Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not: I will make a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace and 'Coram.' Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and 'Custalorum.' Slen. Ay, and 'Rato-lorum' too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself 'Armigero,' in any bill, warrant, quittance, or 10 obligation, Armigero.' Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years. Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done't; and all his ancestors that come after him may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Shal. It is an old coat. Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant; it is a 20 familiar beast to man, and signifies love. Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat. Slen. I may quarter, coz. Shal. You may, by marrying. Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it. Evans. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures: but that is all one. If 30 Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and compremises between you. Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot. 16. luces, pikes; doubtless an allusion to Shakespeare's old enemy, Sir Thomas Lucy of Stratford; the Lucy arms were adduced in a Booke of Gentry, 1586, as an instance that signs of the coat should something agree with the name.' A quartering of them, given in Dugdale's Warwickshire, 1656, exhibits the twelve white luces.' 20. passant (in heraldry), walking. 22. The luce, etc. This passage has not been entirely explained. Shallow probably means to correct Evans somewhat as follows: The luce is not the louse, but the freshwater fish, which, salted and "white," marks an ancient coatof-arms.' 35. the council, probably the Star-chamber, as in 1. 2. there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments in that. Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, 40 the sword should end it. Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which peradventure prings goot discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Master Thomas Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman. Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, 50 as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and gold and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed-Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!-give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page. Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts. Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot gifts. Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff there? бо Evans. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar as I do despise one that is false, or as I despise one 70 that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for Master Page. [Knocks] Enter PAGE. Evans. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and Justice Shallow; and here young Master Slender, that peradventures shall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings. Page. I am glad to see your worships well. 80 I thank you for my venison, Master Shallow. Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you: much good do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill killed. How doth good Mistress Page ?-and I thank you always with my heart, la! with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you. Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do. Page. I am glad to see you, good Master Slender. Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say he was outrun on Cotsall. Page. It could not be judged, sir. Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. Shal. That he will not. fault; 'tis a good dog. Page. A cur, sir. 'Tis your fault, 'tis your Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog: 92. outrun on Cotsall, at the Whitsun games, annually held on the Cotswolds, near Chipping Campden. They were instituted, probably in the last years of the sixteenth century, by Captain Robert Dover, and known as his 'Olympick games.' Drayton, 90 Randolph, and other noted poets combined to celebrate them in the Annalia Dubrensia, 1636. They apparently ceased in 1638, and Dover died in 1641. Cf. Gosse, Seventeenth-Century Studies. can there be more said? he is good and fair. Is Sir John Falstaff here? Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you. Evans. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak. Shal. He hath wronged me, Master Page. Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it. 100 Shal. If it be confessed, it is not redressed: is not that so, Master Page? He hath wronged me; indeed he hath; at a word, he hath, believe me: Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wronged. 110 Page. Here comes Sir John. Enter SIR JOHN FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM, Fal. Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king? Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge. Fal. But not kissed your keeper's daughter? Fal. I will answer it straight; I have done all That is now answered. Shal. The council shall know this. Fal. 'Twere better for you if it were known in counsel you'll be laughed at. : Evans. Pauca verba, Sir John; goot worts. Fal. Good worts! good cabbage. Slender, I broke your head: what matter have you against me? Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head 109. at a word, in a word. 115. lodge, the keeper's lodge. 120 121. known in counsel, i.e. kept secret. |
