Shal.

Nay, you shall see my ^note orchard, where, in an arbour, we will eat a last year's pippin of my ^note own graffing, with a dish of caraways, and so forth: come, cousin Silence: and then to bed.

Fal.

'Fore God ^note, you have here a goodly ^note dwelling and a rich.

Shal.

Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beggars all, Sir John: marry, good air. Spread, Davy; spread, Davy: well said ^note, Davy.

Fal.

This Davy serves you for good uses; he is your serving-man and your husband ^note.

Shal.

A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good varlet, Sir John: by the mass ^note, I have drunk ^note too much sack at supper: a good varlet. Now sit down, now sit down: come, cousin.

Sil.

Ah ^note, sirrah! quoth-a, we shall

Do ^note nothing but eat, and make good cheer, [Singing. ^note
And praise God ^note for the merry year;
When flesh is cheap and females dear, ^note
And ^note lusty lads roam ^note here and there
  So merrily ^note,
And ever among so merrily. ^note

Fal.

There's a merry heart! Good Master Silence, ^note I'll give you a health ^note for that anon.

Shal.
Give Master Bardolph some ^note wine, Davy.

Davy.

Sweet sir, sit; I'll be with you anon; most sweet sir, sit. Master page ^note, good master page, sit. Proface! ^{note note}What you want in meat, we'll have in drink: but you must ^note bear; the heart's all.

Shal.

Be merry, Master Bardolph; and, my little soldier there, be merry.

Sil.
Be merry, be merry, my wife has all ^note; [Singing. ^note
For women are shrews, both short and tall:
'Tis merry in hall when beards wag ^note all,
  And welcome merry Shrove-tide.
Be merry, be merry. ^{note note}

Fal.

I did not think Master Silence had been a man of this mettle ^note.

Sil.

Who, I? I have been merry twice and once ere now.

Re-enter Davy. ^note

Davy.

There's ^note a dish of leather-coats for you.

Shal.

Davy!

Davy.

Your worship! I'll be with you straight [to Bardolph ^note]. A cup of wine, sir?

Sil.
A cup of wine that's brisk and fine, [Singing. ^note
And drink unto the leman mine;
  And a merry heart lives long-a ^note.

Fal.

Well said, Master Silence.

Sil.

An we shall be merry, ^note now comes in the sweet o' the ^note night ^note.

Fal.

Health and long life to you, Master Silence.

Sil.
Fill the cup, and let it come; [Singing. ^note
I'll pledge you a mile ^note to the bottom. ^note

Shal.

Honest Bardolph, welcome: if thou wantest any thing, and wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. Welcome, my little tiny ^note thief [to the Page ^note], and welcome indeed too. I'll drink to Master Bardolph, and to all the cavaleros ^note about London.

Davy.

I hope to see London once ^note ere I die.

Bard.

An ^note I might see you there, Davy,—

Shal.

By the mass ^note, you'll crack a quart together, ha! will you not, Master Bardolph?

Bard.

Yea ^note, sir, in a pottle-pot.

Shal.

By God's liggens ^note, I thank thee: the knave will

stick by thee, I can assure thee that. A' ^note will not out; he is ^note true bred.

Bard.

And I'll stick by him, sir.

Shal.

Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. [Knocking within. ^note] Look who's at door there, ho! ^note who knocks?

Fal.

Why, now you have done me right.

Sil.

Do me right, [Singing. ^note
And dub me knight:
  Samingo. ^note

Is't not so?

Fal.

'Tis so.

Sil.

Is't so? ^note Why then, say an old man can do somewhat.

Davy.

An't ^note please your worship, there's one Pistol come from the court with news.

Fal.
From the court! let him come in. Enter Pistol. ^{note note}
How now, Pistol!

Pist.

Sir John, God save you ^note!

Fal.

What wind blew you hither, Pistol?

Pist.

Not the ill wind which blows no man to good ^note. Sweet knight, thou art now one of the greatest men in this ^note realm.

Sil.

By'r lady ^note, I think a' ^note be, but goodman Puff of Barson ^note.

Pist.
Puff!
Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base!
Sir John, I am thy Pistol and thy friend,
And ^note helter-skelter have I rode to thee,
And tidings do I bring and lucky joys
And golden times and happy news of price. ^note

Fal.

I pray thee ^note now, deliver them like a man of this world.

Pist.
A foutre ^note for the world and worldlings ^note base!
I speak of Africa and golden joys.

Fal.
O base Assyrian knight, what is thy news?
Let King Cophetua ^note know the truth thereof.

Sil.
And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John ^note. [Singing. ^note

Pist.
Shall dunghill curs confront the Helicons?
And shall good news be baffled?
Then, Pistol, lay thy head in Furies' ^note lap. ^{note note}

Shal.
Honest gentleman, I know not your breeding.

Pist.
Why then, lament therefore.

Shal.

Give me pardon, sir: if, sir, ^note you come with news from the court, I take it there's ^note but two ways, either to utter them, or to conceal ^note them. I am, sir, under the king, in some authority.

Pist.
Under which king, Besonian ^note? speak, or die.

Shal.
Under King Harry.

Pist.
Harry the fourth? or fifth?

Shal.
Harry the fourth.

Pist.
A foutre ^note 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 Spaniard. ^note

Fal.

What, is the old king dead?

Pist.
As nail in door: the things I speak are just.

Fal.

Away, Bardolph! saddle my horse. Master Robert Shallow, choose what office thou wilt in the land, 'tis thine. Pistol, I will double-charge thee with dignities. ^note

Bard.
O joyful day!
I would not take a knighthood ^note for my fortune.

Pist.
What! I do bring good news. ^note

Fal.

Carry Master Silence to bed. Master Shallow, my Lord Shallow,—be what thou wilt; I am fortune's steward—get ^note on thy boots: we'll ride all night. O sweet Pistol! Away, Bardolph! [Exit Bard. ^note] Come, Pistol, utter more to me; and withal devise something to do thyself good. Boot, boot ^note, 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. Blessed are they that ^note have been my friends; and woe to ^note my lord chief-justice!

Pist.
Let vultures vile ^note seize on his lungs also!
‘Where is the life that late I led?’ say they:
Why, here it is; welcome these pleasant days ^note! ^note [Exeunt. ^note

^note

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