William.
M. Pa.
Is he at mistress Ford's already, think'st thou?
Quic.
Sure, he is by this; or will be presently: but,
truly, he is very courageous mad, about his throwing
into the water. Mistress Ford desires you to come suddenly.
M. Pa.
I'll be with her by and by; I'll but bring
my young man here to school: Look, where his master
-- 65 --
comes; 'tis a playing-day, I see:—
Enter Sir Hugh Evans.
How now, sir Hugh? no school to-day?
Sir H.
No; master Slender is let the boys leave to
play.
Quic.
Blessing of his heart!
M. Pa.
Sir Hugh, my husband says, my son profits
nothing in the world at his book; I pray you, ask him
some questions in his accidence.
Sir H.
Come hither, William; hold up your head;
come.
M. Pa.
Come on, sirrah; hold up your head; answer
your master, be not afraid.
Sir H.
William, how many numbers is in nouns?
Will.
Two.
Quic.
Truly, I thought there had been one number
more; because they say, od's-nouns.
Sir H.
Peace your tattlings.—What is, fair, William?
Will.
Pulcher.
Quic.
Poulcats! there are fairer things than poulcats,
sure.
Sir H.
You are a very simplicity 'oman; I pray
you, peace.—What is, lapis, William?
Will.
A stone.
Sir H.
And what is a stone, William?
Will.
A pebble, note
Sir H.
No, it is lapis; I pray you, remember in
your prain.
Will.
Lapis.
Sir H.
That is a good William: What is he, William,
that does lend articles?
-- 66 --
Will.
Articles are borrowed of the pronoun; and
be thus declined, Singulariter nominativo, hic, hæc, hoc.
Sir H.
Nominativo, hig, hag, hog;—Pray you, mark:
genitivo, hujus: Well, what is your accusative case?
Will.
Accusativo, hinc.
Sir H.
I pray you, have your remembrance, child;
Accusativo, hing, hang, hog.
Quic.
Hang-hog is Latin note for bacon, I warrant you.
Sir H.
Leave your prabbles, 'oman.—What is the
focative case, William?
Will.
O—vocativo, o.
Sir H.
Remember, William; focative is, caret.
Quic.
And that's a good root.
Sir H.
'Oman, forbear.
M. Pa.
Peace.
Sir H.
What is your genitive case plural, William?
Will.
Genitive case?
Sir H.
Ay.
Will.
Genitive—horum, harum, horum.
Quic.
Vengeance of Jenny's case! fie on her!—never
name her, child, if she be a whore.
Sir H.
For shame, 'oman.
Quic.
You do ill to teach the child such words:—
he teaches him to hic, and to hac, which they'll do fast
enough of themselves; and to call, horum;—Fie upon
you!
Sir H.
'Oman, art thou lunaticks? note hast thou no
understandings for thy cases, and the numbers of the
genders? thou art as foolish christian creatures, as I
would desires.
M. Pa.
Pr'ythee, hold thy peace.
Sir H.
Shew me now, William, some declensions of
-- 67 --
your pronouns.
Will.
Forsooth, I have forgot.
Sir H.
It is, qui, quæ, quod: if you forget your
qui's, your quæ's, and your quod's, you must be preeches.
Go your ways, and play; go.
M. Pa.
He is a better scholar, than I thought he was.
Sir H.
He is a good sprag memory. Farewel, mistress
Page.
M. Pa.
Adieu, good sir Hugh.—Get you home, boy.
—Come, we stay too long.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.
A Room in Ford's House.
Enter Falstaff, and Mistress Ford.
Fals.
Mistress Ford, your sorrow hath eaten up
my sufferance: I see, you are obsequious in your love,
and I profess requital to a hair's breadth; not only, mistress
Ford, in the simple office of love, but in all the
accoutrement, complement, and ceremony of it. But
are you sure of your husband now?
M. Fo.
He's a birding, sweet sir John.
M. Pa. [within.]
What hoa, gossip Ford! what hoa!
M. Fo.
Step into the chamber, sir John.
[Exit Falstaff.
Enter Mistress Page.
M. Pa.
How now, sweet heart? who's at home besides
yourself?
M. Fo.
Why, none but mine own people.
M. Pa.
Indeed?
M. Fo.
No, certainly: &clquo;Speak louder.&crquo;
M. Pa.
Truly, I am so glad you have no body here:
M. Fo.
Why?
