that take purses go by the moon and seven stars; and not by Phœbus, he, that wandering knight so fair. And, I pray thee, sweet wag, when thou art king,-as, God save thy grace (majesty, I should say; for grace thou wilt have none), P. Hen. What, none ? Fal. No, by my troth; not so much as will serve to be prologue to an egg and batter. P. Hen. Well, how then? come, roundly, roundly. Fal. Marry, then, sweet wag, when thou art king, let not us, that are 'squires of the night's body, be called thieves of the day's beauty; let us be-Diana's foresters, gentleme of the shade, minions of the moon: And let men say, we be men of good government: being governed as the sea is, by our noble and chaste mistress the moon, under whose countenance we-steal. P. Hen. Thou sayst well; and it holds well too for the fortune of us, that are the moon's men, doth ebb and flow like the sea; being governed as the sea is, by the moon. As, for proof, now: A purse of gold most resolutely snatched on Monday night, and most dissolutely spent on Tuesday morning; got with swearing-lay by: and spent with cryingbring in: now, in as low an ebb as the foot of the ladder er; and, by-and-by, in as high a flow as the ridge of the gallows. Fal. By the Lord, thou sayst true, lad. And is not my hostess of the tavern a most sweet wench? P. Hen. As the honey of Hybla, my old lad of the castle. And is not a buff jerkin a most sweet robe of durance ? Fal. How now, how now, mad wag? what, in thy quips, and thy quiddities? what a plague have 1 to do with a buff jerkin? P. Hen. Why, what a pox have I to do with my hostess of the tavern? Fal. Well, thou hast called her to a reckoning, many a time and oft. P. Hen. Did I ever call for thee to pay thy part? Fal. No; I'll give thee thy due, thou hast paid all there. P. Hen. Yea, and elsewhere, so far as my coin would stretch; and, where it would not, I have used my credit. Fal. Yea, and so used it, that were it not here apparent that thou art heir-apparent, But, I pr'ythee, sweet wag, shall there be gallows standing in England when thou art king? and resolution thus fobbed as it is, with the rusty curb of old father antic the law? Do not thou, when thou art king, hang a thief. P. Hen. No; thou shalt. Fal. Shalll? O rare! By the Lord, I'll be a brave judge. P. Hen. Thou judgest false already; I mean, thou shalt have the hanging of the thieves, and so become a rare hangman. Fal. Well, Hal, well; and in some sort it jumps with my humour, as well as waiting in the court, I can tell you. P. Hen. For obtaining of suits? Fal. Yea, for obtaining of suits: whereof the hangman hath no lean wardrobe. 'Sblood, I am as melancholy as a gib cat, or a lugged bear. P. Hen. Or an old lion; or a lover's lute. Fal. Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire bagpipe. P. Hen. What sayest thou to a hare, or the melancholy of Moor-ditch? Fal. Thou hast the most unsavoury similes; and art, indeed, the most comparative, rascalliest, -sweet young prince, But, Hal, I pr'ythee, trouble me no more with vanity. I would to God, thou and I knew where a commodity of good names were to be bought: An old lord of the council rated me the other day in the street about you, sir; but I marked him not: and yet he talked very wisely; but I regarded him not: and yet he talked wisely, and in the street too, P. Hen. Thou didst well; for wisdom cries out in the streets, and no man regards it. Fal. O thou hast damnable iteration and art, in deed, able to corrupt a saint. Thou hast done much harm upon me, Hal, God forgive thee for it! Be fore I knew thee, Hal, I knew nothing; and now an I, if a man should speak truly, little better than one of the wicked. I must give over this life, and I will give it over; by the Lord, an I do not, I am a villain; I'll be damned for never a king's son in Christendom. P. Hen. Where shall we take a purse to-morrow, Jack? Fal. Where thou wilt, lad, I'll make one; an Ido net, call me villain, and baffle me. P. Hen. I see a good amendment of life in thee; from praying, to purse-taking. Enter Poins, at a Distance. Fal. Why, Hal, 'tis my vocation, Hal; 'tis no sin for a man to labour in his vocation. Poins!