As you do love your lady Silvia : - [Exit Proteus. Jul. How many women would do such a message? This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, To plead for that, which I would not obtain; To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. As heaven, it knows, I would not have him speed. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there! When she did think my master lov'd her well, Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, [Picture brought. Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again! I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. Sil. What say'st thou? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Jul. Almost as well, as I do know myself. Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth !-- I weep myself, to think upon thy words. her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful! Sil. Belike, she thinks, that Proteus hath forsook her. Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, To make my master out of love with thee. Egl. The sun begins to gild the western sky; See, where she comes: Lady, a happy evening I [Exit. Egl. Fear not: the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough. SCENE II. [Exeunt. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. Pro. No; that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Pro. She says it is a fair one. Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. Ill, when you talk of war. [Aside. Thu. But well, when I discourse of love, and peace? [Aside. Jul. True; from a gentleman to a fool. Thu. Wherefore? Jul. That such an ass should owe them. Jul. Here comes the duke. Enter Duke. 2 Out. Come, bring her away! 1Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us, But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him. Gothou with her to the west end of the wood, There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fled: The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape. 33 1Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave: Fear not; he bears an honourable mind, And will not use a woman lawlessly. Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another part of the forest. Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man! Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!. Duke. How now, sir Proteus? how now, Thurio? Which of you saw sir Eglamour of late? Thu. Not I. Pro. Nor I. Duke. Saw you my daughter? Pro. Neither. Withdraw thee, Valentine; who's this comes here? Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA. Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant Valen- 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not: [Aside. Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death, O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd, Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou had'st two, Pro. In love, Who respects friends? Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. Pro. I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch; Thou friend of an ill fashion! Pro. Valentine! Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or (For such is a friend now,) treacherous man! I am sorry I must never trust thee more, I tender it here; I do as truly suffer, As e'er I did commit. Val. Then I am paid; And once again I do receive thee honest:- : Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; Pro. Look to the boy. Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now? Jul. O good sir, my master charg'd me Pro. Where is that ring, boy? Jul. Here 'tis; this is it. Pro. How! let me see: Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. [Faints. Fills him with faults, makes him run through all sins: what is the Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook ; This is the ring you sent to Silvia. matter? [Shows another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart, I gave it unto Julia. Enter Out-laws, with Duke and THURIO. Val. Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. Duke. Sir Valentine! Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. -- I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. [Gives a ring. Duke. I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be. Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; Jul. Behold her, that gave aim to all thy oaths, It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. were man But constant, he were perfect: that one error ROBIN, page to Falstaff. Mr FORD, two gentlemen dwelling at Wind-SIMPLE, servant to Slender. she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a go ot 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 Era. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts. Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-pound? chamber matter of it: if he were twenty sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and Shal. Ay,cousin Slender, and Cust-alorum. coram. Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, armigero. Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any time these three hundred years. Slen. All his successors, gone before him, have done't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Shal. It is an old coat. Eva. Yes, py'r-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures but this 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. Eva. 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. Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is another device in my prain, which, peradventure,prings goot discretions with it. There is Anne Page, which is daugther to Master George Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman. Eva. It is that fery verson for all the 'orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of monies, and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, upon his death'sbed, (Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!) give, when Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts. Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page: Is Fallstall 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 well-willers. I will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. What, hoa! Got pless your house here! Enter PAGE. Page. Who's there? Eva. 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 to your likings. grow Page. I am glad to see your worships well: I thank you for my venison, master Shallow. Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you; much good do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill kill'd: How doth good mistress Page? and I love 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. Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say, he was out-run on Cotsale. 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? Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you. Eva. It is spoke as a christians ought to speak. God, and not with drunken knaves. Enter Mistress ANNE PAGE with wine; Mistress FORD Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink 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, Fal. 'Twere better for you, if it were known in coun- gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. sel: you'll be laugh'd at. 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 your coney-catching rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket. Bard. You Banbury cheese! 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. [Exeunt all but Shal. Slender, and Evans. Slen. I had rather than forty shillings, I 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? Sim. Book of Riddles! why, did you not lend it to Alice Shortcake upon Allhallowmas 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 '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. says: Eva. Give ear to his motions, master Slender: I will description the matter to you, if you be capacity of it. Page. We three, to hear it, and end it between them. Slen. Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow I Eva. Fery goot: I will make a prief of it in my note-pray you, pardon me; he's a justice of peace in his book; and we will afterwards 'ork upon the cause, with as great discreetly as we can. Fal. Pistol, Pist. He hears with ears. Eva. The tevil and his tam! what phrase is this, He hears with ears? Why it is affectations. country, simple though I stand here. Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir. the question is 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. 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 Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us comseven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward sho-mand to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for vel-boards, that cost me two shilling and two pence apiece of Yead Miller, by these gloves. Fal. Is this true, Pistol ? 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? Sir John and Slen. I hope, sir,-I will do, as it shall become one that would do reason. I combat challenge of this latten bilbo :- I Nym. Be advised, sir, and pass good humours; will say, marry trap, with you, if you run the nuthook's 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, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd the careires. Eva. Nay, Got's lord and his ladies, 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? but if Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; 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, Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely. matter: I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, but in Eva. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the faul' honest, civil, godly company, for this trick: if I be is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according to our drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the fear of meaning, resolutely; his meaning is good. - |