Sil. A cup of wine, that's brisk and fine, And a merry heart lives long.a. Fal. Well said, master Silence. [Singing. Sil. And we shall be merry ;-now comes in the sweet of the night. 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 want. est 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 cavaleroest about London. Davy. I hope to see London once ere I die. Bard. An I might see you there, Davy,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? [Exit Davy. Fal. Why, now you have done me right. [To Silence, who drinks a bumper. Sil. Do me right, And dub me knight‡: Samingo §. Sweet-heart. + Gay fellows. He who drank a bumper on his knees to the health of his mistress, was dubbed a knight for the evening. § It should be Domingo; it is part of a song in one of Nashe's plays. 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 here, 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!- Fal. I pr'ythee now, deliver them like a man of this world. Pist. A foutra for the world, and worldlings 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 gentlemen, I know not your breed ing. Pist. Why then, lament therefore Act V. 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. A foutra for thine office!— ~ Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is king; Harry the fifth's the man. The bragging Spaniard. I speak the truth: and fig me, like 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, choose 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.-Master Shallow, my lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am for. tune's steward. Get on thy boots; we'll ride all night:-O, sweet Pistol :-Away, Bardolph. [Erit Bardolph.-Come, Pistol, utter more to me; and, withal, devise something, to do thyself good.-Boot, boot, master Shallow; I know, the young king is sick for me. Let us take any man's horses; the laws of England are at my commandment. Happy are they which have been my friends; and woe to my lord chief justice! Pist. Let vultures vile seize on his lungs also! Where is the life that late I led? say they: Why, here it is; Welcome these pleasant days. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. London. A street. Enter Beadles, dragging in Hostess Quickly, and Doll Tear-sheet. Host. No, thou arrant knave; I would I might die, that I might have thee hanged; thou hast drawn my shoulder out of joint. 1 Bead. The constables have delivered her over to me; and she shall have whipping-cheer enough, I warrant her: There hath been a man or two lately killed about her. Doll. Nut-hook, nut-hook*, you lie. Come on; I'll tell thee what, thou damned tripe-visaged rascal; an the child I now go with, do miscarry, thou hadst better thou hadst struck thy mother, thou paperfaced villain. Host. O the Lord, that sir John were come! he would make this a bloody day to somebody. But I pray God the fruit of her womb miscarry! 1 Bead. If it do, you shall have a dozen of cushionst again; you have but eleven now. Come, I charge you both go with me; for the man is dead, that you and Pistol beat among you. Doll. I'll tell thee what, thou thin man in a censer! I will have you as soundly swinged for this, you blue-bottle roguet! you filthy famished cor. rectioner! if you be not swinged, I'll forswear halfkirtles §. A term of reproach for a catchpoll. + To stuff her out to counterfeit pregnancy. § Short cloaks. 1 Bead. Come, come, you she knight-errant, come. Host. O, that right should thus overcome might! Well; of sufferance comes ease. Doll. Come, you rogue, come; bring me to a justice. Host. Ay; come, you starved blood-hound. Doll. Come, you thin thing; come, you rascal ! 1 Bead. Very well. [Exeunt. SCENE V. A publick place near Westminster Abbey. Enter two Grooms, strewing rushes. 1 Groom. More rushes, more rushes. 2 Groom. The trumpets have sounded twice. 1 Groom. It will be two o'clock ere they come from the coronation: Despatch, despatch: [Exeunt Grooms. Enter Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, Bardolph, and the Page. Fal. Stand here by me, master Robert Shallow; I will make the king do you grace: I will leer upon him, as 'a comes by; and do but mark the counte nance that he will give me. Pist. God bless thy lungs, good knight. Fal. Come here, Pistol; stand behind me.-O, if I had time to have made new liveries, I would have bestowed the thousand pound I borrowed of you. [To Shallow.] But 'tis no matter; this poor show doth better: this doth infer the zeal I had to see him. |