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dinner; come, let's to dinner. Jesus, the days that we have seen!

Come, come.

Exeunt FALSTAFF and the JUSTICES

BULLCALF.

Good Master Corporate Bardolph, stand my friend; and

here's four Harry ten shillings in French crowns for you. In very

truth, sir, I had as lief be hang'd, sir, as go. And yet, for

mine own part, sir, I do not care; but rather because I am

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.

BARDOLPH.

Go to; stand aside.

MOULDY.

And, good Master Corporal Captain, for my old dame's sake,

stand my friend. She has nobody to do anything about her when

I

am gone; and she is old, and cannot help herself. You shall have forty, sir.

BARDOLPH.

Go to; stand aside.

FEEBLE.

By my troth, 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. No man's too good to serve 's Prince; and, let

it go which way it will, he that dies this year is quit for the next.

BARDOLPH.

Well said; th'art a good fellow.

FEEBLE.

Faith, I'll bear no base mind.

Re-enter FALSTAFF and the JUSTICES

FALSTAFF.

Come, sir, which men shall I have?

SHALLOW.

Four of which you please.

BARDOLPH.

Sir, a word with you. I have three pound to free Mouldy

and Bullcalf.

FALSTAFF.

Go to; well.

SHALLOW.

Come, Sir John, which four will you have?

FALSTAFF.

Do you choose for me.

SHALLOW.

Marry, then- Mouldy, Bullcalf, Feeble, and Shadow.

FALSTAFF.

Mouldy and Bullcalf: for you, Mouldy, stay at home till

you are past service; and for your part, Bullcalf, grow you come

unto it. I will none of you.

SHALLOW.

Sir John, Sir John, do not yourself wrong. They are your

likeliest men, and I would have you serv'd with the best.

FALSTAFF.

Will you tell me, Master Shallow, how to choose a man?

Care I for the limb, the thews, the stature, bulk, and big

assemblance of a man! Give me the spirit, Master Shallow.

Here's

Wart; you see what a ragged appearance it is. 'A 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.

And this same half-fac'd fellow, Shadow- give me this man. He

presents no mark to the enemy; the foeman may with as great aim

level at the edge of a penknife. And, for a retreat- how swiftly

will this Feeble, the woman's tailor, run off! O, give me the

spare men, and spare me the great ones. Put me a caliver into

Wart's hand, Bardolph.

BARDOLPH.

Hold, Wart. Traverse- thus, thus, thus.

FALSTAFF.

Come, manage me your caliver. So- very well. Go to; very

good; exceeding good. O, give me always a little, lean, old,

chopt, bald shot. Well said, i' faith, Wart; th'art a good scab.

Hold, there's a tester for thee.

SHALLOW.

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 ne'er see such a fellow.

FALSTAFF.

These fellows will do well. Master 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 coats. SHALLOW. Sir John, the Lord bless you; God prosper your affairs; God send us peace! At your return, visit our house; let our old acquaintance be renewed. Peradventure I will with ye to the court. FALSTAFF. Fore God, would you would. SHALLOW. Go to; I have spoke at a word. God keep you. FALSTAFF. Fare you well, gentle gentlemen. [Exeunt JUSTICES] On, Bardolph; lead the men away. [Exeunt all but FALSTAFF] 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