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THE LARGER
TEMPLE SHAKESPEARE
By the kind permission of Messrs Macmillan tS* Co.
and W. Aldis Wright, Esq., the text here
used is that of the ' ' Cambridge " Edition. Jn
the present issue of the ' ' Temple Shakespeare "
the Editor has introduced some feiv textual
changes ; these have been carefully noted in
each case.
TnK " Droeshout Original" Portrait ok Siiaki;si>kari:.
Presented to the Shakespeare Memorial, Strat/ot-ii-vpon-Avon by
Mrs. /•'lozuer, and now reproduced in facsiiiiile l>y kind
permission o/ the Co7'ernors o/ the Memorial.
THE WORKS
OF
SHAKESPEARE
EDITED BY
ISRAEL GOLLANCZ
VOLUME ONE
THE TEMPEST
TWO GENTLEMEN
OF VERONA
MERRY WIVES
OF WINDSOR
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS,
ANTIQUARIAN AND TOPOGRAPHICAL
LONDON
J. M. DENT Iff CO.
ALDINE HOUSE
29 & 30 BEDFORD STREET, W.C.
1899
^753
The EDITOR desires to associate this
illustrated edition of The TEMPLE
SHAKESPEARE luitk the names
of the late J. 0. HALLIWELL-
PHILLIPPS, the zealous collector
of Shakespeariana, IS" the late
F. W. FAIR HOLT, author of
'Costume in England,' IS'c, as a
dutiful tribute to their joint labours
THE EDITOR'S NOTE
The present edition of The Temple Shakespeare aims at the
elucidation of the text by means of illustrative drawings
from old books, broadsides, antiquarian objects, maps,
&c., belonging, for the most part, to the poet's own
times.
The adequate carrying out of the task has been rendered
possible owing to the rich stores of Shakespearian rarities
collected by the indefatigable labours of the late J. O.
Halliwell-Phillipps, reproduced by the pencil of the
late F. W. Fairholt in the monumental edition of the
works of Shakespeare issued during the years 1853-61,
in fifteen great folio volumes, to some 150 subscribers.
For permission to avail himself of this rich treasury,
the editor desires to express his sincerest thanks to Mr
Halliwell-Phillipps's trustees, and more especially to
Ernest E. Baker, Esq., F.S.A. of Weston-super-mare.
The realistic method of illustrating Shakespeare's text
will, it is believed, prove of greater use and more attrac-
tive than more imaginative embellishments.
Some few changes have been made in the text, but
every departure from the scholarly 'Cambridge edition'
has been carefully noted : it need hardly be said that these
changes have not been hazarded recklessly.
THE EDITOR'S NOTE
For ease of reference the order of the plays in the
First Folio has been followed in this edition, in prefer-
ence to the chronological scheme, in many respects more
commendable ; there is no fear nowadays of The Tempest
being regarded as the earliest of the plays because of
its position in the editio pr'mceps. It should be noted that
Troilus and Cressida is not mentioned at all in the original
' Catalogue of the several Comedies, Histories, and
Tragedies,' though in the body of the book it opens the
section of Tragedies. Pericles, not included in the First
Folio, will be found in the last volume of the plays.
The twelfth volume will contain The Sonnets and Poems,
together with a concise account of the poet's life, illustra-
tive documents, early editions of the works, contested
theories, &c.
I feel sure that many readers will thank me for reprint-
ing the prefatory matter to the First Folio, unaccountably
omitted from most modern editions — the precious testi-
mony of Shakespeare's friends and fellow-actors, 'under-
taking the design . . . to keep the memory of so ivorthy a
friend and felloiv alive as luas our SHAKESPEARE. . . .
It had been a thing, ive confess, ivorthy to have been luished,
that the Author himself had lived to have set forth, and over-
seen his own ivritingsJ'
I. G.
September %th, 1899.
PREFATORY
MATTER TO
FIRST FOLIO
To the Reader
This figure, that thou here seest put,
It was for gentle Shakespeare cut :
Wherein the Graver had a strife
Witii Nature, to out-doo the life.
O, could he but have drawne his wit
As well in brasse as he hath hit
His face, the print would then surpasse
All that was ever writ in brasse ;
But since he cannot, reader, looke
Not on his picture, but his booke.
B. J.
Mr. WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARES
COMEDIES,
HISTORIES, isf
TRAGEDIES.
Publiihed according to the True Originall Copies.
TITLE-PAGE
OF
FIRST FOLIO
L 0 ND ON
Printed by Ifaac laggard, and Ed. Blount. 1623.
TO THE MOST NOBLE preface to
FIRST FOLIO
AND
INCOMPARABLE PAIR OF BRETHREN
WILLIAM
Earl of Pembroke, &c., Lord Chamberlain to the
King's most Excellent Majesty
AND
PHILIP
Earl of Montgomery, &c.. Gentleman of his Majesty's
Bed-Chamber. Both Knights of the most Noble
Order of the Garter, and our singular good
LORDS.
Right Honourable,
Whilst we study to be thankful in our particular, for the many
favours we have received from your L.L., we are fallen upon the
ill fortune, to mingle two the most diverse things that can be, fear,
and rashness ; rashness in the enterprise, and fear of the success.
For, when we value the places your H.H. sustain, we cannot but
know their dignity greater, than to descend to the reading of these
trifles : and, while we name them trifles, we have deprived ourselves
of the defence of our Dedication. But since your L.L. have been
pleased to think these trifles something heretofore ; and have pro-
secuted both them, and their Author living, with so much favour :
we hope, that (they outliving him, and he not having the fate,
common with some, to be executor to his own writings) you will
use the like indulgence toward them, you have done unto their
parent. There is a great difference, whether any Book choose his
Patrons or find them : This hath done both. For, so much were
your L.L. likings of the several parts, when they were acted, as
before they were published, the Volume asked to be yours. We
have but collected them, and done an office to the dead, to procure
PREFACE TO his Orphans, Guardians ; without ambition either of self-profit, or
FIRST FOLIO fame : only to keep the memory of so worthy a Friend, and Fellow
alive, as was our Shakespeare, by humble offer of his plays, to your
most noble patronage. Wherein, as we have justly observed, no
man to come near your L.L. but with a kind of religious address ;
it hath been the height of our care, who are the Presenters, to make
the present worthy of your H.H. by the perfection. But, there
we must also crave our abilities to be considered, my Lords. We
cannot go beyond our own powers. Country hands reach forth
milk, cream, fruits, or what they have : and many Nations (we
have heard) that had not gums and incense, obtained their requests
with a leavened Cake. It was no fault to approach their Gods, by
what means they could : And the most, though meanest, of things
are made more precious, when they are dedicated to Temples. In
that name, therefore, we most humbly consecrate to your H.H.
these remains of your servant, Shakespeare ; that what delight is in
them, may be ever your L.L. the reputation his, and the faults
ours, if any be committed, by a pair so careful to show their
gratitude, both to the living, and the dead, as is
Your Lordships' most bounden,
John Heminge.
Henrie Condell.
TO THE GREAT VARIETY OF READERS,
From the most able, to him that can but spell. There you are
numbered. We had rather you were weighed. Especially, when
the fate of all Books depends upon your capacities : and not of
your heads alone, but of your purses. Well ! It is now public,
and you will stand for your privileges we know : read, &c,, and
censure. Do so, but buy it first, that doth best commend a Book,
the Stationer says. Then, how odd soever your brains be, or your
wisdoms, make your licence the same, and spare not. Judge your
sixpenny worth, your shilling's worth, your five shillings' worth at preface to
a time, or higher, so you rise to the just rates, and welcome. But, first folio
whatever you do. Buy. Censure will not drive a Trade, or make
the Jack. go. And though you be a Magistrate of wit, and fit on
the stage at Black-Friars, or the Cock-pit, to arraign Plays daily,
know, these Plays have had their trial already, and stood out all
Appeals ; and do now come forth quitted rather by a Decree of
Court, than any purchased Letters of commendation.
It had been a thing, we confess, worthy to have been wished,
that the Author himself had lived to have set forth, and overseen
his own writings ; but since it hath been ordained otherwise, and
he by death departed from that right, we pray you do not envy
his Friends, the office of their care, and pain, to have collected
and published them ; and so to have published them ; as where
(before) you were abused with diverse stolen, and surreptitious
copies, maimed, and deformed by the frauds and stealths of
injurious imposters, that exposed them : even those, are now
offered to your view cured, and perfect of their limbs ; and all
the rest, absolute in their numbers, as he conceived them. Who,
at he was a happy imitator of Nature, was a most gentle expressor
of it. His mind and hand went together. And what he thought,
he uttered with that easiness, that we have scarce received from
him a blot in his papers. But it is not our province, who only
gather his works, and give them you, to praise him. It is yours
that read him. And there we hope, to your diverse capacities,
you will find enough, both to draw, and hold you ; for his wit
can no more lie hid, than it could be lost. Read him, therefore :
and again, and again : and if then you do not like him, surely you
are in some manifest danger, not to understand him. And so we
leave you to other of his Friends, whom if you need, can be your
guides : if you need them not, you can lead yourselves, and others.
And such Readers we wish him.
John Heminge.
Henrie Condell.
TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED,
THE AUTHOR,
MR WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE:
AND
WHAT HE HATH LEFT US.
To draw no envy (Shakespeare) on thy name,
Am I thus ample to thy Book, and Fame:
While I confess thy writings to be such.
As neither Man, nor Muse, can praise too much.
'Tis true, and all men's suffrage. But these ways
Were not the paths I meant unto thy praise :
For silliest Ignorance on these may light,
Which, when it sounds at best, but echoes right ;
Or blind Affection, which doth ne'er advance
The truth, but gropes, and urgeth all by chance,
Or crafty malice, might pretend this praise,
And think to ruin, where it seemed to raise.
These are, as some infamous Bawd, or Whore,
Should praise a Matron. What could hurt her more ?
But thou art proof against them, and indeed
Above th' ill fortune of them, or the need.
I, therefore will begin. Soul of the Age !
The applause ! delight ! the wonder of our Stage !
My Shakespeare, rise ; I will not lodge thee by
Chaucer, or Spenser, or bid Beaumont lie
A little further, to make thee a room :
Thou art a Monument, without a tomb,
And art alive still, while thy Book doth live.
And we have wits to read, and praise to give.
That I not mix thee so, my brain excuses ;
I mean with great, but disproportioned Muses.
For, if I thought my judgment were of years verses
I should commit thee surely with thy peers, prefatorv
And tell, how far thou didst our Lily outshine, "^^ ^'^^''*
^ • Tr- 1 HT 1 J • u. I- FOLIO
Or sporting Kid, or Marlowe s mighty line.
And though thou hadst small Latin, and less Greek,
From thence to honour thee, I would not seek
For names ; but call forth thundering Aeschylus,
Euripides, and Sophocles to us,
Paccuvius, Accius, him of Cordova dead.
To life again, to hear thy Buskin tread,
And shake a Stage : Or, when thy Socks were on,
Leave thee alone, for the comparison
Of all, that insolent Greece, or haughty Rome
sent forth, or since did from their ashes come.
Triumph, my Britain, thou hast one to show.
To whom all scenes of Europe homage owe.
He was not of an age but for all time !
And all the muses still were in their prime.
When like Apollo he came forth to warm
Our ears, or like a mercury to charm !
Nature herself was proud of his designs.
And joyed to wear the dressing of his lines !
Which were so richly spun, and woven so fit,
As, since, she will vouchsafe no other Wit.
The merry Greek, tart Aristophanes,
Neat Terence, witty Plautus, now not please ;
But antiquated and deserted lie
As they were not of Nature's family.
Yet must I not give Nature all : Thy Art,
My gentle Shakespeare, must enjoy a part.
For though the Poet's matter. Nature be.
His Art doth give the fashion. And, that he.
Who casts to write a living line, must sweat,
(such as thine are) and strike the second heat
Upon the Muses' anvil : turn the same,
(And himself with it) that he thinks to frame,
Or for the laurel, he may gain a scorn,
For a good Poet's made, as well as born.
And such wert thou. Look how the father's face
Lives in his issue, even so, the race
Of Shakespeare's mind, and manners brightly shines
In his well turned and true-filed lines :
In each of which, he seems to shake a Lance,
As brandished at the eyes of Ignorance.
Sweet Swan of Avon ! What a sight it were
To see thee in our waters yet appear
And make those flights upon the banks of Thames
That so did take Eliza and our James !
But stay, I see thee in the Hemisphere
Advanced, and made a Constellation there !
Shine forth, thou Star of Poets, and with rage,
Or influence, chide, or cheer the drooping Stage ;
Which, since thy flight from hence had mourned like night,
And despairus day, but for thy Volumes' light.
Ben Jon son.
UPON THE LINES AND LIFE OF THE FAMOUS
SCENIC POET,
MASTER WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
Those hands, which you so clapped, go now, and wring
You Britons brave ; for done are Shakespeare's days :
His days are done, that made the dainty Plays,
Which made the Globe of heaven and earth to ring.
Dried is that vein, dried is the Thespian Spring,
Turned al! to tears, and Phoebus clouds his rays:
That corpse, that coffin now bestick those bays,
Which crowned him Poet first, then Poets' King.
If Tragedies might any Prologue have.
All those he made, would scarce make one to this ;
Where Fame, now that he gone is to the grave
(Death's public tiring-house) the Nuncius is.
For though his line of life went soon about.
The life yet of his lines shall never out.
Hugh Holland.
TO THE MEMORIE
of the deceased author master
W. SHAKESPEARE.
Shakespeare, at length thy pious fellows give
The world thy Works : thy Works, by which, out-live
Thy Tomb, thy name must when that stone is rent.
And Time dissolves thy Stratford Monument,
Here we alive shall view thee still. This Book,
When Brass and Marble fade, shall make thee look
Fresh to all Ages : when Posterity
Shall loath what's new, think all is prodigy
That is not Shakespeare's ; every Line, each Verse
Here shall revive, redeem thee from thy Hearse.
Nor Fire, nor cankering Age, as Naso said.
Of his, thy wit-fraught Book shall once invade.
Nor shall I e'er believe, or think thee dead
(Though missed) until our bankrupt Stage be sped
(Impossible) with some new strain t'out-do
Passions of Juliet, and her Romeo ;
Or till I hear a Scene more nobly take,
Than when thy half-Sword parlying Romans spake.
Till these, till any of thy Volumes rest
Shall with more fire, more feeling be exprest,
Be sure, our Shakespeare, thou canst never die,
But crowned with Laurel, live eternally.
L. DiGGES.
TO THE MEMORY OF M. W. SHAKESPEARE.
We wondered (Shakespeare) that thou wents't so soon
From the World's Stage, to the Grave's tiring room.
We thought thee dead, but this thy printed worth,
Tells thy Spectators, that thou wents't but forth
To enter with applause. An Actor's Art,
Can die, and live, to act a second part.
That's but an Exit of Mortality,
This, a Re-entrance to a Plaudite.
J. M.
PREFATORY
MATTER TO
FIRST FOLIO
THE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE,
CONTAINING ALL HIS COMEDIES, HISTORIES AND
TRAGEDIES : TRULY SET FORTH, ACCORDING
TO THEIR FIRST ORIGINAL.
THE NAMES OF THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS
IN ALL THESE PLAYS.
WilUam Shakespeare.
Richard Burhadge.
John Hemmings.
Augustine Phdl'ips,
IVilliam Kempt,
Thomas Poope.
George Bryan.
Henry Condell.
William Slye.
Richard Co'wly.
John Loivine.
Samuell Crosse.
Alexander Cooke.
Samuel Gilburne.
Robert Armin.
IVilliam Ostler.
Nathan Field.
John Underivood.
Nicholas Tooley.
William Ecclestone.
Joseph Taylor.
Robert Benjield.
Robert Goughe.
Richard Robinson.
John Shancke.
John Rice.
TABLE OF A CATALOGUE
CONTENTS TO
FIRST FOLIO Of" THE SEVERAL COMEDIES, HISTORIES, AND TRAGEDIES
CONTAINED IN ^J'HIS VOLUME.
The Tempest.
The Tivo Gentlemen of Verona
The Merry IVives of IVindsor.
Measure for Measure.
The Comedy of Errors.
Much Ado about Nothing.
Love's Labours Lost.
COMEDIES,
Midsummer Night's Dream.
The Merchant of Venice.
As You Like It.
The Taming of the Shreiv.
All's tvell that End's nvell.
Tivelfth Night, or What Ton Will.
The Winter's Tale.
HISTORIES.
The Life and Death of King
John.
The Life and Death of Richard
the Second.
The First Part of King Henry
the Fourth.
The Second Part of King Henry
the Fourth,
The Life of King Henry the
Fifth.
The First Part of King Henry
the Sixth.
The Second Part of King Henry
the Sixth.
The Third Part of King Henry
the Sixth.
The Life and Death of Richard
the Third.
The Life of King Henry the
Eighth.
TRAGEDIES.
The Tragedy of Corlolanus.
Titus Androntcus.
Romeo and Juliet.
Tlmon of Athens.
The Life and Death of Julius
Casar.
The Tragedy of Macbeth.
The Tragedy of Hamlet.
King Lear.
Othello, The Moor oj Venice.
Anthony and Cleopatra.
Cymbellne, King oJ Britain.
THE TEMPEST
Preface.
The First Edition. The Ttmpcst first appeared in the Folio of 1623,
where it occupies pp. 1-19; no reference has been found to any earlier
edition.
The position of the play in the First Folio may perhaps be regarded as
evidence of its contemporary popularity ; or, it may have been merely due
to ' a happy, if perhaps unconscious, intuition ' on the part of the editors
' It is a mimic, magic tempest which we are to see ; a tempest raised by
Art, to worii moral ends with actual men and women, and then to sink
into a calm. And in such a storm and calm we have the very idea of a
Play or Drama, the fitting specimen and frontispiece of the whole volume
of plays before us.' *
With the exception of The Comedy of Errors, The Tempest is the shortest
of Shakespeare's plays ; certain critics have held that the text was abridged
for acting purposes; others refer its brevity to the unusual amount of
stage-machinery introduced, or to the necessities of Court representation.
The Epilogue to the play, as in the case of 2 Henry IV. and Henry Fill. ,
is evidently by some other hand than Shakespeare's.
Some scholars hold the same opinion concerning the Masque in Act IV.
Shakespeare may well have introduced it in compliance with the fashion
of the time; it is obviously intended to celebrate some contemporary
marriage. One must bear in mind the fondness for this species of poetical
pageantry during the reign of James I. {cp. Ben Jonson's Masque),
Date of Composition. No positive evidence exists for the Date of
Composition of The Tempest; the probabilities are in favour of 1610-12.
The superior limit may be fixed at 1603; the speech of Gonzalo, de-
scribing his ideal Commonwealth (II. i. 147, etc.), was certainly derived
from a passage in Florio's translation of Montaigne's ' Essays,' first pub-
* Sir E. Strachey, Quarterly Review. July i8go, p. 116.
Preface THE TEMPEST
lished in that year.* The passage in question occurs in Book I., Chapter
XXX., ' Of the Caniballes ' (c/>. Temple Classics, Vol. i.).
The play obviously connects itself with current stories of colonisation
and adventures of English seamen. There is probably direct allusion to
the wreck of Sir George Somers' ship, the Sea Venture, in July 1609 ; an
interesting account, which Shakespeare seems to have read — one of at least
five accounts — was published in the following year, written by Sylvester
Jourdain, entitled ' A discovery of the BarmuJai, other-wise called the He of
Divels : by Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Sommers, and Captayne Neivbort, and
divers others ' (^cp. Prospero's command to Ariel ' to fetch dew from the
still-vexed Bermoothcs ').
Soon after, in 1612, a fuller account was published, written by William
Strachey ; this tract illustrates the play in so many striking details that a
strong case may be made for Shakespeare's use of it.f
Ben Jonson seems to allude to The Tempest in the Introduction to his
<■ Bartholomeiv Fair'' (1612-14). — •' If there be never a Servant-monster i' the
Fayre, who can help it, he sayes ; nor a nest of Antiques ? Hee is loth to
make nature afraid in his Playes, like those that beget Tales, Tempests, and
such like Drolleries ! '
The Tempest, among other plays, was acted at Court in the beginning of
the year 161 3, before Prince Charles, the Lady Elizabetli, and the Prince
Palatine Elector, whence some scholars have inferred that it was specially
composed for the marriage of the two latter royal personages, and have
detected in Prospero a striking resemblance to King James.
Various futile attempts have been made to place The Tempest among
Shakespeare's early plays, but, ajiart from tlie evidence adduced above,
metrical tests and general considerations of style make an early date
impossible.
The Sources, The Tempest was in all probability founded on some
older play, but as yet its source has not been discovered.
An old German Comedy, called The Fair Sidea, by Jacob Ayrer, a notary
of Nurnberg, who died in 1605, is perhaps a German version of Shake-
* The authenticity of Shakespeare's autograph in the British Museum copy of Florio's
Montaigne is now doubted.
t c/. The Rev. W. G. Gosling's valuable articles contributed to Literature, April 8,
15, June 3, 189Q. If Shakespeare actually used the printed tract, the date of the play
would be subsequent to 1612 ; I note that Strachey returned to England at the close of
i6ii : he wrote from his lodging in the Blacke Friars. There are possibilities that
Shakespeare read the MS. The problem, resting on date of publication, is somewhat
complicated.
THE TEMPEST Preface
speare's original ; its plot bears a striking resemblance to that of The
Tempest. Ayrer's productions were in many cases mere adaptations or
translations of English plays brought to Germany at the beginning of
the seventeenth century or previously by strolling players, ' The English
Comedians,' as they called themselves {cp. Cohn's Shakespeare in Germany,
Preface, and pp. 1-75).
' The Disco-very of the Barmudas ' has been already alluded to above.
In Eden's Histfiiy of Tra-vayle, 1577 (p. 252, Arber's Reprint), Shake-
speare probably found ' Setebos ' (Act I. sc. 2, 1. 437); from the same
work he possibly derived the names Alonso, Ferdinand, Sebastian,
Gonzalo (for Gonzales), and other details.
In dealing with the Date of Composition reference has been made to
Shakespeare's indebtedness to Montaigne ; similarly, Ovid's Metamorphoses,
vii. 197-206, as translated by Golding, probably suggested Prospero's In-
vocation, Act. V. I, 33, sq.
The name ' Ariel,' though glossed by Shakespeare as ' an ayrie Spirit,'
is of Hebraistic origin, and was no doubt derived from some such treatise
as Heywood's ' Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels ' .• —
' The earth's great lord
Ariel. The Hebrew Rabbins thus accord.'
Caliban. ' Caliban ' is most probably a contemporary variant of
' Canibal,' which is itself merely another form of ' Caribal,' i.e
' Caribbean.' There seems to be no particular difficulty in this
derivation of the name, yet several scholars have rejected it. 'To
me,' observes Mr Furness, ' it is unsatisfactory. There should be, I
think, something in the description of cannibals, either of their
features or of their natures, to indicate some sort of fellowship with
a monster like Caliban. No such description has been pointed out.'
This seems hardly enough to negative so plausible a theory as to the
origin of the name.
A large number of critics have dealt with this creation of Shake-
speare's ; a valuable summary of the more important criticisms is to
be found in the ' Variorum ' edition of the play. Three studies call
for special mention : — (i) CaUban : The Missing Link: by Daniel Wilson :
(2)Renan's philosophical drama, entitled Caliban; (3) Browning's Caliban
upon Setebos ; or Natural Theology in the Island.
The Scene of Action. ' The Seme, an uninhabited Island^ ; the
claim of the Bermudas is now generally admitted as the original scene of
Prospero's magic. Shakespeare refers to ' the still-vexed Bermoothes,'
Preface THE TEMPEST
and the local colour and details seem to be derived from the tracts referred
to above, or perhaps (as Mr Rudyard Kipling has recently elaborated the
idea) from the description given by one of the mariners, ' with the wealth
of detail peculiar to sailors,' prepared to answer questions ' for un-
limited sacic.' ' Much, doubtless, he discarded, but so closely did he
keep to his original informations that those who go to-day to a certain
beach some two miles from Hamilton, will find the stage set for Act II.
scene 2 of The Tempest — a bare beach, with the wind singing through the
scrub at the land's edge, a gap in the reef,' dc*
Duration of Action. The ' Time-Analysis ' of The Tempest brings
out very clearly the fact that in this play Shaitespeare has adhered strictly
to the Unity of Time; the whole action of the play lasts from three to
four hours; cp. Act I., 2,239-240; Act V., i, 5; ibid. 1. 136-137, 186,
223.
It is alleged that a sailor's ' glass ' was a half-hour glass, and that
Shakespeare was guilty of a technical error in using it in the sense of 'an
hour glass.' The error was no doubt intentional.
The Music. There is good reason to believe that Wilsons Cheerful
Ai/res or Ballads, Oxford, 1660, has preserved for us the original music of
two of the songs of The Tempest — -viz., 'Full fathoms five,' and 'Where
the Bee sucks'; the composer was R. Johnson, who in 1610 wrote the
music for Middleton's IVitch, Z-nA in 161 1 was in the service of Prince
Henry (cp. Grove's Dictionary of Music, Variorum Tempest, pp. 352-353,
and Naylor's Shakespeare and Music, Dent, I 896).
Later Verses. in 1669 appeared Dryden and Davenant's version of
The Tempest; or the enchanted Isle. According to Dryden, Davenant de-
signed the ' Counterpart to Shakespeare's plot, namely that of a man who
had never seen a woman.' ' Than this version,' observes Mr Furness,
' there is, I think, in the realm of literature, no more flagrant existence
of lese-majesty' (cp. Variorum Tempest, pp. 389-449). In 1797 F. G.
Waldron published The Virgin Queen, ' attempted as a sequel to Shake-
speare's Tempest.'
* cp. Spectator, June 2, 1898. Mr Gosling, however, maintains that Mr Kipling's
'vivid imagination has led him astray when he thinks he has discovered the scene of
the shipwreck in a cove about two miles from Hamilton. . . . The actual scene of the
shipwreck and landfall of Sir George Somers are known beyond doubt. The rocks on
which Sir George Somers' ship, the Sea Venture, was wrecked, lie off St George's,
about twelve miles from Hamilton,' etc.
The Tempest
\ Lords.
[SCO, J
DRAMATIS PERSONJi.
AlonsO, King of Naples.
Sebastian, his brother.
Prospero, the right Duke of Milan.
Antonio, his brother, the usurping Duh cf Milan.
Ferdinand, son to the King of Naples,
GoNZALO, an honest old Counsellor.
Adrian,
Francisco,
Caliban, a savage and deformed Slave.
Trinculo, a Jester.
Stephano, a drunken Butler.
Master of a Ship.
Boatswain.
Mariners.
Miranda, daughter to Prospero.
Ariel, an airy Spirit.
Iris,
Ceres,
Juno, \ presented by Spirits,
Nymphs,
Reapers,
Other Spirits attending on Prospero.
The Tempest.
ACT FIRST.
Scene I.
On a ship at sea: a tempestuous noise of thunder and
lightning heard.
Enter a Ship-Master and a Boatswain.
Mast. Boatswain !
Boats. Here, master : what cheer ?
Mast. Good, speak to the mariners : fall to 't, yarely, or
we run ourselves aground : bestir, bestir. [^Exit.
Enter Mariners.
Boats. Heigh, my hearts ! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts !
yare, yare ! Take in the topsail. Tend to the
master's whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind,
if room enough !
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo,
and others.
Alon. Good boatswain, have care. Where's the
master? Play the men. lo
Boats. I pray now, keep below.
Ant. Where is the master, boatswain ?
Boats. Do you not hear him ? You mar our labour :
keep your cabins : you do assist the storm.
Gon. Nay, good, be patient.
Boats. When the sea is. Hence ! What cares these
Act I. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
roarers for the name of king ? To cabin : silence !
trouble us not.
Gon. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.
Boats. None that I more love than myself. You are 20
a counsellor ; if you can command these elements
to silence, and work the peace of the present,
we will not hand a rope more ; use your authority :
if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long,
and make yourself ready in your cabin for the
mischance of the hour, if it so hap. Cheerly,
good hearts ! Out of our way, I say. \^Exit.
Goti. I have great comfort from this fellow : methinks
he hath no drowning mark upon him ; his com-
plexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, 30
to his hanging : make the rope of his destiny our
cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he
be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable.
[^Exeunt.
Re-enter Boatsivain.
Boats. Down with the topmast ! yare ! lower, lower !
Bring her to try with main-course. \_A cry
•within.'] A plague upon this howling ! they
are louder than the weather or our office.
Re-enter Sebastian, Antonio, afid Gonzalo.
Yet again ! what do you here .'' Shall we give
o'er, and drown ? Have you a mind to sink .''
Seb. A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, 40
incharitable dog !
Boats. Work you, then.
Ant. Hang, cur ! hang, you whoreson, insolent noise-
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. i.
maker. We are less afraid to be drowned than
thou art.
Gon. I'll warrant him for drowning ; though the ship
were no stronger than a nutshell, and as leaky
as an unstanched wench.
Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold ! set her two courses ;
off to sea again j lay her off. ^o
Enter Mariners ivet.
Mariners. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!
Boats. What, must our mouths be cold ?
Gon. The king and prince at prayers ! let's assist them,
For our case is as theirs.
Seb. I'm out of patience.
Ant. We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards :
This wide-chapp'd rascal, — would thou mightst
lie drowning
The washing of ten tides !
Gon. He'll be hanged yet,
Though every drop of water swear against it.
And gape at widest to glut him. 60
[A confused noise within : ' Mercy on us ! ' —
' We split, we split ! ' — * Farewell my wife and
children ! ' —
• Farewell, brother ! ' — * We split, we split, we split ! ']
Ant. Let's all sink with the king.
5^^. Let's take leave of him. [Exeunt Ant. and Sek
Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for
an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown
furze, any thing. The wills above be done ! but
I would fain die a dry death. [Exeunt. Jo
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Scene II.
The island. Before Prosperous cell.
Enter Prospero and Miranda.
Mir. If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek,
Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffer'd
With those that I saw suffer ! a brave vessel.
Who had, no doubt, some noble creature in her,
Dash'd all to pieces. O, the cry did knock
Against my very heart ! Poor souls, they perish'd !
Had I been any god of power, I would lo
Have sunk the sea within the earth, or ere
It should the good ship so have swallow'd and
The fraughting souls within her.
Pros. Be collected ;
No more amazement : tell your piteous heart
There 's no harm done.
Mir. O, woe the day !
Pros. No harm.
I have done nothing but in care of thee.
Of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter, who
Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing
Of whence I am, nor that I am more better
Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell, 20
And thy no greater father.
Mir. More to know
Did never meddle with my thoughts.
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
Pros. 'Tis time
I should inform thee farther. Lend thy hand,
And pluck my magic garment from me. — So :
[Lays doivn his mantle.
Lie there, my art. Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort.
The direful spectacle of the wreck, which touch'd
The very virtue of compassion in thee,
I have with such provision in mine art
So safely ordered, that there is no soul.
No, not so much perdition as an hair go
Betid to any creature in the vessel
Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st sink.
Sit down ;
For thou must now know farther.
Mir. You have often
Begun to tell me what I am ; but stopp'd.
And left me to a bootless inquisition.
Concluding ' Stay : not yet.'
Pros. The hour's now come ;
The very minute bids thee ope thine ear ;
Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember
A time before we came unto this cell ?
I do not think thou canst, for then thou wast not 40
Out three years old.
Mir. Certainly, sir, I can.
Pros. By what ? by any other house or person }
Of any thing the image tell me, that
Hath kept with thy remembrance.
Mir. 'Tis far off,
And rather like a dream than an assurance
That my remembrance warrants. Had I not
Four or five women once that tended me ?
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Pros. Thou hadst, and more, Miranda. But how is it
That this lives in thy mind ? What seest thou else
In the dark backward and abysm of time ? ^o
If thou remembcr'st aught ere thou earnest here,
How thou earnest here thou mayst.
Alir. But that I do not.
Pros. Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since.
Thy father was the Duke of Milan, and
A prince of power.
Mir. Sir, are not you my father ?
Pros. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and
She said thou wast my daughter ; and thy father
Was Duke of Milan ; and his only heir
A princess, no worse issued.
Mir. O the heavens !
What foul play had we, that we came from thence ? 60
Or blessed was't we did ?
Pros. Both, both, my girl :
By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heaved thence;
But blessedly holp hither.
Mir. O, my heart bleeds
To think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to.
Which is from my remembrance ! Please you, farther.
Pros. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd Antonio, —
I pray thee, mark me, — that a brother should
Be so perfidious ! — he whom, next thyself,
Of all the world I loved, and to him put
The manage of my state ; as at that time 70
Through all the signories it was the first.
And Prospero the prime duke, being so reputed
In dignity, and for the liberal arts
Without a parallel ; those being all my study,
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
The government I cast upon my brother,
And to my state grew stranger, being transported
And rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle —
Dost thou attend me ?
Mir. Sir, most heedfully.
Pros. Being once perfected how to grant suits,
How to deny them, who to advance, and who 80
To trash for over-topping, new created
The creatures that were mine, I say, or changed 'em,
Or else new form'd 'em ; having both the key
Of officer and office, set all hearts i' the state
To what tune pleased his ear ; that now he was
The ivy which had hid' my princely trunk,
And suck'd my verdure out on't. Thou attend'st not.
Alir. O, good sir, I do.
Pros. I pray thee, mark me.
I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated
To closeness and the bettering of my mind 90
With that which, but by being so retired,
O'er-prized all popular rate, in my false brother
Awaked an evil nature; and my trust.
Like a good parent, did beget of him
A falsehood in its contrary, as great
As my trust was ; which had indeed no limit,
A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded,
Not only with what my revenue yielded.
But what my power might else exact, like one
Who having into truth, by telling of it, loo
Made such a sinner of his memory,
To credit his own lie, he did believe
He was indeed the duke ; out o' the substitution,
And executing the outward face of royalty.
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
With all prerogative: — hence his ambition growing, —
Dost thou hear?
Mir. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.
Pros. To have no screen between this part he play'd
And him he play'd it for, he needs will be
Absolute Milan. Me, poor man, my library
Was dukedom large enough : of temporal royalties
He thinks me now incapable ; confederates, ill
So dry he was for sway, wi' the King of Naples
To give him annual tribute, do him homage,
Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend
The dukedom, yet unbow'd, — alas, poor Milan! —
To most ignoble stooping.
Mir. O the heavens !
Pros. Mark his condition, and the event ; then tell me
If this might be a brother.
Mir. I should sin
To think but nobly of my grandmother :
Good wombs have borne bad sons.
Pros. Now the condition. 1 20
This King of Naples, being an enemy
To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit ;
Which was, that he, in lieu o' the premises,
Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
Should presently extirpate me and mine
Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan,
With all the honours, on my brother : whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one midnight
Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open
The gates of Milan ; and, i' the dead of darkness, 1 30
The ministers for the purpose hurried thence
Me and thy crying self.
THE TEMPEST ^^^ ^' ^^- "'
Mir. Alack, for pity !
I, not remembering how I cried out then,
Will cry it o'er again : it is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to't.
Pros. Hear a little further,
And then I'll bring thee to the present business
Which now's upon 's ; without the which, this story
Were most impertinent.
Mir. Wherefore did they not
That hour destroy us ?
Pros. Well demanded, wench :
My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not.
So dear the love my people bore me ; nor set 141
A mark so bloody on the business ; but
With colours fairer painted their foul ends.
In few, they hurried us aboard a bark,
Bore us some leagues to sea ; where they prepared
A rotten carcass of a butt, not rigg'd,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast ; the very rats
Instinctively have quit it : there they hoist us,
To cry to the sea that roar'd to us ; to sigh
To the winds, whose pity, sighing back again, 150
Did us but loving wrong.
Mir. Alack, what trouble
Was I then to you !
Pros. O, a cherubin
Thou wast that did preserve me. Thou didst smile,
Infused with a fortitude from heaven.
When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt,
Under my burthen groan'd ; which raised in me
An undergoing stomach, to bear up
Against what should ensue.
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Aiir. How came we ashore ?
Pros. By Providence divine.
Some food we had, and some fresh water, that l6o
A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity, who being then appointed
Master of this design, did give us, with
Rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries,
Which since have steaded much ; so, of his gentleness,
Knowing I loved my books, he furnish'd me
From mine own library with volumes that
I prize above my dukedom.
Mir. Would I might
But ever see that man !
Pros. Now I arise : [Resumes his mantle.
Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. 170
Here in this island we arrived ; and here
Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit
Than other princess' can, that have more time
For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful.
Alir. Heavens thank you for't ! And now, I pray you, sir,
For still 'tis beating in my mind, your reason
For raising this sea-storm .''
Pros. Know thus far forth.
By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune,
Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies
Brought to this shore ; and by my prescience 180
I find my zenith doth depend upon
A most auspicious star, whose influence
If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes
Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions :
Thou art inclined to sleep ; 'tis a good dulness.
And give it way : I know thou canst not choose.
[Aliranda sleeps.
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
Come away, servant, come. I am ready now.
Approach, my Ariel, come.
Enter Ariel.
Art. All hail, great master ! grave sir, hail ! I come
To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, 1 90
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride
On the curl'd clouds, to thy strong bidding task
Ariel and all his quality.
Pros. Hast thou, spirit,
Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee .''
Art. To every article.
I boarded the king's ship ; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,
I flamed amazement : sometime I 'Id divide.
And burn in many places ; on the topmast,
The yards and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly, 200
Then meet and join. Jove's lightnings, the precursors
O' the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary
And sight out-running were not : the fire and cracks
Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune
Seem to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble.
Yea, his dread trident shake.
Pros. My brave spirit !
"Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil
Would not infect his reason ?
Ari. Not a soul
But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd
Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners 2IO
Plunged in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel,
Then all afire with me : the king's son, Ferdinand,
With hair up-staring, — then like reeds, not hair, —
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Was the first man that leap'd ; cried, ' Hell is empty,
And all the devils are here.'
Pros. Why, that's my spirit
But was not this nigh shore ?
Art. Close by, my master.
Pros. But are they, Ariel, safe?
Ari. Not a hair pcrish'd ;
On their sustaining garments not a blemish.
But fresher than before : and, as thou badest me,
In troops I have dispersed them 'bout the isle. 220
The king's son have I landed by himself;
Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs
In an odd angle of the isle, and sitting,
His arms in this sad knot.
Pros. Of the king's ship,
The mariners, say how thou hast disposed.
And all the rest o' the fleet.
Ari. Safely in harbour
Is the king's ship ; in the deep nook, where once
Thou call'dst me up at midnight to fetch dew
From the still-vex'd Bermoothes, there she's hid :
The mariners all under hatches stow'd •, 230
Who, with a charm join'd to their suffer'd labour,
I have left asleep : and for the rest o' the fleet.
Which I dispersed, they all have met again.
And are upon the Mediterranean flote.
Bound sadly home for Naples ;
Supposing that they saw the king's ship wreck'd,
And his great person perish.
Pros. Ariel, thy charge
Exactly is perform'd : but there's more work.
What is the time o' the day .''
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
Art. Past the mid season.
Pros. At least two glasses. The time 'twixt six and now
Must by us both be spent most preciously. 241
Ari. Is there more toil .'* Since thou dost give me pains,
Let me remember thee what thou hast promised,
Which is not yet perform'd me.
Pros. How now ? moody ?
What is't thou canst demand ?
Ari. My liberty.
Pros. Before the time be out ? no more !
Ari. I prithee,
Remember I have done thee worthy service ;
Told thee no lies, made thee no mistakings, served
Without or grudge or grumblings: thou didst promise
To bate me a full year.
Pros. Dost thou forget 250
From what a torment I did free thee ?
Ari. No.
Pros. Thou dost, and think'st it much to tread the ooze
Of the salt deep,
To run upon the sharp wind of the north.
To do me business in the veins o' the earth
When it is baked with frost.
Art. I do not, sir.
Pros. Thou liest, malignant thing ! Hast thou forgot
The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy
Was grown into a hoop ? hast thou forgot her ?
Ari. No, sir.
Pros. Thou hast. Where was she born ? speak ;
tell me. 260
Ari. Sir, in Argier.
Pros. O, was she so ? I must
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Once in a month recount what thou hast been,
Which thou forget'st. This damn'd witch Sycorax,
For mischiefs manifold, and sorceries terrible
To enter human hearing, from Argier,
Thou know'st, was banish'd : for one thing she did
They would not take her life. Is not this true ?
j4ri. Ay, sir.
Pros. This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child,
And here was left by the sailors. Thou, my slave, 270
As thou report'st thyself, wast then her servant \
And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate
To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands,
Refusing her grand bests, she did confine thee,
By help of her more potent ministers,
And in her most unmitigable rage.
Into a cloven pine ; within which rift
Imprison'd thou didst painfully remain
A dozen years ; within which space she died, 279
And left thee there; where thou didst vent thy
groans
As fast as mill-wheels strike. Then was this island —
Save for the son that she did litter here,
A freckled whelp hag-born — not honour'd with
A human shape.
Ari. Yes, Caliban her son.
Pros. Dull thing, I say so ; he, that Caliban,
Whom now I keep in service. Thou best know'st
What torment I did find thee in ; thy groans
Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts
Of ever-angry bears : it was a torment
To lay upon the damn'd, which Sycorax 290
Could not again undo : it was mine art,
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape
The pine, and let thee out.
Ari. I thank thee, master.
Pros. If thou more murmur'st, I will rend an oak,
And peg thee in his knotty entrails, till
Thou hast howl'd away twelve winters.
^ri. Pardon, master :
I will be correspondent to command,
And do my spiriting gently.
Pros. Do so ; and after two days
I will discharge thee.
Ari. That 's my noble master !
What shall I do ? say what ; what shall I do ? 300
Pros. Go make thyself like a nymph o' the sea: be subject
To no sight but thine and mine ; invisible
To every eyeball else. Go take this shape.
And hither come in 't : go, hence with diligence !
[Exit Ariel.
Awake, dear heart, awake ! thou hast slept well ;
Awake !
Mir. The strangeness of your story put
Heaviness in me.
Pros. Shake it off. Come on ;
We'll visit Caliban my slave, who never
Yields us kind answer.
Mir. 'Tis a villain, sir,
I do not love to look on.
Pros. But, as 'tis, 310
We cannot miss him : he does make our fire,
Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices
That profit us. What, ho ! slave ! Caliban !
Thou earth, thou ! speak.
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Cell. \W"ith'in'\ There's wood enough within.
Pros. Come forth, I say! there's other business for thee:
Come, thou tortoise ! when ?
Re-enter Ariel like a ivater-nymph.
Fine apparition ! My quaint Ariel,
Hark in thine car.
Ari. My lord, it shall be done. \_Exit.
Pros. Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself
Upon thy wicked dam, come forth ! 320
Enter Caliban.
Cal. As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd
With raven's feather from unwholesome fen
Drop on you both ! a south-west blow on ye
And blister you all o'er !
Pros. For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps.
Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up •, urchins
Shall, for that vast of night that they may work.
All exercise on thee ; thou shalt be pinch'd
As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging
Than bees that made 'em.
Cal. I must eat my dinner. 330
This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother.
Which thou takest from me. When thou earnest first.
Thou strokst me, and made much of me ; wouldst
give me
Water with berries in't ; and teach me how
To name the bigger light, and how the less.
That burn by day and night : and then I loved thee.
And show'd thee all the qualities o' th' isle.
The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile :
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
Cursed be I that did so ! All the charms
Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you ! 340
For I am all the subjects that you have.
Which first was mine own king : and here you sty me
In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me
The rest o' th' island.
Pros. Thou most lying slave,
Whom stripes may move, not kindness ! I have used thee,
Filth as thou art, with human care ; and lodged thee
In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate
The honour of my child.
Cal. O ho, O ho ! would't had been done !
Thou didst prevent me j I had peopled else 35°
This isle with Calibans.
Pros. Abhorred slave.
Which any print of goodness wilt not take,
Being capable of all ill ! I pitied thee.
Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour
One thing or other : when thou didst not, savage,
Know thine own meaning, but wouldst gabbl*e like
A thing most brutish, I endow'd thy purposes
With words that made them known. But thy vile race,
Though thou didst learn, had that in't which good natures
Could not abide to be with ; therefore wast thou 360
Deservedly confined into this rock,
Who hadst deserved more than a prison.
Cal. You taught me language ; and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you
For learning me your language !
Pros. Hag-seed, hence !
Fetch us in fuel ; and be quick, thou'rt best,
To answer other business. Shrug'st thou, malice ?
I B
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
If thou neglect'st, or dost unwillingly
What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps,
Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar, 370
That beasts shall tremble at thy din.
Cal. No, pray thee.
\^Aside\ I must obey : his art is of such power,
It would control my dam's god, Setebos,
And make a vassal of him.
Pros. So, slave ; hence ! [^Exit Caliban.
Re-enter Ariel, invisible, playing and singing ;
Ferdinand follonving.
ArieVs song
Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands:
Courtsied when you have and kiss'd
The wild waves whist :
Foot it featly here and there ; 380
And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear.
Hark, hark !
Burthen \dispersedly\. Bow-wow.
Ari. The watch dogs bark :
Burthen [dispersedly]. Bow-wow.
Ari. Hark, hark ! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer
Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow.
Fer. Where should this music be ? i' th' air or th' earth ?
It sounds no more : and, sure, it waits upon
Some god o' th' island. Sitting on a bank,
Weeping again the king my father's wreck, 390
This music crept by me upon the waters,
Allaying both their fury and my passion
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
With its sweet air : thence I have follow'd it,
Or it hath drawn me rather. But 'tis gone.
No, it begins again,
Ariel sings.
Full fathom five thy father lies ;
Of his bones are coral made ;
Those are pearls that were his eyes :
Nothing of him that doth fade.
But doth suffer a sea-change 400
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell :
Burthen : Ding-dong.
Ari. Hark ! now I hear them, — Ding-dong, bell.
Fer. The ditty does remember my droM'n'd father.
This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owes : — I hear it now above me.
Pros. The fringed curtains of thine eye advance,
And say what thou seest yond.
Mir. What is 't t a spirit ?
Lord, how it looks about ! Believe me, sir, 410
It carries a brave form. But 'tis a spirit.
Pros. No, wench ; it eats and sleeps and hath such senses
As we have, such. This gallant which thou seest
Was in the wreck ; and, but he's something stain'd
With grief, that's beauty's canker, thou mightst call him
A goodly person : he hath lost his fellows.
And strays about to find 'em.
Mir. I might call him
A thing divine ; for nothing natural
I ever saw so noble.
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Pros. [Aside] It goes on, I see, 4T9
As my soul prompts it. Spirit, fine spirit ! I'll free thee
Within two days for this.
Fer. Most sure, the goddess
On whom these airs attend! Vouchsafe my prayer
May know if you remain upon this island ;
And that you will some good instruction give
How I may bear me here : my prime request.
Which I do last pronounce, is, O you wonder !
If you be maid or no ?
Mir. No wonder, sir ;
But certainly a maid.
Fer. My language ! heavens !
I am the best of them that speak this speech,
Were I but where 'tis spoken.
Pros. How ? the best ? 430
What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee }
Fer. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders
To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me ;
And that he does I weep : myself am Naples,
Who with mine eyes, never since at ebb, beheld
The king my father wrecked.
Mir. Alack, for mercy !
Fer. Yes, faith, and all his lords ; the Duke of Milan
And his brave son being twain.
Pros. [Jside] The Duke of Milan
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
If now 'twere fit to do't. At the first sight 440
They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariel,
I'll set thee free for this. [To Fer.^ A word,
good sir ;
I fear you have done yourself some wrong : a word.
THE TEMPEST Act I. Sc. ii.
Mir. Why speaks my father so ungently ? This
Is the third man that e'er I saw ; the first
That e'er I sigh'd for : pity move my father
To be inclined my way !
Fer. O, if a virgin,
And your affection not gone forth, I'll make you
The queen of Naples.
Pros. Soft, sir ! one word more.
[Aside] They are both in cither's powers : but this
swift business 450
I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
Make the prize light. \To Fer.] One word more j
I charge thee
That thou attend me : thou dost here usurp
The name thou owest not ; and hast put thyself
Upon this island as a spy, to win it
From me, the lord on't.
Fer. No, as I am a man.
Mir. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple :
If the ill spirit have so fair a house,
Good things will strive to dwell with't.
Pros. Follow me.
Speak not you for him ; he's a traitor. Come j 460
I'll manacle thy neck and feet together :
Sea-water shalt thou drink ; thy food shall be
The fresh-brook muscles, wither'd roots, and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow.
Fer. No ;
I will resist such entertainment till
Mine enemy has more power.
[Dranvs, and is charmed from moving.
Mir. O dear father,
Act I. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Make not too rash a trial of him, for
He's gentle, and not fearful.
Pros. What ! I say,
My foot my tutor ? Put thy sword up, traitor ;
Who makest a show, but darest not strike, thy conscience
Is so possess'd with guilt : come from thy ward j 471
For I can here disarm thee with this stick
And make thy weapon drop.
Mir. Beseech you, Father.
Pros. Hence ! hang not on my garments.
Mir. Sir, have pity;
I'll be his surety.
Pros. Silence ! one word more
Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What !
An advocate for an impostor ! hush !
Thou think'st there is no more such shapes as he.
Having seen but him and Caliban : foolish wench !
To the most of men this is a Caliban, 480
And they to him are angels.
Mir. My affections
Are, then, most humble ; I have no ambition
To see a goodlier man.
Pros. Come on ; obey :
Thy nerves are in their infancy again,
And have no vigour in them,
Fer. So they are :
My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.
My father's loss, the weakness which I feel,
The wreck of all my friends, nor this man's threats,
To whom I am subdued, are but light to me,
Might I but through my prison once a day /jpo
Behold this maid : all corners else o' th' earth
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. i.
Let liberty make use of; space enough
Have I in such a prison.
Pros. [Aside] it works. [To Per.] Come on.
Thou hast done well, fine Ariel ! [To Per.']
Follow me.
\To Ari.] Hark what thou else shalt do me.
