have you provided me here half a dozen sufficient men? Shal. Marry, have we, sir. Will you sit? Shal. Where's the roll? where's the roll? where's the roll?-Let me see, let me see, let me see. So, so, so, so: Yea, marry, sir:-Ralph Mouldy-let them appear as I call; let them do $0. Let me see; Where is Mouldy? Moul. Here, an't please you. Shal. What think you, Sir John? a good-limb'd fellow: young, strong, and of good friends. Fal. Is thy name Mouldy? Moul. Yea, an't please you. Fal. 'Tis the more time thou wert us'd. Shal. Ha, ha, ha! most excellent, i' faith! things, that are mouldy, lack use: Very singular good!-Well said, Sir John; very well said." Ful. Prick him. 5 10 make as many holes in an enemy's battle, as thou hast done in a woman's petticoat? Feeble. I will do my good will, sir; you can have no more. Fal. Well said, good woman's taylor! well said, courageous Feeble! Thou wilt be as valiant as the wrathful dove, or most magnanimous mouse.— Prick the woman's taylor well, master Shallow: deep, master Shallow. Feeble. I would, Wart might have gone, sir. Fal. I would, thou wert a man's taylor; that thou might'st mend him, and make him fit to go. I cannot put him to a private soldier, that is the leader of so many thousands: Let that suffice, most 15 forcible Feeble. Moul. I was prick'd well enough before, an 20 you could have let me alone: my old dame will be undone now, for one to do her husbandry, and her drudgery: you need not to have prick'd me ;) there are other men fitter to go out than I. Fal. Go to; peace, Mouldy, you shall go. 25 Mouldy, it is time you were spent. Moul. Spent! Fal. Thou art a very ragged wart. Fal. It were superfluous; for his apparel is built upon his back, and the whole frame stands upon pins: prick him no more. Feeble. It shall suffice, sir. Fal. I am bound to thee, reverend Feeble. Shal. Peter Bull-calf of the green! Fal. Trust me, a likely fellow!-Come, prick me Bull-calf, till he roar again. Bull. Oh! good my lord captain,— Fal. What disease hast thou? Bull. A whoreson cold, sir; a cold, sir; which I caught with ringing in the king's affairs, upon 30 his coronation day, sir. 135 Fal. Come, thou shalt go to the wars in a gown; we will have away thy cold; and I will take such order, that thy friends shall ring for thee.-Is here all? Shal. There is two more call'd than your num ber, you must have but four here, sir;—and so, I pray you, go in with me to dinner. Fal. Come, I will go drink with you, but I cannot tarry dinner. I am glad to see you, in 40 good troth, master Shallow. 451 Shal. O, Sir John, do you remember since we lay all night in the wind-mill in St. George's-fields ? Fal. No more of that, good master Shallow, no more of that. Shal. Ha, it was a merry night. And is Jane Night-work alive? Fal. She lives, master Shallow. Shal. Ha, ha, ha!-you can do it, sir: you can 55 do it. I commend you well.-Francis Feeble! Feeble. Here, sir. Fal. What trade art thou, Feeble? Feeble. A woman's taylor, sir. Shal. Shall I prick him, sir? 60 Ful. You may: but if he had been a man's taylor, he would have prick'd you.-Wilt thou Shal. By the mass, I could anger her to the heart. She was then a bona-roba. Doth she hold her own well? Ful. Old, old, master Shallow. Shul. Nay, she must be old; she cannot chuse but be old; certain, she's old; and had Robin Night-work by Old Night-work, before I came to Clement's-inn. Sil. That fifty-five years ago. Shal. Ha, cousin Silence, that thou hadst seen that that this knight and I have seen!-Ha, Sir John, said I well? That is, we have in the muster-book many names for which we receive pay, though we have not the men. 2 This is an expression of dislike. Fal. Fal. We have heard the chimes at midnight, master Shallow. Shul. That we have, that we have, that we have; in faith, Sir John, we have; our watchword was, Hem, boys!-Come, let's to dinner; 5 come, let's to dinner :-O, the days that we have seen!-Come,come. [Exeunt Falstaff,andJustices. Bull. Good master corporate Bardolph, stand my friend; and here is four Harry ten shillings in French crowns for you. In very truth, sir, had 10 as lief be hang'd, sir, as go: and yet for mine own part, sir, I do not care: but, rather, because I amn unwilling, and, for mine own part, have a desire to stay with my friends; else, sir, I did not care, for mine own part, so much. Bard. Go to; stand aside. 