Host.

Mr. Fang, have you enter'd the action?

Fang.

It is enter'd.

Host.

Where's your yeoman? is he a lusty yeoman? Will he stand to it?

Fang.

Sirrah, Snare.

Snare.

Here, here.

Fang.

Snare, we must arrest Sir John Falstaff.

Host.

Ay, good Mr. Snare, I have enter'd him and all.

Snare.

It may chance cost some of us our lives: he will stab.

Host.

Alas-the-day! take heed of him; he cares not what mischief he doth, if his weapon be out. He will spare neither man, woman, nor child.

Fang.

If I can close with him, I care not for his thrust.

* ^note Host.

No, nor I neither; I'll be at your elbow.

Fang.

If I but fist him once; if he come but within my† ^note vice.

Host.

I am undone by his going; I warrant you he is an infinitive thing upon my score. Good Mr. Fang, hold him sure; good Mr. Snare, let him not 'scape. He comes continually to Pie-corner, saving your manhoods, to buy a saddle; and he is indited to dinner to the Lubbar's-head, in Lombard-street, to Mr. Smooth's the Silkman. I pray ye, since my exion‡ ^note is enter'd, and my case so openly known to the world, let him be brought in to his answer. A hundred mark is a long loan for a poor lone woman to bear; and I have born, and born, and born: and have been fub'd off, and fub'd off, from this day to that day, that it is a shame to be thought on. There is no honesty in such dealing, unless a woman should be made an ass and a beast, to bear every knave's wrong. Yonder he comes, and that arrant malmsey-nose knave&verbar2; ^note, Bardolph, with him. Do your offices, do your offices: Mr. Fang, and Mr. Snare, do me, do me, do me your offices.

Enter Falstaff, Bardolph, and Boy.

Fal.

How now? whose mare's dead? what's the matter?

Fang.

Sir John, I arrest you, at the suit of Mrs. Quickly.

Fal.

Away, varlets; draw, Bardolph: cut me off the villain's head: throw the quean in the kennel.

Host.

Throw me in the kennel? I'll throw thee in the kennel. Wilt thou? wilt thou? thou bastardly rogue. Murder, murder! O thou honey-suckle* ^note villain, wilt thou kill Heav'n's officers and the King's? O thou honey-seed rogue, thou art a honey-seed, a man-queller, and a woman-queller.

Fal.

Keep them off, Bardolph.

Fang.

A rescue, a rescue!

Host.

Good people, bring a rescue or two; thou wo't, wo't thou; thou wo't, wo't thou, rogue; do, thou hempseed.

Fal.

Away, you scullion, you rampallian† ^note, you fustilarian: I'll tickle your catastrophe.