William Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part II

ACT III. 2. SCENE II. Gloucestershire. Before Justice Shallow's house. (continued)

FALSTAFF.
Is thy name Mouldy?

MOULDY.
Yea, an't please you.

FALSTAFF.
'Tis the more time thou wert used.

SHALLOW.
Ha, ha, ha! most excellent, i' faith! things that are mouldy lack use:
very singular good! in faith, well said, Sir John, very well said.

FALSTAFF.
Prick him.

MOULDY.
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 pricked me; there are other men fitter
to go out than I.

FALSTAFF.
Go to: peace, Mouldy; you shall go. Mouldy, it is time you were spent.

MOULDY.
Spent!

SHALLOW.
Peace, fellow, peace; stand aside: know you where you are? For
the other, Sir John: let me see: Simon Shadow!

FALSTAFF.
Yea, marry, let me have him to sit under: he 's like to be a
cold soldier.

SHALLOW.
Where's Shadow?

SHADOW.
Here, sir.

FALSTAFF.
Shadow, whose son art thou?

SHADOW.
My mother's son, sir.

FALSTAFF.
Thy mother's son! like enough; and thy father's shadow: so the son of
the female is the shadow of the male: it is often so indeed; but
much of the father's substance!

SHALLOW.
Do you like him, Sir John?

FALSTAFF.
Shadow will serve for summer; prick him; for we have a number of
shadows to fill up the muster-book.

SHALLOW.
Thomas Wart!

FALSTAFF.
Where's he?