hath, that show a weak mind and an able body, for the which the prince admits him for the prince himself is such another; the weight of a hair will turn the scales between their avoirdupois.

P. Hen. Would not this nave of a wheel1 have his ears cut off?

Poins. Let's beat him before his whore.

P. Hen. Look, if the withered elder hath not his poll clawed like a parrot.

Poins. Is it not strange, that desire should so many years outlive performance?

Fal. Kiss me, Doll.

P. Hen. Saturn and Venus this year

in conjunction! what says the almanack to that?

Poins. And, look, whether the fiery Trigon, his man, be not lisping to his master's old tables; his note-book, his counsel-keeper.

Fal. Thou dost give me flattering busses.

Doll. Nay, truly; I kiss thee with a most constant heart.

Fal. I am old, I am old.

Doll. I love thee better than I love c'er a scurvy young boy of them all.

Fal. What stuff wilt have a kirtle 3 of? I shall receive money on Thursday: thou shalt have a cap to-morrow. A merry song; come: it grows

So called from his rotundity.

2 An astronomical term, when the upper planets meet in a fiery sign. 3 A cloak.

late; we'll to bed. Thou 'lt forget me, when I am gone.

Doll. By my troth, thou 'lt thou sayest so: prove that handsome till thy return.end.

Fal. Some sack, Francis.

set me a weeping, an

ever I dress myself

-Well, hearken the

P. Hen. Poins. Anon, anon, sir.

[advancing.

Fal. Ha! a bastard son of the king's?—And art not thou Poins, his brother?

P. Hen. Why, thou globe of sinful continents, what a life dost thou lead!

Fal. A better than thou: I am a gentleman, thou art a drawer.

P. Hen. Very true, sir; and I come to draw you out by the ears.

Host. O, the Lord preserve thy good grace! by my troth, welcome to London.-Now the Lord bless that sweet face of thine! O Jesu, are you come from Wales?

come.

Fal. Thou whoreson mad compound of majesty, by this light flesh and corrupt blood, thou art wel[leaning his hand upon Doll. Doll. How! you fat fool, I scorn you. Poins. My lord, he will drive you out of your revenge, and turn all to a merriment, if you take not the heat.

P. Hen. You whoreson candle-mine, you, how vilely did you speak of me even now, before this honest, virtuous, civil gentlewoman!

Host. Blessing o' your good heart! and so she is,

P. Hen. Yes; and you knew me, as you did when you ran away by Gadshill: you knew, I was at your back; and spoke it on purpose, to try my patience.

Fal. No, no, no; not so: I did not think thou wast within hearing.

P. Hen. I shall drive you then to confess tne wilful abuse; and then I know how to handle you.

Fal. No abuse, Hal, on mine honor; no abuse. P. Hen. Not! to dispraise me, and call me pantler, and bread-chipper, and I know not what? Fal. No abuse, Hal.

Poins. No abuse!

Fal. No abuse, Ned, in the world; honest Ned, none. I dispraised him before the wicked, that the wicked might not fall in love with him ;-in which doing, I have done the part of a careful friend and a true subject, and thy father is to give me thanks for it. No abuse, Hal;-none, Ned, none;—no, boys, none.

P. Hen. See now, whether pure fear, and intire cowardice, doth not make thee wrong this virtuous gentlewoman to close with us. Is she of the wicked? Is thine hostess here of the wicked? Or is the boy of the wicked? or honest Bardolph, whose zeal burns in his nose, of the wicked?

Poins. Answer, thou dead elm, answer.