Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

upon his death's bed, give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between master Abraham and mistress Anne Page.

Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound?

Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts.

Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts..

Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page: Is Falstaff there?

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar, as I do despise one that is false; or as I despise one that is not true. The knight, sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your wellwillers. I will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. What, hoa! pless your house here! Enter PAGE.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; there be more said? he is good, and fair. John Falstaff here?

Can Is sir

Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you.

Eva. It is spoke as a Christian ought to speak. Shal. He hath wrong'd me, master Page. Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it. Shal. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd; is not that so, master Page? He hath wrong'd me; indeed, he hath; - at a word, he hath ;-believe me; Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wrong'd. Page. Here comes sir John.

Enter Sir JOHN FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM, and PISTOL.

Fal. Now, master Shallow; you'll complain of me to the king?

Shal. Knight you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge: this shall be answer'd. Fal. I will answer it straight; - I have done all this: That is now answer'd.

Shal. The Council shall know this.

Fal. 'Twere better for you, if it were known in counsel: you'll be laugh'd at.

5 Cotswold, in Gloucestershire.

[ocr errors]

Eva. Pauca verba, sir John, good worts. Fal. Good worts! good cabbage.. Slender, I broke your head; What matter have you against me?

Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket. Bar. You Banbury cheese! 7 Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pist. How, now, Mephostophilus ? 8
Slen. Ay, it is no matter,

Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca; slice! that's my humour.

Slen. Where's Simple, my man? — can you tell, cousin?

Eva. Peace: I pray you! Now let us understand: There is three umpires in this matter as I understand: that is -master Page, fidelicet, master Page; and there is myself, fidelicet, myself; and the three party is, lastly and finally, mine host of the Garter.

Page. We three, to hear it, and end it between them. Eva. Fery goot: I will make a prief of it in my note-book; and we will afterwards 'ork upon the cause, with as great discreetly as we can. Fal. Pistol,

Pist. He hears with ears.

Eva. What phrase is this, He hears with ear? Why, it is affectations.

Fal. Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse? Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he, (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again else,) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward shovel-boards, that cost me two shillings and two pence a-piece of Yead Miller, by these gloves. Fal. Is this true, Pistol?

Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse. Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!. - Sir John, and master mine,

I combat challenge of this latten bilbo : 1
Word of denial in thy labras2 here;
Word of denial; froth and scum, thou liest.

Slen. By these gloves, then 'twas he.

Nym. Be advised, sir, and pass good humours: I will say, marry trap, with you if you run the nuthook's 3 humour on me; that is the very note 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? Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say, the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five sentences.

Eva. It is his five senses: fie, what the ignorance is!

Bard. And being fap 4, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd the careires. 5

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. Eva. That is a virtuous mind.

Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you hear it.

6 Worts was the ancient name of all the cabbage kind. 7 Nothing but paring!

8 The name of an ugly spirit.

9 King Edward's shillings used in the game of shuffleboard,

1 Blade as thin as a lath.

3 If you say I am a thief.

5 The bounds of good behaviour.

2 Lips.

4 Drunk.

[graphic]

Eva. Give ear to his motions, master Slender : I will description the matter to you, if you be capacity 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.

Eva. But this is not the question; the question is concerning your marriage.

Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir.

Eva. 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.

Eva. 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.

Eva. Nay, you must speak possitable, 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

11

I will marry her, that I am freely dissolutely.

Eva. It is a fery discretion ans faul' is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'd to our meaning, resolutely; his m Shal. Ay, I think my cousin mea Slen. Ay, or else I would I might

Re-enter ANNE PAGE

Shal. Here comes fair mistress A I were young, for your sake, mistres Anne. The dinner is on the tab desires your worships' company.

Shal. I will wait on him, fair mis Eva. I will not be absence at the [Exeunt SHALLOW and Anne. Wil't please your worship t Slen. No, I thank you, forsooth, very well.

Anne. The dinner attends you, si Slen. I am not a-hungry, I thank Go, sirrah, for all you are my man, my cousin Shallow: [Exit SIMPLE. peace sometime may be beholden to a man: - I keep but three men and my mother be dead: But what thou like a poor gentleman born.

Anne. I may not go in without they will not sit, till you come. Slen. I'faith, I'll eat nothing; I much as though I did.

Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in. Slen. I had rather walk here, I bruised my shin the other day with pl and dagger with a master of fence, for a dish of stewed prunes; and, cannot abide the smell of hot meat si your dogs bark so? be there bears i't Anne. I think there are, sir; talked of.

Slen. I love the sport well; but quarrel at it, as any man in England afraid, if you see the bear loose, are y

Anne. Ay, indeed, sir.

Slen. That's meat and drink to me seen Sackerson & loose, twenty time taken him by the chain: but, I wa women have so cried and shriek'd pass'd 9:- but women, indeed, canno they are very ill-favoured rough thing

Page. Come, gentle master Slende stay for you.

