SCENE IV. Dr. Caius's house. Enter Mrs. Quickly, Simple, and John Rugby. Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vai à la Cour, la grande affaire. Quic. Is it this, sir? Caius. Ouy, mettez le au mon pocket; Depechez, Quic. What; John Rugby!-I pray thee, go 5 quickly :-Vere is dat knave Rugby? to the casement, and see if you can see my master, master Doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i'faith, and find any body in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English. Quic. What, John Rugby! John! Cuius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby: Come, take-a your rapier, and come after 10 my heel to de court. Rug. I'll go watch. [Exit Rugby. Quic. Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire'. An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant Rug. "Tis ready, sir, here in the porch. shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, 15 Quic. Ah me! he'll find the young man there, no tell-tale, nor no breed-bate 2: his worst fault and be mad. is, that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way: but nobody but has his fault: -but let that pass. Peter Simple, you say you name is? 20 Quic. Good master, be content. Caius. Verefore shall I be content-a? Caius. Vat shall de honest man do in my closet! dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet, 25 Quic. I beseech you be not so flegmatic; hear the truth of it. He came of errand to me from parson Hugh. Caius. Vell. Sim. Ay, forsooth, to desire her to Sim. Ay, forsooth: but he is as talla man of his 30 Quic. Peace, I pray you. hands, as any is between this and his head; he hath fought with a warrener. Quic. How say you?-oh, I should remember him; Does he not hold up his head, as it were? and strut in his gait? Sim. Yes, indeed, does he. Quic. Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish Re-enter Rugby. Caius. Peace-a your tongue: Speak-a your tale. Sim. To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a good word to mistress Anne Page for my master in the way of marriage. 35 Quic. This is all, indeed-la; but I'll never put my finger in the fire, and need not. Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you?-Rugby, baillez me some paper: Tarry you a little while. Quic. I am glad he is so quiet: if he had been 40 thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so melancholy; -but notwithstanding, man, I'll do for your master what good I can: and the very yea and the no is, the French doctor, my master,-I may call him my master, look you, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself. Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. Quic. We shall all be shent': Run in here, good young man; go into this closet. [Shuts Simple in the closet. He will not stay long. What, John 45 for I keep his house; and I wash, wring, brew, Sim. "Tis a great charge, to come under one body's hand. Quic. Are you avis'd o' that? you shall find it a great charge: And to be up early, and down late;--but notwithstanding, (to tell you in your ear; I would have no words of it) my master himself is in love with mistress Anne Page: but not55 withstanding that, I know Anne's mind,that's neither here nor there. Caius. You jock'nape; give-a dis letter to Sir Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I vill cut his That is, when my master is in bed. Bate is an obsolete word, signifying strife, contention. 3 Foolish. scolded. ities a case of surgeon's instruments. Boitier, in French, sig throat throat in de park; and I vill teach a scurvy jacka-nape priest to meddle or inake: you may be gone; it is not good you tarry here:-by gar, I vill cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not have a stone to trow at his dog. Quic. Alas, he speaks but for his friend. Caius. It is no matter-a for dat: do you not tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself? by gar, I vill kill de jack priest; and I have ap pointed mine host of de Jarterre to measure our 10 Fent. Yes, marry, have I; what of that? weapon;-by gar, I vill myself have Anne Page. Quic. In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and gentle, and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by the way, I praise heaven for it. Fent. Shall I do any good, thinkest thou? shall [Exit Simple. 5 I not lose my suit? Quic. Troth, sir, all is in his hands above; but notwithstanding, master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a book, she loves you: - Have not your worship a wart about your eye? Quic. Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well: we must give folks leave to prate: What, the goujere1. Caius. Rugby, come to the court vit me:By gar, if I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your head out of door:-Follow my heels, Rugby. [Ex. Caius and Rugby. Quic. Well, thereby hangs a tale: good faith, it is such another Nan; but I detest, an honest maid as ever broke bread:- Wehadan hour's talk of that wart; I shall never laugh but in that 15 maid's company! But indeed she is given too much to allicholly and musing: But for youWellgo to. Fent. Well, I shall seeherto-day: Hold, there's money for thee; let me have thy voice in my Quic. You shall have An fool's-head of your own. No, I know Anne's mind for that: never a woman 20 behalf: if thou seest her before me, commend in Windsor knows more of Anne's mind than I do; nor can do more than I do with her, I thank heaven. me Quic. Will I? ay, faith, that we will: and I will tell your worship more of the wart, the next time we have confidence; and of other wooers. Fent. [Within.] Who's within there, ho? Quic. Who's there, I trow? come near the 25 Fent. Well, farewell; I am in great haste now. house, I pray you. Enter Mr. Fenton. [Exit. Quic. Farewell to your worship. Truly, an honest gentleman; but Anne loves him not; I know Anne's mind as well as another does: Out upon't! what have I forgot? [Exit. SCENE I. ACT Enter Mistress Page with a letter. Mistress Page. WHAT, have I 'scap'd loveletters in the holy-day-time of my beauty, and am I now a subject for them? Let me see: II. What a Herod of Jewry is this?-O wicked, 40 wicked world!-one that is well nigh worn to pieces with age, to shew himself a young gallant! What an unweigh'd behaviour has this Flemish drunkard pick'd (with the devil's name) out of my conversation, that he dares in this manner assay 45 me? Why, he hath not been thrice in my company. - What should I say to him?-I was then frugal of my mirth: -heaven forgive me! Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men. How shall I be reveng'd on him? Ask me no reason why I love you; for though love use reason for his precision, he admits himnot for his counsellor : You are not young, no more am I; go to then, there's sympathy: you are merry, so am I: Ha! ha! then there's more sympathy: you 50 for reveng'd I will be, as sure as his guts are made That is, morbus Gallicus. * The meaning is, though love permit reason to tell what is fit to be done, he seldom follows its advice. -By precision, is meant one who pretends to a more than ordinary degree of virtue and sanctity. shew shew you to the contrary: O, mistress Page, give a fine baited delay, till he hath pawn'd his horses to me some counsel! mine host of the Garter. Mrs. Ford. Nay, I will consent to act any villainy tri-against him that may not sully the chariness of our 5 honesty. Oh, that iny husband saw this letter! it would give eternal food to his jealousy. Mrs. Page. What's the matter, woman? Mrs. Ford. Owoman, if it were not for one fling respect, I could come to such honour ! Mrs. Page. Hang the trifle, woman; take the honour: What is it?-dispense with trifles ;what is it? Mrs. Ford. If I would but go to hell for an eternal moment, or so, I could be knighted. Mrs. Page. What?-thou liest! Sir Alice Ford!-These knights will hack; and so thou shouldst not alter the article of thy gentry'. Mrs.Page. Why, look, where he comes; and any good man too: he's as far from jealousy, as I am from giving him cause; and that, I hope, is an un10 measurable distance. Mrs. Ford. You are the happier woman. Mrs. Page. Let's consult together against this greasy knight: Come hither. [They retire. Enter Ford with Pistol, Page with Nym. Mrs. Ford. We burn day-light-here, read, read; perceive how I might be knighted. I shall 15 Ford. Well, I hope it be not so. think the worse of fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of men's liking: And yet he would not swear; prais'd women's modesty; and gave such orderly and well-behav'd reproof to all uncomeliness, that I would have sworn his disposi-20 tion would have gone to the truth of his words: but they do no more adhere, and keep place together, than the hundredth psalm to the tune of Green Sleeves. What tempest, I trow, threw this Pist. Hope is a curtail-dog in some affairs: Ford. Why, sir, my wife is not young. [poor, whale, with so many tuns of oil in his belly, ashore 250, odious is the name! at Windsor? How shall I be revenged on him? I think, the best way were to entertain him with hope, till the wicked fire of lust have melted him in his own grease. Did you ever hear the like? Take heed; have open eye; for thieves do foot by Mrs. Page. Letter for letter; but that the name 30 Take heed, ere summer comes, or cuckoo-birds do of Page and Ford differs!