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  • Title: Henry IV, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Rosemary Gaby

    • Copyright Rosemary Gaby. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Rosemary Gaby
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry IV, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1600)

    Shal. By cock and pie sir, you shal not away to night, what
    Dauy I say?
    2790Falst. You must excuse me master Robert Shallow.
    Shal. I will not excuse you, you shall not be excusde, ex-
    cuses shall not be admitted, there is no excuse shall serue, you
    shall not be excusde: why Dauy.
    2795Dauy Here sir.
    Shal
    Henry the fourth.
    Shal. Dauy, Dauy, Dauy, Dauy, let me see Dauy, let me see
    Dauy, let me see, yea mary William Cooke, bid him come
    hither, sir Iohn, you shal not be excused.
    Dauy Mary sir thus, those precepts can not be serued, and
    2800againe sir, shal we sow the hade land with wheate?
    Shal. With red wheat Dauy, but for William Cooke
    are there no yong pigeons?
    Dauy Yes sir, here is now the Smiths note for shooing and
    plow-yrons.
    Shal. Let it be cast and payed: sir Iohn, you shal not be ex-
    cused.
    Dauy Now sir, a new lincke to the bucket must needes be
    2810had: and sir, do you meane to stop any of VWilliams wages, a-
    bout the sacke he lost at Hunkly Faire?
    Shal. A shall answer it: some pigeons Dauy, a couple of
    short legg'd hens, a ioynt of mutton, and any pretty little tinie
    2815Kick-shawes, tell william Cooke.
    Dauy Doth the man of warre stay all night sir?
    Shal. Yea Dauy, I will vse him well, a friend i'th court is
    better then a penie in purse: vse his men wel Dauy, for they are
    2820arrant knaues, and will backbite.
    Dauy No worse then they are back-bitten sir, for they haue
    maruailes foule linnen.
    Shal. Well conceited Dauy, about thy businesse Dauy.
    Dauy I beseech you sir to countenance William Visor
    of Woncote against Clement Perkes a'th hill.
    Sha. There is many complaints Dauy against that Visor,
    2830that Visor is an arrant knaue on my knowledge.
    Dauy I graunt your worship that he is a knaue sir: but yet
    God forbid sir, but a knaue should haue some countenance at
    his friends request, an honest man sir is able to speake for him-
    2835selfe, when a knaue is not: I haue seru'de your worship truly sir
    this eight yeares and I cannot once, or twice in a quarter beare
    out a knaue against an honest man, I haue litle credit with your
    worship: the knaue is mine honest friend sir, therfore I beseech
    2840you let him be countenaunst.
    I3 Shal
    The second part of
    Shal. Go to I say, he shal haue no wrong, look about Dauy:
    where are you sir Iohn? come, come, come, off with your boots,
    2845giue me your hand master Bardolfe.
    Bard. I am glad to see your worship.
    Shal I thank thee with my heart kind master Bardolfe, and
    welcome my tall fellow, come sir Iohn.
    2850Falst. Ile follow you good maister Robert Shallow: Bar-
    dolfe, looke to our horses: if I were sawed into quantities, I
    should make foure dozen of such berded hermites staues as
    maister Shallow: it is a wonderfull thing to see the semblable
    coherence of his mens spirits, and his, they, by obseruing him,
    2855do beare themselues like foolish Iustices: hee, by conuersing
    with them, is turned into a Iustice-like seruingman, their spirits
    are so married in coniunction, with the participation of society,
    that they flocke together in consent, like so many wild-geese.
    2860If I had a suite to master Shallow, I would humour his men
    with the imputation, of beeing neere their maister: if to his
    men, I would curry with maister Shallow, that no man could
    better commaund his seruants. It is certaine, that eyther wise
    bearing, or ignorant cariage is caught, as men take diseases one
    of another: therefore let men take heede of their company. I
    will deuise matter enough out of this Shallow, to keepe prince
    Harry in continuall laughter, the wearing out of sixe fashions,
    which is foure termes, or two actions, and a shal laugh without
    2870interuallums. O it is much that a lie, with a slight oathe, and
    a iest, with a sad browe, will doe with a fellow that neuer had
    the ach in his shoulders: O you shall see him laugh til his face
    be like a wet cloake ill laide vp.
    2875Shal. Sir Iohn.
    Falst. I come maister Shallow, I come master Shallow.
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