t Shrewsbury, nothing appears on the surface but the Prince's
familiarly saying, in the tone usually assumed when speaking of
_Falstaff_, "_I will procure this fat rogue a Charge of foot_"; and in
another place, "_I will procure thee Jack a Charge of foot; meet me
to-morrow in the Temple Hall._" Indeed we might venture to infer from
this, that a Prince of so great ability, whose wildness was only external
and assumed, would not have procured, in so nice and critical a
conjuncture, a Charge of foot for a known Coward. But there was more it
seems in the case: We now find from this report, to which _Lord Bardolph_
had given full credit, that the world had its eye upon _Falstaff_ as an
officer of merit, whom it expected to find in the field, and whose fate in
the battle was an object of Public concern: His life was, it seems, very
material indeed; a thread of so much dependence, that _fiction_, weaving
the fates of Princes, did not think it unworthy, how coarse soever, of
being made a part of the tissue.

We shall next produce the evidence of the Chief Justice of England. He
inquires of his attendant, "_if the man who was then passing him was
__FALSTAFF__; he who was in question for the robbery._" The attendant
answers affirmatively, but reminds his lord "_that he had since done good
service at Shrewsbury_"; and the Chief Justice, on this occasion, rating
him for his debaucheries, tells him "_that his day's service at Shrewsbury
had gilded over his night's exploit at Gads Hill._" This is surely more
than Common fame: _The Chief Justice_ must have known his whole character
taken together, and must have received the most authentic information, and
in the truest colours, of his behaviour in that action.

But, perhaps, after all, the Military men may be esteemed the best judges
in points of this nature. Let us hear then _Coleville_ of the dale, _a
Soldier, in degree a Knight, a famous rebel, and_ "_whose betters, had
they been ruled by him, would have sold themselves dearer_": A man who is
of consequence enough to be guarded by _Blunt_ and _led to present
execution_. This man yields himself up even to the very Name and
Reputation of _Falstaff_. "_I think_," says he, "_you are Sir John
Falstaff, and in that thought yield me._" But this is but one only among
the men of the sword; and they shall be produced then by _dozens_, if that
will satisfy. Upon the return of the King and Prince Henry from Wales, the
Prince seeks out and fin