-To thy great comfort in this mystery of ill opinions, here's the twin-brother of thy letter: but let thine inherit first, for thousand of these letters, writ with blank space for 35 Nym. [Speaking to Page.] Andthisistrue; Ilike Ford. What name, sir? Pist. The horn, I say: Farewell. night: I protest mine never shall. I warrant, he hath a Believe it, Page; he speaks sense. [Exit Pistol. different names, (sure more) and these are of the second edition: He will print them out of doubt ; for he cares not what he puts into the press, when he would put us two. I had rather be a giantess, and lie under mount Pelion. Well, I will find you 40 the short and the long. My name is corporal Nym, not the humour of lying. He hath wrong'd me in some humours: I should have borne the humour'd letter to her, but I have a sword, and it shall bite upon my necessity. He loves your wife; there's twenty lascivious turtles, ere one chaste man. I speak, and I avouch. 'Tis true;-my name is low frights humour out of its wits. Mrs. Ford. Why, this is the very same; the very hand, the very words: What doth he think of us? Mrs. Page. Nay, I know not: It makes me almost ready to wrangle with mine own honesty. I'll 45 Page. The humour of it, quoth a'! here's a fel entertain myself like one that I am not acquainted withal; for, sure, unless he knew some strain in me, that I know not myself, he would never have boarded me in this fury. Page. I never heard such a drawling, affecting rogue. Mrs. Ford. Boarding, call you it? I'll be sure to 50 Ford. If I do find it, well. keep him above deck. Mrs. Page. So will I; if he come under my hatches, I'll never to sea again. Let's be reveng'd on him: let's appoint him a meeting; give him a show of comfort in his suit; and lead him on with 55 Page. I will not believe such a Cataian, though the priest o'the town commended him for a true man. Ford. "Twas a good sensible fellow: Well. To hack, is an expression used in another scene of this play, to signify to do mischief. The sense of this passage may therefore be, These knights are a riotous, dissolute sort of people, and on that account thou shouldst not wish to be of the number. 2 That is, we have more proof than we want. * A popular ballad of those times. * Press is used here ambiguously, for a press to print, and a press to squeeze. That is, the caution which ought to attend on it. • Persons not qualified to keep a greyhound cut off his tail, and then he is termed a lurcher; yet seldom lets his game escape. S.A. A medley. • By a Cutaian, some kind of sharper was probably meant. Mrs. Mrs. Page. Whither go you, George? -Hark you.) Mrs. Ford. How now, sweet Frank? why art thou melancholy? Ford. I I melancholy! me I am not melancholy.Get you home, go. Mrs. Ford. Faith, thou hast some crotchets in thy head now. Will you go, mistress Page? Mrs. Page. Have with you. You'll come to dinner, George?-Look, who comes yonder: she shall be our messenger to this paltry knight. [Aside to Mrs. Ford. Enter Mrs. Quickly. Quic. Ay, forsooth: And, I pray, how does good mistress Anne? Mrs. Page. Go in with us, and see; we have an hour's talk with you. Ford. Good mine host o' the Garter, a word with you. 5 Host. What say'st thou, bully-rook? [They go a little aside. Shal. [To Page.] Will you go with us to behold it? My merry host hath had the measuring of their weapons; and, I think, he hath appointed them 10 contrary places: for, believe me, I hear the parson is no jester. Hark, I will tell you what our sport shall be. Host. Hast thou no suit against my knight, my guest-cavalier? 15 Ford. None, I protest: but I'll give you a pot- [Ex. Mrs. Page, Mrs. Ford, and Mrs. Quickly. 20 Brook: It is a merry knight. - Will you go anPage. How now, master Ford? Ford. You heard what this knave told me; did you not? Page. Yes; and you heard what the othertoldme? Page. Hang'em slaves! I do not think the knight heirs?? Shal. Have with you, mine host. Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier. 25 Shal. Tut, sir, I could have told you more: In these times you stand on distance, your passes, stoccados, and I know not what: 'tis the heart, master Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have seen the time, with my long sword', I would have made 30 you four tall feilows skip like rats. Ford. I like it never the better for that. Does he lie at the Garter? Page. Ay, marry, does he. If he should intend his voyage towards my wife, I would turn her 35 so firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off Host. Here, boys, here, here! shall we wag? Page. Have with you: - I had rather hear them scold than fight. [Exeunt Host, Shallow and Page. Ford. Though Page be a secure fool, and stand Loose to him; and what he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head. Ford. I do not misdoubt my wife; but I would be loth to turn them together: A man may be too my opinion so easily: She was in his company at Page's house; and, what they made there, I know not. Well, I will look further into't: and I have a disguise to sound Falstaff: If I find her honest, I cannot be thus satisfied. bour well bestow'd. [Exit. SCENE II. confident: I would have nothing lie on my head: 40 I lose not my labour; if she be otherwise, 'tis la The Garter inn. Enter Falstaff and Pistol. Fal. I will not lend thee a penny. Shal. I follow, mine host, I follow. Good even, and twenty, good master Page! Master 50 Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, sir, Page, will you go with us? we have sport in hand. Host. Tellhim, cavalero-justice; tell him, bully rook! you should lay my countenance to pawn: I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you and your coach-fellow, Nym; or else you had look'd through the grate, like a geminy of baboons. Shal. Sir, there is a fray to be fought between 551 am damn'd in hell, for swearing to gentlemen, That is, cheats. 2 This passage is evidently obscure. Mr. Steevens proposes to read, Will you go on, hearts? in confirmation of which conjecture, he observes, that the Host calls Dr. Caius Heart of Elder; and adds, in a subsequent scene of this play, Farewell, my hearts. Before the introduction of rapiers, the swords in use were of an enormous length. Shallow here censures the innovation of lighter weapons. 4 To stand on any thing, signifies to insist on it. To Ford, who is jealous, all chastity in women appears as frailty. Dr. Gray supposes Shakspeare to allude to an old proverb, "The mayor of Northampton opens oysters with his dagger:" that is, to keep them at a sufficient distance from his nose, that town being fourscore miles from the sea. Dr. Warburton conjectures the meaning of this to be, I will pay you again in stolen goods; and his opinion is confirined by that of Mr. Farmer. my " my friends, you were good soldiers, and tall fel- Pist. Didst thou not share? hadst thou not fif-5 Fal. Well: mistress Ford; what of her? Quic. Why, sir, she's a good creature. Lord, lord! your worship's a wanton: Well, heaven forgive you, and all of us, I pray! Fal. Mistress Ford; come, mistress Ford,Quic. Marry, this is the short and the long of it; you have brought her into such a canaries', as 'tis wonderful. The best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windsor, could never have brought Fal. Reason, you rogue, reason: Think'st thou, Pickt-hatch', go. - You'll not bear a letter for me, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I phrases, and your bold-beating oaths, under the 20 all angels, (in any such sort as they say) but in the shelter of your honour! You will not do it, you? Pist. I do relent: what would'st thou more of man? Enter Robin. way of honesty:-and, I warrant you, they could Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you. 25 you, all is one with her. Ful. Let her approach. Enter Mrs. Quickly. Quic. Give your worship good-morrow. Fal. Good-morrow, good wife. Quic. Not so, an't please your worship. Ful. Good maid, then. Quic. I'll be sworn; as my mother was, the first Ful. I do believe the swearer: What with me? two? Fal. Two thousand, fair woman; and I' vouchsafe thee the hearing. Fal. But what says she to me? be brief, my good she Mercury. Quic. Marry, she hath received your letter; for the which she thanks you a thousand times: and 30 she gives you to notify, that her husband will be absence from his house between ten and eleven. Fal. Ten and eleven. Quic. Ay, forsooth; and then you may come Quic. There is one mistress Ford, sir; -I pray, Fal. Ten and eleven: Woman, commend me' Ful. Well, on: Mistress Ford, you say, Quic. Your worship says very true: I pray your worship, come a little nearer this ways. Quic. Why, you say well: But I have another messenger to your worship: Mistress Page has her hearty commendations lations to to you you too; and let me tell you in your ear; she's as fartuous a civil modest Fal. I warrant thee, nobody hears;-mine own 45 wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you people, mine own people. Quic. Are they so? Heaven bless them, and make them his servants! morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windsor, A tall fellow, in the time of our author, meant, a stout, bold, or courageous person. 2 Fans, in but 1 ( |