Mir. Be of comfort ;
My father's of a better nature, sir,
Than he appears by speech : this is unwonted
Which now came from him.
Pros. Thou shalt be as free
As mountain winds : but then exactly do
All points of my command.
Ari. To the syllable. 500
Pros. Come, follow. Speak not for him. [Exeunt.
ACT SECOND.
Scene I.
Another part of the islat^d.
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo,
Adrian, Francisco, and others.
Gon. Beseech you, sir, be merry ; you have cause,
So have we all, of joy ; for our escape
Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
Is common ; every day, some sailor's wife.
The masters of some merchant, and the merchant,
Have just our theme of woe ; but for the miracle,
I mean our preservation, few in millions
Act II. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Can speak like us: then wisely, good sir, weigh
Our sorrow with our comfort.
Alon. Prithee, peace.
Seb. He receives comfort like cold porridge. lo
Ant. The visitor will not give him o'er so.
Seb. Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit ; by
and by it will strike.
Gon. Sir, —
5^^. One: tell.
Goti. When every grief is entertain'd that's offer'd,
Comes to the entertainer —
Seb. A dollar.
Gon. Dolour comes to him, indeed : you have spoken
truer than you purposed. 20
Seb. You have taken it wiselier than I meant you should.
Gon. Therefore, my lord, —
Jnt. Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue !
Alon. I prithee, spare.
Gon. Well, I have done : but yet, —
Seb. He will be talking.
Ant. Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first
begins to crow .''
Seb. The old cock. 30
Ant. The cockerel.
Seb. Done. The wager }
Ant. A laughter.
Seb. A match !
Adr. Though this island seem to be desert, —
Seb. Ha, ha, ha ! — So, you're paid.
Adr. Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible, —
Seb. Yet,—
Adr. Yet,—
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. i.
Ant. He could not miss't. 40
Adr. It must needs be of subtle, tender and delicate
temperance.
Ant. Temperance was a delicate wench.
Seb. Ay, and a subtle j as he most learnedly de-
livered.
Adr. The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
Seb. As if it had lungs, and rotten ones.
Ant. Or as 'twere perfumed by a fen,
Gon. Here is everything advantageous to life.
Ant. True ; save means to live. 5°
Seb. Of that there's none, or little.
Gon. How lush and lusty the grass looks ! how
green !
Ant. The ground, indeed, is tawny.
Seb. With an eye of green in't.
Atit. He misses not much.
Seb. No ; he doth but mistake the truth totally.
Gon. But the rarity of it is, — which is indeed almost
beyond credit, —
Seb. As many vouched rarities are. 60
Gon. That our garments, being, as they were,
drenched in the sea, hold, notwithstanding, their
freshness and glosses, being rather new-dyed
than stained with salt water.
Ant. If but one of his pockets could speak, would it
not say he lies ?
Seb. Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report.
Gon. Methinks our garments are now as fresh as
when we put them on first in Afric, at the
marriage of the king's fair daughter Claribel to 70
the King of Tunis.
Act II. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
SeL 'Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in
our return.
yiilr. Tunis was never graced before with such a
paragon to their queen.
Gofi. Not since widow Dido's time.
J>iL Widow ! a pox o' that ! How came that widow
in ? widow Dido !
SeL What if he had said * widower ^neas ' too ?
Good Lord, how you take it ! 80
yldr. 'Widow Dido' said you? you make me study
of that : she was of Carthage, not of Tunis.
Gon. This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
^dr. Carthage ?
Gon. I assure you, Carthage.
^fit. His word is more than the miraculous harp.
SeL He hath raised the wall, and houses too.
Afjt. What impossible matter will he make easy next .''
SeL I think he will carry this island home in his pocket, 90
and give it his son for an apple.
^nt. And, sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring
forth more islands.
Gon. Ay.
^nt. Why, in good time.
Gon. Sir, we were talking that our garments seem
now as fresh as when we were at Tunis at the
marriage of your daughter, who is now queen.
jf^ni. And the rarest that e'er came there.
SeL Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido. loo
j^ni. O, widow Dido ! ay, widow Dido.
Gon. Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day
I wore it ? I mean, in a sort.
^ni. That sort was well fished for.
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. I
Gon. When I wore it at your daughter's marriage ?
Alon. You cram these words into mine ears against
The stomach of my sense. Would I had never
Married my daughter there ! for, coming thence,
My son is lost, and, in my rate, she too,
Who is so far from Italy removed lio
I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
Hath made his meal on thee ?
Fran. Sir, he may live :
I saw him beat the surges under him,
And ride upon their backs ; he trod the water,
Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
The surge most swoln that met him ; his bold head
'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oai-'d
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
To the shore, that o'er his wave- worn basis bow'd.
As stooping to relieve him: I not doubt 121
He came alive to land.
Alojj. No, no, he's gone.
Seb. Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
That would not bless our Europe with your daughter,
But rather lose her to an African •,
Where she, at least, is banish'd from your eye,
Who hath cause to wet the grief on't.
Alon. Prithee, peace.
Seb. You were kneel'd to, and importuned otherwise,
By all of us ; and the fair soul herself
Weigh'd between loathness and obedience, at 130
Which end o' the beam should bow. We have
lost your son,
I fear, for ever : Milan and Naples have
Act II. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Mo widows in them of this business' making
Than we bring men to comfort them :
The fault's your own.
Alon. So is the dear'st o' the loss.
Gon. My lord Sebastian,
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
And time to speak it in : you rub the sore,
When you should bring the plaster.
Seb. Very well.
Ant. And most chirurgeonly. 140
Gon. It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
When you are cloudy.
Beb. Foul weather ?
Ant. Very foul.
Gon. Had I plantation of this isle, my lord, —
Attt. He 'Id sow 't with nettle-seed.
Seb. Or docks, or mallows.
Gon. And were the king on 't, what would I do ?
^eb. 'Scape being drunk for want of wine.
Gon. I' the commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things ; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit •, no name of magistrate ;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty, 150
And use of service, none ; contract, succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none j
No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil ;
No occupation ; all men idle, all ;
And women too, but innocent and pure ;
No sovereignty ; —
S,eb. Yet he would be king on 't.
Ant. The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the
beginning.
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. i.
Goti. All things in common nature should produce
Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony, i6o
Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,
Would I not have ; but nature should bring
forth.
Of it own kind, all foison, all abundance,
To feed my innocent people.
Seb. No marrying 'mong his subjects?
Ant. None, man ; all idle ; whores and knaves.
Gon. I would with such perfection govern, sir,
To excel the golden age.
Seb. 'Save his majesty !
Ant. Long live Gonzalo !
Gon. And, — do you mark me, sir? 170
Alon. Prithee, no more : thou dost talk nothing to me.
Gon. I do well believe your highness ; and did it to
minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are
of such sensible and nimble lungs that they
always used to laugh at nothing.
Ant. 'Twas you we laughed at.
Gon. Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing
to you : so you may continue, and laugh at
nothing still.
Ant. What a blow was there given ! 1 80
Seb. An it had not fallen flat-long.
Gon. You are gentlemen of brave mettle ; you would
lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would
continue in it five weeks without changing.
Enter Ariel (invisible) playing solemn music.
Seb. We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Ant. Nay, good my lord, be not angry.
Actll. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Gon. "No, I warrant you ; I will not adventure my
discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep,
for I am very heavy ?
Ant. Go sleep, and hear us. 1 90
\^All sleep except Ahn., Sti\, and Ant.
Alou. What, all so soon asleep ! I wish mine eyes
Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts : I find
They are inclined to do so.
^cb. Please you, sir.
Do not omit the heavy offer of it :
It seldom visits sorrow ; when it doth,
It is a comforter.
Ant. We two, my lord,
Will guard your person while you take your rest,
And watch your safety.
Alon. Thank you. — Wondrous heavy.
\Alonso sleeps. Exit Ariel.
Seh. What a strange drowsiness possesses them !
Ant. It is the quality o' the climate.
Seb. Why 200
Doth it not then our eyelids sink .'' I find not
Myself disposed to sleep.
Afit. Nor I ; my spirits arc nimble.
They fell together all, as by consent ;
They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke. What might,
Worthy Sebastian ? — O, what might ? — No more : —
And yet methinks I see it in thy face,
What thou shouldst be : the occasion speaks thee ; and
My strong imagination sees a crown
Dropping upon thy head.
Seb. What, art thou waking ?
Ant. Do you not hear me speak ?
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. i.
Seb. I do •, and surely 2lo
It is a sleepy language, and thou speak'st
Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say ?
This is a strange repose, to be asleep
With eyes wide open ; standing, speaking, moving.
And yet so fast asleep.
y^fit. Noble Sebastian,
Thou let'st thy fortune sleep — die, rather ; wink'st
Whiles thou art waking.
iSi;'^. Thou dost snore distinctly ;
There's meaning in thy snores.
yifit. I am more serious than my custom : you
Must be so too, if heed me ; which to do 220
Trebles thee o'er.
Seb. Well, I am standing water.
^nt. I'll teach you how to flow.
Seb. Do so : to ebb
Hereditary sloth instructs me.
Jnt. O,
If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
Whiles thus you mock it ! how, in stripping it,
You more invest it ! Ebbing men, indeed,
Most often do so near the bottom run
By their own fear or sloth.
Sel>. Prithee, say on :
The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
A matter from thee; and a birth, indeed, 230
Which throes thee much to yield.
yltit. Thus, sir :
Although this lord of weak remembrance, this.
Who shall be of as little memory
When he is earth'd, hath here almost persuaded, —
Act II. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
For he's a spirit of persuasion, only
Professes to persuade, — the king his son's alive,
'Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd
As he that sleeps here swims.
Seb. I have no hope
That he's undrown'd.
^fif. O, out of that ' no hope '
What great hope have you ! no hope that way is 240
Another way so high a hope that even
Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,
But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me
That Ferdinand is drown'd ?
Seb. He's gone.
^nt. Then, tell me,
Who's the next heir of Naples ?
Sfb. Claribel.
^fiL She that is queen of Tunis ; she that dwells
Ten leagues beyond man's life ; she that from Naples
Can have no note, unless the sun were post, —
The man i' the moon's too slow, — till new-born chins
Be rough and razorable ; she that from whom 250
We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again.
And by that destiny, to perform an act
Whereof what's past is prologue •, what to come,
In yours and my discharge.
Sd. What stuff is this ! how say you ?
'Tis true, my brother's daughter 's queen of Tunis ;
So is she heir of Naples •, 'twixt which regions
There is some space.
Anl. A space whose every cubit
Seems to cry out, ' How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples ? Keep in Tunis,
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. i.
And let Sebastian wake.' Say this were death 260
That now hath seized them ; why, they were no worse
Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
As well as he that sleeps ; lords that can prate
As amply and unnecessarily
As this Gonzalo j I myself could make
A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore
The mind that I do ! what a sleep were this
For your advancement ! Do you understand me ?
Seb. Methinks I do.
Ant. And how does your content
Tender your own good fortune ?
Seb. I remember 270
You did supplant your brother Prospero.
Ant. True :
And look how well my garments sit upon me ;
Much feater than before : my brother's servants
Were then my fellows ; now they are my men.
Seb. But, for your conscience.
Ant. Ay, sir ; where lies that ? if 'twere a kibe,
'Twould put me to my slipper : but I feel not
This deity in my bosom : twenty consciences,
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they.
And melt, ere they molest ! Here lies your brother,
No better than the earth he lies upon, 281
If he were that which now he's like, that's dead ;
Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever ; whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye might put
This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk -,
Act II. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
They'll tell the clock to any business that
We say befits the hour.
^^^- Thy case, dear friend, 290
Shall be my precedent ; as thou got'st Milan,
I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword : one stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest ;
And I the king shall love thee.
■^fJt. Draw together ;
And when I rear my hand, do you the like.
To fall it on Gonzalo.
^^^' O, but one word. [They talk apart.
Re-enter Ariel invisible.
Ari. My master through his art foresees the danger
That you, his friend, are in ; and sends me forth,
For else his project dies, — to keep them living.
[iS;>/^j- in Gonzalo^ s ear.
While you here do snoring lie, 200
Open-eyed conspiracy
His time doth take.
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware :
Awake, awake !
Ant. Then let us both be sudden.
Gon. Now, good angels
Preserve the king ! \^rhey wake.
Alon. Why, how now ? ho, awake ! — Why are you drawn ?
Wherefore this ghastly looking ?
Gon. What's the matter ?
Seb. Whiles we stood here securing your repose, 3 10
Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. ii.
Like bulls, or rather lions ; did't not wake you ?
It struck mine ear most terribly,
Alon. I heard nothing.
Ant. O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,
To make an earthquake ! sure, it was the roar
Of a whole herd of lions.
Alon. Heard you this, Gonzalo ?
Gon. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
And that a strange one too, which did awake me :
I shaked you, sir, and cried : as mine eyes open'd,
I saw their weapons drawn : — there was a noise, 320
That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard.
Or that we quit this place : let's draw our weapons.
Alon. Lead off this ground ; and let's make further search
For my poor son.
Gon. Heavens keep him from these beasts !
For he is, sure, i' th' island.
Alon. Lead away.
Art. Prospero my lord shall know what I have done :
So, king, go safely on to seek thy son. \_Exeunt.
Scene II.
Another part of the Island.
Enter Caliban •with a burden of nvood. A noise
of thunder heard.
Cal. All the infections that the sun sucks up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal a disease ! his spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch.
Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' the mire.
Act II. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark
Out of my way, unless he bid 'em : but
For every trifle are they set upon me j
Sometime like apes, that mow and chatter at me.
And after bite me ; then like hedgehogs, which lo
Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount
Their pricks at my footfall ; sometime am I
All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues
Do hiss me into madness.
Enter Trinciilo.
Lo, now, lo !
Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me
For bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat j
Perchance he will not mind me.
Triti. Here's neither bush nor shrub, to bear off
any weather at all, and another storm brewing ;
I hear it sing i' the wind : yond same black cloud, 20
yond huge one, looks like a foul bombard that
would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it
did before, I know not where to hide my head :
yond same cloud cannot choose but fall by pail-
fuls. What have we here ? a man or a fish ? dead
or alive ? A fish : he smells like a fish ; a very
ancient and fish-like smell ; a kind of not of the
newest Poor-John. A strange fish ! Were I in
England now, as once I was, and had but this fish
painted, not a holiday fool there but would give 30
a piece of silver : there would this monster make
a man •, any strange beast there makes a man :
when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame
beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian.
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. ii.
Legged like a man ! and his fins like arms ! Warm
o' my troth ! I do now let loose my opinion ; hold
it no longer: this is no fish, but an islander, that
hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt. [Thunder.]
Alas, the storm is come again ! my best way is to
creep under his gaberdine ; there is no other shelter 40
hereabout : misery acquaints a man with strange
bed-fellows. I will here shroud till the dregs of
the storm be past.
Enter Stephana, singing : a bottle in his hand.
Ste. I shall no more to sea, to sea.
Here shall I die a-shore, —
This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's
funeral : well, here's my comfort. [Drinks.
[Sings.
The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I,
The gunner, and his mate.
Loved Moll, Meg, and Marian, and Margery, 50
But none of us cared for Kate ;
For she had a tongue with a tang.
Would cry to a sailor, Go hang !
She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch ;
Yet a tailor might scratch her where'er she did itch.
Then, to sea, boys, and let her go hang !
This is a scurvy tune too : but here's my comfort.
[Drinks.
Cal. Do not torment me : — O !
Ste. What's the matter ? Have we devils here ? Do
you put tricks upon 's with salvages and men of 60
Ind, ha? I have not scaped drowning, to be
afeard now of your four legs •, for it hath been
Act II. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
said, As proper a man as ever went on four legs
cannot make him give ground ; and it shall be
said so again, while Stephano breathes at nostrils.
Cal. The spirit torments me. — O !
Ste. This is some monster of the isle with four legs,
who hath got, as I take it, an ague. Where the
devil should he learn our language ? I will give
him some relief, if it be but for that. If I can 70
recover him, and keep him tame, and get to
Naples with him, he's a present for any emperor
that ever trod on neat's-leather.
Cal. Do not torment me, prithee ; I'll bring my wood
home faster.
Ste. He's in his fit now, and does not talk after the
wisest. He shall taste of my bottle : if he have
never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove
his fit. If I can recover him, and keep him
tame, I will not take too much for him ; he shall 80
pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.
Cal. Thou dost me yet but little hurt ; thou wilt
anon, I know it by thy trembling : now Prosper
works upon thee.
Ste. Come on your ways ; open your mouth ; here is
that which will give language to you, cat : open
your mouth ; this will shake your shaking, I can
tell you, and that soundly : you cannot tell who's
your friend : open your chaps again.
Tr'w. I should know that voice : it should be — but <^o
he is drowned ; and these are devils : — O defend
me !
Ste. Four legs and two voices, — a most delicate
monster ! His forward voice, now, is to speak
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. ii.
well of his friend ; his backward voice is to utter
foul speeches and to detract. If all the wine in
my bottle will recover him, I will help his ague.
Come : — Amen ! I will pour some in thy other
mouth.
Trin. Stephano ! lOO
Ste. Doth thy other mouth call me ? Mercy, mercy !
This is a devil, and no monster : I will leave
him ; I have no long spoon.
Triti. Stephano ! If thou beest Stephano, touch me,
and speak to me ; for I am Trinculo, — be not
afeard, — thy good friend Trinculo.
Ste. If thou beest Trinculo, come forth : I'll pull thee
by the lesser legs : if any be Trinculo's legs, these
are they. Thou art very Trinculo indeed ! How
camest thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? Iio
can he vent Trinculos ?
Trin. I took him to be killed with a thunder-stroke.
But art thou not drowned, Stephano ^. I hope,
now, thou art not drowned. Is the storm over-
blown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf's gaber-
dine for fear of the storm. And art thou living,
Stephano ? O Stephano, two Neapolitans scaped !
Ste. Prithee, do not turn me about ; my stomach is
not constant.
Cal. [Aside'] These be fine things, an if they be not
sprites. 121
That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor :
I will kneel to him.
Ste. How didst thou scape ? How camest thou
hither ? swear, by this bottle, how thou camest
hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack, which the
Act II. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
sailors heaved o'erboard, by this bottle ! which I
made of the bark of a tree with mine own hands,
since I was cast ashore.
Cal. I'll swear, upon that bottle, to be thy true
subject; for the liquor is not earthly. i^o
Ste. Here ; swear, then, how thou escapcdst.
Trin. Swum ashore, man, like a duck: I can swim
like a duck, I'll be sworn.
Ste. Here, kiss the book. Though thou canst swim
like a duck, thou art made like a goose.
Trin. O Stephano, hast any more of this ?
Ste. The whole butt, man : my cellar is in a rock by
the sea-side, where my wine is hid. How now,
moon-calf ! how does thine ague ?
Cal. Hast thou not dropp'd from heaven ^ iao
Ste. Out o' the moon, I do assure thee : I was the
man i' the moon when time was.
Cal. I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee : my
mistress show'd me thee, and thy dog, and thy
bush.
Ste. Come, swear to that ; kiss the book : I will fur-
nish it anon with new contents : swear.
Trin. By this good light, this is a very shallow
monster ! I afeard of him ! A very weak
monster ! The man i' the moon ! A most
poor credulous monster ! "Well drawn, monster, 150
in good sooth !
Cal. I'll show thee every fertile inch o' th' island j
and I will kiss thy foot : I prithee, be my god.
Trin. By this light, a most perfidious and drunken
monster ! when's god's asleep, he'll rob his
bottle.
THE TEMPEST Act II. Sc. ii.
Cal. I'll kiss thy foot ; I'll swear myself thy subject.
Ste. Come on, then j down, and swear.
Trin. I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-
headed monster. A most scurvy monster ! I
could find in my heart to beat him, — i6o
Ste. Come, kiss.
Trin. But that the poor monster's in drink. An
abominable monster !
Cal. I'll show thee the best springs ; I'll pluck thee
berries ;
I'll fish for thee, and get thee wood enough.
A plague upon the tyrant that I serve !
I'll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,
Thou wondrous man.
Trin. A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder
of a poor drunkard ! 17°
Cal. I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow ;
And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts ;
Show thee a jay's nest, and instruct thee how
To snare the nimble marmoset ; I'll bring thee
To clustering filberts, and sometimes I'll get
thee
Young seamews from the rock. Wilt thou go with
me ?
Ste. I prithee now, lead the way, without any more
talking. Trinculo, the king and all our company
else being drowned, we will inherit here : here ;
bear my bottle : fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him i8o
by and by again.
Cal. \_Sings drunkenlj\
Farewell, master ; farewell, farewell !
Trin. A howling monster j a drunken monster !
Act III. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Cal. No more dams I'll make for fish ;
Nor fetch in firing
At requiring ;
Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish :
'Ban, 'Ban, Cacaliban
Has a new master : — get a new man.
Freedom, hey-day ! hey-day, freedom ! free- 190
dom, hey-day, freedom !
Ste. O brave monster ! Lead the way. [Exeunt.
ACT THIRD.
Scene I.
Before Prosperous cell.
Enter Ferditiand, bearing a log.
Fer. There be some sports are painful, and their labour
Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task
Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures : O, she is
Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed,
And he's composed of harshness. I must remove
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up, lo
Upon a sore injunction : my sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness
Had never like executor. I forget :
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,
Most busy least, when I do it.
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. i.
Enter Miranda ; and Prospero at a distance,
unseen.
Mir, Alas, now, pray you,
Work not so hard : I would the lightning had
Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile !
Pray, set it down, and rest you : when this burns,
'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself; 2o
He's safe for these three hours.
Fer. O most dear mistress,
The sun will set before I shall discharge
What I must strive to do.
Mir. If you '11 sit down,
I '11 bear your logs the while : pray, give me that ;
I'll carry it to the pile.
Fer. No, precious creature ;
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
Mir. It would become me
As well as it does you : and I should do it
With much more ease ; for my good will is to it, 30
And yours it is against.
Pros. Poor worm, thou art infected !
This visitation shows it.
Mir. You look wearily.
Fer. No, noble mistress ; 'tis fresh morning with me
When you are by at night. I do beseech you, —
Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers, —
What is your name ?
Mir. Miranda. — O my father,
I have broke your best to say so !
Act III. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Fer. Admired Miranda !
Indeed the top of admiration ! worth
What's dearest to the world ! Full many a lady
I have eyed with best regard, and many a time 40
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear : for several virtues
Have I liked several women ; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed.
And put it to the foil : but you, O you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best !
Mir. I do not know
One of my sex ; no woman's face remember.
Save, from my glass, mine own ; nor have I seen 50
More that I may call men than you, good friend,
And my dear father : how features are abroad,
I am skilless of; but, by my modesty.
The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you ;
Nor can imagination form a shape.
Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father's precepts
I therein do forget.
Fer. I am, in my condition,
A prince, Miranda ; I do think, a king ; 60
I would, not so ! — and would no more endure
This wooden slavery than to suffer
The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul
speak :
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service ; there resides.
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. i.
To make me slave to it ; and for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.
Mir. Do you love me ?
Fer. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,
And crown what I profess with kind event,
If I speak true ! if hollowly, invert 70
What best is boded me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what else i' the world.
Do love, prize, honour you.
Mir. I am a fool
To weep at what I am glad of.
Pros. Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections ! Heavens rain
grace
On that which breeds between 'em !
Per. Wherefore weep you .''
Mir. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
What I desire to give ; and much less take
What I shall die to want. But this is trifling ;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself, 80
The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful
cunning !
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence !
I am your wife, if you will marry me ;
If not, I '11 die your maid : to be your fellow
You may deny me ; but I '11 be your servant.
Whether you will or no.
Per. My mistress, dearest ;
And I thus humble ever.
Mir. My husband, then ?
Per. Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e'er of freedom : here's my hand.
Act III. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Mir. And mine, with my heart in 't : and now farewell
Till half an hour hence.
Fer. A thousand thousand ! 91
[Exeunt Fer. and Mir. severally.
Pros. So glad of this as they I cannot be,
Who are surprised withal ; but my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I '11 to my book j
For yet, ere supper-time, must I perform
Much business appertaining. \^Exit.
Scene II.
Another part of the Island.
Enter Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo.
Ste. Tell not me ; — when the butt is out, we will
drink water ; not a drop before : therefore bear
up, and board 'em. Servant-monster, drink to
me.
Trin. Servant-monster ! the folly of this island ! They
say there's but five upon this isle : we are three
of them ; if th' other two be brained like us, the
state totters.
Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee : thy
eyes are almost set in thy head. lo
Trin. Where should they be set else ? he were a
brave monster indeed, if they were set in his
tail.
Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in
sack : for my part, the sea cannot drown me ;
I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-
thirty leagues off and on. By this light, thou
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. ii.
shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my stan-
dard.
Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list ; he 's no standard. 20
Ste. We '11 not run, Monsieur Monster.
Trin. Nor go neither j but you '11 lie, like dogs, and
yet say nothing neither.
Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a
good moon-calf.
Cal. How does thy honour .? Let me lick thy shoe.
I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.
Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster : I am in
case to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed
fish, thou, was there ever man a coward that 30
hath drunk so much sack as I to-day .'* Wilt
thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish
and half a monster .''
Cal. Lo, how he mocks me ! wilt thou let him, my
lord .?
Trin. ' Lord,' quoth he ! That a monster should be
such a natural !
Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.
Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head : if
you prove a mutineer, — the next tree ! The 40
poor monster 's my subject, and he shall not suffer
indignity.
Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased
to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee ^
Ste. Marry, will I : kneel and repeat it ; I will stand,
and so shall Trinculo.
Enter Ariel, invisible.
Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant,
Act III. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me
of the island.
Ari. Thou hest. 5°
Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou :
I would my vaHant master would destroy thee !
I do not lie.
Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in 's tale,
by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
Trin. Why, I said nothing.
5^^-. Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.
Cal. I say, by sorcery he got this isle ;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him, — for I know thou darest, 60
But this thing dare not, —
Ste. That's most certain.
Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I '11 serve thee.
5/^. How now shall this be compassed ? Canst thou
bring me to the party .''
Cal. Yea, yea, my lord : I '11 yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.
jiri. Thou liest ; thou canst not.
Cal. What a pied ninny 's this ! Thou scurvy patch !
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows, 70
And take his bottle from him : when that 's gone.
He shall drink nought but brine j for I '11 not show him
Where the quick freshes are.
Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger : interrupt
the monster one word further, and, by this
hand, I '11 turn my mercy out o' doors, and make
a stock-fish of thee.
Trin. Why, what did I ? I did nothing. I'll go
farther off.
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. ii.
Ste. Didst thou not say he lied ? 80
Art. Thou liest.
5/^. Do I so ? take thou that. [Beats him.']
As you like this, give me the lie another time.
Trijt. I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits, and
hearing too .'* A pox o' your bottle ! this can
sack and drinking do. A murrain on your mon-
ster, and the devil take your fingers !
Cal. Ha, ha, ha !
Ste. Now, forward with your tale. — Prithee, stand
farther oif. 90
Cal. Beat him enough : after a little time,
I'll beat him too.
Ste. Stand farther. — Come, proceed.
Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
r th' afternoon to sleep : there thou mayst brain him.
Having first seized his books ; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake.
Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
First to possess his books ; for without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command : they all do hate him 100
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.
He has brave utensils, — for so he calls them, —
Which, when he has a house, he '11 deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter ; he himself
Calls her a nonpareil : I never saw a woman.
But only Sycorax my dam and she ;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great'st does least.
Ste. Is it so brave a lass ?
Act III. Sc. ii. THE TEMPEST
Cal. Ay, lord ; she will become thy bed, I warrant, lio
And bring thee forth brave brood.
Ste. Monster, I will kill thi^ man : his daughter and I
will be king and queen, — save our graces ! — and
Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost
thou like the plot, Trinculo ?
Trin. Excellent.
Ste. Give me thy hand : I am sorry I beat thee ; but,
while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy
head.
Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep : 1 20
Wilt thou destroy him then ?
Ste. Ay, on mine honour.
Ari. This will I tell my master.
Cal. Thou makest me merry ; I am full of pleasure :
Let us be jocund : will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?
Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any
reason. — Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. [Sings.
Flout 'em and scout 'em.
And scout 'em and flout 'em ;
Thought is free. 130
Cal. That 's not the tune.
[Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.
Ste. What is this same ^.
Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the
picture of Nobody.
Ste. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy like-
ness : if thou beest a devil, take 't as thou list.
Trin. O, forgive me my sins !
Ste. He that dies pays all debts : I defy thee. Mercy
upon us !
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. iii.
Cal. Art thou afeard ? 1 40
Ste. No, monster, not I.
Cal. Be not afeard ; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears ; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep.
Will make me sleep again : and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me j that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again. 15°
Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I
shall have my music for nothing.
Cal. When Prospero is destroyed.
Ste. That shall be by and by : I remember the story.
Trin. The sound is going away ; let 's follow it, and
after do our work.
5/^. Lead, monster ; we '11 follow. I would I could
see this taborer ; he lays it on.
Trin. Wilt come ? I '11 follow, Stephano. [Exeunt.
Scene III.
Another part of the island.
Enter A Ion so, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo,
Adrian, Francisco, and others.
Gon. By 'r lakin, I can go no further, sir ;
My old bones ache : here 's a maze trod, indeed,
Through forth-rights and meanders ! By your patience,
I needs must rest me.
Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee,
Act III. Sc. iii. THE TEMPEST
Who am myself attach'd with weariness,
To the dulling of my spirits : sit down, and rest.
Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it
No longer for my flatterer : he is drown'd
Whom thus we stray to find ; and the sea mocks
Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go. lo
Ant. [Aside to Seb.~\ I am right glad that he 's so out of hope.
Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose
That you resolved to effect.
Seb. [Aside to Atit.~\ The next advantage
Will we take throughly.
Ant. [Aside to Scb.^ Let it be to-night ;
For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they
Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance
As when they are fresh.
Seb. [Aside to Ant.~\ I say, to-night : no more.
[Solemn and strange music.
Alon. What harmony is this ? — My good friends, hark !
Gon. Marvellous sweet music !
Enter Prospero above, invisible. Enter several
strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet : they
dance about it tuith gentle actions of saluta-
tion ; and, inviting the King, Ifjc. to eat,
they depart.
Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens ! — What were these .''
Seb. A living drollery. Now I will believe 2 1
That there are unicorns ; that in Arabia
There is one tree, the phoenix' throne ; one phoenix
At this hour reigning there.
Ant. I '11 believe both ;
And what does else want credit, come to me,
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. iii.
And I '11 be sworn 'tis true : travellers ne'er did lie,
Though fools at home condemn 'em.
Gon. If in Naples
I should report this now, would they believe me ?
If I should say, I saw such islanders, —
For, certes, these are people of the island, — go
Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note,
Their manners are more gentle-kind than of
Our human generation you shall find
Many, nay, almost any.
Pros. \_Aside] Honest lord,
Thou hast said well ; for some of you there present
Are worse than devils.
Alon. I cannot too much muse
Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, ex-
pressing—
Although they want the use of tongue — a kind
Of excellent dumb discourse.
Pros. [Aside] Praise in departing.
Fran. They vanish'd strangely.
Seb. No matter, since 40
They have left their viands behind ; for we have
stomachs. —
Will 't please you taste of what is here ?
AloTi. Not I.
Gon. Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys,
Who would believe that there were mountaineers
Dew-lapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging
at 'em
Wallets of flesh .'' or that there were such men
Whose heads stood in their breasts ? which now we
find
Act III. Sc. iii. THE TEMPEST
Each putter-ont of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.
Alon, I will stand to, and feed,
Although my last : no matter, since I feel 50
The best is past. Brother, my lord the duke,
Stand to, and do as we.
Thunder and lightning. Enter Ariel, like a harpy ;
claps his wings upon the table; and, with
a quaitit device, the banquet vanishes.
Ari. You are three men of sin, whom Destiny, —
That hath to instrument this lower world
And what is in 't, — the never-surfeited sea
Hath caused to belch up you ; and on this island.
Where man doth not inhabit, — you 'mongst men
Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad ;
And even with such-like valour men hang and drown
Their proper selves.
\_Alon., Seb. ^c. draw their swords.
You fools ! I and my fellows 60
Are ministers of Fate : the elements,
Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well
Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs
Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish
One dowle that 's in my plume : my fellow-ministers
Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt.
Your swords are now too massy for your strengths,
And will not be uplifted. But remember, —
For that 's my business to you, — that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero ; 70
Exposed unto the sea, which hath requit it.
Him and his innocent child : for which foul deed
THE TEMPEST Act III. Sc. iii.
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incensed the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft ; and do pronounce by me :
Lingering perdition — worse than any death
Can be at once — shall step by step attend
You and your ways ; whose wraths to guard you
from, —
Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls 80
Upon your heads, — is nothing but heart-sorrow
And a clear life ensuing.
He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft rjtusic, enter
the Shapes again, and dance, nuith mocks and
monvs, and carrying out the table.
Pros. Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou
Perform'd, my Ariel ; a grace it had, devouring :
Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
In what thou hadst to say : so, with good life
And observation strange, my meaner ministers
Their several kinds have done. My high charms
work.
And these mine enemies are all knit up
In their distractions : they now are in my power ; 90
And in these fits I leave them, while I visit
Young Ferdinand, — whom they suppose is drown'd, —
And his and mine loved darling. [Exit above.
Gon. V the name of something holy, sir, why stand you
In this strange stare .''
Alon. O, it is monstrous, monstrous !
Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it ;
The winds did sing it to me •, and the thunder,
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounced
The name of Prosper : it did bass my trespass.
Therefore my son i' th' ooze is bedded ; and loo
I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,
And with him there lie mudded. [Exit.
Seb. But one fiend at a time,
I'll fight their legions o'er.
yint. I '11 be thy second.
[Exeunt Sel>. and Ant.
Gon. All three of them are desperate : their great guilt,
Like poison given to work a great time after.
Now 'gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you.
That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly,
And hinder them from what this ecstasy
May now provoke them to.
Adr. Follow, I pray you. [Exeunt.
ACT FOURTH.
Scene I.
Before Prosperos cell.
Enter Prospero, Ferd'mand, and Miranda.
Pros. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends ; for I
Have given you here a third of mine own life.
Or that for which I live ; who once again
I tender to thy hand : all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast strangely stood the test : here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise, lo
And make it halt behind her.
Fer. I do believe it
Against an oracle.
Pros. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchased, take my daughter : but
If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,
No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow ; but barren hate.
Sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew 20
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
That you shall hate it both : therefore take heed.
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.
Fer. As I hope
For quiet days, fair issue and long life,
With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den,
The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worser genius can, shall never melt
Mine honour into lust, to take away
The edge of that day's celebration
When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd,
Or Night kept chain'd below.
Pros. Fairly spoke. 51
Sit, then, and talk with her ; she is thine own.
What, Ariel ! my industrious servant, Ariel !
Enter Ariel.
Ari. What would my potent master ? here I am.
Pros. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Did worthily perform ; and I must use you
In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,
O'er whom I give thee power, here to this place :
Incite them to quick motion ; for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple 40
Some vanity of mine art : it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.
Art. Presently ?
Pros. Ay, with a twink.
Art. Before you can say, ' come,' and ' go,'
And breathe twice, and cry, ' so, so,'
Each one, tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and mow.
Do you love me, master ? no ?
Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
Till thou dost hear me call.
Art. Well, I conceive. \^Exit. 50
Pros. Look thou be true ; do not give dalHance
Too much the rein : the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i' the blood : be more abstemious,
Or else, good night your vow !
Per. I warrant you, sir ;
The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.
Pros. Well.
Now come, my Ariel ! bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit : appear, and pertly !
No tongue ! all eyes ! be silent. [Soft music.
Enter Iris.
Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas 60
Of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats, and pease ;
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep j
Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,
"Which spongy April at thy hest betrims.
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns ; and thy
broom-groves,
Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves.
Being lass-lorn ; thy pole-clipt vineyard ;
And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air ; — the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am I, 71
Bids thee leave these ; and with her sovereign grace.
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport : — her peacocks fly amain :
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.
Enter Ceres.
Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter -,
Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diff'usest honey-drops, refreshing showers ;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown 80
My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down.
Rich scarf to my proud earth ; — why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green ?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate ;
And some donation freely to estate
On the blest lovers.
Cer. Tell me, heavenly bow.
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know.
Do now attend the queen ? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company 90
I have forsworn.
Iris. Of her society
Be not afraid : I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son
Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted : but in vain ;
Mars's hot minion is return'd again ;
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, 99
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.
Cer. High'st queen of state.
Great Juno, comes ; I know her by her gait.
Enter Juno.
Juno. How does my bounteous sister ? Go with me
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be.
And honour'd in their issue. [They sing :
Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing.
Long continuance, and increasing.
Hourly joys be still upon you !
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Cer. Earthes increase, foison plenty. Ho
Barns and garners never empty ;
Vines with clustering bunches growing ;
Plants with goodly burthen bowing ;
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Spring come to you at the farthest
In the very end of harvest !
Scarcity and want shall shun you ;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.
Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits ?
Pros. Spirits, which by mine art l2o
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.
Fer. Let me live here ever ;
So rare a wonder'd father and a wise
Makes this place Paradise.
[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send
Iris on employment.
Pros. Sweet, now, silence !
Juno and Ceres whisper seriously ;
There's something else to do : hush, and be mute,
Or else our spell is marr'd.
Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the windring brooks.
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land 130
Answer your summons ; Juno does command :
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love •, be not too late.
Enter certain Nymphs.
You sunburn'd sicklemen, of August weary.
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry :
Make holiday ; your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Enter certain Reapers, properly habited : they Join
ivith the Nymphs in a graceful dance ; to-wards
the end nvhereof Prospero starts suddenly, and
speaks ; after nvhich, to a strange, hollow, and
confused noise, they heavily vanish.
Pros. \_Aside'\ I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates 140
Against my life : the minute of their plot
Is almost come. [To the Spirits.'] Well done !
avoid ; no more !
Fer. This is strange : your father 's in some passion
That works him strongly.
Mir. Never till this day
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pros. You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismay'd : be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air: 150
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision.
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve.
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded.
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on ; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd ;
Bear with my weakness ; my old brain is troubled :
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity: 160
If you be pleased, retire into my cell.
And there repose : a turn or two I '11 walk,
To still my beating mind.
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Fer. Mir. We wish your peace. \Exeunt.
Pros. Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel : come.
Etiter Ariel.
Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What 's thy pleasure .?
Pros. Spirit,
We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
Ari. Ay, my commander : when I presented Ceres,
I thought to have told thee of it ; but I fear'd
Lest I might anger thee. 169
Pros. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets ?
Ari. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking \
So full of valour that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces ; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet ; yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor ;
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears,
Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses
As they smelt music : so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd through 179
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns.
Which enter'd their frail shins : at last I left them
F the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.
Pros. This was well done, my bird.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still :
The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,
For stale to catch these thieves.
Ari. I go, I go. \Exit.
Pros. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick ; on whom my pains.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost; 190
And as with age his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers. I will plague them all.
Even to roaring.
Re-enter Ariel, loaden lulth glistering
apparel, Is'c.
Come, hang them on this hne.
Prospero and Ariel remain, invisible.
Enter Caliban, Stephana, and Trinculo, all ivet.
Cal. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall : we now are near his cell.
Ste. Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless
fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us.
Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss ; at which my
nose is in great indignation. 200
Ste. So is mine. Do you hear, monster ? If I should
take a displeasure against you, look you, —
Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster.
Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still.
Be patient, for the prize I '11 bring thee to
Shall hoodwink this mischance : therefore speak softly.
All 's hush'd as midnight yet.
Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool, —
Ste. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that,
monster, but an infinite loss. 210
Trin. That 's more to me than my wetting : yet this is
your harmless fairy, monster.
Ste. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears
for my labour.
Cal. Prithee, my king, be quiet. See'st thou here,
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
This is the mouth o' the cell : no noise, and enter.
Do that good mischief which may make this island
Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot-licker.
5/^. Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody
thoughts. 220
Trin. O King Stephano! Opeer! O worthy Stephano!
look what a wardrobe here is for thee !
Cal. Let it alone, thou fool ; it is but trash.
Trifi. O, ho, monster ! we know what belongs to a
frippery. O King Stephano !
Ste. Put off that gown, Trinculo ; by this hand, I '11
have that gown.
Trin. Thy grace shall have it.
Cal. The dropsy drown this fool ! what do yoii mean
To dote thus on such luggage ? Let's alone, 231
And do the murder first : if he awake.
From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches,
Make us strange stuff.
5/^. Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line, is not this
my jerkin ? Now is the jerkin under the line :
now, jerkin, you are like to lose your hair, and
prove a bald jerkin.
Trin. Do, do : we steal by line and level, an 't like
your grace. 240
Ste. I thank thee for that jest ; here 's a garment for 't :
wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of
this country. ' Steal by line and level ' is an
excellent pass of pate ; there 's another garment
for 't.
Trin. Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers,
and away with the rest.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Cal. I will have none on 't ; we shall lose our time,
And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes
With foreheads villanous low. 250
Ste. Monster, lay-to your fingers : help to bear this
away where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn
you out of my kingdom : go to, carry this.
Trin. And this,
Ste. Ay, and this.
A noise of himters heard. Enter divers Spirits, in
shape of dogs atid hounds, hunting thetn about ;
Prospero and Ariel setting them on.
Pros. Hey, Mountain, hey !
Ari. Silver ! there it goes. Silver !
Pros. Fury, Fury ! there, Tyrant, there ! hark, hark !
\Cal., Ste., and Trin. are driven out.
Go charge my goblins that they grind their joints
With dry convulsions ; shorten up their sinews 260
With aged cramps ; and more pinch-spotted make
them
Than pard or cat o' mountain.
Ari. Hark, they roar !
Pros. Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
Lies at my mercy all mine enemies :
Shortly shall all my labours end, and thou
Shalt have the air at freedom : for a little
Follow, and do me service. [Exeunt.
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
ACT FIFTH.
Scene I.
Before the cell of Prosper o.
Enter Prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel.
Pros. Now does my project gather to a head :
My charms crack not ; my spirits obey ; and time
Goes upright with his carriage. How 's the day ?
Art. On the sixth hour : at which time, my lord,
You said our work should cease.
Pros. I did say so,
When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,
How fares the king and 's followers ?
Ari. Confined together
In the same fashion as you gave in charge.
Just as you left them ; all prisoners, sir.
In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell ; lo
They cannot budge till your release. The king,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted,
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brimful of sorrow and dismay ; but chiefly
Him that you term'd, sir, ' The good old lord,
Gonzalo ' ;
His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops
From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly
works 'em,
That if you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender.
Pros. Dost thou think so, spirit .?
Ari. Mine would, sir, were I human.
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Pros. And mine shall. 20
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeHng
Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply.
Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art ?
Though with their high wrongs I am struck to
the quick.
Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury
Do I take part : the rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance : they being penitent.
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further. Go release them, Ariel : 30
My charms I '11 break, their senses I '11 restore,
And they shall be themselves.
Ari. I'll fetch them, sir. \_Exit.
Pros. Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves ;
And ye that on the sands with printless foot
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him
When he comes back ; you demi-puppets that
By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe not bites ; and you whose pastime
Is to make midnight mushrumps, that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew j by whose aid — 40
Weak masters though ye be — I have bedimm'd
The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azured vault
Set roaring war : to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt ; the strong-based promontory
Have 1 made shake, and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar : graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
By my so potent art. But this rough magic 50
I here abjure j and, when I have required
Some heavenly music, — which even now I do, —
To work mine end upon their senses, that
This airy charm is for, I '11 break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms m the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I '11 drown my book. [Solemn music.
Re-enter Ariel before : then Alonso, nvith a frantic
gesture, attended by Gonzalo ; Sebastian and
Antonio in like 77ianner, attended by Adrian and
Francisco : they all enter the circle ivhich Pros-
per 0 had made, and there stand charmed; nuhich
Prospero observing, speaks :
A solemn air, and the best comforter
To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
Now useless, boil'd within thy skull ! There stand,
For you are spell-stopp'd. 61
Holy Gonzalo, honourable man.
Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine.
Fall fellowly drops. The charm dissolves apace ;
And as the morning steals upon the night.
Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
Their clearer reason. O good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal sir
To him thou follow'st ! I will pay thy graces 70
Home both in word and deed. Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter :
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act.
Thou art pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh and blood,
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
Expell'd remorse and nature ; who, with Sebastian, —
Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong, —
Would here have kill'd your king ; I do forgive thee.
Unnatural though thou art. Their understanding
Begins to swell ; and the approaching tide 80
Will shortly fill the reasonable shore.
That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them
That yet looks on me, or would know me : Ariel,
Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell :
I will disease me, and myself present
As 1 was sometime Milan : quickly, spirit ;
Thou shalt ere long be free.
Ariel swgs and helps to attire him.
Where the bee sucks, there suck I :
In a cowslip's bell I lie ;
There I couch when owls do cry. 90
On the bat's back I do fly
After summer merrily.
Merrily, merrily shall I live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
Pros. Why, that 's my dainty Ariel ! I shall miss thee ;
But yet thou shalt have freedom : so, so, so.
To the king's ship, invisible as thou art :
There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
Under the hatches ; the master and the boatswain
Being awake, enforce them to this place, loo
And presently, I prithee.
Ari. I drink the air before me, and return
Or ere your pulse twice beat. [^Exit.
Gon. All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
Inhabits here : some heavenly power guide us
Out of this fearful country !
Pros. Behold, sir king,
The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero :
For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body j
And to thee and thy company I bid no
A hearty welcome.
Alon. Whether thou be'st he or no.
Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I not know : thy pulse
Beats, as of flesh and blood ; and, since I saw thee,
The affliction of my mind amends, with which,
I fear, a madness held me : this must crave —
An if this be at all — a most strange story.
Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat
Thou pardon me my wrongs. — But how should
Prospero
Be living and be here }
Pros. First, noble friend, 1 20
Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
Be measured or confined.
Gon. Whether this be
Or be not, I '11 not swear.
Pros. You do yet taste
Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all !
[Aside to Seb. and Ant.^ But you, my brace of
lords, were I so minded,
I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you,
And justify you traitors : at this time
I will tell no tales.
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Seb. [Aside] The devil speaks in him.
Pros. No.
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother 130
"Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest fault, — all of them ; and require
My dukedom •of thee, which perforce, I know,
Thou must restore.
Alo?i. If thou be'st Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation ;
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wreck'd upon this shore ; where I have lost —
How sharp the point of this remembrance is ! —
My dear son Ferdinand.
Pros. I am woe for 't, sir.
Alon. Irreparable is the loss ; and patience 140
Says it is past her cure.
Pros. I rather think
You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace
For the like loss I have her sovereign aid,
And rest myself content.
Alon. You the like loss !
Pros. As great to me as late •, and, supportable
To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
Than you may call to comfort you, for I
Have lost my daughter.
Alon. A daughter ?
O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
The king and queen there ! that they were, I wish 150
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed
Where my son lies. When did you lose your
daughter ^.
Pros. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
At this encounter do so much admire,
That they devour their reason, and scarce think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath : but, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain
That I am Prospero, and that very duke 1 59
Which was thrust forth of Milan ; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was
landed,
To be the lord on 't. No more yet of this ;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast, nor
Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir ;
This cell 's my court : here have I few attendants,
And subjects none abroad : pray you, look in.
My dukedom since you have given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing •,
At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye 170
As much as me my dukedom.
Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda
playing at chess.
Mir. Sweet lord, you play me false.
Fer. No, my dear'st love,
I would not for the world.
Mir. Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle.
And I would call it fair play.
Alon. If this prove
A vision of the island, one dear son
Shall I twice lose.
Seb. A most high miracle !
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Fer. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful ;
I have cursed them without cause. \_Kneels.
Alon. Now all the blessings
Of a glad father compass thee about ! 1 80
Arise, and say how thou camest here.
Mir. O, wonder !
How many goodly creatures are there here !
How beauteous mankind is ! O brave new world,
That has such people in 't !
Pros. 'Tis new to thee.
Alon. What is this maid with whom thou wast at play "i
Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours :
Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,
And brought us thus together .''
Fer. Sir, she is mortal ;
But by immortal Providence she 's mine :
I chose her when I could not ask my father 190
For his advice, nor thought I had one. She
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before j of whom I have
Received a second life ; and second father
This lady makes him to me.
Alon. I am hers :
But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
Must ask my child forgiveness !
Pros. There, sir, stop :
Let us not burthen our remembrances with
A heaviness that 's gone.
Gon. I have inly wept, 200
Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods.
And on this couple drop a blessed crown !
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way
Which brought us hither.
Aloti. I say, Amen, Gonzalo !
Gon. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
Should become kings of Naples ? O, rejoice
Beyond a common joy ! and set it down
With gold on lasting pillars : In one voyage
Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis,
And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife 210
Where he himself was lost, Prospero his dukedom
In a poor isle, and all of us ourselves
When no man was his own.
Alon. \To Fer. and Mir.'] Give me your hands :
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
That doth not wish you joy !
Gotu Be it so ! Amen !
Re-enter Ariel, nvith the Master and Boatswain
amazedly folloiving.
O, look, sir, look, sir ! here is more of us :
I prophesied, if a gallows were on land.
This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore ?
Hast thou no mouth by land ? What is the news ?
Boats. The best news is, that we have safely found 221
Our king and company ; the next, our ship —
Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split —
Is tight and yare and bravely rigg'd, as when
We first put out to sea.
Ari. [Aside to Pros.] Sir, all this service
Have I done since I went.
Pros. [Aside to Ari.] My tricksy spirit !
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Alon. These are not natural events ; they strengthen
From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither ?
Boats. If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
rid strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep, 230
And — how we know not — all clapp'd under hatches ;
Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
And mo diversity of sounds, all horrible.
We were awaked ; straightway, at liberty ;
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant ship ; our master
Capering to eye her : — on a trice, so please you.
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.
Ari. [Aside to ProsJ] Was 't well done ,-' 240
Pros. [Aside to Ari.] Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt
be free.
