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SCENE IV. Another Part of the Forest.
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desart, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses and record my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless,
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia!
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!
[Noise within.

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What halloing and what stir is this to-day?
These are my mates, that make their wills their

law,

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Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's
belov'd.

Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy
faith

Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths 48
Descended into perjury to love me.

8 Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou 'dst two,
And that's far worse than none: better have
none

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Have some unhappy passenger in chase.
They love me well; yet I have much to do
To keep them from uncivil outrages.
Withdraw thee, Valentine: who's this comes
here?
[Steps aside.

Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA.
Pro. Madam, this service I have done for
you-

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Though you respect not aught your servant
doth-
To hazard life and rescue you from him
That would have forc'd your honour and your
love.

Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look;
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,
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And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.
Val. [Aside.] How like a dream is this I see
and hear!

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Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy.

The private wound is deep'st.

O time most

curst!

Jul. [Aside.] And me, when he approacheth to your presence.

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Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O! heaven be judge how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul,
And full as much for more there cannot be -
I do detest false perjur'd Proteus.

Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

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Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look!

'Mongstall foes that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confound me.
Forgive me, Valentine. If hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender't here: I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.
Val.

Then, I am paid;

And once again I do receive thee honest.
Who by repentance is not satisfied

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Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd.
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd: 81
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.

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Come not within the measure of my wrath;

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85 Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands;
Take but possession of her with a touch;
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.

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Here 'tis: this is it. [Gives a ring. Pro. How! let me see.

Why this is the ring I gave to Julia.

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Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir; I have mistook: This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shows another ring.

Pro. But how cam'st thou by this ring? 96 At my depart I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia!

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Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, And entertain'd them deeply in her heart: How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root! O Proteus! let this habit make thee blush. 104 Be thou asham'd that I have took upon me Such an immodest raiment; if shame live In a disguise of love.

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140

Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I. 132 I hold him but a fool that will endanger His body for a girl that loves him not: I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. 135 Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, To make such means for her as thou hast done, And leave her on such slight conditions. Now, by the honour of my ancestry, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love. Know then, I here forget all former griefs, Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again, Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit, To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine, Thou art a gentleman and well deriv'd; Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her. Val. I thank your Grace; the gift hath made me happy. 148

144

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minds.

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Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.

and thee:

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either. Let me be blest to make this happy close: 'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.

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Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish,

Val. And as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your Grace to smile. What think you of this page, my lord?

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for ever.

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Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him: he blushes.

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Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff there? 68

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar as I do despise one that is false; or as I

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Fal. 'Twere better for you if it were known

despise one that is not true. The knight, Sir in counsel: you'll be laughed at.

John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for Master Page. [Knocks.] What, hoa! Got pless your house here!

Page. [Within ] Who's there?

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Eva. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend. and Justice Shallow; and here young Master Slender, that peradventures shall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings.

Enter PAGE.

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Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you.

Eva. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak.
Shal. He hath wronged me, Master Page. 105
Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it.

Shal. If it be confessed, it is not redressed: is not that so, Master Page? He hath wronged me; indeed, he hath; -at a word, he hath, -believe me: Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wronged.

Page. Here comes Sir John.

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Enter SIR JOHN FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM, and PISTOL.

Fal. Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king?

Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge. 116 Fal. But not kissed your keeper's daughter? Shal. Tut, a pin! this shall be answered.

Eva. Pauca verba, Sir John; goot worts. 124 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. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket.

Bard. You Banbury cheese!

Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pist. How now, Mephistophilus!

Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

132

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Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca; slice!

that's my humour.

Slen. Where's Simple, my man? can you tell, cousin?

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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 myself, fidelicet, myself; and the three party is, lastly and finally, mine host of the Garter.

Page. We three, to hear it and end it between them. 148

Eva. Fery 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. Fal. Pistol!

Pist. He hears with ears.

152

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?

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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! 183

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.

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Would I were young for your sake, Mistress Anne.

Anne. The dinner is on the table; my father desires your worships' company.

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Shal. I will wait on him, fair Mistress Anne.

Eva. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence

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[Exeunt SHALLOW and EVANS.

Eva. Give ear to his motions, Master Slender:

I will description the matter to you, if you pe at the grace. capacity of it.

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