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- Edition: The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Quarto)
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I'll not lend thee a penny.
I will retort the sum in equipage.
Not a penny! I have been content you776468 should lay my countenance to pawn. I have grated777469 upon my good friends for three reprieves for you and778470 your coach-fellow Nym, else you might 'a' looked471 through a grate like a gemini of baboons. I am779472 damned in hell for swearing to gentlemen you're good781473 soldiers and tall fellows. And when Mistress782474 Bridget lost the handle of her fan, I took't on my honor783475 thou hadst it not.
Didst thou not share? Hadst thou not477 fifteen pence?
Reason, you rogue, reason.479 Dost thou think I'll endanger my soul gratis?787480 In brief, hang no more about me. I am no gibbet 788481 for you. A short knife and a throng to your manor 789482 of Pickt-hatch, go. You'll not bear a letter for me,790483 you rogue you! You stand upon your honor! Why,791484 thou unconfinable baseness thou, 'tis as much as I792485 can do to keep the terms of my honor precise. I, I793486 myself sometimes, leaving the fear of God on794487 the left hand, am fain to shuffle, to filch, and to lurch.795488 And yet you stand upon your honor, you rogue!489 You, you --
I do recant. What wouldst thou more of man?
Well, go to, away! No more.
Good you god den, sir.
Good den, fair wife.
Not so, an't like your worship.
Fair maid, then.
That I am, I'll be sworn, as my mother was808498 the first hour I was born.810499 Sir, I would speak with you in private.
Are they so? Now God bless them, and812.3503 make them his servants.812.4504 Sir, I come from Mistress Ford.
So, from Mistress Ford. Go on.
Ay, sir, she hath sent me to you to let you849507 understand she hath received your letter,849.1508 and, let me tell you, she is one stands upon her credit.
Well, come -- Mistress Ford, Mistress Ford?
Nay, prithee, be brief, my good she-Mercury.
So, between eight and nine?
Ay, forsooth, for then her husband goes a-birding.
[The Boy offers money.]
From Mistress Page? I prithee, what of her?
Not I, I assure thee. Setting the attraction of my872525 good parts aside, I use no other enchantments.
Well, sir, she loves you extremely.872.2527 And let me tell you, she's one that fears God,881528 and her husband gives her leave to do all,880529 for he is not half so jealousy as Master Ford is.
But hark thee, hath Mistress Page and Mistress Ford875531 acquainted each other how dearly they love me?
O God, no, sir! There were a jest indeed.
God be with your worship.
Sir, here's a gentleman,539 one Master Brook, would speak with you.908540 He hath sent you a cup of sack.
Master Brook, he's welcome: Bid him come up,542 Such Brooks are always welcome to me.
[Exit Bardolph.]
911.1543 Ah, Jack, will thy old body yet hold out?911.2544 Wilt thou, after the expense of so much money,911.3545 be now a gainer? Good body, I thank thee,911.4546 and I'll make more of thee than I ha' done.911.5547 Ha, ha, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, have911.6548 I caught you o'the hip? Go to!
God save you, sir.
And you too. Would you speak with me?
Good Master Brook, you're very welcome.
I'faith, sir, I am a gentleman and a traveler928556 that have seen somewhat. And I have often heard557 that, if money goes before, all ways lie open.
Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on.
I'faith, sir, and I have a bag here [Showing a money-bag] .932560 Would you would help me to bear it.
O Lord, would I could tell how to deserve562 to be your porter.
That may you easily, Sir John. I have an earnest945564 suit to you. But, good Sir John, when I have946565 told you my grief, cast one eye of your own948566 estate, since yourself knew what 'tis to be949567 such an offender.
Very well, sir, proceed.
Sir, I am deeply in love with one Ford's wife951.1570 of this town. Now, Sir John, you are a gentleman951.2571 of good discoursing, well beloved among ladies,951.3572 a man of such parts that might win twenty such as she.
Oh, good sir!
Nay, believe it, Sir John, for 'tis time. Now, my love953.2575 is so grounded upon her that without her love953.3576 I shall hardly live.
Have you importuned her by any means?
No, never, sir.
Of what quality is your love then?
I'faith, sir, like a fair house set upon581 another man's foundation.
And to what end have you unfolded this to me?
Oh, sir, when I have told you that, I told you all,998584 for she, sir, stands so pure in the firm state999585 of her honesty that she is too bright to be looked1001586 against. Now, could I come against her587 with some detection, I should sooner persuade her1004588 from her marriage vow, and a hundred such nice589 terms that she'll stand upon.
Why would it apply well to the fervency996591 of your affection592 that another should possess what you would enjoy?593 Methinks you prescribe very preposterously997594 to yourself.
Well, Master Brook, I'll first make bold with your money [Accepting the money-bag] .1009598 Next, give me your hand. [They shake hands.] . Lastly, you shall1010599 and you will enjoy Ford's wife.
Oh, good sir!
Master Brook, I say you shall.
Want no money, Sir John, you shall want none.
Want no Mistress Ford, Master Brook,604 you shall want none. Even as you came to me,1016605 her spokesmate, her go-between, parted from me.1017606 I may tell you, Master Brook, I am to meet her1018607 between eight and nine, for at that time the jealous1019608 cuckally knave, her husband, will be from home.609 Come to me soon at night. You shall know how1020610 I speed, Master Brook.
Sir, do you know Ford?
Hang him, poor cuckally knave, I know him not,1024613 and yet I wrong him to call him poor. For they614 say the cuckally knave hath legions of angels,1026615 for the which his wife seems to me well favored,616 and I'll use her as the key of the cuckally knave's1027617 coffer, and there's my rendezvous.
Hang him, cuckally knave, I'll stare him1032621 out of his wits. I'll keepe him in awe622 with this, my cudgel: it shall hang like a meteor1033623 o'er the wittolly knave's head. Master Brook, thou shalt1034624 see I will predominate o'er the peasant,1035625 and thou shalt lie with his wife. Master Brook,1037626 thou shalt know him for knave and cuckold!1038627 Come to me soon at night.
What a damned epicurian is this?
6.691054632 I'll sooner trust an Irishman with my633 aqua-vitae bottle, Sir Hugh, our parson, with my cheese,1055634 a thief to walk my ambling gelding, than my wife1056635 with herself. Then she plots, then she ruminates,1057636 and what she thinks in her heart she may effect --1058637 she'll break her heart but she will effect it.1059638 God be praised, God be praised for my jealousy!1060639 Well, I'll go prevent him. The time draws on.1062640 Better an hour too soon than a minute too late.1063641 God's my life -- cuckold, cuckold!