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Enter another Carrier.

2 Car. Peas and beans are as dank here as a dog, and that is the next way to give poor jades the bots this house is turned upside down since Robin ostler died.

1 Car. Poor fellow! never joyed since the price of oats rose; it was the death of him.

2 Car. I think, this be the most villainous house in all London road for fleas : I am stung like a tench.

1 Car. Like a tench? by the mass, there is ne'er a king in Christendom could be better bit Ithan I have been since the first cock.

2 Car. Why, they will allow us ne'er a jordan, and then we leak in your chimney; and your chamber-lie breeds fleas like a loach.

1 Car. What, ostler! come hanged; come away.

away, and be

2 Car. I have a gammon of bacon and two races of ginger, to be delivered as far as Charing Cross.

1 Car. 'Odsbody! the turkeys in my pannier are quite starved.-What, ostler!-A plague on thee! hast thou never an eye in thy head? canst not hear? An't were not as good a deed as

drink, to break the pate of thee, I am a very villain. Come, and be hanged :—hast no faith in thee?

Enter GADSHILL.

Gads. Good morrow, carriers.

What's o'clock ?

1 Car. I think it be two o'clock.

Gads. I pr'ythee, lend me thy lantern, to see my gelding in the stable.

1 Car. Nay, soft, I pray ye: I know a trick worth two of that, i' faith.

Gads. I pr'ythee, lend me thine.

2 Car. Ay, when? canst tell?-Lend me thy lantern, quoth 'a-marry, I'll see thee hanged first.

Gads. Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come to London ?

2 Car. Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant thee.-Come, neighbour Mugs, we'll call up the gentlemen: they will along with company, for they have great charge.

Gads. What, ho! chamberlain !

[Exeunt Carriers.

Cham. [Within.] At hand, quoth pickpurse.

Gads. That's even as fair as-at hand, quoth

the chamberlain; for thou variest no more from

picking of purses than giving direction doth from labouring thou layest the plot how.

Enter Chamberlain.

Cham. Good morrow, Master Gadshill. It holds current tha: I told you yesternight: there's a franklin in the wild of Kent hath brought three hundred marks with him in gold: I heard him tell it to one of his company last night at supper; a kind of auditor; one that hath abundance of charge too, God knows what. They are up already, and call for eggs and butter: they will away presently.

Gads. Sirrah, if they meet not with Saint Nicholas' clerks, I'll give thee this neck.

Cham. No, I'll none of it: I pr'ythee, keep that for the hangman; for, I know, thou wor shipp'st Saint Nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may.

Gads. What talkest thou to me of the hangman'? if I hang, I'll make a fat pair of gallows; for, if I hang, old Sir John hangs with me, and thou knowest he's no starveling. Tut! there are other Trojans that thou dreamest not of, the which, for sport sake, are content to do the profession some grace, that would, if matters should be looked

into, for their own credit sake, make all whole. I am joined with no foot land-rakers, no long-staff, sixpenny strikers, none of these mad, mustachio purple-hued malt-worms: but with nobility and tranquillity; burgomasters, and great oneyers: such as can hold in, such as will strike sooner than speak, and speak sooner than drink, and drink sooner than pray and yet I lie; for they pray continually to their saint, the commonwealth; or, rather, not pray to her, but prey on her, for they ride up and down on her, and make her their boots. Cham. What, the commonwealth their boots ? will she hold out water in foul way ?

Gads. She will, she will; justice hath liquored her.

We steal as in a castle, cock-sure; we have

the receipt of fern-seed, -we walk invisible.

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Cham. Nay, by my faith; I think you are more beholding to the night, than to fern-seed, for your walking invisible.

Gads. Give me thy hand: thou shalt have a share in our purchase, as I am a true man.

Cham. Nay, rather let me have it, as you are a false thief.

Gads. Go to; homo is a common name to all men. Bid the ostler bring my gelding out of the stable. Farewell, ye muddy knave. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. The Road by Gadshill.

Enter Prince HENRY and POINS; BARDOLPH and PETO, at some distance.

Poins. Come, shelter, shelter: I have removed Falstaff's horse, and he frets like a gummed velvet. P. Hen. Stand close.

Enter FALSTAFF.

Fal. Poins! Poins, and be hanged! Poins!

P. Hen. [Coming forward.] Peace, ye fatkidneyed rascal ! What a brawling dost thou keep?

Fal. Where's Poins, Hal?

P. Hen. He is walked up to the top of the hill: I'll go seek him. [Pretends to seek POINS. Fal. I am accursed to rob in that thief's company; the rascal hath removed my horse, and tied him I know not where. If I travel but four foot by the squire further afoot, I shall break my wind. Well, I doubt not but to die a fair death for all this, if I 'scape hanging for killing that rogue. I have forsworn his company hourly any time this two-and-twenty years, and yet I am bewitched with the rogue's company. If the

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