M. Pa.
Why, woman, your husband is in his old
-- 68 --
lunes note again: he so takes on yonder with my husband;
so rails against all marry'd mankind; so curses all Eve's
daughters, of what complexion soever; and so buffets
himself on the forehead, crying Peer out, peer out; that
any madness, I ever yet beheld, seem'd but tameness,
civility, and patience, to this his distemper he is in
now: I am glad, the fat knight is not here.
M. Fo.
Why, does he talk of him?
M. Pa.
Of none but him; and swears he was carry'd
out, the last time he search'd for him, in a basket:
protests to my husband, he is now here; and hath
drawn him and the rest of their company from their
sport, to make another experiment of his suspicion:
But I am glad, the knight is not here; now he shall see
his own foolery.
M. Fo.
How near is he, mistress Page?
M. Pa.
Hard by; at street end; note he will be here anon.
M. Fo.
I am undone!—the knight is here.
M. Pa.
Why, then you are utterly sham'd, and he's
but a dead man. What a woman are you! Away with
him, away with him; Better shame than murther.
M. Fo.
Why, which way should he go? how should
I bestow him? Shall I put him into the basket again?
Re-enter Falstaff.
Fals.
No, I'll come no more i' th' basket:—May
I not go out ere he come?
M. Pa.
Alas, three of master Ford's brothers watch
the door with pistols, that none shall issue out; otherwise,
you might slip away ere he came: But what make
you here?
Fals.
What shall I do?—I'll creep up into the chimney.
-- 69 --
M. Fo.
There they always use to discharge their
birding pieces: note Creep into the kiln-hole.
Fals.
Where is it?
M. Fo.
He will seek there, on my word: neither
press, coffer, chest, trunk, well, vault, but he hath an
abstract for the remembrance of such places, and goes
to them by his note: There is no hiding you in the
house.
Fals.
I'll go out then.
M. Fo.
If you go out14Q0073 in your own semblance, you
dye, sir John; unless you go out disguis'd,—How might note
we disguise him?
M. Pa.
Alas the day, I know not: there is no woman's
gown big enough for him; otherwise, he might
put on a hat, a muffler, and a kerchief, note and so escape.
Fals.
Good hearts, devise something: any extremity,
rather than a mischief.
M. Fo.
My maid's aunt, the fat woman of Brentford,
has a gown above.
M. Pa.
On my word, it will serve him; she's as
big as he is: and there's her thrumb hat, and her muffler
too;—Run up, sir John.
M. Fo.
Go, go, sweet sir John: mistress Page, and
I, will look some linnen for your head.
M. Pa.
Quick, quick; we'll come dress you straight:
put on the gown the while.
[Exit Falstaff.
M. Fo.
I would, my husband would meet him in
this shape: he cannot abide the old woman of Brentford;
he swears, she's a witch; forbad her my house, and hath
threaten'd to beat her.
M. Pa.
Heaven guide him to thy husband's cudgel;
and the devil guide his cudgel afterwards!
-- 70 --
M. Fo.
But is my husband coming?
M. Pa.
Ay, in good sadness, is he; and talks of the
basket too, howsoever he hath had intelligence.
M. Fo.
We'll try that; for I'll appoint my men to
carry the basket again, to meet him at the door with
it, as they did last time.
M. Pa.
Nay, but he'll be here presently: let's go
dress him like the witch of Brentford.
M. Fo.
I'll first direct my men, what they shall do
with the basket:—Go up; I'll bring linnen for him
straight.
[Exit.
M. Pa.
Hang him dishonest varlet! we cannot misuse
him note note enough.
We'll leave a proof, by that which we will do,
Wives may be merry, and yet honest too:
We do not act, that often jest and laugh;
'Tis old, but true, Still swine eats all the draff.
[Exit.
Re-enter Mistress Ford, with her two Men.
M. Fo.
Go, sirs, take the basket again on your shoulders;
your master is hard at door; if he bid you set it
down, obey him: quickly, dispatch.
[Exit.
1. Ser.
Come, come, take it up.
2. Ser.
Pray heaven, it be not full of the note note knight
again!
1. Ser.
I hope not; I had as lief note bear so much lead.
Enter Ford, Page, Shallow, and Sir Hugh Evans.
Ford.
Ay, but if it prove true, master Page, have
you any way then to unfool me again?—Set down the
basket, villain:—Somebody call my wife:—Youth in
a basket!—O, you panderly rascals!—there's a knot, a
gang note, a pack, a conspiracy against me:—Now shall the
-- 71 --
devil be sham'd note:—What, wife, I say! come, come forth;
behold what honest cloaths you send forth to bleaching.
Page.
