Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/40

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three hundred marks with him in gold: I heard

him tell it to one of his company last night at

supper; a kind of auditor; one that hath abun-

dance of charge too, God knows what. They are

up already and call for eggs and butter: they

will away presently.

Gads. Sirrah, if they meet not with Saint

Nicholas' clerks, I'll give thee this neck.

Cham. No, I'll none of it: I prithee, keep

that for the hangman; for I know thou wor-

ship'st 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 Troyans 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, 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.

 61 mark: ''13s. 4d., about $3.35''

67 St. Nicholas' clerks: thieves; cf. n.

77 Troyans: a cant name for rioters and thieves

81 foot-land-rakers, etc.; cf. n.

91 boots: booty 