Shal. Go to; I have spoke at a word. Fare you [Exeunt Shallow and Silence.

:

well. Fal. Fare you well, gentle gentlemen. On, Bardolph; lead the men away. [Exeunt Bardolph, Recruits, &c.] As I return, I will fetch off these justices I do see the bottom of justice Shallow, Lord, lord, how subject we old men are to this vice of lying! This same starved justice hath done nothing but prate to me of the wildness of his youth, and the feats he hath done about Turnbullstreet; 1 and every third word a lie, duer paid to the hearer than the Turk's tribute. I do remember him at Clement's-inn, like a man made after supper of a cheese-paring: when he was naked, he was, for all the world, like a forked radish, with a head fantastically carved upon it with a knife: he was so forlorn, that his dimensions to any thick sight were invincible he was the very Genius of famine, yet lecherous as a monkey; and the whores called him mandrake: he came ever in the rearward of the fashion; and sung those tunes to the over-scutched huswives that he heard the carmen whistle, and sware they were his fancies, or his good-nights.2 And now is this Vice's dagger 3 become a squire ; and talks as familiarly of John of Gaunt, as if he had been sworn brother to him; and I'll be sworn he never saw him but once in the Tilt-yard; and

1 In Clerkenwell. 2 Titles of little poems. The buffoon, called Vice, in the old moralities, used a wooden dagger similar to that of the modern Harlequin.

then he burst his head, for crowding among the marshal's men. I saw it; and told John of Gaunt, he beat his own name: for you might have trussed him and all his apparel into an eel-skin; the case of a treble hautboy was a mansion for him, a court; and now has he land and beeves. Well; I will be acquainted with him, if I return; and it shall go hard, but I will make him a philosopher's two stones to me. If the young dace be a bait for the old pike, I see no reason, in the law of nature, but I may snap at him. Let time shape, and there an

end.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

A forest in Yorkshire.

Enter ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, MOWBRAY, HASTINGS,

and others.

Arch. What is this forest call'd?

Has. "Tis Gualtree forest, an 't shall please your

grace.

Arch. Here stand, my lords; and send discoverers forth,

To know the numbers of our enemies.

Has. We have sent forth already.
Arch.

"Tis well done.

My friends, and brethren in these great affairs,
I must acquaint you that I have received

New-dated letters from Northumberland;

Their cold intent, tenor, and substance thus :-
Here doth he wish his person, with such powers
As might hold sortance 1 with his quality,
The which he could not levy; whereupon
He is retired, to ripe his growing fortunes,
To Scotland; and concludes in hearty prayers,
That your attempts may overlive the hazard,
And fearful meeting of their opposite.

Mow. Thus do the hopes we have in him touch ground,

And dash themselves to pieces.

Has.

Enter MESSENGER.

Now, what news?

Mes. West of this forest, scarcely off a mile,

In goodly form comes on the enemy :

And, by the ground they hide, I judge their number Upon or near the rate of thirty thousand.

Mow. The just proportion that we gave them

out.

Let us sway on, and face them in the field.

Enter WESTMORELAND.

Arch. What well-appointed leader fronts us here?

Mow. I think, it is my lord of Westmoreland.

1 Be suitable.

2 Completely accoutred.