In equal rank with the best govern'd nation ; Our coronation done, we will accite, As I before remember'd, all our state; [Exeunt. SCENE III. Glostershire. The Garden of Shallow's House. Enter FALSTAFF, SHALLOW, SILENCE, BARDOLPH, the Page, and DAVY. Shal. Nay, you shall see mine orchard: where, in an arbour, 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. he is your Fal. This Davy serves you for good uses; he is 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. Now sit down, now sit down: come, cousin. Do nothing but eat, and make good cheer, [Singing. When flesh is cheap and females dear," And ever among so merrily. 3 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. - most Davy. Sweet sir, sit; [seating BARDOLPH and the Page at another table.] I'll be with you anon: sweet sir, sit. Master page, good master page, sit: proface! What you want in meat, we'll have in drink. But you must bear; The heart's all. 5 [Exit. Shal. Be merry, master Bardolph; - and my little soldier there, be merry. Sil. Be merry, be merry, my wife's as all+; [Singing. For women are shrews, both short and tall: 'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all, And welcome merry shrove-tide. 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. Re-enter DAVY. Davy. There is a dish of leather-coats for you. [Setting them before BARDOLPH. 3 and females dear, &c.] This very natural character of Justice Silence is not sufficiently observed. He would scarcely speak a word before, and now there is no possibility of stopping his mouth. 4 proface!] Italian from profaccia; a cant term in Italy, that is, much good may it do you. 5- The heart's all.] That is, the intention with which the entertainment is given. The humour consists in making Davy act as master of the house. JOHNSON. † “ wife has all ;” — MALONE. 6 leather-coats-] The apple commonly denominated russetine, in Devonshire, is called the buff-coat. Shal. Davy, Davy. Your worship? - I'll be with you straight. [TO BARD.]-A cup of wine, sir? Sil. A cup of wine, that's brisk and fine, And a merry heart lives long-a. Fal. Well said, master Silence. Sil. And we shall be merry ; sweet of the night. - [Singing. now comes in the · Fal. Health and long life to you, master Silence. Sil. 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.tiny thief; [to the Page;] and I'll drink to master Bardolph, about London. Welcome, my little welcome, indeed, too. and to all the cavaleroes 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 ? 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. Shal. Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry. [Knocking heard.] Look who's at door there: Ho! who knocks? Fal. Why, now you have done me right. [Exit DAVY. [To SILENCE, who drinks a bumper. 7 cavaleroes This was the term by which an airy, splendid, irregular fellow was distinguished. The soldiers of king Charles were called cavaliers from the gaiety which they affected in opposition to the sour faction of the parliament. [Singing. Sil. Do me right, 8 9 And dub me knight: " 1 Samingo. Is't not so? Fal. 'Tis so. Sil. 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. Pist. God 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.2 8 Do me right,] To do a man right, and to do him reason, were formerly the usual expressions in pledging healths. He who drank a bumper, expected that a bumper should be drank to his toast. 9 And dub me knight:] It was the custom of the good fellows of Shakspeare's days to drink a very large draught of wine, and sometimes a less palatable potation, on their knees, to the health of their mistress. He who performed this exploit was dubb'd a knight for the evening. 1 Samingo.] Samingo, that is, San Domingo, as some of the commentators have rightly observed. But what is the meaning and propriety of the name here, has not yet been shown. 2 but goodman Puff of Barson.] A little before, William Visor of Woncot is mentioned. Woodmancot and Barton (says Mr. Edwards's MSS.), which I suppose are these two places, and are represented to be in the neighbourhood of Justice Shallow, are both of them in Berkeley hundred in Glostershire. This, I imagine, Pist. Puff? Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base! And golden times, and happy news of price. Fal. I pr'ythee now, deliver them like a man of this world. Pist. A foutra for the world, and worldings base! I speak of Africa, and golden joys. Fal. O base Assyrian knight, what is thy news? Let king Cophetua know the truth thereof. Sil. And Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John. [Sings. 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, Bezonian3? speak, or die. Shal. Under king Harry. Pist. Shal. Harry the fourth. Pist. Harry the fourth? or fifth? A foutra for thine office! Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is king; was done to disguise the satire a little: for Sir Thomas Lucy, who, by the coat of arms he bears, must be the real Justice Shallow, lived at Charlecot, near Stratford, in Warwickshire. STEEVENS. 3 —— Bezonian ?] A term of reproach, frequent in the writers contemporary with our poet. Bisognoso, a needy person; thence metaphorically, a base scoundrel. |