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mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I beseech your

worship, let him be countenanced.

Shal. Go to; I say he shall have no wrong.

Look about, Davy. [Exit Davy.] Where are you,

Sir John? Come, come, come; off with your

boots. Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.

Bard. I am glad to see your worship.

Shal. I thank thee with all my heart, kind

Master Bardolph:—[To the Page.] and wel-

come, my tall fellow. Come, Sir John.

Fal. I'll follow you, good Master Robert

Shallow. [Exit Shallow.] Bardolph, look to

our horses. [Exeunt Bardolph and Page.] If I

were sawed into quantities, I should make four

dozen of such bearded hermit's staves as Master

Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to see the

semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his:

they, by observing 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

 69 quantities: small pieces

72 semblable coherence: approach to likeness

78 consent: agreement 