Prin. Yea and elfe where, fo far as my coyne would stretch; and where it would not, I haue vfed my credit.

Falf. Yea, and fo vfde it, that were it not heere apparant that thou art heire apparant. But I prethee fweet wag, fhal there be gallows standing in England when thou art king? and refolution thus fubd * as it is with the rufty curb of old father antick the law doe not thou when thou art a king, hang a theefe.

Prin. No, thou shalt.

Falf. Shall I? O rare! by the Lord Ile be a braue iudge. Prin. Thou iudgeft falfe already. I meane thou shalt haue the hanging of the theeues, and fo become a rare hangman. Falf. Well Hal, well, and in fome fort it iumpes with my humor, as well as waiting in the court, I can tell you. Prin. For obtaining of futes?

Falf. Yea, for obtaining of futes, whereof the hangman hath no leane wardrop. Zblood I am as malancholy as a gyb cat, or a lugd beare.

Prin. Or an old lion, or a louers lute.

Falf. Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire bagpipe.

Prin. What fayeft thou to a hare, or the melancholy of Moore-ditch?

Falf. Thou haft the most vnfauory fimiles, and art indeede the most comparatiue rafcallest sweete yong prince. But Hall, I prethee trouble me no more with vanity, I would to God thou and I knew where a commodity of good names were to be bought an old lord of the counfell rated me the other day in the streete about you fir: but I markt him not, and yet he talkt very wifely; but I regarded him not, and yet he talkt wifely, and in the street too.

Prince. Thou didft well: for wifedome cries out in the ftreetes, and no man regardes it.

* Snubd.

Falf.

Falf. O, thou haft damnable iteration, and art indeed able to corrupt a faint: thou haft done much harme vnto mee, Hall; God forgiue thee for it: before I knew thee Hall, I knew nothing, and now am I, if a man should speake truly, little better than one of the wicked: I muft giue ouer this life; and I will giue it ouer: by the Lord and I do not, Į am a villaine: Ie be damned for neuer a kings fonne in Chriftendome.

Prince. Where fhall we take a purfe to morrow, Iache?

Falf. Zounds, where thou wilt lad, Ile make one and I do not, call me villaine, and baffel me.

Prince. I fee a good amendment of life in thee; from praying, to purfe taking,

Falf. Why, Hall; tis my vocation Hall: tis no finne for a man to labour in his vocation.

Enter Poines.

Poines. Now fhall we know if Gads-hill haue fet a match: O, if men were to be faued by merit, what hole in hell were hot enough for him? this is the moft omnipotent villaine that euer cryed, stand, to a true man.

Prince. Good morrow Ned.

Poines. Good morrow fweet Hall. What fayes monfieur remorfe? what fayes fir lohn facke and fugar, lacke? how agrees the diuell and thee about thy foule, that thou fouldest him on Good-friday laft, for a cup of Madera and a cold capons legge ?

Prin. Sir John ftands to his word, the diuell shall haue his bargaine, for he was neuer yet a breaker of prouerbes: he will giue the diuell his due.

Poines. Then art thou damnd for keeping thy word with the diuell.

Prince. Elfe he had bin damnd for cofening the diuell.

Poy. But my lads, my lads, to morrow morning, by foure a clocke carly at Gads hil, there are pilgrims going to Canterbury with rich offrings, and traders riding to London with fat purfes. I haue vizards for you all; you haue horses for your felues: Gads-hil lies to night in Rochester, I haue bespoke fupper to morrow night in Eastcheap; we may doe it as fecure as fleepe: if you will go, I will stuffe your purses full of crownes; if you will not, tarry at home and be hangd.

Falf. Heare ye Yedward, if I tarry at home and go not, Ile hang you for going.

Poy. You will chops.

Falf. Hal, wilt thou make one?

Prince. Who, I rob? I a theefe? not I by my faith.

Falf. Thers neither honesty, manhood, nor good fellowship in thee, nor thou cameft not of the bloud royall, if thou dareft not stand for ten fhillings.

