Shal. Go to; I say, he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy. [Exit 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, and PAGE.] If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermit's staves as Master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing, to see the semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his They, by observing 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. 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. Oh, 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! Oh, 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.

Enter Four SERVANTS, with Tables, Cups, Wine, Ale, &c. SHALLOW, SILENCE, BARDOLPH, PAGE, and DAVY.

Shal. Nay, Sir John, an you will stay in my or

chard, here are seats :-we will eat a last year's pippin of my own graffing, with a dish of carraways, and so forth;-come, cousin Silence.

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 serving-man, and your husband-man.

Shal. A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good varlet, Sir John.-By the mass, I have drunk too much sack to-day:a good varlet. Now sit down: now sit down :-come, cousin.

[They sit, the SERVANTS waiting. Sil. Ah, sirrah! quoth-a,-we shall [Singing.

Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer,
And praise Heaven 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 Master Bardolph some wine, Davy. Davy. Sweet sir, sit;-[BARDOLPH and PAGE sit at another Table.] I'll be with you anon:-most sweet sir, sit.—Master Page, good Master Page, sit. [Exit. Shal. Be merry, Master Bardolph ;-and my little soldier there, be merry.

Sil. [Singing.] Be merry, be merry, my wife's as all;
For women are shrews, both short and tall;
merry in hall, when beards wag all,
And welcome merry shrove-tide.

'Tis

Be merry, be merry, &c.

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, with a Dish of Apples.

Davy. There is a dish of leather-coats for you.

Shal. Davy,

[Setting them before BARDOLPH.

Davy. Your worship?-I'll be with you straight.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. An we shall be merry, now comes in the sweet of the night.

Fal. Health and long life to you, Master Silence!
Sil. [Singing.] Fill the cup, and let it come;
I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom.

Shal. Honest Bardolph, welcome: Welcome, my little tiny thief: [To the PAGE.] and welcome, in-. deed, too. I'll drink to Master Bardolph, and to all the cavaleros about London.

Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die.

Bard. An 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. 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.

Skal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing:

be merry. [One knocks at the Door.] Look who's at the gate there: Ho! who knocks? [Exit DAVY. Fal. Why, now you have done me right.

[To SILENCE, who has drunk a Bumper.

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. An it please your worship, there's one Pistol come from the court with news.

Fal. From the court? [They rise.] Let him come in.[Exit DAVY.

Enter PISTOL and DAVY.

How now, Pistol ?

Pist. Heaven save you, Sir John!

Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol?

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

Sil. By 'r lady, I think 'a be; but goodman Puff of Barson.

Pist. Puff?

Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base !—
Sir John, I am thy Pistol, and thy friend,

And helter-skelter have I rode to thee;

And tidings do I bring, and lucky joys,
And golden times, and happy news of price.

Fal. I pr'ythee now, deliver them like a man of this world.

Pist. I speak of Africa, and golden joys.

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

Sil. [Singing.] And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John,-

Pist. Shall dunghill curs confront the Helicons ? And shall good news be baffled?

Then, Pistol, lay thy head in Furies' lap.

Shal. Honest gentleman, I know not your breeding.

Pist. Why, then, lament therefore.

Shal. Give me pardon, sir,-If, sir, you come with news from the court, I take it, there is but two ways; either to utter them, or to conceal them. I am, sir, under the king, in some authority.

Pist. Under which king, Bezonian? speak, or die.
Shal. Under King Harry.

Pist. Harry the Fourth? or Fifth ?
Shal. Harry the Fourth.

Pist. Fourth in thy teeth!

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.

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, chuse what office thou wilt in the land, 'tis thine,-Pistol, I will double-charge thee with dignities.

Bard. O, joyful day !—I would not take a knighthood for my fortune.

Pist. What? I do bring good news?

Fal. Carry Master Silence to bed. [DAVY and the SERVANTS remove the Tables, &c. and carry SILENCE away.] Master Shallow, my Lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am fortune's steward. Get on thy boots;