we knew where the bonarobas were; and had the best of them all at commandment. Then was Jack Falstaff, now fir John, a boy; and page to Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk.

SIL. This fir John, coufin, that comes hither anon about foldiers?

SHAL. The fame fir John, the very fame. I saw him break Skogan's head at the court gate, when he was a crack, not thus high: and the very fame day did I fight with one Sampson Stockfish, a fruiterer, behind Gray'sinn. O, the mad days that I have spent! and to fee how many of mine old acquaintance are dead!

SIL. We fhall all follow, coufin.

SHAL. Certain, 'tis certain; very fure, very fure: death, as the Pfalmift faith, is certain to all; all fhall die. How a good yoke of bullocks at Stamford fair?

SIL. Truly, coufin, I was not there.

SHAL. Death is certain.-Is old Double of your town living yet?

SIL. Dead, fir,

SHAL. Dead!-See, fee!-he drew a good bow ;-And dead!—he shot a fine shoot :-John of Gaunt lov'd him well, and betted much money on his head. Dead!_he would have clapp'd i'the clout at twelve score; and carry'd you a forehand fhaft a fourteen and fourteen and a half, that it would have done a man's heart good to see. How a fcore of ewes now?

SIL. Thereafter as they be: a score of good ewes may be worth ten pounds.

SHAL. And is old Double dead!

Enter BARDOLPH, and one with him.

SIL. Here come two of Sir John Falstaff's men, as I think.

BARD. Good morrow, honest gentlemen: I beseech you, which is justice Shallow?

SHAL. I am Robert Shallow, fir; a poor efquire of this county, and one of the king's justices of the

is your good pleasure with me?

peace: What

BARD. My captain, fir, commends him to you; my captain, fir John Falstaff: a tall gentleman, by heaven, and a moft gallant leader.

SHAL. He greets me well, fir; I knew him a good backfword man: How doth the good knight? may I afk, how my lady his wife doth ?

BARD. Sir, pardon; a foldier is better accommodated, than with a wife.

SHAL. It is well faid, in faith, fir; and it is well faid indeed too. Better accommodated!—it is good; yea, indeed is it good phrases are surely, and ever were, very commendable. Accommodated!-it comes of accom

modo: very good; a good phrafe.

BARD. Pardon me, fir; I have heard the word. Phrafe, call you it? By this good day, I know not the phrase: but I will maintain the word with my fword, to be a foldierlike word, and a word of exceeding good command. Accommodated; That is, when a man is, as they fay, accommodated: or, when a man is,-being,-whereby, -he may be thought to be accommodated; which is an excellent thing.

Enter FALSTAFF.

SHAL. It is very juft!Look, here comes good fir John. Give me your good hand, give me your worship's good hand: By my troth, you look well, and bear your years very well: welcome, good fir John.

FAL. I am glad to fee you well, good master Robert Shallow :-Master Sure-card, as I think.

el

SHAL. No, fir John; it is my coufin Silence, in commiffion with me.

FAL. Good mafter Silence, it well befits you should be of the peace.

SIL. Your good worship is welcome.

FAL. Fie! this is hot weather.-Gentlemen, have you provided me here half a dozen fufficient men?

SHAL. Marry, have we, fir. Will you fit?

FAL. Let me fee them, I beseech you.

SHAL. Where's the roll? where's the roll? where's the roll? Let me fee, let me fee. So, fo, fo, fo: Yea, marry, fir:-Ralph Mouldy :-let them appear as I call; let them do so, let them do fo.Let me fee; Where is Mouldy?

MOUL. Here, an't please you.

SHAL. What think you, fir 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 used.

SHAL. Ha, ha, ha! moft excellent, i'faith! things, that are mouldy, lack ufe: Very fingular good!In faith, well faid, fir John; very well faid.

FAL. Prick him.

[To SHALLOW.

MOUL. I was prick'd well enough before, an 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 fhall go. Mouldy, it is time you were spent.

MOUL. Spent!

SHAL. Peace, fellow, peace; ftand afide; Know you
VOL. III.
D d

where you are?—For the other, fir John :—let me see; -Simon Shadow!

FAL. Ay, marry, let me have him to fit under: he's like to be a cold foldier.

SHAL. Where's Shadow?

SHAD. Here, fir.

FAL. Shadow, whose fon art thou?

SHAD. My mother's fon, fir.

FAL. Thy mother's fon! like enough; and thy father's fhadow: fo the fon of the female is the shadow of the male: It is often fo, indeed; but not much of the father's fubftance.

SHAL. Do you like him, fir John?

FAL. Shadow will ferve for fummer,-prick him ;— for we have a number of Shadows to fill up the musterbook.

SHAL. Thomas Wart!

FAL. Where's he?

WART. Here, fir.

FAL. Is thy name Wart?

WART. Yea, fir.

FAL. Thou art a very ragged wart.

SHAL. Shall I prick him, fir John?

FAL. It were fuperfluous; for his apparel is built upon his back, and the whole frame ftands upon pins: prick him no more.

SHAL. Ha, ha, ha !_you can do it, fir; you can do it I commend you well.-Francis Feeble!

FEE. Here, fir.

FAL. What trade art thou, Feeble?

FEE. A woman's tailor, fir.

SHAL. Shall I prick him, fir?

FAL. You may: but if he had been a man's tailor, he

would have prick'd you..

Wilt thou make as many

holes in an enemy's battle, as thou haft done in a wo

man's petticoat ?

FEE. I will do my good will, fir; you can have no

more.

FAL. Well faid, good woman's tailor! well faid, courageous Feeble! Thou wilt be as valiant as the wrathful dove, or moft magnanimous moufe.-Prick the woman's tailor well, master Shallow; deep, master Shallow. FEE. I would, Wart might have gone, fir.

FAL. I would, thou wert a man's tailor; that thou might'ft mend him, and make him fit to go. I cannot put him to a private foldier, that is the leader of fo many thousands: Let that fuffice, moft forcible Feeble. FEE. It fhall fuffice, fir,

FAL. I am bound to thee, reverend Feeble.-Who is next?

SHAL. Peter Bull-calf of the green!

FAL. Yea, marry, let us fee Bull-calf.

BULL. Here, fir.

FAL. 'Fore God, a likely fellow!-Come, prick me Bull-calf, till he roar again.

BULL. O lord! good my lord captain,

FAL. What, doft thou roar before thou art prick'd? BULL. O lord, fir! I am a difeas'd man.

FAL. What disease haft thou?

BULL. A whorefon cold, fir; a cough, fir; which I caught with ringing in the king's affairs, upon his coronation day, fir.

FAL. Come, thou fhalt go to the wars in a gown; we will have away thy cold; and I will take fuch order, that thy friends fhall ring for thee.Is here all ?

SHAL. Here is two more call'd than your number;