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Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier. Shal. Tut, Sir! I could have told you more: in these times 41 you on distance, your passes, stoccadoes, and I know not what: 't is the heart, master Page; 't is here, 't is here. I have seen the time, with my long sword, 42 I would have.made you four tall fellows skip like rats. Host. Here, boys, here, here! shall we wag?

44

Page. Have with you. I had rather hear them scold than fight. 43 [Exeunt Host, SHALLOW, and PAGE. Ford. Though Page be a secure fool, and stands so firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off my opinion so easily. She was in his company 45 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 lose not my labour; if she be otherwise, 't is labour well bestowed. [Exit.

SCENE II.

A Room in the Garter Inn.

Enter FALSTAFF and PISTOL.

Fal. I will not lend thee a penny.

Pist. Why, then the world 's mine oyster,

Which I with sword will open. 1

Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, Sir, you should lay my countenance to pawn: 2 I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves

41) Shallow contrastirt die jetzigen Zeiten und ihre pedantische und geschulte Fechtkunst mit der Fechtkunst seiner eignen Zeit, wo es nicht auf regelrechte Haltung, sondern auf den Muth, auf das Herz ankam.

42) Für my long sword der Fol. hat Q. A my two-hand sword. Beides bedeutet das grosse Schlachtschwert, im Gegensatze zu dem leichteren Stossdegen. Der Unterschied in der Handhabung beider ergiebt sich aus Carleton's Thankfull Remembrance of God's Mercy (1625) wo es von einem gewissen Rowland York heisst: he was a Londoner, famous among the cutters in his time, for bringing in a new kind of fight to run the point of a rapier into a man's body. This manner of fight he brought first into England with great admiration of his audaciousness: when in England before that time the use was, with little bucklers and with broad swords, to strike and not to thrust: and it was accounted unmanly to strike under the girdle. scil. than see them fight. Page würde grösseren Spass daran finden, wenn Cajus und Evans in ihrem schlechten Englisch auf einander losschimpften.

43)

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41) his wife's frailty, wofür Theobald fealty lesen wollte, erklärte Malone richtig mit

his frail wife.

45) in his company versteht Ford von Falstaff, wie er unter she was seine eigene Frau versteht, obwohl Keiner der Beiden vorher erwähnt ist.

1) Manche Hgg. fügen aus Q. A hier noch folgenden Vers hinzu: I will retort the sum in equipage.

2) Pistol hat, um sich durchzuschlagen, Falstaff's Protection benutzt oder gleichsam verpfändet. So in Hamlet (A. 4, Sc. 2) one, Sir, that soaks up the king's countenance,

for you and your coach-fellow, 3 Nym; or else you had looked through the grate, like a gemini of baboons. I am damned in hell for swearing to gentlemen, my friends, you were good soldiers, and tall fellows: and when mistress Bridget lost the handle of her fan, 5 I took 't upon mine honour thou hadst it not.

1

Pist. Didst thou not share? hadst thou not fifteen pence?

6

8

go.

go:

Fal. Reason, you rogue, reason: think'st thou, I'll endanger my soul gratis? At a word, hang no more about me, I am no gibbet for you: a short knife and a throng: 7 to your manor of Pickt-hatch, You'll not bear a letter for me, you rogue! — you stand upon your honour! Why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much as I can do, to keep the terms of my honour precise. I, I, I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, and hiding mine hononr in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge, and to lurch; and yet you, rogue, will ensconce your rags, your cat-a-mountain looks, your red-lattice phrases, and your bold-beating 10 oaths, under the shelter of your honour! You will not do it, you?

9

Pist. I do relent: 11 what wouldst thou more of man?

Enter ROBIN.

Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you.

Fal. Let her approach.

Enter Mistress QUICKLY.

Quick. Give your worship good-morrow.

Fal. Good-morrow, good wife.

Quick. Not so, an 't please your worship.

Fal. Good maid, then.

Quick. I'll be sworn; as my mother was, the first hour I was born. 12 Fal. I do believe the swearer. What with me?

Quick. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two?

3) coach-fellow der mit ihm an demselben Wagen zieht, Spiessgeselle.

to grate

upon sich an Jemandem reiben, ihm stark zusetzen, bildet ein Wortspiel mit grate Gitter in einem Gefängniss oder vor einem Affenkäfig.