15 Moul. And, good master corporal captain, for my old dame's sake, stand my friend: she has nobody to do any thing about her, when I am gone; and she is old, and cannot help herself: you shall 20 have forty, sir. Bard. Go to; stand aside. Feeble. I care not a man can die but once:we owe God a death;-I'll ne'er bear a base mind:-an't be my destiny, so: an't be not, so: 25 No man's too good to serve his prince: and let it go which way it will, he that dies this year, is quit for the next. Bard. Well said; thou'rt a good fellow. [Re-enter Falstaff, and Justices. Fal. Come, sir, which men shall I have? Bard. Sir, a word with you:--I have three pound to free Mouldy and Bull-calf. Fal. Go to; well. Shal. Come, Sir John which four will you have? Shal. Marry then,-Mouldy, Bull-calf, Feeble, and Shadow. Ful. Mouldy, and Bull-calf: For you, Mouldy, stay at home till you are past service:-and, for your part, Bull-calf,-grow 'till you come unto it; I will none of you. And this same half-fac'd fellow Shadow,-giveme this man; he presents no mark to the enemy; the fore-man may with as great aim level at the edge of a pen-knife: And, for a retreat,-how swiftly will this Feeble, the woman's taylor, run off? O, give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones.-Put me a caliver into Wart's hand, Bardolph. Bard. Hold, Wart, traverse; thus, thus, thus. Fal. Come, manage me your caliver. So:very well:-goto:-very good:-exceeding good: -Ó, give me always a little, lean, old, chopp'd, bald shot-Well said, Wart; thou'rt a good scab: hold, there's a tester for thee. Shal. He is not his craft's master, he doth not do it right. I remember at Mile-end green, when I lay at Clement's-inn, (I was then Sir Dagonet in Arthur's show) there was a little quiver fellow, and 'a would manage you his piece thus: and 'a would about, and about, and come you in, and come you in: rah, tah, tah, would 'a say; bounce. would 'a say; and away again would 'a go, and again would 'a come; I shall never see such fellow. Fal. These fellows will do well, mnaster Shallow.-God keep you, master Silence; I will not use many words with you:-Fare you well, gentlemen both: I thank you: I must a dozen mile to-night.Bardolph, give the soldiers 30 coats. 35 40 Shal. Sir John, Sir John, do not yourself wrong; 45 they are your likeliest men, and I would have you serv'd with the best. Shal. Sir John, heaven bless you, and prosper your affairs, and send us peace! As you return, visit my house; let our old acquaintance be renew'd: peradventure I will with you to the court. Fal. I would you would, master Shallow. Shal. Go to; I have spoke, at a word. Fare you well. [Exeunt Shallow and Silence. Fal. Fare you well, gentle gentlemen.- -On, Bardolph; leadthe men away.-[Exeunt Bardolph, Recruits, &c.]-As I return, I will fetch off these justices; I do see the bottom of justice Shallow. Lord, lord, how subject we old men are to this vice of lying! This same starved justice hath done nothing but prate to me of the wildness of his youth, and the feats he hath done about Turnbull-street"; and every third word a lie, duer paid to the hearer than the Turk's tribute. I do remember him at Clement's-inn, like a man made after supper of a cheese-paring; when he was naked, he was, for Fal. Will you tell me, master Shallow, how to chuse a man? Care I for the limb, the thewes', the stature, bulk, and big assemblance of a man? 50 all the world, like a fork'd radish, with a head fangiveme the spirit, master Shallow.-Here's Wart; -you see what a ragged appearance it is: he shall charge you, and discharge you, with the motion of a pewterer's hammer; come off, and on, swifter than he that gibbets on the brewer's bucket. tastically carv'd upon it with a knife: he was so forlorn, that his dimensions to any thick sight were invisible; he was the very Genius of famine; yet lecherous as a monkey, and the whores call'd him 55-mandrake: he came ever in the rear-ward of 'A 1i. e. the muscular strength or appearance of manhood. 2 That is, swifter than he who carries beer from the vat to the barrel, in buckets hung upon a gibbet or beam crossing his shoulders. hand-gun. 4 Shot is used for shooter, one who is to fight by shooting. 