[Enter the King, Suffolk and Butler.]
KING.
[In great haste.] My lord of Suffolk, post away for life,
And let our forces of such horse and foot,
As can be gathered up by any means,
Make speedy rendezvous in Tuttle fields.
It must be done this evening, my Lord;
This night the rebels mean to draw to head
Near Islington, which if your speed prevent not,
If once they should unite their several forces,
Their power is almost thought invincible.
Away, my Lord; I will be with you soon.
SUFFOLK.
I go, my Sovereign, with all happy speed.
[Exit.]
KING.
Make haste, my lord of Suffolk, as you love us.
Butler, post you to London with all speed;
Command the Mayor and shrieves, on their allegiance,
The city gates be presently shut up
And guarded with a strong sufficient watch,
And not a man be suffered to pass
Without a special warrant from our self.
Command the Postern by the Tower be kept,
And proclamation, on the pain of death,
That not a citizen stir from his doors,
Except such as the Mayor and Shrieves shall choose
For their own guard and safety of their persons.
Butler, away; have care unto my charge.
BUTLER.
I go, my Sovereign.
KING.
Butler!
BUTLER.
My Lord.
KING.
Go down by Greenwich, and command a boat
At the Friar's bridge attend my coming down.
BUTLER.
I will, my Lord.
[Exit.]
KING.
It's time, I think, to look unto rebellion,
When Acton doth expect unto his aid
No less than fifty thousand Londoners.
Well, I'll to Westminster in this disguise,
To hear what news is stirring in these brawls.
[Enter sir John and Doll.]
SIR JOHN.
Stand, true-man! says a thief.
KING.
Stand, thief! says a true man. How if a thief?
SIR JOHN.
Stand, thief, too.
KING.
Then, thief or true-man, I see I must stand. I see,
how soever the world wags, the trade of thieving yet
will never down. What art thou?
SIR JOHN.
A good fellow.
KING.
So am I too. I see thou dost know me.
SIR JOHN.
If thou be a good fellow, play the good fellow's part:
deliver thy purse without more ado.
KING.
I have no money.
SIR JOHN.
I must make you find some before we part. If you have
no money, you shall have war: as many sound dry blows
as your skin can carry.
KING.
Is that the plain truth?
SIR JOHN.
Sirra, no more ado; come, come, give me the money you
have. Dispatch, I cannot stand all day.
KING.
Well, if thou wilt needs have it, there tis: just the proverb,
one thief robs another. Where the devil are all my old
thieves, that were wont to keep this walk? Falstaff, the
villain, is so fat, he cannot get on's horse, but me thinks
Poines and Peto should be stirring here about.
SIR JOHN.
How much is there on't, of thy word?
KING.
A hundred pound in Angels, on my word.
The time has been I would have done as much
For thee, if thou hadst past this way, as I have now.
SIR JOHN.
Sirra, what art thou? thou seem'st a gentleman.
KING.
I am no less; yet a poor one now, for thou hast all my money.
SIR JOHN.
From whence cam'st thou?
KING.
From the court at Eltham.
SIR JOHN.
Art thou one of the King's servants?
KING.
Yes, that I am, and one of his chamber.
SIR JOHN.
I am glad thou art no worse; thou mayest the better spare thy
money: thinkst thou thou mightst get a poor thief his
pardon, if he should have need.
KING.
Yes, that I can.
SIR JOHN.
Wilt thou do so much for me, when I shall have occasion?
KING.
Yes, faith will I, so it be for no murther.
SIR JOHN.
Nay, I am a pitiful thief; all the hurt I do a man, I take but
his purse; I'll kill no man.
KING.
Then, of my word, I'll do it.
SIR JOHN.
Give me thy hand of the same.
KING.
There tis.
SIR JOHN.
Me thinks the King should be good to thieves, because he has
been a thief himself, though I think now he be turned true-man.
KING.
Faith, I have heard indeed he has had an ill name that way in
his youth; but how canst thou tell he has been a thief?
SIR JOHN.
How? Because he once robbed me before I fell to the trade
my self; when that foul villainous guts, that led him to all
that rogery, was in's company there, that Falstaff.
KING.
[Aside.] Well, if he did rob thee then, thou art but even with
him now, I'll be sworn.--Thou knowest not the king now, I
think, if thou sawest him?
SIR JOHN.
Not I, yfaith.
KING.
[Aside.] So it should seem.
SIR JOHN.
Well, if old King Henry had lived, this King that is now had
made thieving the best trade in England.
KING.
Why so?
SIR JOHN.
Because he was the chief warden of our company. It's pity
that e'er he should have been a King; he was so brave a
thief. But, sirra, wilt remember my pardon if need be?
KING.
Yes, faith, will I.
SIR JOHN.
Wilt thou? well then, because thou shalt go safe--for thou
mayest hap (being so early) be met with again before thou
come to Southwark--if any man, when he should bid thee
good morrow, bid thee stand, say thou but Sir John, and he
will let thee pass.
KING.
Is that the word? well, then, let me alone.
SIR JOHN.
Nay, sirra, because I think indeed I shall have some occasion
to use thee, as thou comest oft this way, I may light on thee
another time not knowing thee, here! I'll break this Angel.
Take thou half of it; this is a token betwixt thee and me.
KING.
God have mercy; farewell.
[Exit.]
SIR JOHN.
O my fine golden slaves! here's for thee, wench, yfaith. Now,
Doll, we will revel in our bower! this is a tithe pig of my
vicarage. God have mercy, neighbour Shooters hill; you paid
your tithe honestly. Well, I hear there is a company of rebels
up against the King, got together in Ficket field near Holborne,
and as it is thought here in Kent, the King will be there to
night in's own person; well, I'll to the King's camp, and it
shall go hard, but, if there be any doings, I'll make some good
boot amongst them.
[Exit.]
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