Why, this passes!—Master Ford, you are not
to go loose any longer; you must be pinion'd.
Sir H.
Why, this is lunaticks! this is mad as a
mad dog!
Shal.
Indeed, master Ford, this is not well; indeed.
Enter Mistress Ford.
Ford.
So say I too, sir.—Come hither, mistress Ford;
mistress Ford, the honest woman, the modest wife, the
virtuous creature, that hath the jealous fool to her husband!
I suspect without cause, mistress; do I?
M. Fo.
Heaven be my witness, you do, if you suspect
me in any dishonesty.
Ford.
Well said, brazen-face; hold it out:—Come
forth, sirrah.
[pulling out the Cloaths.
Page.
This passes!
M. Fo.
Are you not asham'd? let the cloaths alone.
Ford.
I shall find you anon.
Sir H.
'Tis unreasonable!—Will you take up your
wife's cloaths? come away.
Ford.
Empty the basket, I say.
M. Fo.
Why, man, why—
Ford.
Master Page, as I am a man, there was one
convey'd out of my house yesterday in this basket; Why
may not he be there again? In my house, I am sure,
he is: my intelligence is true; my jealousy is reasonable;
—Pluck me out all the linnen.
M. Fo.
If you find a man there, he shall dye a
flea's death.
Page.
Here's no man.
-- 72 --
Shal.
By my fidelity, this is not well, master Ford;
this wrongs you.
Sir H.
Master Ford, you must pray, and not follow
the imaginations of your own heart: this is jealousies.
Ford.
Well, he's not here I seek for.
Page.
No, nor no where else but in your brain.
Ford.
Help to search my house this one time: if
I find not what I seek, shew no colour for my extremity;
let me for ever be your table-sport; let them say
of me, As jealous as Ford, that search'd a hollow walnut
for his wife's leman: Satisfy me once more; once
more search with me.
M. Fo.
What ho, mistress Page! come you, and the
old woman, down; my husband will come into the
chamber.
Ford.
Old woman! what old woman's that?
M. Fo.
Why, it is my maid's aunt of Brentford.
Ford.
A witch, a quean, an old cozening quean!—
Have I not forbid her my house? She comes of errands,
does she? We are simple men&dotup; we do not know
what's brought to pass under the profession of fortune-telling&dotup;
She works by charms, by spells, by the figure,
and such dawbery as this is; beyond our element&dotup; we
know nothing&dotup;—Come down, you witch, you hag you;
come down, I say.
M. Fo.
Nay, good sweet husband;—good gentlemen,
let him not strike note the old woman.
Enter Mistress Page; leading in Falstaff, disguis'd.
M. Pa.
Come, mother Prat, come, give me your hand.
Ford.
I'll Prat her:—Out of my doors, note you
witch; [to Fals.] you hag, note you baggage, you poulcat,
-- 73 --
you ronyon note! out, out! I'll conjure you, I'll fortune-tell
you.
[beating, and driving him out.
M. Pa.
Are you not asham'd? I think, you have
kill'd the poor woman.
M. Fo.
Nay, he will do it;—'Tis a goodly credit for you.
Ford.
Hang her witch!
Sir H.
By yea and no, I think the 'oman is a witch
indeed: I like not when a 'omans note has a great peard; I
spy a great peard under his muffler. note
Ford.
Will you follow, gentlemen? I beseech you,
follow; see but the issue of my jealousy: if I cry out
thus upon no trail, never trust me when I open again.
Page.
Let's obey his humour a little further:
Come, gentlemen.
[Exeunt Page, Ford, Shal. and Sir Hugh.
M. Pa.
Trust me, he beat him most pitifully.
M. Fo.
Nay, by th' mass, that he did not; he beat
him most unpitifully, methought.
M. Pa.
I'll have the cudgel hallow'd, and hung o'er
the altar; it hath done meritorious service.
M. Fo.
What think you? may we, with the warrant
of womanhood, and the witness of a good conscience,
pursue him with any further revenge?
M. Pa.
The spirit of wantonness is, sure, scar'd out
of him; if the devil have him not in fee-simple, with
fine and note recovery, he will never, I think, in the way
of waste, attempt us again.
M. Fo.
Shall we tell our husbands how we have
serv'd him?
M. Pa.
Yes, by all means; if it be but to scrape
the figures out of your husband's brains: If they can
find in their hearts, the poor, unvirtuous, fat knight
-- 74 --
shall be any further afflicted, we two will be still note the
ministers.
