Page 757 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

the cankers of a calm world and a long peace; ten times more dishonourable
ragged than an old fazed ancient; [30] and such have I to fill up the rooms of
them as have bought out their services that you would think that I had a
hundred and fifty tattered prodigals lately come from swine-keeping, from

eating draff and husks. A mad fellow met me on the way, and told me I had
unloaded all [35] the gibbets and pressed the dead bodies. No eye hath seen
such scarecrows. I’ll not march through Coventry with them, that’s flat. Nay,
and the villains march wide betwixt the legs, as if they had gyves on, for

indeed I had the most of them out of prison. There’s not a shirt and a [40]
half in all my company, and the half-shirt is two napkins tacked together and
thrown over the shoulders like a herald’s coat without sleeves; and the shirt,
to say the truth, stol’n from my host at Saint Alban’s, or the red-nose

innkeeper of Daventry. But that’s all one; they’ll [45] find linen enough on
every hedge.

Enter the Prince and the Lord of Westmoreland.

PRINCE
How now, blown Jack? How now, quilt?

FALSTAFF
What, Hal? How now, mad wag? What a devil dost thou in Warwickshire? My
good Lord of Westmoreland, I cry you mercy. I thought your honour had [50]

already been at Shrewsbury.

WESTMORELAND
Faith, Sir John, ’tis more than time that I were there, and you too, but my
powers are there already. The king, I can tell you, looks for us all. We must
away all night. [55]

FALSTAFF

Tut, never fear me: I am as vigilant as a cat to steal cream.

PRINCE

I think, to steal cream indeed, for thy theft hath already made thee butter.
But tell me, Jack, whose fellows are these that come after? [60]

FALSTAFF