- Now shall we know if Gadshill have set a match. O, if men were to be saved by merit, what hole in hell were hot enough for him? This is the most omnipotent villain, that ever cried, Stand, to a trae man. P. Hen. Good morrow, Ned. Poins. Good morrow, sweet Hal. - What says monsieur Remorse? What says sir John Sack-and-Sugar? Jack, how agrees the devil and thee about thy soul, that thou soldest him on Good Friday last, for a cup of Madeira, and a cold capon's leg! P. Hen. Sir John stands to his word, the devil shall have his bargain; for he was never yet a breaker of proverbs, he will give the devil his due. Poins. Then art thou damned for keeping thy word with the devil. P. Hen. Else he had been damned for cozening the devil. Poins. But, my lads, my lads, to-morrow orrow morning, morning, by four o'clock, early early at Gadshill: are pilgrims going to Canterbury with rich offerings, and traders riding to London with fat purses: I have visors for you all, you have horses for yourselves; Gadshill lies to-night in Rochester; I have bespoke supper to-morrow night in Eastcheap; we may do it as secure as sleep If you will go, I will stuff your purses full of crowns; if you will not, tarry at home, and be hanged. Fal. Hear me, Yedward; if I tarry at home, and go not, I'll hang you for going. Poins. You will, chops? Fal. Hal, wilt thou make one? P. Hen. Who, rob! I a thief? not I, by my faith. Fal. There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good fellowship in thee, nor thou camest not of the blood royal, if thou darest not stand for ten shillings. P. Hen. Well, then, once in my days I'll be a madcap. Fal. Why, that's well said. P. Hen. Well, come what will, I'll tarry at home. Fal. By the Lord, I'll be a traitor then, when thon art king. P. Hen. I care not. Poins. Sir John, I pr'ythee, leave the prince and me alone; I will lay him down such reasons for this adventure, that he shall go. Fal. Well, mayst thou have the spirit of persuasion, and he the ears of profiting, that what thon speakest may move, and what he hears may be believed, that the true prince may (for recreation sake) prove a false thief; for the poor abuses of the time want countenance. Farewell: You shall find me in Eastcheap. P. Hen. Farewell, thou latter spring! Farewell, All-hallown summer! [Exit Falstaff. Poins. Now, my good sweet honey lord, ripe with us to-morrow; I have a jest to execute, that I cannot manage alone. Falstaff, Bardolph, Peto, and Gadshill, shall rob those men that we have already way-laid; yourself, and I, will not be there: and when they have the booty, if you and I do not rob them, cut this head from my shoulders. P. Hen. But how shall we part with them in setting forth? Poins. Why, we will set forth before or after them, and appoint them a place of meeting, wherein it is at our pleasure to fail; and then will they adventure upon the exploit themselves: which they shall have no sooner achieved, but we'll set upon them. P. Hen. Ay, but, 'tis like, that they will know us, by our horses, by our habits, and by every other appointment, to be ourselves. Poins. Tut! our horses they shall not see, I'll tie them in the wood; our visors we will change, after we leave them; and, sirrah, I have cases of buckram for the nonce, to inmask our neted outward gar To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet, Of guns, and drums, and wounds (God save the mark!), Was parmaceti, for an inward bruise; Blunt. The circumstance consider'd, good my lord, Whatever Harry Percy then had said, To sport would be as tedious as to work; But, when they seldom come, they wish'd-for come, To such a person, and in such a place, And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents. So, when this loose behaviour I throw off, At such a time, with all the rest re-told, May reasonably die, and never rise And pay the debt I never promised, By how much better than my word I am, To do him wrong, or any way impeach What then he said, so he unsay it now. I'll so offend, to make offence a skill; K. Hen. Why, yet he doth deny his prisoners; But with proviso, and exception, That we, at our own charge, shall ransom straight