M. Fo.
I'll warrant, they'll have him publickly
sham'd: and, methinks, there would be no fit period
to the jest note, should he not be publickly sham'd.
M. Pa.
Come, to the forge with it then, shape it;
I would not have things cool.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III.
A Room in the garter Inn.
Enter Bardolph. note
Bard.
Sir, the Germans desire note to have three of
your horses: the duke himself will be to-morrow at
court, and they are going to meet him.
Host.
What duke should that be, comes so secretly?
I hear not of him in the court:—Let me speak with
the gentlemen; They speak English?
Bard.
Ay, sir; I'll call them to note you.
Host.
They shall have my horses; but I'll make
them pay, I'll sauce them: they have had my houses
a week at command; I have turn'd away my other
guests: they must not come off;14Q0074 I'll sauce them:—
Come.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV.
A Room in Ford's House.
Enter Sir Hugh, Page, Ford, Mistress Page, and Mistress Ford.
Sir H.
'Tis one of the best discretions of a 'omans note
as ever I did look upon.
Page.
And did he send you both these † letters
at an instant?
M. Pa.
Within a quarter of an hour.
Ford.
Pardon me, wife: Henceforth do what thou wilt;
-- 75 --
I rather will suspect the sun with cold note,
Than thee with wantonness: now doth thy honour stand,
In him that was of late an heretick,
As firm as faith note.
Page.
'Tis well, 'tis well; no more:
Be not as éxtream note in submission,
As in offence;
But let our plot go forward: let our wives
Yet once again, to make us publick sport,
Appoint a meeting with this old fat fellow,
Where we may take him, and disgrace him for it.
Ford.
There is no better way than that they spoke of.
Page.
How! send him word,14Q0075 they'll meet him in the park
At midnight! fie, fie; he will never come.
Sir H.
You say, he has been thrown in the rivers; note
and has been grievously peaten, as an old 'oman: methinks,
there should be terrors note in him, that he should
not come; methinks, his flesh is punish'd, he shall have
no desires.
Page.
So think I too.
M. Fo.
Devise but how you'll use him when he comes,
And let us two devise to bring him thither.
M. Pa.
There is an old tale goes, that Herne the hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest,
Doth all the winter time, at still midnight note,
Walk round about an oak, with great jag'd note horns;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,
And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain
In a most hideous and dreadful manner:
You have heard of such a spirit; and well you know,
The superstitious idle-headed eld
Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,
-- 76 --
This tale of Herne the hunter for a truth.
Page.
Why, yet there want not many, that do fear
In deep of night to walk by this Herne's oak:
But what of this?
M. Fo.
Marry, this is our device;—
That Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us, note
Disguis'd like Herne, with huge horns on his head.
Page.
Well, let it not be doubted but he'll come,
And in this shape;14Q0076 When you have brought him thither,
What shall be done with him? what is your plot?
M. Pa.
That likewise have we thought upon, and thus:
Nan Page my daughter, and my little son,
And three or four more of their growth, we'll dress
Like urchins, ouphes, and fairies, green and white,
With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads,
And rattles in their hands; upon a sudden,
As Falstaff, she, and I, are newly met,
Let them from forth a saw-pit rush at once
With some diffused song: upon their sight,
We two in great amazedness will fly:
Then let them all encircle him about,
And, fairy-like too, pinch note the unclean knight;
And ask him, why, that hour of fairy revel,
In their so sacred paths he dares to tread
In shape prophane.
Ford.
And, 'till note he tell the truth,
Let the supposed fairies pinch him sound,
And burn him with their tapers.
M. Pa.
The truth being known,
We'll all present ourselves; dishorn the spirit,
And mock him home to Windsor.
Ford.
The children must
-- 77 --
Be practic'd well to this, or they'll ne'er dot'. note
Sir H.
I will teach the children their behaviours;
and I will be like a jackanapes also, to burn the knight
with my taber.
Ford.
That will note be excellent. I'll go buy them vizards.
M. Pa.
My Nan shall be the queen of all the fairies,
Finely attired in a robe of white.
Page.
That silk will I go buy; &clquo;and, in that time,&crquo;
&clquo;Shall master Slender steal my Nan away,&crquo;
&clquo;And marry her at Eaton.&crquo; Go, send to Falstaff
Straight.
Ford.
Nay, I'll to him again in name note of Brook:
He'll tell me all his purpose: Sure, he'll come.
M. Pa.
Fear not you that: Go, get us properties,
And tricking for our fairies.
Sir H.
Let us about it: It is admirable pleasures, and
fery honest knaveries.
