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 forth: come, cousin
Silence; and then to bed.
Fal.
You have here a goodly dwelling, and a rich.
Shal.
Barren, barren, barren: beggars all, beggars all,
Sir John; marry, good air. Spread, Davy; spread,
Davy; well said, Davy.
Fal.
This Davy serves you for good uses; he is your
servingman, and your husbandman.
Shal.
A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good varlet,
Sir John. By th' mass, I have drank too much sack, at
supper. A good varlet. Not sit down, now sit down:
come, cousin.
Sil.
Ah, sirrah, quoth-a:
-- 68 --
We shall do nothing but eat and make good cheer,
[Singing.
And praise heav'n for the merry year;
When flesh is cheap, and females dear,
And lusty lads roam here and there;
So merrily, and ever among, so merrily, &c.
Fal.
There's a merry heart, good master Silence. I'll
give you a health for that, anon.
Shal.
Give Mr. Bardolph some wine, Davy.
Davy.
Sweet sir, sit; I'll be with you anon, most
sweet sir, sit. Master Page, sit: good master Page, sit:
proface. What you want in meat, we'll have in drink;
but you must bear; the heart's all.
[Exit.
Shal.
Be merry, Mr. Bardolph; and my little soldier
there, be merry.
Sil. [Singing.]
Be merry, be merry, my wife has all,
For women are shrews, both short and tall;
'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all,
And welcome merry Shrovetide.
Be merry, be merry.
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.
Enter Davy.
Davy.
There is a dish of leather-coats for you.
Shal.
Davy.
Davy.
Your worship—I'll be with you streight.
A cup of wine, Sir?
Sil. [Singing.]
A cup of wine,
That's brisk and fine.
And drink unto the leman mine;
And a merry heart lives long-a.
Fal.
Well said, master Silence.
Sil.
If we shall be merry, now comes in the sweet of
the night.
Fal.
Health and long life to you, master Silence.
Sil.
Fill the cup, and let it come. I'll pledge you, wer't
a mile to the bottom.
-- 69 --
Shal.
Honest Bardolph, welcome; if thou want'st any
thing and wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. Welcome,
my little tiny thief, and welcome, indeed, too: I'll drink
to master Bardolph, and to all the cavaleroes about
London.
Dav.
I hope to see London, ere I die.
Bard.
If I might see you there, Davy—
Shal.
You'll crack a quart together? ha, will you not,
master Bardolph?
Bard.
Yes, Sir, in a pottle pot.
Shal.
By God's liggens 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.
[One knocks at the door.
Shal.
Why, there spoke a King: lack nothing, be
merry. [Exit Davy.] Look, who's at door there, ho;
who knocks?
Fal.
Why now you have done me right.
Sil. [Singing.]
Do me right, and dub me knight, Samingo.
Is't not so?
Fal.
'Tis so.
Sil.
Is't so? why then say an old man can do somewhat.
Enter Davy.
Davy.
If it please your worship, there's one Pistol,
come from the court, with news.
Fal.
From the court? let him come in.
John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