A/on. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod ;
And there is in this business more than nature
Was ever conduct of: some oracle
Must rectify our knowledge.
Pros. Sir, my liege,
Do not infest your mind with beating on
The strangeness of this business ; at pick'd leisure
Which shall be shortly, single I '11 resolve you,
Which to you shall seem probable, of every
These happen'd accidents; till when, be cheerful,
And think of each thing well. [Aside to Ari.] Come
hither, spirit : 251
Set Caliban and his companions free ;
Untie the spell. [Exit Ariel.] How fares my gracious
sir?
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
There are yet missing of your company
Some few odd lads that you remember not.
Re-enter Ariel, drivbig in Caliban, Stephana and
Trinculo, in their stolen apparel.
Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man
take care for himself; for all is but fortune.
— Coragio, bully-monster, coragio !
Trin. If these be true spies which I wear in my head,
here's a goodly sight. 260
Cal. O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed !
How fine my master is ! I am afraid
He will chastise me.
Seb. Ha, ha !
What things are these, my lord Antonio .<*
Will money buy 'em ?
Ant. Very like ; one of them
Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.
Pros. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
Then say if they be true. This mis-shapen knave,
His mother was a witch ; and one so strong
That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs.
And deal in her command, without her power. 271
These three have robb'd me ; and this demi-devil —
For he 's a bastard one — had plotted with them
To take my life. Two of these fellows you
Must know and own ; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.
Cal. I shall be pinch'd to death.
Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler ?
Seb. He is drunk now : where had he wine ?
Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe : where should they
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em ? — 280
How earnest thou in this pickle ?
Trln. I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you
last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones :
I shall not fear fly-blowing.
Seb. Why, how now, Stephano !
Ste. O, touch me not ; — I am not Stephano, but a cramp.
Pros. You 'Id be king o' the isle, sirrah .''
Ste. I should have been a sore one, then.
Alon. This is a strange thing as e'er I look'd on.
[Point i?7g to Caliban.
Pros. He is as disproportion'd in his manners 200
As in his shape. Go, sirrah, to my cell ;
Take with you your companions ; as you look
To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.
Cal. Ay, that I will ; and I'll be wise hereafter,
And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass
Was I, to take this drunkard for a god,
And worship this dull fool !
Pros. Go to ; away !
Alon. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
Seb. Or stole it, rather.
[ExeuTit Cal., Ste., and Trin.
Pros. Sir, I invite your Highness and your train 300
To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
For this one night ; which, part of it, I'll waste
With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it
Go quick away : the story of my life.
And the particular accidents gone by
Since I came to this isle : and in the morn
I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples,
Where I have hope to see the nuptial
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
Of these our dear-beloved solemnized ;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where 310
Every third thought shall be my grave.
Alon. I long
To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.
Pros. I'll deliver all ;
And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious, that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off. \_Aslde to Art.'] My
Ariel, chick,
That is thy charge : then to the elements
Be free, and fare thou well ! Please you, draw
near. [Exeunt.
EPILOGUE.
Spoken by Prospero,
Now my charms are all o'erthrown.
And what strength I have 's mine own,
Which is most faint : now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell ;
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands : 10
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Epilogue
THE TEMPEST
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant ;
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer.
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free.
20
A Galleon of the Sixteenth Century
THE TEMPEST
Glossary.
yif = on; II. 1. 185.
Abuse, deceive ; V. 1. 1 1 1.
Ach'd's, (dissyllabic, pronounced
" aitches," like the letter H) ; I.
ii. 370.
Admire, wox\Agt; V. i. 154.
Ad-vance, raise, lift up ; I. ii. 408.
Adventure, to risk; II. i. 187.
After, afterwards ; II. ii. 10.
Again, again and again ; I. ii. 390.
A-hold; '-to lay a ship a-hold," /.«•.,
" to bring a ship close to the wind
so as to hold or keep her to it " ;
I. i. 49.
Attached, seized ; III. iii. 5.
Avoid, begone; IV. i. 142.
Back-ward, distant, past; I. ii. 50.
Badges ; " household servants usually
wore on their arms, as part of their
livery, silver ' badges ' whereon
the shield of their masters was en-
graved "; V. i. 267.
Barefoot (used adjectively) ; II. ii.
1 1.
Barnacles, barnacle geese ; " it was
formerly thought that the barnacle
From the Harkian
Amazement, anguish, I. ii. 14.
Amen, used probably in the sense of
" again ! " or perhaps merely with
the force of " many " ; otiiers ren-
der it '■ hold, stoj) ! " II. ii. 98.
An, if; II. i. 181.
Angle, corner; I. ii. 223.
Argier, Algiers; I. ii. 261.
As, as if; II. i. 121.
Aspersion, sprinkling of rain or dew
(with an allusion perhaps to the
ceremony of sprinkling the
marriage-bed with holy water) ;
IV. i. 18.
MSS., XIV. cent
shell-fish, which is found on timber
exposed to the action of the sea,
became when broken off a kind of
goose. Sometimes it is related
that the barnacles grew on trees
and thence, dropping into the sea,
became geese " (cf. Sir John
Maundevile's Travels); IV. i. 249.
Base, utter in a deep bass ; III. iii. 99.
Bat-foivling, a term used for catching
birds by night; thence the name
of a thieves' trick for plundering
shops about dusk by pretending
to have lost a jewel near; II. i. 185.
Glossary
THE TEMPEST
Beat, bow (of a ship); I. ii. 196.
Bear up, i.e., take your course, sail
up ; III. ii. 3.
Bermoothes, i.e., Bermudas ; " said and
supposed to be inchanted and in-
habited with witches and deuills,
which grew by reason of accustomed
monstrous tliunder, storme, and
tempest," &c. Stow's Annals ; I.
ii. 229.
Berries, see Notes ; I. ii. 334.
Blue-eyed, with blueness about the
eyes, with livid eyelids ; I. ii. 269.
BoiVd {Jf. ' boile,^ Pope's correction),
frenzied ; V. i. 60.
Bombard, " black jack " of leather ;
II. ii. 21.
From a specimen (no longer extant) at
Flixton Hall, SufTolk.
Bootless, profitless ; I. ii. 35.
Bosky, wooded ; IV. i. 81.
Bourn, boundary; II. i. 152.
Brave, fine; 1. ii. 411.
Bring to try ; " to lay the ship with
her side close to the wind, and
lash the tiller to the lee side " ;
I. i. 35.
Broom-groves, rich copses of broom
(^Spartium scoparium) ; or perhaps
woods overgrown with genista,
pathless woods; IV. i. 66.
Budge, stir ; V. i. 11.
Burthen, undersong ; I. ii. 381.
.5;//, except that ; I. ii. 414; other-
wise than, I ii. 1 19.
By and by, immediately; III. ii. 156.
Can, is able to make; IV. i. 27.
Candied, converted into sugar, (?) con-
gealed ; II. i. 279 {y. Notes).
Capable, retentive; I. ii. 353.
Capering, jumping for joy ; V. i. 238.
Carriage, burden ; V. i. 3.
Case, condition; III. ii. 29.
Cast, to throw up ; perhaps with a
play upon " cast " in the sense of
" to assign their parts to actors";
II. i. 251.
Cat (with reference to the old pro-
verb that " good liquor will make
a cat speak"); II. ii. 86.
Catch, a part-song; III. ii. 126.
Certes, certainly ; ill. iii. 30.
Chalked forth, i.e., clialked out; V. i.
203.
Cherubin, a cherub; I. ii. 152.
Cliirurgeonly, like a surgeon ; II. i. 140.
Clear, blameless; III. iii. 82.
Closeness, retirement; I. ii. 90.
Cloudy, gloomy ; II. i. 142.
Cockerel, the young cock ; II. i. 31.
Coil, turmoil ; I. ii. 207.
Come by, to acquire; II. i. 292.
Confederates, conspires; I. ii. III.
Constant, self-possessed ; I. ii. 207 ;
"my stomach is not c," i.e. "is
qualmish "; II. ii. 1 19.
Content, desire, will; II. i. 269.
Control, contradict; I. ii. 439.
Coragio, courage; V. i. 258.
Corollary, a supernumerary, a surplus ;
IV. i. 57.
Correspondent, responsive, obedient ; I.
ii. 298.
Courses, the largest lower sails of a
shij) ; 1. i. 52.
Cri/ij^, crab-apples ; II. ii. 171.
Craci, to burst (with reference to
magic bands, or perhaps to the
crucibles and alembics of magi-
cians) ; V. i. 2,
THE TEMPEST
Glossary
Dear , zealous ', I. ii. 179.
Dearest, most precious object ; II. i.
'35-
Dehoslied, debauched ; III. ii. 29.
Decked, sprinkled; I. ii. 155.
Z)^i'/'. profound, wise; II. i. 266.
Delivtr, relate; V. i. 313.
Demanded, asked; I. ii. 139.
Deiv-lapped, having flesh hanging
from the throat (a reference pro-
bably to the victims of " goitre ").
see " ivaltets ofjlesh "; III. iii. 45.
Dis, Pluto; IV. i. 89.
Disease, undress ; V. i. 85.
Discharge, performance, execution ;
used probably as a technical term
of the stage ; II. i. 254.
Distempered, excited; IV. i. 145.
Distinctly, separately; I. ii. 200.
Dittij, words of a song; I. ii. 405.
Doit, the smallest piece of money ;
eighty doits went to a shilling ;
II. ii. 33.
Dollar, used quibblingly with
"dolour"; II. i. 18.
Doivle, a fibre of down ; III. iii. 65.
Draivn, having swords drawn ; II. i.
308 ; having taken a good
draught; II. ii. 150.
Dregs fwith reference to the " liquor
of the bombard," I. 21); II. ii. 42.
Drollery, puppet-siiow ; III. iii. 21.
Dry, thirsty ; I. ii. 112.
Dulness, stupor; I. ii. 185.
EartVd, buried in the earth; II. i.
234.
Ebbing, "ebbing men," i.e., "men
whose fortunes are declining " ;
II. i. 226.
Ecstasy, mental excitement, madness ;
HI. iii. 108.
Endeavour, laborious effort ; II. i. 160.
Engine, instrument of war, military
machine ; II. i. 161.
Entertainer, perhaps quibblingly in-
terpreted by Gonzalo in the sense
of " inn-keeper " ; II. i. 17.
Envy, malice; I. ii. 258.
! Estate, to grant as a possession ; IV.
' i. 85.
Eye, tinge; II. i. 55.
Fall, to let fall ; II. i. 296.
Fearful, timorous ; I. ii. 468.
Featcr, more becomingly ; II. i. 273.
iva//y, deftly ; I. ii. 380.
Felloius, companions ; II. i. 274.
Fe-w, 'in few,' in few words, in
short ; I. ii. 144.
Fish, to catch at, to seek to obtain ;
II. i. 104.
Flat, low level ground ; II. ii. 2.
Flat-long, as if struck with the side
of a sword instead of its edge ; II.
i. 181.
Flesh-Jly, a fly that feeds on flesh and
deposits her eggs in it ; III. i. 63.
Flote, flood, sea ; I. ii. 234.
Foil, disadvantage ; III. i. 46.
Foison, plenty; II. i. 163.
Founder d, disabled by overriding, foot-
sore ; IV. i. 30.
Forth-ri^hts, straight jiaths (r/".Notes);
III. ii'i. 3.
Fraughting, freighting; I. ii. 13.
Freshes, springs of fresh water ; III.
ii. 75.
Frippery, a place where old clothes
are sold ; IV. i. 225.
( — ""^'^n^'v
From a print dated 15S7.
Frustrate, frustrated ; III. iii. 10.
Glossary
THE TEMPEST
Gaberdine, a long coarse outer gar-
ment ; II. ii. 40.
GjUoivs, cf. "He that is born to be
hanged will never be drowned " ;
I. i. 30.
Ga-ve out, i.e. gave up : V. i. 213.
Gentle, high-born fand hence '-high-
spirited ") ; I. ii. 468.
Gilded, made drunk (an allusion to the
aurum potabite of the alchemists) ;
V. i. 280.
G;n/, begins ; ill. iii. 106.
Glasiei, hour-glasses, i.e., runnings
of the hour-glass ; I. ii. 240, V. i.
223 (cp. VI. i. 186, '■three glasses' =
' three hours' though the seaman's
' glass ' was usually half an hour).
Glut, to swallow up ; I. i. 60.
Grudge, murmur ; I. ii. 249.
Heavy, "the heavy offer," i.e., the
offer which brings drowsiness ; II.
i. 194.
Helf, cure ; II. ii. 97.
Hesls, behests; I. ii. 274
Hint, theme; I. ii. 134; occasion,
cause ; II. i. 3
His, its ; II. i. 120.
Hoist, hoisted (past tense of " hoise"
or " hoist"); I. ii. 148.
Holloivly, insincerely; III. i. 70.
Home, to the utmost, effectively; V.
i. 71.
Honeycomb, cells of honeycomb ; I.
ii. 329-
Ignorant, appertaining to ignorance;
'«i. fumes "=" fumes of ignor-
ance" ; V. i. 67.
Impertinent, irrelevant; I. ii. 138.
Inch-meal, inch by inch ; II. ii. 3
Infest, vex ; V. i. 246.
Infuence (used in its astrological
sense^ ; I. ii. 182.
Infused, endowed; I. ii. 154.
Inherit, take possession ; II. ii. 179
Inly, inwardly ; V. i. 200.
Inquisition, enquiry ; I. ii. 35.
Invert, change to the contrary; III
i. 70.
Jack, "played the Jack," i.e., the
knave = " dt-ceivcd" ; IV. i. 198.
Jerlin, a kind of doublet ; IV. i. 236.
Justify, prove; V. i 128
Key, tuning-key ; I. ii. 83.
Kibe, heel-sore ; II. i. 276.
Knot, (folded arms) ; I. ii. 224.
Lakin, "Ladykin," or the Virgin
Mary ; III, iii. i
Land, laund, lawn ; IV. i. 130.
Lass-lorn, forsaken by his lass ; IV.
i. 68.
Lauahter, possibly used with a double
meaning; " lafter " was perhaps
the cant name of some small coin ;
still used provincially for the
number of eggs laid by a hen at
one time ; II. i. 33.
Learning, teaching; I. ii. 366.
Lieu, " in lieu of," i.e., in considera-
tion of; I. ii. 123.
Life, "good life," i.e., "life-like
truthfulness"; III. iii. 86.
Like, similarly ; III. iii. 66.
Lime, bird-lime ; IV. i. 246.
Line, lime-tree (with punning refer-
ence to other meanings of " line "
in subsequent portion of the
scene); IV. i 235 ; cf. Note; and
" UNDER THE LINE."
Lim-grove, lime-grove; V. i. 10.
Liver, regarded as the seat of passion ;
IV. i. 56.
Loathness, reluctance, II. i. 130.
Lorded, made a lord ; I. ii. 97.
Lush, luscious, luxuriant; II. i. 52.
Lusty, vigorous; II. i. 52
Maid, maid-servant, III. i. 84.
Main-course, the main sail ; I. i. 35.
Make, to prove to be; II. i. 265.
Make a man, i.e., make a man's for-
tune ; II. ii. 32.
THE TEMPEST
Glossary
Manage, government ; I. ii. 70
Marmoset, small monkey ; IF. ii.
174.
Massif, massive, heavy : III. iii,
67. _ ■
Matter, an important matter ; II, i.
230.
Meanders, winding paths or (prob-
ably) circles (cf. Notes); III. iii. 3.
Measure, pass over; II. i. 259.
Meddle, to mingle ; I. ii. 22.
Merchant, merchantman (" the mas-
ters of some merchant"); II. i. 5.
Merely, absolutely ; I. i. 55.
Mettle, disposition, ardour ; II. i.
182.
Minion, favourite; IV. i. 98.
Miraculous ; "the miraculous harp"
of Amphion, the music of which
raised the walls of Thebes; II. i. 86.
Miss, to do without; I. ii. 312; to fail
in aiming at, not to hit ; II. i. 40.
Mo, more ; II. i. 133.
Momentary, instantaneous; I. ii. 202
Moon-calf, abortion ; II. ii. ill.
Mop, grimace ; IV. i. 47.
Morsel, remnant, "a piece of a man"
(contemptuously); II. i. 286.
Mount, raise; II. ii. 11.
M01V, grimace; IV. i. 47.
M01C, make grimaces ; II. ii. 9.
Much, "to think it much," to reckon
it as excessive, to grudge ; I. ii.
252.
Mum, hush ; III. ii. 59.
Muse, wonder at ; III. iii. 36.
Natural, idiot ; III. ii. 37.
Nature, natural affection ; V. i. 76.
Neat, horned beast ; II. ii. 73.
Nerv-s, sinews; I. ii. 484.
Nimble, excitable, II. i. 173.
Ninny, simpleton; III. ii. 71.
Nobody, an Elizabethan sign ; prob- \
ably a direct allusion to the print 1
of No-body, prefixed to the anony- I
mous comedy of No-body and Some- \
body (printed before 1600), or to I
the engraving on tlie old ballad, !
called the Well-Spoken Nobody; IIL
ii. 136.
From the title-page of the comedy of
^''No-body and Some-body, with the
true Chronicle Historic o/' Elidure'^
(before 1600).
Nool, bay ; I. ii. 227.
Note, information ; II. i. 248.
Nothing, nonsense; II. i. 170.
Observation, attention to detail ; III.
iii. 87.
Occasion, critical opportunity ; II. i.
307-
Odd, out-of-the-way; I. ii. 223.
O'er, over again ; "trebles thee o'er,"
i.e., "makes thee three times as
great" ; II. i. 221.
0^erpriz.ed, surjjassed in value ; I. ii.
92.
Of, as a consequence of; or=ron,
i.e., "of sleep " = "a-sleep": V.
i. 230.
Omit, neglect; I. ii. 183: II. i. 194
On, of; I. ii. 87; IV. i. 157.
Ooxe, bottom of the sea ; 1. ii. 252.
Or, ere ; " or ere "(a reduplication) ;
I. ii. II.
Out, completely ; I. ii 41.
Overbloicn, blown over; II ii, 114.
Overtopping, OMttunmng ; I ii. 81.
Oived, owned ; III. i 45.
Glossary
THE TEMPEST
Otves, owns ; I. ii. 407.
Otvn, "no man was his o.," i.e.,
"master of himsell, in his senses";
V. i. 213.
Painful, laborious; III. i. i.
Pains, tasks ; I. ii. 242.
Paphos, a city in Cyprus, one of the
favourite seats of Venus ; IV. i. 93.
Pass, thrust (a term of fencing),
sally ; IV. i. 244.
Passion, suffering, grief; I. ii. 392.
Passion, to feel pain or sorrow ; V.
i. 24.
Patch, fool, jester ; III. ii. 71.
Pate, " pass of pate" = " sally of wi t ";
IV. i. 244.
Paunch, run through tlie paunch ;
III. ii. 98.
Pai/, repay ; "to pay home "= " to
repay to the utmost"; V. i. 70.
Pertly, briskly; IV. i. 58.
Piece, "perfect specimen"; I. ii. 56.
Pied, motley-coated; III. ii. 71.
Pig-nuts, earth-nuts; II. ii. 172.
Pionecl, (?) "overgrown with marsh-
marigold"(still called " peony "in
the neighbourhood of Stratford);
IV. i. 64 (r/. Note).
Plantation, colonisation ; interpreted
by Antonio in the ordinary sense ;
Ii. i. 143.
Plat/, act the part of; " jilay the
men," i.e., behave like men ; I. i.
10.
Point, detail ; " to point," in every
detail ; I. ii. 194.
Pole-dipt, with poles dipt, Or em-
braced, by the vines ; IV. i. 68.
Poor-John, a cant name for hake
salted and dried ; II. ii. 28.
Premises, conditions; I. ii. 123.
Presented, represented; IV. i. 167.
Presently, immediately; I. ii. 125;
IV. i. 42.
Princess' (Fi. princesse), princesses;
I. ii. 173-
Profess, to make it one's business ;
II. i. 236.
Profit, to profit; I. ii. 172.
Provision, foresight ; I. ii. 28.
Purchased, acquired, won ; IV. i. 14.
Putter-out, " p. of five for one," one
who invests, puts out, a sum of
money before leaving home, on
condition of receiving five times
the amount on his return, i.e.,
"at the rate of five for one," {cf.
'■^ put forth some five thousand pounds
to be paid me, five for one, upon the
return of mi/ self , mi/ ivife, and my dog
from the Turk's court at Constantin-
ople " ; E. Man out of His Humour,
II. i.); III. iii. 48.
Quaint, adroit, trim, excellent ; I. ii.
317-
Qtiality, skill; I. ii. 193.
Quick, living, fresh ; III. ii. 75.
Quickens, gives life to; III. i. 6.
Rabble, company, crowd (not used
slightingly); IV. i. 37.
Race, breed; I. ii. 358.
Rack, floating cloud ; IV. i. 156.
Rate, estimation ; 1. ii. 92 ; reckon-
ing ; II. i. 109.
Razorable, ready for shaving; II. i.
250.
Rear, raise; II. i. 295.
Reason, what is reasonable; III. ii.
128.
Reasonable, " reasonable shore," i.e.,
" shore of reason " ; V. i. 81.
Recover, restore ; II. ii. 71, 79, 97.
Reelini^-ripe. "in a state of intoxica-
tion sufficiently advanced for reel-
ing " ; V. i. 279.
Release, "till your release "^ till you
release them ; V. i. 11.
Remember, commemorate ; I. ii. 405 ;
remind ; I. ii. 243.
Remembrance, the faculty of remem-
bering ; II. i. 232.
Remorse, pity ; V. i. 76.
Requit, requited ; III. iii. 71.
Resolve, explain to ; V. i. 248.
Rid, destroy ; I. ii. 364.
THE TEMPEST
Glossary
Room, sea-room ; I. i. 8.
Rounded, " the whole round of life
has its beginning and end in a
sleep"; IV. i. 158.
Sack, a name applied to certain white
wines of Spain ; II. ii. 126.
Sanctimonious, holy; IV. i. 16.
Sans, without ; I. ii. 97.
S camels ; folio reading, here changed
to " seamews " ; cf. Notes ; II. ii.
176.
Scandafd, scandalous ; IV. i. 90.
Securing, guarding; II. i. 310.
i9f(^fi/, made of sedges ; IV. i. 129.
Sense, feelings ; II. i. 107.
Sensible, sensitive; II. i. 173.
Setebos, the god of Sycorax (said to
be the chief god of the Patagon-
ians) ; I. ii. 373 ; V. i. 261.
Sets off', i.e., shows to the best ad-
vantage ; III. i. 2.
Several, separate; III. i. 42.
S/iai'd, shook ; II. i. 319.
Shroud, talce shelter ; II. ii. 42.
Siege, stool, excrement; II. ii. no.
Single, (i) solitary, (2) feeble; I, ii.
432.
Skilless, ignorant; III. i. 53.
Sociable, companionable^ being in
close sympathy ; V. i. 63.
Something, somewhat; I. ii. 414.
Sometime, sometimes; I. ii. 198.
Sore, (used quibblingly) ; V. i. 288.
Sort, possibly a punning allusion to
" sort " = " lot"; II. i. 104.
Sot, fool ; III. ii. loi.
Soundlxj, thoroughly, smartly ; II. ii.
81.
South-ivest, ''a south-west," i.e., a
south-west wind (charged with
the noxious breath of the Gulf-
Stream); I. ii. 323.
Speak, to proclaim; II. i. 8.
Sphere, orbit; II. i. 183.
Spoon, " long spoon," an allusion to
old proverb that " he must have
a long spoon that must eat with
the devil " ; II. ii. 103.
Spiriting, the service done by a sprite ;
I. 11.^298.
Spurs, spreading roots; V. i. 47.
Stain, to disfigure; I. ii. 414.
Standard, standard-bearer, ensign ;
III. ii. 18 ; (quibble on " standard"
and -'stander"); III. ii. 19.
Standing, "standing water" i.e.,
water neither ebbing nor flow-
ing ; II. i. 221.
Steaded,stood in good stead ; I. ii.165.
Still - closing, constantly closing
again ; III. iii. 64.
Still-iiexed, ever troubled ; I. ii. 229.
Stock-fish, dried cod ; III. ii. 79.
Stomach, courage, I. ii. 157 ; appetite,
inclination ; II. i. 107.
Stover, fodder for cattle ; IV. i. 63.
Strange, rare ; III. iii. 87.
Strangely, wonderfully ; IV. i. 7.
Study, to give thought and attention
to, to wonder ; II. i. 81.
Substitution, deputyship ; I. ii. 103.
Subtilties, the Word " subtilty " was
borrowed from the language of
cookery, and
denotedadevice
in pastry, hence
" illusion ";V.
i. 124.
Sudden, sw^ift ; II.
i. 306.
Suffered, i.e., S u f-
fered death ; II.
ii. 38.
Suggest ion, prompt-
ing, hint (cf.
villainy) ; II. i.
288.
Sustaining, bearing
(them) up ; I.
ii. 218.
Siuabber, one who
s-wetps or siuabs Tabor and pipe,
the deck of a ^^S'^„ ^rit Mus.
,. „ .. a MSS., Add. 12228.
ship ; II. u. 48.
Tabor, a small drum used for fes-
tivities ; IV. i. 175.
Glossary
THE TEMPEST
Taborer, a player on a tabor ; III.
ii. i6o.
Tackle, ropes ; I. ii. 147.
Talking, siiying ; II. i. 96.
Tang, shrill sound; II. ii. 52.
Taste, experience; V. i. 123.
Teen, grief; I. ii. 64.
Tell, to count (the strokes of the
clockj ; II. i. 15.
Temperance, temperature; Temper-
ance, like Charity, used as a
proper name ; " Temperance luai a
delicate ■wench'" ; II. i. 42, 43.
Tender, to regard ;
II. i. 270.
Thatched, covered,
strewn ; IV. i.
6.
Third = t h r i d,
thread; IV. i.
3-
Throe, to cause
pain ; II. i.
231.
Throughly, thor-
oughly; III. iii.
14.
Tilth, tillage ; II.
i. 152.
To, for, as ; II. i.
75 ; in com-
parison with ;
II. i. 178.
Tend, attend ; I. i. 6.
Traih, to check the speed of hounds
when too forward ; I. ii. 81.
Trebles, " tr. theeo'er," i.e., " makes
thee tlirice what thou art"; II.
i. 221.
Trembling, the ^'■tremor'''' which is
represented to be a sign of being
possessed by the devil ; II. ii.
83-
Trencher, {Jirst Folio, trenchering,
due to the previous words in-
ing); II. ii. 187.
Trice, "on a tr.," i.e., '• in an in-
stant"; V. i. 238.
Tricks}/, sportive; V. i. 226.
From the basement of a
tomb in the Church
of Folleville (Dept.
of the Somme).
Trijle, phantom; V. i. 112.
Troll, run glibly over (perhaps
" sing irregularly ") ; III. ii. 126.
Tivilled (?) covered with reeds or
sedges ; IV. i. 64. {cf. Note).
Tzvink, a twinkling : IV. i. 43.
Under the line, probably a term in
tennis; "to strike (the ball)
under the line"="to lose the
game"; IV. i. 236, cf. Note and
Line.
Undergoing, enduring; I. ii. 157.
Unicorn (with allusion to its pro-
verbial ferocity) ; III. iii, 22.
MSS. Brit. Mus., Add. 11390.
Unstanched, incontinent ; I. i. 48.
Up-staring, standing on end ; I. ii.
213.
C/rc/i/nj, hedgehogs, hobgoblins; I.
ii. 326.
Urchin-shoivs, elfin apparitions ; II.
ii. 5.
Use, to be accustomed ; II. i. 175.
Vanity, illusion ; IV. i. 41.
Vast, silent void, or vacancy (of
night); I. ii. 327.
Verily, true; II. i. 321.
Virgin-knot; alluding to the girdle
worn by maidens in ancient times ;
IV. i. 15.
Visitation, affliction (as of a plague);
III. i. 32.
Visitor, priestly visitant, " consola-
tor"; II. i. II.
Vouched, warranted: II. i. 60.
JVaist, the part o( a sliip between
THE TEMPEST
Glossary
the quarter-deck and the fore-
castle ; I. ii. 197.
Wallets of Jlfsh.2.\\ud\n^ to the strange
appearance of the goitre (c/".
'^dew-lapped'').
%i'^^->
A Tyrolese peasant with a goitre [(from a
sketch by G. Herring) Knight].
Ward, attitude of defence ; I. ii. 471.
Weather, storm; I. i. 37.
Weather-fends, defends from the
weather ; V. i. 10.
Weighed, considered, pondered ; II.
i. 130.
Wench, (used as a term of endear-
ment) ; I. ii. 139, 412.
Wezand. windpipe ; III. ii. 99,
When (an exclamation of impati-
ence) ; I. ii. 316.
While-ere, short time since ; III. ii.
127.
Whist, hushed, silent; I. ii. 379.
Wicked, baneful; I. ii. 321.
Wide-chapped, opening the mouth
wide ; I. i. 56.
Windring (not found elsewhere) (?)
"winding" or "wandering";
IV. i. 128.
Wink, the act of closing the eye, II.
i. 285 ; (a sliort distance measured
by a "wink"; II. i. 242).
Wink, to close the eyes ; II. i. 216.
Wisest, " after the wisest,' i.e., "in
the wisest fashion '" ; II. ii. 77.
Woe, sorry; V. i. 139.
Works, affects ; IV. i. 144.
Wound, twined about; II. ii. 13.
Wrangle, contend, quarrel; V. i.
174.
Wrong ; " to do oneself wrong," i.e.,
" to be much mistaken " ; I. ii.
443-
Tare, ready! 1. i. 6; 1. i. 34.
Tarely, alertly ; I. i. 3.
Tond, there; I. ii. 409.
2'bar ( = subjective genitive); V. i.
II.
Zenith, the highest point of one's
fortune ; I. ii. 181.
A Maze ; see Note III. iiL 2.
Projected from an engraving in The Country Housewife's Garden (1617).
THE TEMPEST
Notes.
I. i. 68. ^ long heath, broivn furze ;' SO the folios ; Hanmer's emenda-
tion has been generally accepted : — 'ling, heath, broom, furze.'
I. ii. 24. ' m>/ magic garment .- ' the magician's mantle, circle, and book
{cp. Act V.) are well illustrated by the following woodcut: —
From iht; Hi.-^iury of Doctor John Faustus (1664).
I. ii. ICO. ' ^-7/19 ha-ving into truth ; ' ' into,' used in the sense of ' unto,'
and so emended in most editions ; the sentence though very involved is
intelligible witliout any alteration ; ' into truth ' depends upon 'a sinner';
and 'it' refers vaguely to ' iiis own lie'; ' to credit ' = ' as to credit.'
I. ii. 169. ' N01V I arise ; ' probably derived from astrology ; ' now my
star is in the ascendant;' it should be noted that the stage direction
' Resumes his mantle ' is not in the folios.
I. ii. 266. 'yir ()«£• //i/«^ jAit (//V; ' Shakespeare does not tell us what he
refers to here ; perhaps he merely added the point in order to account for
her preservation, or the incident may liave been mentioned in his original.
I am, however, strongly inclined to suggest that there is no mystery
about the passage ; the ' one tiling she did ' probably anticipates ' hither
brouglit with child ' ; for tiiat reason alone her life was spared.
I. ii. 333. ' stroakst me and made,'' so Folios ; Rowe, ' strokedst me and
madest,' so Camb. Ed. and Mod. Edd. generally.
I. II. 334. ' IVater ivith berries in't;' Mr W. G. Gosling quotes the
following striking parallel from Strachey's Narrative: — " They are full
of shaws of goodly cedars . . . The berries wliereof our men straining, and
letting stand some three or four daies, made a kind of pleasant drink."
THE TEMPEST
Notes
I. ii. 378, 379. ' Xiss'J the luild ivaves tvkist ; ^ so the folios; i.e.,
' Kissed the wild waves into silence;'
often printed with a comma after
' kissed.'
I. ii. 461. ' /'// manacle thy neck and feet
together : ' specimens of this form of
torture are preserved in the Tower
of London. Knight gives the ac-
companying illustrative sketch.
II. i. 5- ' The masters of some mer-
chant;'' i.e., 'the owners of some
merchantman ; ' Stevens sueerested
• 00
'mistress' (old spelling ' maistres ') ;
the Cambridge editors ' masters ' (;'.<!.,
■ •rJ-'''''"'"" '"" ' master's wife ').
II. i. 12. ' /;c'j ivinding up the ivatch
of his ii'it, bi/ and b^ it ivill strike;'' watches that struck the hours were
known as early as the commencement of the XVIth century ; the
striking portion of the accompanying speci-
men is an alarum which acts to any hour at
option.
II. i. 27. ' ivliich, of he or Adrian ; ' ' he '
for ' him,' used somewhat substantively,
probably owing to the use of the word in
the previous sentence, ' he will be talking.'
II. i. 35, 36. The folios read: ' Seb. Ha,
ha, ha! Ant. So, you re paid.'' Theobald
gives the whole line to Sebastian ; and his
reading is adopted by the Camb. ed. Pos-
sibly a better emendation is the transposi-
tion of the prefixes to the speeches ; the
point of the quibble is no doubt the old From the collection belonging to
proverb ' let them laugh that win.' Capell the late R. Bernal.
ingeniously suggested that the folio reading should stand with the
slight change of ' you've paid ' for ' you're paid.'
II. i. 127. ^ luhohath cause ;' the antecedent of ' who' is most probably ' she';
some make the relative refer to ' eye,' i.e., ' which hath cause to weep.'
II. i. 131. '■ should boiu ; '' SO folios; seemingly unnecessary Corrections
have been made, e.g., ' she'd bow ; ' ' which end the beam should bow ; '
the omission of the pronoun 'it' or 'she' before 'should' can easily
be paralleled in Shakespeare.
Notes
THE TEMPEST
II. i. 243. ^ But doiiht dhcoverij there ; ^ i.e., 'Cannot but doubt that
anythinj^ can l)e discovered there.'
II. i. 250. ' S/te that from iithom :' the unnecessary 'that' is perhaps
intentionally repeated, owing to the previous repetition of ' she that.'
II. i. 279. '■candied:' generally explained as 'sugared over, and
so insensible ; congealed : ' perhaps a better interpretation is 'made
sweet as sugar,' as in the phrase ' the candied tongue.' Is
Antonio possibly playing
on
(a
' candied ' and ' candid '
word not yet fully
naturalised in the language,
but probably familiar)?
II. ii. 28. ' A strange fish!
Were I in England noiv, as
once I teas, and had but this Jish
painted,'' etc. ; an allusion to
the popularity of exhibi-
tions of strange monsters,
to which there are many
allusions in contemporary
records. The accompanying
drawing is from a print of
the time of Charles I.
II. 11-67. ' This is some monster oj" the isle ivith Jour legs ; ^ Shakespeare's
contemporaries were familiar with descriptions of strange four-footed
creatures : perhaps Topsell's
famous ' Historic ' was in
Stephano's mind.
II. ii. 80. ' I ivill not take too
much for him ;' i.e., ' I will take
as mucli as I can possibly
get.'
II. ii. 176. ' Srametvs' ; Fol.
'scamels,' so Camb. Ed.: but
—J the word is in all probal)ility
From Topscll-s \//isiorif of Foure-Footed an error for ' seamells ' or ' sea-
Beastes, describing the true and lively
Jignre of every Beast" 1607. mews,' referred to in Strachey
and Jourdan's accounts of the Bermudas: — "a kind of web-footed fowle
of the bignesse of a sea-mew" (Quoted by W. G. (losling). Many
emendations have lieen made; 'staniel' (a species of hawk) has been
adopted by some editors ; the word occurs jirobably in Twelfth Night (II.
THE TEMPEST
Notes
V. IZ4), though the editions read 'stallion.' Mr Wright has, however,
pointed out that, according to Stevenson's " Birds of Norfolk,"' " the female
' Bar-tailed Godwit ' is called a ' Scamell ' by the gunners of Blakeney."
III. i. 15. '■Most busy least, ivhen I do it;' the first folio retained by
Camb. Ed. " most busy lest, when I do it." Various readings have
been suggested ; Pope, ' least busy when I do it ' ; Theobald, ' most
busie-less when I do it'; Holt, 'most busiest, when 1 do it'; Spedding,
'most busiest when idlest,' &c., &c. It seems likely that the read-
ing of the second, third, and fourth folios throws light on the real
meaning of the line: — 'most busy least, when I do it ; ' i.e., ' most busy
when I indulge my thoughts, least busy when I am actually at work.' A
comma after ' busy' instead of after ' least ' would simplify this reading,
but it is possible to understand it as punctuated in the folios; Shakespeare
probably wished to make the superlatives as antithetical as possible ; per-
haps we should read 'labour' for 'labours.'
III. iii. 2 ^here's a maze trod, indeed through forth-rights and meanders' : i.e.
prob. ' through straight lines and circles, one of the most usual forms of
the maze,' according to Halliwell, who gives the engraving of one, from
a collection in the Maison Rustique, or the Country Farme, \to, Lond. 1 606.
According to other commentators, ' meanders ' = meandering paths, with-
out absolutely reference to 'circles.' (See engraving at the end of Glossary.)
111. iii. 39. '^ Praise in departing; ' z. proverbial expression: " stay your
praises till you see how your entertainment will end."
III. iii. 52. 'Ariel, like a harpy;' probably suggested by the harpy-
episode in the Third Book of JEneiJ.
IV. i. 60. 'y>/i://fj,' so Ff. an aixrhaic and provincial j^
form ; Camb. Ed. ' vetches.' j| ,^
IV. i. 64. '• pioned and tivilUd;' various emenda-
tions have been suggested for these difficult words
of the folio: — ' peonied and lilied,' 'tuUip'd',
'tilled,' &c. It is noted that ' piony ' is an old
spelling of ' peony,' and that the flower was for-
merly spoken of as ' the mayden piony' and ' virgin
peonie.' In all probability the meaning of the
words has not yet been discovered ; they are evi-
dently technical terms of horticulture. (C/>. Glos-
sary.)
IV. i. no. Mr Wright suggests that 'earths' A h.-irpy carrying away
should be read as a dissyllable, ' earthes ; ' this sugges-
tion has been adopted in the present text ; the second,
third, and fourth folios read ' and' before ' foison.'
a lady, from a bas-
relief on an ancient
tomb preserved in the
British Museum.
Notes THE TEMPEST
IV. i. 123. '10 rare a ivonJer\i father and a ivise ;' some few copies of
the first folio are said to read '■ivifc'' (a reading independently sug-
gested by Rowe) : the harsh change has little to commend itself.
IV. i. 147, &c. In 7"//!? Tragedy uf Darius, by William Alexander,
afterwards Earl of Sterling, published in the year 1603, occurs the
following passage, which, according to Steevens, may have been the
original of Shakespeare's Speech : —
'■ Let greatnesse of her glascie scepters vaunt :
Not scepters, no but reeds, scene bruis'd, soone broken :
And let this worldlie pomp our wits inchant.
All fades, and scarceli*? leaues behind a token.
Those golden palaces, those gorgeous halles,
With fourniture superfluouslie faire :
Those statelie courts, those sky-encountering walles
Evanish all like vapours in the aire."
IV. i. 193. The folios read '■hang on them.''
IV. i. 221. '0 King Stephana.' 0 Peer .' '' a.n allusion to the old song,
often referred to in Elizabethan literature, '• Take thy old cloak about
thee": —
" King Stephen was a worthy peere,
His breeches cost him but a crowne,
He held them sixpence all to deere ;
Therefore he called the taylor Lowne."
The ballad is printed in Percy's Rcliques ; Shakespeare quotes it also
in Othello, II. iii. 92.
IV. i. 231. ^ Let's alone;'' some verb of motion must be understood,
i.e., 'let us go alone' (leaving Trinculo behind); ■alone'' is possibly an
error of the folios for ' along,' as suggested by Theobald.
IV. i. 237. " An allusion to what often happens to people who pass
the line. The violent fevers which they contract in that hot climate
make them lose their hair." — Steevens.
IV. i. 264. '//■«' (probably correctly, the verb preceding the plural
noun), so Ff. ; Camb Ed. ^ lie.'
V. i. 23-24. The first and second folios place a comma after 'sharply,'
making 'passion ' a verb ; the comma is omitted in the third and fourth
folios.
V. i. 39. ^ mushrumps '(the old form of the word), so Fi. ; Camb. and
Mod. Edd. ' mushrooms.'
V. i. 309. ' ir/6/a't'<y,' trisyllabic ; Ff. <■ Lelov'd.'
THE
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
Preface.
The First 'Edition. ^'''^ ■^"'° ^^"*^^''"'"' of Verona first appeared in
the Folio of 1623, where it immediately follows The Tempest, and occupies
pp. 20-38 : no evidence exists for an earlier edition. A list of the
Dramatis Persons, " The Names of all the Actors," is given at the end of
the play. The text is on the whole free from corruptions ; the most
remarkable errors occur in II. v. i ; III. i. 81 ; V. iv. 129 ; where ' Padua '
and ' Verona ' are given instead of ' Milan.' These inaccuracies are pro-
bably due to Shakespeare's MS. ; the poet had evidently not revised this
play as carefully as his other early efforts.
Several critics are inclined to attribute the final scene to another hand ;
it bears evident signs of hasty composition, and Valentine's renunciation
comes as a shock to one's sensibilities. It must however be borne in mind
that the theme of Friendship versus Love was not uncommon in Eliza-
bethan literature; perhaps the best example is to be found in the plot of
Lyly's ' Campaspe,' where Alexander magnanimously resigns the lady to
Apelles. Shakespeare in his Sonnets XL., xu. , xui. , makes himself enact
the part of Valentine to his Protean friend : —
" Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all ;
What hast thou then more than thou hadst before?
No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call.
All mine was thine before thou hadst this more."
Date of Composition. The only allusion to the play previous
to its insertion in the First Folio is in the Palladis Tamia, 1598, where
Meres places it first among the six comedies mentioned. Its date cannot
be definitely fixed. The following general considerations place it among
the earliest of Shakespeare's productions, i.e. circa 1590-1592: the sym-
metrical arrangement of the characters; the unnaturalness of some of its
incidents, especially the abrupt denouement; the finely finished regularity
Preface TWO GENTLEMEN
of the blank verse, suggestive of lyrical ratlier than of dramatic poetry,
and recalling the thoughts and phraseology of the sonnets (I. i. 45-50
and Sonnets i.xx., xcv. ; IV. iv. 161 and Sonnet cxxvii.) ; the alternate
rhymes; the burlesque doggerel; the quibbles; and the fondness for
alliteration. Many 'notes' in the play seem to prelude Romeo and Juliet,
and the influence of the story, as though the poet were already meditating
a drama on the theme, is one of the striking characteristics of the play.
Sources of the Play. The greater part of the play seems ulti-
mately derived from the Storj/ of the Shepherdess Fillsmena in the Diana of
Jorge de Montemayor (a Portuguese poet and novelist, 1520-1562).
Bartholomew^ Yonge's translation of the work, though published in 1598,
was finished some sixteen years before {cp. Shakespeare's Library, ed.
Hazlitt, vol. I. part i.). There were other translations of the whole or
part of the romance by Thomas Wilson (1595-6) and by " Edward Paston,
Esquire " (mentioned by Yonge).
Probably Shakespeare was not directly indebted to Montemayor ; as
early as 1584-5 a play was acted at Greenwich " on the Sondaie next
after newe yeares daie at night," entitled The History of Felix and Phiito-
mena; where Felix is certainly the "Don Felix" of the Diana, and
"Philiomena" is a scribal error for " Filismena." Shakespeare's play
may very well have been based on this earlier production.
A similar theme, with a tragic denouement, is to be found in the Comcedia
■von Julio und Hippolyta, a play acted by the English actors in Germany,
preserved only in a German paraphrase (j:p. Schauspiele der englischen
Kom'odianten in Deutschland, ed. J. Tittmann ; also, Zupitza, " Shakespeare
Jahrhuch,'' xxiii.).
Bandello's Novel of Appolonius and Sylla, which was translated by Riche
(1581), may have suggested certain incidents {cp. Hazlitt's Shakespeare' t
Library, Vol. I. part i.); Sidney's Arcadia {^oo\. I. ch. vi.)— itself greatly
indebted to Montemayor's Diana, Sidney's favourite book — may possibly
be the original of Valentine's consenting to lead the robber-band, and the
speech at the beginning of the scene (V. iv.) in praise of Solitude may
also have been suggested by a passage in the same book.
The Form of th« Plav '" order to understand t\\iifurm of ' The
T1V0 Gentlemen^ — probably the first of Shakespeare's plays dealing with
love-intrigue— the reader must remember that it links itself to the pre-
Shakespearian romantic dramas based on Italian love-stories ; but these
earlier dramas are rare. The best example of the kind extant is without
doubt a very scarce production, registered in the books of the Stationers'
OF VERONA Preface
Company 1584 (and printed soon after), entitled -^ Fidcle and Fortune : the
Receipts in Love discoursed in a Comedie of ij Italian Gentlemen, translated into
English" (by A. M., i.e. probably Anthony Munday). This crude effort
may certainly be regarded as one of the most valuable of the prototypes
of the Shakespearian romantic plays ; it has hitherto been strangely
neglected; (cp. Extracts, printed by Halliwell in his "Illustrations to
the Literature of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries"*). One is
inclined to think that Shakespeare is indebted for something more than
the title of his first love-play to " The T-wo Italian Gentlemen " In this
connection it is perhaps noteworthy that Meres, as early as 1598, and
Kirkman, as late as 1661, mention Shakespeare's play as 'The Gentlemen
of Verona.' This was perhaps customary in order to distinguish it from
Munday's translated drama.
Forward-Links. The play contains many hints of incidents and
characters more admirably developed in later plays ; e.g. the scenes
between Julia and her maid Lucetta at Verona anticipate the similar talk
between Portia and Nerissa at Belmont ; Julia's disguise makes her the
first of Shakespeare's best-beloved heroines, Portia, Jessica, Rosalind,
Viola, Imogen; Valentine's lament (Act III. sc. i. 11. 170-187), with its
burden of " banished," is heard again as Romeo's death-knell ; the
meeting of Eglamour and Silvia at Friar Patrick's cell suggests the
meeting-place of the two star-crossed lovers at Friar Laurence's.
Launcelot Gobbo owes much to his namesake Launce, and something
also to Speed, whose description of the various signs whereby one may
know a lover finds development in the character of Benedick.
JJuratlon of Time. The Time covered is seven days on the stage,
with intervals between scenes and acts: — Day i: Act I. sc. i. and ii.;
interval of a month or perhaps sixteen months (^cf. iv. 1-21). Day 2:
Act I. sc. iii. and Act II. sc. i. Day 3 : Act II. sc. ii. and iii. ; interval,
Proteus's journey to Milan. Day 4: Act II. sc. iv. and v.; interval of
a few days. Day 5 : Act II. sc. vi. and vii.. Act III. and Act IV. sc. i.;
interval, including Julia's journey to Milan. Day 6 : Act IV. sc. ii.
Day 7 : Act IV. sc. iii. and iv. and Act V. (^cp. Daniel, Neiv Shakespeare
Society 's Transactions , 1877-79).
* Halliwell printed certain scenes in order to illustrate the witchcraft in Macbeth;
it is remarkable that he did not notice the real value of the play.
DRAMATIS PERSONS.
Duke of Milan, Father to Silvia,
Valentine, ~|
„ Vthe ttvo Gentlemen,
Proteus, j
Antonio, Father to Proteus.
Thurio, a foolish rival to Valentine.
EglamouR, Agent for Silvia in her escape.
Host, ivhere Juliu lodges.
Outlaws, ivith Valentine.
Speed, a cloivnish servant to Valentine.
Launce, the like to Proteus.
■ PaNTHINO, Servant to Antonio.
Julia, beloved of Proteus.
Silvia, beloved of Valentine.
Lucetta, ivaitittg-ivoman to Julia.
Servants, Musicians.
Scene, ^fro/ia; Milan; the frontiers of Mantua^
The
Two Gentlemen of Verona.
ACT FIRST.
Scene I,
Verona. An open place.
Enter VnleJitme and Proteus.
Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus :
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits.
Were't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But since thou lovest, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin. lo
Pro. Wilt thou be gone ? Sweet Valentine, adieu ?
Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply seest
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel :
Wish me partaker in thy happiness,
When thou dost meet good hap ; and in thy danger.
If ever danger do environ thee,
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers.
For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine.
Val. And on a love-book pray for my success .''
Pro. Upon some book I love I'll pray for thee. 20
Act I. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love :
How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.
Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love ;
For he was more than over shoes in love.
Fal. 'Tis true ; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swum the Hellespont.
Pro. Over the boots ? nay, give me not the boots.
Val. No, I will not, for it boots thee not.
Pro. What ?
Fal. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans ;
Coy looks with heart-sore sighs ; one fading
moment's mirth 30
With twenty watchful, weary, tedious niglits :
If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain ;
If lost, why then a grievous labour won ;
However, but a folly bought with wit.
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.
Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at : I am not Love.
Val. Love is your master, for he masters you :
And he that is so yoked by a fool, 40
Methinks, should not be chronicled for wise.
Pro. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.
Val. And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow.
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly ; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime.
And all the fair effects of future hopes. 50
OF VERONA Act I. Sc. i.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond desire ?
Once more adieu ! my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Proteus, no •, now let us take our leave.
To Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy success in love, and what news else
Betideth here in absence of thy friend ;
And I likewise will visit thee with mine. 60
Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan !
Val. As much to you at home ! and so, farewell. \_Exit.
Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love :
He leaves his friends to dignify them more ;
I leave myself, my friends, and all, for love.
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me,
Made me neglect my studies, lose my time.
War with good counsel, set the world at nought ;
Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought.
Enter Speed.
Speed. Sir Proteus, save you ! Saw you my master ? 70
Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan.
Speed. Twenty to one, then, he is shipp'd already,
And I have play'd the sheep in losing him.
Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray.
An if the shepherd be awhile away.
Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd,
then, and I a sheep ?
Pro. I do.
