Rugby6 note.
Quick.
What; John Rugby!—I pray thee, go to
the casement, and see if you can see my master,
master Doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i'faith, and
find any body in the house, here will be an old
abusing of God's patience, and the king's English.
Rug.
I'll go watch.
[Exit Rugby.
Quick.
Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at
night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire7 note.
An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall
come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale,
nor no breed-bate8 note
: his worst fault is, that he
is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way9 note
:
-- 46 --
but nobody but has his fault;—but let that pass.
Peter Simple, you say your name is?
Sim.
Ay, for fault of a better.
Quick.
And master Slender's your master?
Sim.
Ay, forsooth.
Quick.
Does he not wear a great round beard1 note,
like a glover's paring-knife?
Sim.
No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face2 note
,
with a little yellow beard; a Cain-coloured beard3 note
.
-- 47 --
Quick.
A softly-sprighted man, is he not?
Sim.
Ay, forsooth: but he is as tall a man of his
hands4 note
, as any is between this and his head; he
hath fought with a warrener.
Quick.
How say you?—O, I should remember
him; Does he not hold up his head, as it were?
and strut in his gait?
Sim.
Yes, indeed, does he.
Quick.
Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse
fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I will do what
-- 48 --
I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I
wish—
Re-enter Rugby.
Rug.
Out, alas! here comes my master.
Quick.
We shall all be shent5 note
: Run in here,
good young man; go into this closet. [Shuts Simple
in the closet.] He will not stay long.—What,
John Rugby! John, what, John, I say!—Go, John,
go enquire for my master; I doubt, he be not
well, that he comes not home:—and down, down,
adown-a6 note
, &c.
[Sings.
-- 49 --
Enter Doctor Caius7 note
.
Caius.
Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys;
Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier
verd8 note
;
a box, a green-a box; Do intend vat I speak?
a green-a box.
Quick.
Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you. I am glad
-- 50 --
he went not in himself: if he had found the young
man, he would have been horn-mad.
[Aside.
Caius.
Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud.
Je m'en vais à la Cour,—la grand affaire.
Quick.
Is it this, sir?
Caius.
Ouy; mette le au mon pocket; Depeche,
quickly:—Vere is dat knave Rugby?
Quick.
What, John Rugby! John!
Rug.
Here, sir.
Caius.
You are John Rugby, and you are Jack
Rugby: Come, take-a your rapier, and come after
my heel to de court.
Rug.
'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.
Caius.
By my trot, I tarry too long:—Od's me!
Qu'ay j'oublié? dere is some simples in my closet,
dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind.
Quick.
Ah me! he'll find the young man there,
and be mad.
Caius.
O diable, diable! vat is in my closet?—
Villainy! larron! [Pulling Simple out.] Rugby,
my rapier.
Quick.
Good master, be content.
Caius.
Verefore shall I be content-a?
Quick.
The young man is an honest man.
Caius.
Vat shall the honest man do in my closet?
dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet.
Quick.
I beseech you, be not so flegmarick; hear
the truth of it: He came of an errand to me from
parson Hugh.
Caius.
Vell.
Sim.
Ay, forsooth, to desire her to—
Quick.
Peace, I pray you.
Caius.
Peace-a your tongue:—Speak-a your tale.
Sim.
To desire this honest gentlewoman, your
maid, to speak a good word to mistress Anne Page
for my master, in the way of marriage.
-- 51 --
Quick.
This is all, indeed, la; but I'll ne'er put
my finger in the fire, and need not.
Caius.
Sir Hugh send-a you?—Rugby, baillez
me some paper: Tarry you a little-a while.
[Writes.
Quick.
I am glad he is so quiet: if he had been
thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so
loud, and so melancholy;—But notwithstanding,
man, I'll do your master what good I can: and the
very yea and the no is, the French Doctor, my
master,—I may call him my master, look you, for
I keep his house; and I wash, wring, brew, bake,
scour, dress meat and drink9 note, make the beds, and
do all myself;—
Sim.
'Tis a great charge, to come under one
body's hand.
Quick.
Are you avis'd o'that? you shall find it
a great charge: and to be up early and down late;
—but notwithstanding, (to tell you in your ear; I
would have no words of it;) my master himself is
in love with mistress Anne Page: but notwithstanding
that,—I know Anne's mind,—that's neither
here nor there.
Caius.
You jack'nape; give-a dis letter to Sir
Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I vill cut his troat
in de park; and I vill teach a scurvy jack-a-nape
priest to meddle or make:—you may be gone; it is
not good you tarry here:—by gar, I vill cut all his
two stones; by gar, he shall not have a stone to
trow at his dog.
[Exit Simple.
Quick.
Alas, he speaks but for his friend.
Caius.
It is no matter-a for dat:—do not you
tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself?—
-- 52 --
by gar, I vill kill de Jack priest1 note; and I have appointed
mine host of de Jarterre to measure our
weapon:—by gar, I vill myself have Anne Page.
Quick.
Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be
well: we must give folks leave to prate: What,
the good-jer2 note
!
Caius.
Rugby, come to the court vit me;—By
gar, if I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your
head out of my door:—Follow my heels, Rugby.
[Exeunt Caius and Rugby.
Quick.
You shall have An fools-head of your
own. No, I know Anne's mind for that: never a
woman in Windsor knows more of Anne's mind
than I do; nor can do more than I do with her, I
thank heaven.
Fent. [Within.]
Who's within there, ho?
Quick.
Who's there, I trow? Come near the
house, I pray you.
Enter Fenton.
Fent.
How now, good woman; how dost thou?
Quick.
The better, that it pleases your good
worship to ask.
Fent.
What news? how does pretty mistress
Anne?
Quick.
In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest,
-- 53 --
and gentle; and one that is your friend, I can tell
you that by the way; I praise heaven for it.
Fent.
Shall I do any good, thinkest thou? Shall
I not lose my suit?
Quick.
Troth, sir, all is in his hands above: but
notwithstanding, master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a
book, she loves you:—Have not your worship a
wart above your eye?
Fent.
Yes, marry, have I; what of that?
Quick.
Well, thereby hangs a tale;—good faith,
it is such another Nan;—but, I detest4 note
, an honest
maid's as ever broke bread:—We had an hour's talk
of that wart;—I shall never laugh but in that
maid's company!—But, indeed, she is given too
much to allicholly5 note and musing: But for you—
Well, go to.
Fent.
Well, I shall see her to-day: Hold,
there's money for thee; let me have thy voice in
my behalf: if thou seest her before me, commend
me—
Quick.
Will I? i'faith, that we will: and I will
tell your worship more of the wart, the next time
we have confidence; and of other wooers.
Fent.
Well, farewell; I am in great haste now.
[Exit.
Quick.
Farewell to your worship.—Truly, an
honest gentleman; but Anne loves him not; for I
know Anne's mind as well as another does:—Out
upon't! what have I forgot6 note?
[Exit.
-- 54 --
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
