Scene Two
[The Same]
Enter Henry, Prince of Wales, and Sir John Falstaff.
Fal. Now, Hal, what time of day is it, lad?
Prince. Thou art so fat-witted, with drinking
of old sack, and unbuttoning thee after supper,
and sleeping upon benches after noon, that thou
hast forgotten to demand that truly which thou
wouldst truly know. What a devil hast thou to
do with the time of the day? unless hours were
cups of sack, and minutes capons, and clocks
the tongues of bawds, and dials the signs of
leaping-houses, and the blessed sun himself a
fair hot wench in flame-colour'd taffeta, I see no
reason why thou shouldst be so superfluous to
demand the time of the day. 13
Fal. Indeed, you come near me now, Hal;
for we that take purses go by the moon and the
seven stars, and not by Phœbus, he, 'that wan-
dering knight so fair.' And, I prithee, sweet
wag, when thou art king,—as, God save thy
Grace,—majesty, I should say, for grace thou
wilt have none,— 20
Prince. What! none?
Fal. No, by my troth; not so much as will
serve to be prologue to an egg and butter.
Prince. Well, how then? come, roundly,
roundly. 25
Fal. Marry, then, sweet wag, when thou art
3 sack: sweet Spanish wine
9 bawds: panders
10 leaping-houses: brothels
16 Cf. n.
19-33 Cf. n.
24 roundly: plainly, to the point
26 Marry: an interjection, well; originally an oath, by the Virgin Mary
