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.
Shal. Davy,

Davy. Your Worship-I'll be with you straight.
A cup of wine, ir?

Sil. [Singing.] A cup of wine,

That's brifk and fine,

And drink unto the leman mine;

And a merry heart lives long-a.

Fal. Well faid, Mafter ilence.

Sil. If we fhall 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, wer't a mile to the bottom.

Shal. Honeft Bardolph, welcome; if thou want’st any thing and wilt not call, befhrew thy heart. Welcome, my little tiny thief, and welcome, indeed, two : I'll drink to Master Bardolph, and to all the cavileroes about London.

Davy. I hope to fee London ere I die.
Bard. If I might fee you there, Davy,

Shal. You'll crack a quart together? ha, will you not, Mafter Bardolph?

Bard. Yes, ir, in a pottle-pot.

Shal. By God's liggens, I thank thee; the knave will tick by thee, I can affure thee that.

out, he is true bred.

Bard. And I'll stick by him, Sir.

:

He will not

[One knocks at the door. Shal. Why, there fpoke a king: lack nothing, be merry. Look, who's at door there, ho: who knocks? Fal. Why, now you have done me right.

Sil. [Singing.] Do me right, and dub me knight, Samingo *. Is't not fo?

Fal. 'Tis fo.

Sil. Is't fo? why, then fay, an old man can do fomewhat.

*He means to fay, San Domingo. Oxford editor.

Davy. If it please your Worship, there's one Piftol come from the court with news.

Fal. From the court? let him come in.

SCENE V. Enter Piftol.

How now, Piftol?

Pift. Sir John, 'fave you, Sir.

Fal. What wind blew you hither, Pistol?

Pift. Not the ill wind which blows no man good, fweet Knight thou art now one of the greatest men in the realm.

[fon.

Sil. Indeed I think he be, but goodman Puff of Bar Pist. Puff? Puff in thy teeth, most recreant coward base? Sir John, I am thy Pistol and thy friend; And helter fkelter have I rode to thee; And tidings do I bring, and lucky joys, And golden times, and happy news of price. Fal. I pr'ythee now, deliver them like a man of this

world.

Pift. A foutra for the world and worldlings bafe! I fpeak of Africa and golden joys.

Fal. O bafe Affyrian Knight, what is thy news? Let King Cophetua know the truth thereof.

*

Sil. And Robin-hood, Scarlet, and John.

Piff. Shall dung-hill-curs confront the Helicons? And fhall good news be baffled?

Then, Piftol, lay thy head in fury's lap,

Shal. Honeft gentlemen, I know not your breeding. Pift. 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 fome authority.

Pift. Under which King? Bezonian, fpeak or die. Shal. Under King Harry.

Pift. Harry the Fourth? or Fifth?

Shal. Harry the Fourth.

Pift. A foutra for thine office!

*Lines taken from an old bombaft play of King Cophetua and the beggar-maid: of whom, as we learn from Shakespear, there were ballads too. Mr. Warburton,

Sir John, thy tender lambkin now is King.
Harry the Fifth's the man. I fpeak the truth.
When Pistol lyes, do this, and fig me like
The bragging Spaniard.

Fal. What, is the old King dead?

Pift. As nail in door: the things I speak are juft. Fal. Away, Bardolph, faddle my horfe. Mafter Robert Shallow, chufe what office thou wilt in the land, 'tis thine. Pistol, I will double charge thee with dignities.

for

Bard. O joyful day! I would not take a knighthood my fortune.

Pift. What? I do bring good news.

Fal Carry Mafter Silence to bed? Master Shallow, my Lord Shallow, be what thou wilt, I am Fortune's fteward. Get on thy boots, we'll ride all night. Ch, sweet Pistol! away, Bardolph: come, Pistol, utter more to me; and withal devife fomething to do thyfelf good. Boot, boot, Mafter Shallow. I know the young King is fick for me. Let us take any man's horfes: the laws of England are at my commandment. Happy are they which have been my friends; and wo to my Lord Chief Justice!

Pift. Let vultures vile feize on his lungs alfo! Where is the life that late I led*? fay thy.

