MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. ACT I. SCENE I. Windsor. Before Page's House. Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR1 HUGH EVANS. Shallow. SIR Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Starchamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and coram. Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and Cust-alorum 2. Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, armigero. Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done3 any time these three hundred years. Slen. All his successors, gone before him, have 1 Sir, was a title formerly applied to priests and curates generally. Dominus being the academical title of a Bachelor (bas chevalier) of Arts, was usually rendered by Sir in English, and as most clerical persons had taken that degree, it became usual to style them Sir. 2 A corruption of Custos Rotulorum. It seems doubtful whether Shakspeare designed Shallow to make this mistake, for though he gives him folly enough, he makes him rather pedantic than illiterate. Unless we suppose, with Mr. Malone, that it might have been intended to ridicule the abbreviations used in writs, &c. 3 i. e. all the Shallows have done. done't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Shal. It is an old coat. Eva. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies-love. Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat 4. Slen. I may quarter, coz? Shal. You may, by marrying. Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it. Eva. Yes, pe'r-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures: but that is all one: If Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you. Shal. The Council 5 shall hear it; it is a riot. Eva. It is not meet the Council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the Council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments in that. Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it. Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and 4 It seems that the latter part of this speech should be given to Sir Hugh. Shallow has just before said the coat is an old one; and now, that it is the luce, the fresh fish.' No, replies the parson, it cannot be old and fresh too- the salt fish is an old coat.' Shakspeare is supposed to allude to the arms of Sir Thomas Lucy, who is said to have prosecuted him for a misdemeanor in his youth, and whom he now ridiculed under the character of Justice Shallow. 5 The Court of Star-chamber is meant. 6 Advisement. end it and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions with it: There is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman. Eva. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of monies, and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, upon his death's bed (Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!) give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between master Abraham and mistress Anne Page. Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts. Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts. Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page: Is Falstaff there? Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar, as I do despise one that is false; or, as I despise one that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. What, hoa! Got pless your house here! Enter PAGE. Page. Who's there? Eva. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and justice Shallow and here young master Slen- 7 Soft. der; that, peradventures, shall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings. Page. I am glad to see your worships well: I thank you for my venison, master Shallow. Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you; Much good do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill kill'd :- How doth good mistress Page?-and I love you always with my heart, la; with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you. Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do. Page. I am glad to see you, good master Slender. Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say, he was out-run on Cotsale 9. Page. It could not be judg'd, sir. Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. Shal. That he will not;-'tis your fault, 'tis fault: Tis a good dog. Page. A cur, sir. your Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; Can there be more said? he is good, and fair.-Is Sir John Falstaff here? 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. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd; is not that so, master Page? He hath wrong'd me; indeed he hath; at a word, he hath;-believe me;-Robert Shallow, esquire, saith he is wrong'd. Page. Here comes Sir John. • First folio. I thank. The reading in the text is from the 4to. 1619. 9 The Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire, famous for their fine turf, and therefore excellent for coursing. 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. Fal. But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter? Fal. I will answer it straight;-I have done all this:-That is now answer'd. Shal. The Council shall know this. Ful. 'Twere better for you, if it were known in counsel: you'll be laugh'd at. Eva. Pauca verba, Sir John, good worts. Fal. Good worts 10! 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 coney-catching 11 rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket. Bar. You Banbury cheese 12! Slen. Ay, it is no matter. Pist. How now, Mephostophilus 13? Slen. Ay, it is no matter. Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca 14; slice! that's my humour. 10 Worts was the ancient term for all the cabbage kind. 11 A common name for cheats and sharpers in the time of Elizabeth. By a metaphor taken from those that rob warrens and conie grounds.'-Minshew's Dict. 12 Said in allusion to the thin carcass of Slender. So, in Jack Drum's Entertainment, 1601. "Put off your clothes, and you are like a Banbury Cheese, nothing but paring." 13 The name of a spirit, or familiar, in the old story book of Faustus to whom there is another allusion Act ii. Sc. 2. It was a cant phrase, probably for an ugly fellow. 14 Few words. |