William Shakespeare: King Henry IV Part II

ACT V. 3. SCENE III. Gloucestershire. Shallow's orchard. (continued)

SILENCE.
Who, I? I have been merry twice and once ere now.

[Re-enter Davy.]

DAVY.
There 's a dish of leather-coats for you. [To Bardolph.]

SHALLOW.
Davy!

DAVY.
Your worship! I'll be with you straight [To BARDOLPH.].
A cup of wine, sir?

SILENCE.
A cup of wine that 's brisk and fine,

[Singing.]

And drink unto the leman mine;
And a merry heart lives long-a.

FALSTAFF.
Well said, Master Silence.

SILENCE.
An we shall be merry, now comes in the sweet o' the night.

FALSTAFF.
Health and long life to you, Master Silence!

SILENCE.
Fill the cup, and let it come,

[Singing.]

I'll pledge you a mile to the bottom.

SHALLOW.
Honest Bardolph, welcome: if thou wantest anything and
wilt not call, beshrew thy heart. Welcome, my little tiny thief
[to the Page],
and welcome indeed too. I'll drink to Master Bardolph, and to all
the cavaleros about London.

DAVY.
I hope to see London once ere I die.

BARDOLPH.
An I might see you there, Davy,--

SHALLOW.
By the mass, you'll crack a quart together, ha! will you not,
Master Bardolph?

BARDOLPH.
Yea, sir, in a pottle-pot.

SHALLOW.
By God's liggens, I thank thee: the knave will stick by thee, I
can assure thee that. A' will not out; he is true bred.

BARDOLPH.
And I'll stick by him, sir.

SHALLOW.
Why, there spoke a king. Lack nothing: be merry.

[Knocking within.]

Look who 's at door there, ho! who knocks?