Why, here it is, welcome this pleafant day. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Changes to a street in London. Enter Hoftefs Quickly, Doll Tear-fheet, and Beadles. Hoft. No, thou arrant knave, I would I might die, that might have thee hang'd; thou haft drawn my fhoufder out of joint.

Bead. The constables have deliver'd her over to me; and the fhall have whipping cheer enough, warrant her. There hath been a man or two kill'd about her.

Dol. Nut-hook, nut-hook, you lye; come on, I'll tell thee what, thou damn'd tripe-viiage'd rafcal, if the child I go with, do mitcarry, thou hadft better thou hadft ftruck thy mother, thou paper-face'd villain,

God

Hoft. O the Lord, that Sir John were come, he would make this a bloody day to fome body. But I pray the fruit of her womb miscarry.

Bead. If it do, you fhall have a dozen of cushions again, you have but eleven now. Come, I charge you both go with me; for the man is dead that you and Piftol beat among you.

Dol. I'll tell thee what, thou thin man in a cenfer! I will have you as foundly fwinge'd for this, you bluebottle rogue! you filthy famifh'd correctioner! if you be not swinge'd, I'll forfwear half-kirtles.

Bead. Come, come, you the-knight-arrant, come. Hoft. O, that right fhould thus o'ercome might! Well, of fufferance comes ease.

Dol. Come, you rogue, come; bring me to a justice.
Hoft. Yes, come, you ftarv'd blood-hound.
Dol. Goodman death, goodman bones!
Hoft. Thou atomy, thou!

Dol. Come, you thin thing: come, you rascal!
Bead. Very well.

I

A public place near Wefiminfter abbey.
Enter two Grooms ftrewing rushes.

Groom. More rushes, more rushes.

[Exeunl.

2 Groom. The trumpets have founded twice. 1 Groom. It will be two of the clock ere they come from the coronation: dispatch, dispatch.

[Exeunt grooms.

Enter Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, Bardolph, and the Boy.

Fal. Stand here by me, Mafter Robert Shallow, I will make the King do you grace: I will leer upon him as he comes by, and do but mark the countenance that he will give me.

Pift. Blefs thy lungs, good Knight.

Fal. Come here, Pistol, ftand behind me. C, if I had had time to have made new liveries, I would have beitow'd the thousand pound I borrow'd of you. But it is no matter, this poor fhow doth better; this doth infer the zeal I had to fee him.

Sha!.

Shal. It doth fo.

Fal. It fhews my earnestness of affection.

Pift. It doth fo.

Fal. My devotion.

Pift. It doth, it doth, it doth.

Fal. As it were, to ride day and night, and not to deliberate, not to remember, not to have patience to fhift me.

Shal. It is most certain.

Fal. But to ftand ftained with travel, and fweating with defire to fee him, thinking of nothing elfe, putting all affairs elfe in oblivion, as if there were nothing elfe to be done but to fee him.

Pift. 'Tis femper idem; for abfque hoc nihil eft. 'Tis all in all, and all in every part.

Shal. 'Tis fo, indeed.

Pift. My Knight, I will inflame thy noble liver, and make thee rage.

Thy Dol and Helen of thy noble thoughts

Is in bafe durance and contagious prison;
Hal'd thither by mechanic dirty hands.

[fnake.

Roufe up revenge from Ebon den, with fell Alecto's For Dol is in. Piftol fpeaks nought but truth.

Fal. I will deliver her.

Pift. There roar'd the fea; and trumpet-clangor founds.

The trumpets found. Enter the King, and his train. Fal. God fave thy Grace, King Hal, my Royal Hal! Pift. The heav'ns thee guard and keep, most royal imp of fame!

Fal, God fave thee, my fweet boy.

King. My Lord Chief Juftice, fpeak to that vain man. Ch. Juft. Have you your wits? know you what 'tis you speak?

Fal. My King, my Jove, I fpeak to thee, my heart. King. I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers: How ill white hairs become a fool and jester! I have long dream'd of fuch a kind of man, So furfeit-fwell'd, fo old, and fo profane ; But, being awake, I do despise my dream. Hh 2

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