Page.
Prince.
And the boy that I gave Falstaff: a' note had him
-- 393 --
from me Christian; and look note, if the fat villain have not
transformed him ape.
note
Bard.
God save note your grace!
Prince.
And yours, most noble Bardolph!
Bard. note
note
Come, you virtuous note ass, you bashful fool, must
you be blushing? wherefore blush you now? What a
maidenly man-at-arms are you become! Is't note such a matter
to get a pottle-pot's maidenhead?
Page.
A' calls me e'en now note, my lord, through a red
lattice, and I could discern no part of his face from the
window: at last I spied his eyes; and methought he had
made two holes in the ale-wife's new note petticoat and so note
peeped through.
Prince.
Has note not the boy profited?
Bard.
Away note, you whoreson upright rabbit note, away!
Page.
Away, you rascally Althæa's dream, away!
Prince.
Instruct us, boy; what dream, boy?
Page.
Marry, my lord, Althæa note dreamed she was delivered
of a fire-brand; and therefore I call him her dream.
Prince.
A crown's worth of good interpretation: there
note'tis note, boy.
Poins.
O, that this good note blossom could be kept from
cankers! Well, there is sixpence to preserve thee.
Bard.
An note you do not make him hanged note among you,
the gallows shall have wrong note.
Prince.
And how doth thy master, Bardolph?
-- 394 --
Bard.
Well, my lord note. He heard of your grace's coming
to town: there's a letter for you.
Poins. note
Delivered with good respect. And how doth
the martlemas, your master?
Bard.
In bodily health, sir.
Poins.
Marry, the immortal part needs a physician; but
that moves not him: though that be sick, it dies not.
Prince.
I do allow this wen to be as familiar with me
as my dog; and he holds his place; for look you how note he
writes.
Poins. [Reads note]
‘John note Falstaff, knight,’—every man must
know that, as oft note as he has note occasion to name himself: even
like those that are kin to the king; for they never prick
their finger but they say, ‘There's note some of the king's blood
spilt.’ ‘How comes that?’ says he, that takes upon him
not to conceive. The answer is as ready as a borrower's
cap note, ‘I am the king's poor cousin, sir.’
Prince.
Nay, they will be kin to us, or note they will fetch
it from Japhet. But to note the letter:
Poins. [Reads note]
‘Sir John Falstaff, knight, to the son of the
king, nearest his father, Harry Prince of Wales, greeting.’ Why note,
this is a certificate.
Prince.
Peace!
Poins. [Reads]
‘I will imitate the honourable Romans in note brevity:’
he sure note means brevity in breath, short-winded. ‘I
commend me to thee, I commend thee, and I leave note thee. Be not
too familiar with Poins; for he misuses thy favours so much, that he
-- 395 --
swears thou art to marry his sister Nell. Repent at idle times as thou
mayest; and so, farewell.
‘Thine, by yea and no, which is as much as to say, as
thou usest him, Jack Falstaff with my familiars note,
John with my brothers and sisters note, and Sir
John with all Europe.’
My lord, I'll note steep this letter in sack, and make him eat it.
Prince.
That's note to make him eat twenty note of his words.
But do you use me thus, Ned? must I marry your sister?
Poins.
God send the wench note no worse fortune! But I
never said so.
Prince.
Well, thus we play the fools note with the time;
and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us.
Is your master here in London?
Bard.
Yea note, my lord.
Prince.
Where sups he? doth the old boar note feed in the
old frank?
Bard.
At the old place, my lord, in Eastcheap.
Prince.
What company?
Page.
Ephesians, my lord, of the old church.
Prince.
Sup any women with him?
Page.
None, my lord, but old Mistress Quickly and
Mistress Doll Tearsheet.
Prince.
What pagan may that be?
Page.
A proper gentlewoman, sir, and a kinswoman of
my master's.
Prince.
Even such kin as the parish heifers note are to the
town bull. Shall we steal upon them, Ned, at supper?
Poins.
I am your shadow, my lord; I'll follow you.
Prince.
Sirrah, you boy, and Bardolph, no word to
-- 396 --
your master that I am yet come to note town: there's for your
silence.
Bard.
I have no tongue, sir.
Page.
And for mine, sir, I will govern it.
Prince.
Fare you note well; go. [Exeunt note Bardolph and Page.]
This Doll Tearsheet note should be some road.
Poins.
I warrant you, as common as the way between
Saint Alban's and London.
Prince.
How might we see Falstaff bestow himself to-night
notein his true colours, and not ourselves be seen?
Poins.
Put on two leathern note jerkins and aprons, and
wait upon him at his table as note drawers.
Prince.
From a God to a bull? a heavy note descension note! it
was Jove's case. From a prince note to a prentice? a low
transformation note! that shall be mine; for in every thing the
purpose must weigh with the folly. Follow me, Ned.
[Exeunt.
note
William Aldis Wright [1863–1866], The works of William Shakespeare edited by William George Clark... and John Glover [and William Aldis Wright] (Macmillan and Co., London) [word count] [S10701].
