to thy father, if thou loue mee practise an aun-

13311229swere.

13321230Prin. Do thou stand for my father and examine me vpon the

13331231particulars of my life.

13341232Falst. Shall I: content. This chaire shall be my state, this dag-

13351233ger my scepter, and this cushion my crowne.

13371234Prin. Thy state is taken for a ioynd stoole, thy golden scepter

13381235for a leaden dagger, and thy precious rich crowne for a pittifull

13391236bald crowne.

13401237Falst. Well, and the fire of grace bee not quite out of thee

13411238nowe shalt thou be mooued. Giue me a cup of Sacke to make

13421239my eyes looke redde, that it maie bee thought I haue wept,

13431240for I must speake in passion, and I will doe it in king Cambises

13441241vaine.

E2 Prin.

13451242Prince. Well, here is my leg.

13461243Falst. And here is my speech; stand aside Nobilitie.

13471244Host. O Iesu, this is excellent sport ifaith.

13481245Falst. Weepe not sweet Queene, for trickling teares are vain.

13501246Host. O the father, how he holds his countenance?

13521247Fal. For Gods sake Lords, conuay my trustfull Queene,

13531248For teares do stop the floudgates of her eyes.

13541249Host. O Iesu, he doth it as like one of these harlotrie plaiers as

13551250euer I see.

13561251Falst. Peace good pint-pot, peace good tickle-braine.

13571252Harrie, I doe not onelie maruaile where thou spendest thy

13581253time, but also how thou art accompanied. For though the cam-

13591254momill the more it is troden on, the faster it growes: so youth

13601255the more it is wasted, the sooner it weares: that thou art my son

13611256I haue partly thy mothers worde, partlie my owne opinion, but

13621257chieflie a villainous tricke of thine eye, and a foolish hanging

13631258of thy neather lippe, that dooth warrant me. If then thou bee

13641259sonne to mee, heere lies the poynt, why beeing sonne to me, art

13651260thou so pointed at? shal the blessed sunne of heauen proue a mi-

13671261cher, and eat black-berries? a question not to be askt. Shall the

13681262sonne of England proue a theefe, and take purses? a question to

13691263be askt. There is a thing Harry, which thou hast often heard of,

13701264and it is knowne to many in our land by the name of pitch. This

13711265pitch (as ancient writers do report) doth defile, so doth the com-

13731266panie thou keepest: for Harrie now, I do not speake to thee in

13741267drinke, but in teares; not in pleasure but in passion: not in words

13751268onely, but in woes also: and yet there is a vertuous man, whom

13761269I haue often noted in thy companie, but I know not his name.

13781270Prin. What maner of man and it like your Maiestie?

13801271Fal. A goodly portly man ifayth, and a corpulent of a cheerful

13811272looke, a pleasing eie, and a most noble cariage, and as I thinke

13821273his age some fiftie, or birladie inclining to threescore, and nowe

13831274I remember me, his name is Falstalffe, if that man shoulde bee

13841275lewdly giuen, hee deceiueth me. For Harry, I see vertue in his

13851276lookes: if then the tree may bee knowne by the fruit, as the fruit

13871277by the tree, then peremptorily I speake it, there is vertue in that

13881278Falstalffe, him keepe with, the rest banish, and tell me now thou

13891279naughtie varlet, tell me where hast thou beene this month?

13911280Prin. Dost thou speake like a king, do thou stand for me, and

13921281ile play my father.

13931282Fal. Depose me, if thou dost it halfe so grauely, so maiestical-

13941283ly, both in word and matter, hang me vp by the heeles for a rab-

13951284bet sucker, or a poulters Hare

13961285Prin. Well, here I am set.

13971286Fal. And here I stand, iudge my maisters.

13981287Prin. Now Harry, whence come you?

13991288Fal. My noble Lord from Eastcheape.

14001289Prin. The complaints I heare of thee are greeuous.

14011290Fal. Zbloud my Lord they are false: nay ile tickle ye for a yong

14021291prince I faith.

14031292Prin. Swearest thou vngratious boy, hence forth nere looke

14041293on me, thou art violently carried awaie from grace, there is a di-

14051294uell haunts thee in the likenesse of an olde fat man, a tun of man

14061295is thy companion: why doest thou conuerse with that trunke of

14071296humours, that boultinghutch of beastlinesse, that swolne parcell

14091297of dropsies that huge bombard of sacke, that stuft cloakebag of

14101298guts, that rosted Manningtre Oxe with the pudding in his belly,

14111299that reuerent vice, that gray iniquity, that father ruffian, that va-

14121300nity in yeares, wherein is he good, but to tast sacke and drinke it?

14131301wherein neat and clenly, but to carue a capon and eat it? wherein

14151302cunning, but in craft? wherein crafty, but in villany? wherein villa-

14161303nous, but in al things? where in worthy, but in nothing?

