_Quick._ [_Aside to Simple_] I am glad he is so quiet: 80 if he had been throughly moved, you should have heard him so loud and so melancholy. But notwithstanding, man, I"ll do you your master what good I can: and the very yea and the no is, the French doctor, my master,--I may call him my master, look you, for I keep his house; 85 and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself,--
_Sim._ [_Aside to Quickly_] "Tis a great charge to come under one body"s hand.
_Quick._ [_Aside to Simple_] Are you avised o" that? you 90 shall find it a great charge: and to be up early and down late;--but notwithstanding,--to tell you in your ear; I would have no words of it,--my master himself is in love with Mistress Anne Page: but notwithstanding that, I know Anne"s mind,--that"s neither here nor there. 95
_Caius._ You jack"nape, give-a this letter to Sir Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I will cut his troat in de park; and I will teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make. You may be gone; it is not good you tarry here. --By gar, I will cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not 100 have a stone to throw at his dog. [_Exit Simple._
_Quick._ Alas, he speaks but for his friend.
_Caius._ It is no matter-a ver dat:--do not you tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself?--By gar, I vill kill de Jack priest; and I have appointed mine host of de 105 Jarteer to measure our weapon:--By gar, I will myself have Anne Page.
_Quick._ Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well.
We must give folks leave to prate: what, the good-jer!
_Caius._ Rugby, come to the court with me. By gar, if 110 I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your head out of my door. Follow my heels, Rugby. [_Exeunt Caius and Rugby._
_Quick._ You shall have An fool"s-head of your own.
No, I know Anne"s mind for that: never a woman in Windsor knows more of Anne"s mind than I do; nor can 115 do more than I do with her, I thank heaven.
_Fent._ [_Within_] Who"s within there? ho!
_Quick._ Who"s there, I trow? Come near the house, I pray you.
_Enter FENTON._
_Fent._ How now, good woman! how dost thou? 120
_Quick._ The better that it pleases your good worship to ask.
_Fen._ What news? how does pretty Mistress Anne?
_Quick._ In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and gentle; and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by 125 the way; I praise heaven for it.
_Fent._ Shall I do any good, thinkest thou? shall I not lose my suit?
_Quick._ Troth, sir, all is in his hands above: but notwithstanding, Master Fenton, I"ll be sworn on a book, she 130 loves you. Have not your worship a wart above your eye?
_Fent._ Yes, marry, have I; what of that?
_Quick._ Well, thereby hangs a tale:--good faith, it is such another Nan; but, I detest, an honest maid as ever broke bread:--we had an hour"s talk of that wart. --I shall 135 never laugh but in that maid"s company!--But, indeed, she is given too much to allicholy and musing: but for you--well, go to.
_Fent._ Well, I shall see her to-day. Hold, there"s money for thee; let me have thy voice in my behalf: 140 if thou seest her before me, commend me.
_Quick._ Will I? i" faith, that we will; and I will tell your worship more of the wart the next time we have confidence; and of other wooers.
_Fent._ Well, farewell; I am in great haste now. 145
_Quick._ Farewell to your worship. [_Exit Fenton._] Truly, an honest gentleman: but Anne loves him not; for I know Anne"s mind as well as another does. --Out upon"t! what have I forgot? [_Exit._
NOTES: I, 4
SCENE IV.] SCENE IX. Pope.
4: _an_] om. Pope.
19: _wee_] _whey_ Capell.
20: _Cain_] F3 F4. _Kane_ (Q1 Q2). _Caine_ F1 Q3 F2. _cane_ Pope.
31: [Exit. Grant White.
34: [Shuts S. in the closet] Rowe.
38: SCENE X. Pope.
_des toys_] F3 F4. _des-toyes_ F1 Q3 F2. _dese toys_ Theobald.
39: _un boitier_] Rowe. _unboyteene_ F1 F2 Q3. _unboyteen_ F3 F4.
44, 45: _ma foi ... affaire_] Rowe. _mai_ (_moi_ F2 F3 F4) _foy, il fait for chando, Ie man voi a le Court la grand affaires._ Ff Q3.
47: _depeche_] _de-peech_ Ff Q3.
51: _Jack Rugby_] _Jack Rogoby_ Halliwell.
52: _take-a_] _take_ Q3.
56: _vill_] _will_ F2 F3 F4.
60: _villain_] Q3. _villainie_ Ff.
61: _larron_] _La-roone_ Ff Q3.
[Pulling S. out] Theobald.
63, 66: _shall_] F1 Q3. _should_ F2 F3 F4.
78: _baille_] _ballow_ Ff Q3. _baillez_ Theobald.
83: _you_] _yoe_ F1 Q3. _for_ F2 F3 F4. om. Capell.
84: _the French_] Ff. _that French_ Q3.
86: _wring_] _ring_ Ff Q3.
96: _give-a_] F1 Q3. _givie-a_ F2 F3 F4.
97, 98, 100: _will_] _vill_ Pope.
101: _throw_] F1 Q3. _trow_ F2 F3 F4.
103: _ver_] Ff Q3. _for_ Capell.
106: _Jarteer_] F1 Q3 F2 F3. _Garter_ F4.
109: _good-jer_] _goujeres_ Hanmer. _goujere_ Johnson.
_good year_ Capell.
120: SCENE XI. Pope.
131: _above_] _about_ Steevens.
132: _what of that_?] _and what of that_? Pope.
142: _we will_] _I will_ Halliwell MS.
ACT II.
SCENE I. _Before PAGE"S house._
_Enter MISTRESS PAGE, with a letter._
[Transcriber"s Note: In order to preserve the marked line breaks without losing readability, each line of the quoted letter has been split into two equal halves.]
_Mrs Page._ What, have I scaped love-letters in the holiday-time of my beauty, and am I now a subject for them? Let me see. [_Reads:_