Poins. [Reads] 'I will imitate the honourable Romans in[3605]
brevity:' he sure means brevity in breath, short-winded. 'I[3606]115
commend me to thee, I commend thee, and I leave thee. Be not[3607]
too familiar with Poins; for he misuses thy favours so much, that he
swears thou art to marry his sister Nell. Repent at idle times as thou
mayest; and so, farewell.
'Thine, by yea and no, which is as much as to say, as120
thou usest him, Jack Falstaff with my[3608]
familiars, John with my brothers and sisters, and Sir[3609]
John with all Europe.'
My lord, I'll steep this letter in sack, and make him eat it.[3610]
Prince. That's to make him eat twenty of his words.[3611]125
But do you use me thus, Ned? must I marry your sister?
Poins. God send the wench no worse fortune! But I[3612]
never said so.
Prince. Well, thus we play the fools with the time;[3613]
and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us.130
Is your master here in London?
Bard. Yea, my lord.[3614]
Prince. Where sups he? doth the old boar feed in the[3615]
old frank?
Bard. At the old place, my lord, in Eastcheap.135
Prince. What company?