Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/45

King Henry the Fourth, II. ii

young men must live. You are grand-jurors

are ye? We'll jure ye, i' faith.

Here they rob them and bind them. Exeunt.

Enter the Prince and Poins.

Prince. The thieves have bound the true men.

Now could thou and I rob the thieves and go

merrily to London, it would be argument for a

week, laughter for a month, and a good jest for

ever.

Poins. Stand close; I hear them coming.

Fal. Come, my masters; let us share, and

then to horse before day. An the Prince and

Poins be not two arrant cowards, there's no

equity stirring: there's no more valour in that

Poins than in a wild duck.

Prince. Your money!

Poins. Villains!

''As they are sharing, the Prince and Poins set upon them. They all run away; and Falstaff, after a blow or two, runs away too, leaving the booty behind them.''

Prince. Got with much ease. Now merrily to horse:

The thieves are scatter'd and possess'd with fear

So strongly that they dare not meet each other;

Each takes his fellow for an officer.

Away, good Ned. Falstaff sweats to death

And lards the lean earth as he walks along:

Were 't not for laughing I should pity him.

Poins. How the rogue roar'd!

 101 jure: a verb of Falstaff's own making

104 argument: subject for conversation 