Who is Silvia? What is she, [Music plays. That all our swains commend her? The heavens such grace did lend her, For beauty lives with kindness: To help him of his blindness; That Silvia is excelling; Upon the dull earth dwelling: Host. How now ? are you sadder than you were be- Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick ear. Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. Host. I perceive, you delight not in music. Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music! Host. You would have them always play but one thing? Jul. I would always have one play but one thing. But, host, doth this sir Proteas, that we talk on, often resort unto this gentlewoman? Host. I tell you what Launce, his man told me; he loved her out of all nick. Jul. Where is Launce? Host. Gone to seek his dog; which, to-morrow, by his master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady. Jul. Peace! stand aside; the company parts. Pro. At saint Gregory's well. Thu. Farewell. Exeunt Thurio and Musicians. Silvia appears above, at her Window. Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. Pro. And to your shadow, I will make true love. Sil. I am very loath to be your idol, sir; Pro. As wretches have o'ernight, That wait for execution in the morn. [Exeunt Proteus; and Silvia, from above. Jul. Host, will you go? Host. By my hallidom, I was fast asleep. Jul. Pray you, where lies sir Proteus? Host. Marry, at my house: Trust me, I think 'tis almost day. Jul. Not so; but it hath been the longest night Egl. This is the hour that madam Silvia Silvia appears above, at her Window. Sil. I am thus early come to know what service Sil. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman, To Mantua, where, I hear, he makes abode ; this,-To bear me company, and go with me: That I may compass yours. That hast deceived so many with thy vows? 'Twere false, if I should speak it; I am betroth'd: And art thou not asham'd To wrong him with thy importunacy? Pro. Ilikewise hear, that Valentine is dead. Egl. Madam, I pity much your grievances; Which since I know they virtuously are plac'd, I give consent to go along with you; Recking as little what betideth me, As much I wish all good befortune you. Sil. This evening coming. At friar Patrick's cell, Where I intend holy confession. Sil. Good-morrow, kind sir Eglamour. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same. Enter Launce, with his Dog. Laun. When a man's servant shall play the cur D with him, look you, it goes hard: one that I brought up of a puppy; one that I saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it! I have taught him-even as one would say precisely, Thus I would teach a dog. I was sent to deliver him, as a present to mistress Silvia, from my master; and I came no sooner into the diningchamber, but he steps me to her trencher, and steals her capon's leg. O, 'tis a foul thing, when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies ! I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things. If I had not had more wit than he, to take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily he had been hanged for't; sure as I live, he had suffer'd for't: you shall judge. He thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentleman-like dogs, under the duke's table he had not been there (bless the mark) a pissing while; but all the chamber smelt him. Out with the dog, says one; What cur is that? says another; Whip him out, says the third; Hang him up, says the duke. I having, been acquainted with the smell before, knew it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs: Friend, quoth I, you mean to whip the dog! Ay, marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes me no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for't thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you served me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia; did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale? didst thou ever see me do such a trick? Enter Proteus and Julia. Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please ;-I will do what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson peasant? [To Launce. Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, sir, I carried mistress Silvia the dog you hade me. Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I brought him back again. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the market-place: and then I offered her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again into my sight. Away, I say: Stay'st thou to vex me here? A slave, that, still an end, turns me to shame. [Exit Launce. Sebastian, I have entertained thee, She loved me well, deliver'd it to me. Jul. It seems you loved her not, to leave her token: She's dead, belike. Pro. Not so; I think, she lives. Jul. Alas! Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas? Jul. I cannot choose but pity her. Jul. Because, methinks, that she lov'd you as well As you do love your lady Silvia: She dreams on him, that has forgot her love; Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal This letter; that's her chamber.-Tell my lady, claim the promise for her heavenly picture. Your message done, hie home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me sad and solitary. [Exit. Jul. How many women would do such a message? Alas! poor Proteus! thou hast entertain'd A fox, to be the shepherd of thy lambs : Alas, poor fool! why do I pity him That with his very heart despiseth me? Because he loves her, he despiseth me; Because I love him, I must pity him. This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, To bind him to remember my good will: And now am I (unhappy messenger) To plead for that which I would not obtain ; To carry that which I would have refus'd; To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. I am my master's true confirmed love; But cannot be true servant to my master, Unless I prove false traitor to myself. Yet I will woo for him: but yet so coldly, As heaven, it knows, I would not have him speed. Enter Silvia, attended. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean To bring me where to speak with madam Silvia. Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she? Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Go, give your master this: tell him from me, Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.- Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. Sil. What say'st thou ? