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He tells them, he bestrides a bleeding land,
Gafping for life under fell Bolingbroke.
To him I'll speed, and fire his daring fpirit.

North. Come, venture all! Go, counsel ev'ry

friend

The apteft way for fafety and revenge!

(Exeunt, severally.)

SCENE II.

Eastcheap.

Enter FALSTAFF with his PAGE bearing his sword and buckler.

Fal. Sirrah! you Giant! what says the Doctor to my cafe?

Page. He fays, Sir, you have too much water

in you.

Fal. How the water fhould come in me, I know not. In troth, I have no more affection for water than a mad dog hath. Fetch me a cup of fack, boy! I will qualify the water within.[Exit PAGE.]-Hum! men of all forts take a pride. to gird at me. The brain of this foolish compounded clay, man, is not able to invent any thing, that tends to laughter, more than I invent, or is invented on me. I am not only witty in

myself,

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myself, but the cause that wit is in other men.[Enter PAGE.-I do here walk before thee, like a fow, that has overwhelmed all her litter-fave one. If the Prince put thee into my service for any other reason than to fet me off, why then, I have no judgment. Thou apish mandrake, thou art fitter to be worn in my cap, than to wait at my heels. Give me the cup! [drinks.] Boy!

tell me, what was the liquor of the Gods?

Page. Nectar, Sir John.

Fal. Of what was nectar made, boy? Expound that unto me.

Page. Sir,I cannot tell.

Fal. Marry, now I can tell. [drinks.] When thou art asked that queftion next, fay: fack, fugar, and toaft.-What made Bacchus fo fat and fleekheaded? What but the self-fame fack, that has magnified me into a Hero, into a Demi-god.What faid Mafter Dumbleton about the fatin for my short cloak and flops?

Page. He faid, fir, you should procure him better affurance than Bardolph: he would not take his bond and yours, he liked not the fecurity.

Fal. Let him be hanged!-a rafcally, yeaforfooth knave! to promise a gentleman his goods,

and

and then stand upon fecurity! The fmooth-pates now wear nothing but high fhoes, and bunches of keys at their girdles; and if a man honestly takes up of them, then they must stand uponfecurity. I had as lief they would put ratfbane in my mouth, as offer to ftop it with-fecurity. I looked he should have sent me two and twenty yards of fatin, as I am a true knight, and he fends me-fecurity! Well, he may fleep in fecurity, and let him eat and drink nothing but -security!

Enter CHIEF JUSTICE, and an ATTENDANT.

Page. Sir, here comes the Nobleman, that committed the Prince for ftriking him about Bardolph

Fal. Wait clofe: I will not fee him.

Ch. Just. What's he, that goes there?
Attend. Falftaff, an't please your Lordship.

Ch. Just. He, that was in queftion for the robbery ?

Attend. He, my Lord. But he hath fince done good service at Shrewsbury; and, as I hear, is now going with fome charge to the Lord John of Lancaster.

Ch. Just. Call him back again.

Attend.

Attend. Sir John! Sir John Falstaff!

Fal. Boy, tell him I am deaf.

Page. You must speak louder, my Mafteris deaf.

Ch. Just. I am fure he is, to the hearing of any thing good. Go, pluck him by the elbow, I must speak with him.

Attend. Sir John!

Fal. What! a young knave, and beg! Are there no wars? Is there not employment? Does not the King lack fubjects? Do not the rebels need foldiers? Tho' it be a fhame to be on any fide but one, it is worfe fhame to beg than to be on the worst fide, were it worse than the name of rebellion can make it.

Ch. Just. Sir John! a word with you!

Fal. My good Lord! Heaven give your Lordfhip good time of day! I am glad to fee your Lordship abroad: I heard your Lordship was fick. I hope your Lordship goes abroad by advice. Your Lordship, though not clean paft your youth, hath yet fome fmack of age in you; and I most humbly befeech your Lordship to have a reverend care of your health.

Ch. Just. Sir John, I fent for you before expedition to Shrewsbury.

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your

Fal.

Fal. An't please your Lordship, I hear his Majesty is returned with fome difcomfort from Wales.

Ch. Just. I talk not of his Majefty.--You would not come when I fent for you.

Fal. And I hear moreover, his Highness is fallen into this fame villainous apoplexy.

Ch. Just. Well, Heaven mend him!--I pray, let me speak with you.

Fal. This apoplexy is, as I take it, a kind of lethargy, an't please your Lordship; a kind of fleeping in the blood, a tingling of the nerves.

Ch. Just. Why tell you me of it? I talk not of that.

Fal. It hath its original from grief, from study, and perturbation of the brain. I have read the cause of it in Galen: it is a kind of deafness.

Ch. Just. I think you are fallen into that dif eafe; for you hear not what I say to you.

Fal. Very well, my Lord, very well; rather, an't please you, it is the disease of not attending that I am troubled with.

Ch. Just. To punish you by the heels would amend the attention of your ears; and I care not if I become your physician.

Fal.

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