I. 1 Scene I. Windsor. Before Page’s house.
Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans.
Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.
Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace 5 and ‘Coram.’
Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and ‘Custalorum.’
Slen. Ay, and ‘Rato-lorum’ too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself ‘Armigero,’ in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, ‘Armigero.’
Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years.
Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done’t; and all his ancestors that come after him may: they may 15 give the dozen white luces in their coat.
Shal. It is an old coat.
Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.
Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat.
Slen. I may quarter, coz.
Shal. You may, by marrying.
Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.