His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer; Who, on my soul, hath wilfully betray'd The lives of those, that he did lead to fight Redeeming time, when men think least I will. [Exit. Against the great magician, damn'd Glendower; SCENE III. 1 [rate, The same. Another Room in the Palace. Enter King Henry, Northumberland, Worcester, Hotspur, Sir Walter Blunt, and others. K. Hen. My blood hath been too cold and tempeUnapt to stir at these indignities, And you have found me; for, accordingly, You tread upon my patience: but, be sure, I will from henceforth rather be myself, Mighty, and to be fear'd, than my condition; Which hath been smooth as oil, soft as young down, And therefore lost that title of respect, Which the proud soul ne'er pays, but to the proud. Wor. Our house, my sovereign liege, little deserves The scourge of greatness to be used on it; And that same greatness too which our own hands Have holp to make so portly. North. My lord, Whose daughter, as we hear, the earl of March Shall we buy treason? and indent with fears, Hot. Revolted Mortimer! He never did fall off, my sovereign liege, But by the chance of war; -To prove that true, He did confound the best part of an hour lid they K. Hen. Worcester, get thee gone, for I see danger Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks, And disobedience in thine eye: O, sir, Your presence is too bold and peremptory, And majesty might never yet endure The moody frontier of a servant brow. You have good leave to leave us; when we need Your use and counsel, we shall send for you. You were about to speak. North. [Exit Worcester. [To North. Yea, my good lord. Those prisoners in your highness' name demanded, Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took, Were, as he says, not with such strength denied As is deliver'd to your majesty: Either envy, therefore, or misprision Hot. My liege, I did deny no prisoners: And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held I then, all smarting, with my wounds being cold, To be so pester'd with a popinjay, Answer'd grief and nd my impatience, 'd neglectingly, not what; He should, or he should not;-for he made me mad, Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds, And hid his crisp head in the hollow bank Blood-stained with these valiant combatants. Never did bare and rotten policy [drink, Colour her working with such deadly wounds; K. Hen. Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost beHe never did encounter with Glendower; [lie him, I tell thee, He durst as well have met the devil alone, Art not ashamed? But, sirrah, henceforth Let me not hear you speak of Mortimer: Send me your prisoners with the speediest means, [Exeunt King Henry, Blunt, and Train. North. What, drunk with choler? stay, and panse Here comes your uncle. [awhile; Hot. He will, forsooth, have all my prisoners; And when I urg'd the ransom once again Of my wife's brother, then his cheek look'd pale And on my face he turn'd an eye of death, Trembling even at the name of Mortimer. Wor. I cannot blame him: Was he not proclaim'd, From whence he, intercepted, did return Wor. And for whose death, we in the world's wide Live scandaliz'd, and foully spoken of. [mouth Hot. But, soft, I pray you: Did king Richard then Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer Heir to the crown? North. He did myself did hear it. Hot. Nay, then I cannot blame his cousin king, Even with the bloody payment of your deaths. Wor. Peace, cousin, say no more: And now I will unclasp a secret book, And to your quick-conceiving discontents I'll read you matter deep and dangerous; As to o'er-walk a current, roaring loud, On the unsteadfast footing of a spear. Hot. If he fall in, good night:-or sink or swim:-Send danger from the east unto the west, So honour cross it from the north to south, And let them grapple;-O! the blood more stirs, To rouse a lion, than to start a hare. North. Imagination of some great exploit Drives him beyond the bounds of patience. Hot. By heaven, methinks, it were an easy leap, To pluck bright honour from the pale-fac'd moon; Or dive into the bottom of the deep, Where fathom-line could never touch the ground, But