Slen. I'll eat nothing; I thank you Page. By cock and pye, you shall sir; come, come.

Slen. Nay, pray you, lead the way.
Page. Come on, sir.

Slen. Mistress Anne, yourself shall Anne. Not I, sir, pray you, keep or Slen. Truly, I will not go first; trul not do you that wrong.

Anne. I pray you, sir.

Slen. I'll rather be unmannerly t some; you do yourself wrong, indeed,

[blocks in formation]

Fal. I sit at ten pounds a week.

Host. Thou art an emperor, Cæsar, Keisar, and Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph; he shall draw, he shall tap said I well, bully Hector?

:

Fal. Do so, good mine host.

Host. I have spoke; let him follow: Let me see thee froth, and lime: I am at a word; follow.

[Exit Host. Fal. Bardolph, follow him; a tapster is a good trade; an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered servingman, a fresh tapster; Go, adieu.

Bard. It is a life that I have desired; I will thrive. [Erit BARD. Pist. O base Gongarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield?

I

Nym. His mind is not heroick, and there's the humour of it.

Fal. I am glad I am so acquit of this tinder-box: his thefts were too open: his filching was like an unskilful singer, he kept not time.

Nym. The good humour is, to steal at a minute's

rest.

Pist. Convey, the wise it call: Steal! foh, a fico 2 for the phrase!

Fal. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels.

Pist. Why then let kibes ensue.

Fal. There is no remedy; I must shift.

Pist. Young ravens must have food.

Fal. Which of you know Ford of this town? Pist. I ken the wight; he is of subtance good. Fal. My honest lads, I will tell you what I am about.

Pist. Two yards and more.

Fal. No quips now, Pistol; indeed I am in the waist two yards about: but I am now about no waste; I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean to make love to Ford's wife; I spy entertainment in her; she discourses, she carves, she gives the leer of invitation; I can construe the action of her

[blocks in formation]

familiar style; and the hardest voice of her behaviour, to be English'd rightly, is, I am Sir John Falstaff's.

Pist. He hath studied her well, and translated her well; out of honesty into English.

Nym. The anchor is deep: will that humour pass? Fal. Now, the report goes, she has all the rule of her husband's purse.

Pist. To her, boy, say I.

Nym. The humour rises; it is good.

Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her: and here another to Page's wife; who even now gave me good eyes too; she bears the purse too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and bounty. I will be cheater 3 to them both, and they shall be exchequers to me; they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear thou this letter to mistress Page; and thou this to mistress Ford: we will thrive, lads, we will thrive.

Pist. Shall I sir Pandarus of Troy become, And by my side wear steel? then, Lucifer take all ! Nym. I will run no base humour; here, take the humour letter; I will keep the 'haviour of reputation. Fal. Hold, sirrah, [To ROB.] bear you these letters tightly 4;

Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores.
Rogues, hence avaunt! vanish like hailstones, go;
Trudge, plod away, o' the hoof; seek shelter, pack !
Falstaff will learn the humour of this age,
French thrift, you rogues; myself, and skirted page.
[Exeunt FALSTAFF and ROBIN.
Pist. Let vultures gripe thee, for gourd and
fullam 5 hold,

And high and low beguile the rich and poor:
Tester I'll have in pouch 6, when thou shalt lack,
Base Phrygian Turk!

Nym. I have operations in my head, which be humours of revenge.

Pist. Wilt thou revenge?

Nym. By welkin, and her star!

Pist. With wit, or steel?

Nym. With both the humours, I:

I will discuss the humour of this love to Page.

Pist. And I to Ford shall eke unfold,

How Falstaff, varlet vile,

His dove will prove, his gold will hold,
And his soft couch defile.

Nym. My humour shall not cool: I will incense 7 Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with yellowness 8, for the revolt of mien is dangerous: that is my true humour.

Pist. Thou art the Mars of malcontents: I second thee; troop on. [Exeunt.

[blocks in formation]
[graphic]

Ad

Caius. Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys; Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier verd; a box, a green-a box ; Do intend vat I speak? a green-a box.

Quick. Ay forsooth, I'll fetch it you. I am glad he went not in himself; if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad. [Aside. Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vais à la cour, - la grande affaire. Quick. Is it this, sir?

Caius. Ouy; mette le au mon pocket; Dépêche, quickly:Vere is dat knave Rugby? Quick. What, John Rugby! John! Rug. Here, sir.

Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby: Come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to de court.

Rug. 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long: - Od's me! Qu'ay-j' oublié ? dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind.

Quick. Ah me! he'll find the young man there, and be mad.

Caius. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet? Villainy? larron! [Pulling SIMPLE out.] Rugby, my rapier.