'Dr. Johnson observes, that the story of Sir Dagonet is to be found in La Mort d' Arthure, an old romance much celebrated in our author's time, or a little before it. In this romance Sir Dagonet is king Arthur's fool (Dr. Warburton says, his squire). Shakspeare would not have shewn his Justice capable of representing any higher cha racter. "Turnbull or Turnmill-street is near Cow-Cross, West Smithfield, which was formerly called Ruffian's Hall, where turbulent fellows met to try their skill at sword and buckler, and was notorious for the number of its houses of ill-fame, the the fashion; and sung those tunes to the overscutcht huswives, that he heard the carmen whistle, and sware-they were his fancies, or his good-nights. And now is this vice's' dagger become a squire; and talks as familiarly of John of 5 Gaunt, as if he had been sworn brother to him: and I'll be sworn he never saw him but once in the Tilt-yard; and then he burst his head, for crouding among the marshal's men. I saw it; and told John of Gaunt, he beat his own name': for you 10 might have truss'd him, and all his apparel, into an eel-skin: the case of a treble hautboy was a mansion for him, a court: and now he hath land and beeves. Well; I will be acquainted with him, if I return: and it shall go hard, but I will make him a philosopher's' two stones to me: If the young dace be a bait for the old pike, I see no reason, in the law of nature, but I may snap at him2. Let time shape, and there an end. [Exeunt. IV. 1201 Mess. West of this forest, scarcely off a mile, In goodly form comes on the enemy: 25 30 My friends and brethren in these great affairs, Enter a Messenger. Hast. Now, what news? And, by the ground they hide, I judge their number York. What well-appointed leader fronts us here? West. Then, my lord, Unto your grace say, if damn'd commotion so appear'd, With your fair honours. You, lord archbishop,→ 45 Whose see is by a civil peace maintain❜d ; Whose beard the silver hand of peace hath touch'd; 1i. e. according to Mr. Pope, whipt, carted; though Dr. Johnson rather thinks that the word means dirty or grimed; and that the word huswives agrees better with this sense. Ray, however, among his north-country words, confirms Pope's meaning, by saying that an overswitch'd'huswife is a strumpet. Fancies and Goodnights were the titles of little poems. Vice was the name given to a droll figure, heretofore much shewn upon our stage, and brought in to play the fool and make sport for the popu lace. His dress was always a long jerkin, a fool's cap with asses' ears, and a thin wooden dagger, such as is still retained in the modern figures of Harlequin and Scaramouch. The word is an abbrevation of device; for in our old dramatic shows, where he was first exhibited, he was nothing more than an artificial figure, a puppet moved by machinery, and then originally called device or vice. The smith's machine called a vice, is an abbreviation of the same sort. It was very satirical in Falstaff to compare Shallow's activity and impertinence to such a machine as a wooden dagger in the hands and management of a buffoon. To break and to burst were, in our poet's time, synonimously used. To brast had the same meaning. That is, beat gaunt, a fellow so slender, that his name might have been Gaunt. "One of which was an universal medicine, and the other a transmuter of base metals into gold. "That is, if it be the law of nature that the stronger may seize upon the weaker, Falstaff may, with great propriety, devour Shallow, Dr. Johnson thinks this word, which is used in Holinshed, was intended to express the uniform and forcible motion of a compact body. Well-appointed is completely accoutred. 