Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/25

King Henry the Fourth, I. ii

Poins. Now, my good sweet honey lord, ride

with us to-morrow: I have a jest to execute that

I cannot manage alone. Falstaff, Bardolph,

Peto, and Gadshill shall rob those men that we

have already waylaid; yourself and I will not be

there; and when they have the booty, if you

and I do not rob them, cut this head from my

shoulders.

Prince. But how shall we part with them in

setting forth?

Poins. Why, we will set forth before or after

them, and appoint them a place of meeting,

wherein it is at our pleasure to fail; and then

will they adventure upon the exploit themselves,

which they shall have no sooner achieved but

we'll set upon them.

Prince. Yea, but 'tis like that they will know

us by our horses, by our habits, and by every

other appointment, to be ourselves.

Poins. Tut! our horses they shall not see,

I'll tie them in the wood; our vizards we will

change after we leave them; and, sirrah, I have

cases of buckram for the nonce, to inmask our

noted outward garments.

Prince. Yea, but I doubt they will be too

hard for us.

Poins. Well, for two of them, I know them

to be as true-bred cowards as ever turned back;

and for the third, if he fight longer than he sees

reason, I'll forswear arms. The virtue of this

jest will be, the incomprehensible lies that this

 195 habits: clothes

196 appointment: equipment

199 sirrah; cf. n.

200 cases of buckram: cloaks of coarse linen

for the nonce: for the occasion

201 noted: well-known

206 the third; cf. n. 