_2 Car._ Time enough to go to bed with a candle, I warrant thee.--Come, neighbour Mugs, we’ll call up the gentlemen; they will along with company, for they have great charge. [_Exeunt_ Carriers. _Gads._ What, ho! chamberlain! _Cham._ [_Within._] At hand, quoth pick-purse. _Gads._ That’s even as fair as--at hand, quoth the chamberlain: for thou variest no more from picking of purses, than giving direction doth from labouring; thou lay’st the plot how. _Enter_ Chamberlain. _Cham._ Good morrow, master Gadshill. It holds current that I told you yesternight: There’s a franklin in the wild of Kent, hath brought three hundred marks with him in gold: I heard him tell it to one of his company, last night at supper; a kind of auditor; one that hath abundance of charge too, God knows what. They are up already, and call for eggs and butter: They will away presently. _Gads._ Sirrah, if they meet not with saint Nicholas’ clerks, I’ll give thee this neck. _Cham._ No, I’ll none of it: I pr’ythee, keep that for the hangman; for, I know, thou worship’st saint Nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may. _Gads._ What talkest thou to me of the hangman? if I hang, I’ll make a fat pair of gallows: for, if I hang, old sir John hangs with me; and, thou knowest, he’s no starveling. Tut! there are other Trojans that thou dreamest not of, the which, for sport sake, are content to do the profession some grace; that would, if matters should be looked into, for their own credit sake, make all whole. I am joined with no foot land-rakers, no long-staff, six-penny strikers; none of these mad, mustachio purple-hued malt-worms: but with nobility, and tranquillity; burgomasters, and great oneyers; such as can hold in; such as will strike sooner than speak, and speak sooner than drink, and drink sooner than pray: And yet I lie; for they pray continually to their saint, the commonwealth; or, rather, not pray to her, but prey on her; for they ride up and down on her, and make her their boots. _Cham._ What, the commonwealth their boots? will she hold out water in foul way? _Gads._ She will, she will; justice hath liquored her. We steal as in a castle, cock-sure; we have the receipt of fern-seed, we walk invisible. _Cham._ Nay, by my faith; I think you are more beholden to the night, than to fern-seed, for your walking invisible. _Gads._ Give me thy hand: thou shalt have a share in our purchase, as I am a true man. _Cham._ Nay, rather let me have it, as you are a false thief. _Gads._ Go to; _Homo_ is a common name to all men. Bid the ostler bring my gelding out of the stable. Farewell, you muddy knave. [_Exeunt._