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5) Fächer mit silbernem Stiel werden bei Sh.'s Zeitgenossen oft erwähnt.

6) das war recht und billig.

7) Falstaff weist den Pistol zu seinem Lebensunterhalt auf's Beutelschneiden an, das er mit einem kurzen Messer im Volksgedränge exerciren soll. So in K. Lear (A. 3, Sc. 2) when cutpurses come not to throngs.

8) Pickt-hatch, eine besonders wegen ihrer Bordelle verrufene Gegend in London, welche Falstaff ironisch als Pistol's Herrensitz bezeichnet.

9) red-lattice phrases

=

Reden, wie sie in gemeinen Kneipen üblich sind. Das roth angestrichene Fenstergitter bezeichnete solche Kneipen und Bordelle.

10) Flüche, die kühn dreinschlagen.

11) So die Fol., Q. A hat recant.

Hanmer wollte dafür bull-baiting oaths lesen.

12) Die Fol. theilt den Satz in Reime sworn born ab.

Fal. Two thousand, fair woman; and I'll vouchsafe thee the hearing.
Quick. There is one mistress Ford, Sir: I pray, come a little nearer
I myself dwell with master Doctor Caius.
Fal. Well, on: Mistress Ford, you say, -
Quick. Your worship says very true:

this ways.

-

little nearer this ways.

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I pray your worship, come a

Fal. I warrant thee, nobody hears: - mine own people, mine own people. Quick. Are they so? Heaven bless them, and make them his servants! Fal. Well: Mistress Ford; what of her?

---

Quick. 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,

Quick. Marry, this is the short and the long of it. You have brought her into such a canaries, 13 as 't is wonderful: the best courtier of them all, when the court lay 14 at Windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary; yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I warrant you, coach after coach, letter after letter, gift after gift; smelling so sweetly, all musk, and so rushling, I warrant you, in silk and gold; and in such alligant 15 terms; and in such wine and sugar of the best, and the fairest, that would have won any woman's heart, and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her. I had myself twenty angels given me this morning; but I defy all angels, 16 (in any such sort, as they say) but in the way of honesty: - and, I warrant you, they could never get her so much as sip on a cup with the proudest of them all; and yet there has been earls, nay, which is more, 17 pensioners; but, I warrant you, all is one with her.

Fal. But what says she to me? be brief, my good she-Mercury.

Quick. Marry, she hath received your letter, for the which she thanks you a thousand times; and she gives you to notify, that her husband will be absence from his house between ten and eleven.

Fal. Ten and eleven?

Quick. Ay, forsooth; and then you may come and see the picture, she says, that you wot 18 of: master Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the sweet woman leads an ill life with him; he 's a very jealousy man; she leads a very frampold 19 life with him, good heart.

13) canary

ein rascher, leidenschaftlicher Tanz. Die Quickly gebraucht das Wort irrthümlich für irgend ein anderes; wie Steevens vermuthet, für quandaries. 14) Vgl. A. 2, Sc. 1, Anm. 32.

15) alligant für elegant.

alligant terms geht wieder auf die Liebesbriefe, während rushling auf die Höflinge selber geht.

16) Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 3, Anm. 15.

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Mitglieder der Leibwache der Königin, die aus lauter vornehmen und

stattlichen Cavalieren bestand.

18) to wot veraltet für to know: das bewusste Bild.

19) frampold erklärt Ray unter den Provinzialismen mit fretful, peevish, cross, froward.

Fal. Ten and eleven. fail her.

Woman, commend me to her; I will not

and let

Quick. Why, you say well. But I have another messenger to your worship: mistress Page hath her hearty commendations to you too; me tell you in your ear, she 's as fartuous 20 a civil modest wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windsor, whoe'er be the other: and she bade me tell your worship, that her husband is seldom from home, but she hopes there will come a time. I never knew a woman so dote upon a man: surely, I think you have charms, la; yes, in truth.

Fal. Not I, I assure thee; setting the attraction of my good parts aside, I have no other charms.

Quick. Blessing on your heart for 't!

Fal. But, I pray thee, tell me this: has Ford's wife, and Page's wife, acquainted each other how they love me? Quick. That were a jest, indeed!

