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this seven year before… I blush'd to hear his monstrous devices。 Prince。 O
villain！ thou stolest a cup of sack eighteen years ago and wert taken with
the manner； and ever since thou hast blush'd extempore。 Thou hadst fire
and sword on thy side； and yet thou ran'st away。 What instinct hadst thou
for it？ Bard。 My lord； do you see these meteors？ Do you behold these
exhalations？ Prince。 I do。 Bard。 What think you they portend？ Prince。 Hot
livers and cold purses。 Bard。 Choler； my lord； if rightly taken。 Prince。 No；
if rightly taken； halter。
Enter Falstaff。
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Here comes lean Jack； here comes bare…bone。 How now； my sweet
creature of bombast？ How long is't ago； Jack； since thou sawest thine own
knee？ Fal。 My own knee？ When I was about thy years； Hal； I was not an
eagle's talent in the waist； I could have crept into any alderman's thumb…
ring。 A plague of sighing and grief！ It blows a man up like a bladder。
There's villanous news abroad。 Here was Sir John Bracy from your father。
You must to the court in the morning。 That same mad fellow of the North；
Percy； and he of Wales that gave Amamon the bastinado； and made Lucifer
cuckold； and swore the devil his true liegeman upon the cross of a Welsh
hook… what a plague call you him？ Poins。 O； Glendower。 Fal。 Owen；
Owen… the same； and his son…in…law Mortimer； and old Northumberland；
and that sprightly Scot of Scots； Douglas； that runs a…horseback up a hill
perpendicular… Prince。 He that rides at high speed and with his pistol kills
a sparrow flying。 Fal。 You have hit it。 Prince。 So did he never the sparrow。
Fal。 Well； that rascal hath good metal in him； he will not run。 Prince。 Why；
what a rascal art thou then； to praise him so for running！ Fal。 A…horseback；
ye cuckoo！ but afoot he will not budge a foot。 Prince。 Yes； Jack； upon
instinct。 Fal。 I grant ye； upon instinct。 Well； he is there too； and one
Mordake； and a thousand bluecaps more。 Worcester is stol'n away to…night；
thy father's beard is turn'd white with the news； you may buy land now as
cheap as stinking mack'rel。 Prince。 Why then； it is like； if there come a hot
June； and this civil buffeting hold； we shall buy maidenheads as they buy
hobnails； by the hundreds。 Fal。 By the mass； lad； thou sayest true； it is like
we shall have good trading that way。 But tell me； Hal； art not thou horrible
afeard？ Thou being heir apparent； could the world pick thee out three such
enemies again as that fiend Douglas； that spirit Percy； and that devil
Glendower？ Art thou not horribly afraid？ Doth not thy blood thrill at it？
Prince。 Not a whit； i' faith。 I lack some of thy instinct。 Fal。 Well； thou wilt
be horribly chid to…morrow when thou comest to thy father。 If thou love
file； practise an answer。 Prince。 Do thou stand for my father and examine
me upon the particulars of my life。 Fal。 Shall I？ Content。 This chair shall
be my state； this dagger my sceptre； and this cushion my； crown。 Prince。
Thy state is taken for a join'd…stool； thy golden sceptre for a leaden dagger；
and thy precious rich crown for a pitiful bald crown。 Fal。 Well； an the fire
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of grace be not quite out of thee； now shalt thou be moved。 Give me a cup
of sack to make my eyes look red； that it may be thought I have wept； for I
must speak in passion； and I will do it in King Cambyses' vein。 Prince。
Well； here is my leg。 Fal。 And here is my speech。 Stand aside； nobility。
Host。 O Jesu； this is excellent sport； i' faith！ Fal。 Weep not； sweet queen；
for trickling tears are vain。 Host。 O； the Father； how he holds his
countenance！ Fal。 For God's sake； lords； convey my tristful queen！ For
tears do stop the floodgates of her eyes。 Host。 O Jesu； he doth it as like one
of these harlotry players as ever I see！ Fal。 Peace； good pintpot。 Peace；
good tickle…brain。… Harry； I do not only marvel where thou spendest thy
time； but also how thou art accompanied。 For though the camomile； the
more it is trodden on； the faster it grows； yet youth； the more it is wasted；
the sooner it wears。 That thou art my son I have partly thy mother's word；
partly my own opinion； but chiefly a villanous trick of thine eye and a
foolish hanging of thy nether lip that doth warrant me。 If then thou be son
to me； here lies the point： why； being son to me； art thou so pointed at？
Shall the blessed sun of heaven prove a micher and eat blackberries？ A
question not to be ask'd。 Shall the son of England prove a thief and take
purses？ A question to be ask'd。 There is a thing； Harry； which thou hast
often heard of； and it is known to many in our land by the name of pitch。
This pitch； as ancient writers do report； doth defile； so doth the company
thou keepest。 For； Harry； now I do not speak to thee in drink； but in tears；
not in pleasure； but in passion； not in words only； but in woes also： and yet
there is a virtuous man whom I have often noted in thy company； but I
know not his name。 Prince。 What manner of man； an it like your Majesty？
Fal。 A goodly portly man； i' faith； and a corpulent； of a cheerful look； a
pleasing eye； and a most noble carriage； and； as I think； his age some fifty；
or； by'r Lady； inclining to threescore； and now I remember me； his name is
Falstaff。 If that man should be lewdly； given； he deceiveth me； for； Harry； I
see virtue in his looks。 If then the tree may be known by the fruit； as the
fruit by the tree； then； peremptorily I speak it； there is virtue in that
Falstaff。 Him keep with； the rest banish。 And tell me now； thou naughty
varlet； tell me where hast thou been this month？ Prince。 Dost thou speak
like a king？ Do thou stand for me； and I'll play my father。 Fal。 Depose me？
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If thou dost it half so gravely； so majestically； both in word and matter；
hang me up by the heels for a rabbit…sucker or a poulter's hare。 Prince。
Well； here I am set。 Fal。 And here I stand。 Judge； my masters。 Prince。 Now；
Harry； whence come you？ Fal。 My noble lord； from Eastcheap。 Prince。
The complaints I hear of thee are grievous。 Fal。 'Sblood； my lord； they are
false！ Nay； I'll tickle ye for a y