Speed. Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I
wake or sleep. 80
Act I. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.
Speed. This proves me still a sheep.
Pro. True •, and thy master a shepherd.
Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.
Pro. It shall go hard but I'll prove it by another.
Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the
sheep the shepherd ; but I seek, my master, and
my master seeks not me : therefore I am no
sheep.
Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd ; the 90
shepherd for food follows not the sheep : thou
for wages followest thy master ; thy master for
wages follows not thee : therefore thou art a
sheep.
Speed. Such another proof will make me cry ' baa.'
Pro. But, dost thou hear ? gavest thou my letter to
Julia ?
Speed. Ay, sir : I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to
her, a laced mutton, and she, a laced mutton,
gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. loo
Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such store of
muttons.
Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best
stick her.
Pro. Nay : in that you are astray, 'twere best pound
you.
Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for
carrying your letter.
Pro. You mistake ; I mean the pound, — a pinfold.
Speed. From a pound to a pin ? fold it over and over, no
'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your
lover.
OF VERONA Act I. Sc. i.
Pro. But what said she r
Speed. [First nodding] Ay
Pro. Nod — Ay — why, that's noddy.
Speed. You mistook, sir ; I say, she did nod : and you
ask me if she did nod ; and I say, ' Ay.'
Pro. And that set together is noddy.
Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together,
take it for your pains.
Pro. No, no; you shall have it for bearing the letter. 1 20
Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with
you.
Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me ?
Speed. Marry, sir, the letter, very orderly ; having
nothing but the word ' noddy ' for my pains.
Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit.
Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.
Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what said
she ?
Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter 1 30
may be both at once delivered.
Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains. What said
she ?
Speed. Truly, sir, I think you '11 hardly win her.
Pro. Why, couldst thou perceive so much from her .''
Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her ;
no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your
letter : and being so hard to me that brought
your mind, I fear she '11 prove as hard to you in
telling your mind. Give her no token but stones ; 140
for she 's as hard as steel.
Pro. What said she ? nothing ?
Speed. No, not so much as * Take this for thy pains^'
Act I. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have
testerned me ; in requital whereof, henceforth
carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll com-
mend you to my master.
Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck.
Which cannot perish having thee aboard.
Being destined to a drier death on shore. [Exit Speed.
I must go send some better messenger : 151
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post. [Exit.
Scene II.
The same. Garden of Julia s house.
Enter Julia and Lucetta.
Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,
Wouldst thou, then, counsel me to fall in love ?
Luc. Ay, madam ; so you stumble not unheedfully.
Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen
That every day with parle encounter me.
In thy opinion which is worthiest love ?
Luc. Please you repeat their names, I '11 show my mind
According to my shallow simple skill.
Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour ?
Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine; lo
But, were I you, he never should be mine.
Jul. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio ?
Luc. Well of his wealth ; but of himself, so so.
Jul. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus ?
Luc. Lord, Lord ! to see what folly reigns in us !
Jul. How now ! what means this passion at his name .'*
OF VERONA Act I. Sc. ii.
Luc. Pardon, dear madam : 'tis a passing shame
That I, unworthy body as I am,
Should censure thus on lovely gentlemen.
Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest ? 2o
Luc. Then thus, — of many good I think him best.
Jul. Your reason ?
Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason ;
I think him so, because I think him so.
Jul. And wouldst thou have me cast my love on him ?
Luc. Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
Jul. Why, he, of all the rest, hath never moved me.
Luc. Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
Jul. His little speaking shows his love but small.
Luc. Fire that 's closest kept burns most of all. 30
Jul. They do not love that do not show their love.
Luc. O, they love least that let men know their love.
Jul. I would I knew his mind.
Luc. Peruse this paper, madam.
Jul. ' To Julia.' — Say, from whom .''
Luc. That the contents will show.
////. Say, say, who gave it thee ?
Luc. Sir Valentine's page j and sent, I think, from Proteus.
He would have given it you j but I, being in the way.
Did in your name receive it : pardon the fault, I pray.
Jul. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker ! 41
Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines ?
To whisper and conspire against my youth .''
Now, trust me, 'tis an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.
There, take the paper : see it be return'd ;
Or else return no more into my sight.
Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.
Act I. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
////. Will ye be gone ?
Luc. That you may ruminate. \Exit.
Jul. And yet I would I had o'erlook'd the letter : 50
It were a shame to call her back again,
And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
What fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view !
Since maids, in modesty, say ' no' to that
Which they would have the profferer construe ' ay.'
Fie, fie, how wayward is this foolish love.
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod !
How churlishly I chid Lucctta hence, 60
When willingly I would have had her here !
How angerly I taught my brow to frown.
When inward joy enforced my heart to smile !
My penance is, to call Lucetta back,
And ask remission for my folly past.
What, ho ! Lucetta !
Re-enter Lucetta.
Luc. What would your ladyship ?
,////. Is 't near dinner-time ?
Luc. I would it were ;
That you might kill your stomach on your meat,
And not upon your maid.
////. What is 't that you took up so gingerly ? yo
Luc. Nothing.
////. Why didst thou stoop, then ?
Luc. To take a paper up that I let fall.
,////. And is that paper nothing .''
Luc. Nothing concerning me.
OF VERONA Act I. Sc. ii.
Jul. Then let it lie for those that it concerns.
Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns,
Unless it have a false interpreter.
Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme.
Luc. That 1 might sing it, madam, to a tune. 80
Give me a note : your ladyship can set.
Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible.
Best sing it to the tune of ' Light o' love.'
Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune.
Jul. Heavy ! belike it hath some burden, then .''
Luc. Ay ; and melodious were it, would you sing it.
////. And why not you ?
Luc. I cannot reach so high.
Jul. Let 's see your song. How now, minion !
Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out :
And yet methinks I do not like this tune. 90
Jul. You do not ?
Luc. No, madam ; it is too sharp.
Jul. You, minion, are too saucy.
Luc. Nay, now you are too flat,
And mar the concord with too harsh a descant :
There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.
Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly bass.
Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus.
Jul. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me.
Here is a coil with protestation ! [Tears the letter.
Go get you gone, and let the papers lie : 1 00
You would be fingering them, to anger me,
Luc. She makes it strange •, but she would be best pleased
To be so anger'd with another letter. \Exit.
Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same !
O hateful hands, to tear such loving words !
Act I. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Injurious wasps, to feed on such sweet honey,
And kill the bees, that yield it, with your stings !
I '11 kiss each several paper for amends.
Look, here is writ ' kind Julia.' Unkind Julia !
As in revenge of thy ingratitude, l lo
I throw thy name against the bruising stones.
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
And here is writ ' love-wounded Proteus.'
Poor wounded name ! my bosom, as a bed.
Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be throughly heal'd ;
And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.
But twice or thrice was 'Proteus' written down.
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away.
Till I have found each letter in the letter.
Except mine own name : that some whirlwind bear
Unto a ragged, fearful-hanging rock, 12 1
And throw it thence into the raging sea !
Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ,
' Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
To the sweet Julia ' : — that Pll tear away. —
And yet I will not, sith so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names.
Thus will I fold them one upon another :
Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.
Re-enter Litcetta.
Luc. Madam, 1 30
Dinner is ready, and your father stays.
Jul. Well, let us go.
Luc. What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here ?
,////. If you respect them, best to take them up.
Luc. Nay, I was taken up for laying them down :
OF VERONA Act I. Sc. iii.
Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.
Jul. I see you have a moneth's mind to them.
Luc. Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see ;
I see things too, although you judge I wink.
Jul. Come, come ; will 't please you go ? [Exeunt. I40
Scene III.
The same. Jlntonio s house.
Etiter Antonio and Fanthino.
Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister ?
Pan. 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son.
Ant. Why, what of him ?
Pan. He wonder'd that your lordship
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home,
While other men, of slender reputation.
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out :
Some to the wars, to try their fortune there ;
Some to discover islands far away ;
Some to the studious universities. lo
For any, or for all these exercises,
He said that Proteus your son was meet ;
And did request me to importune you
To let him spend his time no more at home.
Which would be great impeachment to his age,
In having known no travel in his youth.
Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to that
Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have consider'd well his loss of time,
And how he cannot be a perfect man, 20
Act I. Sc. iii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Not being tried and tutor'd in the world:
Experience is by industry achieved,
And perfected by the swift course of time.
Then, tell me, whither were I best to send him ?
Pan. I think your lordship is not ignorant
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the emperor in his royal court.
Ant. I know it well.
Pa?}. 'Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither :
There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, 30
Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen.
And be in eye of every exercise
Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth.
Ant. I like thy counsel ; well hast thou advised :
And that thou mayst perceive how well I like it
The execution of it shall make known.
Even with the speediest expedition
I will dispatch him to the emperor's court.
Pan. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso,
With other gentlemen of good esteem, ^o
Are journeying to salute the emperor.
And to commend their service to his will.
Ant. Good company ; with them shall Proteus go :
And, in good time ! now will we break with him.
Enter Proteus.
Pro. Sweet love ! sweet lines ! sweet life !
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart ;
Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn.
O, that our fathers would applaud our loves,
To seal our happiness with their consents !
O heavenly Julia ! 50
OF VERONA Act I. Sc. iii.
Ant. How now ! what letter are you reading there ?
Pro. May 't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two
Of commendations sent from Valentine,
Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.
Ant. Lend me the letter ; let me see what news.
Pro. There is no news, my lord ; but that he writes
How happily he lives, how well beloved,
And daily graced by the emperor ;
Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.
Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish ? 60
Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will,
And not depending on his friendly wish.
Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish.
Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed ;
For what I will, I will, and there an end.
I am resolved that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the emperor's court :
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go : 70
Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.
Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided :
Please you, deliberate a day or two.
Ant. Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee :
No more of stay ! to-morrow thou must go.
Come on, Panthino : you shall be employ'd
To hasten on his expedition. \_Exeunt Ant. and Pan.
Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning,
And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd.
I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter, 80
Lest he should take exceptions to my love ;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Act II. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O, how this spring of love rcscmbleth
The uncertain glory of an April day.
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away !
Re-enter Patith'ino.
Pan. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you :
He is in haste \ therefore, I pray you, go.
Pro. Why, this it is : my heart accords thereto, 90
And yet a thousand times it answers * no.' {Exeunt.
ACT SECOND.
Scene I.
Milan. The Duki''s palace.
Enter Valentine and Speed.
Speed. Sir, your glove.
Val. Not mine ; my gloves are on.
Speed. Why, then, this may be yours, for this is but one.
Val. Ha ! let me see : ay, give it me, it's mine :
Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine !
Ah, Silvia, Silvia !
Speed. Madam Silvia ! Madam Silvia !
Val. How now, sirrah ?
Speed. She is not within hearing, sir.
Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her ?
Speed. Your worship, sir ; or else I mistook. lo
Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.
Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow.
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. i.
Vol. Go to, sir : tell me, do you know Madam
Silvia ?
Speed. She that your worship loves ?
Val. Why, how know you that I am in love ?
Speed. Marry, by these special marks : first, you have
learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreathe your arms,
like a male-content -, to relish a love-song, like
a robin-redbreast ; to walk alone, like one that 20
had the pestilence ; to sigh, like a school-boy that
had lost his A B C ; to weep, like a young
wench that had buried her grandam ; to fast,
like one that takes diet ; to watch, like one that
fears robbing ; to speak puling, like a beggar at
Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laughed,
to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk
like one of the lions ; when you fasted, it was
presently after dinner ; when you looked sadly,
it was for want of money : and now you are 30
metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I
look on you, I can hardly think you my master.
Fal. Are all these things perceived in me ?
Speed. They are all perceived without ye.
Val. Without me ? they cannot.
Speed. Without you ? nay, that's certain, for, with-
out you were so simple, none else would : but
you are so without these follies, that these follies
are within you, and shine through you like the
water in an urinal, that not an eye that sees 40
you but is a physician to comment on your
malady.
Val. But tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia ?
Speed. She that you gaze on so as she sits at supper ?
Act II. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Fal. Hast thou observed that ? even she, I mean.
Speed. Why, sir, I know her not.
Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and
yet knowest her not ?
Speed. Is she not hard-favoured, sir .'*
Fal. Not so fair, boy, as well-favoured. 50
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
Val. What dost thou know ?
Speed. That she is not so fair as, of you, well favoured.
Fal. I mean that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour
infinite.
Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other
out of all count.
Fal. How painted ? and how out of count ?
Speed. Marry, sir, so painted, to make her fair, that no
man counts of her beauty. 60
Fal. How esteemest thou me ? I account of her
beauty.
Speed. You never saw her since she was deformed.
Fal. How long hath she been deformed ?
Speed. Ever since you loved her.
Fal. I have loved her ever since I saw her ; and still I
see her beautiful.
Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.
Fal. Why ?
Speed. Because Love is blind. O, that you had 70
mine eyes ; or your own eyes had the lights
they were wont to have when you chid at Sir
Proteus for going ungartered !
Fal. What should I see then ?
Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing
deformity : for he, being in love, could not
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. i.
see to garter his hose ; and you, being in love,
cannot see to put on your hose.
Fal. Behke, boy, then, you are in love ; for last
morning you could not see to wipe my shoes. 80
Speed. True, sir ; I was in love with my bed : I
thank you, you swinged me for my love, which
makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.
Fal. In conclusion, I stand aifected to her.
Speed. I would you were set, so your affection would
cease.
Fal. Last night she enjoined me to write some lines
to one she loves.
Speed. And have you ? '
Fal. I have. 00
Speed. Are they not lamely writ ?
Fal. No, boy, but as well as I can do them. Peace !
here she comes.
Speed. [Aside'] O excellent motion ! O exceeding
puppet ! Now will he interpret to her.
Enter Silvia.
Fal. Madam and mistress, a thousand good-morrows.
Speed. \_Astde'] O, give ye good even ! here's a million
of manners.
5/7. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand.
Speed. [Aside] He should give her interest, and she 1 00
gives it him.
Fal. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter
Unto the secret nameless friend of yours ;
Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,
But for my duty to your ladyship.
Sil. I thank you, gentle servant : 'tis very clerkly done.
Act II. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Fal. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off;
For, being ignorant to whom it goes,
I writ at random, very doubtfully.
Sil. Perchance you think too much of so much pains? no
Val. No, madam ; so it stead you, I will write.
Please you command, a thousand times as much ;
And yet —
5/7. A pretty period ! Well, I guess the sequel ;
And yet I will not name it ; — and yet I care not; —
And yet take this again : — and yet I thank you ;
Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.
Speed. [Aside'] And yet you will ; and yet another
' yet.'
Val. What means your ladyship ? do you not like it ?
5//. Yes, yes : the lines are very quaintly writ; I20
But since unwillingly, take them again.
Nay, take them.
Val. Madam, they are for you.
Sil. Ay, ay : you writ them, sir, at my request j
But I will none of them ; they are for you ;
I would have had them writ more movingly.
Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another.
iS;7. And when it's writ, for my sake read it over.
And if it please you, so; if not, why, so.
Val. If it please me, madam, what then? I go
Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your labour :
And so, good morrow, servant. [^Exit.
Speed. O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible.
As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a
steeple !
My master sues to her; and she hath taught her suitor,
He being her pupil, to become her tutor.
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. i.
O excellent device ! was there ever heard a better,
That my master, being scribe, to himself should write
the letter ?
Val. How now, sir ? what are you reasoning with
yourself? 140
Speed. Nay, I was rhyming : 'tis you that have the
reason.
Fnl. To do what ?
Speed. To be a spokesman from Madam Silvia.
Val. To whom ?
Speed. To yourself : why, she wooes you by a figure.
Val. What figure ?
Speed. By a letter, I should say.
Val. Why, she hath not writ to me ?
Speed. What need she, when she hath made you write 150
to yourself? Why, do you not perceive the jest ?
Val. No, believe me.
Speed. No believing you, indeed, sir. But did you
perceive her earnest ?
Val. She gave me none, except an angry word.
Speed. Why, she hath given you a letter.
Val. That 's the letter I writ to her friend.
Speed. And that letter hath she delivered, and there
an end.
Val. I would it were no worse. 160
Speed. I '11 warrant you, 'tis as well :
For often have you writ to her, and she, in modesty,
Or else for want of idle time, could not again reply ;
Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind
discover.
Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto her
lover.
Act II. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
All this I speak in print, for in print I found it.
Why muse you, sir? 'tis dinner-time.
Val. I have dined.
Speed. Ay, but hearken, sir ; though the chameleon
Love can feed on the air, I am one that am 170
nourished by my victuals, and would fain have
meat. O, be not like your mistress ; be moved,
be moved. [Exeunt.
Scene II.
Verona. Julia s house.
Enter Proteus and Julia.
Pro. Have patience, gentle Julia.
Jul. I must, where is no remedy.
Pro. When possibly I can, I will return.
Jul. If you turn not, you will return the sooner.
Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake.
[Giving a ring.
Pro. Why, then, we'll make exchange-, here, take you
this.
Jul. And seal the bargain with a holy kiss.
Pro. Here is my hand for my true constancy ;
And when that hour o'erslips me in the day
Wherein I sigh not, Julia, for thy sake, lo
The next ensuing hour some foul mischance
Torment me for my love's forgetfulness !
My father stays my coming ; answer not ;
The tide is now : — nay, not thy tide of tears ;
That tide will stay me longer than I should.
Julia, farewell ! [Exit Julia.
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. iii.
"What, gone -without a word ?
Ay, so true love should do : it cannot speak -,
For truth hath better deeds than words to grace it.
Enter Panth'mo.
Pan. Sir Proteus, you are stay'd for.
Pro. Go ; I come, I come. 20
Alas ! this parting strikes poor lovers dumb.
\_Exeunt.
Scene III.
The same. A street.
Enter Launce, leading a dog.
Launce. Nay, 'twill be this hour ere I have done
weeping ; all the kind of the Launces have this
very fault. I have received my proportion, like
the prodigious son, and am going with Sir
Proteus to the Imperial's court. I think Crab
my dog be the sourest-natured dog that lives :
my mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister
crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her
hands, and all our house in a great perplexity,
yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear : lo
he is a stone, a very pebble stone, and has no
more pity in him than a dog : a Jew would have
wept to have seen our parting; why, my grandam,
having no eyes, look you, wept herself blind at
my parting. Nay, I'll show you the manner of
it. This shoe is my father : no, this left shoe is
my father : no, no, this left shoe is my mother :
Act II. Sc. iii. TWO GENTLEMEN
nay, that cannot be so neither : yes, it is so, it is
so, it hath the worser sole. This shoe, with the
hole in it, is my mother, and this my father ; a 20
vengeance on 't ! there 'tis : now, sir, this staff is
my sister, for, look you, she is as white as a lily,
and as small as a wand : this hat is Nan, our
maid : I am the dog : no, the dog is himself, and
I am the dog, — Oh ! the dog is me, and I am
myself; ay, so, so. Now come I to my father;
Father, your blessing : now should not the shoe
speak a word for weeping : now should I kiss my
father ; well, he weeps on. Now come I to my
mother : O, that she could speak now like a wood 30
woman ! Well, I kiss her, why, there 'tis ; here's
my mother's breath up and down. Now come I to
my sister ; mark the moan she makes. Now the
dog all this while sheds not a tear, nor speaks a
word ; but see how I lay the dust with my tears.
Enter Panthino,
Pan. Launce, away, away, aboard ! thy master Is
shipped, and thou art to post after with oars.
What's the matter ? why weepest thou man ?
Away, ass ! you '11 lose the tide, if you tarry any
longer. ^o
Launce. It is no matter if the tied were lost ; for it
is the unkindest tied that ever any man tied.
Pan. What's the unkindest tide ?
Launce. Why, he that's tied here, Crab, my dog.
Pan. Tut, man, I mean thou 'It lose the flood, and,
in losing the flood, lose thy voyage, and, in
losing thy voyage, lose thy master, and, in
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. iv.
losing thy master, lose thy service, and, in
losing thy service, — Why dost thou stop my
mouth ? ^o
Launce. For fear thou shouldst lose thy tongue.
Pan. Where should I lose my tongue ?
Lautice. In thy tale.
Pan. In thy tail !
Launce. Lose the tide, and the voyage, and the
master, and the service, and the tied ! Why,
man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it
with my tears ; if the wind were down, I could
drive the boat with my sighs.
Pan. Come, come away, man ; I was sent to call thee. 60
Launce. Sir, call me M'^hat thou darest.
Pan. Wilt thou go .?
Launce. Well, I will go. [Exeunt.
Scene IV.
Milan. The Duke's palace.
Enter Silvia, Valetttine, Thurio, and Speed.
Si I. Servant !
Fal. Mistress .?
Speed. Master, Sir Thurio frowns on you.
Fal. Ay, boy, it's for love.
Speed. Not of you.
Val. Of my mistress, then.
Speed. 'Twere good you knocked him. [Exit.
Sil. Servant, you are sad.
Val. Indeed, madam, I seem so.
Thu. Seem you that you are not.? 10
Val. Haply I do.
Act II. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
Thu. So do counterfeits.
Val. So do you.
Thu. What seem I that I am not .?
Val. Wise.
Thu. What instance of the contrary ?
Val. Your folly.
Thu. And how quote you my folly ?
Val. I quote it in your jerkin.
Thu. My jerkin is a doublet. 20
Val. Well, then, I'll double your folly.
Thu. How ?
5/7. What, angry, Sir Thurio ! do you change
colour ?
Val. Give him leave, madam ; he is a kind of
chameleon.
Thu. That hath more mind to feed on your blood
than live in your air.
Val. You have said, sir.
Thu. Ay, sir, and done too, for this time. 30
Val. I know it well, sir ; you always end ere you
begin.
Sil. A fine volley of words, gentlemen, and quickly
shot off.
Val. 'Tis indeed, madam ; we thank the giver.
Sil. Who is that, servant ?
Val. Yourself, sweet lady; for you gave the fire.
Sir Thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's
looks, and spends what he borrows kindly in
your company. 40
Thu. Sir, if you spend word for word with me, I
shall make your wit bankrupt.
Val. I know it well, sir ; you have an exchequer of
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. iv.
words, and, I think, no other treasure to give
your followers, for it appears, by their bare
liveries, that they live by your bare words.
Sil. No more, gentlemen, no more : — here comes my
father.
Enter Duke.
Duke. Now, daughter Silvia, you are hard beset.
Sir Valentine, your father's in good health : 50
What say you to a letter from your friends
Of much good news ?
Vol. My lord, I will be thankful
To any happy messenger from thence.
Duke. Know ye Don Antonio, your countryman?
Fal. Ay, my good lord, I know the gentleman
To be of worth, and worthy estimation.
And not without desert so well reputed.
Duke. Hath he not a son .''
Val. Ay, my good lord ; a son that M'ell deserves
The honour and regard of such a father. 60
Duke. You know him well ^
Val. I know him as myself; for from our infancy
We have conversed and spent our hours together :
And though myself have been an idle truant.
Omitting the sweet benefit of time
To clothe mine age with angel-like perfection,
Yet hath Sir Proteus, for that 's his name.
Made use and fair advantage of his days ;
His years but young, but his experience old ;
His head unmcllow'd, but his judgement ripe ; 70
And, in a word, for far behind his worth
Comes all the praises that I now bestow,
He is complete in feature and in mind
Act II. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
"With all good grace to grace a gentleman.
Duke. Beshrew me, sir, but if he make this good,
He is as worthy for an empress' love
As meet to be an emperor's counsellor.
Well, sir, this gentleman is come to mc.
With commendation from great potentates ;
And here he means to spend his time awhile : 80
I think 'tis no unwelcome news to you.
Val. Should I have wish'd a thing, it had been he.
Duke. Welcome him, then, according to his worth.
Silvia, I speak to you, and you, Sir Thurio,
For Valentine, I need not cite him to it :
I will send him hither to you presently. \^Exit.
Val. This is the gentleman I told your ladyship
Had come along with me, but that his mistress
Did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks.
5/7. Belike that now she hath enfranchised them, 90
Upon some other pawn for fealty.
Val. Nay, sure, I think she holds them prisoners still.
Sil. Nay, then, he should be blind ; and, being blind.
How could he see his way to seek out you ?
Val. Why, lady. Love hath twenty pair of eyes.
Thu. They say that Love hath not an eye at all.
Val. To see such lovers, Thurio, as yourself:
Upon a homely object Love can wink.
Sil. Have done, have done ; here comes the gentleman.
Enter Proteus.
Val. Welcome, dear Proteus ! Mistress, I beseech you,
Confirm his welcome with some special favour. loi
5/7. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither.
If this be he you oft have wish'd to hear from.
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. iv.
Val. Mistress, it is : sweet lady, entertain him
To be my fellow-servant to your ladyship.
iS/7. Too low a mistress for so high a servant.
Pro. Not so, sweet lady : but too mean a servant
To have a look of such a worthy mistress.
Val. Leave off discourse of disability :
Sweet lady, entertain him for your servant. Iio
Pro. My duty will I boast of ; nothing else.
5/7. And duty never yet did want his meed :
Servant, you are welcome to a worthless mistress.
Pro. I '11 die on him that says so but yourself.
Sil. That you are welcome ?
Pro. That you are worthless.
Enter Servant.
Ser. Madam, my lord your father would speak with you.
Sil. I wait upon his pleasure. \_Exit Ser.'] Come, Sir Thurio.
Go with me. Once more, new servant, welcome :
I '11 leave you to confer of home affairs ;
When you have done, we look to hear from you. 1 20
Pro. We'll both attend upon your ladyship.
\_Exeunt Silvia and Thurio.
Val. Now, tell me, how do all from whence you came ?
Pro. Your friends are well, and have them much commended.
Val. And how do yours .''
Pro. I left them all in health.
Val. How does your lady ? and how thrives your love ?
Pro. My tales of love were wont to weary you ;
I know you joy not in a love-discourse.
Val. Ay, Proteus, but that life is alter'd now :
I have done penance for contemning Love,
Whose high imperious thoughts have punish'd me 130
Act II. Sc. iv. XV^O GENTLEMEN
With bitter fasts, with penitential groans,
With nightly tears, and daily heart-sore sighs ;
For, in revenge of my contempt of love,
Love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes,
And made them watchers of mine own heart's sorrow.
O gentle Proteus, Love's a mighty lord,
And hath so humbled me, as I confess
There is no woe to his correction,
Nor to his service no such joy on earth.
Now no discourse, except it be of love ; 140
Now can I break my fast, dine, sup and sleep,
Upon the very naked name of love.
Pro. Enough ; I read your fortune in your eye.
Was this the idol that you worship so ?
Veil. Even she \ and is she not a heavenly saint ^
Pro. No J but she is an earthly paragon.
Val. Call her divine.
Pro. I will not flatter her.
Val. O, flatter me ; for love delights in praises.
Pro. When I was sick, you gave me bitter pills ;
And I must minister the like to you. 150
Val. Then speak the truth by her ; if not divine,
Yet let her be a principality,
Sovereign to all the creatures on the earth.
Pro. Except my mistress.
Val. Sweet, except not any j
Except thou wilt except against my love.
Pro. Have I not reason to prefer mine own ?
Val. And I will help thee to prefer her too :
She shall be dignified with this high honour, —
To bear my lady's train, lest the base earth
Should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss, 160
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. iv.
And, of so great a favour growing proud,
Disdain to root the summer-swelling flower,
And make rough winter everlastingly.
Pro. Why, Valentine, what braggardism is this ?
Vol. Pardon me, Proteus : all I can is nothing
To her, whose worth makes other worthies nothing;
She is alone.
Pro. Then let her alone.
Val. Not for the world : why, man, she is mine own ;
And I as rich in having such a jewel
As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl, 170
The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold.
Forgive me, that I do not dream on thee.
Because thou see'st me dote upon my love.
My foolish rival, that her father likes
Only for his possessions are so huge,
Is gone with her along; and I must after,
For love, thou know'st, is full of jealousy.
Pro. But she loves you ?
Val. Ay, and we are betroth'd : nay, more, our marriage-
hour.
With all the cunning manner of our flight, 180
Determined of; how I must climb her window ;
The ladder made of cords ; and all the means
Plotted and 'greed on for my happiness.
Good Proteus, go with me to my chamber.
In these aflairs to aid me with thy counsel.
Pro. Go on before ; I shall inquire you forth :
I must unto the road, to disembark
Some necessaries that I needs must use ;
And then I'll presently attend you.
Val. Will you make haste? 1 90
Act II. Sc. V. TWO GENTLEMEN
Pro. I will. [Exit Fal.
Even as one heat another heat expels,
Or as one nail by strength drives out another,
So the remembrance of my former love
Is by a newer object quite forgotten.
Is it mine eye, or Valentines praise,
Her true perfection, or my false transgression,
That makes me reasonless to reason thus ?
She is fair ; and so is Julia, that I love, — •
That I did love, for now my love is thaw'd ; 200
Which, like a waxen image 'gainst a fire,
Bears no impression of the thing it was.
Methinks my zeal to Valentine is cold.
And that I love him not as I was wont.
O, but I love his lady too too much !
And that's the reason I love him so little.
How shall I dote on her with more advice.
That thus without advice begin to love her !
'Tis but her picture I have yet beheld.
And that hath dazzled my reason's light; . 210
But when I look on her perfections.
There is no reason but I shall be blind.
If I can check my erring love, I will ;
If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. [Exit.
Scene V.
T/je same. A street.
Enter Speed atid Launce severally.
Speed. Launce ! by mine honesty, welcome to Padua !
Launce. Forswear not thyself, sweet youth ; for I am
not welcome. I reckon this always — that a man
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. v.
is never undone till he be hanged ; nor never
welcome to a place till some certain shot be paid,
and the hostess say ' Welcome ! '
Speed. Come on, you madcap, I'll to the alehouse with
you presently; where, for one shot of five pence,
thou shalt have five thousand welcomes. But,
sirrah, how did thy master part with Madam lo
Julia .?
Launce. Marry, after they closed in earnest, they
parted very fairly in jest.
Speed. But shall she marry him \
Launce. No.
Speed. How, then ? shall he marry her ?
Launce. No, neither.
Speed. What, are they broken ?
Launce. No, they are both as whole as a fish.
Speed. Why, then, how stands the matter with them ? 20
Launce. Marry, thus 5 when it stands well with him,
it stands well with her.
Speed. What an ass art thou ! I understand thee not.
Launce. What a block art thou, that thou canst not.
My staff" understands me.
Speed. What thou sayest ?
Launce. Ay, and what I do too : look thee, I '11 but
lean, and my staff' understands me.
Speed. It stands under thee, indeed.
Launce. Why, stand-under and under-stand is all one. 30
Speed. But tell me true, will 't be a match ?
Launce. Ask my dog : if he say ay, it will ; if he say,
no, it will ; if he shake his tail and say nothing,
it will.
Speed. The conclusion is, then, that it will.
1 I
Act II. Sc. vi. TWO GENTLEMEN
Launce. Thou shalt never get such a secret from me
but by a parable.
Sipeed. 'Tis well that I get it so. But, Launce, how
sayest thou, that my master is become a notable
lover .'' 40
Launce. I never knew him otherwise.
^peed. Than how ?
Launce. A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be.
B)peed. Why, thou whoreson ass, thou mistakest me.
Launce. Why fool, I meant not thee ; I meant thy
master.
Zpeed. I tell thee, my master is become a hot lover.
Launce. Why, I tell thee, I care not though he burn
himself in love. If thou wilt, go with me to the
alehouse ; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, 50
and not worth the name of Christian.
Speed. Why .?
Launce. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee
as to go to the ale with a Christian. Wilt thou
go?
S>peed. At thy service. \Exeunt.
Scene VI.
The same. The Duhe^s palace.
Enter Proteus.
Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn ;
To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn ;
To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn ;
And even that power, which gave mc first my oath.
Provokes me to this threefold perjury ;
Love bade me swear, and Love bids me forswear.
OF VERONA Act II. Sc. vi.
0 sweet-suggesting Love, if thou hast sinn'd,
Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it !
At first I did adore a twinkhng star,
But now I worship a celestial sun. lo
Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken ;
And he wants wit that wants resolved will
To learn his wit to exchange the bad for better.
Fie, fie, unreverend tongue ! to call her bad.
Whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferr'd
With twenty thousand soul-confirming oaths.
1 cannot leave to love, and yet I do ;
But there I leave to love where I should love.
Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose :
If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; 20
If I lose them, thus find I by their loss
For Valentine, myself, for Julia, Silvia.
I to myself am dearer than a friend.
For love is still most precious in itself;
And Silvia — witness Heaven, that made her fair ! —
Shows Julia but a swarthy Ethiope.
I will forget that Julia is alive.
Remembering that my love to her is dead ;
And Valentine I'll hold an enemy.
Aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend. go
I cannot now prove constant to myself.
Without some treachery used to Valentine.
This night he meaneth with a corded ladder
To climb celestial Silvia's chamber-window ;
Myself in counsel, his competitor.
Now presently I'll give her father notice
Of their disguising and pretended flight ;
Who, all enraged, will banish Valentine ;
Act II. Sc. vii. TWO GENTLEMEN
For Thurio, he intends, shall wed his daughter ;
But, Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross 40
By some sly trick blunt Thurio's dull proceeding.
Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift,
As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift !
[Exit.
Scene VII.
Verona. Julia s house.
Enter Julia and Lucetta.
Jul. Counsel, Lucetta \ gentle girl, assist me \
And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee.
Who art the table wherein all my thoughts
Are visibly character'd and engraved.
To lesson me ; and tell me some good mean,
How, with my honour, I may undertake
A journey to my loving Proteus.
Luc. Alas, the way is wearisome and long !
Jul. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary
To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps ; 10
Much less shall she that hath Love's wings to fly,
And when the flight is made to one so dear,
Of such divine perfection, as Sir Proteus.
Luc. Better forbear till Proteus make return.
Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food ?
Pity the deartli that I have pined in,
By longing for that food so long a time.
Didst thou but know the inly touch of love.
Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow
As seek to quench the fire of love with words. 20
OF VERONA ^^^ ^^- ^^- ^"•
Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire,
But qualify the fire's extreme rage,
Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.
Jul. The more thou damm'st it up, the more it burns.
The current that with gentle murmur glides,
Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage j
But when his fair course is not hindered.
He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones,
Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge
He overtaketh in his pilgrimage ; 30
And so by many winding nooks he strays,
With willing sport, to the wild ocean.
Then let me go, and hinder not my course :
I '11 be as patient as a gentle stream.
And make a pastime of each weary step.
Till the last step have brought me to my love ;
And there I '11 rest, as after much turmoil
A blessed soul doth in Elysium.
Ltic. But in what habit will you go along ?
Jul. Not like a woman ; for I would prevent 40
The loose encounters of lascivious men :
Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds
As may beseem some well-reputed page.
Luc. Why, then, your ladyship must cut your hair.
Jul. No, girl ; I '11 knit it up in silken strings
With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots.
To be fantastic may become a youth
Of greater time than I shall show to be.
Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches ?
Jul. That fits as well as, ' Tell me, good my lord, 50
What compass will you wear your farthingale ?'
Why even what fashion thou best likest, Lucetta.
Act II. Sc. vii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Luc. You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam.
Jul. Out, out, Lucetta ! that will be ill-favour'd.
Luc. A round hose, madam, now 's not worth a pin,
Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on.
Jul. Lucetta, as thou lovest me, let me have
What thou thlnk'st meet, and is most mannerly.
But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me
For undertaking so unstaid a journey } 60
I fear me, it will make me scandalized.
Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not.
Jul. Nay, that I will not.
Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go.
If Proteus like your journey when you come,
No matter who 's displeased when you are gone :
I fear me, he will scarce be pleased withal.
Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear :
A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
And instances of infinite of love, 7°
Warrant me welcome to my Proteus.
Luc. AH these are servants to deceitful men.
Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect !
But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth :
His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles ;
His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate ;
His tears pure messengers sent from his heart ;
His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth.
Luc. Pray heaven he prove so, when you come to him !
.Jul. Now, as thou lovest me, do him not that wrong, 80
To bear a hard opinion of his truth :
Only deserve my love by loving him ;
And presently go with me to my chamber.
To take a note of what I stand in need of.
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. i.
To furnish me upon my longing journey.
All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
My goods, my lands, my reputation ;
Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence.
Come, answer not, but to it presently !
I am impatient of my tarriance. [Exeunt. 90
ACT THIRD.
Scene I.
Milan. Ante-room in the Duke's palace.
Enter Duke, Thurio, and Proteus.
Duke. Sir Thurio, give us leave, I pray, awhile ;
We have some secrets to confer about. \_Exit Thu.
Now, tell me, Proteus, what 's your will with me ?
Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would discover
The law of friendship bids me to conceal ;
But when I call to mind your gracious favours
Done to me, undeserving as I am,
My duty pricks me on to utter that
Which else no worldly good should draw from me.
Know, worthy prince. Sir Valentine, my friend, 10
This night intends to steal away your daughter :
Myself am one made privy to the plot.
I know you have determined to bestow her
On Thurio, whom your gentle daughter hates ;
And should she thus be stol'n away from you.
It would be much vexation to your age.
Thus, for my duty's sake, I rather chose
To cross my friend in his intended drift
Act III. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Than, by concealing it, heap on your head
A pack of sorrows, which would press you down, 2o
Being unprevented, to your timeless grave.
Duhe. Proteus, I thank thee for thine honest care ;
Which to requite, command me while I live.
This love of theirs myself have often seen,
Haply when they have judged me fast asleep ;
And oftentimes have purposed to forbid
Sir Valentine her company and my court :
But, fearing lest my jealous aim might err,
And so, unworthily disgrace the man,
A rashness that I ever yet have shunn'd, 30
I gave him gentle looks ; thereby to find
That which thyself hast now disclosed to me.
And, that thou mayst perceive my fear of this,
Knowing that tender youth is soon suggested,
I nightly lodge her in an upper tower,
The key whereof myself have ever kept ;
And thence she cannot be convey'd away.
Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devised a mean
How he her chamber-window will ascend.
And with a corded ladder fetch her down ; ^o
For which the youthful lover now is gone,
And this way comes he with it presently ;
Where, if it please you, you may intercept him.
But, good my Lord, do it so cunningly
That my discovery be not aimed at ;
For, love of you, not hate unto my friend.
Hath made me publisher of this pretence.
Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know
That I had any light from thee of this. -^9
Pro. Adieu, my Lord ; Sir Valentine is coming. \_Exit.
OF VERONA Ac* ^^^' S*^- ^•
Enter Valentine.
Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast ?
Val. Please it your grace, there is a messenger
That stays to bear my letters to my friends,
And I am going to deliver them.
Di4ke. Be they of much import ?
Val, The tenour of them doth but signify
My health and happy being at your court.
Duke. Nay then, no matter ; stay with me awhile ;
I am to break with thee of some affairs
That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret.
'Tis not unknown to thee that 1 have sought 6i
To match my friend Sir Thurio to my daughter.
Val. I know it well, my Lord; and, sure, the match
Were rich and honourable ; besides, the gentleman
Is full of virtue, bounty, worth and qualities
Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter :
Cannot your Grace win her to fancy him ?
Duke. No, trust me ; she is peevish, sullen, froward.
Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty ;
Neither regarding that she is my child, 70
Nor fearing me as if I were her father :
And, may I say to thee, this pride of hers,
Upon advice, hath drawn my love from her ;
And, where I thought the remnant of mine age
Should have been cherish'd by her child-like duty,
I now am full resolved to take a wife.
And turn her out to who will take her in :
Then let her beauty be her wedding-dower ;
For me and my possessions she esteems not.
Val. What would your Grace have me to do in. this ? 80
Act III. Sc. i. -p^O GENTLEMEN
Duke. There is a lady in Verona here
Whom I affect ; but she is nice and coy,
And nought esteems my aged eloquence :
Now, therefore, would I have thee to my tutor, —
For long agone I have forgot to court ;
Besides, the fashion of the time is changed, —
How and which way I may bestow myself,
To be regarded in her sun-bright eye.
Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words :
Dumb jewels often in their silent kind 90
More than quick words do move a woman's mind.
Duke, But she did scorn a present that I sent her.
Fal. A woman sometimes scorns what best contents her.
Send her another ; never give her o'er ;
For scorn at first makes after-love the more.
If she do frown, 'tis not in hate of you,
But rather to beget more love in you :
If she do chide, 'tis not to have you gone ;
For why, the fools are mad, if left alone.
Take no repulse, whatever she doth say ; loo
For ' get you gone,' she doth not mean ' away ! '
Flatter and praise, commend, extol their graces ;
Though ne'er so black, say they have angels' faces.
That man that hath a tongue, I say, is no man,
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
Duke. But she I mean is promised by her friends
Unto a youthful gentleman of worth ;
And kept severely from resort of men,
That no man hath access by day to her.
Val. Why, then, I would resort to her by night. 1 10
Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe,
That no man hath recourse to her by night.
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. i.
Vol. "What lets but one may enter at her window ?
Dtike. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground,
And built so shelving, that one cannot climb it
Without apparent hazard of his life.
Val. Why, then, a ladder, quaintly made of cords,
To cast up, with a pair of anchoring hooks,
Would serve to scale another Hero's tower,
So bold Leander would adventure it. 1 20
Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood,
Advise me where I may have such a ladder.
Val. When would you use it ? pray, sir, tell me that.
Duke. This very night ; for Love is like a child.
That longs for every thing that he can come by.
Val. By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder.
Duke. But, hark thee ; I will go to her alone :
How shall I best convey the ladder thither ^
Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it
Under a cloak that is of any length. 130
Duke. A cloak as long as thine will serve the turn .''
Val. Ay, my good lord.
Duke. Then let me see thy cloak :
I'll get me one of such another length.
Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord.
Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak ?
I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.
What letter is this same } What's here ? ' To Silvia ' !
And here an engine fit for my proceeding.
I '11 be so bold to break the seal for once. [Reads.
' My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly ;
And slaves they are to me, that send them flying :
O, could their master come and go as lightly, 142
Himself would lodge where senseless they are lying !
Act III. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them •,
While I, their king, that thither them importune,
Do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd
them,
Because myself do want my servants' fortune :
I curse myself, for they are sent by me,
That they should harbour where their lord would be.'
What's here.? 150
* Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee.'
'Tis so ; and here 's the ladder for the purpose.
Why, Phaethon, — for thou art Merops' son, —
Wilt thou aspire to guide the heavenly car.
And with thy daring folly burn the world ?
Wilt thou reach stars, because they shine on thee ?
Go, base intruder ! overweening slave !
Bestow thy fawning smiles on equal mates j
And think my patience, more than thy desert,
Is privilege for thy departure hence : 1 60
Thank me for this more than for all the favours.
Which all too much I have bestow'd on thee.
But if thou linger in my territories
Longer than swiftest expedition
Will give thee time to leave our royal court.
By heaven ! my wrath shall far exceed the love
I ever bore my daughter or thyself.
Be gone ! I will not hear thy vain excuse ;
But, as thou lovest thy life make speed from
hence. [Exit.
Fa/. And why not death rather than living torment ? 170
To die is to be banish'd from myself ;
And Silvia is myself: banish'd from her,
Is self from self: a deadly banishment !
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. i.
What light is light, if Silvia be not seen ?
What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by ?
Unless it be to think that she is by.
And feed upon the shadow of perfection.
Except I be by Silvia in the night,
There is no music in the nightingale ;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day, 1 80
There is no day for me to look upon :
She is my essence ; and I leave to be,
If I be not by her fair influence
Foster'd, illumined, cherish'd, kept alive,
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom :
Tarry I here, I but attend on death :
But, fly I hence, I fly away from hfe.
Enter Proteus and Lautice.
Pro. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out.
Latince. Soho, soho !
Pro. What seest thou ? 190
Launce. Him we go to find : there 's not a hair on 's
head but 'tis a Valentine.
Pro. Valentine ?
Val. No.
Pro. Who then ? his spirit ?
Val. Neither.
Pro. What then .?
Val. Nothing.
Launce. Can nothing speak ? Master, shall I strike ?
Pro. Who wouldst thou strike ? 200
Launce. Nothing.
Pro. Villain, forbear.
Launce. Why, sir, I'll strike nothing ; I pray you, —
Act III. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Pro. Sirrah, I say, forbear. Friend Valentine, a word.
Val. My ears are stopt, and cannot hear good news,
So much of bad already hath possess'd them.
Pro. Then in dumb silence will I bury mine,
For they are harsh, untuneable, and bad.
Val. Is Silvia dead ?
Pro. No, Valentine. 210
P''al. No Valentine, indeed, for sacred Silvia.
Hath she forsworn me ?
Pro. No, Valentine.
Val. No Valentine, if Silvia have forsworn me.
What is your news ^
Launce. Sir, there is a proclamation that you are vanished.
Pro. That thou art banished — O, that 's the news ! —
From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend.
Val. O, I have fed upon this woe already,
And now excess of it will make me surfeit. 220
Doth Silvia know that I am banished ?
Pro. Ay, ay ; and she hath offer'd to the doom —
Which, unreversed, stands in effectual force —
A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears :
Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd ;
With them, upon her knees, her humble self;
Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became them
As if but now they waxed pale for woe :
But neither bended knees, pure hands held up.
Sad sighs, deep groans, nor silver-shedding tears, 230
Could penetrate her uncompassionate sire \
But Valentine, if he be ta'en, must die.
Besides, her intercession chafed him so.
When she for thy repeal was suppliant,
That to close prison he commanded her,
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. i.
With many bitter threats of biding there.
Val. No more ; unless the next word that thou speak'st
Have some malignant power upon my life :
If so, I pray thee, breathe it in mine ear,
As ending anthem of my endless dolour. 240
Pro. Cease to lament for that thou canst not help.
And study help for that which thou lament'st.
Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.
Here if thou stay, thou canst not see thy love j
Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life.
Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that,
And manage it against despairing thoughts.
Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence ;
Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd
Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love. 250
The time now serves not to expostulate :
Come, I '11 convey thee through the city-gate ;
And, ere I part with thee, confer at large
Of all that may concern thy love-affairs.
As thou lovest Silvia, though not for thyself,
Regard thy danger, and along with me !
Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy.
Bid him make haste, and meet me at the North-
gate.
Pro. Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine.
Val. O my dear Silvia ! Hapless Valentine ! 260
[^Exeunt Val. and Pro.
Launce. I am but a fool, look you ; and yet I have
the wit to think my master is a kind of a knave :
but that's all one, if he be but one knave. He
lives not now that knows me to be in love ; yet
I am in love ; but a team of horse shall not pluck
Act III. Sc. V TWO GENTLEMEN
that from me ; nor who 'tis I love ; and yet 'tis
a woman ; but what woman, I will not tell my-
self; and yet 'tis a milkmaid ; yet 'tis not a maid,
for she hath had gossips ; yet 'tis a maid, for she
is her master's maid, and serves for wages. She 270
hath more qualities than a water-spaniel, — which
is much in a bare Christian. \_PulHng out a
paper.'] Here is the cate-log of her condition.
* Imprimis : She can fetch and carry.' Why, a
horse can do no more : nay, a horse cannot fetch,
but only carry ; therefore is she better than a
jade. 'Item: She can milk'; look you, a
sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands.
Enter Speed.
Speed. How now, Signior Launce ! what news with
your mastership ? 280
Launce. With my master's ship ? why, it is at sea.
Speed. Well, your old vice still ; mistake the word.
What news, then, in your paper ?
Launce. The blackest news that ever thou heardest.
Speed. Why, man, how black ?
Launce. Why, as black as ink.
Speed. Let me read them.
Launce. Fie on thee, jolt-head ! thou canst not read.
Speed. Thou liest ; I can.
Launce. I will try thee. Tell me this : who begot 290
thee ?
Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather.
Launce. O illiterate loiterer ! it was the son of thy
grandmother: this proves that thou canst not read.
Speed. Come, fool, come ; try me in thy paper.
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. i.
Launce. There ; and Saint Nicholas be thy speed !
Speed. [Reads] ' Imprimis : She can milk.'
Launce. Ay, that she can.
Speed. ' Item : She brews good ale.'
Launce. And thereof comes the proverb : ' Blessing 300
of your heart, you brew good ale.'
Speed. ' Item : She can sew.'
Launce. That 's as much as to say, Can she so }
Speed. ' Item : She can knit.'
Launce. What need a man care for a stock with a
wench, when she can knit him a stock .''
Speed. ' Item : She can wash and scour.'
Launce. A special virtue ; for then she need not be
washed and scoured.
Speed. 'Item: She can spin.' 510
Launce. Then may I set the world on wheels, when
she can spin for her living.
Speed. 'Item: She hath many nameless virtues.'
Launce. That 's as much as to say, bastard virtues ;
that, indeed, know not their fathers, and there-
fore have no names.
Speed. ' Here follow her vices.'
Launce. Close at the heels of her virtues.
Speed. ' Item : She is not to be kissed fasting, in
respect of her breath.' 020
Launce. Well, that fault may be mended with a
breakfast. Read on.
Speed. ' Item : She hath a sweet mouth.'
Launce. That makes amends for her sour breath.
Speed. ' Item : She doth talk in her sleep.'
Launce. It 's no matter for that, so she sleep not in
her talk.
Act III. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
Speed. ' Item : She is slow in words.'
Latifjce. O villain, that set this down among her
vices ! To be slow in words is a woman's 330
only virtue : I pray thee, out with 't, and place
it for her chief virtue.
Speed. ' Item : She is proud.'
Launce. Out with that too ; it was Eve's legacy, and
cannot be ta'en from her.
Speed. ' Item : She hath no teeth.'
Launce. I care not for that neither, because I love
crusts.
Speed. * Item : She is curst.'
Lau/ice. Well, the best is, she hath no teeth to bite. 340
Speed. ' Item : She will often praise her liquor.'
Launce. If her liquor be good, she shall : if she
will not, I will ; for good things should be
praised.
Speed. ' Item : She is too liberal.'
Launce. Of her tongue she cannot, for that 's writ
down she is slow of; of her purse she shall
not, for that I '11 keep shut : now, of another
thing she may, and that cannot I help. Well,
proceed. ^^o
Speed. ' Item : She hath more hair than wit, and more
faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults.'
Launce. Stop there; I'll have her: she was mine,
and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article.
Rehearse that once more.
