good Sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the dice,
and a good student from his book, and it is won-
derful.

Slen. [Aside] Ah, sweet Anne Page!
Page. 'Save you, good Sir Hugh!

Evans. 'Pless you from his mercy sake, all of you!

Shal. What, the sword and the word! do you study them both, master parson?

Page. And youthful still! in your doublet and hose this raw rheumatic day!

Evans. There is reasons and causes for it. Page. We are come to you to do a good office, master parson.

Evans. Fery well: what is it?

Page. Yonder is a most reverend gentleman, who, belike having received wrong by some person, is at most odds with his own gravity and patience that ever you saw.

Shal. I have lived fourscore years and upward; I never heard a man of his place, gravity and learning, so wide of his own respect.

Evans. What is he?

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Page. I think you know him; Master Doctor 60 Caius, the renowned French physician.

Evans. Got's will, and his passion of my heart! I had as lief you would tell me of a mess of porridge.

Page. Why?

Evans. He has no more knowledge in Hibocrates and Galen,—and he is a knave besides; a cowardly knave as you would desires to be acquainted withal.

Page. I warrant you, he's the man should fight 70 with him.

Slen. [Aside] O sweet Anne Page!

Shal. It appears so by his weapons. them asunder: here comes Doctor Caius.

Enter HOST, CAIUS, and RUGBY.

Keep

Page. Nay, good master parson, keep in your weapon.

Shal. So do you, good master doctor.

Host. Disarm them, and let them question : let them keep their limbs whole and hack our English.

Caius. I pray you, let-a me speak a word with your ear. Vherefore vill you not meet-a me? Evans. [Aside to Caius] Pray you, use your patience in good time.

Caius. By gar, you are de coward, de Jack dog, John ape.

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Evans. [Aside to Caius] Pray you, let us not be laughing-stocks to other men's humours; I desire you in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends. [Aloud] I will knog 90 your urinals about your knave's cogscomb for missing your meetings and appointments.

Caius. Diable! Jack Rugby,-mine host de Jarteer, have I not stay for him to kill him? have I not, at de place I did appoint?

Evans. As I am a Christians soul now, look you, this is the place appointed: I'll be judgement by mine host of the Garter.

Host. Peace, I say, Gallia and Gaul, French and Welsh, soul-curer and body-curer ! Caius. Ay, dat is very good; excellent. Host. Peace, I say! Garter. Am I politic?

99. Gallia elsewhere in Shakespeare means France, here clearly Wales. Q1 has Gawlia;

hear mine host of the am I subtle? am I a

perhaps Shakespeare wrote Gwalia, the authentic name for Wales in mediæval Latinity.

Machiavel? Shall I lose my doctor? no; he gives me the potions and the motions. Shall I lose my parson, my priest, my Sir Hugh? no: he gives me the proverbs and the no-verbs. Give me thy hand, terrestrial; so. Give me thy hand, celestial; so. Boys of art, I have deceived you both; I have directed you to wrong places: your 110 hearts are mighty, your skins are whole, and let burnt sack be the issue. Come, lay their swords Follow me, lads of peace; follow,

to pawn. follow, follow.

Shal. Trust me, a mad host.

men, follow.

Follow, gentle

Slen. [Aside] O sweet Anne Page!

[Exeunt Shal., Slen., Page and Host.

Caius. Ha, do I perceive dat? have you make-a

de sot of us, ha, ha?

Evans. This is well; he has made us his vlout- 120 ing stog. I desire you that we may be friends; and let us knog our prains together to be revenge on this same scall, scurvy, cogging companion, the host of the Garter.

Caius. By gar, with all my heart. He promise to bring me where is Anne Page; by gar, he deceive me too.

Evans. Well, I will smite his noddles. Pray you, follow.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. A street.

Enter MISTRESS PAGE and ROBIN.

Mrs. Page. Nay, keep your way, little gallant; you were wont to be a follower, but now you

119. sot (here in the French sense), fool.

123. scall, scald, scabby.
ib. cogging, cheating.

are a leader. Whether had you rather lead mine eyes, or eye your master's heels?

Rob. I had rather, forsooth, go before you like a man than follow him like a dwarf.

Mrs. Page. O, you are a flattering boy now I see you'll be a courtier.

Enter FORD.

Ford. Well met, Mistress Page.

you?

Whither go

ΙΟ

Mrs. Page. Truly, sir, to see your wife. Is she at home?

Ford. Ay; and as idle as she may hang together, for want of company. I think, if your husbands were dead, you two would marry. Mrs. Page. Be sure of that,-two other husbands.

Ford. Where had you this pretty weathercock? Mrs. Page. I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of. What do you 20 call your knight's name, sirrah ?

Rob. Sir John Falstaff.

Ford. Sir John Falstaff!

Mrs. Page. He, he; I can never hit on's name. There is such a league between my good man and he! Is your wife at home indeed? Ford. Indeed she is.

Ford. Has eyes? hath he

Mrs. Page. By your leave, sir: I am sick till I see her. [Exeunt Mrs. Page and Robin. Page any brains? hath he any 30 any thinking? Sure, they sleep; he hath no use of them. Why, this boy will carry a letter twenty mile, as easy as a cannon will shoot point-blank twelve score. He pieces out his wife's inclination; he gives her folly motion

and advantage: and now she's going to my wife,

A man may hear
And Falstaff's boy

and Falstaff's boy with her. this shower sing in the wind. with her! Good plots, they are laid; and our revolted wives share damnation together. Well; 40 I will take him, then torture my wife, pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming Mistress Page, divulge Page himself for a secure and wilful Actæon; and to these violent proceedings all my neighbours shall cry aim. [Clock heard.] The clock gives me my cue, and my assurance bids me search: there I shall find Falstaff: I shall be rather praised for this than mocked; for it is as positive as the earth is firm that Falstaff is there: I will go.

Enter PAGE, SHallow, Slender, Host, Sir
HUGH EVANS, CAIUS, and RUGBY.

Shal., Page, etc. Well met, Master Ford.
Ford. Trust me, a good knot: I have good
cheer at home; and I pray you all go with me.
Shal. I must excuse myself, Master Ford.

Slen. And so must I, sir: we have appointed to dine with Mistress Anne, and I would not break with her for more money than I'll speak of.

Shal. We have lingered about a match beween Anne Page and my cousin Slender, and this day we shall have our answer.

Slen. I hope I have your good will, father Page. Page. You have, Master Slender; I stand wholly for you but my wife, master doctor, is for you altogether.

Caius. Ay, be-gar; and de maid is love-a me : my nursh-a Quickly tell me so mush.

44. Acteon, cuckold (on account of the horns which he

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60

wore when transformed into a stag).