With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit, hand: My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear; And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you :- Our coronation done, we will accite,1 J Summon. And (God consigning to my good intents) No prince nor peer shall have just cause to say,- [Exeunt. Glostershire. SCENE III. The garden of Shallow's house. Enter FALSTAFF, SHALLOW, SILENCE, BARDOLPH, Shal. Nay, you shall see mine orchard, where, in an arbor, we will eat a last year's pippin of my own graffing, with a dish of carraways, and so forth;come, cousin Silence;-and then to bed. Fal. 'Fore God, 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 husbandman. Shal. A good varlet, a good varlet, a very good varlet, sir John. By the mass, I have drunk too much sack at supper:-a good varlet. down, now sit down :—come, cousin. Now sit Si. Ah, sirrah! quoth-a,- -we shall 'Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer, [singing. And praise Heaven for the merry year; When flesh is cheap and females dear, And ever among so merrily.' 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; [seating Bardolph and the Page at another table.] I'll be with you anon :most sweet sir, sit. Master page, good master page, sit: : proface!1 What you want in meat we 'll have in drink. But you must bear; the heart's all. [Exit. Shal. Be merry, master Bardolph ;—and my little soldier there, be merry. Si. Be merry, be merry; my wife has all; [singing. For women are shrews, both short and tall: 'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all, Be And welcome merry shrove-tide. merry, be merry,' &c. Fal. I did not think, master Silence had been a man of this mettle. Si. Who I? I have been merry twice and once, ere now. Italian: much good may it do you. Re-enter DAVY. Davy. There is a dish of leather-coats 1 for you. Shal. Davy! [setting them before Bardolph. Davy. Your worship?-I'll be with you straight. [to Bardolph.] A cup of wine, sir? Si. 'A cup of wine, that's brisk and fine, And drink unto the leman 2 mine; And a merry heart lives long-a.' Fal. Well said, master Silence. [singing. Si. And we shall be merry; now comes in the sweet of the night. Fal. Health and long life to you, master Silence! Si. Fill the cup, and let it come; I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom.' Shal. Honest Bardolph, welcome: if thou wantest any thing, and wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. Welcome, my little tiny thief; [to the Page.] and welcome, indeed, too. I'll drink to master Bardolph, and to all the cavaleroes about London. Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die. Shal. By the mass, you'll crack a quart together. Ha! will you not, master Bardolph ? Bar. Yes, sir, in a pottle pot.3 1 Apples commonly called russetines. 2 Sweetheart. 3 A measure containing two quarts. Shal. I thank thee. The knave will stick by thee; I can assure thee that: he will not out; he is true bred. Bar. And I'll stick by him, sir. Shal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. [knocking heard.] Look who's at door there. Ho! who knocks? [Exit Davy. Fal. Why, now you have done me right. [to Silence, who drinks a bumper. Si. Is 't so? Why, then say an old man can do somewhat. Re-enter DAVY. Davy. An it please your worship, there's one Pistol come from the court with news. Fal. From the court? Let him come in. How now, Pistol? Enter PISTOL. Pis. God save you, sir John! Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol? Pis. Not the ill wind which blows no man to In Shakspeare's time, he who drank a bumper to the health of his mistress on his knees, was dubbed a knight for the remainder of the evening. |