SCENE I.
Shallow's seat in Glostershire.
Enter Shallow, Falstaff, Bardolph, and Page.
Shal.
1 note
By cock and pye, sir, you shall not away
to-night.—What, Davy, I say!
Fal.
You must excuse me, master Robert Shallow.
-- 581 --
Shal.
2 noteI will not excuse you; you shall not be excus'd;
excuses shall not be admitted; there is no
excuse shall serve; you shall not be excus'd.—Why,
Davy!
Enter Davy.
Davy.
Here, sir.
Shal.
Davy, Davy, Davy,—let me see, Davy; let
me see:—yea, marry, William cook3 note
, bid him come
hither.—Sir John, you shall not be excus'd.
-- 582 --
Davy.
Marry, sir, thus;—4 notethose precepts cannot
be serv'd: and, again, sir,—Shall we sow the headland
with wheat?
Shal.
With red wheat, Davy. But for William
cook;—Are there no young pigeons?
Davy.
Yes, sir.—Here is now the smith's note,
for shoeing, and plough-irons.
Shal.
Let it be cast, and paid:—sir John, you shall
not be excus'd.
Davy.
Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must
needs be had:—And, sir, do you mean to stop any of
William's wages, about the sack he lost the other day
at Hinckley fair?
Shal.
He shall answer it:—Some pigeons, Davy;
a couple of short-legg'd hens; a joint of mutton;
and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William
cook.
Davy.
Doth the man of war stay all night, sir?
Shal.
Yes, Davy. I will use him well; A friend
i' the court is better than a penny in purse5 note
. Use his
-- 583 --
men well, Davy; for they are arrant knaves, and will
backbite.
Davy.
No worse than they are back-bitten, sir;
for they have marvellous foul linen.
Shal.
Well conceited, Davy. About thy business,
Davy.
Davy.
I beseech you, sir, to countenance William
Visor of Woncot against Clement Perkes of the hill.
Shal.
There are many complaints, Davy, against
that Visor; that Visor is an arrant knave, on my
knowledge.
Davy.
I grant your worship, that he is a knave,
sir: but yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave should
have some countenance at his friend's request. An
honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a
knave is not. I have serv'd your worship truly, sir,
these eight years; and if I cannot once or twice in a
quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have
but a very little credit with your worship. The knave
is mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I beseech your
worship, let him be countenanc'd.
Shal.
Go to; I say, he shall have no wrong. Look
about, Davy. Where are you, sir John? Come, off
with your boots.—Give me your hand, master Bardolph.
Bard.
I am glad to see your worship.
Shal.
I thank thee with all my heart, kind master
Bardolph:—and welcome, my tall fellow. [to the page.]
Come, sir John.
Fal.
I'll follow you, good master Robert Shallow.
Bardolph, look to our horses. [Exeunt Shallow, Bardolph, &c.]
—If I were saw'd into quantities, I should
make four dozen of such 6 notebearded hermit's-staves as
-- 584 --
master Shallow7 note
. It is a wonderful thing, to see the
semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his:
They, by observing of him, do bear themselves like
foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is
turn'd into a justice-like serving-man: their spirits
are so married in conjunction with the participation
of society, that they flock together in consent, like
so many wild-geese. If I had a suit to master Shallow,
I would humour his men, with the imputation of being
near their master: if to his men, I would curry
with master Shallow, that no man could better command
his servants. It is certain, that either wise
bearing, or ignorant carriage, is caught, as men take
diseases, one of another: therefore, let men take heed
of their company. I will devise matter enough out
of this Shallow, to keep prince Harry in continual
laughter, the wearing-out of six fashions, (which is
four terms, or 8 notetwo actions) and he shall laugh without
intervallums. O, it is much, that a lie, with a
slight oath, and a jest with a sad brow, will do with
a 9 notefellow that never had the ache in his shoulders!
O, you shall see him laugh 'till his face be like a wet
cloak ill laid up.
Shal. [within]
Sir John!
Fal.
I come, master Shallow; I come, master Shallow.
[Exit Falstaff.
-- 585 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
