William Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part II

ACT V. SCENE 1. Gloucestershire. Shallow's house.

[Enter Shallow, Falstaff, Bardolph, and Page.]

SHALLOW.
By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night.
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,
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 the
other day at Hinckley fair?

SHALLOW.
A' shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legg'd
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' the 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.