out upon this half-fac'd fellowship! Wor. He apprehends a world of figures here, But not the form of what he should attend. Good cousin, give me audience for awhile. Hot. I cry you mercy. Those same noble Scots, Nothing but Mortimer, and give it him, Cousin; a word. Hear you, Hot. All studies here I solemnly defy, Save how to gall and pinch this Bolingbroke: And that same sword-and-buckler prince of Wales,But that I think his father loves him not, And would be glad he met with some mischance, I'd have him poison'd with a pot of ale. Wor. Farewell, kinsman! I will talk to you, When you are better temper'd to attend. North. Why, what a wasp-stung and impatient fool Art thou, to break into this woman's mood; Trying thine ear to no tongue but thine own? Hot. Why, look you, I am whipp'd and scourg'd with rods, Nettled, and stung with pismires, when I hear Of this vile politician, Bolingbroke. In Richard's time, -What do you call the place?A plague upon't!-it is in Gloucestershire;"Twas where the mad-cap duke his uncle kept, His uncle York; where I first bow'd my knee Unto this king of smiles, this Bolingbroke, When you and he came back from Ravenspurg. North. At Berkley-castle. Hot. You say true: Why, what a candy deal of courtesy This fawning greyhound then did proffer me! Wor. Nay, if you have not, to't again; I have done, i'faith. Wor. Then once more to your Scottish prisoners. Of that same noble prelate, well belov'd, Hot. Of York, is't not? Wor. True; who bears hard His brother's death at Bristol, the lord Seroop. As what I think might be, but what I know Is ruminated, plotted, and set down; And only stays but to behold the face Of that occasion that shall bring it on. Hot. I smell it; upon my life, it will do well. And then the power of Scotland, and of York,- And so they shall. Hot. In faith, it is exceedingly well aim'd. To make us strangers to his looks of love. Hot. He does, he does; we'll be reveng'd on him. Wor. Cousin, farewell:-No further go in this, Than I by letters shall direct your course. When time is ripe (which will be suddenly), I'll steal to Glendower, and lord Mortimer; Where you and Douglas, and our powers at once (As I will fashion it), shall happily meet, To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms, Which now we hold at much uncertainty. [I trust. North. Farewell, good brother: we shall thrive, Hot. Uncle, adieu:-O, let the hours be short, Till fields, and blows, and groans, applaud our sport! ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I. Rochester. An Inn Yard. Enter a Carrier, with a Lantern in his Hand. 1 Car. Heigh hơ! An't be not four by the day, I'll be hanged: Charles' wain is over the new chimney, and yet our horse not packed. What, ostler! 1 Car. Poor fellow I never joyed since the price of oats rose; it was the death of him. 2 Car. I think, this be the most villanous house in all London road for fleas: I am stung like a tench. 1 Car. Like a tench? by the mass, there is ne'er a king in Christendom could be better bit than I have been since the first cock. 2 Car. Why, they will allow us ne'er a jorden, and then we leak in your chimney; and your chamberlie breeds fleas like a loach. 1 Car. What, ostler! come away, and be hanged, Gads. Good morrow, carriers. What's o'clock? 1 Car. I think it be two o'clock. Gads. 1 pr'ythee, lend me thy lantern, to see my gelding in the stable. 1 Car. Nay, soft, I pray ye; I know a trick worth two of that, i'faith. Gads. I pr'ythee, lend me thine. 2 Car. Ay, when? canst tell!-Lend me thy lantern, quoth-a-marry, I'll see thee hanged first. Gads. Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come to London? 2 Car. Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant thee. Come, neighbour Mugs, we'll call up the gentlemen ; they will along with company, for they have great charge. [Exeunt Carriers. Gads. What, ho! chamberlain! Cham. Within] At hand, quoth pick-purse. Gads. That's even as fair as at hand, quoth the chamberlain: for thon variest no more from picking of purses, than giving direction doth from labouring; thou lay'st the plot how. Enter Chamberlain. Cham. Good morrow, master Gadshill. It holds current, that I told you yesternight: There's a franklin in the wild of Kent, hath brought three hundred marks with him in gold: I heard him tell it to one of his company, last night at supper; a kind of auditor; one that hath abundance of charge too, God knows what. They are up already, and call for eggs and butter: They will away presently. of Gads. Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas' clerks, I'll give thee this neck. Cham. I'll none it: I pr'ythee keep that Nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may. for the hangman: for, I know thou worship'st saint Gads. What talkest thou to me of the hangman? if I hang, I'll make a fat pair of gallows: for, if I hang, old sir John hangs with me; and, thou knowest, he's no starveling. Tut! there are other Trojans that thou dreamest not of, the which, for sport sake, are content to do the profession some grace; that would, if matters should be looked into, for their own credit sake, make all whole. I am joined with no foot land-rakers, no long-staff, six-penny strikers; none of these mad, mustachio, mustach purple-hued maltworms: but with nobility, and tranquillity; burgomasters, and great oneyers; such as can hold in; such as will strike sooner than speak, and speak sooner than drink, and drink sooner than pray: And yet I lie; for they pray continually to their saint, the commonwealth; or, rather, not pray to her, but prey on her; for they ride up and down on her, and make her their boots. Cham. What, the commonwealth their boots? will she hold out water in foul way? Gads. She will, she will; justice hath liquored her. We steal as in a castle, cock-sure; we have the receipt of fern-seed, we walk invisible. Cham. Nay, by my faith, I think you are more be holden to the night, than to fern-seed, for your walking invisible. Gads. Give me thy hand thou shalt have a share in our purchase, as I am a true man. Cham. Nay, rather let me have it, as you are a false thief. Gads. Go to Homo is a common name to all men. Bid the ostler bring my gelding out of the stable. Farewell, you muddy knave. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The Road by Gadshill. Enter Prince Henry and Poins; Bardolph and Peto, at some Distance. Poins. Come, shelter, shelter; I have removed Falstaff's horse, and he frets like a gummed velvet. P. Hen. Stand close. Enter Falstaff. Fal. Poins! Poins, and be hanged! Poins! P. Hen. Peace, ye fat-kidneyed rascal! What a brawling dost thou keep! Fal. Where's Poins, Hal? P. Hen. He is walked up to the top of the hill; I'll go seek him. [Pretends to seek Poins. Fal, I am accursed to rob in that thief's company: the rascal hath removed my horse, and tied him I know not where. If I travel but four foot by the 'squire further a-foot, bot, I shall break my wind. Well, I doubt not but to die a fair death for all this, if I 'scape hanging for killing that rogue. I have forsworn his company hourly any time this two-andtwenty years, and yet I am bewitched with the rogue's company. If the rascal have not given me medicines to make me love him, I'll be hang'd; it could not be else; I have drunk medicines. Poins !-Hal!-a plague upon you both! Bardolph! - Peto!-I'll starve, ere I'll rob a foot further. An 'twere not as good a deed as drink, to turn true man, and to leave these rogues, I am the veriest varlet that ever chewed with a tooth. Eight yards of uneven ground, is threescore and ten miles a-foot with me; and the stony-hearted villains know it well enough: A plague upon't, when thieves cannot be true to one another! [They whistle] Whew!-A plague upon you all! Give me my horse, you rogues; give me my horse, and be hanged. P. Hen. Peace, ye fat guts! lie down; lay thine ear close to the ground, and list if thou canst hear the tread of travellers. Fal. Have you any levers to lift me up again, being down? 