Speed. ' Item : She hath more hair than wit,' —
Launce. More hair than wit? It may be; I'll prove
it. The cover of the salt hides the salt, and
therefore it is more than the salt ; the hair that
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. ii.
covers the wit is more than the wit, for the 360
greater hides the less. What 's next ?
Speed. ' And more faults than hairs,' —
Laiince. That 's monstrous : O, that that were out !
Speed. ' And more wealth than faults.'
Launce. Why, that word makes the faults gracious.
Well, I'll have her: and if it be a match, as
nothing is impossible, —
Speed. What then ?
Launce. Why, then will I tell thee — that thy master
stays for thee at the North-gate ? 370
Speed. For me .''
Launce. For thee ! ay, who art thou ? he hath stayed
for a better man than thee.
Speed. And must I go to him ?
Launce. Thou must run to him, for thou hast stayed
so long, that going will scarce serve the turn.
Speed. Why didst not tell me sooner ? pox of your
love-letters ! \_Extt.
Launce. Now will he be swinged for reading my
letter, — an unmannerly slave, that will thrust 380
himself into secrets ! I '11 after, to rejoice in the
boy's correction. [Exit.
Scene II.
The same. The Duke's palace.
Enter Duke and Thurio.
Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not but that she will love you,
Now Valentine is banish'd from her sight.
Thu. Since his exile she hath despised me most,
Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me.
Act III. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
That I am desperate of obtaining her.
Duke. This weak impress of Jove is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Dissolves to water, and doth lose his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthless Valentine shall be forgot. lo
Enter Proteus.
How now, Sir Proteus ! Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone ?
Pro. Gone, my good lord.
Duke. My daughter takes his going grievously.
Pro. A little time, my lord, will kill that grief.
Duke. So I believe ; but Thurio thinks not so.
Proteus, the good conceit I hold of thee —
For thou hast shown some sign of good desert —
Makes me the better to confer with thee.
Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your Grace 20
Let me not live to look upon your Grace,
Duke. Thou know'st how willingly I would effect
The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter.
Pro. I do, my lord.
Duke. And also, I think, thou art not ignorant
How she opposes her against my will.
Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here.
Duke. Ay, and perversely she persevers so.
What might we do to make the girl forget
The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thurio ? 30
Pro. The best way is to slander Valentine
With falsehood, cowardice and poor descent,
Three things that women highly hold in hate.
Duke. Ay, but she '11 think that it is spoke in hate.
OF VERONA Act III. Sc. ii.
Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it :
Therefore it must with circumstance be spoken
By one whom she esteemeth as his friend.
Duke. Then you must undertake to slander him.
Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loath to do :
'Tis an ill office for a gentleman, 40
Especially against his very friend.
Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage him,
Your slander never can endamage him ;
Therefore the office is indifferent,
Being entreated to it by your friend.
Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord : if I can do it
By aught that I can speak in his dispraise.
She shall not long continue love to him.
But say this weed her love from Valentine,
It follows not that she will love Sir Thurio. 50
Thu. Therefore, as you unwind her love from him,
Lest it should ravel and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me j
Which must be done by praising me as much
As you in worth dispraise Sir Valentine.
Duke. And, Proteus, we dare trust you in this kind,
Because we know, on Valentine's report,
You are already Love's firm votary.
And cannot soon revolt and change your mind.
Upon this warrant shall you have access 60
Where you with Silvia may confer at large ;
For she is lumpish, heavy, melancholy.
And, for your friend's sake, will be glad of you ;
Where you may temper her by your persuasion
To hate young Valentine and love my friend.
Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect :
Act III. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
But you, Sir Thurio, are not sharp enough ;
You must lay lime to tangle her desires
By wailful sonnets, whose composed rhymes
Should be full-fraught with serviceable vows. 70
Duke. Ay,
Much is the force of heaven-bred poesy.
Pro. Say that upon the altar of her beauty
You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart :
Write till your ink be dry, and with your tears
Moist it again j and frame some feeling line
That may discover such integrity :
For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews ;
Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones.
Make tigers tame, and huge leviathans 80
Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies,
Visit by night your lady's chamber-window
With some sweet consort ; to their instruments
Tune a deploring dump : the night's dead silence
Will well become such sweet-complaining grievance.
This, or else nothing, will inherit her.
Duke. This discipline shows thou hast been in love.
Thu. And thy advice this night I '11 put in practice.
Therefore, sweet Proteus, my direction-giver, 90
Let us into the city presently
To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in music.
I have a sonnet that will serve the turn
To give the onset to thy good advice.
Duke. About it, gentlemen !
Pro. We '11 wait upon your Grace till after supper,
And afterward determine our proceedings.
Duke. Even now about it ! I will pardon you. [Exeunt.
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. i.
ACT FOURTH.
Scene I.
The frontiers of Mantua. A forest.
Ejiter certain Outlanvs.
First Out. Fellows, stand fast ; I see a passenger.
Sec. Out. If there be ten, shrink not, but down with 'em.
Enter Valentine and Speed.
Third Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have
about ye :
If not, we '11 make you sit, and rifle you.
Speed. Sir, we are undone ; these are the villains
That all the travellers do fear so much.
Val. My friends, —
First Out. That 's not so, sir : we are your enemies.
Sec. Out. Peace ! we '11 hear him.
Third Out. Ay, by my beard, will we, for he 's a proper
man. lo
Val. Then know that I have little wealth to lose :
A man I am cross'd with adversity ;
My riches are these poor habiliments,
Of which if you should here disfurnish me,
You take the sum and substance that I have.
Sec. Out. Whither travel you ?
Val. To Verona.
First Out. Whence came you ?
Val. From Milan.
Third Out. Have you long sojourned there } 20
Val. Some sixteen months, and longer might have stay'd,
Act IV. Sc. i. TWO GENTLEMEN
If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.
First Out. What, were you banish'd thence .''
Val. I was.
Sec. Out. For what offence ?
Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse :
I kill'd a man, whose death I much repent ;
But yet I slew him manfully in fight,
Without false vantage or base treachery.
First Out. Why, ne'er repent it, if it were done so. 30
But were you banish'd for so small a fault ?
Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom.
Sec. Out. Have you the tongues ?
Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy.
Or else I often had been miserable.
Third Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar,
This fellow were a king for our wild faction !
First Out. We '11 have him. Sirs, a word.
Speed. Master, be one of them ; it 's an honourable
kind of thievery. ^o
Val. Peace, villain !
Sec. Out. Tell us this : have you any thing to take to .''
Val. Nothing but my fortune.
Third Out. Know, then, that some of us are gentlemen,
Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth
Thrust from the company of awful men :
Myself was from Verona banished
For practising to steal away a lady,
An heir, and near allied unto the duke.
Sec. Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, $0
Who, in my mood, I stabb'd unto the heart.
First Out. And I for such like petty crimes as these.
But to the purpose, — for we cite our faults.
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. ii.
That they may hold excused our lawless lives ;
And partly, seeing you are beautified
With goodly shape, and by your own report
A linguist, and a man of such perfection
As we do in our quality much want, —
Sec. Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man,
Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you : 60
Are you content to be our general ?
To make a virtue of necessity,
And live, as we do, in this wilderness ?
TMrd Out. What say'st thou ? wilt thou be of our consort ?
Say ay, and be the captain of us all :
We'll do thee homage and be ruled by thee,
Love thee as our commander and our king.
First Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou diest.
Sec. Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have ofFer'd.
Fal. I take your offer, and will hve with you, 70
Provided that you do no outrages
On silly women or poor passengers.
Third Out. No, we detest such vile base practices.
Come, go with us, we '11 bring thee to our crews.
And show thee all the treasure we have got ;
Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose.
[Exeunt.
Scene II.
Milan. Outside the Duke's palace,
under Silvia^ s chamber.
Enter Proteus.
Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine,
And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.
Act IV. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Under the colour of commending him,
I have access my own love to prefer :
But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.
When I protest true loyalty to her,
She twits me with my falsehood to my friend ;
When to her beauty I commend my vows.
She bids me think how I have been forsworn lo
In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved :
And notwithstanding all her sudden quips,
The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,
Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,
The more it grows, and fawneth on her still.
But here comes Thurio : now must we to her window.
And give some evening music to her ear.
Enter Thurio and Musicians.
Thu. How now. Sir Proteus, are you crept before us ?
Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for you know that love
Will creep in service where it cannot go. 20
Thu. Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not here.
Pro. Sir, but I do ; or else I would be hence.
Thu. Who? SUvia?
Pro. Ay, Silvia ; for your sake.
Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen,
Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile.
Enter, at a distance, Host, and Julia in boys clothes.
Host. Now, my young guest, methinks you 're ally-
cholly : I pray you, why is it ?
Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.
Host. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you 30
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. ii.
where you shall hear music, and see the gentle-
man that you asked for.
Jul. But shall I hear him speak 1
Host. Ay, that you shall.
Jul. That will be music. [Music plays.
Host. Hark, hark !
Jul. Is he among these ?
Host. Ay : but, peace ! let 's hear 'em.
Song.
Who is Silvia ? what is she,
That all our swains commend her ? 40
Holy, fair, and wise is she j
The heaven such grace did lend her,
That she might admired be.
Is she kind as she is fair ?
For beauty lives with kindness.
Love doth to her eyes repair.
To help him of his blindness,
And, being help'd, inhabits there.
Then to Silvia let us sing.
That Silvia is excelling ; 50
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling :
To her let us garlands bring.
Host. How now ! are you sadder than you were
before ? How do you, man ? the music likes
you not.
Jul. You mistake ; the musician likes me not.
Host. Why, my pretty youth ?
Act IV. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Jul. He plays false, father.
Host. How ^. out of tune on the strings .-* 60
Jul. Not so ; but yet so false that he grieves my very
heart-strings.
Host. You have a quick ear.
Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a
slow heart.
Host. I perceive you delight not in music.
Jul. Not a whit, when it jars so.
Host. Hark, what fine change is in the music !
Jul. Ay, that change is the spite.
Host. You would have them always play but one thing? 70
Jul. I would always have one play but one thing.
But, host, doth this Sir Proteus that we talk on
Often resort unto this gentlewoman }
Host. I tell you what Launce, his man, told me, — he
loved her out of all nick.
Jul. Where is Launce .'*
Host. Gone to seek his dog, which to-morrow, by his
master's command, he must carry for a present to
his lady.
Jul. Peace ! stand aside : the company parts. 80
Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you : I will so plead.
That you shall say my cunning drift excels.
Thu. Where meet we .-'
Pro. At Saint Gregory's well.
Thu. Farewell.
[^Exeunt Thu. ami Musicians.
Enter Silvia above.
Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship.
Sil. I thank you for your music, gentlemen.
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. ii.
Who is that that spake ?
Pro. One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth.
You would quickly learn to know him by his voice.
iS/7. Sir Proteus as I take it.
Pro. Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant. 90
Sil. What 's your will ?
Pro. That I may compass yours.
S;7. You have your wish ; my will is even this :
That presently you hie you home to bed.
Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man !
Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless.
To be seduced by thy flattery.
That hast deceived so many with thy vows ?
Return, return, and make thy love amends.
For me, — by this pale queen of night I swear,
I am so far from granting thy request, 1 00
That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit ;
And by and by intend to chide myself
Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.
Pro. I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady ;
But she is dead.
Jul. [Aside] 'Twere false, if I should speak it ;
For I am sure she is not buried.
Sil. Say that she be ; yet Valentine thy friend
Survives ; to whom, thyself art witness,
I am betroth'd : and art thou not ashamed 1 10
To wrong him with thy importunacy ?
Pro. I likewise hear that Valentine is dead.
Sil. And so suppose am I ; for in his grave
Assure thyself my love is buried.
Pro. Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth.
iS/7. Go to thy lady's grave j and call hers thence ;
Act IV. Sc. ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine.
Jul. [Aside] He heard not that.
Pro. Madam, if your heart be so obdurate.
Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, 120
The picture that is hanging in your chamber ;
To that I '11 speak, to that I '11 sigh and weep :
For since the substance of your perfect self
Is else devoted, I am but a shadow ;
And to your shadow will I make true love.
////. \_Asidc\ If 'twere a substance, you would, sure, de-
ceive it.
And make it but a shadow, as I am.
Sil. I am very loath to be your idol, sir;
But since your falsehood shall become you well
To worship shadows and adore false shapes, 130
Send to me in the morning, and I '11 send it :
And so, good rest.
Pro. As wretches have o'ernight
That wait for execution in the morn.
[Exeunt Pro. and Sil. severally.
Jul. Host, will you go ?
Host. By my halidom, I was fast asleep.
Jul. Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus .''
Host. Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis
almost day.
Jul. Not so ; but it hath been the longest night
That e'er I watch'd, and the most heaviest. 140
[Exeunt.
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. iii.
Scene III.
The same.
Enter Eglamour.
Egl. This is the hour that Madam Silvia
Entreated me to call and know her mind :
There's some great matter she 'Id employ me in.
Madam, madam !
Enter Silvia above.
SiL Who calls ?
Egl. Your servant and your friend ;
One that attends your ladyship's command.
5//. Sir Eglamour, a thousand times good morrow.
Egl. As many, worthy lady, to yourself:
According to your ladyship's impose,
I am thus early come to know what service
It is your pleasure to command me in. lo
5//. O Eglamour, thou art a gentleman, —
Think not I flatter, for I swear I do not, —
Valiant, wise, remorseful, well accomplish'd :
Thou art not ignorant what dear good will
I bear unto the banish'd Valentine ;
Nor how my father would enforce me marry
Vain Thurio, whom my very soul abhors.
Thyself hast loved ; and I have heard thee say
No grief did ever come so near thy heart
As when thy lady and thy true love died, 20
Upon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chastity.
Sir Eglamour, I would to Valentine,
To Mantua, where I hear he makes abode j
And, for the ways are dangerous to pass,
Act IV. Sc. iii. TWO GENTLEMEN
I do desire thy worthy company,
Upon whose faith and honour I repose.
Urge not my father's anger, Eglamour.
But think upon my grief, a lady's grief,
And on the justice of my flying hence,
To keep me from a most unholy match, ^o
Which heaven and fortune still rewards with plagues.
I do desire thee, even from a heart
As full of sorrows as the sea of sands.
To bear me company, and go with me :
If not, to hide what I have said to thee,
That I may venture to depart alone.
Eg/. Madam, I pity much your grievances ;
Which since I know they virtuously are placed,
I give consent to go along with you;
Recking as little what betideth me 40
As much I wish all good befortune you.
When will you go?
5/7. This evening coming.
Eg/. Where shall I meet you ?
5/7. At Friar Patrick's cell,
Where I intend holy confession.
Eg/. I will not fail your ladyship. Good morrow,
gentle lady.
5/7. Good morrow, kind Sir Eglamour.
[Exeunt sever a//y.
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. iv.
Scene IV.
The same.
Enter Lawice ivith his Dog,
Laiince. When a man's servant shall play the cur
with him, look you, it goes hard : one that
I brought up of a puppy ; one that I saved
from drowning, when three or four of his blind
brothers and sisters went to it! I have taught
him, even as one would say precisely, ' thus I
would teach a dog.' I was sent to deliver him
as a present to Mistress Silvia from my master ;
and I came no sooner into the dining-chamber,
but he steps me to her trencher, and steals lo
her capon's leg : O, 'tis a foul thing when a cur
cannot keep himself in all companies! I would
have, as one should say, one that takes upon him
to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all
things. If I had not had more wit than he, to
take a fault upon me that he did, I think verily
he had been hanged for 't ; sure as I live, he had
suffered for't: you shall judge. He thrusts me
himself into the company of three or four gentle-
manlike dogs, under the duke's table: he had not 20
been there — bless the mark — a pissing while, but
all the chamber smelt him. 'Out with the dog!'
says one : ' What cur is that ? ' says another :
'Whip him out,' says the third : ' Hang him up,'
says the duke. I, having been acquainted with
the smell before, knew it was Crab, and goes me
to the fellow that whips the dogs : ' Friend,'
quoth I, ' you mean to whip the dog ? ' * Ay,
Act IV. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
marry, do I,' quoth he. * You do him the more
wrong,' quoth I; ''twas I did the thing you wot 30
of.' He makes me no more ado, but whips me
out of the chamber. How many masters would
do this for his servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I
have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen,
otherwise he had been executed; I have stood on
the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he
had suffered for't. Thou thinkest not of this
now. Nay, I remember the trick you served me
when I took my leave of Madam Silvia : did not
I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do ? when 40
didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make
water against a gentlewoman's farthingale.'' didst
thou ever see me do such a trick .''
Enter Proteus atid Jtilia.
Pro. Sebastian is thy name ? I like thee well,
And will employ thee in some service presently.
Jul. In what you please : I '11 do what I can.
Pro. I hope thou wilt. [To Launce~\ How now, you
whoreson peasant !
Where have you been these two days loitering .''
Laiince. Marry, sir, I carried Mistress Silvia the dog
you bade me. 50
Pro. And what says she to my little jewel ?
Laimce. Marry, she says your dog was a cur, and
tells you currish thanks is good enough for such
a present.
Pro. But she received my dog ?
Lawice. No, indeed, did she not : here have I brought
him back again.
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. iv.
Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me ?
Launce. Ay, sir ; the other squirrel was stolen from
me by the hangman boys in the market-place : 60
and then I offered her mine own, who is a dog
as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the
greater.
Pro. Go get thee hence, and find my dog again,
Or ne'er return again into my sight.
Away, I say ! stay'st thou to vex me here .''
\^Exit Launce.
A slave, that still an end turns me to shame !
Sebastian, I have entertained thee.
Partly that I have need of such a youth,
That can with some discretion do my business, 70
For 'tis no trusting to yond foolish lout ;
But chiefly for thy face and thy behaviour,
Which, if my augury deceive me not.
Witness good bringing up, fortune, and truth :
Therefore know thou, for this I entertain thee.
Go presently, and take this ring with thee.
Deliver it to Madam Silvia :
She loved me well deliver'd it to me.
Jul. It seems you loved not her, to leave her token.
She is dead, belike ?
Pro. Not so ; I think she lives. 80
Jul. Alas !
Pro. Why dost thou cry, ' alas ' }
Jul. I cannot choose
But pity her.
Pro. Wherefore shouldst thou pity her }
Jul. Because methinks that she loved you as well
As you do love your lady Silvia :
Act IV. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
She dreams on him that has forgot her love ;
You dote on her that cares not for your love.
'Tis pity love should be so contrary ;
And thinking on it makes me cry, ' alas ! '
Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal 90
This letter. That 's her chamber. Tell my lady
I claim the promise for her heavenly picture.
Your message done, hie home unto my chamber,
Where thou shalt find me, sad and solitary. [^Exit.
Jul. How many women would do such a message ?
Alas, poor Proteus ! thou hast entertain'd
A fox to be the shepherd of thy lambs.
Alas, poor fool ! why do I pity him
That with his very heart despiseth me ?
Because he loves her, he despiseth me ; loo
Because I love him, I must pity him.
This ring I gave him when he parted from me,
To bind him to remember my good will ;
And now am I, unhappy messenger,
To plead for that which I would not obtain,
To carry that which I would have refused.
To praise his faith which I would have dispraised.
I am my master's true-confirmed love ;
But cannot be true servant to my master.
Unless I prove false traitor to myself. i lo
Yet will I woo for him, but yet so coldly,
As, heaven it knows, I would not have him speed.
Enter Silvia, attended.
Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean
To bring me where to speak with Madam Silvia.
8il. What would you with her, if that I be she }
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. iv.
Jul. If you be she, I do entreat your patience
To hear me speak the message I am sent on.
Sil. From whom ?
Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam.
5/7. O, he sends you for a picture. 1 20
Jul. Ay, madam.
Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there.
Go give your master this : tell him, from me.
One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget,
Would better fit his chamber than this shadow.
Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter. —
Pardon me, madam ; I have unadvised
Deliver'd you a paper that I should not :
This is the letter to your ladyship.
Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. 1 50
Jul. It may not be ; good madam, pardon me.
5/7. There, hold !
I will not look upon your master's lines :
I know they are stuff'd with protestations,
And full of new-found oaths ; which he will break
As easily as I do tear his paper.
Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring.
5//. The more shame for him that he sends it me ;
For I have heard him say a thousand times
His Julia gave it him at his departure. 140
Though his false finger have profaned the ring.
Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong.
Jul. She thanks you.
5/7. What say'st thou .?
Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her.
Poor gentlewoman ! my master wrongs her much.
5/7. Dost thou know her .''
Act IV. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself :
To think upon her woes I do protest
That I have wept a hundred several times. 1 50
Sil. Belike she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her.
Jul. 1 think she doth ; and that 's her cause of sorrow.
5/7. Is she not passing fair ?
Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is :
When she did think my master loved her well,
She, in my judgement, was as fair as you ;
But since she did neglect her looking-glass,
And threw her sun-expelling mask away.
The air hath starved the roses in her cheeks.
And pinch'd the lily-tincture of her face, 160
That now she is become as black as I.
5/7. How tall was she ?
Jul. About my stature : for, at Pentecost,
When all our pageants of delight were play'd,
Our youth got me to play the woman's part,
And I was trimm'd in Madam Julia's gown ;
Which served me as fit, by all men's judgments.
As if the garment had been made for me :
Therefore I know she is about my height.
And at that time I made her weep agood, 170
For I did play a lamentable part :
Madam, 'twas Ariadne passioning
For Theseus' perjury and unjust flight ;
Which I so lively acted with my tears.
That my poor mistress, moved therewithal,
Wept bitterly ; and, would I might be dead,
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow !
5/7. She is beholding to thee, gentle youth.
Alas, poor lady, desolate and left !
OF VERONA Act IV. Sc. iv.
I weep myself to think upon thy words. 1 80
Here, youth, there is my purse : I give thee this
For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lovest her.
Farewell. [Exit Si/via, luith attendants.
Jul. And she shall thank you for 't, if e'er you know her.
A virtuous gentlewoman, mild and beautiful !
I hope my master's suit will be but cold.
Since she respects my mistress' love so much.
Alas, how love can trifle with itself!
Here is her picture : let me see ; I think.
If I had such a tire, this face of mine I90
Were full as lovely as is this of hers :
And yet the painter flatter'd her a little,
Unless I flatter with myself too much.
Her hair is auburn, mine is perfect yellow :
If that be all the difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colour'd periwig.
Her eyes are grey as glass ; and so are mine :
Ay, but her forehead 's low, and mine 's as high.
What should it be that he respects in her,
But I can make respective in myself, 200
If this fond Love were not a blinded god ?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up.
For 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form.
Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, loved, and adored !
And, were there sense in his idolatry.
My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I '11 use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake.
That used me so ; or else, by Jove I vow,
I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes.
To make my master out of love with thee ! [Exit.
Act V. Sc. i.-ii. TWO GENTLEMEN
ACT FIFTH.
Scene I.
Milan. An abbey.
Enter Eglamour.
Eg/. The sun begins to gild the western sky ;
And now it is about the very hour
That Silvia, at Friar Patrick's cell, should meet me.
She will not fail, for lovers break not hours.
Unless it be to come before their time ;
So much they spur their expedition.
See where she comes.
Enter Silvia.
Lady, a happy evening !
Sil. Amen, amen ! Go on, good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abbey-wall :
I fear I am attended by some spies. lo
Egl. Fear not : the forest is not three leagues off;
If we recover that, we are sure enough. \Exeiint.
Scene II.
The same. The Duke's palace.
Enter Thiirio, Proteus, and Julia.
Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit }
Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was ;
And yet she takes exceptions at your person.
Thu. What, that my leg is too long .''
Pro. No : that it is too little.
OF VERONA Act V. Sc. ii.
Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.
////. \^Aside\ But love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes.
Thu. What says she to my face ?
Pro. She says it is a fair one.
Thu. Nay then, the wanton lies ; my face is black. lo
Pro. But pearls are fair ; and the old saying is,
Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.
Jul. [^Aside] 'Tis true ; such pearls as put out ladies' eyes ;
For I had rather wink than look on them.
Thu. How likes she my discourse .''
Pro. Ill, when you talk of war.
Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace ?
Jul. [Aside] But better, indeed, when you bold your peace.
Thu. What says she to my valour ?
Pro. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that. 20
Jul. [Aside] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.
Thu. What says she to my birth .''
Pro. That you are well derived.
Jul. [Aside] True ; from a gentleman to a fool.
Thu. Considers she my possessions ?
Pro. O, ay ; and pities them.
Thu. Wherefore ?
Jul. [Aside] That such an ass should owe them.
Pro. That they are out by lease.
Jul. Here comes the duke. 30
Enter Duke.
Duhe. How now, Sir Proteus ! how now, Thurio !
Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late ?
Thu. Not I.
Pro. Nor I.
Duke. Saw you my daughter ?
Act V. Sc. iii. TWO GENTLEMEN
Pro. Neither.
Duke. "Why then,
She 's fled unto that peasant Valentine ;
And Eglamour is in her company.
'Tis true J for Friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest ;
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she.
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it ; 40
Besides, she did intend confession
At Patrick's cell this even ; and there she was not ;
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently, and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain-foot
That leads toward Mantua, whither they are fled :
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me. \_Exit.
Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl,
That flies her fortune when it follows her. 50
I'll after, more to be revenged on Eglamour
Than for the love of reckless Silvia. [^Exit.
Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love
Than hate of Eglamour, that goes with her. \^Exit.
Jul. And I will follow, more to cross that love
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. [Exit.
Scene IIL
The frontiers of Mantua. The forest.
Enter Outlaws ivith Silvia.
Eirst Out. Come, come.
Be patient ; we must bring you to our captain.
5/7. A thousand more mischances than this one
OF VERONA Act V. Sc. iv.
Have learned me how to brook this patiently
Sec: Out. Come, bring her away.
First Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her ?
T/jtrd Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us,
But Moses and Valerius follow him.
Go thou with her to the west end of the wood ;
There is our captain : we 'Jl follow him that 's fled ;
The thicket is beset ; he cannot 'scape. 1 1
First Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's cave :
Fear not ; he bears an honourable mind.
And will not use a woman lawlessly.
Si/. O Valentine, this I endure for thee ! [^Exeunt.
Scene IV.
Another part of the forest.
Enter Valentine.
Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man !
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns :
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any.
And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my distresses and record my woes.
O thou that dost inhabit in my breast.
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless,
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was ! lo
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia ;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain !
What halloing and what stir is this to-day ?
These are my mates, that make their wills their law.
Act V. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
Have some unhappy passenger in chase.
They love me well ; yet I have much to do
To keep them from uncivil outrages.
Withdraw thee, Valentine : who 's this comes here ?
Enter Proteus, Silvia, and Julia.
Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you,
Though you respect not aught your servant doth, 20
To hazard life, and rescue you from him
That would have forced your honour and your love ;
Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look ;
A smaller boon than this I cannot beg.
And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.
Val. [Aside] How like a dream is this I see and hear !
Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile.
Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am !
Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I came ;
But by my coming I have made you happy. 30
Sil. By thy approach thou makest me most unhappy.
Jul. [Aside'] And me, when he approacheth to your
presence.
Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O, Heaven be judge how I love Valentine,
Whose life 's as tender to me as my soul !
And full as much, for more there cannot be,
I do detest false perjured Proteus.
Therefore be gone ; solicit me no more. 40
Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death,
Would I not undergo for one calm look !
O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approved,
OF VERONA Act V. Sc. iv.
When women cannot love where they 're beloved !
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he 's beloved.
Read over Julia's heart, thy first, best love.
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths ; and all those oaths
Descended into perjury, to love me. 49
Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou'dst two,
And that 's far worse than none ; better have none
Than plural faith which is too much by one :
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend !
p^o^ In love
Who respects friend ?
Si/. All men but Proteus.
Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words
Can no way change you to a milder form,
I '11 woo you like a soldier, at arms' end.
And love you 'gainst the nature of love, — force ye.
Sil. O heaven !
Pro. I'll force thee yield to my desire.
Fal. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch, 60
Thou friend of an ill fashion !
Pfo. Valentine !
Fal. Thou common friend, that 's without faith or love,
For such is a friend now ; treacherous man !
Thou hast beguiled my hopes •, nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me : now I dare not say
I have one friend alive ; thou wouldst disprove me.
Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand
Is perjured to the bosom ? Proteus,
I am sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake. 70
The private wound is deepest : O time most accurst,
Act V. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst !
Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me.
Forgive me, Valentine : if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender 't here ; I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.
Vol. Then I am paid ;
And once again I do receive thee honest,
Who by repentance is not satisfied .
Is nor of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased. 80
By penitence the Eternal's wrath 's appeased :
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.
Jul. O me unhappy ! [Swoons.
Pro. Look to the boy.
Val. Why, boy ! M'hy, wag ! how now ! what 's the
matter ? Look up ; speak.
Jul. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver a
ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect,
was never done. 90
Pro. Where is that ring, boy ?
Jul. Here 'tis j this is it.
Pro. How ! let me see :
Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.
Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook :
This is the ring you sent to Silvia.
Pro. But how earnest thou by this ring .? At my depart
I gave this unto Julia.
Jul. And Julia herself did give it me ;
And Julia herself hath brought it hither.
Pro. How ! Julia ! loo
Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
OF VERONA Act V. Sc. iv.
And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart.
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root !
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush !
Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment, if shame live
In a disguise of love :
It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,
Women to change their shapes than men their minds.
Pro. Than men their minds ! 'tis true. O heaven,
were man Iio
But constant, he were perfect ! That one error
Fills him with faults ; makes him run through all
the sins :
Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye }
Vol. Come, come, a hand from either :
Let me be blest to make this happy close ;
'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.
Pro. Bear witness. Heaven, I have my wish for ever.
Jul. And I mine. I20
Enter Outlaws, nvith Duke and Thurio.
Outlaws. A prize, a prize, a prize !
Val. Forbear, forbear, I say ! it is my lord the duke.
Your Grace is welcome to a man disgraced,
Banished Valentine.
Duhe. Sir Valentine !
' Thu. Yonder is Silvia ; and Silvia's mine.
Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death j
Come not within the measure of my wrath ;
Do not name Silvia thine ; if once again.
Act V. Sc. iv. TWO GENTLEMEN
Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands :
Take but possession of her with a touch : 130
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I :
I hold him but a fool that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not :
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.
Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, 140
And think thee worthy of an empress' love :
Know, then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit.
To which I thus subscribe : Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well derived ;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
Val. I thank your grace ; the gift hath made me happy.
I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. 1 50
Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.
Val. These banish'd men that I have kept withal
Are men endued with worthy qualities :
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recall'd from their exile :
They are reformed, civil, full of good.
And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Duke. Thou hast prevail'd ; I pardon them and thee :
Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go: we will include all jars 160
OF VERONA Act V. Sc. iv.
With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.
Fal. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your Grace to smile.
What think you of this page, my lord ?
Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him ; he blushes.
Vol. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.
Duke. What mean you by that saying }
Val. Please you, I '11 tell you as we pass along.
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Proteus ; 'tis your penance but to hear 170
The story of your loves discovered :
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours ;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness. \Exeunt.
M
TWO GENTLEMEN
Glossary.
Account of, appreciates ; II. i. 6i.
Advice, " more advice," /.<?. " further
knowledge;" II. iv. 207; con-
sideration ; III. i. 73.
Agood, in good earnest ; IV. iv. 170.
Aim, conjecture ; III. i. 28.
Aimed at, guessed; III. i. 45.
Ale, ale-house (with perhaps an
allusion to church-ale, or rural
festival) ; II. v. 61.
Alli/chollii , corrupted from " melan-
choly " ; IV. ii. 27.
Apparent, manifest; III. i. 116.
Applaud, approve; I. iii. 48.
Appru-ved, proved by experience ;
V. iv. 43.
Auburn, flaxen; IV. iv. 194.
Aivful, filled with reverence lor
authority ; IV. i. 46.
Bare, mere,
From the draw-
ing of the
Funeral of
Abbot Islip,
in Westmin-
ster Abbey,
i522(C/.'Ve-
tusta Monu-
menta').
(with a quibble on
the other sense
of naked) ; III. i.
272.
Base, in the game of
" prisoner's base"
" to bid the base "
was to challenge
to a contest of
speed; I. ii. 97.
Beadsman, one who
prays on behalf of
another: I. i. 18.
Befortune, betide ; IV.
iii. 41.
Beholding, beholden :
IV. iv. 178.
BeslireiL', evil befal ;
I. i. 126.
Bestoiv, deport (one's
self); III. i. 87.
Boots, "to give one the boots" =
" to make a laughing-stock of
one," with a quibbling allusion
to the torture known as "the
boots ; " I. i. 27.
From Millaeus's Praxis criminis persequendi
(Paris, 1 541).
Boots, profits, avails ; I. i. 28.
Bottom, to wind thread ; III. ii.
53-
Break, broach a matter; III. 1.
59-
Broken, fallen out; II. v. 19.
Broker, matchmaker, go-between ;
1. ii. 41.
OF VERONA
Glossary
Burden, undersong, (with a quibble
on the ordinary sense of the
word) ; I. ii. 85.
Canker, canker-worm ; I. i. 43.
Ca;f-/o§-(Launce's blunder for " cata-
logue ") ; III. i. 273.
Censure, pass judgment ; I. ii. 19.
Character'd, written ; II. vii. 4.
Circumstance, circumstantial deduc-
tion ; I. i. 36 ; I. i. 84 ; the posi-
tion in which one has placed
one's self, conduct ; I. i. 37 ;
detail, particulars, III. ii. 36.
Cite, incite ; II. iv. 85.
Close, union ; V. iv. 117.
Clerkly, scholarly ; II. i. 106.
Codpiece, "a part of the male attire,
indelicately conspicuous in the
poet's time; " II. vii. 53.
Coil, fuss, ado ; I. ii. 99.
Commit, sin ; V. iv. 77.
Compass, obtain; IV. ii. 91.
Competitor, confederate; II. vi. 35.
Conceit, Opinion ; III. ii. 17.
Conceiiless, devoid of understanding ;
IV. ii. 95.
Condition, quality ; III. i. 273.
Consort, a company ; IV. i. 64 ; a
company of musicians playing
together; III. ii. 84.
Con-versed, associated ; II. iv. 63.
Creivs, bands ; IV. i. 74.
Curst, shrewish ; III. i. 339.
Z)azz/fj' (trisyllabic) ; II. iv. 210.
Deign, condescend to accept ; I. i.
152.
Descant, "counterpoint, or the add-
ing one or more parts to a
theme, ■which was called ' the
plain song'"; I. ii. 94.
Diet, "takes diet" = "is under a
strict regimen"; II. i. 24.
Dispose, disposal ; II. vii. 86.
Doublet, inner garment of a man,
sometimes w^orn without the
jerkin, with which at times it
was confounded ; II. iv. 20.
Dump, slow, melancholy tune ; III.
ii. 85 (see end of Notes).
Earnest, pledge, token of future be-
stowal (with a quibble on
" earnest" as opposed to "jest ");
III. i. 163.
Else, elsewhere; IV. ii. 124.
Engine, instrument ; III. i. 138.
Entertain, take into service ; II. iv.
104; IV. iv. 68.
Exhibition, allowance ; I. iii. 69.
Extreme (accented on the first syl-
lable) ; II. vii. 22.
Farthingale, hoop petticoat ; II. vii.
51-
Feature, shape, form ; II. iv. 73.
Figure, a turn of rhetoric ; II. i. 146.
Fire (dissyllabic) ; I. ii. 30.
Fond, foolish ; I. i. 52.
For ( = for fear of), I. ii. 136.
For ivhy, because; III. i. 99.
i^or/or« (accented on first syllable);
I. ii. 124
Gossips, sponsors at baptism (used
quibblingly) ; III. i. 269.
Greed, agreed; II. iv. 183.
Griefs, grievances ; V. iv. 142.
Grievances, causes
of grief; IV.
iii. 37.
Hangman (as a
term of re-
proach), ras-
cally ; IV. iv.
60.
Homely, plain,
unrefined ; I.
i. 2.
Hose, " a round
hose " ; II. vii.
55 ; ' to garter
his hose ' ; II.
i. 77.
Hoive'ver, in any
case; I. i. 34.
From a black-letter
ballad formerly in
the Heber collec-
tion.
Glossary
TWO GENTLEMEN
1.
Impeachment, reproach, discredit;
iii. 15.
Impose, injunction ; IV. iii. 8.
Include, conclude; V. iv. 160.
Infnite, infinity ; II. vii. 70.
Inherit, win ; III. ii. 87.
Inli/, inward ; II. vii. 18.
Integrity, sincerity : III. ii. 77.
Interpret, act tile interpreter (to the
figure in a puppet show); 1 1, i, 10 1.
Jade (used quibblingly) ; III. i. 277.
Jerkin, jacket or short coat, usually
worn over the doublet ; II. iv. 19.
Jolt-head, blockhead ; III. i. 290.
Keep, restrain; IV. iv. 11.
Kind, kindred ; II. iii. 2.
Ar«o/j (true-love) ; II, vii. 46.
From a Monument in Ashford Church,
Kent.
Laced, see " mutton."
Learn, teach; II. vi. 13.
Learn d, taught; V. iii. 4.
Lease, "out by lease," i.e. "let to
others, and not under one's own
control"; the point of the line
turns on the equivocal interpreta-
tion of ' ' possessions "in the sense
of "mental endowments;" V.
ii. 29.
Leave, cease, III. i. 182 ; part with,
IV. iv. 79.
Lets, hinders; III. i. 113.
Liberal, wanton ; III. i. 355.
Lies, lodges; IV. ii. 137.
^^ Light 0 loiie," a popular old tune,
referred to also in Much Ado, III.
iv. 44; I. ii. 83.
Likes, pleases; IV. ii. 55.
Livie, bird-lime; III. ii. 68.
Manage, to wield ; III. i. 247.
Mean, tenor; I. ii. 95.
Means, " to make means," i.e. "to
contrive measures and oppor-
tunities" (to win her); V. iv.
137-
Measure, "within the measure,'
i.e. "within reach"; V. iv.
127.
Merops, Phaethon was reproached,
thougli falsely, with being the
son, not of Apollo, but of
Merops ; III. i. 153.
Minion, a spoiled favourite ; I. ii.
88, 92.
Moneth'smind(hl. "month"; "mon-
eth," archaic form preserved in
phrase " moneth's mind"), ori-
ginally meant the monthly anni-
versary of a person's death ;
hence " remembrance," and
finally "yearning;" I. ii. 137
(cp. Notes).
Mood, rage ; IV. i. 51.
Motion, puppet-show; II. i. 94.
From the MS. of the Roiiiain.e of
Alexander (Bodl. Lib ).
OF VERONA
Glossary
Mouth, "a sweet mouth," i.e. "a
sweet tooth ;" III. i. 323.
Muse, wonder; I. iii. 64.
Mutton, a sheep ; I. i. 98 ; "laced
mutton " seems to have been a
cant term for a loose woman,
but probably used here in the
sense of "a fine piece of wo-
man's flesh," " a finely trimmed
woman " ; I. i. 99.
From the " Herodiade " print by Israel
Van Mechlin (c. 1500).
Nicholas (^Saint^, the patron saint of
scholars ; III. i. 296.
Nick, reckoning (alluding to the
"nicks" or "notches" on a
wooden tally); IV. ii. 75.
On (play upon " on " and -' one "),
II. i. I.
On, of; IV. ii. 72.
One, " one knave," i.e. " a single,
not a double knave" (referring
perhaps to Proteus' falsehood to
both friend and mistress); III. i.
263.
Omitting, neglecting ; II. iv. 65.
Onset, beginning ; III. ii. 94.
O^erloak^d, perused ; I. ii. 50.
O'we, own ; V. ii. 28.
Pageants, dramatic entertainments ;
IV. iv. 164.
Pardon, excuse your absence; III
ii. 98.
Parle, talk ; I. ii. 5.
Passenger, passer-by ; IV. i. I.
Passioning, passionately grieving ;
IV. iv. 172.
Peevish, wayward ; III. i. 68; V. ii,
49;
Perscvers (accented on second
syllable) ; III. ii. 28.
Possessions, interpreted equivocally
in the sense of " mental endow-
ments; " V. ii. 25.
Post, messenger; I. i. 153.
Practising, plotting; IV. i. 48.
Presently, forthwith ; II. iv. 86.
Pretence, design ; III. i. 47.
Pretended, proposed ; II. vi. 37.
PrincipalitTj, an angel of the highest
rank, next to divinity; II. iv.
152.
An Exchequer Tally of the XIV. Cent.
Noddy (quibblingly for " nod-ay "),
simpleton ; I. i. 117.
Print, "in print"=" to the letter,
accurately;" II. i. 166.
Glossary
TWO GENTLEMEN
Proper^ well-shaped ; IV. i. lo.
Publisher, one who brings to light ;
HI. i. 47-
Puling, "liice a beggar at Hallow-
mas " ; it was a custom on All
Saints Day for the poor to go
from parish to parish a-souling,
i.e. "begging and puling for
soul-cakes"; II. i. 25.
Quaintly, cleverly; II. i. 120; III, i,
117.
Quality, profession; IV. i. 58.
Quips, sharp jests ; IV. ii. 12.
Quote (pronounced "cote"; hence
the quibble); II. iv. 18.
Ravel, become entangled; III. ii.
Reasoning, talking; II. i. 139.
Receive, acknowledge; V. iv.
78.
Reding, caring for ; IV. iii.
40.
Record, sing ; V. iv. 6.
Remorseful, compassionate ; IV. iii.
13-
Repeal, recall ; V. iv. 143.
Resemblith (quadrisyllabic, " resem-
b(e)leth"); I. iii. 84.
Respect, regard, care for; III. i. 89;
V. iv. 20.
Respective, worthy of respect ; IV.
iv. 200.
Road, port, harbour; I. i. 53; II.
iv. 187.
^00/ (of the heart) ; V. iv. 103.
Sad, serious ; I. iii. i.
Servant, a term of gallantry, from a
lady to her admirer; II. i. 99,
io6.
Set, set to music ; interpreted play-
fully by Julia in the sense of " to
estimate " ; I. ii. 81.
Set, seated (used quibblingly) ; II. i.
85.
Several, separate; I. ii. 108.
Shapeless, purposeless ; I. i. 8.
Sheep ( used quibblingly with
" ship," the two words being
pronounced nearly the same) ; I.
'• 73-
From a token issued by William Eye at
the Sheepe, in Rye, 1652.
Shot, a tavern-reckoning (used quib-
blingly) ; II. v. 9.
Silly, helpless ; IV. i. 72.
Sluggardi'zed, made lazy; I. i. 7.
So, so be it well and good ; II. i. 1 29.
Soho; the cry
of hunters
on starting
a hare; III.
i. 1S9.
Sort, select ;
III. ii. 92.
5/if£'</,succeed;
IV. iv. 112.
Squirrel (ap-
plied to a
small dog);
IV. iv. 59. From a seal (XIV. Cent.)
C/ . ' \J^^rrl . discovered in Sussex.
btatue, image ;
IV. iv. 206.
S^i-ai/, be of use to ; II. i. iii.
Still, ever; V. iv. 43.
Still an end, perpetually ; IV. iv. 67.
Stock (used quibblingly"); III. i. 305 ;
306.
Stomach, used quibblingly in sense
of " temper " and of " hunger " ;
(observe also the play upon
"meat" and "maid," pro-
nounced nearly alike); I. ii.
68.
Strange, "she makes it strange" =
"she pretends to be shocked";
I. ii. 102.
OF VERONA
Glossary
Sudden, quick, sharp ; IV. ii. 12.
Suggested, tempted ; III. i. 34.
Siveet-suggesting, SAveetly tempting :
II. vi. 7.
Sivinged, whipped ; II. i. 82.
TMe, tablet ; II. vii. 3.
Tender, compassionate ; IV. iv. 145.
Tender, devLT ; V. iv. 37.
Testerned, presented with a tester, or
sixpence ; I. i. 145
Trenched, carved ; III. ii. 7.
Triumphs, festive pageants ; V. iv.
161.
Turn, prove inconstant ; II. ii. 4.
Unad-vised, inadvertently ; IV. iv.
127.
Up and doivn, altogether, exactly; II.
iii. 32
Vcrij, true; III. ii. 41.
Tester (Shilling) of Henry VIII. ; later the name was g^ven to Sixpences.
From a specimen in the British Museum.
Throughly, thoroughly; I. ii. 115.
Timeless, untimely; III. i. 21.
Tire, head-dress; IV. iv. 190.
To; "to Milan "=" by letters ad-
dressed to Milan"; I. i. 57: in
comparison with; II. iv. 138,
139-
7o/7g-K«. languages ; IV. i. 33.
Weeds, garments; II. vii. 42.
Where, whereas; III. i. 74.
Wink, shut the eyes ; V. ii. 14.
With, by ; II. i. 31.
Without (used quibblingly) ; II. i.
34-38.
Wood, mad ; II. iii. 30 (see
Notes).
TWO GENTLEMEN
Notes.
Dramatis Person^.. ' The names of all the actors ' are given at the end of
the play in the Folios ; the form ' Protheus ' is invariably used for ' Proteus, '
'Athonio' for 'Antonio,' and ' Panthion ' for 'Panthino.'
I. i. 19. * On a love-book pray for my success ; ' an allusion to the Roman
Catholic custom of placing the beads on the prayer-book, and of counting
the beads with the prayers. 'The love-book ' is in this case to take
the place of the prayer-book ; some have supposed that Shakespeare is here
referring to Marlowe's ' Hero and Leander,' which, however, though entered
on the Stationers' Registers in 1593, was not printed till 1598, after which
date many references occur to it in contemporary literature ; Shakespeare
directly quotes from it in As you Like It, IV. i. 100.
I. ii. 53, "■ What fool is she;' the first three Folios read 'what 'fool
is she,' indicating the omission of the indefinite article, a not uncommon
Elizabethan idiom,
I. ii. 137. '/ see you have a monetKs mind to them;' Schmidt in
his 'Shakespeare Lexicon' explains the phrase 'month's mind' as 'a
woman's longing,' as though the expression had its origin in the longing for
particular articles of food shown by women, but this interpretation seems to
have no authority. Johnson rightly remarks on this passage : — ' A month's
minJ,in the ritual sense, signifies not desire or inclination, but remembrance;
yet I suppose this is the true original of expression.' The Cambridge ed.
following Fol. reads 'month's mind,' but the metre clearly requires the
contemporary archaic form.
I. iii. 27. ' Shakespeare has been guilty of no mistake in placing the
emperor's court at Milan. Several of the first German Emperors held their
courts there occasionally, it being at that time their immediate property, and
the chief town of their Italian dominions.' — Steevens.
II. i, 37. ' none else -would ; ' i.e. ' no one else would perceive them.'
II. i. 78. '<o put on your hose;' various suggestions have been made for
the emendation of these words: — ' to beyond your nose,' ' to put spectacles
on your nose,' ' to put on your shoes,' ' to button your hose.' It is not
OF VERONA Notes
certain that a rhyming couplet was intended. Probably ' unable to see to
put on one's hose ' was a proverbial expression meaning ' unable to tell
which leg to put into one's hose first,' i.e. ' not to have one's wits about
one.'
II. i. i66. 'for in print I found it.'' Probably these lines are quoted from
some old ballad or play, though their source has not yet been found. One
cannot help thinking that Shakespeare is quoting from some play of
the ' Two Italian Gentleman ' type ; the reprinted extracts contain passages
strongly reminding one of these lines.
II. iii. 30. ' <2 ivood -woman ;^ the Folios read 'a would-woman ; '
Theobald first changed 'would' into 'wood' {i.e. mad); others 'an ould
{i.e. old) woman.'
II. iv. 1 1 6. The Folios give this line to 'Thurio'; if the reading
be right, he must have quitted the stage during the scene, probably
immediately before the entrance of Proteus, after line 99.
II. iv. 130. ' Whose high imperious thoughts have punished me'; Johnson
proposed to read ' those ' for ' whose,' as if the ' imperious thoughts ' are
Valentine's and not ' Love's.'
II. iv. 196. 'Is it mine eye or Valentines praise; ' the Camb. ed., following
the first Folio, reads, ' Is it mine, or Valentine's praise ; ' the later Folios,
' Is it mine then, or Valentineans praise?' Theobald's suggestion, 'mine
eye ' has been generally adopted ; ' if this were unsatisfactory,' the Camb.
editors remark, ' another guess might be hazarded : —
Is it mine unstaid miad or Valentine's praise.'
In the latter case ' Valentine's ' must be read as a dissyllable ; in the
former as a quadrisyllable ; it is not necessary to read, as has been proposed,
'Valentino's ' or ' Valentinus'.' Two other ingenious emendations are note-
worthy:— 'her mien,' 'mine eyne,' ('thine eyne ' occurs as a rhyme in
Midsummer Night's Bream, III. ii. 138).
II. V. I ; III. i. 81 ; V. iv. 129. The Cambridge editors have retained the
reading of the Folios in these lines, ' Padua ' in the first passage, and
'Verona' in the second and third, ' because it is impossible that the words
can be a mere printer's or 'transcriber's error. These inaccuracies are
interesting as showing that Shakespeare had written the whole of the
play before he had finally determined where the scene was to be laid;*
the scene is in each case undoubtedly Milan (perhaps ' Milano,' melri
causa).
III. i. 273. ' Condition; ' SO the first three Folios; the fourth Folio reads
'conditions,' adopted in many editions; 'condition' is generally used by
Shakespeare in the sense of ' temper,' ' quality.'
Notes
TWO GENTLEMEN
III. i 311. ' fVorUon Wheels' 2i proverbial expression well illustrated by
the accompanying drawing : —
III. ii. 77. Malone suggests that
some such line as the following has
heen lost after ' integrity : ' — ' as her
obdurate heart may penetrate,' but the
meaning is perhaps rightly explained
by Steevens : — ' such ardour and sin-
cerity as would be manifested by
practising the directions given in the
four preceding lines.'
IV. i. 36. 'Robin Hooifs fat friar^
i.e. Friar Tuck. This allusion to From Taylor the Water-Poet's tract ' The
World runnes on Wheeles ...
'Robin Hood's friar' by the Italian (1623).
outlaw is somewhat unexpected; in [The cut represents the ' chayn'densared
the later play of As You Like It there ^orld ' (turned upside down) being
^ ' _ drawn to destruction by the flesh
is also an allusion to 'Robin Hood, and the devil.]
but Shakespeare is careful to add ' of
England ' (' they live like the old Robin Hood of England,' I. i. 122).
IV. i, "49. ' An heir, and near allied; ' the Folios read ' niece,' for which
Theobald suggested ' near,' a reading generally accepted ; possibly, but
doubtfully, ' niece ' may after all be correct, being used occasionally by
Elizabethan writers to signify almost
any relationship.
IV. iv. 60. ' Hangman boys ; ' the
Folios read ' hangmans boys ; the
reading in the text was given by
Singer from a MS. note in a copy of
the second Folio in his possession.
IV. iv. 79. The first Folio mis-
prints, ' not leave her token.'
IV. iv. 157.
' But since she did neglect her looilng-glass,
Andthrezv her sun-expclUng mask atvay;^
cf, the accompanying illustration.
V. iv. 2. Probably a better read-
ing than the folio is that generally
adopted, due to Collier's MS.: —
* these shadowy, desert, unfrequented
woods.'
Looking-i^lass and Mask.
From a copperplate by Peter de Lode.
V. iv. 47-50. ' Rend thy faith
OF VERONA
Notes
perjury, to love me. Thou . . . ' The lines seem clear as they stand ; a sug-
gestion by Mr Daniel is perhaps worthy of mention : — ' rain . . . perjury.
To love me Thou,' or ' hail . . . Discandied into perjury. To love me
Thou . . . '
V. iv. 71. A difficult line to scan; Johnson proposed 'O time most
curst ; ' others omit ' most ' or ' O ' ; perhaps we have here an Alexandrine,
' O ' counting as a monosyllabic foot ; the second syllable of ' deepest ' being
an extra syllable before the pause : —
The pri \vate ivou'ndl is de'epesi; || O'-/ tiitte mo'st} accur'stj
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T-HE
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
Preface.
The Editions. The earliest known edition of Thi Merry Wives qf
Windsor is a Quarto printed in 1602, with the following title-page: —
"A most pleasaunt and excellent conceited Comedie, of Sir lohn Falstafe
and the merrie Wiues of Windsor. Entermixed with sundrie variable and
pleasing humors of Sir Hugh the Welch Knight, lustice Shalloiu, and his
wise Cousin M. Slender. With the swaggering vaine of Auncient Pistoll,
and Corporall Nym. By William Shakespeare. As it hath bene diuers
times Acted by the right Honorable my Lord Chamberlaines Seruants.
Both before her Maiestie, and elsewhere. London Printed by T. C. for
Arthur lohnson, and are to be sold at his shop in Powles Churchyard, at
the signe of the Flower de Leuse and the Crowne " (reprinted in the
Cambridge Shakespeare and in Hazlitt's Shaiespeare's Library; a facsimile
is included in Dr Furnivall's Shakespeare Quartos, Quaritch). A second
Quarto, a mere reprint of the first, appeared in 1619.
In the first Folio the play occupies pp. 39-60 ; its length there is more
than double that of the Quartos, from which it differs to such an extent
as to give the impression of being a revised and expanded version of a
mere garbled and pirated sketch.
Date of Composition. The first Quarto was entered in the
Stationers' Registers under date i8th Jan. 1602; the play was probably
written after Henry V., i.e. after the middle of the year 1599. In the
epilogue to II. Henry IV. a promise had been given to continue the story
with Sir John in it ; this promise was not kept in Henry V. ; and " The
Merry Wives," according to a well authenticated tradition, was com-
posed by command of the Queen, "who obliged Shakespeare to write
a Play of Sir John Falstaff in Love, and which I am very well assured he
performed in a fortnight : a prodigious thing when all is well contrived,
and carried on without the least confusion" (Gildon, 1710 ; Dennis first
mentions the tradition in 1702 ; cp. title-page of 1602 edition).
Preface MERRY WIVES
The date of the first composition of the play may with certainty be
placed at about 1600 (probably Christmas 1599).*
An old tradition identifies Justice Shallow with Shakespeare's old
enemy, Sir Thomas Lucy (of the deer-poaching story); Lucy died in July
1600, and it is held by some that the poet would not have waited " till
his butt was in the grave before he aimed his shafts at him." At the
same time it is noteworthy that the "dozen white luces" is only
found in the Folio, not in the Quarto editions. The question at
issue, on which scholars are divided, is whether the Quarto represents
a pirated edition of an early sketch of the play, revised and enlarged
in the first Folio version, or whether both versions are to be referred
back to the same original. In support of the former theory it is
alleged that the substitution of "King" in the Folio (I. i. 112) for
" council " of the Quarto, the possible reference to the cheapening of
knighthood (" These knights will hack," II. i. 52), and similar internal
evidence, point to the reign of James I. ; these scholars therefore date the
Folio version about 1605. On the other hand, Mr Daniel (Introduction
to his editions) maintains that " the character of the publishers of the
Quarto, its proved omissions, its recomposed passages (i.e. passages
actually the work not of Shakespeare, but of the note-taker), its retention
of (essential) passages omitted in the Folio, the complication in both
of the time-plot . . . lead almost inevitably to the conclusion that
there was but one original for both Quarto and Folio." He points out
further that the alleged internal evidence of later revision is of little real
value, but it is somewhat difficult to get rid of these minutias, and some
slight revision after 1603 is not inconsistent with this latter theory.
The Sources. This comedy of contemporary manners probably
owed very little to older plays or novels, but it contains incidents not
uncommon in Italian and other stories. In the following tales a suspicious
husband is baffled much in the same way as Master Ford:— (i) The tale
from II Pecorone di Ser Giovanni Fiorentino ; (2) The old English version of
this story in The Fortunate, the Deceived, and the Unfortunate Lovers, 1632, re-
printed in 1685 ; (3) The Tale in Straparola similiar to that in // Pecorone;
(4) The Tales of the Two Lovers of Pisa, from Tarlton's Nexves out of
Pergatorie, 1 590 ; (5) The second tale from Straparola, in which the youth
* Shakespeare acted in Every Man in His Humour in 1598, and the two plays have
much in common (cp. e.g. Ford and Kitely ; Nym's reiteration of ' humour,' &c.).
In the " Return from Parnassus" acted at Cambridge, probably Christmas 1601, the
French Doctor is obviously an imitation of Dr Caius.
OF WINDSOR Preface
makes love to three ladies at once (cp. Hazlitts' Shakespeare's Library, Part
I. vol. iii.).
Heme. it would seem that there existed in Shakespeare's day a
tradition at Windsor that Heme was one of the keepers of the Park, who,
having committed an offence for which he feared to be disgraced, hung
himself upon an oak, which was ever afterwards haunted by his ghost.
The difference between the Quarto and Folio reference to the story is
noteworthy ; the former reads : —
" Oft have you heard since Home the hunter dyed . . .'
The Folio makes the tale a more ancient one {cp. IV. iv. 36-38).
The earliest notice of " Heme's oak " is in a " Plan of the Town and
Castle of Windsor and Little Park" (Eton, 1742); in a map a tree
marked " Sir John Falstaff's oak " is represented as being on the edge of
a pit just on the outside of an avenue which was formed in the seven-
teenth century, and known as Queen Elizabeth's Walk. Halliwell first
printed, in his edition of the Quarto, a set of verses " Upon Heme's Oak
being cut down in the spring of 1796." Antiquarian research has de-
monstrated the exactness of Shakespeare's knowledge of Old Windsor (cp.
Tighe and Davis' Annals of Windsor, Vol. i. pp. 673-686).
Duration of Action. As the play stands in the Quartos and
Folios it is impossible to arrange the time consistently, owing to the con-
fusion as regards Falstaff's interviews with the Merry Wives in Act III.
Scene v. ; the errors are probably due to compression of the play for stage
purposes. The first part of the scene, according to Mr Daniel (Transactions
ofNciv Shakespeare Society, 1 878-9), is inseparably connected with the day of
Falstaff's first interview with Mrs Ford ; the second part is as inseparably
connected with the day of the second interview. The first part clearly
shows us Falstaff in the afternoon, just escaped from his ducking in the
Thames ; the second part as clearly shows him in the early morning about
to keep his second appointment with Mrs Ford. He proposes to make
Ford's portion of the scene commence the 4th Act, changing good morroiv
into good evtn (Act III. v. 28) and this morning into to-morroiv morning (Act III.
V. 46). According to this arrangement the following time analysis would
result:— Day i, Act I. Sc. i. to iv. ; Day 2, Act II. Sc. i. to iii.. Act III.
Sc. i. to iv. , and the Quickly portion of Sc. v. ; Day 3, the Ford portion
of Act III. Sc. V. to the end of the play.
Preface
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
If this suggestion is carried out, a further change is necessary in
Act V. i. 14, where this morning should be read in place Qlyesterday.
Time of Action, Though the play was in all probability composed
after Henry v., the action may be supposed to take place after the events
recorded at the end of II. Henry IV. ; the further degradation of the
character of Falstaff in The Merry Wi-vts belongs to the early years ot
"the madcap prince's" reign, wlien he had already renounced "the
tutor and the feeder of his riot." The characters intimately associated
with Falstaff were transferred with Iiim from II. Henry IF., with the ex-
ception of ' Nym,' who appears for the first time in Henry V. ; Shallow's
' cousin,' Slender, of T/ie Merry Wi-ves, takes the place of < Silence ' of II.
Henn/ IV. ; Mrs Quickly is identical only in name with the Hostess
Quickly ot I., II., Henry IV., and Henry V.
Windsor in 1607, showing Garter Inn.
From Norden's bird's eye view of Windsor (1607).
The
Merry Wives of Windsor
DRAMATIS PERSONS.
Sir John Falstaff.
FenTON, u gentleman.
Shallow, a country justice.
Slender, cousin to Shallotu.
' tivo ventlemen d-wilUns at Windsor.
Page, J "^ ^
WiLLliVM Page, a boy, son to Page.
Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson.
Doctor Caius, a French physician.
Host of the Garter Inn.
Bardolph,-v
Pistol, ' sharpers attending on Falstajf.
Nym, J
Robin, page to Falstaff.
Simple, servant to Slender.
RuGBV, servant to Doctor Caius.
Mistress Ford.
Mistress Page.
Anne Page, her daughter.
Mistress Quickly, servant to Doctor Caius.
Servants to Page, Ford, &c.
Scene : Windsor and the neighbourhood.
The
Merry Wives of Windsor.
ACT FIRST.
Scene I.
Windsor. Before Pagers House.
Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans.
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 obligation, lo
' 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
Act I. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
well ; it agrees well, passant ; it is a familiar 20
beast to man, and signifies love.
Shal. The luce is the fresh fish ; the salt fish is an
old coat.
Sletj. I may quarter, coz,
Shal. You may, by marrying,
Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.
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 Sir 30
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.
Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot ; 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, the 40
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 dis-
cretions with it : — there is Anne Page, which
is daughter to Master George 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, as just ^o
as you will desire ; and seven hundred pounds
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc, i.
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 over-
take seventeen years old : ii were a goot motion
if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and de-
sire a marriage between Master Abraham and
Mistress Anne Page.
Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred
pound ? 60
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 Fal-
stafF there ?
Evans. Shall I tell you a lie .-' I do despise a liar
as I do despise one that is false, or as I despise 70
one 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.
\_Knochs~\ What, hoa ! Got pless your house here !
Page. [Within'] Who 's there .?
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. I thank 80
you for my venison, Master Shallow.
Act I. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
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 <)o
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. 'Tis your fault, 'tis your
fault ; 'tis a good dog.
Page. A cur, sir.
Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog : 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 loo
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.
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.
Page. Here comes Sir John.
Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nyin, and Pistol.
Fal. Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to no
the king ?
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. f.
Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my
deer, and broke open my lodge.
Fal. But not kissed your keeper's daughter ?
Shal. Tut, a pin ! this shall be answered.
Fal. I will answer it straight ; I have done all this.
That is now answered.
Shal. The council shall know this.
Fal. 'Twere better for you if it were known in
counsel: you '11 be laughed at. I2o
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 against
you ; and against your cony-catching rascals,
Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol.
Bard. You Banbury cheese !
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.
Pist. How now, Mephostophilus !
Slen. Ay, it is no matter. 130
Nym. Slice, I say ! pauca, pauca : slice ! that 's my
humour.
Slen. Where's Simple, my man? Can you tell, cousin?
Evans. Peace, I pray you. Now let us understand.
There is three umpires in this matter, as I
understand ; that is. Master Page, fidelicet
Master Page ; and there is myself, fidelicet
myself; and the three party is, lastly and finally,
mine host of the Garter.
Page. We three, to hear it and end it between them. 140
Evans. Fery goot : I will make a prief of it in my
note-book ; and we will afterwards ork upon
the cause with as great discreetly as we can.
Act I. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
Fal. Pistol!
Pist. He hears with ears.
Evans. The tevil and his tarn ! what phrase is this,
* He hears with ear' ? why, it is affectations.
Fal. Pistol, did you pick Master Slender's purse ?
Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he, or I would I might
never come in mine own great chamber again 150
else, of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two
Edward shovel-boards, that cost me two shilling
and two pence a-piece of Yead Miller, by these
gloves.
Fal. Is this true. Pistol ?
Evans. No ; it is false, if it is a pick-purse.
Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner ! Sir John and
master mine,
I combat challenge of this latten bilbo.
Word of denial in thy labras here ! 160
Word of denial : froth and scum, thou Jiest !
Slen. By these gloves, then, 'twas he.
Nym. Be avised, sir, and pass good humours : I
will say 'marry trap' with you, if you run the
nuthook's humour on me j that is the very note
of it.
Slen. By this hat, then, he in the red face had it ;
for though I cannot remember what I did when
you made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an
ass. 170
Fal. What say you. Scarlet and John ?
Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say the gentleman had
drunk himself out of his five sentences.
Evans. It is his five senses : fie, what the ignorance
is!
OF WINDSOR ^^^ ^' S*^- ^•
Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashiered ;
and so conclusions passed the careires.
Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too ; but 'tis no
matter : I '11 ne'er be drunk whilst I live again,
but in honest, civil, godly company, for this 1 80
trick : if I be drunk, I '11 be drunk with those
that have the fear of God, and not with drunken
knaves.
Evans. So Got udge me, that is a virtuous mind.
Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen ;
you hear it.
Enter Anne Page, ivith ivine ; Mistress Ford and Mistress
Page, following.
Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in ; we'll drink
within. \^Exit Anne Page.
Slen. O heaven ! this is Mistress Anne Page.
Page. How now. Mistress Ford! 190
Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well
met : by your leave, good mistress. [Kisses her.
Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come,
we have a hot venison pasty to dinner : come,
gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all un-
kindness. \_Exeunt all except ShaL, Slen., and Evans.
Slen. I had rather than forty shillings I had my Book
of Songs and Sonnets here.
Efiter Simple.
How now, Simple ! where have you been ? I
must wait on myself, must I ? You have not the 200
Book of Riddles about you, have you ?
Sim. Book of Riddles ! why, did you not lend it to
Act I. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
Alice Shortcake upon All-hallowmas last, a fort-
night afore Michaelmas ?
Shal. Come, coz ; come, coz ; we stay for you. A
word with you, coz ; marry, this, coz : there is,
as 'twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar
off by Sir Hugh here. Do you understand
me .''
Sleti. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable; if it be so, 2lo
I shall do that that is reason.
Shal. Nay, but understand me.
Sletu So I do, sir.
Evans. Give ear to his motions. Master Slender : I
will description the matter to you, if you be
capacity of it.
Slen. Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow says : 1 pray
you, pardon me ; he's a justice of peace in his
country, simple though I stand here.
Evans. But that is not the question : the question is 220
concerning your marriage.
Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir.
Evans. Marry, is it ; the very point of it j to Mistress
Anne Page.
Slen. Why, if it be so, I will marry her upon any
reasonable demands.
Evans. But can you affection the 'oman ? Let us
command to know that of your mouth or of your
lips ; for divers philosophers hold that the lips is
parcel of the mouth. Therefore, precisely, can 230
you carry your good will to the maid ?
Shal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her ?
Slen. I hope, sir, I will do as it shall become one that
would do reason.
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. i.
Evans. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies ! you must
speak possitable, if you can carry her your de-
sires towards her.
Shal. That you must. Will you, upon good dowry,
marry her ?
Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your 240
request, cousin, in any reason.
Shal, Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz: what
I do is to pleasure you, coz. Can you love the
maid }
Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request : but if
there be no great love in the beginning, yet
heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance,
when we are married and have more occasion to
know one another ; I hope, upon familiarity will
grow more contempt : but if you say ' Marry 250
her,' I will marry her ; that I am freely dissolved,
and dissolutely.
Evans. It is a fery discretion answer ; save the fall is
in the ort ' dissolutely ' : the ort is, according
to our meaning, 'resolutely:' his meaning is
good.
Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant welJ.
Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la !
Shal. Here comes fair Mistress Anne.
Re-enter Anne Page,
Would I were young for your sake, Mistress 260
Anne !
Anne. The dinner is on the table ; my father desires
your worships' company.
Shal. I will wait on him, fair Mistress Anne.
Act I. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
Evans. Od's plessed will ! I will not be absence at the
grace. [^Exeunt Shalloiu and Evans.
Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir ?
Slen. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily ; I am very
well.
Anne. The dinner attends you, sir. 270
Sleti. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. Go,
sirrah, for all you are my man, go wait upon my
cousin Shallow. [^Exit Simpk.] A justice of
peace sometime may be beholding to his friend
for a man. I keep but three men and a boy yet,
till my mother be dead : but what though ? yet
I live like a poor gentleman born.
Anne. I may not go in without your worship : they
will not sit till you come.
Slen. V faith, I'll eat nothing j I thank you as much 280
as though I did.
Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.
S/en. I had rather walk here, I thank you. I bruised
my shin th' other day with playing at sword and
dagger with a master of fence : three veneys for
a dish of stewed prunes ; and, by my troth, I
cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why
do your dogs bark so .'' be there bears i' the
town ?
Anne. I think there are, sir ; I heard them talked of. 290
S/en. I love the sport well ; but I shall as soon
quarrel at it as any man in England. You are
afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not ?
Anne. Ay, indeed, sir.
Slen. That 's meat and drink to me, now. I have seen
Sackerson loose twenty times, and have taken
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. ii.
him by the chain ; but, I warrant you, the
women have so cried and shrieked at it, that it
passed : but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em ;
they are very ill-favoured rough things. 300
Re-enter Page.
Page. Come, gentle Master Slender, come ; we stay
for you.
Slen. ril eat nothing, I thank you, sir.
Page. By cock and pie, you shall not choose, sir !
come, come.
Slen. Nay, pray you, lead the way.
Page. Come on, sir.
Slen. Mistress Anne, yourself shall go first.
Anne. Not I, sir ; pray you, keep on.
Slen. Truly, I will not go first 5 truly, la! I will not 310
do you that wrong.
Anne. I pray you, sir.
Slen. I'll rather be unmannerly than troublesome.
You do yourself wrong, indeed, la ! [Exeunt.
Scene II.
The same.
Enter Sir Hugh Evans and Simple.
Evans. Go your ways, and ask of Doctor Caius' house
which is the way : and there dwells one Mistress
Quickly, which is in the manner of his nurse, or
his dry nurse, or his cook, or his laundry, his
washer, and his wringer.
Sim. Well, sir.
Evans. Nay, it is petter yet. Give her this letter j
Act I. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
for it is a 'oman that altogether's acquaintance
with Mistress Anne Page : and the letter is, to
desire and require her to sohcit your master's lo
desires to Mistress Anne Page. I pray you, be
gone : I will make an end of my dinner ; there 's
pippins and cheese to come. [Exeunt,
Scene III.
^ room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Falstciff, Hort, Bardolph, Nyin, Pistol, and Robin.
Fal. Mine host of the Garter !
Host. What says my bully-rook ? speak scholarly and
wisely.
Fal. Truly, mine host, I must turn away some of my
followers.
Host. Discard, bully Hercules ; cashier : let them
wag ; trot, trot.
Fal. I sit at ten pounds a week.
Host. Thou 'rt an emperor, Csesar, Keisar, and
Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph ; he shall lo
draw, he shall tap : said I well, bully Hector .?
Fal. Do so, good mine host.
Host. I have spoke ; let him follow. \To Bard."]
Let me see thee froth and lime : I am at a word ;
follow. [Exit.
Fal. Bardolph, follow him. A tapster is a good
trade : an old cloak makes a new jerkin ; a
withered serving-man a fresh tapster. Go ;
adieu.
Bard. It is a life that I have desired : I will thrive. 20
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. iii.
Pist. O base Hungarian wight ! wilt thou the spigot
wield ? [^Ex'it Bardolph.
Nym. He was gotten in drink : is not the humour
conceited ?
Fal. I am glad I am so acquit of this tinder-box :
his thefts were too open ; his filching was like
an unskilful singer ; he kept not time.
Nym. The good humour is to steal at a minute's
rest.
Pist. ' Convey,' the wise it call. ' Steal ! ' foh ! a 30
fico for the phrase !
Fa/. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels.
Pist. Why, then, let kibes ensue.
Fal. There is no remedy ; I must cony-catch ; I
must shift.
Pist. Young ravens must have food.
Fa/. Which of you know Ford of this town ?
Pist. I ken the wight : he is of substance good.
Fa/. My honest lads, I will tell you what I am
about. 40
Pist. Two yards, and more.
Fa/. No quips now. Pistol ! Indeed, I am in the
waist two yards about ; but I am now about no
waste ; I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean
to make love to Ford's wife : I spy entertainment
in her ; she discourses, she carves, she gives the
leer of invitation : I can construe the action of
her familiar style ; and the hardest voice of her
behaviour, to be Englished rightly, is, * I am Sir
John Falstaff 's.' 50
Pist. He hath studied her well, and translated her
will, out of honesty into English.
Act I. Sc. Hi. MERRY WIVES
Nym. The anchor is deep : will that humour
pass ?
Fa/. Now, the report goes she has all the rule
of her husband's purse ; he hath a legion of
angels.
Pist. As many devils entertain ; and ' To her, boy,'
say I.
Nym. The humour rises ; it is good : humour me 60
the angels.
Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her : and
here another to Page's wife, who even now gave
me good eyes too, examined my parts with most
judicious oeillades ; sometimes the beam of her
view gilded my foot, sometimes my portly belly.
Pist. Then did the sun on dunghill shine.
Nym. I thank thee for that humour.
Fa/. O, she did so course o'er my exteriors with such
a greedy intention, that the appetite of her eye 70
did seem to scorch me up like a burning-glass !
Here's another letter to her : she bears the purse
too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and
bounty. I will be cheaters to them both, and
they shall be exchequers to me ; they shall be my
East and West Indies, and I will trade to them
both. Go bear thou this letter to Mistress Page;
and thou this to Mistress Ford : we will thrive,
lads, we will thrive.
Pist. Shall I Sir Pandarus of Troy become, 80
And by my side wear steel .'* then, Lucifer take all !
Nym. I will run no base humour : here, take the
humour-letter : I will keep the haviour of re-
putation.
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. iii.
Fal. [To Robiti] Hold, sirrah, bear you these letters tightly ;
Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores.
Rogues, hence, avaunt ! vanish like hailstones, go ;
Trudge, plod away o' the hoof; seek shelter, pack!
Falstaff will learn the humour of the age,
French thrift, you rogues j myself and skirted page. 90
[Exeunt Falstaff" and Robin.
Fist. Let vultures gripe thy guts ! for gourd and fullam
holds.
And high and low beguiles the rich and poor :
Tester I'll have in pouch when thou shalt lack,
Base Phrygian Turk !
Nym. I have operations which be humours of revenge.
Fist. Wilt thou revenge ?
Nym. By welkin and her star !
Fist. With wit or steel ? loo
Nym. With both the humours, I :
I will discuss the humour of this love to Page.
Fist. And I to Ford shall eke unfold
How FalstafF, varlet vile.
His dove will prove, his gold will hold,
And his soft couch defile.
Nym. My humour shall not cool : I will incense Page
to deal with poison ; I will possess him with
yellowness, for the revolt of mine is dangerous :
that is my true humour. Iio
Fist. Thou art the Mars of malecontents : I second
thee J troop on. [Exeunt.
Act I. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
Scene IV.
A room in Doctor Caius^s house.
Enter Mistress 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 anybody in the house, here will be an
old abusing of God's patience and the king's
English.
Rug. I '11 go watch.
Quick. Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at
night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal
fire. l^Exit Rugby.'] An honest, wiUing, kind lo
fellow, as ever servant shall come in house
witha! ; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale nor no
breed-bate : 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 20
glover's paring-knife .'*
Skn. 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.
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. iv.
Quick. How say you ? — O, I should remember him :
does he not hold up his head, as it were, and 30
strut in his gait ?
Sim. Yes, indeed, does he.
Qiiick. Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse
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.
Qtiick. We shall all be shent. Run in here, good
young man ; go into this closet : he will not
stay long. [_S/juts Simple in the closet.'] What, 40
John Rugby ! John ! what, John, I say ! Go,
John, go inquire for my master ; I doubt he be
not well, that he comes not home.
\_Singing~\ And down, down, adown-a, &c.
Enter Doctor Caius.
Caius. Vat is you sing .? I do not like des toys.
Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un
boitier vert, — a box, a green-a box : do intend
vat I speak ? a green-a box.
Quick. Ay, forsooth; I'll fetch it you. [Asidel
I am glad he went not in himself: if he had 50
found the young man, he would have been horn-
mad.
Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe ! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je
m'en vais a la cour, — la grande affaire.
Quick. Is it this, sir ?
Caius. Oui ; mette le au mon pocket : depeche,
quickly. Vere is dat knave Rugby ?
Act I. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
Quick. What, John Rugby ! John !
Rtig. Here, Sir !
Caitis. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack 60
Rugby. Come, take-a your rapier, and come
after my heel to the court.
Rug. 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.
Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long. Od's me !
Qu'ai-j'oublie ! dere is some simples in my closet,
dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind.
Quick. Ay me, he '11 find the young man there, and be
mad !
Caius. O diable, diable ! vat is in my closet ^
Villain ! larron ! \_PuHing Simple out.'] Rugby, 70
my rapier !
Quick. Good master, be content.
Caius. Wherefore shall I be content-a ,''
Quick. The young man is an honest man.
Caius. What 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 phlegmatic. Hear
the truth of it : he came of an errand to me
from Parson Hugh. 80
Caius. Veil.
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 '11 ne'er put my
finger in the fire, and need not.
OF WINDSOR Act I. Sc. iv.
Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you ? Rugby, bailie me 90
some paper. Tarry you a little-a while. [Writes.
Quick. [Aside to Simple] I am glad he is so quiet : if he
had been thoroughly moved, you should have
heard him so loud and so melancholy. But not-
withstanding, 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 ; and I
wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and
drink, make the beds, and do all myself, — loo
Sim. [Aside to Qiiickly] 'Tis a great charge to come
under one body's hand.
Quick. [Aside to Simple'] Are you avised 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.
Caius. You jack'nape, give-a this letter to Sir Hugh; no
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 have
a stone to throw at his dog. [JExit 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 120
appointed mine host of de Jarteer to measure
Act I. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
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 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. 130
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,
I thank heaven.
Fent. [JVithifi] Who's within there ? ho !
Qiiick. 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. 140
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, think'st thou ? Shall I not
lose my suit ?
Quick. Troth, sir, all is in his hands above : but not-
withstanding. Master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a
book, she loves you. Have not your worship a 150
wart above your eye ?
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. i.
Feiit. Yes, marry, have I ; what of that ?
Qiiick. 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 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 1 60
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.
Fetit. Well, farewell ; I am in great haste now.
Quick. Farewell to your worship. [Exit Feiiton.'\
Truly, an honest gentleman ; but Anne loves
him not ; for I know Anne's mind as well as an- 170
other does. — Out upon't ! what have I forgot ? [Exit.
ACT SECOND.
Scene I.
Before Pagers house.
Enter Mistress Page, ivith a letter.
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.
' Ask me no reason why I love you ; for
though Love use Reason for his physician, he
Act II. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
admits him not for his counsellor. You are not
young, no more am I ; go to, then, there's
sympathy : you are merry, so am I; ha, ha ! then
there's more sympathy : you love sack, and so do
I; would you desire better sympathy? Let it lo
suffice thee, Mistress Page, — at the least, if the
love of soldier can suffice, — that I love thee. I
will not say, pity me, — 'tis not a soldier-like
phrase J but I say, love me. By me,
Thine own true knight,
By day or night,
Or any kind of light.
With all his might
For thee to fight. — John Falstaff.'
What a Herod of Jewry is this ! O wicked, 20
wicked world ! One that is well-nigh worn to
pieces with age to show himself a young gallant!
What an unweighed behaviour hath this Flemish
drunkard picked — with the devil's name ! — out
of my conversation, that he dares in this manner
assay me .'' Why, he hath not been thrice in my
company ! What should I say to him ? I was
then frugal of my mirth : Heaven forgive me !
Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for
the putting down of men. How shall I be 30
revenged on him ? for revenged I will be, as
sure as his guts are made of puddings.
Enter Mistress Ford.
Mrs Ford. Mrs Page ! trust me, I was going to
your house.
Mrs Page. And, trust me, I was coming to you
You look very ill.
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. i.
Mrs Ford. Nay, I '11 ne'er believe that ; I have to
show to the contrary.
Mrs Page. Faith, but you do, in my mind.
Airs Ford. Well, I do, then ; yet, I say, I could 40
show you to the contrary. O Mistress Page,
give me some counsel !
Mrs Page. What 's the matter, woman ?
Mrs Ford. O woman, if it were not for one trifling
respect, I could come to such honour !
Mrs Page. Hang the trifle, woman ! take the honour.
What is it ? — dispense with trifles ; — what
is it ?
Mrs Ford. If I would but go to hell for an eternal
moment or so, I could be knighted. 50
Mrs Page. What ? thou liest ! Sir Alice Ford !
These knights will hack ; and so thou shouldst
not alter the article of thy gentry.
Mrs Ford. We burn daylight : — here, read, read ;
perceive how I might be knighted. I shall
think the M'orse of fat men, as long as I have an
eye to make difference of men's liking : and yet
he would not swear ; praised woman's modesty ;
and gave such orderly and well-behaved reproof
to all uncomeliness, that I would have sworn his 60
disposition would have gone to the truth of his
words ; but they do no more adhere and keep
place together than the Hundredth Psalm to the
tune of * Green Sleeves.' What tempest, I trow,
threw this whale, with so many tuns of oil in
his belly, ashore at Windsor ? How shall I be
revenged on him ? I think the best way were
to entertain him with hope, till the wicked fire
Act II. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
of lust have melted him in his own grease. Did
you ever hear the like ? 70
Mrs Page. Letter for letter, but that the name of
Page and Ford differs ! To thy great com-
fort in this mystery of ill opinions, here's the
twin-brother of thy letter : but let thine inherit
first ; for, I protest, mine never shall. I war-
rant he hath a thousand of these letters, writ
with blank space for different names, — sure,
more, — and these are of the second edition : he
will print them, out of doubt ; for he cares not
what he puts into the press, when he would put 80
us two. I had rather be a giantess, and lie
under Mount Pelion. Well, I will find you
twenty lascivious turtles ere one chaste man.
Mrs Ford. Why, this is the very same ; the very
hand, the very words. What doth he think
of us ?
Mrs Page. Nay, I know not : it makes me almost
ready to wrangle with mine own honesty. I '11
entertain myself like one that I am not ac-
quainted withal ; for, sure, unless he know 90
some strain in me, that I know not myself, he
would never have boarded me in this fury.
Mrs Ford. ' Boarding,' call you it ? I '11 be sure to
keep him above deck.
Mrs Page. So will I : if he come under my hatches,
I'll never to sea again. Let's be revenged on
him : let 's appoint him a meeting ; give him
a show of comfort in his suit, and lead him on
with a fine-baited delay, till he hath pawned
his horses to mine host of the Garter. loo
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. i.
Mrs Ford. Nay, I will consent to act any villany
against him, that may not sully the chariness
of our honesty. O, that my husband saw
this letter ! it would give eternal food to his
jealousy.
Mrs Page. Why, look where he comes ; and my
good man too : he 's as far from jealousy as I
am from giving him cause ; and that, I hope,
is an unmeasurable distance.
Mrs Ford. You are the happier woman. I lo
Mrs Page. Let 's consult together against this greasy
knight. Come hither, [Tiey retire.
Enter Ford, with Pistol, and Page, with JSIym.
Ford. Well, I hope it be not so.
Pist. Hope is a curtal dog in some affairs :
Sir John affects thy wife.
Ford. Why, sir, my wife is not young.
Pist. He wooes both high and low, both rich and poor,
Both young and old, one with another, Ford ;
He loves the gallimaufry : Ford, perpend.
Ford. Love my wife ! I20
Pist. With liver burning hot. Prevent, or go thou,
Like Sir Action he, with Ringwood at thy heels :
O, odious is the name !
Ford. What name, sir ?
Pist. The horn, I say. Farewell.
Take heed ; have open eye j for thieves do foot by
night :
Take heed, ere summer comes, or cuckoo-birds do sing.
Away, Sir Corporal Nym ! —
Believe it, Page ; he speaks sense. [Exit.
Ford. [Aside] I will be patient j I will find out this. 130
Act II. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
Nym. \To Page] And this is true ; I like not the
humour of lying. He hath wronged me in some
humours : I should have borne the humoured
letter to her ; but I have a sword, and it shall
bite upon my necessity. He loves your wifej
there 's the short and the long. My name is
Corporal Nym ; I speak, and I avouch ; 'tis true :
my name is Nym, and Falstaff loves your wife.
Adieu. I love not the humour of bread and 1.^0
cheese ; and there 's the humour of it. Adieu.
\_Exit.
Page. ' The humour of it,' quoth 'a ! here 's a fellow
frights English out of his wits.
Ford. I will seek out FalstafF.
Page. I never heard such a drawling, affecting
rogue.
Ford. If I do find it : — well.
Page. I will not believe such a Cataian, though the
priest o' the town commended him for a true
man. 1 50
Ford. 'Twas a good sensible fellow ; — well.
Page. How now, Meg !
\Mrs Page and Mrs Ford come forward.
Mrs Page. Whither go you, George ? Hark you.
Mrs Ford. How now, sweet Frank ! why art thou
melancholy ?
Ford. I melancholy ! I am not melancholy. Get you
home, go.
Mrs Ford. Faith, thou hast some crotchets in thy head.
Now, will you go, Mrs Page ?
Mrs Page. Have with you. You'll come to dinner, 160
George .'' \_Aside to Mrs Ford] Look who comes
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. i.
yonder : she shall be our messenger to this paltry
knight.
Mrs Ford. [Aside to Mrs Page] Trust me, I thought
on her : she '11 fit it.
Enter Mistress Qiiickly.
Mrs Page. You are come to see my daughter Anne ?
Qjuick. Ay, forsooth ; and, I pray, how does good
Mistress Anne ?
Mrs Page. Go in with us and see : we have an hour's
talk with you. 170
\_Exeunt Mrs Page, Mrs Ford, atid Mrs Qiiickly.
Page. How now. Master Ford !
Ford. You heard what this knave told me, did you
not?
Page. Yes : and you heard what the other told me ?
Ford. Do you think there is truth in them ?
Page. Hang 'em, slaves ! I do not think the knight
would offer it : but these that accuse him in his
intent towards our wives are a yoke of his dis-
carded men ; very rogues, now they be out of
service. 1 80
Ford. Were they his men }
Page. Marry, were they.
Ford. I like it never the better for that. Does he lie
at the Garter?
Page. Ay, marry, does he. If he should intend this
voyage toward my wife, I would turn her loose
to him ; and what he gets more of her than sharp
words, let it lie on my head.
Ford. I do not misdoubt my wife ; but I would be
Act II. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
loath to turn them together. A man may be too 190
confident : I would have nothing lie on my head :
I cannot be thus satisfied.
Page. Look where my ranting host of the Garter
comes : there is either liquor in his pate, or
money in his purse, when he looks so merrily.
Enter Host.
How now, mine host !
Host. How now, bully-rook ! thou 'rt a gentleman.
Cavaleiro-justice, I say !
Enter Shallonv.
Shal. I follow, mine host, I follow. Good even and
twenty, good Master Page ! Master Page, will 200
you go with us ? we have sport in hand.
Host. Tell him, cavaleiro-justice; tell him, bully-
rook.
Shal. Sir, there is a fray to be fought between Sir
Hugh the Welsh priest and Caius the French
doctor.
Ford. Good mine host o' the Garter, a word with
you. [^Dranving him aside.
Host. What say 'st thou, my bully-rook ?
Shal. \To Page'] Will you go with us to behold it? 210
My merry host hath had the measuring of their
weapons ; and, I think, hath appointed them
contrary places ; for, believe me, I hear the
parson is no jester. Hark, I will tell you what
our sport shall be. \They convirse apart.
Host. Hast thou no suit against my knight, my guest-
cavaleire ?
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. i.
Ford. None, I protest: but I'll give you a pottle of
burnt sack to give me recourse to him, and tell
him my name is Brook ; only for a jest. 220
Host. My hand, bully ; thou shalt have egress and
regress ; — said I well ? — and thy name shall be
Brook. It is a merry knight. Will you go,
min-heers ?
Shal. Have with you, mine host.
Page. I have heard the Frenchman hath good skill
in his rapier.
Shal. Tut, sir, I could have told you more. In these
times you stand on distance, your passes,
stoccadoes, and I know not what; 'tis the heart, 230
Master Page ; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have seen
the time, with my long sword I would have
made you four tall fellows skip like rats.
Host. Here, boys, here, here ! shall we wag ?
Page. Have with you. I had rather hear them scold
than fight. [^Exeunt Host, Shal., and Page.
Ford. Though Page be a secure fool, and stands so
firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off
my opinion so easily : she was in his company at
Page's house ; and what they made there I know 240
not. Well, I will look further into 't : and I
have a disguise to sound Falstaff. If I find
her honest, I lose not my labour ; if she be
otherwise, 'tis labour well bestowed. [^Exit.
Act II. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
Scene II.
A room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Falstaff and Pistol.
Fal. I will not lend thee a penny.
Pist. Why, then the world's mine oyster,
Which I with sword will open.
Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, sir, you
should lay my countenance to pawn : I have
grated upon my good friends for three reprieves
for you and your coach-fellow Nym ; or else you
had looked through the grate, like a geminy of
baboons. I am damned in hell for swearing to
gentlemen my friends, you were good soldiers lo
and tall fellows ; and when Mistress Bridget
lost the handle of her fan, I took 't upon mine
honour thou hadst it not.
Pist. Didst not thou share ? hadst thou not fifteen
pence?
Fal. Reason, you rogue, reason : think'st thou I '11
endanger my soul gratis ? At a word, hang no
more about me, I am no gibbet for you. Go.
A short knife and a throng ! — To your manor
of Pickt-hatch ! Go. You'll not bear a letter 20
for me, you rogue! you stand upon your honour!
Why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much
as I can do to keep the terms of my honour
precise : I, I, I myself sometimes, leaving the
fear of God on the left hand, and hiding mine
honour in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to
hedge, and to lurch j and yet you, rogue, will
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. ii.
ensconce your rags, your cat-a-mountain looks,
your red-lattice phrases, and your bold-beating
oaths, under the shelter of your honour ! You 30
will not do it, you !
Pist. I do relent : what would thou more of man ?
Enter Robin.
Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you.
Fal. Let her approach.
Enter Mistress Qiiickly.
Quick. Give your worship good morrow.
Fal. Good morrow, good wife.
Qiiick. Not so, an 't please your worship.
Fal. Good maid, then.
Qtiick. I'll be sworn ;
As my mother was, the first hour I was born. 40
Fal. I do believe the swearer. What with me?
Qtiick. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two .''
Fal. Two thousand, fair woman: and I'll vouch-
safe thee the hearing.
Quick. There is one Mistress Ford, sir : — I pray,
come a little nearer this ways : — I myself dwell
with Master Doctor Caius, —
Fal. Well, on : Mistress Ford, you say, —
Quick. Your worship says very true : — I pray your
worship, come a little nearer this ways. 50
Fal. I warrant thee, nobody hears ; — mine own people,
mine own people.
Quick. Are they so ? God bless them, and make
them his servants !
Fal. Well, Mistress Ford : — what of her .''
Act II. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
Qtiick. Why, sir, she 's a good creature. — Lord,
Lord ! your worship 's a wanton ! Well, heaven
forgive you and all of us, I pray !
Fal. Mistress Ford ; — come, Mistress Ford, —
Qtiick. Marry, this is the short and the long of it ; 60
you have brought her into such a canaries as
'tis wonderful. The best courtier of them all,
when the court lay at Windsor, could never have
brought her to such a canary. Yet there has been
knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their
coaches ; I warrant you, coach after coach, letter
after letter, gift after gift ; smelling so sweetly,
all musk, and so rushling, I warrant you, in silk
and gold j and in such alligant terms ; and in
such wine and sugar of the best and the fairest, 70
that would have won any woman's heart ; and, I
warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of
her : I had myself twenty angels given me this
morning j but I defy all angels — in any such sort,
as they say — but in the way of honesty : and, I
warrant you, they could never get her so much
as sip on a cup with the proudest of them all :
and yet there has been earls, nay, which is more,
pensioners j but, I warrant you, all is one with
her. 80
Fal. But what says she to me .? be brief, my good
she-Mercury.
Quick. Marry, she hath received your letter ; for the
which she thanks you a thousand times j and she
gives you to notify, that her husband will be
absence from his house between ten and eleven.
Fal. Ten and eleven.
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. ii.
Qiiick. Ay, forsooth ; and then you may come and
see the picture, she says, that you wot of :
Master Ford, her husband, will be from home. <^o
Alas, the sweet woman leads an ill life with him !
he's a very jealousy man : she leads a very fram-
pold life with him, good heart.
Fal. Ten and eleven. Woman, commend me to her ;
I will not fail her.
Quick. Why, you say well. But I have another
messenger to your worship. Mistress Page hath
her hearty commendations to you, too : and let
me tell you in your ear, she 's as fartuous a civil
modest wife, and one, I tell you, that will not loo
miss you morning nor evening prayer, as any
is in Windsor, whoe'er be the other : and she
bade me tell your worship that her husband is
seldom from home ; but, she hopes, there will
come a time. I never knew a woman so dote
upon a man : surely, I think you have charms,
la ; yes, in truth.
Fal. Not I, I assure thee : setting the attraction of my
good parts aside, I have no other charms.
Qtcick. Blessing on your heart for't ! Iio
Fal. But, I pray thee, tell me this : has Ford's wife
and Page's wife acquainted each other how they
love me .''
Qidd. That were a jest indeed ! they have not so
little grace, I hope : that were a trick indeed !
But Mistress Page would desire you to send
her your little page, of all loves : her husband
has a marvellous infection to the little page ; and,
truly. Master Page is an honest man. Never a
Act II. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
wife in Windsor leads a better life than she does : 120
do what she will, say what she will, take all, pay
all, go to bed when she list, rise when she list,
all is as she will : and, truly, she deserves it ; for
if there be a kind woman in Windsor, she is one.
You must send her your page ; no remedy.
FaL Why, I will.
Quick. Nay, but do so, then : and, look you, he
may come and go between you both ; and, in
any case, have a nay-word, that you may know
one another's mind, and the boy never need to 130
understand any thing ; for 'tis not good that
children should know any wickedness : old
folks, you know, have discretion, as they say,
and know the world.
Fa/. Fare thee well : commend me to them both :
there 's my purse ; I am yet thy debtor. Boy,
go along with this woman. [^Exeunt Mistress
Quickly and Robin.~\ This news distracts me !
Pist. This punk is one of Cupid's carriers :
Clap on more sails ; pursue ; up with your fights : 140
Give fire : she is my prize, or ocean whelm them all !
[Exit.
Fal. Say'st thou so, old Jack .'' go thy ways \ I '11
make more of thy old body than I have done.
Will they yet look after thee .'' Wilt thou, after
the expense of so much money, be now a gainer ?
Good body, I thank thee. Let them say 'tis
grossly done ; so it be fairly done, no matter.
Enter Bardolph.
Bard. Sir John, there's one Master Brook below
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. ii.
would fain speak with you, and be acquainted
with you; and hath sent your worship a morn- 150
ing's draught of sack.
Fal. Brook is his name ?
Bard. Ay, sir.
Fal. Call him in. \Ex'it Bardolph.'] Such Brooks
are welcome to me, that o'erflows such liquor.
Ah, ha ! Mistress Ford and Mistress Page have
I encompassed you .'' go to ; via !
Re-enter Bardolph iv'ith Ford disguised.
Ford. Bless you, sir !
Fal. And you, sir ! Would you speak with me ?
Ford. I make bold to press with so little preparation 160
upon you.
Fal. You 're welcome. What 's your will ? — Give
us leave, drawer. \_Exit Bardolph.
Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much ;
my name is Brook,
Fal. Good Master Brook, I desire more acquaint-
ance of you.
Ford. Good Sir John, I sue for yours : not to charge
you ; for 1 must let you understand I think
myself in better plight for a lender than you 170
are : the which hath something emboldened me
to this unseasoned intrusion ; for they say, if
money go before, all ways do lie open.
Fal. Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on.
Ford. Troth, and I have a bag of money here troubles
me : if you will help to bear it. Sir John, take all,
or half, for easing me of the carriage.
Act II. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
Fal. Sir, I know not howl may deserve to be your porter.
Ford. I will tell you, sir, if you will give me the
hearing. l8o
Fal. Speak, good Master Brook : I shall be glad to
be your servant.
Ford. Sir, I hear you are a scholar, — I will be brief
with you, — and you have been a man long known
to me, though I had never so good means, as
desire, to make myself acquainted with you. I
shall discover a thing to you, wherein I must
very much lay open mine own imperfection : but,
good Sir John, as you have one eye upon my
follies, as you hear them unfolded, turn another 190
into the register of your own j that I may pass
with a reproof the easier, sith you yourself know
how easy it is to be such an offender.
Fal. Very well, sir; proceed.
Ford. There is a gentlewoman in this town ; her
husband's name is Ford.
Fal. Well, sir.
Ford. I have long loved her, and, I protest to you,
bestowed much on her ; followed her with a
doting observance ; engrossed opportunities to 200
meet her ; fee'd every slight occasion that could
but niggardly give me sight of her ; not only
bought many presents to give her, but have given
largely to many to know what she would have
given ; briefly, I have pursued her as love hath
pursued me ; which hath been on the wing of
all occasions. But whatsoever I have merited,
either in my mind or in my means, meed, I am
sure, I have received none ; unless experience
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. ii.
be a jewel that I have purchased at an infinite 210
rate, and that hath taught me to say this :
'Love like a shadow flies when substance love pursues;
Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.'
Fal. Have you received no promise of satisfaction at
her hands ?
Ford. Never.
Fal. Have you importuned her to sugh a purpose ?
Ford. Never.
Fal. Of what quality was your love, then ?
Ford. Like a fair house built on another man's 220
ground ; so that I have lost my edifice by mis-
taking the place where I erected it.
Fal. To what purpose have you unfolded this to me .''
Ford. When I have told you that, I have told you all.
Some say, that though she appear honest to me,
yet in other places she enlargeth her mirth so
far that there is shrewd construction made of
her. Now, Sir John, here is the heart of my
purpose : you are a gentleman of excellent breed-
ing, admirable discourse, of great admittance, 230
authentic in your place and person, generally
allowed for your many war-like, court-like, and
learned preparations.
Fal. O, sir !
Ford. Believe it, for you know it. There is money ;
spend it, spend it ; spend more ; spend all I
have ; only give me so much of your time in
exchange of it, as to lay an amiable siege to the
honesty of this Ford's wife : use your art of
wooing ; win her to consent to you : if any man 240
may, you may as soon as any.
Act II. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
Fal. Would it apply well to the vehemency of 5'our
affection, that I should win what you would
enjoy ? Methinks you prescribe to yourself
very preposterously.
Ford. O, understand my drift. She dwells so
securely on the excellency of her honour, that
the folly of my soul dares not present itself: she
is too bright to be looked against. Now, could
I come to her with any detection in my hand, 250
my desires had instance and argument to com-
mend themselves : I could drive her then from
the ward of her purity, her reputaticfc, her
marriage-vow, and a thousand other her defences,
which now are too too strongly embattled against
me. What say you to 't, Sir John ?
Fal. Master Brook, I will first make bold with your
money ; next, give me your hand ; and last, as
I am a gentleman, you shall, if you will, enjoy
Ford's wife. 260
Ford. O good sir !
Fal. I say you shall.
Ford. Want no money, Sir John ; you shall want
none.
Fal. Want no Mistress Ford, Master Brook ; you
shall want none. I shall be with her, I may
tell you, by her own appointment ; even as you
came in to me, her assistant, or go-between,
parted from me : I say I shall be with her
between ten and eleven ; for at that time the 270
jealous rascally knave her husband will be forth.
Come you to me at night j you shall know how
I speed.
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. ii.
Ford. I am blest in your acquaintance. Do you
know Ford, sir ?
Fal. Hang him, poor cuckoldly knave ! I know him
not : — yet I wrong him to call him poor ; they
say the jealous wittolly knave hath masses of
money ; for the which his wife seems to me
well-favoured. I will use her as the key of 280
the cuckoldly rogue's coffer j and there's my
harvest-home.
Ford. I would you knew Ford, sir, that you might
avoid him, if you saw him.
Fal. Hang him, mechanical salt-butter rogue ! I will
stare him out of his wits ; I will awe him with
my cudgel : it shall hang like a meteor o'er the
cuckold's horns. Master Brook, thou shalt know
I will predominate over the peasant, and thou
shalt lie with his wife. Come to me soon at 290
night. Ford's a knave, and I will aggravate his
style ; thou. Master Brook, shalt know him for
knave and cuckold. Come to me soon at night. [Exit.
Ford. What a damned Epicurean rascal is this ! My
heart is ready to crack with impatience. Who
says this is improvident jealousy .'* my wife hath
sent to him ; the hour is fixed •, the match is
made. Would any man have thought this .?
