Davy.
Shal.
Nay, you shall see mine orchard: where,
in an arbour, we will eat a last year's pippin of my
own graffing, with a dish of carraways, and so
forth7 note
;—come, cousin Silence;—and then to bed.
-- 214 --
Fal.
'Fore God, you have here a goodly dwelling,
and a rich.
-- 215 --
Shal.
Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beggars
all, sir John:—marry, good air8 note.—Spread,
Davy; spread, Davy; well said, Davy.
Fal.
This Davy serves you for good uses; he is
your serving-man, and your husbandman9 note.
Shal.
A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good
varlet, sir John.—By the mass1 note
, I have drunk too
much sack at supper:—A good varlet. Now sit
down, now sit down:—come, cousin.
Sil.
Ah, sirrah! quoth-a,—we shall
Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer,
[Singing.
And praise heaven for the merry year;
-- 216 --
When flesh is cheap and females dear2 note
,
And lusty lads roam here and there,
So merrily,
And ever among so merrily3 note
.
Fal.
There's a merry heart!—Good master Silence,
I'll give you a health for that anon.
Shal.
Give master Bardolph some wine, Davy.
Davy.
Sweet sir, sir; [Seating Bardolph and
the Page at another table.] I'll be with you anon:—
most sweet sir, sit.—Master page, good master
page, sit: proface4 note
! What you want in meat, we'll
-- 217 --
have in drink. But you must bear; The heart's
all5 note.
[Exit.
Shal.
Be merry, master Bardolph;—and my
little soldier there, be merry.
Sil.
Be merry, be merry, my wife has all6 note
;
[Singing.
-- 218 --
For women are shrews, both short and tall:
'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all6 note
,
And welcome merry shrove-tide7 note
.
Be merry, be merry, &c.
Fal.
I did not think, master Silence had been a
man of this mettle.
Sil.
Who I? I have been merry twice and once,
ere now.
-- 219 --
Re-enter Davy.
Davy.
There is a dish of leather-coats for you8 note.
[Setting them before Bardolph.
Shal.
Davy,—
Davy.
Your worship?—I'll be with you straight.
[To Bard.]—A cup of wine, sir?
Sil.
A cup of wine, that's brisk and fine,
And drink unto the leman mine;
[Singing.
And a merry heart lives long-a9 note
.
Fal.
Well said, master Silence.
Sil.
And we shall be merry;—now comes in the
sweet of the night1 note
.
Fal.
Health and long life to you, master Silence.
Sil.
Fill the cup, and let it come2 note;
I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom.
Shal.
Honest Bardolph, welcome: If thou wantest
any thing, and wilt not call, beshrew thy
heart.—Welcome, my little tiny thief; [To the
Page.] and welcome, indeed, too.—I'll drink to
-- 220 --
master Bardolph, and to all the cavaleroes3 note about
London.
Davy.
I hope to see London once ere I die4 note.
Bard.
An I might see you there, Davy,—
Shal.
By the mass, you'll crack a quart together.
Ha! will you not, master Bardolph?
Bard.
Yes, sir, in a pottle pot.
Shal.
I thank thee:—The knave will stick by
thee, I can assure thee that: he will not out; he is
true bred.
Bard.
And I'll stick by him, sir.
Shal.
Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing:
be merry. [Knocking heard.] Look who's at door
there: Ho! who knocks?
[Exit Davy.
Fal.
Why, now you have done me right.
[To Silence, who drinks a bumper.
Sil.
Do me right5 note
,
[Singing.
And dub me knight6 note
:
Samingo7 note
note
.
Is't not so?
-- 221 --
Fal.
'Tis so.
Sil.
Is't so? Why, then say, an old man can do
somewhat.
-- 222 --
Re-enter Davy.
Davy.
An it please your worship, there's one
Pistol come from the court with news.
Fal.
From the court? let him come in.—
Enter Pistol.
How now, Pistol?
Pist.
God save you, sir John!
Fal.
What wind blew you hither, Pistol?
Pist.
Not the ill wind which blows no man to
good8 note
.—Sweet knight, thou art now one of the
greatest men in the realm.
Sil.
By'r lady, I think 'a be; but goodman Puff
of Barson9 note
.
-- 223 --
Pist.
Puff?
Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base!—
Sir John, I am thy Pistol, and thy friend,
And helter-skelter have I rode to thee;
And tidings do I bring, and lucky joys,
And golden times, and happy news of price.
Fal.
I pr'ythee now, deliver them like a man of
this world.
Pist.
A foutra for the world, and worldlings base!
I speak of Africa, and golden joys.
Fal.
O base Assyrian knight, what is thy news?
Let king Cophetua know the truth thereof1 note
.
-- 224 --
Sil.
And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John2 note.
[Sings.
Pist.
Shall dunghill curs confront the Helicons?
And shall good news be baffled?
Then, Pistol, lay thy head in Furies' lap3 note.
Shal.
Honest gentleman, I know not your breeding.
Pist.
Why then, lament therefore4 note
.
Shal.
Give me pardon, sir;—If, sir, you come
with news from the court, I take it, there is but
two ways; either to utter them, or to conceal them.
I am, sir, under the king, in some authority.
Pist.
Under which king, Bezonian5 note
? speak, or die.
Shal.
Under king Harry.
-- 225 --
Pist.
Harry the fourth? or fifth?
Shal.
Harry the fourth.
Pist.
A foutra for thine office!—
Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is king;
Harry the fifth's the man. I speak the truth:
When Pistol lies, do this; and fig me, like
The bragging Spaniard6 note
.
Fal.
What! is the old king dead?
Pist.
As nail in door7 note
: the things I speak, are just.
Fal.
Away, Bardolph; saddle my horse.—Master
-- 226 --
Robert Shallow, choose what office thou wilt in the
land, 'tis thine.—Pistol, I will double-charge thee
with dignities.
Bard.
O joyful day!—I would not take a knighthood
for my fortune.
Pist.
What? I do bring good news?
Fal.
Carry master Silence to bed.—Master
Shallow, my lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am
fortune's steward. Get on thy boots; we'll ride
all night:—O, sweet Pistol:—Away, Bardolph.
[Exit Bard.]—Come, Pistol, utter more to me;
and, withal, devise something, to do thyself good.—
Boot, boot, master Shallow; I know, the young
king is sick for me. Let us take any man's horses;
the laws of England are at my commandment.
Happy are they which have been my friends; and
woe to my lord chief justice!
Pist.
Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also!
Where is the life that late I led, say they8 note
:
Why, here it is; Welcome these pleasant days9 note
.
[Exeunt.
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
