Fal.  I am a rogue, if I were not at half-sword 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; my buckler cut through and through; my sword hacked like a handsaw; look here! (shows his sword.) I never dealt better since I was a man; all would not do.  A plague of all cowards!  Let them speak (pointing to Gadshill, Bardolph, and Peto); if they speak more or less than truth, they are villains and the sons of darkness.

P. Henry.  Speak, sirs; how was it?

Gadshill.  We four set upon some dozen—­

Fal.  Sixteen, at least, my lord.

Gad.  And bound them.

Peta.  No, no, they were not bound.

Fal.  You rogue, they were bound, every man of them; or I am a Jew, else—­an Ebrew Jew.

Gad.  As we were sharing, some six or seven fresh men set upon us—­

Fal.  And unbound the rest; and then come in the other.

P. Henry.  What! fought ye with them all?

Fal.  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 I am no two-legged creature.

P. Henry.  Pray heaven, you have not murdered some of them.

Fal.  Nay, that’s past praying for; 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, and call me a horse.  Thou knowest my old ward; (he draws his sword and stands if about to fight) here I lay, and thus I bore my point.  Four rogues in buckram let drive at me—­

P. Henry.  What! four?  Thou saidst but two even now.

Fal.  Four, Hal; I told thee four.

Poins.  Ay, ay, he said four.

Fal.  These four came all afront, and mainly thrust at me.  I made no more ado, but took all their seven points in my target, thus.

P. Henry.  Seven?  Why, there were but four, even now.

Fal.  In buckram?

Poins.  Ay, four, in buckram suits.

Fal.  Seven, by these hilts, or I am a villain else.

P. Henry.  Prithee, let him alone; we shall have more anon.

Fal.  Dost thou hear me, Hal?

P. Henry.  Ay, and mark thee, too, Jack.

Fal.  Do so, for it is worth the listening to.  These nine in buckram, that
I told thee of—­

P. Henry.  So, two more already.

Fal.  Their points being broken, began to give me ground; but I followed me close, came in foot and hand; and, with a thought, seven of the eleven I paid.

P. Henry.  O, monstrous! eleven buckram men grown out of two!

Fal.  But three knaves, in Kendal green, came at my back, and let drive at me; for it was so dark, Hal, that thou couldst not see thy hand.

P. Henry.  These lies are like the father of them; gross as a mountain, open, palpable.  Why, thou clay-brained, nott-pated fool; thou greasy tallow keech—­