See the hell of having a false woman ! My
bed shall be abused, my coffers ransacked, my 300
reputation gnawn at ; and I shall not only
receive this villanous wrong, but stand under
the adoption of abominable terms, and by him
that does me this wrong. Terms ! names ! —
Amaimon sounds well ; Lucifer, well ; Barbason,
Act II. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
well ; yet they are devils' additions, the names
of fiends : but Cuckold ! Wittol ! — Cuckold ! the
devil himself hath not such a name. Page is an
ass, a secure ass : he will trust his wife ; he will
not be jealous. I will rather trust a Fleming 310
with my butter, Parson Hugh the Welshman
with my cheese, an Irishman with my aqua-vitae
bottle, or a thief to walk my ambling gelding,
than my wife with herself: then she plots, then
she ruminates, then she devises ; and what they
think in their hearts they may effect, they will
break their hearts but they will effect. God
be praised for my jealousy ! — Eleven o'clock the
hour. I will prevent this, detect my wife, be
revenged on FalstafF, and laugh at Page. I will 320
about it ; better three hours too soon than a
minute too late. Fie, fie, fie ! cuckold !
cuckold ! cuckold ! [Exit,
Scene III.
A Jlcld fiear Windsor.
Enter Cuius and Rugby.
Caius. Jack Rugby !
Rug. Sir .''
Caius. Vat is de clock, Jack }
Rug. 'Tis past the hour, sir, that Sir Hugh promised
to meet.
Caius. By gar, he has save his soul, dat he is no
come J he has pray his Pible well, dat he is no
come : by gar. Jack Rugby, he is dead already,
if he be come.
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. iii.
Rug. He is wise, sir; he knew your worship would lo
kill him, if he came.
Caius. By gar, de herring is no dead so as I vill kill
him. Take your rapier, Jack ; I vill tell you
how I vill kill him.
Rug. Alas, sir, I cannot fence.
Cains. Villainy, take your rapier.
Rug. Forbear ; here 's company.
Enter Host, Shalloiu, Slender, and Page.
Host. Bless thee, bully doctor !
Shal. Save you. Master Doctor Caius !
Page. Now, good master doctor ! 20
Slen. Give you good morrow, sir.
Caius. Vat be all you, one, two, tree, four, come
for?
Host. To see thee fight, to see thee foin, to see
thee traverse ; to see thee here, to see thee
there j to see thee pass thy punto, thy stock,
thy reverse, thy distance, thy montant. Is he
dead, my Ethiopian ? is he dead, my Francisco ?
ha, bully ! What says my jEsculapius .'' my
Galen ? my heart of elder ? ha ! is he dead, 30
bully-stale ? is he dead ?
Caius. By gar, he is de coward Jack priest of de
vorld ; he is not show his face.
Host. Thou art a Castalion, King-Urinal. Hector of
Greece, my boy !
Caius. I pray you, bear vitness that me have stay six
or seven, two, tree hours for him, and he is no
come.
Shal. He is the wiser man, master doctor : he is a
Act II. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
curer of souls, and you a curer of bodies ; if 40
you should fight, you go against the hair of your
professions. Is it not true, Master Page ?
Page. Master Shallow, you have yourself been a
great fighter, though now a man of peace.
Ska/. Bodykins, Master Page, though I now be old,
and of the peace, if I see a sword out, my finger
itches to make one. Though we are justices,
and doctors, and churchmen. Master Page, we
have some salt of our youth in us j we are the
sons of women. Master Page. 50
Page. 'Tis true, Master Shallow.
S/:a/. It will be found so. Master Page. Master
Doctor Caius, I am come to fetch you home.
I am sworn of the peace : you have shewed
yourself a wise physician, and Sir Hugh hath
shewn himself a wise and patient churchman.
You must go with me, master doctor.
Host. Pardon, guest-justice. — A word, Mounseur
Mock-water.
Caius. Mock-vater ! vat is dat ? 60
Host. Mock-water, in our English tongue, is valour,
bully.
Caius. By gar, den, I have as much mock-vater as
de Englishman. — Scurvy jack-dog priest ! by
gar, me vill cut his ears.
Host. He will clapper-claw thee tightly, bully.
Caius. Clapper-de-claw ! vat is dat ?
Host. That is, he will make thee amends.
Caius. By gar, me do look he shall clapper-de-claw
me ; for, by gar, me vill have it. 70
Host. And I will provoke him to 't, or let him wag.
OF WINDSOR Act II. Sc. iii.
Caius. Me tank you for dat.
Host. And, moreover, bully,- — But first, master guest,
and Master Page, and eke Cavaleiro Slender, go
you through the town to Frogmore. [/4side to them.
Page. Sir Hugh is there, is he ?
Host. He is there : see what humour he is in ; and
I will bring the doctor about by the fields. Will
it do well ?
Shal. We will do it. 80
Page, 8hal., and Slen. Adieu, good master doctor.
\_Exetmt Page, Shal., and Slen.
Caius. By gar, me vill kill de priest ; for he speak
for a jack-an-ape to Anne Page.
Host. Let him die : sheathe thy impatience, throw
cold water on thy choler : go about the fields
with me through Frogmore : I will bring thee
where Mistress Anne Page is, at a farm-house
a-feasting ; and thou shalt woo her. Cried I
aim ? said I well ?
Caius. By gar, me dank you vor dat : by gar, I 90
love you ; and I shall procure-a you de good
guest, de earl, de knight, de lords, de gentle-
men, my patients.
Host. For the which I will be thy adversary toward
Anne Page. Said I well ?
Caius. By gar, 'tis good ; veil said.
Host. Let us wag, then.
Caius. Come at my heels, Jack Rugby. \_Exeu/!t.
Act III. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
ACT THIRD.
Scene I.
A field near Fregmore.
Etiter Sir Hugh Evans aitd Simple.
Evans. I pray you now, good Master Slender's serving-
man, and friend Simple by your name, which way
have you looked for Master Caius, that calls him-
self doctor of physic ?
Sim. Marry, sir, the pittie-ward, the park-ward, every
way : old Windsor way, and every way but the
town way.
Evans. I most fehemently desire you you will also
look that way.
Sitn. I will, sir. [^Exit. lo
Evans. Pless my soul, how full of chollors I am, and
trempling of mind — I shall be glad if he have
deceived me. — How melancholies I am ! — I will
knog his urinals about his knave's costard when
I have goot opportunities for the ork. —
Pless my soul ! — [^Sings.
To shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sings madrigals ;
There will we make our peds of roses.
And a thousand fragrant posies. 20
To shallow —
Mercy on me ! I have a great dispositions to cry.
[^Sings.
Melodious birds sing madrigals —
Whenas I sat in Pabylon —
OF WINDSOR ^^^ ^^^' S^- ^•
And a thousand vagram posies.
To shallow &c.
Re-enter Simple.
Sim. Yonder he is coming, this way, Sir Hugh.
Evans. He's welcome. — [Sings.
To shallow rivers, to whose falls —
Heaven prosper the right ! — What weapons is he? 30
Sim. No weapons, sir. There comes my master,
Master Shallow, and another gentleman, from
Frogmore, over the stile, this way.
Evans. Pray you, give me my gown ; or else keep it
in your arms.
Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.
Shal. How now, master parson ! Good morrow,
good Sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the dice,
and a good student from his book, and it is
wonderful.
Slen. [Aside'] Ah, sweet Anne Page ! 40
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 ? $0
Page. Yonder is a most reverend gentleman, who,
belike having received wrong by some person.
Act III. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
is at most odds with his own gravity and patience
that ever you saw.
Sha/. 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 ?
Page. I think you know him ; Master Doctor Caius,
the renowned French physician. 60
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 withhim.
S/en. [^side] O sweet Anne Page ! 70
S/:al. It appears so, by his weapons. Keep them
asunder : here comes Doctor Caius.
Enter Host, Caius, and Rugby.
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. Verefore vill you not meet-a me ?
Evans. \Aside to Caius^ Pray you, use your patience :
in good time. 80
Caius. By gar, you are de coward, de Jack dog, John
Ape.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. i,
Evans. \_Aside to Caius\ Pray you, let us not be laugh-
ing-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 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 90
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 ! hear mine host of the Garter.
Am I politic ? am I subtle ? am I a Machiavel ?
Shall I lose my doctor? no; he gives me the loo
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 hearts
are mighty, your skins are whole, and let burnt
sack be the issue. Come, lay their swords to
pawn. Follow me, lads of peace ; follow, follow,
follow. 1 10
Shal. Trust me, a mad host. Follow, gentlemen,
follow.
Slc'n. \Aside.'] O sweet Anne Page !
\_Exeunt Shal., Slen., Page, and Host.
Act III. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
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 vlouting-
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. I20
Caius. By gar, with all my heart. He promise to
bring me where is Anne Page •, by gar, he de-
ceive me too.
Evans. Well, I will smite his noddles. Pray you,
follow. \_Exeimt
Scene II.
The street, in Windsor.
Enter Mistress Page and Robin.
Mrs Page. Nay, keep your way, little gallant ; you
were wont to be a follower, but now you 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 '11 be a courtier.
Enter Ford.
Ford. Well met, Mistress Page. Whither go you ?
Mrs Page. Truly, sir, to see your wife. Is she at home? lo
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.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. ii.
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 call your
knight's name, sirrah .''
Rob. Sir John FalstafF.
Ford. Sir John FalstafF! 20
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.
Mrs Page. By your leave, sir : I am sick till I see
her. \_Exeunt Mrs Page and Robin.
Ford. Has Page any brains ? hath he any eyes .'* hath
he 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- 30
blank twelve score. He pieces out his wife's in-
clination ; he gives her folly motion and advant-
age : and now she's going to my wife, and Fal-
staff's boy with her. A man may hear this
shower sing in the wind. And Falstaff's boy
with her ! Good plots, they are laid ; and our
revolted wives share damnation together. Well;
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 40
and wilful Actaeon ; and to these violent proceed-
ings ail my neighbours shall cry aim. [Clock
heard."] The clock gives me my cue, and my
assurance bids me search : there I shall find
Falstaif : I shall be rather praised for this than
Act III. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
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, Caitts,
and Rugby.
ShaL, Page, 'isfc. Well met, Master Ford.
Ford. Trust me, a good knot : I have good cheer at
home ; and I pray you all go with me. 50
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 '11 speak of.
Shal. We have lingered about a match between 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 60
you altogether.
Caius. Ay, be-gar ; and de maid is lovc-a me : my
nursh-a Quickly tell me so mush.
Host. What say you to young Master Fenton .'' he
capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth, he
writes verses, he speaks holiday, he smells April
and May : he will carry 't, he will carry 't ; 'tis
in his buttons ; he will carry 't.
Page. Not by my consent, I promise you. The
gentleman is of no having : he kept company 70
with the wild prince and Poines ; he is of too
high a region j he knows too much. No, he
shall not knit a knot in his fortunes with the
finger of my substance : if he take her, let him
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. iii.
take her simply ; the wealth I have waits on my
consent, and my consent goes not that way.
Ford. I beseech you heartily, some of you go home
with me to dinner : besides your cheer, you shall
have sport ; I will show you a monster. Master
doctor, you shall go ; so shall you, Master Page ; 80
and you, Sir Hugh.
Shal. Well, fare you well : we shall have the freer
wooing at Master Page's. [Exeunt Shal. and Slen.
Cains. Go home, John Rugby ; I come anon.
\_Exit Rugby.
Host. Farewell, my hearts : I will to my honest
knight Falstaff, and drink canary with him. [Exit.
Ford. [Aside] I think I shall drink in pipe-wine
first with him ; I '11 make him dance. Will
you go, gentles ?
All. Have with you to see this monster. [Exeunt.
Scene III.
A room in Ford's house.
Enter Mistress Ford and Mistress Page.
Mrs Ford. What, John ! What, Robert !
Mrs Page. Quickly, quickly ! — is the buckbasket —
Mrs Ford. I warrant. What, Robin, I say !
Enter Servants with a basket.
Mrs Page. Come, come, come.
Mrs Ford. Here, set it down.
Mrs Page. Give your men the charge ; we must be
brief.
Mrs Ford. Marry, as I told you before, John and
Act III. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
Robert, be ready here hard by in the brew-house;
and when I suddenly call you, come forth, and, lo
without any pause or staggering, take this basket
on your shoulders : that done, trudge with it in
all haste, and carry it among the whitsters in
Datchet-mead, and there empty it in the muddy
ditch close by the Thames side.
Mrs Page. You will do it ?
Mrs Ford. I ha' told them over and over ; they
lack no direction. Be gone, and come when
you are called. \_Exeunt Servants.
Mrs Page. Here comes little Robin. 20
Enter Robin.
Mrs Ford. How now, my eyas-musket ! what news
with you .'*
Rob. My master. Sir John, is come in at your back-
door, Mistress Ford, and requests your company.
Mrs Page. You little Jack-a-Lent, have you been
true to us ?
Rob. Ay, I '11 be sworn. My master knows not of
your being here, and hath threatened to put me
into everlasting liberty, if I tell you of it ; for
he swears he '11 turn me away. 30
Mrs Page. Thou 'rt a good boy : this secrecy of
thine shall be a tailor to thee, and shall make
thee a new doublet and hose. I '11 go hide me.
Mrs Ford. Do so. Go tell thy master I am alone.
[Exit Robin.'] Mistress Page, remember you
your cue.
Mrs Page. I warrant thee ; if I do not act it, hiss
me. [Exit.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. iii,
Mrs Ford. Go to, then : we '11 use this unwholesome
humidity, this gross watery pumpion ; we '11 40
teach him to know turtles from jays.
Enter Falstaf.
Fal. * Have I caught ' thee, ' my heavenly jewel ? '
Why, now let me die, for I have lived long
enough : this is the period of my ambition : O
this blessed hour !
Mrs Ford. O sweet Sir John !
Fal. Mistress Ford, I cannot cog, I cannot prate.
Mistress Ford. Now shall I sin in my wish :
I would thy husband were dead : I'll speak it
before the best lord ; I would make thee my 50
lady.
Mrs Ford. I your lady, Sir John ! alas, I should be a
pitiful lady !
Fal. Let the court of France show me such another.
I see how thine eye would emulate the diamond :
thou hast the right arched beauty of the brow
that becomes the ship-tire, the tire-valiant, or
any tire of Venetian admittance.
Mrs Ford. A plain kerchief. Sir John : my brows
become nothing else ; nor that well neither. 60
Fal. By the Lord, thou art a traitor to say so : thou
wouldst make an absolute courtier ; and the firm
fixture of thy foot would give an excellent
motion to thy gait in a semicircled farthingale. I
see what thou wert, if Fortune thy foe were
not. Nature thy friend. Come, thou canst not
hide it.
Mrs Ford. Believe me, there 's no such thing in me.
Act III. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
Fal. What made me love thee ? let that persuade
thee there's something extraordinary in thee. 70
Come, I cannot cog, and say thou art this and
that, like a many of these lisping hawthornbuds,
that come like women in men's apparel, and
smell like Bucklersbury in simple time; I cannot:
but I love thee ; none but thee ; and thou de-
servest it.
Mrs Ford. Do not betray me, sir. I fear you love
Mistress Page.
Fal. Thou mightst as well say I love to walk by the
Counter-gate, which is as hateful to me as the 80
reek of a lime-kiln.
Mrs Ford. Well, heaven knows how I love you ;
and you shall one day find it.
Fal. Keep in that mind ; I '11 deserve it.
Mrs Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or else
I could not be in that mind.
Rob. {JVithi/i] Mistress Ford, Mistress Ford ! here 's
Mistress Page at the door, sweating, and blow-
ing, and looking wildly, and would needs speak
with you presently. 90
Fal. She shall not see me : I will ensconce me behind
the arras.
Mrs Ford. Pray you, do so : she 's a very tattling
woman. [Falstaff hides himself.
Re-enter Mistress Page and Robin.
What 's the matter ? how now !
Mrs Page. O Mistress Ford, what have you done .?
You're sham'd, you 're overthrown, you're un-
done for ever !
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. iii.
Mrs Ford. What 's the matter, good Mistress Page i
Mrs Page. O well-a-day, Mistress Ford ! having an loo
honest man to your husband, to give him such
cause of suspicion !
Mrs Ford. What cause of suspicion ?
Mrs Page. What cause of suspicion ! Out upon
you ! how am I mistook in you !
Mrs Ford. Why, alas, what's the matter?
Mrs Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman,
with all the officers in Windsor, to search for a
gentleman that he says is here now in the house,
by your consent, to take an ill advantage of his no
absence : you are undone.
Mrs Ford. 'Tis not so, I hope.
Mrs Page. Pray heaven it be not so, that you have
such a man here ! but 'tis most certain your
husband 's coming, with half Windsor at his
heels, to search for such a one. I come before
to tell you. If you know yourself clear, why,
I am glad of it ; but if you have a friend here,
convey, convey him out. Be not amazed ; call
all your senses to you; defend your reputation, 120
or bid farewell to your good life for ever.
Mrs Ford. What shall I do .'* There is a gentle-
man my dear friend ; and I fear not mine own
shame so much as his peril : I had rather than
a thousand pound he were out of the house.
Mrs Page. For shame ! never stand ' you had
rather ' and ' you had rather : ' your husband's
here at hand ; bethink you of some conveyance :
in the house you cannot hide him. O, how have
you deceived me! Look, here is a basket: if 130
Act III. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
he be of any reasonable stature, he may creep in
here ; and throw foul linen upon him, as if it
were going to bucking : or, — it is whiting-time,
— send him by your two men to Datchet-mead.
Mrs Ford. He 's too big to go in there. What shall
I do?
Fal. [Coming forivarcf] Let me see 't, let me see 't, O,
let me sce't! — I'll in, I'll in. — Follow your
friend's counsel. — I'll in.
Mrs Page. What, Sir John Falstaff ! Are these your 140
letters, knight ?
Fal. I love thee. — Help me away. — Let me creep in
here. — I'll never —
[Gets into the basket ; they cover him ivith foul linen.
Mrs Page. Help to cover your master, boy. — Call
your men. Mistress Ford. — You dissembling
knight !
Mrs Ford. What, John ! Robert ! John ! [Exit Robin.
Re-enter Servants.
Go take up these clothes here quickly. — Where's
the cowl-stafF? look, how you drumble ! — Carry
them to the laundress in Datchet-mead ; quickly, 1 50
come.
Efiter Ford, Page, Caius, and Sir Hugh Evans.
Ford. Pray you, come near : if I suspect without cause,
why then make sport at me ; then let me be your
jest ; I deserve it. — How now ! whither bear you
this ?
Serv. To the laundress, forsooth.
Mrs Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. iii.
bear it ? You were best meddle with buck-
washing.
Ford. Buck ! — I would I could wash myself of the r6o
buck ! — Buck, buck, buck ! Ay buck j I
warrant you, buck ; and of the season too, it
shall appear. \_Exeut7t Serva?its ivith the basket.~\
Gentlemen, I have dreamed to-night ; I '11 tell
you my dream. Here, here, here be my keys :
ascend my chambers ; search, seek, find out :
I '11 warrant we '11 unkennel the fox. Let me
stop this way first. [Locking the door.] So, now
uncape.
Page. Good Master Ford, be contented : you wrong 170
yourself too much.
Ford. True, Master Page. Up, gentlemen ; you shall
see sport anon : follow me, gentlemen. [Exit.
Evans. This is fery fantastical humours and jealousies.
Caius. By gar, 'tis no the fashion of France ; it is not
jealous in France.
Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen ; see the issue of
his search. [Exeunt Page, Caius, afid Evans.
Mrs Page. Is there not a double excellency in this ?
Mrs Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that 180
my husband is deceived, or Sir John.
Mrs Page. What a taking was he in when your hus-
band asked who was in the basket !
Mrs Ford. I am half afraid he will have need of
washing ; so throwing him into the water will
do him a benefit.
Mrs Page. Hang him, dishonest rascal ! I would all
of the same strain were in the same distress.
Mrs Ford. I think my husband hath some special sus-
Act III. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
picion of Falstaff's being here; for I never saw 190
him so gross in his jealousy till now.
Mrs Page. I will lay a plot to try that ; and we will
yet have more tricks with Falstaff : his dissolute
disease will scarce obey this medicine.
Mrs Ford. Shall we send that foolish carrion, Mistress
Quickly, to him, and excuse his throwing into
the water ; and give him another hope, to betray
him to another punishment ?
Mrs Page. We will do it : let him be sent for to-
morrow, eight o'clock, to have amends. 200
Re-enter Ford, Page, Caius, a?ul Sir Hugh Evans.
Ford. I cannot find him : may be the knave bragged
of that he could not compass.
Mrs Page. \_Aside to Mrs Ford'] Heard you that ^
Mrs Ford. You use me well. Master Ford, do you .''
Ford. Ay, I do so.
Mrs Ford. Heaven make you better than your
thoughts !
Ford. Amen !
Mrs Page. You do yourself mighty wrong, Master
Ford. 210
Ford. Ay, ay ; I must bear it.
Evans. If there be any pody in the house, and in the
chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses,
heaven forgive my sins at the day of judgement!
Caius. By gar, nor I too : there is no bodies.
Page. Fie, fie. Master Ford ! are you not ashamed ?
What spirit, what devil suggests this imagination .''
I would not ha' your distemper in this kind for
the wealth of Windsor Castle.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. iv.
Ford. 'Tis my fault, Master Page : I suffer for it. 220
Evans. You suffer for a pad conscience : your wife is
as honest a 'omans as I will desires among five
thousand, and five hundred too.
Caius. By gar, I see 'tis an honest woman.
Ford. Well, I promised you a dinner. — Come, come,
walk in the park : I pray you, pardon me ; I will
hereafter make known to you why I have done
this. — Come, wife ; come. Mistress Page. — I pray
you, pardon me ; pray heartily pardon me.
Page. Let's go in, gentlemen; but, trust me, we'll 230
mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning
to my house to breakfast : after, we '11 a-birding
together ; I have a fine hawk for the bush. Shall
it be so ?
Ford. Any thing.
Evans. If there is one, I shall make two in the company.
Caius. If there be one or two, I shall make-a the turd.
Ford. Pray you, go. Master Page.
Evans. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow on
the lousy knave, mine host. 240
Caius. Dat is good ; by gar, with all my heart !
Evans. A lousy knave, to have his gibes and his
mockeries ! \_Exeunt.
Scene IV.
A room in Pagers house.
Enter Fenton and Anne Page.
Fent. I see I cannot get thy father's love ;
Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan,
Anne. Alas, how then ?
Act III. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
Fent. Why, thou must be thyself.
He doth object I am too great of birth ;
And that, my state being gall'd with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth :
Besides these, other bars he lays before me, —
My riots past, my wild societies ;
And tells me 'tis a thing impossible lo
I should love thee but as a property.
Anne. May be he tells you true.
Fent. No, heaven so speed me in my time to come !
Albeit I will confess thy father's wealth
Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne :
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags ;
And 'tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.
Atme. Gentle Master Fenton, 20
Yet seek my father's love ; still seek it, sir :
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why, then, — hark you hither !
\_They converse apart.
Enter Shalloiu, Slender, and Mistress Quickly.
Shal. Break their talk, Mistress Quickly : my kinsman
shall speak for himself.
Slen. I '11 make a shaft or a bolt on 't : 'slid, 'tis but
venturing.
Shal. Be not dismayed.
Slen. No, she shall not dismay me : I care not for
that, but that I am afeard. qo
Quick. Hark ye ; Master Slender would speak a word
with you.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. iv.
Anne. I come to him. \Aside.'\ This is my father's
choice.
O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults
Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a-year !
Qtiick. And how does good Master Fenton ? Pray
you, a word with you.
Shal. She's coming ; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst
a father ! 40
Slen. I had a father. Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell
you good jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell
Mistress Anne the jest, how my father stole two
geese out of a pen, good uncle.
Shal. Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
Slen. Ay, that I do ; as well as I love any woman in
Gloucestershire.
Shal. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
Slen. Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under
the degree of a squire. 50
Shal. He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds
jointure.
Anne. Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
Shal. Marry, I thank you for it ; I thank you for that
good comfort. She calls you, coz : I '11 leave you.
Anne. Now, Master Slender, —
Slen. Now, good Mistress Anne, —
Anne. What is your will ?
Slen. My will ! od's heartlings, that 's a pretty jest
indeed ! I ne'er made my will yet, I thank 60
heaven j I am not such a sickly creature, I give
heaven praise.
Anne. I mean, Master Slender, what would you with
me ?
Act III. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
Sleii. Truly, for mine own part, I would little or
nothing with you. Your father and my uncle
hath made motions : if it be my luck, so ; if not,
happy man be his dole ! They can tell you
how things go better than I can : you may ask
your father •, here he comes. 70
Enter Page and Mistress Page.
Page. Now, Master Slender : love him, daughter Anne. —
Why, how now ! what does Master Fenton here ?
You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house :
I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of.
Pent. Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
Airs Page. Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
Page. She is no match for you.
Pent. Sir, will you hear me ?
Page. No, good Master Fenton.
Come, Master Shallow j come, son Slender, in.
Knowing my mind, you wrong me. Master 80
Fenton. [Exeunt Page, Sbal., and S/en.
Quick. Speak to Mistress Page.
Pent. Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
In such a righteous fashion as I do.
Perforce, against all checks, rebukes and manners,
I must advance the colours of my love.
And not retire : let me have your good will.
^nne. Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
Mrs Page. 1 mean it not ; I seek you a better
husband. 90
Qiiick. That 's my master, master doctor.
Anne. Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth,
And bowi'd to death with turnips !
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. v.
Mrs Page. Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master
Fenton.
I will not be your friend nor enemy :
My daughter will I question how she loves you,
And as I find her, so am I affected.
Till then farewell, sir : she must needs go in ;
Her father will be angry. lOO
Pent. Farewell, gentle mistress : farewell. Nan.
[Exeunt Mrs Page and Anne.
Qttick. This is my doing now : ' Nay,' said I, ' will
you cast away your child on a fool, and a physi-
cian? Look on Master Fenton:' this is my doing.
Pent. I thank thee ; and I pray thee, once to-night
Give my sweet Nan this ring : there 's for thy
pains.
Qtiick. Now heaven send thee good fortune ! [Exit
Penton.^ A kind heart he hath : a woman would
run through fire and water for such a kind heart, i lo
But yet I would my master had Mistress Anne ;
or I would Master Slender had her ; or, in
sooth, I would Master Fenton had her : I will do
what I can for them all three ; for so I have
promised, and I '11 be as good as my word ; but
speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I must of
another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two
mistresses : what a beast am I to slack it ! [Exit.
Scene V.
A room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Palstaff and Bardolph.
Pal. Bardolph, I say, — •
Act III. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
Bard. Here, sir.
Fal. Go fetch me a quart of sack ; put a toast in 't.
[Exit Bard.'] Have I Jived to be carried in a
basket, like a barrow of butcher's ofFal, and to
be thrown in the Thames ? Well, if I be served
such another trick, I '11 have my brains ta'en out,
and buttered, and give them to a dog for a new-
year's gift. The rogues slighted me into the
river with as little remorse as they would have lo
drowned a blind bitch's puppies, fifteen i' the
litter : and you may know by my size that I have
a kind of alacrity in sinking ; if the bottom were
as deep as hell, I should down. I had been
drowned, but that the shore was shelvy and
shallow, — a death that I abhor ; for the water
swells a man ; and what a thing should I have
been when I had been swelled ! I should have
been a mountain of mummy.
Re-etiter Bardolph nvith sack.
Bard. Here 's Mistress Quickly, sir, to speak with you. 20
Fal. Come, let me pour in some sack to the Thames
water ; for my belly 's as cold as if I had
swallowed snowballs for pills to cool the reins.
Call her in.
Bard. Come in, woman !
Enter Mrs Qjiickly.
Quick. By your leave ; I cry you mercy : give your
worship good morrow.
Fal. Take away these chalices. Go brew me a pottle
of sack finely.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. v.
•o
Bard. With eggs, sir ? o
Fa/. Simple of itself; I'll no pullet-sperm in my
brewage. [Exi/ Bardolph.'] How now !
QiiuL Marry, sir, I come to your worship from
Mistress Ford.
Fal. Mistress Ford ! I have had ford enough ; I was
thrown into the ford ; I have my belly full of ford.
Quick. Alas the day ! good heart, that was not her
fault : she does so take on with her men ; they
mistook their erection.
Fal. So did I mine, to build upon a foolish woman's 40
promise.
Quick. Well, she laments, sir, for it, that it would
yearn your heart to see it. Her husband goes
this morning a-birding ; she desires you once
more to come to her between eight and nine : I
must carry her word quickly : she '11 make you
amends, I warrant you.
Fal. Well, I will visit her : tell her so ; and bid her
think what a man is : let her consider his frailty,
and then judge of my merit. cq
Quick. I will tell her.
Fal. Do so. Between nine and ten, sayest thou }
Quick. Eight and nine, sir.
Fal. Well, be gone : I will not miss her.
Qitick. Peace be with you, sir. [Exit.
Fal. I marvel I hear not of Master Brook ; he sent
me word to stay within : I like his money well.
— O, here Le comes.
Enter Ford.
Ford. Bless you, sir !
Act III. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
bal. Now, Master Brook, — you come to know what 60
hath passed between me and Ford's wife ?
Ford. That, indeed, Sir John, is my business.
Fal. Master Brook, I will not lie to you : I was at
her house the hour she appointed me.
Ford. And sped you, sir ?
Fal. Very ill-favouredly. Master Brook.
Ford. Plow so, sir? Did she change her determination ?
Fal. No, Master Brook ; but the peaking Cornuto
her husband, Master Brook, dwelling in a con-
tinual 'larum of jealousy, comes me in the instant 70
of our encounter, after we had embraced, kissed,
protested, and, as it were, spoke the prologue of
our comedy ; and at his heels a rabble of his
companions, thither provoked and instigated by
his distemper, and, forsooth, to search his house
for his wife's love.
Ford. What, while you were there ?
F'd. While I was there.
Ford. And did he search for you, and could not find
you ? 80
Fal. You shall hear. As good luck would have it,
comes in one Mistress Page ; gives intelligence
of Ford's approach ; and, in her invention and
Ford's wife's distraction, they conveyed me into
a buck-basket.
Ford. A buck-basket !
Fal. By the Lord, a buck-basket ! — rammed me in
with foul shirts and smocks, socks, foul stock-
ings, greasy napkins ; that, Master Brook, there
was the rankest compound of villanous smell that 90
ever oiFended nostril.
OF WINDSOR Act III. Sc. v.
Ford. And how long lay you there ?
Fal. Nay, you shall hear, Master Brook, what I have
suffered to bring this woman to evil for your
good. Being thus crammed in the basket, a
couple of Ford's knaves, his hinds, were called
forth by their mistress to carry me in the name
of foul clothes to Datchet-lane : they took me on
their shoulders ; met the jealous knave their
master in the door, who asked them once or loo
twice what they had in their basket : I quaked
for fear, lest the lunatic knave would have
searched it ; but fate, ordaining he should be
a cuckold, held his hand. Well : on went he
for a search, and away went I for foul clothes.
But mark the sequel. Master Brook : I suffered
the pangs of three several deaths ; first, an in-
tolerable fright, to be detected with a jealous
rotten bell-wether ; next, to be compassed, like
a good bilbo, in the circumference of a peck, hilt i lo
to point, heel to head ; and then, to be stopped
in, like a strong distillation, with stinking clothes
that fretted in their own grease : think of that,
— a man of my kidney, — think of that, — that am
as subject to heat as butter ; a man of continual
dissolution and thaw : it was a miracle to 'scape
suffocation. And in the height of this bath,
when I was more than half stewed in grease,
like a Dutch dish, to be thrown into the Thames,
and cooled, glowing hot, in that surge, like a 1 20
horse-shoe j think of that, — hissing hot, — think
of that. Master Brook.
Ford. In good sadness, sir, I am sorry that for my
Act III. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
sake you have suffered all this. My suit, then,
is desperate ; you'll undertake her no more ?
Fal. Master Brook, I will be thrown into Etna, as I
have been into Thames, ere I will leave her thus.
Her husband is this morning gone a-birding : I
have received from her another embassy of
meeting; 'twixt eight and nine is the hour, 130
Master Brook.
Ford. 'Tis past eight already, sir.
Fal. Is it ? I will then address me to my appoint-
ment. Come to me at your convenient leisure,
and you shall know how I speed ; and the con-
clusion shall be crowned with your enjoying her.
Adieu. You shall have her, Master Brook ;
Master Brook, you shall cuckold Ford. \_Exit.
Ford. Hum ! ha ! is this a vision ? is this a dream ?
do I sleep } Master Ford, awake ! awake, 140
Master Ford ! there's a hole made in your best
coat, Master Ford. This 'tis to be married ! this
'tis to have linen and buck-baskets ! Well, I
will proclaim myself what I am : I will now take
the lecher ; he is at my house ; he cannot 'scape
me ; 'tis impossible he should ; he cannot creep
into a half-penny purse, nor into a pepper-box :
but, lest the devil that guides him should aid
him, I will search impossible places. Though
what I am I cannot avoid, yet to be what I 150
would not shall not make me tame : if I have
horns to make one mad, let the proverb go with
me, — I'll be horn-mad. \_Exit.
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. i.
ACT FOURTH.
Scene I.
A street.
Enter Mistress Page, Mistress Qtiickly, and IVilliam.
Mrs Page. Is he at Master Ford's already, think'st
thou ?
Quick. Sure he is by this, or will be presently : but,
truly, he is very courageous mad about his
throwing into the water. Mistress Ford desires
you to come suddenly.
Mrs Page. I '11 be with her by and by ; I '11 but
bring my young man here to school. Look,
where his master comes ; 'tis a playing-day, I see.
Enter Sir Hugh Evans.
How now, Sir Hugh ! no school to-day ? lo
Evans. No ; Master Slender is let the boys leave to
play.
Quick. Blessing of his heart !
Mrs Page. Sir Hugh, my husband says my son
profits nothing in the world at his book. I pray
you, ask him some questions in his accidence.
Evans. Come hither, William ; hold up your head ;
come.
Mrs Page. Come on, sirrah ; hold up your head ;
answer your master, be not afraid. 20
Evans. William, how many numbers is in nouns ?
Will. Two.
Quick. Truly, I thought there had been one number
more, because they say, *Od's nouns.'
Act IV. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
Evans. Peace your tattlings ! What is ' fair,'
William ?
Will. Pulcher.
Quick. Polecats ! there are fairer things than polecats,
sure.
Evans. You are a very simplicity 'oman : I pray you, 30
peace. — What is ' lapis,' William ?
Will. A stone,
Evans. And what is ' a stone,' William?
Will. A pebble.
Evans. No, it is ' lapis ' : I pray you, remember in
your prain.
Will. Lapis.
Evans. That is a good William. What is he,
William, that does lend articles ?
Will. Articles are borrowed of the pronoun, and 40
be thus declined, Singulariter, nominativo, hie,
hsc, hoc.
Evans. Nominativo, hig, hag, hog ; pray you, mark :
genitivo, hujus. Well, what is your accusative
case ?
Will. Accusative, hinc.
Evans. I pray you, have your remembrance, child ;
accusative, hung, hang, hog.
Quick. ' Hang-hog' is Latin for bacon, I warrant you.
Evans. Leave your prabbles, 'oman. — What is the 50
focative case, William.
Will. O, — vocativo, O.
Evans. Remember, William ; focative is caret.
Quick. And that's a good root.
Evans. 'Oman, forbear.
Mrs Page. Peace !
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. i.
Evans. What is your genitive case plural, William ?
Will. Genitive case !
Evans. Kj.
Will. Genitive,— horum, harum, horum. 60
Quick. Vengeance of Jenny's case ! fie on her ! never
name her, child, if she be a whore.
Evans. For shame, 'oman.
Quick. You do ill to teach the child such words : — he
teaches him to hick and to hack, which they '11 do
fast enough of themselves, and to call ' horum ' :
— fie upon you !
Evans. 'Oman, art thou lunatics ? hast thou no under-
standings for thy cases, and the numbers of the
genders ? Thou art as foolish Christian creatures 70
as I would desires.
Mrs Page. Prithee, hold thy peace.
Evans. Show me now, William, some declensions of
your pronouns.
Will. Forsooth, I have forgot.
Evans. It is qui, quae, quod : if you forget your
' quies,' your ' quss,' and your ' quods,' you
must be preeches. Go your ways, and play ;
go-
Mrs Page. He is a better scholar than I thought he 80
was.
Evans. He is a good sprag memory. Farewell, Mistress
Page.
Mrs Page. Adieu, good Sir Hugh. [Exit Sir Hugh.
Get you home, boy. Come, we stay too long.
\_Exeuni.
Act IV. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
Scene II.
A room in ForcPs house.
Enter Falsi aff and Mrs Ford.
Fal. Mistress Ford, your sorrow hath eaten up my
sufferance. I see you are obsequious in your
love, and I profess requital to a hair's breadth •,
not only. Mistress Ford, in the simple office of
love, but in all the accoutrement, complement,
and ceremony of it. But are you sure of your
husband now ?
Mrs Ford. He's a-birding, sweet Sir John.
Mrs Page. [Within] What, ho, gossip Ford ! what,
ho! TO
Airs Ford. Step into the chamber, Sir John.
[Exit Falstaff.
Enter Mistress Pnge.
Mrs Page. How now, sweetheart ! who's at home
besides yourself ?
Mrs Ford. Why, none but mine own people.
Mrs Page. Indeed !
Mrs Ford. No, certainly. [Aside to her] Speak louder.
Mrs Page. Truly, I am so glad you have nobody here.
Mrs Ford. Why ?
Mrs Page. Why, woman, your husband is in his old
lunes again : he so takes on yonder with my 2o
husband ; so rails against all married mankind ;
so curses all Eve's daughters, of what complexion
soever ; and so buffets himself on the forehead,
crying, ' Peer out, peer out ! ' that any madness
I ever yet beheld seemed but tameness, civility.
OF WINDSOR ^^^ ^^- ^^- "•
and patience, to this his distemper he is in now :
I am glad the fat knight is not here.
Mrs Ford. Why, does he talk of him ?
Mrs Page. Of none but him ; and swears he was
carried out, the last time he searched for him, 30
in a basket ; protests to my husband he is now
here ; and hath drawn him and the rest of their
company from their sport, to make another ex-
periment of his suspicion : but I am glad the
knight is not here ; now he shall see his own
foolery.
Mrs Ford. How near is he, Mistress Page .''
Mrs Page. Hard by, at street end ; he will be here
anon.
Mrs Ford. I am undone ! — the knight is here. 40
Mrs Page. Why, then, you are utterly shamed, and
he's but a dead man. What a woman are you !
— Away with him, away with him ! better shame
than murder.
Mrs Ford. Which way should he go ? how should I
bestow him ? Shall I put him into the basket
again ?
Re-enter Falsta^.
Fal. No, I'll come no more i' the basket. May I not
go out ere he come ?
Mrs Page. Alas, three of Master Ford's brothers ^q
watch the door with pistols, that none shall
issue out ; otherwise you might slip away ere
he came. But what make you here ?
Fal. What shall I do ? — I'll creep up into the chimney.
Mrs Ford. There they always use to discharge their
birding-pieces. Creep into the kiln-hole.
Act IV. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
Fal. Where is it ?
Mrs Ford. He will see there, on my word. Neither
press, coffer, chest, trunk, well, vault, but he
hath an abstract for the remembrance of such 60
places, and goes to them by his note : there is
no hiding you in the house.
Fal. I'll go out, then.
Mrs Page. If you go out in your own semblance,
you die, Sir John, Unless you go out dis-
guised,—
Mrs Ford. How might we disguise him ?
Mrs Page. Alas the day, I know not ! There is no
woman's gown big enough for him ; otherwise
he might put on a hat, a muffler, and a kerchief, 70
and so escape.
Fal. Good hearts, devise something : any extremity
rather than a mischief.
Mrs Ford. My maid's aunt, the fat woman of Brent-
ford, has a gown above.
Mrs Page. On my word, it will serve him; she's as
big as he is : and there's her thrummed hat,
and her muffler too. Run up, Sir John.
Mrs Ford. Go, go, sweet Sir John : Mistress Page
and I will look some linen for your head. 80
Mrs Page. Quick, quick ! we '11 come dress you
straight : put on the gown the while. [Exit Falstaff.
Mrs Ford. I would my husband would meet him
in this shape : he cannot abide the old woman
of Brentford ; he swears she 's a witch ; forbade
her my house, and hath threatened to beat her.
Mrs Page. Heaven guide him to thy husband's cudgel,
and the devil guide his cudgel afterwards !
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. ii.
Mrs Ford. But is my husband coming ?
Mrs Page. Ay, in good sadness, is he j and talks of 90
the basket too, howsoever he hath had intelli-
gence.
Mrs Ford. We '11 try that ; for I '11 appoint my men
to carry the basket again, to meet him at the
door with it, as they did last time.
Mrs Page. Nay, but he'll be here presently: let's
go dress him like the witch of Brentford.
Mrs Ford. I'll first direct my men what they shall
do with the basket. Go up ; I '11 bring linen
for him straight. [Exit. 100
Mrs Page. Hang him, dishonest varlet ! we cannot
misuse him enough.
We '11 leave a proof, by that which we will do.
Wives may be merry, and yet honest too :
We do not act that often jest and laugh ;
'Tis old, but true, — Still swine eats all the draff.
\_Exit.
Re-enter Mistress Ford ivith ttuo Servants.
Mrs Ford. Go, sirs, take the basket again on your
shoulders : your master is hard at door ; if he
bid you set it down, obey him : quickly, dis-
patch. [Exit, no
First Serv. Come, come, take it up.
Sec. Serv. Pray heaven, it be not full of knight again.
First Serv. I hope not; I had as lief bear so much lead.
Enter Ford, Page, Shalloiu, Caius, and Sir Hugh Evans.
Ford. Ay, but if it prove true. Master Page, have you
any way then to unfool me again ? Set down the
Act IV. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
basket, villain ! Somebody call my wife. Youth
in a basket ! — O you pandarly rascals ! there 's a
knot, a ging, a pack, a conspiracy against me :
now shall the devil be shamed. — What, wife, I
say! — Come, come forth! Behold what honest I20
clothes you send forth to bleaching !
Page. Why, this passes. Master Ford ; you are not to
go loose any longer ; you must be pinioned.
Evans. Why, this is lunatics ! this is mad as a mad
dog!
Shal. Indeed, Master Ford, this is not well, indeed.
Ford. So say I too, sir.
Re-enter Mistress Ford.
Come hither. Mistress Ford j Mistress Ford, the
honest woman, the modest wife, the virtuous
creature, that hath the jealous fool to her hus- 130
band ! I suspect without cause, mistress, do I ?
]\Irs Ford. Heaven be my witness you do, if you
suspect me in any dishonesty.
Ford. Well said, brazen-face ! hold it out. Come
forth, sirrah ! [^Pulling clothes out of the basket.
Page. This passes !
Mrs Ford. Are you not ashamed ? let the clothes
alone.
Ford. I shall find you anon.
Evans. 'Tis unreasonable ! Will you take up your 140
wife's clothes ? Come away.
Ford. Empty the basket, I say !
Mrs Ford. Why, man, why ?
Ford. Master Page, as I am a man, there was one
conveyed out of my house yesterday in this
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. il.
basket : why may not he be there again ? In
my house I am sure he is : my intelligence is
true ; my jealousy is reasonable. Pluck me out
all the linen.
Mrs Ford. If you find a man there, he shall die a 150
flea's death.
Page. Here 's no man.
Shal. By my fidelity, this is not well, Master Ford ;
this wrongs you.
Evafts. Master Ford, you must pray, and not follow
the imaginations of your own heart : this is
jealousies.
Ford. Well, he 's not here I seek for.
Page. No, nor nowhere else but in your brain.
Ford. Help to search my house this one time. If 1 60
I find not what I seek, show no colour for my
extremity ; let me for ever be your table-sport ;
let them say of me, ' As jealous as Ford, that
searched a hollow walnut for his wife's leman.'
Satisfy me once more ; once more search with me.
Mrs Ford. What, ho. Mistress Page ! come you and
the old woman down ; my husband will come
into the chamber.
Ford. Old woman ! what old woman 's that .''
Mrs Ford. Why, it is my maid's aunt of Brentford. 170
Ford. A witch, a quean, an old cozening quean !
Have I not forbid her my house .'' She comes
of errands, does she ? We are simple men ; we
do not know what 's brought to pass under the
profession of fortune-telling. She works by
charms, by spells, by the figure, and such
daubery as this is, beyond our element : we
Act IV. Sc. ii. MERRY WIVES
know nothing. Come down, you witch, you
hag, you ; come down, I say !
Mrs Ford. Nay, good, sweet husband! — Good gen- i8o
tlemen, let him not strike the old woman.
Re-enter Falstaff in ivomans clothes, and Mistress Page.
Mrs Page. Come, Mother Prat ; come, give me your
hand.
Ford. I '11 prat her. [Beating hini] Out of my door,
you witch, you rag, you baggage, you polecat,
you ronyon ! out, out! I'll conjure you, I'll
fortune-tell you. [Exit Falstaff.
Mrs Page. Are you not ashamed .'* I think you have
killed the poor woman.
Mrs Ford. Nay, he will do it. 'Tis a goodly credit 190
for you.
Ford. Hang her, witch !
Evans. By yea and no, I think the 'oman is a witch
indeed : I like not when a 'oman has a great
peard ; I spy a great peard under his muffler.
Ford. Will you follow, gentlemen } I beseech you,
follow ; see but the issue of my jealousy : if I
cry out thus upon no trail, never trust me when
I open again.
Page. Let's obey his humour a little further: come, 200
gentlemen.
[Exeunt Ford, Page, Shal., Cains, and Evans.
Mrs Page. Trust me, he beat him most pitifully.
Mrs Ford. Nay, by the mass, that he did not ; he
beat him most unpitifully methought.
Mrs Page. I '11 have the cudgel hallowed and hung
o'er the altar ; it hath done meritorious service.
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. iii.
Mrs Ford. What think you ? may we, with the
warrant of womanhood and the witness of a
good conscience, pursue him with any further
revenge ?
Mrs Page. The spirit of wantonness is, sure, scared 2io
out of him : if the devil have him not in fee-
simple, with fine and recovery, he will never, I
think, in the way of waste, attempt us again.
Mrs Ford. Shall we tell our husbands how we have
served him ?
Mrs Page. Yes, by all means ; if it be but to scrape
the figures out of your husband's brains. If they
can find in their hearts the poor unvirtuous fat
knight shall be any further afflicted, we two will
still be the ministers. 220
Mrs Ford. I '11 warrant they '11 have him publicly
shamed : and methinks there would be no period
to the jest, should he not be publicly shamed.
Mrs Page. Come, to the forge with it, then ; shape
it : I would not have things cool. [Exeunt.
Scene III.
^ room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Host and Bardolph.
Bard. Sir, the Germans desire to have three of
your horses : the duke himself will be to-
morrow at court, and they are going to meet him.
Host. What duke should that be comes so secretly }
I hear not of him in the court. Let me speak
with the gentlemen : they speak English ?
Act IV. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
Baril. Ay, sir j I '11 call them to you.
Host. They shall have my horses ; but I '11 make them
pay ; I '11 sauce them : they have had my house a
week at command ; I have turned away my other lo
guests : they must come off; I '11 sauce them.
Come. [^Exeunt.
Scene IV.
A room in Fonl's house.
Enter Page, Ford, Mistress Page, Mistress Ford, and
Sir Hugh Evans.
Evans. 'Tis one of the best discretions of a 'oman as
ever I did look upon.
Page. And did he send you both these letters at an
instant r
Mrs Page. Within a quarter of an hour.
Ford. Pardon me, wife. Henceforth do what thou wilt ;
I rather will suspect the sun with cold
Than thee with wantonness : now doth thy honour
stand,
In him that was of late an heretic.
As firm as faith.
Page. 'Tis well, 'tis well ; no more : lo
Be not as extreme in submission
As in offence.
But let our plot go forward : let our wives
Yet once again, to make us public sport,
Appoint a meeting with this old fat fellow,
Where we may take him, and disgrace him for it.
Ford. There is no better way than that they spoke of.
Page. How ? to send him word they '11 meet him in
OF WINDSOR ^^^ ^^' ^^' ^^•
the Park at midnight ? Fie, fie ! he '11 never
come. 20
Evans. You say he has been thrown in the rivers,
and has been grievously peaten, as an old 'oman :
methinks there should be terrors in him that he
should not come ; methinks his flesh is punished,
he shall have no desires.
Page. So think I too.
Mrs Ford. Devise but how you '11 use him when he comes.
And let us two devise to bring him thither.
Airs Page. There is an old tale goes that Heme the hunter.
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest, 30
Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,
"Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns ;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle.
And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain
In a most hideous and dreadful manner :
You have heard of such a spirit ; and well you know
The superstitious idle-headed eld
Received, and did deliver to our age,
This tale of Heme the hunter for a truth.
Page. Why, yet there want not many that do fear ^o
In deep of night to walk by this Heme's oak :
But what of this ?
Mrs Ford. Marry, this is our device ;
That FalstafF at that oak shall meet with us.
Page. Well, let it not be doubted but he '11 come :
And in this shape when you have brought him thither,
What shall be done with him ? what is your plot ?
Mrs Page. That likewise have we thought upon, and thus :
Nan Page my daughter and my little son
And three or four more of their growth we'll dress
Act IV. Sc. iv. MERRY WIVES
Like urchins, ouphes and fairies, green and white, 50
With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads.
And rattles in their hands : upon a sudden.
As Falstaff, she, and I, are newly met,
Let them from forth a sawpit rush at once
With some diffused song : upon their sight,
We two in great amazedness will fly :
Then let them all encircle him about,
And, fairy-like, to pinch the unclean knight ;
And ask him why, that hour of fairy reveJ,
In their so sacred paths he dares to tread 60
In shape profane.
Mrs Ford. And till he tell the truth,
Let the supposed fairies pinch him sound,
And burn him with their tapers.
