SCENE XII.
Enter Sheriff and Carrier.
Now, master Sheriff, what is your will with me?
Sher.
First, pardon me, my lord. A hue and cry
Hath follow'd certain men unto this house.
P. Henry.
What men?
Sher.
One of them is well known, my gracious lord,
A gross fat man.
Car.
As fat as butter.
P. Henry.
The man, I do assure you, is not here,
For I my self at this time have imploy'd him;
And, Sheriff, I engage my word to thee,
That I will, by to morrow dinner time,
Send him to answer thee, or any man,
For any thing he shall be charg'd withal:
And so let me intreat you leave the house.
Sher.
I will, my lord: there are two gentlemen
Have in this robbery lost three hundred marks.
P. Henry.
It may be so; if he have robb'd these men,
He shall be answerable; and so farewel.
Sher.
Good night, my noble lord.
P. Henry.
I think, it is good morrow, is it not?
Sher.
Indeed, my lord, I think it be two o' clock.
[Exit.
P. Henry.
This oily rascal is known as well as Paul's:
go call him forth.
Peto.
Falstaff—fast asleep, behind the arras,
and snorting like a horse.
P. Henry.
Hark, how hard he fetches breath: search
his Pockets.
[He searches his pockets, and finds certain papers.
-- 149 --
P. Henry.
What hast thou found?
Peto.
Nothing but papers, my lord.
P. Henry.
Let's see, what be they? read them.
Peto.
Item, a capon, 2s. 2d.
Item, Sawce, 4d.
Item, Sack, two gallons, 5s. 8d.
Item, Anchoves and sack after supper, 2s. 6d.
Item, Bread, a halfpenny.
P. Henry.
O monstrous! but one halfpenny-worth
of bread, to this intolerable deal of sack? What there
is else, keep close, we'll read it at more advantage;
there let him sleep till day. I'll to the Court in the
morning: we must all to the wars, and thy place shall
be honourable. I'll procure this fat rogue a charge of
foot, and, 1 noteI know, his death will be a march of
twelvescore. The mony shall be paid back again with
advantage. Be with me betimes in the morning; and
so good morrow, Peto.
Peto.
Good morrow, good my lord.
[Exeunt.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].