Complete Works (Modern Library)

by William Shakespeare

PRINCE HENRY O, villain, thy lips are scarce wiped since thou drunk’st last. FALSTAFF All’s116 one for that. He drinks A plague of all cowards, still say I. PRINCE HENRY What’s the matter? FALSTAFF What’s the matter? Here be four of us have ta’en119 a thousand pound this morning. PRINCE HENRY Where is it, Jack? Where is it? FALSTAFF Where is it? Taken from us it is: a hundred upon poor122 four of us. PRINCE HENRY What, a hundred, man? FALSTAFF I am a rogue, if I were not at half-sword124 with a dozen of them two hours together. I have scaped by miracle. I am eight times thrust through the doublet, four through the hose,126 my buckler cut through and through, my sword hacked like a hand-saw127 — ecce signum! I never dealt better since I was a man: all would not do. A plague of all cowards! Let them speak; if they speak more or less than truth, they are villains and the sons of darkness.129 PRINCE HENRY Speak, sirs, how was it? GADSHILL We four set upon some dozen— FALSTAFF Sixteen at least, my lord. GADSHILL And bound them. PETO No, no, they were not bound. FALSTAFF You rogue, they were bound, every man of them, or I am a Jew else, an Ebrew Jew.136 GADSHILL As we were sharing, some six or seven fresh men set upon us— FALSTAFF And unbound the rest, and then come138 in the other. PRINCE HENRY What, fought ye with them all? FALSTAFF A...