SKINK. I would be sorry, John, but you should stay, Until my bias run another way.
Now pass and hey-pass, Skink, unto your tricks: 'Tis but a chance at hazard. There lies Gloster, And here stands Skink; now, John, play thou thy part, And if I 'scape I'll love thee with my heart.
[_Puts on_ PRINCE JOHN'S _cloak, sword, and hat_.
So, porter! let me forth.
_Enter_ PORTER.
POR. God bless your grace, spoke ye[483] with the Lord Morton?
SKINK. I have, and must about his business to the Court.
It grieves me to break my sport with Gloster: The melancholy earl is comfortless.
POR. I would your grace would comfort him from hence, The Fleet is weary of his company.
[REDCAP _knocks_.
SKINK. Drink that, some knocks; I prythee, let me out, His head shall off ere long, never make doubt.
[_Exeunt_.
_Enter_ JOHN _at the other door_.
JOHN. Now, madcap, thou winn'st all; where art thou, Robin?
Uncased? nay, then, he means to play in earnest.
But where's my cloak, my rapier, and my hat?
I hold my birthright to a beggar's scrip, The bastard is escaped in my clothes.
'Tis well he left me his to walk the streets; I'll fire the city, but I'll find him out.
Perchance he hides himself to try my spleen.
I'll to his chamber. Gloster! hallo! Gloster!
[_Exit_.
_Enter_ REDCAP.
POR. I wonder how thou cam'st so strangely chang'd!
'Tis not an hour since thou went'st from hence.
RED. By my Ch-Ch-Christendom, I ha-have not b-been h-here this three nights; a p-p-plague of him, that made me such a ch-chanting, and s-sent me such a ja-ja-jaunt! blood, I was st-stayed for Skink, that ill-fa-fa-fac'd rogue.
POR. I pray God there be no practice in this change.
Now I remember these are Skink's clothes, That he wore last day at the Parl'ament.
_Knock; Enter at another door_ JOHN _in_ GLOSTER'S _gown_.
JOHN. Porter? you Porter?
POR. Do you not hear them knock? you must stay, sir.
JOHN. Blood, I could eat these rogues.
RED. Wh-wh-what, raw?
'Tis a very harsh mo-morsel, Ne-next your he-heart.
JOHN. A plague upon your jaunts! what, porter, slave?
RED. I have been at G-Gravesend, sir.
JOHN. What's that to me?
RED. And at Ca-Ca-Canterbury.
JOHN. And at the gallows! zounds, this frets my soul.
RED. But I c-could not f-find your s-s-sister the La-Lady Fau-Fauconbridge.
JOHN. You stammering slave, hence! chat among your daws.
Come ye to mad me? while the rogue your father--
_Enter_ PORTER.
RED. My f-fa-father?
JOHN. Porter, you damned slave.
POR. Is't midsummer: do you begin to rave?
JOHN. Hark, how the traitor flouts me to my teeth!
I would entreat your knaveship, let me forth, For fear I dash your brains out with the keys.
What is become of Gloster and my garments?
POR. Alas, in your apparel Gloster's gone, I let him out even now; I am undone.
JOHN. It was your practice, and to keep me back, You sent Jack Daw your son with ka-ka-ka, To tell a sleeveless tale! lay hold on him, To Newgate with him and your tut-a-tut!
Run, Redcap, and trudge about, Or bid your father's portership farewell.
[_Exeunt with_ PORTER.
RED. Eh! here's a go-good je-je-jest, by the L-Lord, to mo-mock an ape withal! my fa-fa-father has brought his ho-ho-hogs to a fa-fa-fair m-m-market. Po-po-porter, quoth you? p-po-porter that will for me; and I po-po-porter it, let them po-po-post me to heaven in this qua-quarter.
But I must s-s-seek this Gl-Gl-Gloster and Sk-Sk-Skink that co-coney-catching ra-ra-rascal, a pa-pa-plague co-co-confound him.
Re-Re-Redcap must ru-run, he cannot tell whi-whither.
[_Exit_.
SCENE THE FOURTEENTH.
_Sound trumpets, enter_ HENRY _the younger, on one hand of him_ QUEEN ELINOR, _on the other_ LEICESTER.
HEN. Mother and Leicester, add not oil to fire; Wrath's kindled with a word, and cannot hear The numberless persuasions you insort.