The Merry Wives of Windsor Part 37

_Host._ What ses my bully rooke?

_Ford._ A word with you sir.

_Ford and the Host talkes._

_Shal._ Harke you sir, Ile tell you what the sport shall be 100 Doctor Cayus and sir _Hu_ are to fight, My merrie Host hath had the measuring Of their weapons, and hath Appointed them contrary places. Harke in your eare:

_Host:_ Hast thou no shute against my knight, 105 My guest, my cauellira.

_For._ None I protest: But tell him my name Is _Rrooke_, onlie for a Iest.

_Host:_ Thy hand bully: thou shalt Haue egres and regres, and thy 110 Name shall be _Brooke:_ Sed I well bully Hector?

_Shal._ I tell you what M. _Page_, I beleeue The Doctor is no Iester, heele laie it on: For tho we be Iustices and Doctors, And Church men, yet we are 115 The sonnes of women M. _Page:_

_Pa:_ True maister _Shallow:_

_Shal:_ It will be found so maister _Page:_

_Pa._ Maister _Shallow_, you your selfe Haue bene a great fighter, 120 Though now a man of peace:

_Shal:_ M. _{P}age_, I haue seene the day that yong Tall fellowes with their stroke and their pa.s.sado, I haue made them trudge Maister _Page_, A tis the hart, the hart doth all: I 125 Haue seene the day, with my two hand sword I would a made you foure tall Fencers Scipped like Rattes.

_Host._ Here boyes, shall we wag, shall we wag?

_Shal._ Ha with you mine host.

_Exit Host and Shallow._

_Pa._ Come M. _Ford_, shall we to dinner?

I know these fellowes sticks in your minde.

_For._ No in good sadnesse, not in mine: Yet for all this Ile try it further, I will not leaue it so: 135 Come M. _{P}age_, shall we to dinner?

_Page._ With all my hart sir, {I}le follow you.

_Exit omnes._

NOTES: SCENE V

5: _grant_] _grant._ Halliwell.

15: _twice_] _but twice._ 31: _kindnes_] _kindness_ Halliwell.

61: _melancholy?_] _melancholy._ Halliwell.

93: _to you_] _t' e._ 108: _Rrooke_] _Brooke._

_Enter Syr Iohn, and Pistoll._ [SC. VI.]

_Fal._ {I}le not lend thee a peny.

_Pis._ _I_ will retort the sum in equipage.

_Fal._ Not a pennie: _I_ haue beene content you shuld lay my countenance to p.a.w.ne: _I_ haue grated vpon my good friends for 3 repriues, for you and your Coach-follow _Nym_, else you might a looked thorow 5 a grate like a geminy of babones. I am d.a.m.ned in h.e.l.l for swearing to Gentlemen your good souldiers and tall fellowes: and when mistrisse _Briget_ lost the handle of her Fan, I tooked on my ho- thou hadst it not.

_Pis._ Didst thou not share? hadst thou not fifteene pence? 10

_Fal._ Reason you rogue, reason.

Doest thou thinke {I}le indanger my soule gratis?

In briefe, hang no more about mee, I am no gybit for you. A short knife and a throng to your manner of pickt hatch, goe. Youle not beare a Letter for me you rogue you: you stand vpon your honor. 15 Why thou vnconfinable basenesse thou, tis as much as I can do to keepe the termes of my honor precise. I, I my selfe sometimes, leauing the feare of G.o.d on the left hand, am faine to shuffel, to filch and to lurch. And yet you stand vpon your honor, you rogue. You, you. 20

_Pis._ I do recant: what woulst thou more of man?

_Fal._ Well, gotoo, away, no more.

_Enter Mistresse Quickly._

_Quic._ Good you G.o.d den sir.

_Fal._ Good den faire wife.

_Quic._ Not so ant like your wors.h.i.+p. 25

_Fal._ Faire mayd then.

_Quic._ That I am Ile be sworne, as my mother was The first houre I was borne.

Sir I would speake with you in priuate.

_Fal._ Say on I prethy, heeres none but my owne houshold. 30

_Quic._ Are they so? Now G.o.d blesse them, and make them his seruants.

Syr I come from Mistresse _Foord_.

_Fal._ So from Mistresse _Foord_. Goe on.

_Quic._ I sir, she hath sent me to you to let you 35 Vnderstand she hath receiued your Letter, And let me tell you, she is one stands vpon her credit.

_Fal._ Well, come Misteris _Ford_, Misteris _Ford_.

_Quic._ I sir, and as they say, she is not the first Hath bene led in a fooles paradice. 40

_Fal._ Nay prethy be briefe my good she _Mercury_.

_Quic._ Mary sir, sheed haue you meet her betweene eight and nine.

_Fal._ So betweene eight and nine: