Gloucestershire. A Hall in Shallow's House.
 Enter SHALLOW, FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, and PAGE.

Shallow	By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away tonight. 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. 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 needs be had; and 
	sir, do you mean to stop any of William's wages, about the 
	sack he lost 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'th' 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 o'th' 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 I cannot once 
	or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest 
	man, I have little credit with your worship. The knave is 
	mine honest friend, sir; therefore I beseech you 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.

Bardolph	I am glad to see your worship.

Shallow	I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph.
	[To PAGE.] and welcome, my tall fellow. Come, Sir John.

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

Shallow	[Within.] Sir John!

Falstaff	I come, Master Shallow; I come, Master Shallow.
													[Exit.
