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Gloucestershire. SHALLOW’S house.
Enter SHALLOW, FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, and PAGE
SHALLOW
By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night. What,—Davy, I say!
FALSTAFF
You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow.
SHALLOW
I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused; excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be excused.—Why, Davy!
Enter DAVY
DAVY
Here, sir.
SHALLOW
Davy, Davy, Davy, Davy,—let me see, Davy;—let me see, Davy; let me see: yea, marry, William cook, bid him come hither.—Sir John, you shall not be excused.
DAVY
Marry, sir, thus;—those precepts cannot be served: and, again, sir,—shall we sow the headland with wheat?
SHALLOW
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.
SHALLOW
Let it be cast and paid. Sir John, you shall not be excused.
DAVY
Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must need 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?
SHALLOW
He shall answer it.—Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.
DAVY
Doth the man of war stay all night, sir?
SHALLOW
Yea, Davy. I will use him well: a friend i’ the court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy; for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite.
DAVY
No worse than they are backbitten, sir; for they have marvellous foul linen.
SHALLOW
Well conceited, Davy:—about thy business, Davy.
DAVY
I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of Woncot against Clement Perkes of the hill.
SHALLOW
There is 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 served your worship truly, sir, this 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 countenanced.
SHALLOW
Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy.
[Exit Davy
Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come, off with your boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.
BARDOLPH
I am glad to see your worship.
SHALLOW
I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph:—and welcome, my tall fellow. [To the Page]—Come, Sir John.
FALSTAFF
I’ll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.
[Exit Shallow
Bardolph, look to our horses.
[Exeunt Bardolph and Page
If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermits’ staves as Master Shallow. 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 turned 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 two 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 fellow 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!
SHALLOW
[Within] Sir John!
FALSTAFF
I come, Master Shallow; I come, Master Shallow.
[Exit
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