Sir John Falstaff.--Sixteen, at least, my lord.
Mr. Bardolph.--And bound them.
Mr. Peto.--No, no, they were not bound.
Sir John Falstaff.--You rogue, they were bound, every man of them; or I
am a Jew else, an Ebrew Jew.
Mr. Bardolph.--As we were sharing, some six or seven fresh men set upon
us,----
* I have ventured to modify a few of the old dramatist’s
expressions. My sole motive for doing so has been a natural
objection to being pointed out in the streets as the one
living writer who never did anything towards the improvement
of Shakspeare’s text.--Biographer.
Sir John Falstaff.--And unbound the rest, and then come in the other.
The Prince of Wales.--What, fought ye with them all?
Sir John Falstaff.--All? I know not what ye call, all; but if I fought
not with fifty of them, I am a bunch of radish: if there were not two or
three and fifty upon poor old Jack then am I no two-legged creature.
Mr. Poins.--Pray God you have not murdered some of them.
Sir John Falstaff.--Nay, that’s past praying for: I have peppered two of
them: two, I am sure, I have paid; two rogues in buckram suits. I tell
thee what, Hal,--if I tell thee a lie, spit in my face, call me horse.
Thou knowest my old ward;--here I lay, and thus I bore my point. Four
rogues in buckram let drive at me,--
The Prince of Wales.--What, four? thou saidst but two, even now?
Sir John Falstaff--Four, Hal; I told thee four.
Mr. Poins.--Ay, ay, he said four.
Sir John Falstaff.--These four came all a-front, and mainly thrust at
me. I made me no more ado, but took all their seven points in my target,
thus.
The Prince of Wales.--Seven? why, there were but four, even now.
Sir John Falstaff.--In buckram.
Mr. Poins.--Ay, four, in buckram suits.
Sir John Falstaff.--Seven by these hilts, or I am a villain else.
The Prince of Wales.--Pr’ythee, let him alone; we shall have more anon.
Sir John Falstaff.--Dost thou hear me, Hal?
The Prince of Wales.--Ay, and mark thee too, Jack.
Sir John Falstaff.--Do so, for it is worth the listening to. These nine
in buckram, that I told thee of,--
The Prince of Wales.--So, two more already.