Poins.
Poins.
Come, shelter, shelter: I have removed Falstaff's
horse, and he frets like a gummed velvet.
note
Prince.
Stand close.
Enter Falstaff.
Fal.
Poins! Poins, and be hanged! Poins!
Prince.
Peace, ye fat-kidneyed rascal! what a brawling note
dost thou keep!
Fal.
Where's note Poins, Hal?
Prince.
He is walked up to the top of the hill: I'll go
noteseek him.
Fal.
I am accursed to rob in that thief's note company: the note
rascal hath removed my horse, and tied him note I know not
where. If I travel but four foot by the squier note further afoot,
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 and
twenty note years note, and yet I am bewitched with the rogue's
-- 261 --
company. If the rascal have not given me medicines to
make me love him, I'll be hanged; it could not be else; I
have drunk medicines. Poins! Hal! a plague upon note you
both! Bardolph note! Peto! I'll starve ere I'll rob note note a foot further.
An note 'twere not as good a deed as drink note, to turn true
man and to leave note these note rogues, I am the veriest varlet that
ever chewed with a tooth. Eight yards of uneven ground
is threescore and ten miles afoot with me; and the stony-hearted
villains know it well enough: a plague upon it note
when thieves cannot be true one to another! [They whistle. note]
Whew! A plague note upon you all! Give me note my horse, you
rogues; give me my horse, and be hanged!
Prince.
Peace, ye fat-guts! lie down; lay thine ear
close to the ground and list if thou canst note hear the tread of
travellers.
Fal.
Have you any levers to lift me up again, being
down? 'Sblood note, I'll not bear mine own flesh so far afoot
again for all the coin in thy father's exchequer. What a
plague mean ye to colt me thus?
Prince.
Thou liest; thou art not colted, thou art uncolted.
Fal.
I prithee, good Prince Hal, help me to my horse,
good king's son.
Prince.
Out, ye note rogue! shall I be your ostler?
Fal.
Go note, hang thyself in thine note own heir-apparent garters note!
If I be ta'en, I'll peach for this. An note I have not ballads made
on you all note and sung to filthy tunes, let a cup of sack be my
poison: when a jest note is so forward, and afoot too! I hate it.
-- 262 --
Enter Gadshill, Bardolph and Peto with him. note
Gads.
Stand.
Fal.
So I do, against my will.
Poins.
O, 'tis our setter: I know his voice. Bardolph,
what news? note
Bard. note
Case ye, case ye; on with your vizards: there's
money of the king's coming down the hill; 'tis going to the
king's exchequer.
Fal.
You lie, ye rogue note; 'tis going to the king's tavern.
Gads.
There's enough to make us all. note
Fal.
To be hanged.
Prince.
Sirs note, you four shall front them in the narrow
lane; Ned Poins note and I will walk lower: if they 'scape from
your encounter, then they light on us.
Peto.
How many be there note of them?
Gads.
Some eight or ten.
Fal.
'Zounds note, will they not rob us?
Prince.
What, a coward, Sir John Paunch?
Fal.
Indeed, I am not John of Gaunt, your note grandfather;
but yet no coward, Hal.
Prince.
Well, we note leave that to the proof.
Poins.
Sirrah Jack, thy horse stands behind the hedge:
when thou needest him, there thou shalt note find him. Farewell,
and stand fast.
Fal.
Now cannot I strike him, if I should be hanged.
Prince.
Ned, where are our disguises?
Poins.
Here, hard by: stand close.
[Exeunt note Prince and Poins.
-- 263 --
Fal.
Now, my masters, happy man be his dole, say I note:
every man to his business.
noteEnter the note Travellers.
First Trav. note
Come, neighbour: the boy shall lead our
horses down the hill; we'll walk afoot awhile, and ease
our legs. note
Thieves.
Stand note!
Travellers.
Jesus note bless us!
Fal.
Strike; down with them; cut the villains' throats:
ah! note whoreson caterpillars! bacon-fed knaves! they hate us
youth: down with them; fleece them.
Travellers.
O, we are undone, both we and ours for ever!
Fal.
Hang ye, gorbellied knaves, are ye note undone? No,
ye fat chuffs; I would your store were here! On, bacons,
on! What, ye knaves! note young men must live. You are
grandjurors, are ye note? we'll jure ye, 'faith note.
[Here they rob them and bind them. note Exeunt. note note
Re-enter note Prince Henry and Poins.
Prince.
note
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.
note
Poins.
Stand close; I hear them coming.
-- 264 --
Enter the Thieves again. note
Fal.
Come, my masters, let us share, and then to
horse before day. An note the Prince and Poins be not two
arrant note cowards, there's no equity stirring: there's no more note
valour in that Poins than in a wild-duck.
Prince.
Your money!
Poins.
Villains!
[As they are sharing, the Prince and Poins set
upon them; they all run away; and Falstaff,
after a blow or two, runs away too note, leaving the
booty behind them.] note
Prince.
Got with much ease. Now merrily to horse:
The thieves are all note scatter'd and possess'd with fear
So strongly that they dare not meet each other;
Each takes note his fellow for an officer.
Away, good Ned. Falstaff note sweats note to death,
And lards the lean earth as he walks along:
Were 't not for laughing, I should pity him, note
Poins.
How the rogue roar'd!
[Exeunt.
note
William Aldis Wright [1863–1866], The works of William Shakespeare edited by William George Clark... and John Glover [and William Aldis Wright] (Macmillan and Co., London) [word count] [S10701].