[Exeunt Ford, Page, and Sir H.
M. Pa.
Go, mistress Ford,
Send quickly note to sir John, to know his mind.
[Exit Mistress Ford.
I'll to the doctor; he hath my good will,
And none but he, to marry with Nan Page.
That Slender, though well landed, is an ideot;
And he my husband best of all affects:
The doctor is well money'd, and his friends note
Potent at court; he, none but he, shall have her,
Though twenty thousand worthier come to crave her.
SCENE V.
A Room in the garter Inn.
Enter Host, and Simple.
Host.
What would'st thou have, boor? what, thickskin?
speak, breath, discuss; brief, short, quick, snap.
-- 78 --
Simp.
Marry, sir, I come to speak with sir John
Falstaff from master Slender.
Host.
There's his chamber, his house, his castle,
his standing-bed and truckle-bed; 'tis painted about
with the story of the prodigal, fresh and new:
Go, knock and call; he'll speak like an Anthropophaginian
unto thee: Knock, I say.
Simp.
There's an old woman, a fat woman, gone
up into his chamber; I'll be so bold as stay, sir, 'till
she come down: I come to speak with her, indeed.
Host.
Ha! a fat woman? the knight may be rob'd:
I'll call.—Bully knight! bully sir John! speak from
thy lungs military; Art thou there? it is thine host,
thine Ephesian, calls.
Fals. [above]
How now, mine host?
Host.
Here's a Bohemian-Tartar tarries the coming
down of thy fat woman: Let her descend, bully,
let her descend; my chambers are honourable: Fie!
privacy? fie!
Enter Falstaff.
Fals.
There was, mine host, an old fat woman
even now with me; but she's gone.
Simp.
Pray you, sir, was't not the wise woman of
Brentford?
Fals.
Ay, marry, was it, mussel-shell; What
would you with her?
Simp.
My master, sir, my master Slender, sent to
her, seeing her go thorough note the streets, to know, sir,
whether one Nym, sir, that beguil'd him of a chain, had
the chain, or no.
Fals.
I spake with the old woman about it.
Simp.
And what says she, I pray, sir?
-- 79 --
Fals.
Marry, she says, that the very same man, that
beguil'd master Slender of his chain, cozen'd him of it.
Simp.
I would, I could have spoken with the woman
herself; I had other things to have spoken with
her too, from him.
Fals.
What are they? let us know.
Host.
Ay, come; quick.
Simp.
I may note not conceal them, sir.
Host.
Conceal them,14Q0077 or thou dy'st.
Simp.
Why, sir, they were nothing but about mistress
Anne Page; to know, if it were my master's fortune note
to have her, or no.
Fals.
'Tis, 'tis his fortune.
Simp.
What, sir?
Fals.
To have her, or no: Go; say, the woman
told me so.
Simp.
May I be bold to say so, sir?
Fals.
Ay, sir; like who more bold.
Simp.
I thank your worship: I shall make my master
glad with these tidings.
[Exit.
Host.
Thou art clerkly, thou art clerkly, sir John:
Was there a wise woman with thee?
Fals.
Ay, that there was, mine host; one that hath
taught me more wit than ever I learn'd before in my
life: and I pay'd nothing for it neither, but was pay'd
for my learning.
Enter Bardolph, hastily.
Bard.
Out, alas, sir! cozenage, meer cozenage!
Host.
Where be my horses? speak well of them,
varletto.
Bard.
Run away with the cozeners: for so soon
as I came beyond Eaton, they threw me off, from behind
-- 80 --
one of them, in a slough of mire; and set spurs,
and away, like three German divels, three doctor
Faustus's.
Host.
They are gone but to meet the duke, villain:
do not say, they be fled; Germans are honest men.
Enter Sir Hugh Evans.
Sir H.
Where is mine host?
Host.
What is the matter, sir?
Sir H.
Have a care of your entertainments: there
is a friend of mine come to town, tells me, there is
three cousin germans, that has cozen'd all the hosts of
Readings, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook, of horses and money.
I tell you for good will, look you: you are wise,
and full of gibes and vlouting stogs; and 'tis not convenient
you should be cozened: Fare you well.
[Exit.
Enter Doctor Caius.
D. Cai.
Vere is mine host de jartere?
Host.
Here, master doctor; in perplexity, and
doubtful dilemma.
D. Cai.
I cannot tell vat is dat: But it is tell-a me,
dat you make grand preparation for a duke de Jamany:
by my trot, dere is no duke, dat de court is know, to
come: I tell you for good vill: adieu.
[Exit.