21

they have not so little grace, I hope: that were a trick, indeed! But mistress Page would desire you to send her your little page, of all loves: 22 her husband has a marvellous infection 23 to the little page; and, truly, master Page is an honest man.

Never

a wife in Windsor leads a better life than she does: do what she will, say what she will, take all, pay all, go to bed when she list, rise when she list, truly, she deserves it, for if there be a kind woman You must send her your page; no remedy.

all is as she will; and,

in Windsor, she is one. Fal. Why, I will.

Quick. Nay, but do so, then: and, look you, he may come and go between you both; and, in any case, have a nayword, 24 that you may know one another's mind, and the boy never need to understand any thing: for 't is not good that children should know any wickedness; old folks, you know, have discretion, as they say, and know the world.

Fal. Fare thee well: commend me to them both. There's my purse; I am yet thy debtor. Boy, go along with this woman.

-

This news distracts me.

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[Exeunt QUICKLY and ROBIN.

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21) so sehr sind sie doch hoffentlich nicht von Gott verlassen, dass sie einander das mittheilen sollten.

27) of all loves, eine dringende Bitte, eigentlich

thun könnt.

= von allem Freundlichen, was Ihr

23) infection für affection sagt auch der alte Gobbo in Merchant of Venice (A. 2, Sc. 2).
24) have ist Imperativ: Falstaff und Frau Page sollen ein Stichwort verabreden, mittelst
dessen sie durch den Pagen verhandeln, ohne dass der Page selbst es verstehe.
25) Für punk wollte Warburton pink kleines Postschiff, lesen, um das Bild vom
Schiffe, das in der folgenden Zeile gebraucht wird, schon hier zu anticipiren.

Clap on more sails; pursue, up with your fights: 26

Give fire! She is my prize, or ocean whelm them all!

[Exit PISTOL.

Fal. Say'st thou so, old Jack? 27 go thy ways; I'll make more of thy old body than I have done. Will they yet look after thee? Wilt thou, after the expense of so much money, be now a gainer? Good body, I thank thee: let them say, 't is grossly done; so it be fairly done, no matter.

Enter BARDolph.

Bard. Sir John, there's one master Brook below would fain speak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath sent your worship a morning's draught of sack.28

Fal. Brook, is his name?

Bard. Ay, Sir.

Fal. Call him in; [Exit BARDOLPH.] Such Brooks are welcome to me, that o'erflow such liquor. 29 Ah! ha! mistress Ford and mistress Page, have I encompassed you? go to; via!

Re-enter BARDOLPH, with FORD disguised.

Ford. Bless you, Sir.

Fal. And you, Sir: would you speak with me?

Ford. I make bold, to press with so little preparation upon you.
Fal. You 're welcome. What's your will?

Give us leave, drawer.
[Exit BARDOLPH.

Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much: my name is Brook.
Fal. Good master Brook, I desire more acquaintance of you.

Ford. Good Sir John, I sue for yours: not to charge you; 30 for I must let you understand, I think myself in better plight for a lender than your are; the which hath something embolden'd me to this unseasoned intrusion, for, they say, if money go before all ways do lie open.

Fal. Money is a good soldier, Sir, and will on.

Ford. Troth, and I have a bag of money here troubles me: if you will help to bear it, Sir John, take all, or half, for easing me of the carriage. Fal. Sir, I know not how I may deserve to be your porter. Ford. I will tell you, Sir, if you will give me the hearing.

26) fights erklärt Philip's World of Words so: Are the wast-clooths which hang round about the ship to hinder men firm being seen in fight.

27) Falstaff ist im Selbstgespräch begriffen: Was sagst du zu dem Glücke, dass du trotz deines Alters noch bei den Weibern machst?

28) Brook schickt, um sich bei Falstaff als Gast desselben Wirthshauses einzuführen, aus seinem Zimmer in Falstaffs Zimmer eine Flasche Sekt als Morgentrank. Diese Art Bekanntschaften anzuknüpfen kommt auch sonst in Sh.'s Zeit vor.

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29) Die Q. A hat bloss: Such Brookes are alwaies welcome to me. Die Fol. hat auch hier mit Verwischung des Wortspiels such brooms are welcome to me that o'erflows such liquour. Vgl. A. 2, Sc. 1, Anm. 38.

30) Ich suche Eure Bekanntschaft, jedoch nicht um Euch Kosten zu verursachen.

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