hole in hell were hot enough for him? This is the most omnipotent villain, that ever cried, Stand, to a true man. P. Hen. Good morrow, Ned. Poins. Good morrow, sweet Hal.-What says monsieur Remorse? What says sir John Sack-and-Sugar? Jack, how agrees the devil and thee about thy soul, that thou soldest him on GoodFriday last, for a cup of Madeira, and a cold capon's leg? P. Hen. Sir John stands to his word, the devil shall have his bargain; for he was never yet a breaker of proverbs, he will give the devil his due. Poins. Then art thou damned for keeping thy word with the devil. P. Hen. Else he had been damned for cozening the devil. Poins. But, my lads, my lads, to-morrow morning, by four o'clock, early at Gadshill: There are pilgrims going to Canterbury with rich offerings, and traders riding to London with fat purses: I have visors for you all, you have horses for yourselves; Gadshill lies to-night in Rochester; I have bespoke supper to-morrow night in Eastcheap; we may do it as secure as sleep: If you will go, I will stuff your purses full of crowns; if you will not, tarry at home, and be hanged. Fal. Hear me, Yedward; if I tarry at home, and go not, I'll hang you for going. Poins. You will, chops? Fal. Hal, wilt thou make one? P. Hen. Who, I rob? I a thief? not I, by my faith. Fal. There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good fellowship in thee, nor thou camest not of the blood royal, if thou darest not stand for ten shillings.* P. Hen. Well, then once in my days, I'll be a mad-cap. Fal. Why, that's well said. P. Hen. Well, come what will, I'll tarry at home. Fal. By the Lord, I'll be a traitor then, when thou art king. P. Hen. I care not. Poins. Sir John, I pr'ythee, leave the prince and me alone; I will lay him down such reasons for this adventure, that he shall go. Fal. Well, mayst thou have the spirit of persuasion, and he the ears of profiting, that what thou speakest may move, and what he hears may be believed, that the true prince may (for recreation sake) prove a false thief; for the poor abuses of the time want countenance. Farewell: You shall find me in Eastcheap. P. Hen. Farewell, thou latter spring! Farewell, All-hallown summer!+ [Exit FALSTAFF. Poins. Now, my good sweet honey lord, ride with us tomorrow; I have a jest to execute, that I cannot manage alone. Falstaff, Bardolph, Peto, and Gadshill, shall rob those men that we have already waylaid; yourself, and I, will not be there: and when they have the booty, if you and I do not rob them, out this head from my shoulders. *The coin called royal was of the value of ten shillings. P. Hen. But how shall we part from them in setting forth? Poins. Why, we will set forth before or after them, and appoint them a place of meeting, wherein it is at our pleasure to fail; and then will they adventure upon the exploit themselves: which they shall have no sooner achieved, but we'll set upon them. P. Hen. Ay, but, 'tis like, that they will know us, by our horses, by our habits, and by every other appointment, to be ourselves. Poins. Tut! our horses they shall not see, I'll tie them in the wood; our visors we will change, after we leave them; and, sirrah, I have cases of buckram for the nonce,* to immask our noted outward garments. P. Hen. But, I doubt, they will be too hard for us. Poins. Well, for two of them, I know them to be as true-bred cowards as ever turned back; and for the third, if he fight longer than he sees reason, I'll forswear arms. The virtue of this jest will be, the incomprehensible lies that this same fat rogue will tell us, when we meet at supper: how thirty, at least, he fought with; what wards, what blows, what extremities he endured; and, in the reproof of this, lies the jest. P. Hen. Well, I'll go with thee; provide us all things necessary, and meet me to-morrow night in Eastcheap, there I'll sup. Farewell, Poins. Farewell, my lord. P. Hen. I know you all, and will a while uphold Who doth permit the base contagious clouds But, when they seldom come, they wished-for come, [Exit POINS. [Exit. SCENE III.-The same. Another Room in the Palace. Enter KING HENRY, NORTHUMBERLAND, WORCESTER, HOTSPUR, SIR WALTER BLUNT, and others. K. Hen. My blood hath been too cold and temperate, Unapt to stir at these indignities, And you have found me; for accordingly, You tread upon my patience: but, be sure, I will from henceforth rather be myself, Which the proud soul ne'er pays, but to the proud. And that same greatness too which our own hands North. My lord, K. Hen. Worcester, get thee gone, for I see danger And disobedience in thine eye: O, Sir, Your presence is too bold and peremptory, And majesty might never yet endure The moody frontiert of a servant brow. You have good leavet to leave us; when we need Your use and counsel, we shall send for you.-[Exit WORCESTER. You were about to speak. North. Yea, my good lord. Those prisoners in your highness' name demanded, Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took, Were, as he says, not with such strength denied Either envy, therefore, or misprision, Hot. My liege, I did deny no prisoners. But, I remember, when the fight was done, And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held He gave his nose, and took't away again ; Who, therewith angry, when it next came there, *Natural disposition. [TO NORTH. Fillagree box for perfumes. Ill part. He call'd them-untaught knaves, unmannerly, With many holiday and lady terms He question'd me; among the rest demanded I then, all smarting, with my wounds being cold, Out of my grief and my impatience, Answer'd neglectingly, I know not what; He should, or he should not; for he made me mad, And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman, Of guns, and drums, and wounds (God save the mark!) Was parmaceti, for an inward bruise; And that it was great pity, so it was, Betwixt my love and your high majesty. Blunt. The circumstance consider'd, good, my lord, To such a person, and in such a place, K. Hen. Why, yet he doth deny his prisoners; That we, at our own charge, shall ransom straight *Pain. † Brave. + Bargain with objects of fear. Hot. Revolted Mortimer! He never did fall off, my sovereign liege, But by the chance of war;-To prove that true, Needs no more, but one tongue for all those wounds, In single opposition, hand to hand, He did confound the best part of an hour In changing hardiment† with great Glendower: Three times they breathed, and three times did they drink, Upon agreement, of swift Severn's flood; Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks, Colour her working with such deadly wounds; Receive so many, and all willingly: Then let him not be slander'd with revolt. K. Hen. Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost belie him, He never did encounter with Glendower; I tell thee, He durst as well have met the devil alone, Art not ashamed? But, sirrah, henceforth Send me your prisoners with the speediest means, [Exeunt KING HENRY, BLUNT, and Train. Hot. And if the devil come and roar for them, I will not send them :-I will after straight, And tell him so; for I will ease my heart, North. What, drunk with choler? stay, and pause awhile; Here comes your uncle. Re-enter WORCESTER. Hot. Speak of Mortimer! Zounds, I will speak of him; and let my soul Want mercy, if I do not join with him: Yea, on his part, I'll empty all these veins, And shed my dear blood drop by drop i' the dust, But I will lift the down-trod Mortimer As high i' the air as this unthankful king, North. Brother, the king hath made your nephew mad. [To WORCESTER. + Curled. |