Host.
Hue and cry, villain, go:—assist me, knight;
I am undone:—fly, run, hue and cry, villain; I am
undone!
[Exeunt Host, and Bardolph.
Fals.
I would, all the world might be cozen'd;
for I have been cozen'd, and beaten too. If it should
come to the ear of the court, how I have been transformed,
and how my transformation hath been wash'd
and cudgel'd, they would melt me out of my fat, drop
by drop, and liquor fishermen's boots with me; I warrant,
-- 81 --
they would whip me with their fine wits, 'till I were as
crest-fall'n as a dry'd pear. I never prosper'd since I
forswore myself at Primero. Well, if my wind were but
long enough to say my prayers, note I would repent.—Now!
Enter Mistress Quickly.
whence come you?
Quic.
From the two parties, forsooth.
Fals.
The devil take one party, and his dam the
other, and so they shall be both bestowed! I have suffer'd
more for their sakes, more, than the villainous
inconstancy of man's disposition is able to bear.
Quic.
And have not they suffer'd? yes, I warrant;
'speciously one of them; mistress Ford, good heart, is
beaten black and blue, that you cannot see a white
spot about her.
Fals.
What tell'st thou me of black and blue? I
was beaten myself into all the colours of the rain-bow;
and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of
Brentford: but that my admirable dexterity of wit, my
counterfeiting the action of an old woman,14Q0078 deliver'd
me, the knave constable had set me i'the stocks, i'th'
common stocks, for a witch.
Quic.
Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber:
you shall hear how things go; and, I warrant, to your
content: here is a letter † will say somewhat. Good
hearts, what ado here is to bring you together! sure,
one of you does not serve heaven well, that you are so
cross'd.
Fals.
Come up into my chamber.
[Exeunt.
SCENE VI.
Another Room.
Enter Host, and Fenton.
-- 82 --
Host.
Master Fenton, talk not to me; my mind is
heavy, I will give over all.
Fent.
Yet hear me speak; Assist me in my purpose,
And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee
A hundred pound in gold, more than your loss.
Host.
I will hear you, master Fenton; and I will,
at the least, keep your counsel.
Fent.
From time to time14Q0079 I have acquainted you
With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page;
Who, mutually, hath answer'd my affection
(So far forth as herself might be her chooser)
Even to my wish: I have a letter from her,
Of such contents as you will wonder at;
The mirth whereof's so larded with my matter,
That neither, singly, can be manifested
Without the shew of both: fat sir John Falstaff note
Hath a great scene in it: the image of the jest
I'll show you † here at large. Hark, good mine host:
To-night at Herne's oak, just 'twixt twelve and one,
Must my sweet Nan present the fairy queen;
The purpose why, is † here; in which disguise,
While other jests are something rank on foot,
Her father hath commanded her to slip
Away with Slender, and with him at Eaton
Immediately to marry: she hath consented: Now, sir,
Her mother, ever strong note against that match,
And firm for doctor Caius, hath appointed
That he shall likewise shuffle her away,
While other sports are taking off note their minds,
And at the deanery, where a priest attends,
Straight marry her: to this her mother's plot
She seemingly obedient likewise hath
-- 83 --
Made promise to the doctor:—Now, thus it rests:
Her father means she shall be all in white;
And in that habit, when Slender sees his time
To take her by the hand and bid her go,
She shall go with him: her mother hath intended,
The better to denote note her to the doctor,
(For they must all be mask'd and vizarded)
That quaint in green she shall be loose enrob'd,
With ribbands pendant flaring 'bout her head;
And when the doctor spies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and, on that token,
The maid hath given consent to go with him.
Host.
Which means she deceive? note father, or mother?
Fent.
Both, my good host, to go along with me:
And here it rests,—that you'll procure the vicar
To stay for me at church, 'twixt twelve and one,
And, in the lawful name of marrying,
To give our hearts united ceremony.
Host.
Well, husband your device; I'll to the vicar:
Bring you the maid, you shall not lack a priest.
Fent.
So shall I evermore be bound to thee;
Besides, I'll make a present recompence.
[Exeunt.
Edward Capell [1767], Mr William Shakespeare his comedies, histories, and tragedies, set out by himself in quarto, or by the Players his Fellows in folio, and now faithfully republish'd from those Editions in ten Volumes octavo; with an introduction: Whereunto will be added, in some other Volumes, notes, critical and explanatory, and a Body of Various Readings entire (Printed by Dryden Leach, for J. and R. Tonson [etc.], London) [word count] [S10601].
