I combat challenge of this latten bilbo : 1 Slen. By these gloves, then 'twas he. Nym. Be avised,3 sir, and pass good humors: I will say, 'marry trap' with you, if you run the nuthook's humor on me ; 5 that is the very note 6 of it. Slen. By this hat, then he in the red face had it: for though I cannot remember what I did when you made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an ass. Fal. What say you, Scarlet and John? 7 Bar. Why, sir, for my part, I say, the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five sentences. Evans. It is his five senses: fie, what the ignorance is! Bar. And being fap,8 sir, was, as they say, cashiered; and so conclusions passed the careires.9 Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter: I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, but in honest, civil, godly company, for this trick : if I be drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the fear of God, and not with drunken knaves. 1 This blade as thin as a lath. Latten is a mixed metal, made of copper and calamine. 3 Cautious. 2 Lips. 4 I will catch you in your own trap. 6 Truth. 8 Drunk. 5 If you say I am a thief. 7 In allusion to Bardolph's red face. 9. And so, in the end, he reeled about with a circuitous motion, like a horse, passing a carier.'-Malone. To pass a carier' was a technical term, signifying running a career. Evans. So Got 'udge me, that is a virtuous mind. Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you hear it. Enter ANNE PAGE with wine; MRS. FORD and MRS. PAGE following. Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink within. [Exit Anne Page. Slen. O heaven! this is mistress Anne Page. Page. How now, mistress Ford? Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well met by your leave, good mistress. [kissing her. Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner; come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkind[Exeunt all but Shallow, Slender, and Evans. Slen. I had rather than forty shillings, I had my book of Songs and Sonnets here.— ness. Enter SIMPLE. How now, Simple! where have you been? I must wait on myself, must I? You have not The Book of Riddles about you, have you? Sim. Book of Riddles! why, did you not lend it to Alice Shortcake upon Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas ? 1 Shal. Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you. 1 Allhallowmas is almost five weeks after Michaelmas. Shakspeare probably intended to blunder. A word with you, coz; marry, this, coz. There is, as 'twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar off by sir Hugh here ;-Do you understand me? Slen. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable; if it be so, I shall do that that is reason. Shal. Nay, but understand me. Slen. So I do, sir. Evans. Give ear to his motions,1 master Slender : I will description the matter to you, if you be сараcity of it. Slen. Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow says: I pray you, pardon me; he's a justice of peace in his country, simple though I stand here. Evans. But that is not the question: the question is concerning your marriage. Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir. Evans. Marry, is it; the very point of it; to mistress Anne Page. Slen. Why, if it be so, I will marry her, upon any reasonable demands. Evans. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us command to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for divers philosophers hold, that the lips is parcel of the mouth;—therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid? Shal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her ? Slen. I hope, sir, I will do, as it shall become one that would do reason. 1 Proposal. Evans. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies, you must speak possitable,1 if you can carry her your desires towards her. Shal. That you must. Will you, upon good dowry, marry her? Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your request, cousin, in any reason. Shal. Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz ; what I do, is to pleasure you, coz. Can you love the maid? Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but if there be no great love in the beginning, yet Heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are married, and have more occasion to know one another. I hope, upon familiarity will grow more contempt: but if you say, ' Marry her,' I will marry her, that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely. Evans. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the faul' is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according to our meaning, resolutely;—his meaning is good. Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well. Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la. Re-enter ANNE page. Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne.-Would I were young, for your sake, mistress Anne! SHAK.' 1 Positively. II. B |