SCENE V. Page. How now, Mafter Ford? Ford. You heard what this knave told me, did you not? Page. Yes; and you heard what the other told me? Ford. Do you think there is truth in them? Page. Hang 'em, flaves; I do not think, the Knight would offer it; but these that accufe him in his intent towards our wives, are a yoke of his difcarded men; very rogues, now they be out of fervice. Ford. Were they his men? Page. Marry, were they. 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 loose to him; and what he gets more of her than fharp words, let it lie on my head Ford. I do not mifdoubt my wife, but I would be loath to turn them together; a man may be too confident; I would have nothing lie on my head; I cannot be thus fatisfy'd. Page. Look, where my ranting Hoft of the Garter comes; there is either liquor in his pate, or money in his purfe, when he looks fo merrily. How now, mine Hoft? SCENE VI. Enter Hoft and Shallow. Hoft. How now, bully Rock? thou'rt a gentleman; cavaliero-juftice, I fay. Shal. I follow, mine Hoft, I follow. Good even, and twenty, good Master Page. Mafter Page, will you go with us? we have sport in hand. Hoft. Tell him, cavaliero-justice; tell him, bully Rock. Shal. Sir, there is a fray to be fought between Sir Hugh the Welch prieft, and Caius the French doctor. Ford. Good mine Holl o' th' Garter, a word with you. Hoft. What fay't thou, bully Rock? Shal. Shal. 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 contrary places; for, believe me, I hear the Parfon is no jefter. Hark, I will tell you what our sport fhall be. Hoft. Haft thou no fuit againft my knight, my gueft cavalier Ford. None, proteft; but I'll give you a pottle of burnt fack to give me recourse to him, and tell him my name is Brook; only for a jest. Hoft. My hand, bully: thou fhalt have egrefs and regrefs; faid I well? and thy name fhall be Brook. It is a merry knight. Will you go on, heris? Shal. Have with you, mine Hoft. Page. I have heard the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier. Shal. "Tut, Sir, I could have told you more. In "these times you ftand on diftance, your paffes, toc"cado's, and I know not what: 'tis the heart, Mafter "Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have feen the time, "with my long fword, I would have made you, four " tall fellows, skip like rats." Hof. Here boys, here, here: fhall we wag? Page. Have with you; I had rather hear them fcold than fight. [Exeunt Hof, Shallow, and Page. Ford. Though Page be a fecure fool, and ftand fo firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off my opinion fo easily. She was in his company at Page's houfe; and what they made there I know not. Well, I will look further into❜t; and I have a diguife to found Falftaff: if I find her honeft, I lofe not my labour; if the be otherwife, 'tis labour well beflow'd. SCENE VII. Changes to the Garter-Inn. Enter Falstaff and Pifta!. Fal. I will not lend thee a peany. [Exit. Pift. Why then the world's mine oifter, which I with fword will open page. -I will retort the fum in equi Fal. Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, Sir, you fhould lay my countenance to pawn; I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you, and your couch-fellow, Nym; or elfe you had look'd through the grate like a geminy of baboons. 1 am damn'd in hell for fwearing to gentlemen, my friends, you were good foldiers, and tall fellows. And when Mistress Bridget loft the handle of her fan, I took't upon mine honour, thou hadît it not. Pift. Didft thou not fhare? hadst thou not fifteen pence? Fal. Reafon, you rogue, reafon; think'st thou I'll endanger my foul gratis? At a word, hang no more about me, I am no gibbet for you: go, a fhort knife and a thong, to your manour of Pickt-hatch*; go, you'll not bear a letter for me, you rogue! You ftand upon your honour! why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much as I can do to keep the term of mine honour precife. I, I, 1 myfelf fometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in my neceffity, I am fain to fhuffle, to hedge, and to lurch; and yet you rogue will efconfe your rags, your cat-a-mountain looks, your red-lettice phrases, and your bold-bearing oaths, under the fhelter of your honour! You will not do it, you! Pit. I do relent; what wouldst thou more of man? Enter Robin. Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you. SCENE VIII. Enter Mitrefs Quickly. Quic. Give your Worship good morrow. Fal. Good morrow, good wife. Quic. Not fo, an't please your Worship. Fal. Good maid, then. Quic. I'll be fworn, as my mother was the firft hour I was born. Fal. I do believe the wearer: what with me? * A noted harbour for thieves and pick-pockets. Fal. Quic. Shall I vouchfafe your Worship a word or two? Fal. Two thoufand, fair woman, and I'll vouchfafe thee the hearing. Quic. There is one Mißtrefs Ford, Sir: I pray, come a little nearer this ways: I inyfelf dwell with Mr. Doc tor Caius. Fal. Well, on: Miftrefs Ford, you fay Quic. Your worship fays very true; I pray your Worthip, come a little nearer this ways. Fal. I warrant thee, no body hears: mine own people, mine own people. Quic. Are they fo? Heav'n bless them, and make them his fervants! Fal. Well: Miftrefs Ford,what of her? Quic. Why, Sir, fhe's a good creature. Lord, Lord, your Worship's a wanton: well, Heav'n forgive you, and all of us, I pray Fal. Miftrefs Ford, come, Mistress Ford Quic. Marry, this is the fhort and the long of it; you have brought her into fuch a canaries, as 'tis wonderful: the best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windfor, could never have brought her to fuch 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, fmelling fo sweetly; all mufk; and fo rufsling, I warrant you, in filk and gold, and in fuch alligant terms, and in fuch wine and fugar of the beft, and the faireft, that would have won any woman's heart; and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her. I had myfelf twenty angels given me this morning; but I defy all angels, in any fuch fort as they fay, but in the way of honesty; and I warrant you, they could never get her fo much as hip on a cup with the proudeft of themall: and yet there has been Earls; nay, which is more, penfioners; but, I warrant you, all is one with her. Fal. But what fays fhe to me? be brief, my good the Mercury. Quic. Marry, the hath receiv'd your letter, for the which fhe thanks you a thoufand times; and the gives you to notify, that her husband will be abfence from his house between ten and eleven. Fal. Ten and eleven. Quic. Ay, forfooth; and then you may come and fee the picture, the fays, that you wot of: Mafter Ford, her husband, will be from home Alas! the fweet woman leads an ill life with him, he's a very jealousyman; the leads a very frampold life with him, good heart. Fal. Ten and eleven: woman, commend me to her, I will not fail her. Quic. Why, you fay well: but I have another meffenger to your Worship. Miftrefs Page has her hearty commendations to you too; and, let me tell you in your car, fhe's as fartuous a civil modeft wife, and one (I tell you) that will not mifs you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windfor, whoe'er be the other; and the bade me tell your Worship, that her husband is feldom front home, but the hopes there will come a time. I never knew a woman fo doat upon a man; furely I think you have charms, la; yes, in truth. Fal. Not I, 1 affure thee; fetting the attraction of my good parts afide, I have no other charms. Quic. Blefing 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? Quic. That were a jeft, indeed; they have not fo little grace, I hope; that were a trick, indeed! but Mistress Page would defire you to send her little page, your of all loves: her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page; and truly Master Page is an honeft man. Never a wife in Windfor leads a better life than fhe does; do what fhe will, fay what fhe will, take all, pay all, go to bed when the lift, rife when the lift, all is as the will: and truly fhe deferves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windfor, truly fhe is one. You must fend her your page; no remedy. Fal. Why, I will. Quic. Nay, but do fo then; and look you, he may come and go between you both; and in any cafe have a nay-word, that you may know one another's mind: and the boy never need to underkand any thing; for 'tis not good that children fhould know any wicked nefs! |