The Bodleian First Folio

By Cocke and Pye, you shall not away to night.

What Dauy, I say.

You must excuse me, M. Robert Shallow.

I will not excuse you: you shall not be excused.

Excuses shall not be admitted: there is no excuse shall

serue: you shall not be excus'd.

Why Dauie.

Heere sir.

Dauy, Dauy, Dauy, let me see ( Dauy) let me see:

William Cooke, bid him come hither. Sir Iohn, you shal

not be excus'd.

Marry sir, thus: those Precepts cannot bee

seru'd: and againe sir, shall we sowe the head‑land with

Wheate?

With red Wheate Dauy. But for Wlliam Cook:

are there no yong pigeons?

Let it be cast, and payde: Sir Iohn, you shall

Not be excus'd.

Sir, a new linke to the Bucket must needes bee

had: And Sir, doe you meane to stoppe any of Williams

Wages, about the Sacke he lost the other day, at Hinckley

Fayre?

He shall answer it:

Some Pigeons Dauy, a couple short‑legg'd Hennes: a

ioynt of Mutton, and any pretty little tine Kickshawes,

tell William Cooke.

Doth the man of Warre, stay all night sir?

Yes Dauy:

I will vse him well. A Friend i'th Court, is better then a

rant penny in purse. Vse his men well Dauy, for they are ar­

Knaues, and will backe‑bite.

No Worse then they are bitten. sir: For they The letters of this line are partly distorted, possibly due to a crease in the page that antedates printing.

haue maruellous fowle linnen.

Well conceited Dauy: about thy Businesse, Dauy.

I beseech you sir,

To countenance William Visor of Woncot, against Cle­ ment Perkes of the hill.

There are many Complaints Dauy, against that

Visor, that Visor is an arrant Knaue, on my know­

ledge.

I graunt your Worship, that he is a knaue Sir:)

But yet heauen forbid Sir, but a Knaue should haue some

Countenance, at his Friends request. An honest man sir,

is able to speake for himselfe, when a Knaue is not. I haue

seru'd your Worshippe truely sir, these eight yeares: and

if I cannot once or twice in a Quarter beare out a knaue,

against an honest man, I haue but a very litle credite with

your Worshippe. The Knaue is mine honest Friend Sir,

therefore I beseech your Worship, let him bee Counte­

nanc'd.

Go too,

I say he shall haue no wrong: Looke about Dauy.

Where are you Sir Iohn? Come, off with your Boots.

Giue me your hand M. Bardolfe.

I am glad to see your Worship.

I thanke thee, with all my heart, kinde Master

Bardolfe: and welcome my tall Fellow:

Come Sir Iohn.

Ile follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.

Bardolfe, looke to our Horsses. If I were saw'de into

Quantities, I should make foure dozen of such bearded

Hermites staues, as Master Shallow. It is a wonderfull

thing to see the semblable Coherence of his mens spirits,

and his: They, by obseruing of him, do beare themselues

like foolish Iustices: Hee, by conuersing with them, is

turn'd into a Iustice‑like Seruingman. Their spirits are

so married in Coniunction, with the participation of So­

ciety, that they flocke together in consent, like so ma­

ny Wilde‑Geese. If I had a suite to Mayster Shallow, I

would humour his men, with the imputation of beeing

neere their Mayster. If to his Men, I would currie with

Maister Shallow, that no man could better command his

Seruants. It is certaine, that either wise bearing, or ig­

norant Carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of

another: therefore, let men take heede of their Compa­

nie. 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 Tearmes)or two Ac­

tions, and he shall laugh with Interuallums. O it is much

that a Lye (with a slight Oath) and a iest (with a sadde

brow) will doe, with a Fellow, that neuer had the Ache

in his shoulders. O you shall see him laugh, till his Face

be like a wet Cloake, ill laid vp.

Sir Iohn.

I come Master Shallow, I come Master Shallow.