"Henry IV, Part One,"


Act II, Scene 4


PRINCE HENRY: This oily rascal is known as well as Paul's. Go, call him forth.

PETO: Falstaff! -- Fast asleep behind the arras, and snorting like a horse.

PRINCE HENRY: Hark, how hard he fetches breath. Search his pockets.

[He searcheth his pockets, and findeth certain papers.]

What hast thou found?

PETO: Nothing but papers, my lord.

PRINCE HENRY: Let's see what they be: read them.

PETO: [Reads] Item, A capon,. . . 2s. 2d.
Item, Sauce,. . . . . 4d.
Item, Sack, two gallons, 5s. 8d.
Item, Anchovies and sack after supper, 2s. 6d.
Item, Bread,. . . . . ob.

PRINCE HENRY: O monstrous! but one half-penny-worth of bread to this intolerable deal of sack! What there is else, keep close; we'll read it at more advantage: there let him sleep till day. I'll to the court in the morning. We must all to the wars, and thy place shall be honourable. I'll procure this fat rogue a charge of foot; and I know his death will be a march of twelve-score. The money shall be paid back again with advantage. Be with me betimes in the morning; and so, good morrow, Peto.

PETO: Good morrow, good my lord.

Their role-playing is interrupted when the sheriff and his night watch arrive at the tavern: they are looking for Falstaff and the others, who, they have learned, robbed the travelers upon the highway early this morning. Hal tells Falstaff to hide and misdirects the sheriff by swearing to him that Falstaff is not there and that he himself will be responsible for finding the thief and turning him over. As the sheriff leaves, Hal finds Falstaff asleep where he was hiding; after picking Falstaff's pockets out of curiosity, the young prince tells Peto that in the morning he will see his father the king, and that all of them must go off to war. He will secure places in the army for all of his companions, and he will place Falstaff in charge of a brigade of foot soldiers -- a pointed joke, since Falstaff can hardly walk without getting out of breath.

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