10 Bloody youth means only sanguine youth, or youth full of blood, and of those passions which blood is supposed to incite or nourish. Guarded is an expression taken from dress and means the same as faced, turned up. 5 8 Whose learning and good letters peace hath tutor'd: West. When ever yet was your appeal deny'd? And consecrate commotion's civil edge'? York. Wherefore do I this so the question 10 West. There is no need of any such redress; stands. Briefly, to this end :-We are all diseas'd; And find our griefs heavier than our offences. Or, if there were, it not belongs to you. Mowb. Why not to him, in part; and to us all, 15 To lay a heavy and unequal hand West. O my good lord Mowbray, That need to be reviv'd, and breath'd in me? 40 steel, And the loud trumpet blowing them together; My father from the breast of Bolingbroke, 1 Formerly, all bishops wore white even when they travelled. The white investment meant the episcopal rochet. For graves Dr.Warburton very plausibly reads gloves, and is followed by Sir Thomas Hanmer. Mr. Steevens says, "We might perhaps as plausibly read greaves, which is spelled graves in Warner's Albion's England,” i, e. armour for the legs, a kind of boots: and adds, that the metamorphoss oflea horn covers of books into greaves, i.e. boots, seems to be more appositethan the conversion of them into instruments of war. Glave is the Erse word for a broad-sword, and glaif is Welsh for a hook. 3 It was an old custom, continued from the time of the first croisades, for the pope to consecrate the general's sword, which was employed in the service of the church. To this custom the line in question alludes. * Dr. Warburton explains this passage thus: "My brother general the commonwealth, which ought to distribute its benefits equally, is become an enemy to those of his own house, to brothers born, by giving some all, and others none; and this (says he). I make my quarrel or grievance, that honours are unequally distributed;" the constant birth of male-contents, and source of civil commotions. Dr. Johnson, however, believes there is an error in the first line, which perhaps may be rectified thus: "My quarrel general, the common-wealth, &c. That is, my general cause of discontent is public mismanagement; my particular cause a domestic injury done to my natural brother, who had been beheaded by the king's order;" a circumstance mentioned in the First Part of the Play. An armed staff is a lance. To be in charge, is to be fixed in the rest for the encounter. Or, the visiers, e. the perforated part of their helmets, through which they could see to direct their aim. 5 West. 494 SECOND PART OF KING HENRY IV. West. You speak, lord Mowbray, now you know not what : The earl of Hereford was reputed then In England the most valiant gentleman : [Act 4. Scene 2. That no conditions of our peace can stand. Who knows, on whom fortune would then have 5 Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains. smil'd? 10 But, if your father had been victor there, your West. Mowbray, you over-ween, to take it so; West. That argues but the shame of your offence: Hast. Hath the prince John a full commission, West. That is intended' in the general's name: York. Then take, my lord of Westmoreland, For this contains our general grievances:- All members of our cause, both here and hence, Acquitted by a true substantial form2; And present execution of our wills To us, and to our purposes, confin'd'; We come within our awful banks' again, And knit our powers to the arm of peace. West. This will I shew the general. Please you, lords, In sight of both our battles we may meet; 3 York. My lord, we will do so. [Exit West. 15 Mowb. Ay, but our valuation shall be such, That, were our loyal faiths martyrs in love, York. No, no, my lord; Note this,—the king Of dainty and such picking grievances: And hangs resolv'd correction in the arm Hast. Besides, the king hath wasted all his rods York. 'Tis very true; 40 If we do now make our atonement well, And therefore be assured, my good lord marshal, 45 50 55 Mowb. There is a thing within my bosom 60 tells me, Meaning, included in the office of a general. Mowb. Be it so. Here is return'd my lord of Westmoreland. West. The prince is here at hand: Pleaseth your lordship, To meet his grace just distance 'tween our armies? Mowb. Your grace of York, in heaven's name then set forward. York. Before, and greet his grace:-my lord, we come. Another part of the forest. Mowbray : That is, by a pardon of due form and legal validity. For confined, Mr. Steevens proposes to read confirm'd. 4 rence. Perhaps we might read-lawful. i. e. piddling, insignificant grievances. Alluding to a table book of slate, ivory, &c. Good |