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her? Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest, That I have wept an hundred several times. Cher. Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus hath forsook Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of sorSil. Is she not passing fair? [row. Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is; Jul. About my stature for, at Pentecost, Sil. She is beholden, to thee, gentle youth!- I weep myself, to think upon thy words. Here is her pictare: Let me see; I think, I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, SCENE I. ACT V. An Abbey. Exit. Egl. The sun begins to gild the western sky; That Silvia, at Patrick's cell, should meet me. Enter Silvia. See, where she comes: Lady, a happy evening! I fear, I am attended by some spies. Egl. Fear not the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough. The same. SCENE II. [Exeunt. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Pro. She says, it is a fair one. Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. 'Tis true; such pearls as put out ladies' eyes: Thu. How likes she my discourse? Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace? [Aside. Thu. What says she to my birth? Pro. That you are well deriv'd. Jul. True from a gentleman to a fool. [Aside. Thu. Considers she my possessions! Pro. O, ay; and pities them. Thu. Wherefore? Jul. That such an ass should owe them. [Aside. Enter Duke. Jul. Here comes the duke. Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant Va- 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not; Be patient, we must bring you to our captain. 1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her? 3 Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath out-run us, But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him. Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave: Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee! [Exeunt. Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man! Enter Proteus, Silvia, and Julia. Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, Duke. How now, sir Proteus? how now, Thurio? I do detest false perjur'd Proteus : Therefore be gone, solicit me no more. 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 apiece of Yead Miller, by these gloves. Fal. Is this true, Pistol? Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse. Eva. But that is not the question; the question is concerning your marriage. Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir. Eva. Marry, is it; the very point of it; to mistress Anne Page. Slen. Why, if it be so, I will marry her, upon any reasonable demands. Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us command to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for divers philosophers hold, that the lips is parcel of the mouth; therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid? Shal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her? Slen. I hope, sir,-I will do, as it shall become one that would do reason. Eva. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies, you must speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires to wards her. Shal. That you must: will you, upon good dowry, marry her? Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your request, cousin, in any reason." Shal. Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz; what I do, is to pleasure you, coz: Can you love the maid? Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but if there be no great love in the beginning, yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner !-sir John, and married, and have more occasion to know one ano master mine, I combat challenge of this latten bilbo : Word of denial in thy labras here; Sien. By these gloves, then 'twas he. Nym. Be advis'd, sir, and pass good humours: will say, marry trap, with you, if you run the nuthook's humour on me; that is the very note of it. ther I hope, upon familiarity will grow more contempt: but if you say, marry her, I will marry her, that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely. Eva. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the faul' is in the 'ort dissolutely the 'ort is, according to our Imeaning, resolutely ;-his meaning is good. Slen. By this hat, then he in the red face had it:) for though I cannot remember what I did when you made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an ass. Fal. What say you, Scarlet 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 pass'd the careires. Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter: I'll ne'er 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 'udge me, that is a virtuous mind. Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you hear it. Enter Mistress Anne Page, with Wine; Mistress Ford and Mistress Page following. Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink within. [Exit Anne Page. Slen. O heaven! this is mistress Anne Page. Page. How now, mistress Ford ? Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well met by your leave, good mistress. Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome:-Come, [Kissing her we have a hot venison pasty to dinner; come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. [Exeunt all but Shal. Slender, and Evans. Slen. I had rather than forty shillings, I had my book of songs and sonnets here: Enter Simple. How now, Simple! where have you been? I must wait on myself, must I? You have not The Book of Riddles about you, have you? Sim. Book of Riddles! why, did you not lend it to Alice Shortcake, upon Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas ? A Shal. Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you. word with you, coz: marry, this, coz; there is, as 'twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar off by sir Hugh here;-do you understand me! Slen. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable; if it be so, I shall do that that is reason. Shal. Nay, but understand me. Slen. So I do, sir. Eva. Give ear to his motions, master Slender: I will description the matter to you, if you be capacity of it. Slen. Nay, I will do as my consin Shallow says: I pray you, pardon me he's a justice of peace in his country, simple though I stand here. Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well. Re-enter Anne Page. Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne :-Would I were young, for your sake, mistress Anne ! Anne. The dinner is on the table; my father desires your worships' company. Shal. I will wait on him, fair mistress Anne. Eva. