293 rainbow; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brentford; but that my admirable dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of an old woman, deliver'd me, the knave constable had set me i'the stocks, i' the common stocks, for a witch.. Quick. Sir, let me speak with you in ber: you shall hear how things go; and, I warrant, your chamto your content. Here is a letter will say somewhat. Good hearts, what ado here is to bring you together! Sure, one of you does not serve heaven well, that you are so crossed. Fal. Come up into my chamber, [Exeunt. Host. Master Fenton, talk not to me; my mind is heavy, I will give over all.. Fent. Yet hear me speak: Assist me in my pur pose, And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee Fent. From time to time I have acquainted you Sure one of you does not serve heaven well, &c.] The great fault of this play is the frequency of expressions so profane, that no necessity of preserving character can justify them. There are laws of higher authority than those of criticism. JOHNSON. It is more to be regretted, that many of these expressions, omitted in the folio edition, on account of the Stat. 3 Jac. I. ch. 21, have been restored by the illaudable industry of subsequent editors. C. With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page; [Showing the letter. I'll show you here at large. Hark, good mine host: To-night at Herne's oak, just 'twixt twelve and one, Must my sweet Nan present the fairy queen; Her mother, even strong against that match, Made promise to the doctor ;-Now thus it rests: She shall go with him : her mother hath intended, While other jests are something rank on foot,] i. e. while they are hotly pursuing other merriment of their own. That, quaint in green,' she shall be loose enrob'd, Fent. Both, my good host, to go along with me: And here it rests,-that you'll procure the vicar To give our hearts united ceremony. Host. Well, husband your device; I'll to the vicar: Bring you the maid, you shall not lack a priest. Fent. So shall I ever more be bound to thee; Besides, I'll make a present recompense. [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I. A Room in the Garter Inn. Enter FALSTAFF and Mrs. QUICKLY. -I'll Fal. Pr'ythee, no more prattling :-go. hold: This is the third time; I hope, good luck lies in odd numbers. Away, go; they say, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance, or death.-Away. Quick. I'll provide you a chain; and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns. 2- quaint in green,] may mean fantastically drest in green. Quaintness, however, was anciently used to signify gracefulness. 3 I'll hold :] I'll keep the appointment. Fal. Away, I say; time wears: hold up your head, and mince.4 [Exit Mrs. QUICKLY. Enter FORD. How now, master Brook? Master Brook, the matter will be known to-night, or never. Be you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's oak, and you shall see wonders. Ford. Went you not to her yesterday, sir, as you told me you had appointed? Fal. I went to her, master Brook, as you see, like a poor old man: but I came from her, master Brook, like a poor old woman. That same knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him, master Brook, that ever governed frenzy. I will tell you. He beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman; for in the shape of man, master Brook, I fear not Goliath with a weaver's beam; because I know also, life is a shuttle. I am in haste, go along with me; I'll tell you all, master Brook. Since I plucked geese, played truant, and whipped top, I knew not what it was to be beaten, till lately. Follow me: I'll tell you strange things of this knave Ford: on whom to-night I will be revenged, and I will deliver his wife into your hand.Follow Strange things in hand, master Brook! follow. [Exeunt. 4-hold up your head, and mince.] To mince is to walk, with affected delicacy. 5 Since I plucked geese,] To strip a living goose of his feathers, was formerly an act of puerile barbarity. SCENE II. Windsor Park. Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER. Page. Come, come; we'll couch i' the castleditch, till we see the light of our fairies.-Remember, son Slender, my daughter. Slen. Ay, forsooth; I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word," how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry, mum; she cries budget; and by that we know one another. Shal. That's good too: but what needs either your mum, or her budget? the white will decipher her well enough.-It hath struck ten o'clock. Page. The night is dark; light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let's away; follow me. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Street in Windsor. Enter Mrs. PAGE, Mrs. FORD, and Dr. CAIUS. Mrs. Page. Master Doctor, my daughter is in green when you see your time, take her by the hand, away with her to the deanery, and despatch a nay-word,] i. e. a watch-word. mum; she cries, budget;] These words appear to have been in common use before the time of our author. "And now if a man call them to accomptes, and aske the cause of al these their tragical and cruel doings, he shall have a short answer with mum budget, except they will peradventure allege this, &c.". Oration against the unlawful Insurrections of the Protestants, bl. 1. 8vo. 1615, sign. C. 8. REED. |