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 body in the house, here will be an old abusing of the king's English.

Rug. I'll go watch.

[Exit RUGBY. Quick. Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, 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 telltale, nor no breed-bate 9; 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?
Sim. Ay, forsooth.

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

9 Strife.

I Foolish.

2 Brave.

fortune. Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master; Anne is a good girl, and I wish

Re-enter RUGBY.

Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. Quick. We shall all be shent 3: Run in here, good young man; go into this closet. [Shuts SIMPLE in the closet.] He will not stay long. What, John Rugby! John, what, John, I say!- Go, John, go enquire for my master; I doubt he be not well, that he comes not home: - and down, down adown-a, &c.

Enter Doctor CAIUS.

Caius. Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys; Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier verd; a box, a green-a box ; Do intend vat I speak? a green-a box.

Quick. Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you. I am glad he went not in himself; if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad. [Aside. Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vais à la Cour, -la grande affaire. Quick. Is it this, sir?

Caius. Ouy; mette le au mon pocket; Depeche, quickly:-Vere is dat knave Rugby? Quick. What, John Rugby! John!

Rug. Here, sir.

Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby: Come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to de court.

Rug. "Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long:-Od's me!

3 Scolded, reprimanded.

Qu'ay j'oublié? dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind. Quick. Ah me! he'll find the young man there, and be mad.

Caius. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet? Villainy? larron! [Pulling SIMPLE out.] Rugby, my rapier.

Quick. Good master, be content.

Caius. Verefore shall I be content-a?

Quick. The young man is an honest man.

Caius. Vat shall de honest man do in my closet? dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet. Quick. I beseech you, be not so flegmatick; hear the truth of it. He came of an errand to me from parson Hugh.

Caius. Vell.

Sim. Ay, forsooth, to desire her to
Quick. Peace, I pray you.

Caius. Peace-a your tongue:-Speak-a your tale. Sim. To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a good word to mistress Anne Page for my master, in the way of marriage.

Quick. This is all, indeed, la: but I'll ne'er put my finger in the fire, and need not.

Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you?- Rugby, baillez me some paper:- Tarry you a little-a while.

[Writes.

Quick. I am glad he is so quiet: if he had been thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so melancholy:- But notwithstanding, man, I'll do 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; and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself;

Sim. 'Tis a great charge, to come under one body's hand.

Quick. Are you avis'd o' that? you 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.

it

do not you

Caius. You jack'nape; give-a dis letter to Sir Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge; I vill cut his troat in de park; and I will teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make: you may be gone; is not good you tarry here. [Exit SIMPLE. Quick. Alas, he speaks but for his friend. Caius. It is no matter-a for dat; 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 Jarterre to measure our weapon:-by gar, I vill myself have Anne Page. Quick. Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well: we must give folks leave to prate.

Caius. Rugby, come to the court vit me ;- By gar, if 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 fools-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 do more than I do with her.

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 ? Quick. The better, that it pleases your good worship to ask.

Fent. 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 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 loves you: Have not your worship a

wart above your eye?

Fent. Yes, marry, have I; what of that?

Quick. Well, thereby hàngs a tale ; — good faith it is such another Nan; — but I detest 4, an honest maid as ever broke bread:-We had an hour's talk of that wart; —I shall never laugh but in that maid's company!— But, indeed, she is given too much to allicholly 5 and musing: But for youWell, go to.

Fent. Well, I shall see her to day: Hold, there's money for thee; let me have thy voice in my behalf:-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.

[Exit.

Quick. Farewell to your worship.- 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.

↑ She means, I protest.

› Melancholy.