Prince. Did I ever call for thee to pay thy
part?
Fal. No; I'll give thee thy due, thou hast
paid all there. 60
Prince. Yea, and elsewhere, so far as my coin
would stretch; and where it would not, I have
used my credit.
Fal. Yea, and so used it that, were it not here
apparent that thou art heir apparent,—But, I
prithee, sweet wag, shall there be gallows stand-
ing in England when thou art king, and resolu-
tion thus fobbed as it is with the rusty curb of
old father antic the law? Do not thou, when
thou art king, hang a thief. 70
Prince. No; thou shalt.
Fal. Shall I? O rare! By the Lord, I'll be a
brave judge. 73
Prince. Thou judgest false already; I mean,
thou shalt have the hanging of the thieves and
so become a rare hangman. 76
Fal. Well, Hal, well; and in some sort it
jumps with my humour as well as waiting in
the court, I can tell you.
Prince. For obtaining of suits? 80
Fal. Yea, for obtaining of suits, whereof the
hangman hath no lean wardrobe. 'Sblood, I
am as melancholy as a gib cat, or a lugged bear.
Prince. Or an old lion, or a lover's lute. 84
Fal. Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire
bagpipe.
67 resolution: determination, boldness
68 fobbed: tricked
69 antic: buffoon
73 brave: fine
78 jumps: agrees
humour: temperament, inclination
81 obtaining of suits: the clothes of the criminal were the hangman's perquisite
82 'Sblood: God's blood
83 gib cat: tom cat
lugged bear: bear led by a rope
