Fal. Truly, mine host, I must turn away some of followers. my Host. Discard, bully Hercules; cashier: let them wag; trot, trot. Fal. I sit at ten pounds a-week. Host. Thou'rt an emperor, Cæsar, Keisar, and Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph; he shall draw, he shall tap: said I well, bully Hector? Fal. Do so, good mine host. Host. I have spoke; let him follow: Let me see thee froth, and lime9: I am at a word; follow. [Exit Host. Fal. Bardolph, follow him: a tapster is a good trade: an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered servingman, a fresh tapster: Go; adieu. Bard. It is a life that I have desired; I will thrive. [Exit. BARD. Pist. O base Gongarian wight!1 wilt thou the spigot wield? Nym. He was gotten in drink: Is not the humour conceited? His mind is not heroick, and there's the humour of it. Fal. I am glad, I am so acquit of this tinder-box; his thefts were too open; his filching was like an unskilful singer, he kept not time. Nym. The good humour is, to steal at a minute's rest. Pist. Convey, the wise it call: Steal! foh; a fico for the phrase !2 8 Fal. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels. 9 Keisar,] Keysar for Cæsar. Let me see thee froth, and lime :] Frothing beer and liming sack, were tricks practised in the time of Shakspeare. The first was done by putting soap into the bottom of the tankard when they drew the beer; the other by mixing lime with the sack (i. e. sherry) to make it sparkle in the glass. 1 O base Gongarian wight, &c.] A cant term in old bombast plays. a fico for the phrase!] i. e. a fig for it. Fal. There is no remedy; I must coney-catch; I must shift. Pist. Young ravens must have food. Fal. Which of you know Ford of this town? Fal. No quips now, Pistol; Indeed I am in the waist two yards about: but I am now about no waste; I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean to make love to Ford's wife; I spy entertainment in her; she discourses, she carves, she gives the leer of invitation: I can construe the action of her familiar style; and the hardest voice of her behaviour, to be English'd rightly, is, I am sir John Falstaff's. Pist. He hath studied her well, and translated her well; out of honesty into English. Nym. The anchor is deep*: Will that humour pass ? Fal. Now, the report goes, she has all the rule of her husband's purse; she hath legions of angels. Pist. As many devils entertain5; and, To her, boy, say I. Nym. The humour rises; it is good: humour me the angels. Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her: and here another to Page's wife; who even now gave me good eyes too, examin❜d my parts with most judicious eyliads®: sometimes the beam of her view gilded my foot, sometimes my portly belly. 3 she carves,] It should be remembered, that anciently the young of both sexes were instructed in carving, as a necessary accomplishment. 4 The anchor is deep :] Perhaps we may read-the author is deep 5 As many devils entertain ;] i. e. do you retain in your service as many devils as she has angels. 6— eyliads :] Perhaps we should write aillades, French. Pist. Then did the sun on dunghill shine. Fal. O, she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy intention7, that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning glass! Here's another letter to her she bears the purse too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and bounty. I will be cheater to them both, and they shall be exchequers to me3; they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear thou this letter to mistress Page; and thou this to mistress Ford: we will thrive, lads, we will thrive. Pist. Shall I sir Pandarus of Troy become, And by my side wear steel? then, Lucifer take all ! Nym. I will run no base humour: here, take the humour letter; I will keep the 'haviour of reputation. Fal. Hold, sirrah, [to ROB.] bear you these letters tightly; 9 Sail like my pinnace1 to these golden shores. And high and low beguile the rich and poor;" 8 I will be cheater to them both, &c.] By this is meant escheatour, an officer in the exchequer. 9 bear you these letters tightly;] i. e. cleverly, adroitly. my pinnace-] A pinnace seems anciently to have signified a small vessel, or sloop attending on a larger. A pinnace now, is a small vessel with a square stern, having sails and oars, and carrying three masts; chiefly used as a scout for intelligence, and for landing of men. And high and low beguile the rich and poor ;] Gourds were pro Tester I'll have in pouch, when thou shalt lack, Base Phrygian Turk! Nym. I have operations in my head, which be hu mours of revenge. Pist. Wilt thou revenge ? Nym. By welkin, and her star! Pist. With wit, or steel? Nym. With both the humours, I: I will discuss the humour of this love to Page. How Falstaff, varlet vile, His dove will prove, his gold will hold, 3 Nym. My humour shall not cool: I will incense Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with yellowness, for the revolt of mien 5 is dangerous: that is my true humour. Pist. Thou art the Mars of malcontents: I second thee; troop on. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. A Room in Dr. Caius's House. Enter Mrs. QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and RUGBY. Quick. What: John Rugby!-I pray thee, go to the casement, and see if you can see my master, master Doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i'faith, and find any bably dice in which a secret cavity had been made; fullams, those which had been loaded with a small bit of lead, which, being chiefly made at Fulham, were thence called “high and low Fulhams." The high Fulhams were the numbers, 4, 5, and 6. 4 5 I will incense Page, &c.] i. e. instigate. yellowness,] Yellowness is jealousy. the revolt of mien—] i. c. change of countenance. body in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English. Rug. I'll go watch. [Exit RUGBY. Quick. Go; aud we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire. An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale, nor no breed-bate 7: his worst fault is, that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way; but nobody but has his fault; - but let that pass. Peter Simple, you say your name is ? Sim. Ay, for fault of a better. Quick. And master Slender's your master? Quick. Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring knife? Sim. No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard; a Cain-coloured beard." Quick. A softly-sprighted man, is he not? Sim. Ay, forsooth: but he is as tall a man of his hands, as any is between this and his head; he hath fought with a warrener. Quick. How say you? - O, I should remember him; Does he not hold up his head, as it were? and strut in his gait? Sim. Yes, indeed, does he. Quick. Well, heaven send Ann Page no worse fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish 6 Re-enter RUGBY. Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. 7 at the latter end, &c.] When my master is in bed. contention. 8 9 a little wee face,] Wee, in the North signifies very little. a Cain-coloured beard.] Cain and Judas, in the tapestries and pictures of old, were represented with yellow beards. |