29 The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth Act V
ACT V
SCENE I. Gloucestershire. Shallow’s house.
Enter Shallow, Falstaff,
Bardolph and Page.
SHALLOW.
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 hade land 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 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?
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’ th’ 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 o’ th’ hill.
SHALLOW.
There is many complaints, Davy, against that Visor. That Visor is an arrant
knave, on my knowledge.
DAVY.
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?
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