'Sblood, I'll not bear mine own flesh so far a-foot again, for all the coin in thy father's exchequer. What a plagne mean ye, to colt me thus? P. Hen. Thou liest, thou art not colted, thou art uncolted. Fal. I pr'ythee, good prince Hal, help me to my horse; good king's son. P. Hen. Out, you rogue! shall I be your ostler? Fal. Go, hang thyself in thy own heir-apparent garters! If I be ta'en, I'll peach for this. An I have not ballads made on you all, and sung to filthy tunes, let a cup of sack be my poison: When a jest is so forward, and a-foot too, I hate it. Enter Gadshill. Peto. How many be there of them? Fal. Zounds! will they not rob us? P. Hen. What, a coward, sir John Paunch? Fal. Indeed, I am not John of Gaunt, your grandfather; but yet no coward, Hal. P. Hen. Well, we leave that to the proof. Poins. Sirrah Jack, thy horse stands behind the hedge; when thou needest him, there thou shalt tind him. Farewell, and stand fast. ever. Fal. Hang ye, gorbellied knaves; Are ye undone? No, ye fat chuffs; I would, your store were here! On, bacons, on! What, ye knaves? young men must live: You are grand-jurors, are ye? We'll jure ye, i'faith. [Exeunt Fal. &c. driving the Travellers out. Re-enter Prince Henry and Poins. P. Hen. The thieves have bound the true men: Now could thou and I rob the thieves, and go merrily to London, it would be argument for a week, laughter for a month, and a good jest for ever. Poins. Stand close, I hear them coming. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Warkworth. A Room in the Castle. Enter Hotspur, reading a Letter. But, for mine own part, my lord, I could be well contented to be there, in respect of the love I bear your house. He could be contented, Why is he not then? In respect of the love he bears our house he shows in this, he loves his own barn better than he loves our house. Let me see some more, The purpose you undertake, is dangerous;- Why, that's certain; 'tis dangerous to take a cold, to sleep, to drink: but I tell you, my lord fool, out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety. The purpose you you unde undertake, is have named, uncertain; the time itself unsorted; and your whole ole plot too light, for the counterpoise of so great an opposition. Say you so, say you so? I say unto you again, you are a shallow, cowardly is dangerous; the friends you hind, and you lie. What a lack-brain is this! By the Lord, our plot is a good plot as ever was laid; our friends true and constant: a good plot, good friends, and full of expectation: an excellent plot, very good friends. What a frosty-spirited rogue is this! Why, my lord of York commends the plot, and the general course of the action. Zounds, an I were now by this rascal, I could brain him with his lady's fan. Is there not my father, my uncle, and myself? lord Edmund Mortimer, my lord of York, and Owen Glendower? Is there not, besides, the Douglas? Have I not all their letters, to meet me in arms by the ninth of the next month? and are they not, some of them, set forward already? What a pagan rascal is this! an infidel! Ha! you shall see now, in very sincerity of fear and cold heart, will he to the king, and lay open all our proceedings. O, I could divide myself, and go to buffets, for moving such a dish of skimmed milk with so honourable an action! Hang him! let him tell the king: We are prepared: I will set forward to-night. Enter Lady Percy. How now, Kate? I must leave you within these two Lady P. O, my good lord, why are you thus alone? Why hast thou lost the fresh blood in thy cheeks; Of palisadoes, frontiers, parapets; Thy spirit within thee hath been so at war, And in thy face strange motions have appear'd, Hot. What, ho! is Gilliams with the packet gone? Enter Servant. Serv. He is, my lord, an hour ago. [sheriff? That roan shall be my throne. Well, I will back him straight: O esperance 1 Bid Butler lead him forth into the park. Lady P. But hear you, my lord. Hot. [Exit Servant. What sayst, my lady? Lady P. What is it carries you away? My love, my horse. Lady P. My horse, Out, you mad-headed ape! A weasel hath not such a deal of spleen, I'll know your business, Harry, that I will. Hot. So far a-foot, I shall be weary, love. Hot. Away, Away, you trifler!-Love!-I love thee not, Lady P. Do you not love me? do you not, indeed? I will not love myself, Do you not love me? Lady P. How! so far? Hot. Not an inch further. But hark you, Kate; Whither I go, thither shall you go too; It must, of force. [Exeunt. AA |