The Merry Wives of Windsor Part 9

_Mrs Page._ Have with you. You'll come to dinner, George? [_Aside to Mrs Ford_] Look who comes yonder: she shall be our messenger to this paltry knight.

_Mrs Ford._ [_Aside to Mrs Page_] Trust me, I thought on her: she'll fit it. 145

_Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY._

_Mrs Page._ You are come to see my daughter Anne?

_Quick._ Ay, forsooth; and, I pray, how does good Mistress Anne?

_Mrs Page._ Go in with us and see: we have an hour's talk with you. 150

[_Exeunt Mrs Page, Mrs Ford, and Mrs Quickly._

_Page._ How now, Master Ford!

_Ford._ You heard what this knave told me, did you not?

_Page._ Yes: and you heard what the other told me?

_Ford._ Do you think there is truth in them?

_Page._ Hang 'em, slaves! I do not think the knight 155 would offer it: but these that accuse him in his intent towards our wives are a yoke of his discarded men; very rogues, now they be out of service.

_Ford._ Were they his men?

_Page._ Marry, were they. 160

_Ford._ I like it never the better for that. Does he lie at the Garter?

_Page._ Ay, marry, does he. If he should intend this voyage toward my wife, I would turn her loose to him; and what he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my 165 head.

_Ford._ I do not mis...o...b.. my wife; but I would be loath to turn them together. A man may be too confident: I would have nothing lie on my head: I cannot be thus satisfied. 170

_Page._ Look where my ranting host of the Garter comes: there is either liquor in his pate, or money in his purse, when he looks so merrily.

_Enter HOST._

How now, mine host!

_Host._ How now, bully-rook! thou'rt a gentleman. 175 Cavaleiro-justice, I say!

_Enter SHALLOW._

_Shal._ I follow, mine host, I follow. Good even and twenty, good Master Page! Master Page, will you go with us? we have sport in hand.

_Host._ Tell him, cavaleiro-justice; tell him, bully-rook. 180

_Shal._ Sir, there is a fray to be fought between Sir Hugh the Welsh priest and Caius the French doctor.

_Ford._ Good mine host o' the Garter, a word with you.

[_Drawing him aside._

_Host._ What sayest thou, my bully-rook?

_Shal._ [_To Page_] Will you go with us to behold it? My 185 merry host hath had the measuring of their weapons; and, I think, hath appointed them contrary places; for, believe me, I hear the parson is no jester. Hark, I will tell you what our sport shall be. [_They converse apart._

_Host._ Hast thou no suit against my knight, my guest-cavaleire? 190

_Ford._ None, I protest: but I'll give you a pottle of burnt sack to give me recourse to him, and tell him my name is Brook; only for a jest.

_Host._ My hand, bully; thou shalt have egress and 195 regress;--said I well?--and thy name shall be Brook. It is a merry knight. Will you go, An-heires?

_Shal._ Have with you, mine host.

_Page._ I have heard the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier. 200

_Shal._ Tut, sir, I could have told you more. In these times you stand on distance, your pa.s.ses, stoccadoes, and I know not what: 'tis the heart, Master Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have seen the time, with my long sword I would have made you four tall fellows skip like rats. 205

_Host._ Here, boys, here, here! shall we wag?

_Page._ Have with you. I had rather hear them scold than fight. [_Exeunt Host, Shal., and Page._

_Ford._ Though Page be a secure fool, and stands so firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off my opinion 210 so easily: she was in his company at Page's house; and what they made there, I know not. Well, I will look further into't: and I have a disguise to sound Falstaff. If I find her honest, I lose not my labour; if she be otherwise, 'tis labour well bestowed. [_Exit._ 215

NOTES: II, 1

1: _I_] om. F1.

5: _physician_] Dyce (Johnson conj.). _precisian_ Ff Q3.

See note (V).

8: _you_] F1 F3 F4. _yout_ Q3. _your_ F2.

9: _at the least_] _at the last_ F4.

_soldier_] F1 Q3 F2. _a soldier_ F3 F4.

19: _an_] om. F3 F4.

20: _with the_] _i' th'_] F3 F4.

25: _putting_] _pulling_ Jackson conj.

_men_] _fat men_ Theobald. _mum_ Hanmer.

28: SCENE II. Pope.

30: _coming_] _going_ Q3.

45: _What? thou liest!_] _What thou liest?_ F1 Q3 F2 F3.

_What, thou liest!_ F4.

46: _will hack_] _will lack_ Warburton. _we'll hack_ Johnson conj.

51: _praised_] Theobald. _praise_ Ff Q3.

55: _place_] _pace_ Capell conj.

55, 56: _Hundredth Psalm_] Rowe. _hundred Psalms_ Ff Q3.

57: _tuns_] Ff Q3. _tun_ Rowe. _tons_ Dyce.

67: _sure_] F1 Q3. _sue_ F2 F3 F4. _nay_ Rowe.

78: _know_] _knew_ F4.

_strain_] _stain_ Pope.