Act 5. Scene I

SCENE I. Gloucestershire. SHALLOW'S house.

Enter SHALLOW, FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, and Page
SHALLOW
By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night.
What, Davy, I say!

FALSTAFF
You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow.

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

Enter DAVY

DAVY
Here, sir.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHALLOW
Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy.

Exit DAVY

Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come, off
with your boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.