1    By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night.
2    What, Davy, I say!

3    You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow.

4    I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused;
5    excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse
6    shall serve; you shall not be excused. Why, Davy!

7    Here, sir.

8    Davy, Davy, Davy, Davy, let me see, Davy; let me
9    see, Davy; let me see: yea, marry, William cook,
10   bid him come hither. Sir John, you shall not be excused.

11   Marry, sir, thus; those precepts cannot be served:
12   and, again, sir, shall we sow the headland with wheat?

13   With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook: are
14   there no young pigeons?

15   Yes, sir. Here is now the smith's note for shoeing
16   and plough-irons.

17   Let it be cast and paid. Sir John, you shall not be excused.

18   Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must need be
19   had: and, sir, do you mean to stop any of William's
20   wages, about the sack he lost the other day at
21   Hinckley fair?

22   A' shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple
23   of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any
24   pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.

25   Doth the man of war stay all night, sir?

26   Yea, Davy. I will use him well: a friend i' the
27   court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men
28   well, Davy; for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite.

29   No worse than they are backbitten, sir; for they
30   have marvellous foul linen.

31   Well conceited, Davy: about thy business, Davy.

32   I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of
33   Woncot against Clement Perkes of the hill.

34   There is many complaints, Davy, against that Visor:
35   that Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.

36   I grant your worship that he is a knave, sir; but
37   yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave should have some
38   countenance at his friend's request. An honest
39   man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave
40   is not. I have served your worship truly, sir,
41   this eight years; and if I cannot once or twice in
42   a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I
43   have but a very little credit with your worship. The
44   knave is mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I
45   beseech your worship, let him be countenanced.

46   Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy.
Exit DAVY
47   Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come, off
48   with your boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.

49   I am glad to see your worship.

50   I thank thee with all my heart, kind
51   Master Bardolph: and welcome, my tall fellow.
To the Page
52   Come, Sir John.

53   I'll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.
Exit SHALLOW
54   Bardolph, look to our horses.
Exeunt BARDOLPH and Page
55   If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four
56   dozen of such bearded hermits' staves as Master
57   Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the
58   semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his:
59   they, by observing of him, do bear themselves like
60   foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is
61   turned into a justice-like serving-man: their
62   spirits are so married in conjunction with the
63   participation of society that they flock together in
64   consent, like so many wild-geese. If I had a suit
65   to Master Shallow, I would humour his men with the
66   imputation of being near their master: if to his
67   men, I would curry with Master Shallow that no man
68   could better command his servants. It is certain
69   that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is
70   caught, as men take diseases, one of another:
71   therefore let men take heed of their company. I
72   will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to
73   keep Prince Harry in continual laughter the wearing
74   out of six fashions, which is four terms, or two
75   actions, and a' shall laugh without intervallums. O,
76   it is much that a lie with a slight oath and a jest
77   with a sad brow will do with a fellow that never
78   had the ache in his shoulders! O, you shall see him
79   laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up!

Within
80    Sir John!

81   I come, Master Shallow; I come, Master Shallow.