John Rugby.
Quic.
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.
Quic.
Go, and we'll have a Posset for't soon at Night,
in Faith, at the latter end of a Sea-coal Fire: An honest,
willing, kind Fellow, as ever Servant shall come in House
withal, and I warrant you no Tell-tale, nor no Breed-bate;
his worst Fault is that he is given to Pray'r, he is something
-- 136 --
peevish that way; but no body but has his Fault;
but let that pass. Peter Simple you say your Name is.
Simp.
Ay, for fault of a better.
Quic.
And Master Slender's your Master?
Simp.
Ay, Forsooth.
Quic.
Does he not wear a great round Beard, like a Glover's
Pairing-knife?
Simp.
No, Forsooth; he hath but a little Wee-face, with
a little yellow Beard, a Cain-colour'd Beard.
Quic.
A softly-spirited Man, is he not?
Simp.
Ay, Forsooth; but he is as tall a Man of his Hands,
as any is between this and his Head; he hath fought with
a Warrener.
Quic.
How say you? Oh, I should remember him; does
he not hold up his Head, as it were? And strut in his
Gate?
Simp.
Yes indeed does he.
Quic.
Well, Heav'n send Anne Page no worse Fortune.
Tell Master Parson Evans, I will do what I can for your
Master: Anne is a good Girl, and I wish—
Enter Rugby.
Rug.
Out, alas! here comes my Master.
Quic.
We shall all be shent; 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, a
down'a, &c.
Enter Doctor Caius.
Caius.
Vat is you sing? I do not like des Toys; pray
you go and vetch me in my Closet, un boitier verd; a Box, a
green-a Box; do intend vat I speak? a green-a Box.
Quic.
Ay Forsooth, I'll fetch it you.
I am glad he went not in himself; if he had found the young
Man, he would have been horn-mad.
Caius.
Fe, fe, fe, fe, ma foi, Il fait fort chaud, je m'en va a
la Cour—la grande Affaire.
Quic.
Is it this Sir?
Caius.
Ouy, mette le au mon Pocket, Depêch Quickly:
Vere is dat Knave Rugby?
-- 137 --
Quic.
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 the
Court.
Rug.
'Tis ready, Sir, here in the Porch.
Caius.
By my Trot I tarry too long: Od's me: Que ay
je oublie: Dere is some Simples in my Closet, dat I will not
for the Varld I shall leave behind.
Quic.
Ay-me, he'll find the young Man there, and be
mad.
Caius.
O Diable, Diable; vat is in my Closet?
Villanie, Larron. Rugby, my Rapier.
Quic.
Good Master be content.
Caius.
Wherefore should I be content-a?
Quic.
The young Man is an honest Man.
Caius.
What shall de honest Man do in my Closet; dere
is no honest Man dat shall come in my Closet.
Quic.
I beseech you be not so flegmatick; hear the truth
of it. He came of an Errand to me from Parson Hugh.
Caius.
Vell.
Simp.
Ay Forsooth, to desire her to—
Quic.
Peace, I pray you.
Caius.
Peace-a your Tongue, speak-a your Tale.
Simp.
To desire this honest Gentlewoman, your Maid,
to speak a good Word to Mistress Anne Page for my Master
in the way of Marriage.
Quic.
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, ballow me some Paper;
tarry you a little-a-while.
Quic.
I am glad he is so quiet; if he had been throughly
moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so melancholy:
But notwithstanding, Man, I'll do for 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, ring, brew, bake,
scour, dress Meat and Drink, make the Beds, and do all
my self.
Simp.
'Tis a great Charge to come under one body's
Hand.
-- 138 --
Quic.
Are you a-vis'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 this Letter to Sir Hugh,
by gar it is a Shallenge: I will cut his Troat in de Parke,
and I will 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 will cut all his two Stones, by gar, he shall not
have a Stone to trow at his Dog.
[Exit Simple.
Quic.
Alas, he speaks but for his Friend.
Caius.
It is no matter'a ver dat; do not you tell-a-me
dat I shall have Anne Page for my self? by gar, I vill kill
de Jack Priest; and I have appointed mine Host of de Jartere
to measure our Weapon: By gar I will my self have
Anne Page.
Quic.
Sir, the Maid loves you, and all shall be well: We
must give Folks leave to prate; what the good-jer.
Caius.
Rugby, come to the Court with me; by gar, if I
have not Anne Page, I shall turn your Head out of my
Door; follow my Heels, Rugby.
[Ex. Caius and Rugby.
Quic.
You shall have Anne Fools-head of your own. No,
I know Anne's Mind for that; 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 Heav'n.
Fent. [within]
Who's within there, hoa?
Quic.
Who's there, I trow? Come near the House, I pray
you.
Enter Mr. Fenton.
Fent.
How now, good Woman, how dost thou?
Quic.
The better that it pleases your good Worship to
ask.
Fent.
What News? how does pretty Mistress Anne?
Quic.
In truth Sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and
gentle, and one that is your Friend, I can tell you that by
the Way, I praise Heav'n for it.
Fent.
Shall I do any good, think'st thou? shall I not lose
my Suit?
-- 139 --
Quic.
Troth, Sir, all is in his Hands above; but notwithstading,
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?
Quic.
Well, thereby hangs a Tale; good Faith, it is such
another Nan; but, I detest, an honest Maid as ever broke
Bread; we had an Hours talk of that Wart: I shall never
laugh but-in that Maid's Company; but, indeed, she is given
too much to Allicholly and Musing, but for you—
Well—go to.—
Fent.
Well, I shall see her to Day; hold, there's Mony
for thee: Let me have thy Voice in my behalf; if thou seest
her before me, commend me.—
Quic.
Will I? Ay 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, farewel, I am in great haste now.
[Exit.
Quic.
Farewel 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 forgot?
[Exit.
Charles Gildon [1709–1710], The works of Mr. William Shakespear; in six [seven] volumes. Adorn'd with Cuts. Revis'd and Corrected, with an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author. By N. Rowe ([Vol. 7] Printed for E. Curll... and E. Sanger [etc.], London) [word count] [S11401].
