149 155 160 And for thy maintenance commits his body 166 170 That seeming to be most which we indeed least Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot, Pet. Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate. 180 Luc. Well, go thy ways, old lad; for thou shalt ha 't. Vin. "Tis a good hearing when children are toward. Luc. But a harsh hearing when women are froward. Pet. Come, Kate, we 'll to bed. We three are married, but you two are sped. 185 [To Luc.] 'Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white; And, being a winner, God give you good night! [Exeunt Petruchio (and Katherina]. Hor. Now, go thy ways; thou hast tam'd a curst shrew. Luc. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tam'd so. [Exeunt.] THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR THE earliest known mention of The Merry Wives of Windsor is an entry in the books of the Stationers' Company for January 18, 1602. Later in the same year appeared a much garbled and abbreviated edition, now known as the First Quarto, and this was reprinted with a new titlepage in 1819. The version in the First Folio is much longer and immeasurably more accurate, and forms the basis of all modern texts. The relation of these two versions is still a matter of debate. The theory, however, that the First Quarto represents an earlier sketch is being abandoned by an increasing number of modern critics in favor of the belief that it is derived from the same version of the play as we have in the First Folio, but shortened for acting purposes, and corrupted by the short-hand writer who reported it for a piratical publisher. But the uninterrupted bungling of the lines leaves room for all the possible methods of debasing a text, and it may be suggested that the report was made from a performance in which the actors had a very imperfect knowledge of their parts. The Folio text itself shows signs of having been tampered with, notably in the omission of the working out of the plot of Caius and Evans against the Host (a device whose culmination may be preserved in the episode of the loss of the horses), and in the loss of a few passages which can be restored with a fair amount of certainty from the Quarto. It has been suggested that some of the flaws may be accounted for by supposing that passages omitted for acting purposes have been unskilfully restored. A tradition, first recorded by John Dennis in 1702, says that the comedy was written in a fortnight to the order of Queen Elizabeth, who wished to see Falstaff in love. There is nothing improbable in this, and the suggestion of haste receives corroboration from the fact that so much of the dialogue is in prose. It implies, moreover, what would be inferred on other grounds, that Henry IV had already been performed, and so fixes 1598 as the earliest possible date. The only objection to this as an earlier limit has arisen from the desire of some older editors to bring it nearer to 1592, the date of the visit of Count Mömpelgard, alluded to in IV. v. ; but these allusions would still have point six or seven years later. The question as to whether it preceded or followed Henry V is more difficult. That Falstaff dies in that play does not, of course, affect the question, since it is plainly indicated that the future Henry V is still "the mad Prince of Wales" (Quarto, Sc. 18), so that the period in which the plot is laid cannot come after 2 Henry IV, in the fifth act of which the Prince becomes King. If Nym be regarded, like the rest of Falstaff's followers, as a revival, the play must be later than Henry V, the only other play in which he appears. But the evidence is not conclusive, and the variation in date between the two theories is merely from 1598 to the latter part of 1599. The main plot of the Merry Wives is thought to have been suggested by The Tale of the Two Lovers of Pisa in Tarlton's Newes out of Purgatorie (1590). This is an adaptation of the story of Nerisio of Portugal from Straparola's Tredici Piacevoli Notte (1569). The resemblance is only general, and the few similarities of phrase that have been pointed out are insignificant. In the Italian story, which is of a common type, a lover is repeatedly surprised in the house of his lady by her husband, of whom he has unwittingly made a confidant; and on one occasion he is hidden in a vat of feathers, on another carried out in a chest of papers. In the play, the initial betrayal of Falstaff by Pistol and Nym, the disguise as Mother Prat, the pinching by the fairies, the underplot of the triple wooing of Anne Page, and all the characters save the commonplace of the jealous husband, seem to be original. A story similar to Straparola's is found in Ser Giovanni Fiorentino's Il Pecorone, second tale, first day, but this was not translated till after Shakespeare's death. The fourth tale of the second night of Straparola tells of the concerted vengeance of three ladies on a would-be lover who made advances to all of them on the same evening. But the resemblance goes no farther. The Fishwife's Tale of Brainford in Westward for Smelts was suggested by Malone as a source, but has no claim to be so considered. Slen. I may quarter, coz. 25 Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it. Shal. Not a whit. Evans. Yes, py 'r lady. If he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures. But that is all one. If Sir John Falstaff have committed [so disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and compremises between you. Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot. 34 Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot. The council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot. Take your vizaments in that. Shal. Ha! O' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it." 41 Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it; and there is also another device in my prain, which peradventure prings goot [44 discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Master George Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman. Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, as just as you will desire; and seven [50 hundred pounds of moneys, and gold and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!-give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old. It were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles [55 and prabbles, and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page. Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts. Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot gifts. Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff there? Evans. 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 [70 John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for Master Page. [Knocks.] What, hoa! Got pless your house here! Page. [Within.] Who's there? [Enter PAGE.] Evans. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and Justice Shallow; and here young Master Slender, that peradventures shall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings. Page. I am glad to see your worships well. I thank you for my venison, Master Shallow. 81 Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you. Much good do it your good heart! I wish'd your venison better; it was ill kill'd. How doth good Mistress Page? - and I thank you always with my heart, la! with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you. do. 86 Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I Page. I am glad to see you, good Master Slender. 90 Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say he was outrun on Cotsall. Page. It could not be judg'd, sir. Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. Shal. That he will not. 'Tis your fault, 't is your fault; 't is a good dog. Page. A cur, sir. 96 Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; can there be more said? He is good and fair. Is Sir John Falstaff here ? 100 Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you. Evans. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak. Shal. He hath wrong'd me, Master Page. 105 Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it. Shal. If it be confessed, it is not redressed. 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. 110 Nym. Be avis'd, sir, and pass good humours. I will say "marry trap" with you, if you run the nuthook's humour on me. That [170 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. 176 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. 180 Evans. It is his five senses. Fie, what the ignorance is! Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd the ca reers. 184 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. 190 Evans. So Got udge me, that is a virtuous mind. Fal. You hear all these matters deni'd, gentlemen; you hear it. [Enter ANNE PAGE, with wine; MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS PAGE, following.] Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we 'll drink within. Slen. O heaven! this is Mistress Anne Page. [Exit Anne Page.] 196 Page. How now, Mistress Ford! Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well met. By your leave, good mistress. 200 [Kisses her. Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come, we bave a hot venison pasty to dinner. Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. [Exeunt all except Shal., Slen., and Evans.] Slen. I had rather than forty shillings I [205 had my Book of Songs and Sonnets here. [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? 209 Sim. Book of Riddles! Why, did you not lend it to Alice Shortcake upon All-hallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas? Shal. Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you. A word with you, coz; marry, this, coz: there is, as 't were, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar off by Sir Hugh here. Do you understand me? 216 Slen. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable. Slen. So I do, sir. 220 Evans. 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. 226 Evans. But that is not the question: the 231 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 [255 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? 240 Slen. I hope, sir, I will do as it shall become one that would do reason. Evans. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies! You must speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires towards her. 245 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. 249 " Shal. Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet 155 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 [265 more occasion to know one another. I hope, upon familiarity will grow more content. But if you say, 66 Marry her," I will marry her; that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely. 200 Evans. It is a fery discretion answer, save the fall is in the ort 66 is, according to our meaning, "resolutely." His dissolutely." The ort meaning is good. Anne. I may not go They will not sit till you come. your worship. Slen. I' faith, I'll eat nothing. I thank you as much as though I did. 291 Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.. Slen. I had rather walk here, I thank you. I bruis'd my shin the other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence; three veneys for a dish of stew'd prunes; [29 and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? Be there bears i' the town? Anne. I think there are, sir; talk'd of. I heard them 30 Slen. I love the sport well; but I shall as soon quarrel at it as any man in England. You are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not? Anne. Ay, indeed, sir. 305 Slen. That's meat and drink to me, now. have seen Sackerson loose twenty times, and I have taken him by the chain; but, I warrant you, the women have so cri'd and shriek'd at it, that it pass'd. But women, indeed, cannot [310 abide 'em; they are very ill-favour'd rough things. |