Context: Falstaff, boon companion in fun to Prince Hal, faced the threat of arrest when the sheriff suddenly appeared at the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap while Hal and the "huge bombard of sack" were comically exchanging roles of father and son in anticipation of Hal's confrontation with his father the next morning. The sheriff was pursuing a report that an old fat man had been involved in the Gads Hill robbery of the king's retainers. Just as so frequently before, Hal had protected his crony by bidding him to hide behind the arras while he told the sheriff that Falstaff was engaged on a royal errand. The "tun of man" was so assured of the safety of the royal protection that he fell asleep and snored loudly. After the sheriff departed, the disgusted Hal picked his pockets, finding only bill upon bill for sack and bread. Now, in a later scene, Falstaff uses this action for his own purposes. With the hostess berating him for nonpayment of his tavern bills, he haughtily claims that he has been robbed and slanders her for operating an establishment in which a guest is not safe from a pick-pocket. He also slanders Prince Hal, who–unknown to him–has walked on stage behind him. Thus the scene is set for another moment of comic exposure in which Falstaff will be forced to use his wits to free himself from an awkward situation: