Pistol.
Fal.
Now, master Shallow, you'll complain of me
to the Council?
Shal.
Knight, you have beaten my men, kill'd my
deer, and broke open my lodge.
Fal.
But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter.
Shal.
Tut, a pin; this shall be answer'd.
Fal.
I will answer it strait: I have done all this.
That is now answer'd.
Shal.
The Council shall know this.
Fal.
'Twere better for you, if 'twere not known
in Council; you'll be laugh'd at.
Eva.
Pauca verba, Sir John, good worts.
Fal.
Good worts? good cabbage. Slender, I broke
your head; what matter have you against me?
Slen.
Marry, Sir, I have matter in my head against
you, and against your cony-catching-rascals Bardolph,
Nym, and Pistol.
Bar.
You Banbury cheese!
Slen.
Ay, it is no matter.
Pist.
How now, Mephostophilus?
Slen.
Ay, it is no matter.
Nym.
Slice, I say; pauca, pauca: slice, that's my
humour.
Slen.
Where's Simple, my man? can you tell, cousin?
Eva.
Peace: I pray you: now let us understand;
there is three umpires in this matter, as I understand;
that is, master Page; fidelicet, master Page; and there
is my self; fidelicet, my self; and the three party is,
lastly and finally, mine Host of the Garter.
Pag.
We three to hear it, and end it between
them.
Eva.
Ferry goot; I will make a prief of it in my
note-book, and we will afterwards ork upon the cause
with as great discreetly as we can.
-- 256 --
Fal.
Pistol.—
Pist.
He hears with ears.
Eva.
The tevil and his tam! what phrase is this,
he hears with ear? why, it is affectations.
Fal.
Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse?
Slen.
Ay, by these gloves, did he; (or I would I
might never come in mine own great chamber again
else,) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward
shovel-boards, that cost me two shilling and two pence
a-piece of Yead Miller, by these gloves.
Fal.
Is this true, Pistol?
Eva.
No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse.
Pist.
Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!—Sir John, and master mine.
I Combat challenge of this 3 notelatten bilboe:
Word of denial in thy Labra's here;
Word of denial; froth and scum, thou ly'st.
Slen.
By these gloves, then 'twas he.
Nym.
Be advis'd, Sir, and pass good humours: I
will say marry trap with you, if you run the base humour
on me; that is the very note of it.
Slen.
By this hat then, he in the red face had it;
for tho' I cannot remember what I did when you made
me drunk, yet I am not altogether an ass.
Fal.
What say you, 4 noteScarlet and John?
Bard.
Why, Sir, for my part, I say, the gentleman
had drunk himself out of his five sentences.
Eva.
It is his five senses: fie, what the Ignorance
is!
Bard.
And being fap, Sir, was, as they say, cashier'd;
and so conclusions past the car-eires.
-- 257 --
Slen.
Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no
matter; I'll never be drunk whilst I live again, but in
honest, civil, godly company, for this trick: if I be
drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the fear of
God, and not with drunken knaves.
Eva.
So Got udg me, that is a virtuous mind.
Fal.
You hear all these matters deny'd, gentlemen;
you hear it.
Enter Mrs. Anne Page, with wine.
Page.
Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll
drink within.
[Exit Anne Page.
Slen.
Oh heav'n! this is mistress Anne Page.
Enter Mistress Ford and Mistress Page.
Page.
How now, mistress Ford?
Fal.
Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well
met; by your leave, good mistress.
[Kissing her.
Page.
Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome: come,
we have a hot venison pasty to dinner; come, gentlemen;
I hope, we shall drink down all unkindness.
[Exeunt Fal. Page, &c.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
