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 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 ser vice. Ford. Were they his men? Page. Marry, were they. 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 towards my wife, I would turn her loose to him; and what he gets of her more than sharp words, let it lie on my head. Ford. I do not misdoubt my wife; but I would be loth to turn them together: A man may be too confident: I would have nothing lie on my head: I cannot be thus satisfied. 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.-How now, mine host? Enter Host, and SHALLOW. Host. How now, bully-rook! thou'rt a gentleman: cavalero-justice,' I say. 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, cavalero-justice; tell him, bullyrook. Shal. Sir, there is a fray to be fought, between 7- cavalero-justice,] A cant term. sir Hugh the Welsh priest, and Caius the French doctor. Ford. Good mine host o' the Garter, a word with you. Host. What say'st thou, bully-rook? [They go aside. Shal. Will you [to PAGE] go with us to behold it? My merry host hath had the measuring of their weapons; and, I think, he hath appointed them contrary places for, believe me, I hear, the parson is no jester. Hark, I will tell Hark, I will tell you what our sport shall be. Host. Hast thou no suit against my knight, my guest-cavalier? 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 regress; said I well? and thy name shall be Brook: It is a merry knight.-Will you go on, hearts? Shal. Have with you, mine host. Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier. Shal. Tut, sir, I could have told you more: In these times you stand on distance, your passes, 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. 8 Host. Here, boys, here, here! shall we wag? Page. Have with you :-I had rather hear them scold than fight. 8 [Exeunt Host, SHALLOW, and PAGE. tall fellows-] A tall fellow, in the time of our author, meant a stout, bold, or courageous person. Ford. Though Page be a secure fool, and stands so firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off my opinion 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. SCENE II. A Room in the Garter Inn. Enter FALSTAFF and PISTOL. Fal. I will not lend thee a penny. I will retort the sum in equipage.2 Fal. Not a penny, I have been content, sir, you should lay my countenance to pawn: I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you and your coach-fellow, Nym;' or else you had looked through the grate, like a geminy of baboons. I am damned in hell, for swearing to gentlemen my friends, you were good soldiers, and tall fellows: and when mistress Bridget lost the handle of her fan,* I took't upon mine honour thou hadst it not. 9 and stands so firmly on his wife's frailty,] i. e. has such perfect confidence in his unchaste wife. and, what they made there,] An obsolete phrase signifying-what they did there. MALONE. I will retort the sum in equipage.] Means, I will pay you again in stolen goods. WARBURTON. your coach-fellow, Nym;] i. e. he, who draws along with you; who is joined with you in all your knavery. 4 — lost the handle of her fan,] It should be remembered, that fans, in our author's time, were more costly than they are at present, as well as of a different construction. They consisted of ostrich feathers, (or others of equal length and flexibility,) Pist. Didst thou not share? hadst thou not fifteen pence? Fal. Reason, you rogue, reason: Think'st thou I'll endanger my soul gratis? At a word, hang no more about me, I am no gibbet for you :-go.-A short knife and a throng;-to your manor of Pickthatch, go. You'll not bear a letter for me, you rogue!-You stand upon your honour!-Why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much as I can do, to keep the terms of my honour precise. I, I, I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge, and to lurch; and yet you, rogue, will ensconce your rags, your cata-mountain looks, your red-lattice phrases, and your bold-beating oaths, under the shelter of your honour! You will not do it, you? Pist. I do relent; What would'st thou more of man? Enter ROBIN. Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you. Fal. Let her approach. Enter Mistress QUICKLY. Quick. Give your worship good-morrow. Quick. Not so, an't please your worship. Fal. Good maid, then. which were stuck into handles. The richer sort of these were composed of gold, silver, or ivory of curious workmanship. 5 -Pickt-hatch,] A cant name for some part of the town noted for brothels. 6 ensconce your rags, &c.] A sconce is a petty fortification. To ensconce, therefore, is to protect as with a fort. 7 red-lattice phrases,] Your ale-house conversation. Red lattice at the doors and windows, were formerly the external denotements of an alehouse. Quick. I'll be sworn; as my mother was, the first hour I was born. Fal. I do believe the swearer: What with me? Quick. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two? Fal. Two thousand, fair woman: and I'll vouchsafe thee the hearing. Quick. There is one mistress Ford, sir;-I pray, come a little nearer this ways:-I myself dwell with master doctor Caius. Fal. Well, on: Mistress Ford, you say, Quick. Your worship says very true: I pray your worship, come a little nearer this ways. Fal. I warrant thee, nobody hears ;-mine own people, mine own people. Quick. Are they so? make them his servants! Heaven bless them, and Fal. Well: Mistress Ford ;-what of her? Quick. Why, sir, she's a good creature. Lord, lord! your worship's a wanton: Well, heaven forgive you, and all of us, I pray! 8 Fal. Mistress Ford;-come, mistress Ford,Quick. Marry, this is the short and the long of it; you have brought her into such a canaries, as 'tis wonderful. The best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary. Yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I warrant you, coach after coach, letter after letter, gift after gift; smelling so sweetly, (all musk) and so rushling, I warrant you, in silk and gold; and in such alligant terms; and in such wine and sugar of the best, and the fairest, that would have won any woman's heart; and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her.-I had myself twenty 8- canaries,] Probably for quandaries. VOL. I. S |