14181304Fal. I would your grace would take me with you, whome

14191305meanes your grace?

14201306Prin. That villanous abhominable misleader of youth, Fal-

14211307stalffe, that olde white bearded Sathan.

14221308Fal. My Lord, the man I know.

14231309Prin. I know thou doest.

14241310Fal. But to say I knowe more harme in him then in my selfe,

14251311were to say more then I know: that he is olde the more the pit-

14261312tie, his white haires doe witnesse it, but that he is sauing your re-

14271313uerence, a whoremaster, that I vtterlie denie: if sacke and sugar

14281314be a fault, God helpe the wicked; if to be olde and merry be a sin,

14301315then many an old host that I know is damnd: if to be fat be to be

14311316hated, then Pharaos lane kine are to be loued. No my good lord

14321317banish Peto, banish Bardoll, banish Poines, but for sweet Iacke

E3 Falstalffe

14331318Falstalffe, kinde Iacke Falstalffe, true Iacke Falstalffe, valiant

14341319Iacke Falstalffe, & therfore more valiant being as he is old Iacke

14361320Falstalffe, banish not him thy Harries companie, banish not

14371321him thy Harries companie, banish plumpe Iacke, and banish all

14381322the world.

14391323Prin. I do, I will.

14411324Bar. O my Lord, my Lord, the Sheriffe with a most monstrous

14421325watch is at the doore.

14431326Falst. Out ye rogue, play out the play, I haue much to say in

14441327the behalfe of that Falstalffe.

14461329Host. O Iesu, my Lord, my Lord!

14471330Prin. Heigh, heigh, the Deuil rides vpon a fiddle sticke, whats

14481331the matter?

14491332Host. The Sheriffe and al the watch are at the doore, they are

14501333come to search the house, shall I let them in?

14521334Falst. Doest thou heare Hal? neuer call a true piece of golde a

14531335counterfet, thou art essentially made without seeming so.

14551336Prin. And thou a naturall coward without instinct.

14571337Falst. I deny your Maior, if you wil deny the Sheriffe so, if not,

14581338let him enter. If I become not a Cart as well as another man, a

14591339plague on my bringing vp, I hope I shall as soone bee strangled

14601340with a halter as another.

14621341Prin. Go hide thee behind the Arras, the rest walke vp aboue,

14631342now my masters for a true face, and good conscience.

14651343Falst. Both which I haue had, but their date is out, and there-

14661344fore ile hide me.

14671345Prin. Call in the Sheriffe.

14691347Prin. Now master Sheriffe, what is your wil with me?

14711348Sher. First pardon me my Lord. A hue and crie hath followed

14721349certaine men vnto this house.

14731350Prin. What men?

14741351Sher. One of them is well known my gratious Lorde, a grosse

14751352fat man.

14761353Car. As fat as butter.

14771354Prin. The man I do assure you is not here,

14781355For I my selfe at this time haue emploid him:

14791356And Sheriffe, I will ingage my word to thee,

14801357That I will by to morrow dinner time

14811358Send him to answere thee or any man,

14821359For any thing he shall be charg'd withal,

14831360And so let me intreat you leaue the house.

14841361Sher. I will my Lord: there are two gentlemen

14851362Haue in this robbery lost 300. markes.

14861363Prin. It may be so: if he haue robd these men

14871364He shal be answerable, and so farewell.

14881365She. God night my noble Lord.

14891366Prin. I thinke it is god morrow is it not?

14901367She. Indeed my Lord I thinke it be two a clocke. Exit

14921368Prin. This oylie rascall is knowne as well as Poules: goe call

14931369him forth.

14941370Peto. Falstalffe: fast a sleepe behind the Arras, and snorting

14951371like a horse.

14961372Prin. Harke how hard he fetches breath, search his pockets.

15001374Pr. What hast thou found?

15011375Pet. Nothing but papers my Lord.

15021376Prin. Lets see what they be, read them.

15031377Item a capon. 2.s,ii,d.

15041378Item sawce. iiij,d.

15051379Item sacke two gallons. v.s,viij,d.

15061380Item anchaues and sacke after supper. 2,s,vj,d.

15071381Item bread. ob.

15081382 O monstrous! but one halfepeniworth of bread to this intolle-

15091383rable deale of sack? what there is else keepe close, weel read it at

15101384more aduantage; there let him sleepe till day, ile to the court in

15111385the morning. We must all to the wars, and thy place shal be ho-

15121386norable. Ile procure this fat rogue a charge of foot, and I know

15141387his death will bee a march of twelue skore, the money shall bee

15151388paid backe againe with aduantage; bee with me betimes in the

15161389morning, and so good morrow Peto.

15181390Peto. Good morrow good my Lord. Exeunt