the fields with me through Frogmore; I will bring thee where Mistress Anne Page is, at a farm-house a feasting; and thou shalt woo her: said I well? Caius. By gar, me tank you for dat: by gar, I love you; and I shall procure-a you de good guest, de earl, de knight, de lords, de gentlemen, my patients. Host. for the which, I will be thy adversary toward Anne Page; said I well? Caius. By gar, 'tis good: vel said. Host. Let us wag, then. Caius. Come at my heels, Jack Rugby. [Exeunt. ACT THE THIRD. SCENE I. Frogmore. Enter EVANS, with a Book in his Hand, and SIMPLE, Eva. I pray you, now, good Master Slender's serving-man, and friend Simple by your name, which way have you look'd for Master Caius, that calls himself Doctor of Physic. Simp. Marry, sir, the Pitty-ward, the Park-ward, every way; old Windsor way, and every way but the town way. Eva. I most fehemently desire you, you will also look that way. Simp. I will, sir. [Exit SIMPLE. Eva. 'Pless my soul! how full of cholers I am, and trempling of mind!I shall be glad, if he have deceiv'd me! how melancholies I am!-I will knog his urinals about his knave's costard, when I have There will we make our peds of roses, By shallow Mercy on me! I have a great dispositions to cry. Simp. Yonder he is, coming this way, Sir Hugh. [Sings.] By shallow rivers, to whose falls— Heaven prosper the right!-What weapons is he? Simp. No weapons, sir :-There comes my master, Master Shallow, and another gentleman from Frogmore, over the stile, this way. Eva. 'Pray you, give me my gown; or else keep it in your arms. Enter SHALLOW, PAGE, and SLENDER. Shal. How now, Master Parson? Good morrow, good Sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the dice, and a good student from his book, and it is wonderful. Slen. Ah, sweet Anne Page! Page. 'Save you, good Sir Hugh! Eva. 'Pless you from his mercy sake, all of you! Shal. What! the sword and the word! do you study them both, Master Parson? Pages And youthful still, in your doublet and hose, this raw rheumatic day? Eva. There is reasons and causes for it. Page. We are come to you, to do a good office, Master Parson. Eva. Fery well: What is it? Page. Yonder is a most reverend gentleman, who, belike having receiv'd wrong by some person, is at most odds with his own gravity and patience, that ever you saw. Shal. I have liv'd fourscore years, and upward; I never heard a man of his place, gravity, and learning, so wide of his own respect. Eva. What is he? Page. I think you know him; Master Doctor Caius, the renown'd French physician. Eva. Heaven's will, and his passion o'my heart! I had as lief you would tell me of a mess of porridge. Page. Why? Eva. He has no more knowledge in Hibocrates and Galen,—and he is a knave besides; a cowardly knave, as you would desire to be acquainted withal. Page. I warrant you, he's the man should fight with him. Slen. O, sweet Anne Page! Shal. It appears so, by his weapons :-Keep them asunder;-here comes Dr. Caius. Enter HOST, CAIUS, and RUGBY. Page. Nay, good Master Parson, keep in your weapon. Shal. So do you, good Master Doctor. Host. Disarm them, and let them question; let them keep their limbs whole, and hack our English. Caius. I pray you, let-a me speak a word vit your ear: Verefore vill you not meet-a me? Eva. 'Pray you, use your patience: in good time. Caius. By gar, you are de coward, de Jack dog, John ape. Eva. 'Pray you, let us not be laughing-stogs to other men's humours; I desire you in friendship, and will one way or other make you amends:-I will knog your urinals about your knave's cogs-combs, for missing your meetings and appointments. Caius. Diable!-Jack Rugby,-mine Host de Jarterre, have I not stay for him, to kill him? have I not, at de place I did appoint? Eva. As I am a christians soul, now, look you, this is the place appointed; I'll be judgment by mine Host of the Garter. Host. Peace, I say, Gallia and Gaul, French and Welch, soul-curer and body-curer. Caius. Ay, dat is very good! excellent! Host. Peace, I say; hear mine Host of the Garter. Am I politic? am I subtle? am I a Machiavel? Shall I lose my Doctor? no; he gives me the potions, and the motions. Shall I lose my Parson? my Priest? my Sir Hugh? no; he gives me the pro-verbs and the no-verbs. Give me thy hand, terrestrial; so:→ Give me thy hand, celestial: so.-Boys of art. I have deceiv'd you both; I have directed you to wrong places: your hearts are mighty, your skins are whole, and let burnt sack be the issue.- -Come, lay their swords to pawn:-Follow me, lad of peace; follow, follow, follow. Shal. Trust me, a mad host.-Follow, gentlemen, follow. Slen. O, sweet Anne Page! [Exeunt HOST, SHALLOW, SLENDER, PAGE, and SIMPLE. Caius. Ha! do I perceive dat? have you make-a de sot of us? ha, ha! Eva. This is well; he has made us his vloutingstog. I desire you, that we may be friends; and let us knog our prains together, to be revenge on this same scald, scurvy, cogging companion, the Host of the Garter. Caius. By gar, vit all my heart; he promise to bring me vere is Anne Page: by gar, he deceive me too. Eva. Well, I will smite his noddles :-'Pray you follow. [Excunt. SCENE II. A Street. Enter ROBIN and MRS. PAGE. Mrs. Page. Nay, keep your way, little gallant ; you were wont to be a follower, but now you are a leader: Whether had you rather, lead mine eyes, or eye your master's heels? Rob. I had rather, forsooth, go before you man, than follow him like a dwarf. like a Mrs. Page. O, you are a flattering boy; now, I see, you'll be a courtier. Enter FORD. Ford. Well met, mistress Page: Whither go you? Mrs. Page. Truly, sir, to see your wife: Is she at home? Ford. Ay; and as idle as she may hang together, for want of company: I think, if your husbands were dead, you two would marry. Mrs. Page. Be sure of that,-two other husbands. Ford. Where had you this pretty weather-cock? Mrs. Page. I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of:-What do you call your knight's name, sirrah? Rob. Sir John Falstaff. Ford. Sir John Falstaff! Mrs. Page. He, he: I can never hit on's name. There is such a league between my good man and he! Is your wife at home, indeed? Ford. Indeed, she is. |