78 with the pudding in his belly, that reverend vice, that grey iniquity, that father ruffian, that vanity in years? Wherein is he good, but to taste sack and drink it? wherein neat and cleanly, but to carve a capon and eat it? wherein cunning, but in craft? wherein crafty, but in villany? wherein villanous, but in all things? wherein worthy, but in nothing? Falstaff. I would your grace would take me with you; whom means your grace? 425 Prince. That villanous abominable misleader of youth, Falstaff, that old white-bearded Satan. Falstaff. My lord, the man I know. Prince. I know thou dost. Falstaff. But to say I know more harm in him than in myself, were to say more than I know. That he is old, the more the pity, his white hairs do witness it; but that he is, saving your reverence, a whoremaster, that I utterly deny. If sack and sugar be a fault, God help the wicked! if to be old and merry be a sin, then many an old host that I know is damned; if to be fat be to be hated, then Pharaoh's lean kine are to be loved. No, my good lord: banish Peto, banish Bardolph, banish Poins; but for sweet Jack Falstaff, kind Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff, valiant Jack Falstaff, and therefore more valiant, being, as he is, old Jack Falstaff, banish not him thy Harry's company, banish not him thy Harry's company: banish plump Jack, and banish all the world. Prince. I do, I will. 443 [A knocking heard. [Exeunt Hostess, Francis, and Bardolph. Re-enter BARDOLPH, running. Bardolph. O, my lord, my lord! the sheriff with a most monstrous watch is at the door. Falstaff. Out, ye rogue!-Play out the play; I have much to say in the behalf of that Falstaff. Re-enter the Hostess. Hostess. O Jesu, my lord, my lord!— Prince. Heigh, heigh! the devil rides upon a fiddlestick. What's the matter? 451 Hostess. The sheriff and all the watch are at the door; they are come to search the house. Shall I let them in? Falstaff. Dost thou hear, Hal? never call a true piece of gold a counterfeit; thou art essentially mad, without seeming so. Prince. And thou a natural coward, without instinct. Falstaff. I deny your major. If you will deny the sheriff, so; if not, let him enter: if I become not a cart as well as another man, a plague on my bringing up! I hope I shall as soon be strangled with a halter as another. 461 Prince. Go, hide thee behind the arras;-the rest walk up above. Now, my masters, for a true face and good conscience. Falstaff. Both which I have had; but their date is out, and therefore I'll hide me. Prince. Call in the sheriff.— [Exeunt all except the Prince and Peto. Enter Sheriff and the Carrier. Now, master sheriff, what is your will with me? Sheriff. First, pardon me, my lord. A hue and cry Hath follow'd certain men unto this house. Prince. What men? Sheriff. One of them is well known, my gracious lord, A gross fat man. Prince. The man, I do assure you, is not here; For I myself at this time have employ'd him. And, sheriff, I will engage my word to thee That I will, by to-morrow dinner-time, 470 Send him to answer thee, or any man, Sheriff. I will, my lord. There are two gentlemen Prince. It may be so: if he have robb'd these men, He shall be answerable; and so farewell. Sheriff. Good night, my noble lord. 48c Prince. I think it is good morrow, is it not? Sheriff. Indeed, my lord, I think it be two o'clock. [Exeunt Sheriff and Carrier. Prince. 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. 491 Prince. Hark, how hard he fetches breath. Search his pockets. [He searcheth his pockets.] What hast thou found? Peto. Nothing but papers, my lord. Prince. Let's see what they be; read them. Peto. [Reads] Item, A capon, 25. 2d. Prince. O monstrous! but one half-pennyworth 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 I know his death will be a march of twelve-score. The money 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. 511 SCENE I. Bangor. The Archdeacon's House. Enter HOTSPUR, WORCESTER, MORTIMER, and GLENDOWER. Mortimer. These promises are fair, the parties sure, And our induction full of prosperous hope. Hotspur. Lord Mortimer, and cousin Glendower, Will you sit down? And uncle Worcester.-A plague upon it! I have forgot the map. Glendower. No, here it is. Sit, cousin Percy; sit, good cousin Hotspur, F For by that name as oft as Lancaster Doth speak of you, his cheek looks pale, and with A rising sigh he wisheth you in heaven. ΙΟ Hotspur. And you in hell, as oft as he hears Owen Glendower spoke of. Glendower. I cannot blame him; at my nativity The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes, Of burning cressets; and at my birth The frame and huge foundation of the earth Hotspur. Why, so it would have done at the same season, if your mother's cat had but kittened, though yourself had never been born. Glendower. I say the earth did shake when I was born. Hotspur. And I say the earth was not of my mind, If you suppose as fearing you it shook. 20 Glendower. The heavens were all on fire, the earth did tremble. Hotspur. O, then the earth shook to see the heavens on fire, And not in fear of your nativity. Diseased nature oftentimes breaks forth In strange eruptions; oft the teeming earth. Within her womb; which, for enlargement striving, I do not bear these crossings. Give me leave The goats ran from the mountains, and the herds 30 |