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at the grace.. [Exeunt Shallow and Sir H. Evans. Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir? Slen. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well. Anne. The dinner attends you, sir. Slen. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth Go, sirrah, for all you are iny man, go, wait upon my cousin Shallow: Exit Simple] A justice of peace sometime may be beholden to his friend for a man: -I keep but three men and a boy yet, till my mother be dead: but what though! yet I live like a poor gentleman born. will not sit, till you come. Anne. I may not go in without your worship: they Sen. I'faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did. Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in. Slen. I had rather walk here, I thank you: I and dagger with a master of fence, three veneys for bruised my shin the other day with playing at sword abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your a dish of stewed prunes; and, by my troth, I cannot dogs bark so be there bears i'the town? of. Anne. I think there are, sir; I heard them talked Slen. I love the sport well; but I shall as soon quarrel at it, as any man in England :-you are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not? Anne. Ay, indeed, sir. Slen. That's meat and drink to me now I have seen Sackerson loose, twenty times; and have taken him by the chain but, I warrant you, the women have so cried and shrieked at it, that it pass'd-but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em they are very illfavoured rough things. SCENE III. A Room in the Garter Inn. Enter Falstaff, Host, Bardolph, Nym, Pistol, and Robin." Fal. Mine host of the Garter, Host. What says my bully-rook? Speak scholarly, and wisely. Fal. Truly, mine host, I must turn away some of my followers. Host. Discard, bully Hercules; cashier: let them wag trot, trot. Fal. I sit at ten pounds a week. Host. Thou'rt an emperor, Cesar, Keisar, and Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph; he shall draw, he shall tap: said I well, bully Hector? Fal. Do so, good mine host. Host. I have spoke; let him follow: let me see thee, froth and lime: I am at a word; follow. [Exit. Fal. Bardolph, follow him; a tapster is a good trade: an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered serving-man, a fresh tapster: go; adieu. Bard. It is a life that I have desired; I will thrive. [Exit. Pist. O base Gongarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield? Nym. He was gotten in drink is not the humour conceited? His mind is not heroic, and there's the humour of it. Fal. I am glad, I am so acquit of this tinder-box; his thefts were too open his filching was like an unskilful singer, he kept not time. Nym. The good humour is, to steal at a minute's rest. Pist. Convey, the wise it call: steal! foh; a fico for the phrase Fal. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels. Pist. Why then let kibes ensue. Fal. O, she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy intention, that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning-glass! Here's another letter to her: she bears the purse too she is a region in Guiana, all gold and bounty. I will be cheater to them both, and they shall be exchequers to me; they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear thou this letter to mistress Page; and thou this to mistress Ford: we will thrive, lads, we will thrive. Pist. Shall I sir Pandarus of Troy become, tion. Fal. Hold, sirrah, [To Rob.] bear you these letters And high and low beguile the rich and poor: Nym. I have operations in my head, which be bumours of revenge. I Pist. Wilt thou revenge? Pist. With wit, or steel? Nym. By welkin, and her star! With both the humours, I; will discuss the humour of this love to Page. Pist. And I to Ford shall eke unfold, How Falstaff, varlet vile, His dove will prove, his gold will hold, Nym. My humour shall not cool: I will incense Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with yellowness, for the revolt of mien is dangerous: that is my true humour. Pist. Thou art the Mars of malcontents: I second thee; troop on. [Exeunt. Quick. 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 Fal. There is no remedy; I must coney-catch; I tale, nor no breed-bate: his worst fault is, that he is must shift. Pist. Young ravens must have food. Fal. Which of yon know Ford of this town? Pist. Two yards, and more. given to prayer; he is something peevish that way: Quick. And master Slender's your master? Quick. Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring-knife? Sim. No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard; a cane-coloured beard. Quick. A softly-sprighted man, is he not? Sim. Ay, forsooth: but he is as tall a man of his hands, as any is between this and his head; he hath Fal. No quips now, Pistol; indeed I am in the waist two yards about: but I am now about no waste; I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean to make love to Ford's wife; I spy entertainment in her; she discourses, she carves, she gives the leer of invitation: I can construe the action of her familiar style; and the hardest voice of her behaviour, to be Eng-fought with a warrener. lish'd rightly, is, I am sir John Falstaff's. Pist. He huth studied her well, and translated her well out of honesty into English. Nym. The anchor is deep: will that humour pass? say I. Nym. The humour rises; it is good: humour me the angels. does he not hold up his head, as it were ? and strut Quick. How say you --O, I should remember him; in his gait! Sm. Yes, indeed, does he. Quick. Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girt, and I wish Re-enter Rugby. Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. Quick. We shall all be shent run in here, good Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her: and here another to Page's wife; who even now gave me good eyes too, examin'd my parts with most judicious ey-young man; go into this closet. [Shuts Simple in the líads: sometimes the beam of her view gilded my foot, sometimes my portly belly. Pist. Then did the sun on dunghill shine. Closet] He will not stay long.-What, John Rugby! John, what, John, I say !-Go, John, go inquire for my master: I doubt, he be not well, that he comes not home-and down, down, adown-a, &c." [Sings. |