There pinch the maids as blue as bilberry: I'll wink and couch: no man their works must eye. [lies down upon his face. Eva. Where's Pede?-Go you, and where you find a maid, That, ere she sleep, has thrice her prayers said, But those as sleep, and think not on their sins, Pinch them, arms, legs, backs, shoulders, sides, and shins. Quick. About, about; Search Windsor Castle, elves, within and out: in order set; And twenty glow-worms shall our lanterns be, To guide our measure round about the tree. But, stay; I smell a man of middle earth. Fal. Heavens defend me from that Welch fairy, lest he transform me to a piece of cheese! Now, good sir John, how like you Windsor wives? See you these, husband? do not these fair yokes Become the forest better than the town? Ford. Now, sir, who's a cuckold now?-Master Brook, Falstaff's a knave, a cuckoldly knave; here are his horns, master Brook: and, master Brook, he hath enjoyed nothing of Ford's but his buck-basket, his cudgel, and twenty pounds of money; which must be paid to master Brook; his horses are arrested for it, master Brook. Mrs. F. Sir John, we have had ill luck; we could never meet. I will never take you for my love again, but I will always count you my deer. Fal. I do begin to perceive that I am made an ass. Ford. Ay, and an ox too; both the proofs are extant. Fel. And these are not fairies? I was three or four times in the thought, they were not fairies: and yet the guiltiness of my mind, the sudden surprise of my powers, drove the grossness of the foppery into a received belief, in despite of the teeth of all rhyme and reason, that they were fairies. See now, how wit may be made a Jacka-lent, when 'tis upon ill employment! Eva. Sir John Falstaff, serve Got, and leave your desires, and fairies will not pinse you. Ford. Well said, fairy Hugh. も Eva. And leave you your jealousies too, I pray Pist. Vile worm, thou wast o'erlook'd even in you. thy birth. Quick. With trial-fire touch me his finger-end: Pist. A trial, come. Eva. Come, will this wood take fire? [they burn him with their tapers. Fal. Oh, oh, oh! Quick. Corrupt, corrupt, and tainted in desire! About him, fairies; sing a scornful rhyme: And, as you trip, still pinch him to your time. Eva. It is right; indeed he is full of lecheries and iniquity. Ford. I will never mistrust my wife again, till thou art able to woo her in good English. Fal. Have I laid my brain in the sun, and dried it, that it wants matter to prevent so gross o'er-reaching as this? Am I ridden with a Welch goat too? shall I have a coxcomb of frize? 'tis time I were choked with a piece of toasted cheese. Eva. Seese is not good to give putter; your pelly is all putter. Fal. Seese and putter! have I lived to stand at the taunt of one that makes fritters of English? This is enough to be the decay of lust and hatewalking through the realm. Mrs. P. Why, sir John, do you think, though we would have thrust virtue out of our hearts by the head and shoulders, and have given ourselves without scruple to hell, that ever the devil could have made you our delight? Ford. What, a hodge-pudding? a bag of flax? Mrs. P. A puffed man? Page. Old, cold, withered, and of intolerable entrails? Ford. And one that is as slanderous as Satan? | of your purpose; turned my daughter into green; Eva. And given to fornications, and to taverns, and sack, and wine, and metheglins, and to drinkings, and swearings, and starings, pribbles and prabbles? Fal. Well, I am your theme: you have the start of me; I am dejected; I am not able to answer the Welch flannel; ignorance itself is a plummet o'er me; use me as you will. Ford. Marry, sir, we'll bring you to Windsor, to one master Brook, that you have cozened of money, to whom you should have been a pander: over and above that you have suffered, I think, to repay that money will be a biting affliction. Mrs. F. Nay, husband. let that go to make amends: Forgive that sum, and so we'll all be friends. Ford. Well, here's my hand; all's forgiven at last. Page. Yet be cheerful, knight: thou shalt eat a posset to-night at my house; where I will desire thee to laugh at my wife, that now laughs at thee: tell her, master Slender hath married her daughter. Mrs. P. Doctors doubt that: If Anne Page be my daughter, she is, by this, doctor Caius' wife. Enter Slender. [aside. Slen. Whoo, ho! ho! father Page! Page. Son! how now? how now, son? have you despatched? Slen. Despatched! I'll make the best in Glocestershire know on't; would I were hanged, la, else. Page. Of what, son? Slen. I came yonder at Eton to marry mistress Anne Page, and she's a great lubberly boy: if it had not been i'the church, I would have swinged him, or he should have swinged me. If I did not think it had been Anne Page, would I might never stir, and 'tis a post-master's boy. Page. Upon my life then you took the wrong. Slen. What need you tell me that? I think so, when I took a boy for a girl: If I had been married to him, for all he was in woman's apparel, I would not have had him. Page. Why, this is your own folly. Did not I tell you, how you should know my daughter by hor garments. Slen. I went to her in white, and cry'd mum, and the cry'd budget, as Anne and I had appointed; and yet it was not Anne, but a post-master's boy. Eva. Jeshu! master Slender, cannot you see but marry boys? Page. O, I am vexed at heart: what shall I do? and, indeed, she is now with the doctor at the deanery, and there married. Enter Caius. Caius. Vere is mistress Page? by gar, I am cozened; I ha' married un garçon, a boy; i̇n paisan, by gar, a boy; it is not Anne Page: by gar, I am cozened. Mrs. P. Why, did you take her in green? Caius. Ay, be gar, and 'tis a boy be gar, I'll raise all Windsor. [exit Caius. Ford. This is strange: who hath got the right Anne? Page. My heart misgives me: Here comes master Fenton. Enter Fenton and Anne Page. Anne. Pardon, good father, good my mother, pardon' Page. Now, mistress? how chance you went not with master Slender? Mrs. P. Why went you not with master doctor, maid? Fent. You do amaze her: hear the truth of it. Ford. Stand not amaz'd: here is no remedy:- Fal. I am glad, though you have ta'en a special stand to strike at me, that your arrow hath glanced. Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, heaven give thee joy! What cannot be eschew'd, must be embrac'd. Eva. I will dance and eat plums at your wedding. ter Fenton, Heaven give you many, many merry days! Ford. Let it be so:- Sir John, SCENE 1. ROME. BEFORE THE CAPITOL. АСТ І. The Tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft as in the Senate. Enter, below, Saturninus and his followers, on one side; and Bassianus and his followers, on the other; with drum and colours. Sat. NOBLE patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers, Plead my successive title with your swords: I am his first-born son, that was the last That wore the imperial diadem of Rome; Then let my father's honours live in me, Nor wrong mine age with this indignity. Bas. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son, [my right, Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, Keep then this passage to the capitol; And suffer not dishonour to approach The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate, To justice, continence, and nobility: But let desert in pure election shine; And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. Enter Marcus Andronicus, aloft, with the crown. Mar. Princes, that strive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for rule and empery,- And now. at last, laden with honour's spoils, Returns the good Andronicus to Rome, Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm iny thoughts! Bas. Marcus Andronicus; so I do affy In thy uprightness and integrity, And so I love and honour thee and thine, Thy noble brother Titus, and his sons, And her, to whom my thoughts are humbled all, Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament, That I will here dismiss my loving friends; And to my fortunes, and the people's favour, Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd. [er. Foll. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; [my right, And to the love and favour of my country Commit myself, my person, and the cause. [ex. Foll. Rome, be as just and gracious unto me, As I am confident and kind to thee.Open the gates, and let me in. Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor [Sat. and Bas. go into the capitol; with Senators,&c SCENE II. THE SAME. Enter a Captain, and others. Cap. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion, Successful in the battles that he fights, With honour and with fortune is return'd, From whence he circumscribed with his sword, And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. Flourish of trumpets, &c. Enter Mutius and Martius: after them, two men bearing a coffin, covered with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After them Titus Andronicus; and then Tamora, with Alarbus, Chiron, Demetrius, Aaron, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and people following. The bearers set down the coffin, and Titus speaks. Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning | Alarbus goes to rest; and we survive Lo, as the bark, that hath discnarg'd her fraught, [tomb opened. There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, How many sons of mine hast thou in store, [queror, Luc. Give us the proudest prisoner of the Goths, To this your son is mark'd; and die he must, To tremble under 'fit as' threat'ning look. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd Enter Lavinia. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons! Tit. Kind Rome, that hast thus lovingly reserv'd Mar. Long live lord Titus, ny beloved brother, Mar. And welcome, nephews, from successful Tit. A better head her glorious body fits, And set abroad new business for you all? - Tit. Content thee, prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themBas. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee, [selves. But honour thee, and will do, till I die; My faction, if thou strengthen with thy friends, I will most thankful be: and thanks, to men Of noble minds, is honourable meed. Tit. People of Rome, and people's tribunes here, I ask your voices, and your suffrages; Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus? Trib. To gratify the good Andronicus, And gratulate his safe return to Rome, The people will accept whom he admits. Tit. Tribunes, I thank you: and this suit I I give thee thanks in part of thy deserts, Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life! How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts, Rome shall record; and, when I do forget The least of these unspeakable deserts, Romans, forget your fealty to me. peror; Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an em¬ [to Tamera. To him, that, for your honour and your state, Will use you nobly, and your followers. Sat. A goodly lady, trust me; of the bue Thou com'st not to be made a scorn in Rome: Lav. Not I, my lord; sith true nobility Sat. Thanks, sweet Lavinia.-Romans, let us Ramsomless here we set our prisoners free: [go; Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and druin. Bas. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is [seizing Lavinia. mine. Tit. How, sir? Are you in earnest then, my lord? Bas. Ay, noble Titus; and resolv'd withal, To do myself this reason and this right. [the emperor courts Tamora in dumb show. Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and shall, if Lucius live. [guard? Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's Treason, my lord; Lavinia is surpris'd. Sat. Surpris'd! by whom? [exeunt Marcus and Bassianus, with Lavinia. Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my sword I'll keep this door safe. [exeunt Lucius, Quintus, and Martius. Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll soon bring her Mut. My lord, you pass not here. [back. Tit. What, villain boy! Barr'st me my way in Rome? [Titus kills Mutius. Mut. Help, Lucius, help. Re-enter Lucius. [so, Luc. My lord, you are unjust: and, more than In wrongful quarrel you have slain your son. Tit. Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine: My sons would never so dishonour me: Traitor, restore Lavinia to the emperor. Luc. Dead, if you will; but not to he his wife, That is another's lawful promis love. 1.ait. Sat. No, Titus, no; the emperor needs her not, Not her, nor thee, nor any of thy stock: I'll trust, by leisure, him that mocks me once; Thee never, nor thy traitorous haughty sons, Confederates all thus to dishonour me. Was there none else in Rome to make a stale of, But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus, Agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine, That said'st, I begg'd the empire at thy hands. Tit. O monstrous! what reproachful words are these? |