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Modern English
By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away to-night. What, Davy, I say!
By cock and pie, sir, you will not leave tonight. What, Davy, I say!
You must excuse me, Master Robert Shallow.
You must forgive me, Master Robert Shallow.
I will not excuse you; you shall not be excused; excuses shall not be admitted; there is no excuse shall serve; you shall not be excused. Why, Davy!
I will not forgive you; you will not be forgiven; excuses will not be accepted; there is no excuse that will work; you will not be forgiven. Why, Davy!
Here, sir.
Here, sir.
Davy, Davy, Davy, Davy, let me see, Davy; let me see, Davy; let me see: yea, marry, William cook, bid him come hither. Sir John, you shall not be excused.
Davy, Davy, Davy, Davy, let me see, Davy; let me see, Davy; let me see: yes, good, William cook, tell him to come here. Sir John, you will not be forgiven.
Marry, sir, thus; those precepts cannot be served: and, again, sir, shall we sow the headland with wheat?
Well, sir, here’s the blacksmith’s note for shoeing and plough-irons.
With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook: are there no young pigeons?
With red wheat, Davy. But for William cook: are there no young pigeons?
Yes, sir. Here is now the smith’s note for shoeing and plough-irons.
Yes, sir. Here is the smith’s note for shoeing and plough-irons.
Let it be cast and paid. Sir John, you shall not be excused.
Let’s get it done and paid. Sir John, you won’t be let off the hook.
Now, sir, a new link to the bucket must need be had: and, sir, do you mean to stop any of William’s wages, about the sack he lost the other day at Hinckley fair?
Now, sir, we need a new link for the bucket. And, sir, do you plan to withhold any of William’s wages for the sack he lost the other day at the Hinckley fair?
A’ shall answer it. Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.
He’ll have to answer for it. A couple of pigeons, Davy, a pair of short-legged hens, a roast of mutton, and whatever little fancy treats, tell William the cook.
Doth the man of war stay all night, sir?
Is the man of war staying the night, sir?
Yea, Davy. I will use him well: a friend i’ the court is better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy; for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite.
Yes, Davy. I’ll treat him well. A friend at court is worth more than money in your pocket. Treat his men well, Davy; because they’re dishonest scoundrels who will gossip behind your back.
No worse than they are backbitten, sir; for they have marvellous foul linen.
They’re no worse than they’re gossiped about, sir; they have terribly dirty clothes.
Well conceited, Davy: about thy business, Davy.
Well said, Davy. Get on with your work, Davy.
I beseech you, sir, to countenance William Visor of Woncot against Clement Perkes of the hill.
I ask you, sir, to support William Visor of Woncot against Clement Perkes of the hill.
There is many complaints, Davy, against that Visor: that Visor is an arrant knave, on my knowledge.
There are many complaints, Davy, against that Visor: that Visor is a complete scoundrel, and I know it.
I grant your worship that he is a knave, sir; but yet, God forbid, sir, but a knave should have some countenance at his friend’s request. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a knave is not. I have served your worship truly, sir, this eight years; and if I cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man, I have but a very little credit with your worship. The knave is mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I beseech your worship, let him be countenanced.
I agree with your worship that he’s a scoundrel, sir; but still, God forbid, sir, that a scoundrel shouldn’t get some support when his friend asks for it. An honest man, sir, can speak up for himself, but a scoundrel cannot. I’ve served your worship faithfully, sir, for eight years; and if I can’t now and then back up a scoundrel against an honest man, I’ll have very little credit with your worship. The scoundrel is my honest friend, sir; so I ask you, sir, to support him.
Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy.
Alright; I say he shall have no injustice. Look around, Davy.
Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come, off with your boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.
Where are you, Sir John? Come on, come on, take off your boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.
I am glad to see your worship.
I’m glad to see you, your worship.
I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph: and welcome, my tall fellow.
I thank you with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph, and welcome, my tall friend.
Come, Sir John.
Come on, Sir John.
I’ll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.
I’ll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.
Bardolph, look to our horses.
Bardolph, take care of our horses.
If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such bearded hermits’ staves as Master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men’s spirits and his: they, by observing of him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like serving-man: their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society that they flock together in consent, like so many wild-geese. If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humour his men with the imputation of being near their master: if to his men, I would curry with Master Shallow that no man could better command his servants. It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught, as men take diseases, one of another: therefore let men take heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow to keep Prince Harry in continual laughter the wearing out of six fashions, which is four terms, or two actions, and a’ shall laugh without intervallums. O, it is much that a lie with a slight oath and a jest with a sad brow will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders! O, you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up!
If I were cut up into pieces, I’d make four dozen of those bearded hermit’s staffs like Master Shallow’s. It’s amazing to see how his men’s attitudes match his: they, by watching him, act like foolish judges; he, by hanging around them, becomes like a servant trying to act like a judge. Their attitudes are so connected with the society they share that they stick together like a flock of wild geese. If I had a case with Master Shallow, I’d flatter his men by pretending to be close to their boss; if it were with his men, I’d flatter Master Shallow by making him look like the best person to manage his servants. It’s clear that either wise behavior or foolish behavior is contagious, like catching a disease from someone else: so men should be careful about who they hang around. I’ll come up with enough jokes about Shallow to keep Prince Harry laughing for weeks, until he’s had his fill of six different styles of laughter, which is about four terms, or two court cases, and he’ll keep laughing non-stop. Oh, it’s amazing how a lie with a small oath and a joke with a serious face will work on a guy who’s never had a
[Within] Sir John!
[Within] Sir John!
I come, Master Shallow; I come, Master Shallow.
I’m coming, Master Shallow; I’m coming, Master Shallow.