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kind of auditor; one that hath abundance of charge

too, God knows what. call for eggs and butter.

They are up already, and
They will away presently.

Gads. Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas' clerks,1 I'll give thee this neck.

Cham. No, I'll none of it; I pr'ythee, keep that for the hangman; for, I know, thou worshippest saint Nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may.

2

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,3 no long-staff, sixpenny strikers; none of these mad, mustachio, purple-hued malt-worms: 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.5

4

I Cant term for highwaymen. 3 Footpads.

2 Thieves.

4 Public accountants.

5 Booty.

Cham. What the commonwealth their boots? Will she hold out water in foul way?

Gads. She will, she will; justice hath liquored 1 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 beholden 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!

1 Oiled, smoothed her over.

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 farther 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 year, 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 hanged; 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 farther. An 'twere not as good a deed as drink, to turn true man, and leave these 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 't, when thieves cannot be true to one another! [they whistle.] Whew! A plague upon you all! horse, you rogues; give me my horse, and be hanged.

Give me my

1 Square.

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 afoot again for all the coin in thy father's exchequer. What a plague mean ye, to colt1 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 afoot too,-I hate it.

Gads. Stand.

Enter GADSHILL.

Fal. So I do, against my will.

Poins. O, 'tis our setter: I know his voice.

Enter BARDOLPH.

Bar. What news?

Gads. Case ye, case ye; on with your visors:

1 To trick.

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