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And only stays but to behold the face
Of that occasion that shall bring it on.

Hot. I smell it: upon my life, it will do well. North. Before the game's afoot, thou still let'st

slip.1

Hot. Why, it cannot choose but be a noble

plot :

And then the power of Scotland, and of York,
To join with Mortimer, ha?

2

Wor.
And so they shall.
Hot. In faith, it is exceedingly well aim'd.
Wor. And 'tis no little reason bids us speed,
To save our heads by raising of a head:
For, bear ourselves as even as we can,
The king will always think him in our debt;
And think we think ourselves unsatisfied,
Till he hath found a time to pay us home.
And see already, how he doth begin

To make us strangers to his looks of love.

Hot. He does, he does; we'll be revenged on

him.

Wor. Cousin, farewell.-No farther go in this, Than I by letters shall direct your course. When time is ripe, which will be suddenly, I'll steal to Glendower and lord Mortimer; Where you and Douglas, and our powers at once, (As I will fashion it) shall happily meet,

1 To let slip is to loose the greyhound.

2 A body of forces.

To bear our fortunes in our own strong arms,
Which now we hold at much uncertainty.

North. Farewell, good brother. We shall thrive, I trust.

Hot. Uncle, adieu. O, let the hours be short, Till fields, and blows, and groans applaud our sport!

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Rochester. An inn yard.

Enter a CARRIER, with a lantern in his hand.

1 Car. Heigh ho! An't be not four by the day, I'll be hanged: Charles' wain is over the new chimney, and yet our horse not packed. What, ostler !

Ost. [within.] Anon, anon.

1 Car. I pr'ythee, Tom, beat Cut's 1 saddle; put a few flocks in the point: the poor jade is wrung in the withers out of all cess.2

Enter another CARRIER.

2 Car. Pease and beans are as dank3 here as a dog, and that is the next way to give poor jades the

The name of his horse.

• Measure.

3 Wet.

bots.1 This house is turned upside down, since Robin ostler died.

1 Car. Poor fellow! never joyed since the price of oats rose: it was the death of him.

2 Car. I think, this be the most villanous house in all London road for fleas. I am stung 2 like a

tench.

1 Car. Like a tench? by the mass, there is ne'er a king in Christendom could be better bit than I have been since the first cock.

2 Car. Why, they will allow us ne'er a jorden, and then we leak in your chimney; and your chamber-lie breeds fleas like a loach.

1 Car. What, ostler! come away, and be hanged;

come away.

2 Car. I have a gammon of bacon, and two races of ginger, to be delivered as far as Charing-cross.

1 Car. 'Odsbody! the turkeys in my pannier are quite starved.—What, ostler!—A plague on thee! hast thou never an eye in thy head? canst not hear? An 'twere not as good a deed as drink, to break the pate of thee, I am a very villain. Come, and be hanged :-hast no faith in thee?

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Gads. I pry'thee, lend me thy lantern, to see my gelding in the stable.

1 Car. Nay, soft, I pray ye; I know a trick worth two of that, i' faith.

Gads. I pr'ythee, lend me thine.

2 Car. Ay, when? canst tell?-Lend me thy lantern, quoth a ?—marry, I'll see thee hanged first. Gads. Sirrah carrier, what time do you mean to come to London ?

2 Car. Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant thee. Come, neighbor Mugs, we'll call up the gentlemen; they will along with company, for they have great charge.

Gads. What, ho! chamberlain !

[Exeunt Carriers.

Cham. [within.] At hand, quoth pick-purse.1 Gads. That's even as fair as-at hand, quoth the chamberlain; for thou variest no more from picking of purses, than giving direction doth from laboring: thou layest the plot how.

Enter CHAMBERLAIN.

Cham. Good morrow, master Gadshill. It holds current, that I told you yesternight. There's a franklin in the wild of Kent, hath brought three hundred marks with him in gold: I heard him tell it to one of his company, last night at supper; a

A proverbial expression, in allusion to the vigilance of the pick-purse.

A freeholder with a small estate.

Smirke del

HENRY 4 (FIRST PART)

Two Carriers & Gadshill.

Act II Scene 1.

Starling

SC

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