I should not die but in Jerufalem:
Which vainly I fuppos'd the Holy Land.
But bear me to that chamber, there I'll lye:
In that Jerufulem thall Harry die.

A CT V.
V.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I

Shallow's Seat in Glo'fterfhire.

Enter Shallow, Silence, Falstaff, Bardolph,

Y cock and

and Page.

SHALL O W.

B What Davy, I fay

pye, Sir, you

shall not away to night.

Fal. You must excufe me, master Robert Shallow.

I

Shal. I will not excufe you; you fhall not be excufed. Excufes fhall not be admitted: there is no excuse shall serve: you fhall not be excus'd. Why, Davy,

Davy. Here, Sir.

Enter Davy.

Shal. Davy, Davy, Davy, let me fee, Davy, let me fee; yea, marry, William Cook, bid him come hither. -Sir John, you fhall not be excus'd.

Davy. Marry, Sir, thus: thofe precepts cannot be ferv'd; and, again, Sir, fhall we fow the head-land with wheat?

Shal. With red wheat, Davy. But, for William Cook, are there no young Pidgeons?

1 I will not excufe you, &c.] The fterility of Juftice Shallow's wit is admirably defcribed, in thus making him, by one of the fneft ftrokes of nature, fo often vary his phrafe, to express one and the fame thing, and that the commoneft.

U 4

Dary.

Davy. Yea, Sir-Here is now the Smith's note for fhooing, and plow-irons.

Shal. Let it be caft and paid-Sir John, you shall not be excus'd.

Davy. Now, Sir, a new link to the bucket must needs be had. And, Sir, do you mean to ftop any of William's wages about the fack he loft the other day at Hinckly Fair?

Shal. He fhall anfwer it. Some Pidgeons, Davy, a couple of short-legg'd Hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickfhaws: tell William Cook.

Davy. Doth the man of war stay all night, Sir? Shal. Yes, Davy. I will ufe 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 back-bite.

Davy. No worse than they are back-bitten, Sir; for they have marvellous foul linnen.

Shal. Well conceited, Davy. About thy business, Dary.

Davy. I beseech you, Sir, to countenance William Vifor of Woncot against Clement Perkes of the hill.

Shal. There are many complaints, Davy, against that Vifor; that Vifor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.

66

Davy. "I grant your Worship, that he is a knave, Sir; but yet God forbid, Sir, but a knave should have fome countenance at his friend's request. "An honeft man, Sir, is able to fpeak for himfelf, when a knave is not. I have ferv'd your Worship truly, Sir, thefe eight years; and if I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honeft man, I have but very little credit "with your Worfhip. The knave is mine honest friend, Sir, therefore, I befeech your Worship, let him be countenanc'd.

66

Shal.

Shal. Go to, I fay, he fhall have no wrong: look about, Davy. Where are you, Sir John? come, off with your boots. Give me your hand, mafter Bardolph.

Bard. I am glad to fee your Worship.

Shal. I thank thee with all my heart, kind mafter Bardolph; and welcome, my tall fellow; [To the Page] Come, Sir John.

Fal. I'll follow you, good mafter Robert Shallow. [Exeunt Shallow, Silence, &c.] Bardolph, look to our horfes. If I were faw'd into quantities, I fhould make four dozen of fuch bearded hermites-staves as mafter Shallow. "It is a wonderful thing to fee the "femblable coherence of his mens' spirits and his: they, "by obferving of him, do bear themfelves like foolish "juftices; he, by converfing with them, is turn'd into

a juftice-like fervingman. Their fpirits are fo mar"ried in conjunction, with the participation of fociety, "that they flock together in confent, like fo many wild "Geefe. If I had a fuit to mafter Shallow, I would hu"mour 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 fer<< vants. It is certain, that either wife Bearing or ignorant Carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of "another: therefore let men take heed of their company." I will devife matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Henry in continual laughter the wearing out of fix fashions, which is four terms or two actions, and he shall laugh without Intervallums. “O, "it is much, that a lie with a flight oath, and a jest "with a fad brow, will do with a fellow that never "had the ache in his fhoulders." O, you shall fee him laugh, till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up. Shal. [within.] Sir John

Fal. I come, mafter Shallow; I come, mafter Shallow.

[Exit Falstaff. SCENE

SCENE II.

Changes to the Court, in LONDON.

Enter the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Chief Justice.

War. HOW now, my lord Chief Justice, whither

away?

Ch. Juft. How doth the King?

War. Exceeding well: his cares are now all ended: Ch. Juft. I hope, not dead?

War. He's walk'd the way of Nature;

And to our purposes he lives no more.

Ch. Juft. I would, his Majefty had call'd me with him.

The fervice, that I truly did his life,

Hath left me open to all injuries.

War. Indeed, I think, the young King loves

you not.

Ch. Juft. I know, he doth not; and do arm my self, To welcome the condition of the time:

Which cannot look more hideously on me,
Than I have drawn it in my fantasie.

Enter Lord John of Lancafter, Gloucester, and Clarence.
War. Here come the heavy iffue of dead Harry:
O, that the living Harry had the temper
Of him, the worst of thefe three gentlemen:
How many Nobles then should hold their places,
That muft ftrike fail to fpirits of vile fort!
Ch. Just. Alas, I fear, all will be overturn'd.
Lan. Good morrow, coufin Warwick.
Glou. Cla. Good morrow, coufin.

Lan. We meet, like men that had forgot to speak,
War. We do remember; but our argument

Is all too heavy to admit much Talk.

Lan. Well, peace be with him that hath made us heavy!

Ch. Juft.

Ch. Just Peace be with us, left we be heavier! Glou. O, good my lord, you've loft a friend, indeed; And I dare fwear, you borrow not that face Of feeming forrow; it is, fure, your own.

Lan. Tho' no man be affur'd what grace to find, You ftand in coldest expectation.

I am the forrier; 'would, 'twere otherwife.

Cla. Well, you must now fpeak Sir John Falstaff fair, Which fwims against your ftream of quality.

Ch. Juft. Sweet Princes, what I did, I did in Honour, Led by th' impartial conduct of my foul;

2

And never fhall you fee, that I will beg

A rated and foreftall'd remiffion.

If truth and upright innocency fail me,
I'll to the King my mafter that is dead,

And tell him who hath fent me after him.
War. Here comes the Prince.

Enter Prince Henry.

Ch. Juft. Heav'n fave your Majesty!

III.

K. Henry. This new and gorgeous garment, Majefty, Sits not fo eafie on me, as you think.

Brothers, you mix your fadness with fome fear:
This is the English, not the Turkish Court;
Not Amurath an Amurath fucceeds,

But Harry, Harry. Yet be fad, good brothers,
For, to speak truth, it very well becomes you:
Sorrow fo royally in you appears,

That I will deeply put the fashion on,

And wear it in my heart. Why then, be fad;
But entertain no more of it, good brothers,

2 A RAGGED and forefall'd remiffion.] Ragged has no fenfe here. We should read,

A rated and forefali'd remiffion. i. e. a remiffion that must be fought for, and bought with application.

Than