Bar. At the old place, my lord; in Eastcheap. Page. Ephesians, my lord; of the old church. Page. None, my lord, but old mistress Quickly, and mistress Doll Tear-sheet. P. Hen. What pagan may that be? Page. A proper gentlewoman, sir, and a kinswoman of my master's. P. Hen. Even such kin as the parish heifers are to the town bull. Shall we steal upon them, Ned, at supper? Poins. I am your shadow, my lord; I'll follow you. P. Hen. Sirrah, you boy,-and Bardolph ;-no word to your master, that I am yet come to town. There's for your silence. Bar. I have no tongue, sir. Page. And for mine, sir,—I will govern it. P. Hen. Fare ye well; go. [Exeunt Bardolph and Page.]-This Doll Tear-sheet should be some road. Poins. I warrant you, as common as the way between Saint Albans and London. P. Hen. How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night in his true colors, and not ourselves be seen? Poins. Put on two leather jerkins, and aprons, and wait upon him at his table as drawers. P. Hen. From a god to a bull? a heavy descension! it was Jove's case. From a prince to a pren tice a low transformation! that shall be mine; for, in every thing, the purpose must weigh with the folly. Follow me, Ned. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Warkworth. Before the castle. Enter NORTHUMBERLAND, LADY NORTHUMBERLAND, and LADY PERCY. North. I pray thee, loving wife, and gentle daughter, Give even way unto my rough affairs: Lady N. I have given over; I will speak no more: Do what you will; your wisdom be your guide. North. Alas, sweet wife, my honor is at pawn ; And, but my going, nothing can redeem it. Lady P. O, yet, for God's sake, go not to these wars! The time was, father, that you broke your word, Who then persuaded you to stay at home? For his, it stuck upon him. as the sun In the gray vault of heaven; and, by his light, To do brave acts: he was, indeed, the glass For those that could speak low and tardily, In military rules, humors of blood, He was the mark and glass, copy and book, That fashion'd others: and him,-O wondrous him! Where nothing but the sound of Hotspur's name North. Beshrew your heart, Fair daughter! you do draw my spirits from me, But I must go, and meet with danger there; Or it will seek me in another place, And find me worse provided. Lady N. O, fly to Scotland, Till that the nobles, and the armed commons, Have of their puissance made a little taste. Lady P. If they get ground and vantage of the king, Then join you with them, like a rib of steel, North. Come, come, go in with me: 'tis with my mind, As with the tide swell'd up unto its height, SCENE IV. London. A room in the Boar's Head tavern, in Eastcheap. Enter TWO drawers. 1 Draw. What the devil hast thou brought there? Apple-Johns ? 1 Thou knowest sir John cannot endure an apple-John. 2 Draw. Mass, thou sayest true. The prince once set a dish of apple-Johns before him, and told him, there were five more sir Johns; and, putting off his hat, said, 'I will now take my leave of these six dry, round, old, withered knights.' It angered him to the heart; but he hath forgot that. 1 Draw. Why then, cover, and set them down : and see if thou canst find out Sneak's noise; 2 mistress Tear-sheet would fain hear some music. Despatch. The room where they supped is too hot; they'll come in straight. 2 Draw. Sirrah, here will be the prince and master Poins anon; and they will put on two of our jerkins, and aprons; and sir John must not know of it: Bardolph hath brought word. 1 Draw. By the mass, here will be old utis.3 It will be an excellent stratagem. 2 Draw. I'll see, if I can find out Sneak. [Exit. Enter HOSTESS and DOLL TEAR-SHEET. Host. I' faith, sweet heart, methinks now you are in an excellent good temperality: your pulsidge beats as extraordinarily as heart would desire; and your color, I warrant you, is as red as any rose: but, i' faith, you have drunk too much canaries; and A species of apple that will keep two years. 2 Sneak was a street minstrel. 3 Merry doings. |