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Falstaff should speak nicely, that he should use “good worts” (102). Because of his Welsh accent, Evans pronounces the letter “d” as a “t.” He, of course, means that Falstaff should use good words. Falstaff fully understands Evans’ meaning, but he cannot resist a good joke; so the knight responds with “Good worts? Good cabbage!” (103). There is a plant called colewort, which is also referred to as wild cabbage. The pun is especially humorous since wort is not a good word for word.
Slender also has two complaints. Not only did Falstaff hit him on the head – which Falstaff freely admits to doing – but he has also been robbed of some money by Falstaff’s companions. The companions, Pistol, Bardolph, and Nim, do not take Slender or his slender accusations very seriously; and they ridicule him by calling him “Banbury cheese”
(107) and “Mephistopheles” (109). During the 16th century Banbury cheese was sold in thin one-inch circles; and Mephistopheles, the devil character in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, was traditionally played by a thin, gaunt actor. Thus, both insults mock Slender’s skinny appearance.
Hugh Evans informs Shallow and Falstaff that he, Master Page, and the Host of the Garter Inn will act as “umpires” or judges in the case of Shallow vs. Falstaff; and their decision will be final. The case will not go to a higher court as Shallow had threatened.
Falstaff asks his three companions whether they had stolen Slender’s money. The three men deny it, and Bardolph adds that Slender had become