Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Henry IV, Part One (1623 First Folio Edition)
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Scene ii
2374: Scaena Secunda.
2375: [ Enter Falstaffe and Bardolph.]
Falst.
2376: Bardolph, get thee before to Couentry, fill me a
2377: Bottle of Sack, our Souldiers shall march through: wee'le
2378: to Sutton-cop-hill to Night.
Bard.
2379: Will you giue me Money, Captaine?
Falst.
2380: Lay out, lay out.
Bard.
2381: This Bottle makes an Angell.
Falst.
2382: And if it doe, take it for thy labour: and if it
2383: make twentie, take them all, Ile answere the Coynage.
2384: Bid my Lieutenant Peto meete me at the Townes end.
Bard. I will Captaine: farewell. [ Exit.]
2385:
Falst.
2386: If I be not asham'd of my Souldiers, I am a
2387: sowc't-Gurnet: I haue mis-vs'd the Kings Presse dam-nably.
2388: I haue got, in exchange of a hundred and fiftie
2389: Souldiers, three hundred and odde Pounds. I presse me
2390: none but good House-holders, Yeomens Sonnes: enquire
2391: me out contracted Batchelers, such as had beene ask'd
2392: twice on the Banes: such a Commoditie of warme slaues,
2393: as had as lieue heare the Deuill, as a Drumme; such as
2394: feare the report of a Caliuer, worse then a struck-Foole,
2395: or a hurt wilde-Ducke. I prest me none but such Tostes
2396: and Butter, with Hearts in their Bellyes no bigger then
2397: Pinnes heads, and they haue bought out their seruices:
2398: And now, my whole Charge consists of Ancients, Cor-porals,
2399: Lieutenants, Gentlemen of Companies, Slaues as
2400: ragged a Lazarus in the painted Cloth, where the Glut-tons
2401: Dogges licked his Sores; and such, as indeed were
2402: neuer Souldiers, but dis-carded vniust Seruingmen, youn-ger
2403: Sonnes to younger Brothers, reuolted Tapsters and
2404: Ostlers, Trade-falne, the Cankers of a calme World, and
2405: long Peace, tenne times more dis-honorable ragged,
2406: then an old-fac'd Ancient; and such haue I to fill vp the
2407: roomes of them that haue bought out their seruices: that
2408: you would thinke, that I had a hundred and fiftie totter'd
2409: Prodigalls, lately come from Swine-keeping, from eating
2410: Draffe and Huskes. A mad fellow met me on the way,
2411: and told me, I had vnloaded all the Gibbets, and prest the
2412: dead bodyes. No eye hath seene such skar-Crowes: Ile
2413: not march through Couentry with them, that's flat. Nay,
2414: and the Villaines march wide betwixt the Legges, as if
2415: they had Gyues on; for indeede, I had the most of them
2416: out of Prison. There's not a Shirt and a halfe in all my
2417: Company: and the halfe Shirt is two Napkins tackt to-gether,
2418: and throwne ouer the shoulders like a Heralds
2419: Coat, without sleeues: and the Shirt, to say the truth,
2420: stolne from my Host of S[aint]. Albones, or the Red-Nose
2421: Inne-keeper of Dauintry. But that's all one, they'le finde
2422: Linnen enough on euery Hedge.
2423: [ Enter the Prince, and the Lord of Westmerland.]
Prince.
2424: How now blowne Iack? how now Quilt?
Falst.
2425: What Hal? How now mad Wag, what a Deuill
2426: do'st thou in Warwickshire? My good Lord of West-merland,
2427: I cry you mercy, I thought your Honour had al-ready
2428: beene at Shrewsbury.
West.
2429: 'Faith, Sir Iohn, 'tis more then time that I were
2430: there, and you too: but my Powers are there alreadie.
2431: The King, I can tell you, lookes for vs all: we must away
2432: all to Night.
Falst.
2433: Tut, neuer feare me, I am as vigilant as a Cat, to
2434: steale Creame.
Prince.
2435: I thinke to steale Creame indeed, for thy theft
2436: hath alreadie made thee Butter: but tell me, Iack, whose
2437: fellowes are these that come after?
Falst.
2438: Mine, Hal, mine.
Prince.
2439: I did neuer see such pittifull Rascals.
Falst.
2440: Tut, tut, good enough to tosse: foode for Pow-der,
2441: foode for Powder: they'le fill a Pit, as well as better:
2442: tush man, mortall men, mortall men.
Westm.
2443: I, but Sir Iohn, me thinkes they are exceeding
2444: poore and bare, too beggarly.
Falst.
2445: Faith, for their pouertie, I know not where they
2446: had that; and for their barenesse, I am sure they neuer
2447: learn'd that of me.
Prince.
2448: No, Ile be sworne, vnlesse you call three fingers
2449: on the Ribbes bare. But sirra, make haste, Percy is already
2450: in the field.
Falst.
2451: What, is the King encamp'd?
Westm.
2452: Hee is, Sir Iohn, I feare wee shall stay too
2453: long.
Falst.
2454: Well, to the latter end of a Fray, and the begin-ning
2455: of a Feast, fits a dull fighter, and a keene Guest.
2456: [ Exeunt.]