SCENE II. The same. The DUKE's palace. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What, that my leg is too long? Pro No; that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Jul. [Aside] But love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes. Thu. What says she to my face? Thu. Nay then, the wanton lies; my face is black. 10 Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. [Aside] 'Tis true: such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace? Jul. [Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace. 20 Thu. What says she to my valor? knows its cowardice. Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man! This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns: Here can I sit alone, unseen of any, And to the nightingale's complaining notes Tune my distresses and record my woes. O thou that dost inhabit in my breast, Leave not the mansion so long tenantless, Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall, And leave no memory of what it was! Repair me with thy presence, Silvia: Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain! What halloing and what stir is this to-day? These are my mates, that make their wills their law, 10 Have some unhappy passenger in chase. Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA, 21 Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look; Val. [Aside] How like a dream is this I see | By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased: 81 and hear! Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile. Jul. [Aside] And me, when he approacheth Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, 40 Would I not undergo for one calm look! Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love, Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths And, that my love may appear plain and free, [Swoons. Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now! what's the matter? Look up; speak. Jul. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy? Here 'tis; this is it. Pro. How! let me see: Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook: Pro. But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart I gave this unto Julia. Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; 100 Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true. 110 But constant, he were perfect. That one error Inconstancy falls off ere it begins. 120 130, Come not within the measure of my wrath: I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. To make such means for her as thou hast done, 140 And leave her on such slight conditions. Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy. I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, Are men endued with worthy qualities: And fit for great employment, worthy lord. Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy. Duke. What mean you by that saying? That you will wonder what hath fortuned. 169 SCENE I. Windsor. Before PAGE's house. Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW, SLENDER and SIR HUGH EVANS. Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace and Coram.' Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and Custalorum.' Slen. Ay, and 'Rato-lorum' too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself 'Armigero,' in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, Armigero.' II Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years. Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done't; and all his ancestors that come after him may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Slen. I may quarter, coz. 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 disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and compromises between you. Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot. 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 discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Master Thomas 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 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 and prabbles, and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page. Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pounds? 60 Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Slen. 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 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? 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 to your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill killed. How doth good Mistress Page!-and I thank you always with my heart, la! with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you. Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do. 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 judged, sir. Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. Shal. That he will not. "Tis your fault, 'tis your fault; 'tis a good dog. Page. A cur, sir. 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 wronged me, Master Page. 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 wronged me; indeed he hath; at a word, he hath, believe Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is 111 me: wronged. 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. Fal. But not kissed your keeper's daughter? Shai. Tut, a pin! this shall be answered. Fal. I will answer it straight; I have done all this. That is now answered. 120 Shal. The council shall know this. Fal. 'Twere better for you if it were known in counsel: you'll be laughed at. Evans. Pauca verba, Sir John; goot 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 your cony-catching rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. Bard. You Banbury cheese! Sien. Ay, it is no matter. Pist. How now, Mephostophilus ! 130 Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca: slice! that's my humor. Slen. Where's Simple, my man? Can you tell, cousin? Evans. 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 150 Evans. The tevil and his tam! 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 shilling and twopence apiece of Yead Miller, by these gloves. 161 Fal. Is this true, Pistol? Evans. 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. Slen. By these gloves, then, 'twas he. Nym. Be advised, sir, and pass good humors: I will say 'marry trap' with you, if you run the nuthook's humor 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. 180 Evans. It is his five senses; fie, what the ignorance is! Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashiered; and so conclusions passed the 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; MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS 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 Fordi 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 have a hot venison pasty to dinner: come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. [Exeunt all except Shal., Slen., and Evans. |