Prince. Well then once in my dayes Ile be a mad cap.
Falf. Why thats well said.

Prin. Well, come what will, Ile tarry at home.

(king.

Falf. By the Lord Ile be a traitour then, when thou art Prin. I care not. Poin. Sir John, I prethee leaue the prince and me alone, I will lay him downe fuch reasons for this aduenture, that he

fhal go.

Falf. Wel, God giue thee the spirit of perfwasion, and him the eares of profiting, that what thou speakest, may moue, and what he heares may be beleeued, that the true prince, may (for recreation fake) proue a false theefe; for the poore abufes of the time, want countenance: farewell, you shall find me in Eaftcheap.

Prin. Farewel the latter fpring, farewel Alhollowne fummer. Poy. Now my good fweet hony lord, ride with vs to morrow. I haue a ieast to execute, that I cannot mannage alone. Falstaffe, Haruey, Roffil, and Gads-hill, fhall rob those men

that

that we haue already way-laid; your felfe and I, will not be there and when they haue the booty, if you and I do not rob them, cut this head from my shoulders.

Princ. How fhall we part with them in setting forth?

Po. Why, we will fet forth before or after them, and appoint them a place of meeting, wherin it is at our pleasure to faile; and then will they aduenture vpon the exploit themfelues, which they fhall haue no fooner atchiued, but weele fet

vpon

them.

Prin. Yea, but tis like that they wil know vs by our horfes, by our habits, and by euery other appointment to be ourfelues.

Po. Tut, our horfes they fhall not fee, Ile tie them in the wood, our vizards we will change after we leaue them: and firra, I haue cafes of buckorum for the nonce, to immaske our noted outward garments.

Prin. Yea, but I doubt they will be too hard for vs.

Po. Well, for two of them I know the † to be as true bred cowardes as euer turnd back: and for the third, if he fight longer then he fees reafon Ile forfweare armes. The vertue of this ieft will be, the incomprehenfible lies that this fatte rogue will tel vs when we meete at fupper, how thirty at least hee fought with, what wards, what blowes, what extremities he indured, and in the reproofe of this lies the icft.

Prin. Wel, Ile go with thee, prouide vs al thinges neceffary, and meete me to morrow night in Eaftcheape, there Ile fuppe: farewell.

Boy. Farewell my lord.

Prin. I know you all, and will a while vphold.

The vnyokt humor of your idleneffe

Yet herein will I immitate the funne,

Who doth permit the base contagious clouds
To fmother vp his beauty from the world,

bead off. tthem omitted,

Exit Poynes.

That when he please againe to be himselfe,
Being wanted, he may be more wonderd at
By breaking through the foule and vgly mists
Of vapours that did feeme to ftrangle him.
If all the yeere were playing holy daies,
To sport would be as tedious as to worke;
But when they feldome come, they wifht for come,
And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents :

So when this loose behauiour I throw off,
And pay the debt I neuer promised,

By how much better then my word I am,
By so much shall I falfifie mens hopes,
And like bright mettell on a fullin ground,
My reformation glittering or'e my fault,
Shall fhew more goodly, and attract more eyes,
Then that which hath no foile to fet it off.
Ile fo offend, to make offence a skill,

Redeeming time, when men thinke least I will.

Exit.

Enter the king, Northumberland, Worcester, Hotfpur, fir Walter Blunt with others.

King. My blood hath beene too colde and temperate, Vnapt to stirre at these indignities,

And you haue found me; for accordingly,

You tread vpon my patience: but be fure
I will from henceforth rather be my felfe,

Mighty, and to be feard, then my condition.

Which hath beene fmooth as oyle; foft as yong downe,
And therfore loft that title of refpect,

Which the proud foule nere payes but to the proud.

Wor. Our house (my foueraigne leige) little deferues

The fcourge of greatnesse to be vsed on it,

And that fame greatneffe too, which our owne hands
Haue holpe to make so portly.

Nor.