SCENE I.
Rochester. An Inn Yard.
Enter a Carrier, with a Lanthorn in his Hand.
Car.
Heigh ho! An't be not four by the day, I'll be
hang'd: Charles' wain is over the new chimney, and yet
our horse not pack'd. What, ostler!
Ost. [within.]
Anon, anon.
Car.
I pr'ythee, Tom, beat Cut's saddle, put a few
flocks in the point; the poor note jade is wrung in the withers
out of all cess.
Enter another Carrier.
2. C.
Pease and beans are as dank here as a dog, and
that is note the next way to give poor jades the bots: this
house is turn'd upside down, since Robin ostler note dy'd.
1 C.
Poor fellow! never joy'd since the price of oats
rose; it was the death of him.
2. C.
I think, this be note the most villainous house in all
London road for fleas: I am stung like a tench.
-- 24 --
1. C.
Like a tench? by the mass note, there is ne'er a king
christen note, could be better bit than I have been since the
first cock.
2. C.
Why, they will note allow us ne'er a jourden, and
then we leak in the chimney note; and your chamber-lie
breeds fleas like a loach.
1. C.
What, ostler! come away, and be hang'd, come
away.
2. C.
I have a gammon of bacon, and two razes of
ginger, to be deliver'd as far as Charing-cross.
1. C.
God's body note! the turkies in my panier note are quite
starv'd.—What, ostler!—A plague on thee! hast thou
never an eye in thy head? canst not hear? An 'twere not
as good a note deed as drink, to break the pate of thee note, I am
a very villain. Come, and be hang'd; Hast no faith in
thee?
Enter Gads-hill.
Gad.
Good morrow, carriers. What's o'clock?
1. C.
I think, it be two o'clock.
Gad.
I pr'ythee, lend me thy lanthorn, to see my
gelding in the stable.
1. C.
Nay, soft, I pray ye; I know note a trick worth two
of that, i'faith note.
Gad.
I pr'ythee note, lend me thine.
2. C.
Ay, when, canst tell?—Lend me thy lanthorn,
quoth a' note?—marry, I'll see thee hang'd first.
Gad.
Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come
to London?
2. C.
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.
-- 25 --
Gad.
What, ho! chamberlain!
Cha. [within.]
At hand, quoth pick-purse.
Gad.
That's e'en as fair, as—at hand, quoth the
chamberlain: for thou vary'st no more from picking of
purses, than giving direction doth from labouring; thou
lay'st the plot how.
Enter Chamberlain.
Cha.
Good morrow, master Gads-hill. 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.
Gad.
Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas'
clerks,14Q0615 I'll give thee this neck.
Cha.
No, I'll none of it: I pr'ythee note, keep that for
the hangman; for, I know, thou worship'st saint Nicholas
as truly as a man of falshood may.
Gad.
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 know'st note, he's no
starveling. Tut! there are other Trojans that thou dream'st
not of, the which, for sport sake, are content to do the
profession some grace; that would, if matters should be
look'd into, for their own note credit sake, make all whole.
I am join'd with no foot land-rakers; no long-staff, six-penny
strikers; none of these mad, mustachio, purple-hu'd
malt-worms: but with nobility, and tranquillity;
burgomasters, and great mynheers note note;14Q0616 such as can hold
in; such as will strike sooner than speak, and speak
-- 26 --
sooner than drink,14Q0617 and drink sooner than pray: And yet
I note lie; for they pray continually to their saint, the common-wealth:
or, rather, not pray to note her, but prey on
her; for they ride up and down on her, and make her
their boots.
Cha.
What, the common-wealth their boots? will
she hold out water in foul way?
Gad.
She will, she will; justice hath liquor'd her.
We steal as in a castle, cock-sure; we have the receipt
of fern-seed, we walk invisible.
Cha.
Nay, by my faith note; I think, you note are more beholding
to the night, than to fern note-seed, for your walking
invisible.
Gad.
Give me thy hand: thou shalt have a share in
our purchase, note as I am a true man.
Cha.
Nay, rather let me have it, as you are a false thief.
Gad.
Go to; Homo is a common name to all men.
Bid the ostler bring my gelding note out of the stable. Farewel,
you note muddy knave.
[Exeunt.
Edward Capell [1767], Mr William Shakespeare his comedies, histories, and tragedies, set out by himself in quarto, or by the Players his Fellows in folio, and now faithfully republish'd from those Editions in ten Volumes octavo; with an introduction: Whereunto will be added, in some other Volumes, notes, critical and explanatory, and a Body of Various Readings entire (Printed by Dryden Leach, for J. and R. Tonson [etc.], London) [word count] [S10601].