Quick. Good master, be content. Caius. Verefore shall I be content-a? Quick. The young man is an honest man. Caius. Vat shall de honest man do in my closet? dore is no honest man dat shall come in my closet.

Sim. Ay, forsooth, to desire h Quick. Peace, I pray you. Caius. Peace-a your tongue : Sim. To desire this honest g maid, to speak a good word to m for my master, in the way of mar

Quick. This is all, indeed, la; my finger in the fire, and need n

Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you me some paper:- Tarry you a

Quick. I am glad he is so quie thoroughly moved, you should loud, and so melancholy:- But man, I'll do your master what go very yea and the no is, the F master, I may call him my ma I keep his house; and I wash, w scour, dress meat and drink, ma do all myself;

Sim. 'Tis a great charge, to body's hand.

Quick. Are you avis'd o' that a great charge: and to be up earl I would have no words of it ;) n -but notwithstanding, (to tell is in love with mistress Anne Pa standing that, I know Anne

neither here nor there.

Caius. You jack'nape; give-a Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge; in de park; and I will teach a s you priest to meddle or make: is not good you tarry here.

Quick. Alas, he speaks but for
Caius. It is no matter-a for da

tell-a me dat I shall have Anne P by gar, I will kill de jack priest pointed mine host of de Jarterre weapon: by gar, I vill myself 1

[ocr errors]

Quick. Sir, the maid loves you well: we must give folks leave to

Caius. Rugby, come to the co gar, if I have not Anne Page, I sh out of my door: - Follow my he [Exeunt C

Quick. You shall have An foolsNo, I know Anne's mind for that

in Windsor knows more of Anne's nor can do more than I do with h Fent. [Within.] Who's within Quick. Who's there, I trow? house, I pray you.

Dook she loves you: — wart above your eye?

Have not your worship a | money for thee; let me have thy voice in my behalf: - if thou seest her before me, commend me Quick. Will I? i'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. Well, farewell; I am in great haste now.

Fent. Yes, marry, have I; what of that? Quick. Well, thereby hangs a tale ; — good faith, it is such another Nan; but, I detest, an honest maid as ever broke bread: We had an hour's talk of that wart; - I shall never laugh but in that maid's company! - But, indeed, she is given too much to allicholly 5 and musing: But for you Well, go to.

Fent. Well, I shall see her to-day: Hold, there's

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

ACT II.

Enter Mistress PAGE, with a letter. Mrs. Page. What! have I 'scaped love-letters in the holy-day time of my beauty, and am I now a subject for them? Let me see : [Reads. Ask me no reason why I love you; for though love use reason for his precisian, he admits him not 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 love sack, and so do I; Would you desire better sympathy? Let it suffice thee, mistress Page, (at the least, if the love of a soldier can suffice,) that I love thee. I will not say, pity me, 'tis not a soldierlike phrase; but I say, love me. By me,

[blocks in formation]

O wicked, wicked world! - one that is well nigh worn to pieces with age, to show himself a young gallant! What unweighed behaviour hath this Flemish drunkard picked out of my conversation, that he dares in this manner assay me? Why, he hath not been thrice in my company!-What should I say to him?- I was then frugal of mirth. Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men. How shall I be revenged on him? for revenged I will be.

Enter Mistress FORD.

my

[blocks in formation]

Mrs. Ford. If I would but go to hell for an eterna moment, I could be knighted.

Mrs. Page. What? Sir Alice Ford! Mrs. Ford. We burn daylight: here, read, read; - perceive how I might be knighted, — I shall 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; praised women's modesty; and gave such orderly and well-behaved reproof to all uncomeliness, that I would have sworn his disposition 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 whale, with so many tuns of oil in him, ashore at Windsor ? How shall I be revenged on him? I think, the best way were to entertain him with hope, till the wicked fire have melted him. - Did you ever hear the like?

Mrs. Page. Letter for letter; but that the name 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, I protest, mine never shall. I warrant he hath a thousand of these letters writ with blank space for different names (sure more), and these are of the second edition: He will print them out of doubt.

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 entertain myself like one that I am not acquainted withal; for, sure, unless he know some strain in me, that I know not myself, he would never have boarded me in this fury. Let's be revenged on of comfort in his suit: and lead him on with a finehim; let's appoint him a meeting; give him a show baited delay, till he hath pawn'd his horses to mine host of the Garter.

Mrs. Ford. Nay, I will consent to act any villainy against him, that may not sully the chariness 7 of our honesty. O, that my husband saw this letter! it would give eternal food to his jealousy.

and my

Mrs. Page. Why, look, where he comes; good man too: he's as far from jealousy, as I am from giving him cause; and that, I hope, is an unmeasurable distance.

Mrs. Ford. You are the happier woman. Mrs. Page. Let's consult together against this greasy knight: Come hither. [They retire.

7 Caution.

« PredošláPokračovať »