Gads. I pry'thee, 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, neighbor Mugs, we'll call up the gentlemen; they will along with company, for they have great charge. [Exeunt Carriers.

Gads. What, ho! chamberlain !

Cham. [within.] At hand, quoth pick-purse.1 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 laboring: thou layest the plot how.

Enter CHAMBERLAIN.

Cham. Good morrow, master Gadshill. It holds current, that 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

A proverbial expression, in allusion to the vigilance of the pick-purse.

A freeholder with a small estate.

kind of auditor; one that hath abundance of charge

too, God knows what. call for eggs and butter.

They are up already, and
They will away presently.

Gads. Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas' clerks,1 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 worshippest 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 2 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,3 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.5

4

1 Cant term for highwaymen. • Footpads.

2 Thieves.

4 Public accountants.

5 Booty.

Cham. What the commonwealth their boots? Will she hold out water in foul way?

Gads. She will, she will; justice hath liquored 1 her. We steal as in a castle, cock-sure: we have the receipt of fern-seed; we walk invisible.

Cham. Nay, by my faith; I think, you are more beholden 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, you 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!

1 Oiled, smoothed her over.