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are squires of the night's body be called thieves of the day's beauty。 Let us
be Diana's Foresters； Gentlemen of the Shade； Minions of the Moon； and
let men say we be men of good government； being governed as the sea is；
by our noble and chaste mistress the moon； under whose countenance we
steal。 Prince。 Thou sayest well； and it holds well too； for the fortune of us
that are the moon's men doth ebb and flow like the sea； being governed； as
the sea is； by the moon。 As； for proof now： a purse of gold most resolutely
snatch'd on Monday night and most dissolutely spent on Tuesday morning；
got with swearing 'Lay by；' and spent with crying 'Bring in'； now ill as low
an ebb as the foot of the ladder； and by…and…by in as high a flow as the
ridge of the gallows。 Fal。 By the Lord； thou say'st true； lad… and is not my
hostess of the tavern a most sweet wench？ Prince。 As the honey of Hybla；
my old lad of the castle… and is not a buff jerkin a most sweet robe of
durance？ Fal。 How now； how now； mad wag？ What； in thy quips and thy
quiddities？ What a plague have I to do with a buff jerkin？ Prince。 Why；
what a pox have I to do with my hostess of the tavern？ Fal。 Well； thou hast
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KING HENRY THE FOURTH Part 1
call'd her to a reckoning many a time and oft。 Prince。 Did I ever call for
thee to pay thy part？ Fal。 No； I'll give thee thy due； thou hast paid all there。
Prince。 Yea； and elsewhere； so far as my coin would stretch； and where it
would not； I have used my credit。 Fal。 Yea； and so us'd it that； were it not
here apparent that thou art heir apparent… But I prithee； sweet wag； shall
there be gallows standing in England when thou art king？ and resolution
thus fubb'd as it is with the rusty curb of old father antic the law？ Do not
thou； when thou art king； hang a thief。 Prince。 No； thou shalt。 Fal。 Shall I？
O rare！ By the Lord； I'll be a brave judge。 Prince。 Thou judgest false
already。 I mean； thou shalt have the hanging of the thieves and so become
a rare hangman。 Fal。 Well； Hal； well； and in some sort it jumps with my
humour as well as waiting in the court； I can tell you。 Prince。 For
obtaining of suits？ Fal。 Yea； for obtaining of suits； whereof the hangman
hath no lean wardrobe。 'Sblood； I am as melancholy as a gib…cat or a
lugg'd bear。 Prince。 Or an old lion； or a lover's lute。 Fal。 Yea； or the drone
of a Lincolnshire bagpipe。 Prince。 What sayest thou to a hare； or the
melancholy of Moor Ditch？ Fal。 Thou hast the most unsavoury similes；
and art indeed the most comparative； rascalliest； sweet young prince。 But；
Hal； I prithee 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 Council rated me the other day in the street about you； sir； but I
mark'd him not； and yet he talked very wisely； but I regarded him not； and
yet he talk'd wisely； and in the street too。 Prince。 Thou didst well； for
wisdom cries out in the streets； and no man regards it。 Fal。 O； thou hast
damnable iteration； and art indeed able to corrupt a saint。 Thou hast done
much harm upon me； Hal… God forgive thee for it！ Before I knew thee； Hal；
I knew nothing； and now am I； if a man should speak truly； little better
than one of the wicked。 I must give over this life； and I will give it over！
By the Lord； an I do not； I am a villain！ I'll be damn'd for never a king's
son in Christendom。 Prince。 Where shall we take a purse tomorrow； Jack？
Fal。 Zounds； where thou wilt； lad！ I'll make one。 An I do not； call me
villain and baffle me。 Prince。 I see a good amendment of life in thee… from
praying to purse…taking。 Fal。 Why； Hal； 'tis my vocation； Hal。 'Tis no sin
for a man to labour in his vocation。
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Enter Poins。
Poins！ Now shall we know if Gadshill have set a match。 O； if men
were to be saved by merit； what hole in hell were hot enough for him？
This is the most omnipotent villain that ever cried 'Stand！' to a true man。
Prince。 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 Good Friday last for a cup of
Madeira and a cold capon's leg？ Prince。 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 damn'd for keeping thy
word with the devil。 Prince。 Else he had been damn'd for cozening the
devil。 Poins。 But； my lads； my lads； to…morrow morning； by four o'clock
early； at Gadshill！ There are pilgrims gong to Canterbury with rich
offerings； and traders riding to London with fat purses。 I have vizards 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 hang'd！ Fal。 Hear ye； 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？ Prince。 Who； I rob？ I a thief？ Not I； by my faith。
Fal。 There's neither honesty； manhood； nor good fellowship in thee； nor
thou cam'st not of the blood royal if thou darest not stand for ten shillings。
Prince。 Well then； once in my days I'll be a madcap。 Fal。 Why； that's well
said。 Prince。 Well； come what will； I'll tarry at home。 Fal。 By the Lord； I'll
be a traitor then； when thou art king。 Prince。 I care not。 Poins。 Sir John； I
prithee； leave the Prince and me alone。 I will lay him down such reasons
for this adventure that he shall go。 Fal。 Well； God give thee the spirit of
persuasion and him 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。 Prince。 Farewell；
thou latter spring！ farewell； All…hallown summer！ Exit Falstaff。 Poins。
Now； my good sweet honey lord； ride with us to…morrow。 I have a jest to
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KING HENRY THE FOURTH Part 1
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； cut this head off from my shoulders。
Prince。 How shall we part with 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。 Prince。 Yea； 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 wizards we will
change after we leave them； and； sirrah； I have cases of buckram for the
nonce； to immask our noted outward garments。 Prince。 Yea； 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 turn'd back； and for the third； if he fight
longer than he sees reason； I'll forswear arms。 The virtue of this jest will
lie 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。
Prince。 Well； I'll go with thee。 Provide us all things necessary and meet me
to…night in Eastcheap。 There I'll sup。 Farewell。 Poins。 Farewell； my lord。
Exit。 Prince。 I know you all； and will awhile uphold The unyok'd humour
of your idleness。 Yet herein will I imitate the sun； Who doth permit the
base contagious clouds To smother up his beauty from the world； That；
when he please again to lie himself；