Mrs PiJge. The truth being known.
We'll all present ourselves, dis-horn the spirit.
And mock him home to Windsor.
Ford. The children must
Be practised well to this, or they '11 ne'er do 't.
Evans. I will teach the children their behaviours ; and
I will be like a jack-an-apes also, to burn the
knight with my taber.
Ford. That will be excellent. I '11 go buy them 70
vizards.
Mrs Page. My Nan shall be the queen of all the fairies,
Finely attired in a robe of white.
Page. That silk will I go buy. [Aside] And in that time
Shall Master Slender steal my Nan away,
And marry her at Eton. Go send to FalstafF straight.
Ford. Nay, I '11 to him again in name of Brook :
He '11 tell me all his purpose : sure, he '11 come.
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. v.
Mrs Page. Fear not you that. Go get us properties
And tricking for our fairies. 80
Evans. Let us about it : it is admirable pleasures and
fery honest knaveries.
[Exeunt Page, Ford, and Evans.
Mrs Page. Go, Mistress Ford,
Send quickly to Sir John, to know his mind.
\_Exit Mrs Ford.
I '11 to the doctor : he hath my good will,
And none but he, to marry with Nan Page.
That Slender, though well landed, is an idiot;
And he my husband best of all affects.
The doctor is well money'd, and his friends
Potent at court : he, none but he, shall have her, 90
Though twenty thousand worthier come to crave
her. [Exit.
Scene V.
A room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Host and Simple.
Host. What wouldst thou have, boor ? what, thick-
skin.^ speak, breathe, discuss; brief, short, quick,
snap.
Sim. Marry, sir, I come to speak with Sir John
Falstaff from Master Slender.
Host. There's his chamber, his house, his castle, his
standing-bed, and truckle-bed; 'tis painted
about with the story of the Prodigal, fresh and
new. Go knock and call; he'll speak like
an Anthropophaginian unto thee: knock, I say. 10
Sim. There 's an old woman, a fat woman, gone up
Act IV. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
into his chamber: I'll be so bold as stay, sir,
till she come down j I come to speak with her,
indeed.
Host. Ha ! a fat woman ! the knight may be robbed :
I '11 call. — Bully knight ! bully Sir John ! speak
from thy lungs military : art thou there ? it is
thine host, thine Ephesian, calls.
Fal. [Above] How now, mine host !
Host. Here's a Bohemian-Tartar tarries the coming 20
down of thy fat woman. Let her descend,
bully, let her descend ; my chambers are honour-
able : fie ! privacy ? fie !
Enter Falstaff.
Fal. There was, mine host, an old fat woman even
now with me ; but she 's gone,
Sim. Pray you, sir, was 't not the wise woman of
Brentford ?
Fal. Ay, marry, was it, muscle-shell : what would
you with her ?
Sw7. My master, sir. Master Slender, sent to her, 30
seeing her go thorough the streets, to know, sir,
whether one Nym, sir, that beguiled him of a
chain, had the chain or no.
Fal. I spake with the old woman about it.
Sim. And what says she, I pray, sir ?
Fal. Marry, she says that the very same man that
beguiled Master Slender of his chain cozened
him of it.
Sim. I would I could have spoken with the woman
herself; I had other things to have spoken with 40
her too from him.
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. v.
Fal. What are they ? let us know.
Host. Ay, come ; quick.
Blm. I may not conceal them, sir.
Host. Conceal them, or thou diest.
S/>72. Why, sir, they were nothing but about Mistress
Anne Page ; to know if it were my master's
fortune to have her or no.
Fal. 'Tis, 'tis his fortune.
Sim. What, sir ? 50
Fal. To have her, or no. Go ; say the woman told
me so.
Sim. May I be bold to say so, sir }
Fal. Ay, sir ; like who more bold.
Sim. I thank your worship : I shall make my master
glad with these tidings. \Exit.
Host. Thou art clerkly, thou art clerkly. Sir John.
Was there a wise woman with thee ?
Fal. Ay, that there was, mine host j one that hath
taught me more wit than ever I learned before 60
in my life ; and I paid nothing for it neither,
but was paid for my learning.
Enter Bardolph.
Bard. Out, alas, sir ! cozenage, mere cozenage !
Host. Where be my horses ? speak well of them,
varletto.
Bard. Run away with the cozeners : for so soon as
I came beyond Eton, they threw me off, from
behind one of them, in a slough of mire ; and
set spurs and away, like three German devils,
three Doctor Faustuses. 70
Host. They are gone but to meet the duke, villain :
Act IV. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
do not say they be fled ; Germans are honest
men.
Enter Sir Hugh Evans.
Evans. Where is mine host ?
Host. What is the matter, sir ?
Evans. Have a care of your entertainments : there is
a friend of mine come to town, tells me there is
three cozen-germans that has cozened all the
hosts of Readins, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook,
of horses and money. I tell you for good will, 80
look you : you are wise, and full of gibes and
vlouting-stocks, and 'tis not convenient you
should be cozened. Fare you well. [Exit.
Enter Doctor Caius.
Caius. Vere is mine host de Jarteer ?
Host. Here, master doctor, in perplexity and doubt-
ful dilemma.
Caius. I cannot tell vat is dat . but it is tell-a me
dat you make grand preparation for a duke de
Jamany : by my trot, dere is no duke dat the
court is know to come. I tell you for good 90
vill : adieu. [Exit.
Host. Hue and cry, villain, go ! — Assist me, knight.
— I am undone ! — Fly, run, hue and cry, villain !
— I am undone ! [Exeufit Host and Bard.
Fal. I would all the world might be cozened ; for I
have been cozened and beaten too. If it should
come to the ear of the court, how I have been
transformed, and how my transformation hath
been washed and cudgelled, they would melt me
out of my fat drop by drop, and liquor fisher- loo
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. v.
men's boots with me : I warrant they would whip
me with their fine wits till I were as crest-fallen
as a dried pear. I never prospered since I for-
swore myself at primero. Well, if my wind
were but long enough to say my prayers, I would
repent.
Enter Mistress Qtdckly.
Now, whence come you ?
Quick. From the two parties, forsooth.
Fal. The devil take one party, and his dam the other !
and so they shall be both bestowed. I have suffered lio
more for their sakes, more than the villanous in-
constancy of man's disposition is able to bear.
Quick. And have not they suffered ? Yes, I warrant ;
speciously one of them ; Mistress Ford, good
heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot
see a white spot about her.
Fal. What tell'st thou me of black and blue ? I was
beaten myself into all the colours of the rain-
bow J and I was like to be apprehended for the
witch of Brentford : but that my admirable 120
dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of
an old woman, delivered me, the knave con-
stable had set me i' the stocks, i' the common
stocks, for a witch.
Quick. Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber :
you shall hear how things go; and, I warrant,
to 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. 130
Fal. Come up into my chamber. \Exeunt.
Act IV. Sc. vi. MERRY WIVES
Scene VI.
The same. Another room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Fenton and Host.
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 purpose,
And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee
A hundred pound in gold more than your loss.
Host. I will hear you. Master Fenton ; and I will at
the least keep your counsel.
Fent. From time to time I have acquainted you
With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page ;
Who mutually hath answer'd my affection, lo
So far forth as herself might be her chooser,
Even to my wish : I have a letter from her
Of such contents as you will wonder at ;
The mirth whereof so larded with my matter,
That neither singly can be manifested,
Without the show of bothj fat Falstaff
Hath a great scene : the image of the jest
I '11 show you here at large. Hark, good mine host.
To-night at Heme's oak, just 'twixt twelve and one,
Must my sweet Nan present the Fairy Queen ; 20
The purpose why, is here : in which disguise,
While other jests are something rank on foot,
Her father hath commanded her to slip
Away with Slender, and with him at Eton
Immediately to marry : she hath consented :
Now, sir,
Her mother, even strong against that match,
OF WINDSOR Act IV. Sc. vi.
And firm for Doctor Caius, hath appointed
That he shall likewise shuffle her away,
While other sports are tasking of their minds, 30
And at the deanery, where a priest attends,
Straight marry her : to this her mother's plot
She seemingly obedient likewise hath
Made promise to the doctor. Now, thus it rests :
Her father means she shall be all in white ;
And in that habit, when Slender sees his time.
To take her by the hand and bid her go.
She shall go with him : her mother hath intended,
The better to denote her to the doctor, —
For they must all be mask'd and vizarded, — 40
That quaint in green she shall be loose enrobed,
With ribands pendent, flaring 'bout her head ;
And when the doctor spies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and, on that token.
The maid hath given consent to go with him.
Host. Which means she to deceive, father or mother ?
Fent. Both, my good host, to go along with me :
And here it rests, — that you '11 procure the vicar
To stay for me at church 'twixt twelve and one,
And, in the lawful name of marrying, 50
To give our hearts united ceremony.
Host. Well, husband your device ; I '11 to the vicar :
Bring you the maid, you shall not lack a priest.
Fent. So shall I evermore be bound to thee ;
Besides, I '11 make a present recompense. [Exeunt.
Act V. Sc. i. MERRY WIVES
ACT FIFTH.
Scene I.
A room in the Garter Inn.
Enter Falstaff and Mistress Qtdckly.
Fal. Prithee, no more prattling ; go. I '11 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 !
Qiiick. I '11 provide you a chain ; and I '11 do what I
can to get you a pair of horns.
Fal. Away, I say ; time wears : hold up your head,
and mince. [Exit Mrs Quickly.
Enter Ford.
How now. Master Brook ! Master Brook, the lo
matter will be known to-night, or never. Be
you in the Park about midnight, at Heme'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 20
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
OF WINDSOR ^^^ ^- Sc. ii.
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 'twas to be
beaten till lately. Follow me : I '11 tell you
strange things of this knave Ford, on whom 30
to-night I will be revenged, and I will deliver
his wife into your hand. Follow. Strange
things in hand. Master Brook ! Follow. \_Exeu/jt.
Scene II.
Windsor Park.
Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.
Page. Come, come j we '11 couch i' the castle-ditch
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. lo
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.
Act V. Sc. iii. MERRY WIVES
Scene III.
A street leading to the Park.
Enter Mistress Page, Mistress Ford, ami Doctor 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 dispatch it
quickly. Go before into the Park : we two
must go together.
Caius. I know vat I have to do. Adieu.
Mrs Page. Fare you well, sir, [Exit CaiusJ] My
husband will not rejoice so much at the abuse
of FalstafF as he will chafe at the doctor's marry-
ing my daughter : but 'tis no matter ; better a lo
little chiding than a great deal of heart-break.
Mrs Ford. Where is Nan now and her troop of
fairies, and the Welsh devil Hugh .''
Mrs Page. They are all couched in a pit hard by
Heme's oak, with obscured lights ; which, at
the very instant of FalstafF's and our meeting,
they will at once display to the night.
Mrs Ford. That cannot choose but amaze him.
Airs Page. If he be not amazed, he will be mocked ;
if he be amazed, he will every way be mocked. 20
Mrs Ford. We'll betray him finely.
Mrs Page. Against such lewdsters and their lechery
Those that betray them do no treachery.
Mrs Ford. The hour draws on. To the oak, to the
oak ! [Exeunt.
OF WINDSOR ^^^ V- S*^- ^^•■^•
Scene IV.
Windsor Park.
Enter Sir Hugh Evafis disguised, ivith others as Fairies.
Evans. Trib, trib, fairies; come; and remember your
parts : be pold, I pray you ; follow me into the
pit ; and when I give the watch-'ords, do as I
pid you : come, come ; trib, trib. [Exeunt.
Scene V.
Aywther part of the Park.
Enter Falstaff disguised as Heme.
Fal. The Windsor bell hath struck twelve ; the
minute draws on. Now, the hot-blooded gods
assist me ! Remember, Jove, thou wast a bull
for thy Europa ; love set on thy horns. O
powerful love ! that, in some respects, makes a
beast a man; in some other, a man a beast. You
were also, Jupiter, a swan for the love of Leda.
O omnipotent Love ! how near the god drew to
the complexion of a goose ! A fault done first
in the form of a beast; — O Jove, a beastly fault! lo
And then another fault in the semblance of a
fowl ; — think on't, Jove ; a foul fault ! When
gods have hot backs, what shall poor men do ?
For me, I am here a Windsor stag ; and the
fattest, I think, i' the forest. Send me a cool
Act V. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
rut-time, Jove, or who can blame me to piss my
tallow ? — Who comes here ? my doe ?
Enter Mistress Ford and Mrs Page.
Mrs Ford. Sir John ! art thou there, my deer ? my
male deer ?
Fal. My doe with the black scut ! Let the sky rain 20
potatoes ; let it thunder to the tune of Green
Sleeves, hail kissing-comfits, and snow eringoes ;
let there come a tempest of provocation, I will
shelter me here.
Mrs Ford. Mistress Page is come with me, sweetheart.
Fal. Divide me like a bribed buck, each a haunch : I
will keep my sides to myself, my shoulders for
the fellow of this walk, and my horns I bequeath
your husbands. Am I a woodman, ha ? Speak
I like Heme the hunter ? Why, now is Cupid 30
a child of conscience ; he makes restitution.
As I am a true spirit, welcome ! [_Noise ivithin.
Mrs Page. Alas, what noise ?
Mrs Ford. Heaven forgive our sins !
Fal. What should this be ?
Mrs Ford. \ , jj^^y ^^^^ ^j^
Mrs Page. )
Fal. I think the devil will not have me damned, lest
the oil that 's in me should set hell on fire ; he
would never else cross me thus.
Enter Sir Hugh Evans, disguised as before; Pistol, as
Hobgoblin; Mistress Quickly, Anne Page, and
others, as Fairies, with tapers.
Qtdck. Fairies, black, grey, green, and white, 40
You moonshine revellers, and shades of night,
OF WINDSOR Act V. Sc. v.
You orphan heirs of fixed destiny,
Attend your office and your quahty.
Crier Hobgoblin, make the fairy oyes.
Pist. Elves, list your names ; silence, you airy toyes.
Cricket, to Windsor chimneys shalt thou leap :
Where fires thou find'st unraked and hearths unswept,
There pinch the maids as blue as bilberry :
Our radiant queen hates sluts and sluttery.
Fal. They are fairies; he that speaks to them shall die: 50
I'll wink and couch : no man their works must eye.
[Lies doiun upon his face.
Evans. Where 's Bede? Go you, and where you find a maid
That, ere she sleep, has thrice her prayers said,
Raise up the organs of her fantasy ;
Sleep she as sound as careless infancy :
But those as sleep and think not on their sins,
Pinch them, arms, legs, backs, shoulders, sides, and
shins.
Qjiick. About, about ;
Search Windsor Castle, elves, within and out :
Strew good luck, ouphes, on every sacred room ; 60
That it may stand till the perpetual doom,
In state as wholesome as in state 'tis fit,
Worthy the owner, and the owner it.
The several chairs of order look you scour
With juice of balm and every precious flower :
Each fair instalment, coat, and several crest.
With loyal blazon, evermore be blest !
And nightly, meadow-fairies, look you sing.
Like to the Garter's compass, in a ring :
Th' expressure that it bears, green let it be, "Jo
More fertile-fresh than all the field to see ;
Act V. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
And Honi soit qui mal y pense write
In emerald tufts, flowers purple, blue, and white ;
Like sapphire, pearl, and rich embroidery,
Buckled below fair knighthood's bending knee :
Fairies use flowers for their charactery.
Away ; disperse : but till 'tis one o'clock,
Our dance of custom round about the oak
Of Heme the hunter, let us not forget.
Evans. Pray you, lock hand in hand j yourselves in order
set ; 80
And twenty glow-worms shall our lanterns be.
To guide our measure round about the tree.
But, stay ; I smell a man of middle-earth.
Fnl. Heavens defend me from that Welsh fairy, lest
he transform me to a piece of cheese !
P'lst. Vile worm, thou wast o'erlook'd even in thy birth.
Quick. With trial-fire touch me his finger-end :
If he be chaste, the flame will back descend,
And turn him to no pain ; but if he start,
It is the flesh of a corrupted heart. 90
Pist. A trial, come.
Evans. Come, will this wood take fire ?
\They burn him luith their tapers.
Fal. Oh, Oh, Oh !
Qiiicli. Corrupt, corrupt, and tainted in desire !
About him, fairies; sing a scornful rhyme ;
And, as you trip, still pinch him to your time.
Zong.
Fie on sinful fantasy !
Fie on lust and luxury !
Lust is but a bloody fire,
Kindled with unchaste desire, lOO
OF WINDSOR Act V. Sc. v.
Fed in heart, whose flames aspire,
As thoughts do blow them, higher and higher.
Pinch him, fairies, mutually ;
Pinch him for his villany ;
Pinch him, and burn him, and turn him about,
Till candles and starlight and moonshine be out.
During this song they pinch Falstaff. Doctor Cains comes
one IV ay, and steals away a boy ifi green ; Slender
another ivay, and take's off a boy i?i luhite ; and Fento?i
comes, and steals away Mrs Anne Page. A noise of
hunting is heard luithin. All the Fairies run aivay.
Falstaff pulls off his bucJis head, and rises.
Enter Page, Ford, Mistress Page, and Mistress Ford.
Page. Nay, do not fly ; I think we have vvatch'd you now :
Will none but Heme the Hunter serve your turn ?
Mrs Page. I pray you, come, hold up the jest no higher.
Now, good Sir John, how like you Windsor wives ?
See you these, husband ? do not these fair yokes 1 1 1
Become the forest better than the town ?
Ford. Now, sir, who 's a cuckold now ? Master
Brook, Falstaff 's a knave, a cuckoldly knave ;
here are his horns, Master Brook : and. Master
Brook, he hath enjoyed nothing of Ford's but
his buck-basket, his cudgel, and twenty pounds
of money, which must be paid to Master Brook;
his horses are arrested for it, Master Brook.
Mrs Ford. Sir John, we have had ill luck; we could I20
never meet. I will never take you for my love
again ; but I will always count you my deer.
Fal. I do begin to perceive that I am made an ass.
Act V. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
Ford. Ay, and an ox too : both the proofs are extant.
Fal. And these are not fairies ? I was three or four
times in the thought they were not fairies : and
yet the guiltiness of my mind, the sudden sur-
prise of my powers, drove the grossness of the
foppery into a received behef, in despite of the
teeth of all rhyme and reason, that they were 1 30
fairies. See now how wit may be made a Jack-
a-Lent, when 'tis upon ill employment !
Evans. Sir John Falstaff, serve Got, and leave your
desires, and fairies will not pinse you.
Ford. Well said, fairy Hugh.
Evans. And leave you your jealousies too, I pray you.
Ford. I will never mistrust my wife again, till thou
art able to woo her in good English.
Fal. Have I laid my brain in the sun and dried it,
that it wants matter to prevent so gross o'er- 140
reaching as this ? Am I ridden with a Welsh
goat too ? shall I have a coxcomb of frize ? 'Tis
time I were choked with a piece of toasted cheese.
Evans. Seese is not good to give putter ; your pelly
is all putter.
Fal. 'Seese' and 'putter'? Have I lived to stand
at the taunt of one that makes fritters of English ?
This is enough to be the decay of lust and late-
walking through the realm.
Mrs Page. Why, Sir John, do }ou think, though 1 50
we would have thrust virtue out of our hearts
by the head and shoulders, and have given
ourselves without scruple to hell, that ever the
devil could have made you our delight ?
Ford. What, a hodge-pudding ? a bag of flax .''
OF WINDSOR Act V. Sc. v.
Mrs Page. A puffed man ?
Page. Old, cold, withered, and of intolerable entrails?
Ford. And one that is as slanderous as Satan ?
Page. And as poor as Job ?
Ford. And as wicked as his wife ? 1 60
Evans. And given to fornications, and to taverns,
and sack, and wine, and metheglins, and to
drinkings, and swearings, and starings, pribbles
and prabbles !
Fal. Well, I am your theme : you have the start of
me ; I am dejected •, I am not able to answer
the Welsh flannel : ignorance itself is a plummet
o'er me : use me as you will.
Ford. Marry, sir, we '11 bring you to Windsor, to
one Master Brook, that you have cozened of 1 70
money, to whom you should have been a pandar :
over and above that you have suffered, I think
to repay that money will be a biting aflliction.
Page. Yet be cheerful, knight : thou shalt eat a
posset to-night at my house ; where I will desire
thee to laugh at my wife, that now laughs at
thee : tell her Master Slender hath married her
daughter.
Mrs Page. [Aside.] Doctors doubt that : if Anne Page
be my daughter, she is, by this. Doctor Caius' 180
wife.
Etiter Slender.
Slen. Whoa, ho ! ho, father Page.
Page. Son, how now ! how now, son ! have you dis-
patched .''
Slen. Dispatched! I'll make the best in Gloucester-
shire know on 't ; would I were hanged, la, else !
Act V. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
Page. Of what, son ?
Slen. I came yonder at Eton to marry Mistress Anne
Page, and she 's a great lubberly boy. If it had
not been i' the church, I would have swinged him, 1 90
or he should have swinged me. If I did not think.
it had been Anne Page, would I might never stir !
— and 'tis a postmaster's boy.
Page, Upon my life, then, you took the wrong.
Slen. What need you tell me that ? I think so, when
I took a boy for a girl. If I had been married
to him, for all he was in woman's apparel, I would
not have had him.
Page. Why, this is your own folly. Did not I tell
you how you should know my daughter by her 200
garments ?
Slen. I went to her in white, and cried ' mum,' and
she cried ' budget,' as Anne and I had appointed ;
and yet it was not Anne, but a postmaster's boy.
Airs Page. Good George, be not angry : I knew of
your purpose ; turned my daughter into green ;
and, indeed, she is now with the doctor at the
deanery, and there married.
Enter Caius.
Cams. Vere is Mistress Page ? By gar, I am cozened :
I ha' married un garden, a boy; un paysan, by 210
gar, a boy ; it is not Anne Page : by gar, I am
cozened.
Mrs Page. Why, did you take her in green ?
Caius. Ay, by gar, and 'tis a boy: by gar, I'll raise
all Windsor. {Exit.
Eord. This is strange. Who hath got the right Anne ?
OF WINDSOR Act V. Sc. v.
Page. My heart misgives me : — here comes Master
Fenton.
Enter Fenton and Anne Page.
How now, Master Fenton !
Antie. Pardon, good father ! good my mother, pardon! 22o
Page. Now, mistress, how chance you went not with
Master Slender ?
Mrs Page. Why went you not with master doctor, maid ?
Pent. You do amaze her : hear the truth of it.
You would have married her most shamefully.
Where there was no proportion held in love.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted.
Are now so sure that nothing can dissolve us.
The offence is holy that she hath committed ;
And this deceit loses the name of craft, 230
Of disobedience, or unduteous title ;
Since therein she doth evitate and shun
A thousand irreligious cursed hours.
Which forced marriage would have brought upon her.
Ford. Stand not amazed ; here is no remedy :
In love the heavens themselves do guide the state ;
Money buys lands, and wives are sold by fate.
Fal. I am glad, though you have ta'en a special
stand to strike at me, that your arrow hath
glanced. 240
Page. Well, what remedy ? Fenton, heaven give thee joy !
What cannot be eschew'd must be embraced.
Fal. When night-dogs run, all sorts of deer are chased.
Mrs Page. Well, I will muse no further. Master Fenton,
Heaven give you many, many merry days !
Good husband, let us every one go home,
Act V. Sc. V. MERRY WIVES
And laugh this sport o'er by a country fire ;
Sir John and all.
Ford. Let it be so. Sir John,
To Master Brook you yet shall hold your word ; 250
For he to-night shall lie with Mistress Ford.
\Exeunt.
OF WINDSOR
Glossary
A-birding, bird-catching ; III. iii.
-3--
Abstract, inventory ; IV. ii. 60.
Address, make ready ; III. v. 133.
Admittance, " of Venetian ad." =
"admitted from Venice"; III.
iii. 58; " of great a." = admitted
into the best company; II. ii.
230.
Adversary, used jestingly for " advo-
cate " by the host ; II. iii. 94.
Affecting, full of affectation ; II. i.
145-
Aggra-uate his style, i.e. increase his
title ; II. ii. 291.
Aim, " to cry aim," an expression
borrowed from archery = to en-
courage the archers by crying
out " aim," hence to encourage, j
applaud ; III. ii. 42.
All-halloivmas , November i ; i.e.
about five weeks after Michael-
mas ; Simple blunders in putting \
it "a fortnight afore Michael- j
mas " ; I. i. 203. j
AlUcholt/, Mistress Quickly's corrup-
tion of melancholy ; I. iv. 158.
Alligant, Mistress Quickly's error 1
for ' elegant ' ; II. ii. 69. |
Amaze, confuse; V. v. 224.
Angel, a gold coin valued at ten
shillings (used quihblingly) ; I.
iii. 57, 61.
Anthropophaginiaii , cannibal ; IV. v.
10.
Armigero; Slender's error for " ar-
miger"; his knowledge of Latin
is derived from attestations, e.g.
" Coram me, Roberto Shallow,
armigero, &c."; I. i. 9.
Authentic, of acknowledged autlio-
rity; II. ii. 231.
A-vised, advised, informed; "are
you a. of that "=" have you
found it out? " I. iv. 103.
Bailie, deliver, bring (the Folios
read "hallow"); I. iv. 90.
Banbury cheese, in allusion to Slander's
thinness, B. cheese being pro-
verbially thin; I. i. 127.
Barbason, name of a demon ; II. ii.
305-
Bede, the name of a fairy ; V. v. 52.
Bestotu, stow away, lodge ; IV. ii. 46.
Bilbo, V. Latten bilbo.
Birding piece, a gun to shoot birds
with ; IV. ii. 56.
Birdingplece ;
From a specimen {ietnp. James I.) preserved at Goodrich Court.
Alloived, approved; II. ii. 232.
Amaimon, name of a devil whose do-
minion is on the north part of the
infernal gulp h ; II. ii. 305.
Bloody Jire, fire in the blood ; V. v. 99.
Boitier, " a surgeon's case of oynt-
ment" ("the Quarto reads "my
oyntment ") ; I. iv. 47.
Glossary
MERRY WIVES
Bold - beating, apparently = brow-
beating ; II. ii. 29.
Bolt, V. Shaft.
Book of Riddles, a popular book of
the day, referred to as early as
1575 ; the earliest extant edition
bears date 1629: — " The Booke of
Merry Riddles, together ivith proper
Questions and Witty Proverbs to make
pleasant pastime ; no less useful than
beliovefull for any yong man or child
to knoiv if he be quick-ivitted or no ;
I. i. 201.
Book of Songs and Sonnets ; Slender is
perhaps alluding to " Songs and
Sonnets ivritlen by the Right Honour-
able Lord Henry Hoiuard, late Rarle
of Surrey and others^'' (pub. 1557);
I. i. 197.
Breed-bate, one who stirs up " bate,"
or contention ; I. iv. 12.
Breiuage, drink brewed ; III. v.
Buck, used quibblingly with refer-
ence to the buck and its horns;
III. iii. 160.
Buck-basket, a basket for clothes
which were to be bucked or
washed ; III. iii. 2.
Bucking, washing; III. iii. 133.
Bucklershury, Cheapside, where the
druggists and grocers lived ; III.
iii. 74.
Buck - -washing, laundry; III. iii.
158.
Bully-rook, dashing fellow ; I. iii.
2.
Bully-stale ; v. Stale.
Buttons; "'tis in his buttons " = 'tis
within his compass; he will suc-
ceed ; perhaps an allusion to tlie
flower called "bachelor's but-
tons," by means of which the
success of love was divined ; III.
ii. 68.
Cain-coloured beard ; Cain was repre-
sented in old tapestries with a
yellowish beard; 1. iv. 23.
Cfzwrtr/Vj, probably Mistress Quickly's
version of "quandary" (pro-
nounced candary) ; II. ii. 61.
Canary, wine from the Canary
Islands, sweet sack ; III. ii. 86 ;
[with a quibble on "canary"
in the sense of a quick lively
dance; III. ii. 88.]
Careires, the curvetting of a liorse ;
" to passe a careire is but to
runne with strength and courage
such a convenient course as is
meete for his ability"; I. i.
177.
Carrion, used as a term of contempt ;
III. iii. 195.
Car-ves, makes a sign of favour ; I.
iii. 46.
Cashiered, in Bardolph's slang it
seems to mean " eased of his
cash " ; I. i. 176.
Castalion — Kin^r — Urinal ; a non-
sensical title which the host gives
to Caius ; "Castalion," = Casti-
lian, with perhaps a quibbling
reference to the medical practice
of "casting the water" of the
patient; II. iii. 34(1' Notes).
Cataian, an inhabitant of Cataia or
" Cathay " (China) ; a thief; used
as term of reproach ; 11. i.
148.
Cat-a-mountain, wild - cat, leopard
(used adjectivally) ; II. ii. 28.
Charactery, characters, writing ; V.
V. 76.
Charge, to put to expense ; II. ii.
168.
Chariness, scrupulousness ; II. i.
102
Charms, love-charms, enchantments ;
II. ii. 106.
Cheater, escheater, an officer of the
Exchequer, employed to exact
forfeitures (used quibblingly) ;
I. iii. 74.
Clapper-claiu, thrash ; II. iii. 66 {cp.
67, 69).
Coat, coat-of-arms ; I. i. 17.
OF WINDSOR
Glossary
Cock and pie, a vulgar corruption of
"God "and "Pie" (the service-
book of the Romish Church) ; I.
i. 304.
Coo-, to virheedle ; III. iii. 47.
Cogging, deceiving; III. i. 119.
Colours, ensigns ; III. iv. 86.
Comd off, to pay handsomely ; IV.
iii. II.
Companion, fellow (in a bad sense) ;
III. i. 119.
Cony-Catch, to poach, pilfer ; I. iii. 34.
Cony-Catching, poaching, pilfering ;
I. i. 125.
Coram ; probably due to the formula
"jurat coram me," or a corrup-
tion of " quorum " (quorumesse
volumus " in a Justice's commis-
sion); both forms " corum " and
" coram " are found as part of the
title of " a justice of the peace " ;
I. i. 6.
Cornuto, cuckold ; III. V. 68.
Cotsall, an allusion to the annual
sports on the Cotsw^old Hills,
Gloucestershire ; I. i. 91 {y-
Notes).
Couch, crouch ; V. ii. i.
Counter-gate, the entrance to one of
the Counter Prisons in London ;
III. iii. 80.
Country, district; I. i. 219.
Coivl-itaff', a pole on which a tub
or basket is borne between two
persons ; III. iii. 149.
Cozeners , sharpers (? play on " Cozen-
Germans,"^/'. IV.V.78); IV. v.66.
Cuckoo-birds, with allusion to cuck-
olds ; II. i. 128.
Curtal, having a docked tail; "a
curtal dog" = a dog unfit for the
chase, or one that has missed the
game ; II. i. 114.
Custalorum ; Shallow's corruption of
" Custos Rotulorum " ; I. i. 7.
Cut and long tail, any kind of dogs,
curtal dogs or long-tailed ; (hence,
come who will to contend with
me) ; III. iv. 49.
Barrier, "playing at sword and d."
a blunt blade used in place of the
buckler; I. i. 284.
From a black-letter ballad ("A Looking-
Glasse for Maids, or the Downfall of
two desperate Lovers . . .").
Datchet-mead, in Windsor ; III. iii.
14, etc.
Daubery, imposture; IV. ii. 177.
Defy, reject ; II. ii. 74.
Detest ; Mistress Quickly's error for
" protest " ; I. iv. 154.
Dickens (exclamatory), the devil ;
probably = devilkins ; III. ii. 16.
Diffused, discordant; IV. iv. 55.
Dissolved, and dissolutely ; Slender's
error for " resolved, and resolute-
ly " ; I. i. 251.
Dole, portion; "happy man be his
d."=" happiness be his portion";
III. iv. 68.
Drianble, dawdle ; III. iii. 149.
Eld, old age, used in the sense of
" old persons " ; IV. iv. 37.
Elder, "heart of elder "= weak,
faint-hearted ; the elder has no
heart; used in contrast to "heart
of oak " ; II. iii. 30.
Ensconce, to shelter under protection
of a sconce or fort ; II. ii. 28.
Ephesian, boon-companion (an allu-
sion perhaps to St Paul's Epistle
to the Ephesians, chap. ii. 10) ;
IV. V. 18.
Eringoes, sea-holly (supposed to pos-
sess aphrodisiac qualities); V v. 22.
Glossary
MERRY WIVES
Esquire, a gentleman next in degree
below a knight; I. i. 4.
Eyas-musket, young male sparrow-
hawk ; III. iii. 21.
Fdp, evidently a cant term for
"fuddled "; I. i. 176.
Fartuous; Mistress Quickly's pronun-
ciation of '< virtuous ■' ; 11. ii. 99.
Fault, misfortune; I. i. 94; III. iii. 220.
Faiistuses, "three Doctor F." {cp.
" Mephostophilus ") ; IV. v. 70.
Fights fa sea-term), the canvas that
hangs round the ship in a fight, to
screen the combatants ; II. ii. 140.
Fine and reco-very, a term of law^ denot-
ing absolute ownership; IV.ii.212.
FLinnel, originally manufactured in
Wales, hence ludicrously used for
a Welshman; V. v. 167.
Flemish, given to drink like a Flem-
ing ; the Dutch were notorious
drunkards ; II. i. 23.
Foin, to thrust in fencing; II. iii. 24.
Fortune thj/foe,'a.n allusiontotheold bal-
lad " Fortune my foe"; III. iii. 65.
Frampold, quarrelsome: II. ii. 92.
French thrift ; Falstaff alludes to the
practiceof making a richly-dressed
page take the ]5lace of a band of
retainers; I. iii. 90.
Frize, a kind of coarse woollen stuff
manufactured by Flemings in
Wales ; V. v. 142.
Froth, to make a tankard foam ; I.
iii. 14.
Fullam, a loaded die (so called from
Fulham, where false dice were ap-
parently manufactured); I. iii.
Gallimaufry, " hotch-potch," used
by Pistol for "the whole sex";
II. i. 119.
Gar, Dr Caius' pronunciation of
" God"; I. iv. Ill, &c.
Geminy, a pair ; II. ii. 8.
Ging, gang; IV. ii. 118.
Good-jer, supposed to be a corruption
of the French word goujere, the
name of a disease ; used as a
slight curse ; I. iv. 126.
Good life, good name; III. iii. 121.
Gourd, some instrument of false
gaming ; I. iii. 91.
Grated upon, irritated, vexed; II.
ii. 6.
Groat, piece of money valued at four-
pence ; I. i. 151.
Green sleeves, an old popular ballad
tune, prob. of Henry Vlllth's time,
still extant (see below); II. i.
64.
The Ballad of Green Sleeves.
i±
A - las, my love you do me wrong to cast me off dis-courteously, And
^^^
^
J'' ra h-
:g=t
S
i
I have lov-ed you so long, de - lighting in your company.
I
f-
:tttt
TT-I'S^
-Tv~rg~fir
"^^
:f=
r=ls=
-w^-
-««^
Greensleeves was all my joy, Greensleevcs was my delight.
=15=
■:ffi»i
Greensleeves was my heart of gold, and who but my Lady Greensleeves.
JFrom Naylor's Shakespeare and Music.
OF WINDSOR
Glossary
Hack, (?) " to become cheap and
common," perhaps with a play
on " hack," to kick ; II. i. 52 ;
IV. i. 65.
Hair, " against the hair,'' i.e.
"against the grain," refers to
the stroking of an animal's hair
the wrong way ; II. iii. 41.
Hang together, to hold together( with-
out altogether collapsing) ; III. ii.
II.
HaiutJwnt-huds , dandies ; III. iii. 72.
Hector, cant term for a sharper ; I.
iii. II.
Herod, represented as a swagj;ering
tyrant in the old miracle plays ;
II. i. 20.
Hick (?) to fight ; Mistress Quickly's
interpretation of "hie;" prob-
ably something coarse is intended ;
IV. i. 65.
High and loiv , i.e. high and low throws
(the former were the numbers 4,
5, 6, the latter i, 2, 3) ; I. iii. 93.
Hinds, servants ; III. v. 96.
Hodge-pudding, probably something
similartoahodge-podge; V.v. 155.
Horn-mad, mad as a wicked bull ; I.
iv. 51.
Humour (ridiculed as a much misused
word of fashion ; particularly used
by Nym) ; I. i. 132, 163, 165, &:c.
Hungarian (used quiblingly) ; the
Hungarian wars attracted many
English volunteers, who subse-
quently returned to England im-
poverished; I. iii. 21. (Thefirstand
secondQuartosread"Gongarian.")
Image, idea, conception ; IV. vi. 17.
Infection, Mistress Quickly's error
for " affection " ; II. ii. iig.
Intention, intentness ; I. iii. 70.
Jack-a-Lent, a small stuffed puppet
thrown at during Lent; III. iii.
25; V. V. 131.
Jay, used metaphorically for a loose
woman ; III. iii. 41.
Kihe, chilblain ; I. iii. 33.
Kissing-comjits, sugar-plums; V.v. 22.
Lahras, lips ; I. i. 160
Larded, garnished; IV. vi. 14.
Latten bilbo, a sword made of latten, a
mixed soft metal resembling brass ;
swords were called "bilbos"' from
the great reputation of those made
at Bilboa in Spain ; I. i. 159.
Laundry, Sir Hugh Evans' error for
" launder" ; I. ii. 4.
Leman, lover; IV. ii. 164.
Leivdsters, libertines ; V. iii. 22.
Lime, to put lime in sack to make
it sparkle ; I. iii. 14.
Lingered, Waited in expectation ; III.
ii- 55-
Long-tail, v. " Cut," &c.
Louses, Sir Hugh Evans' corruption
of "luces"; the joke was per-
haps derived by Shakespeare from
a story told of Sir William Wise
and Henry VIII. in Holinshed's
continuation of the Chronicles of
Ireland, where the play is on "fleur
de lice"; I. i. 19 (See Note.)
Lo-ves, " of all loves " = by all means,
for love's sake ; II. ii. 117.
Luces, Y>\kes; "thedozenwhiteluces,"
probablyan allusion to thearmorial
bearings of Shakespeare's old ene-
my. Sir Thomas Lucy ; a quarter-
ing of the Lucy arms, exhibiting
Glossary
MERRY WIVES
the dozenwhite luces, is tobe found
in Dugdale's W'arwickshire ; I. i.
i6. The accompaninp^ drawing
from Lucy's sealgives'threeliices.'
Lunes, fits of lunacy; IV. ii. 20.
Luxury, wantonness ; V. v. 98.
Machia-vel, used proverbially for a
crafty schemer; III. i. 99.
Mate, to make mischief; I. iv. 113.
Marry trap, a phrase of doubtful
meaning; " exclamation of insult
when a man was caught in his
own stratagem " ; in all proba-
bility its real force was "catch
me if you can " ; I. i. 164.
Master offence, one who had taken
a master's degree in the art of
fencing ; I. i. 285.
Mechanical, vulgar, vile; II. ii. 285.
Mill-sixpences; "these sixpences,
coined in 1561 and 1562, were
the first milled money in England,
used as counters to cast up
money " ; I. i. 151.
Mephostophilus , used by Pistol ; the
name had been made popular in
England by Marlowe's Faustus ;
I. i. 129.
Metheglins, mead, a fermented dish
of honey and water ; V. v. 162.
Mistress, the ordinary title of an
unmarried gentlewoman ; I. i. 48.
Mince, to walk with affected grace ;
V i. 9.
Montant, a upright blow or thrust
in fencing ; II. iii. 27.
Motions, proposals ; I i. 214,
Mountain foreigner , used by Pistol of
Sir Hugh Evans, in the sense of
" ultramontane," l)arharous ; I. i.
157-
Muscle-shell, applied by FalstafT to
Simple because he stands with his
mouth open ; IV. v. 28.
Nay-ivorJ, a watch-word, or rather
a twin-word agreed upon by two
confederates; II. ii. 129.
Nuihook, contemptuous term for a
catchpole ; I. i. 165.
^OcTs heartlings, an oath ; God's
heartling (a diminutive of
" heart"); III. iv. 59.
'OiA«ou;7j, Mistress Quick ly's corrup-
tion of "God's wounds'"; IV. i. 24.
CEillades, amorous glances ; I. iii. 65.
O'erlooleJ, bewitched ; V. v. 86.
'Ork, Sir Hugh's pronunciation of
"work"; III. i. 15.
Ouphes, elves ; IV. iv. 50.
Oyes, hear ye ! the usual introduc-
tion to a proclamation ; V. v. 44.
Paid, used quibblingly in sense of
" paid out"; IV. v. 62.
Parcel, a constituent part ; I. i. 230.
Paring knife ; "glover's p. k"; I.iv. 21.
From a tradesman's token (XVII. Cent.).
Passant ; as a term of herald ry = walk-
ing,used by Sir Hugh Evans: I.i.20,
Passed, surpassed expression ; I. i.
299.
Passes, goes beyond bounds ; IV. ii.
122.
Pauca, few {i.e. words); I. i. 131 ;
" pauca verba " ; I. i. 121.
Peaking, sneaking; III. v. 68.
Peer out, probably an allusion to the
children's old rhyme calling on a
snail to push forth its horns ; IV.
ii. 24.
Peevish, foolish ; I. iv. 14.
Penny, money in general ; I. i. 62 ;
(in ordinary sense) II. ii. i.
Elizabethan Silver Penny.
OF WINDSOR
Glossary
Pensioric'rs, the bodyguard of Henry
VIII. and Queen Elizabeth were
so called ; II. ii. 79.
Period, conclusion ; IV. ii. 222.
Pheezar, evidently formed from the
verb " to pheeze," i.e. " to hurry
on, to worry " ; I. iii. 10.
Phlegmatic, misapplied by Mistress
Quickly ; I. iv. 78.
Phrijgian, possibly in the sense of
"'rrojan," used as a cant term
for a person of doubtful character ;
I. iii. 95.
Pickt-hatch, a quarter of London
notorious as the resort of bad
characters ; II. ii. 20.
Pinnace, used metaphorically for a
go-between ; I. iii. 86.
Pipe-iuine, wine not from the bottle
but from the pipe or cask, with
a play on " pipe " in the sense of
instrument to w^hich people
danced ; III. ii. 87.
Pittic-ivard,Q^ " towards the Petty,
or little Park " ; III. i. 5.
Plummet; "ignorance is a p. o'er
me " ; " Falstaff evidently repre-
sents himself as the carpenter's
work, and Evans as the lead of
the plummet held over him " ; V.
V. 167.
Polecat, used as a term of reproach,
(the polecat emits a disgusting
smell); IV. ii. 185.
Possibilities, prospects of inheritance ;
used also in the sense of " posses-
sion," which may be the meaning
here; I. i. 65.
Pottle, a large tankard, originally a
measure of two quarts ; III. v. 28.
Prat, a verb formed evidently by
Ford from Mother Prat's name ;
IV. ii. 184.
Preeches, breached for flogging ; IV.
i. 78.
Presently, immediately ; III. iii. 90.
Pribbles i7«d Prabbles, petty wrang-
lings, tittle-tattles (used by Sir
Hugh Evans) ; I. i. 56.
Primero, a game of cards ; IV. v.
104.
Properties, used technically for the
necessaries of the stage, exclusive
of the scenery and dresses ; IV.
iv. 79.
Property, a thing wanted for a par-
ticular purpose, a tool (to get out
of debt) ; III. iv. 11.
Puddings, the intestines of animals
were so called {cp. "Pudding
Lane"); II. i. 32.
Pumpion, a kind of pumpkin ; III.
iii. 40.
Punk, strumpet; II. ii. 139.
Punto, a thrust or stroke in fencing ;
II. iii. 26.
Quarter (used quibblingly} ; I. i. 24,
26, 28.
Quean, a slut; IV. ii. 171.
Rank, mature ; IV. vi. 22.
Rato-lorum ; Slender's corruption of
(Gustos) "Rotulorum" ; I. i. 8.
Red-lattice phrases z^2.\q-\\0Vi%q lan-
guage ; a lattice w^indow often
painted red was the customary dis-
tinction of an ale-house ; II. ii. 29.
From a token (Green Lattice in Cock
Lane) of the XVII. Cent.
Relent, repent ; II. ii. 32.
Ring-wood, a common name for a dog
II. i. 122.
Ronyon, a mangy creature; IV. ii.i 86.
Sackerson, a famous bear, which was
baited at the Paris Garden in
Southwark; said to liave belonged
to Henslow & Alleyn ; I. i. 296.
Glossary
MERRY WIVES
Sadness, seriousness; IV. ii. 90.
Sauce, " to pepper" ; IV. iii. 11.
Scall, scurvy; III. i. ng,
5<:j//,tailof a hare or rabbit ; V. v. 20.
Sea-coal fire, a fire made of coals
brought by sea, a novelty at a time
wiien wood was generally l)urnt ;
I. iv. 9.
Season, fit time (used probably tech-
nically for the time when the stags
were at their best); III. iii. 162
Secure, careless ; II. i. 237.
Sn-min^, specious ; III. ii. 39.
Semi-circled farthingale, a petticoat,
the hoop of which did not come
round in front ; III. iii. 64.
Shaft; "to make a shaft or bolt
on't" = to do a thing either one
way or another ; a shaft = a sharp
arrow ; a bolt, a thick short one
with a knob at the end ; III. iv. 26.
Shent, reviled, punished ; 1. iv. 38.
Ship-tire, a peculiar head-dress, re-
sembling a ships' tackle; III. iii- 57.
From Fabri's " Habite Varie" (1593).
Shovel - hoards, broad shillings of
Edward VI. used for the game of
shove or shovel-board ; I. i. 152.
Shovel-board, long preserved at the
Falcon Inn.
Edward Shovel-boards.
Simple, medicinal herb ; III. iii. 74.
Sir; the inferior clergy, as well as
knights or baronets, formerly re-
ceived this title, being the old equi-
valent of the academic Dominus ;
(when applied to Bachelors of
Arts at tlie Universities it was
usually attached to the surname
and not to the Christian name) ;
hence " Sir" Hugh Evans ; I. i. I.
OF WINDSOR
Glossary
Slack, neglect; III. iv. Ii8.
Slice, applied by Nym to Slender ; I.
i. 131.
Slighted, tossed ; III. v. 9.
Something, somewhat ; IV. vi. 22.
5/r<7^ = sprack, i.e. quick; IV. i.
82,
Speciously, a Quicklyism for speci-
ally (?) III. iv. 116 ; IV. V. 114.
Staggering, wavering; III. iii. 11.
Stale, the urine of horses, applied by
the host to Dr Caius ; II. iii. 31.
Stamps, impressed coins; III. iv. 17.
Star-Chamher ; this Court among its
other functions took cognisance
of " routs and riots " ; I. i. I.
Stoccadoes, thrusts in fencing ; II. i.
230.
Stock, thrust in fencing; II. iii. 26.
Strain, disposition ; II. i. 91.
Sufferance, sufferings ; IV. ii. 2.
Siuinged, belaboured; V. v. 190.
Sivord and dagger, (see Dagger^.
Takes, strikes with disease ; IV. iv.
33-
Taking, fright ; III. iii. 182.
Tall, sturdy, powerful ; " tall of his
hands " ; I. iv. 26.
Tester, sixpence ; I. iii. 94.
Thrummed, made of coarse, woollen
yarn ; thrum, the loose end of a
weaver's warp ; IV. ii. 77
Thrununed hat and muffler.
From Speed's Map of England.
Tightly, promptly ; I. iii. 85.
Tire, head-dress; HI. iii. 58.
Tire-valiant, a fanciful head-dress ;
III. iii. 57.
From an engraving of a noble
Venetian lady (1605).
Tricking, costumes ; IV. iv. 80.
Trot, Caius' pronunciation of
" troth " ; IV. V. 89.
Troiv, used by Mistress Quickly in
the sense of " I wonder" ; I. iv.
136.
Truckle-bed, 2, small b&d, running on
castors, which was thrust under
the standing-bed during the day-
time ; IV. V. 7.
Standing and truckle-bed.
From an illuminated MS. of XV. Cent.
(The figures represent a nobleman
and his valet.)
Uncape, to unearth a fox ; III. iii. 169.
Glossary
MERRY WIVES
Unrated, " fires unr." = fires not
raked together, not covered with
fuel so that they mrght be found
alight in the morning ; V. v. 47.
Univdghed , inconsiderate ; II. i. 23.
Urchins, imps, goblins; IV. iv. 50.
Veney, a bout at fencing ; I. i. 285.
^/zfOT;n/j = advisements or consider-
ations ; I. i. 39.
V touting- stag, i.e. laughing-stock ;
III. i. 116.
Wag, pack of! ; II. i. 234.
Ward, posture of defence ; II. il. 253.
Watched, tamed as a hawk is broken
in by being kept awake; V. v. 107.
Whiting-lime, bleaching time ; III. iii.
133.
M^hitsters, bleachers of linen ; III.
iii. 13.
Wide of, far from, indifferent to ;
III. i. 57-
With, by; III. V. 108.
Wittolly, cuckoldiy ; II. ii. 278.
Woodman, a hunter of forbidden
game, and also a pursuer of
women ; V. v. 29.
Worts, roots, (used quibblingly with
reference to Sir Hugh's pronun-
ciation of " words ") ; I. i. 121.
Wrong,- " you do yourself miglity
wrong " = you are much mistaken ;
III. iii. 209.
Wrongs, " this wrongs you," this
is unworthy of you ; IV. ii.
154.
T'ead, an old abbreviation of "Ed-
ward " ; I. i. 153.
Tcllo-wness , the Colour of jealousy ;
I. i. ii. 109.
OF WINDSOR
Notes.
I. i. 11. ' T/ie luce is the fresh Jish ; the salt Jish is an old coat.' No satis-
factory explanation of this passage has as yet been offered ; various
suggestions have been made, eg. ' salt-fish '= the hake borne by the
stockfishmongers ; ' same ' for ' salt ' ; ' 'tis ott fish in ' (assigned to Evans),
&c. May not, however, the whole point of the matter lie in Shallow's
use of ' salt ' in the sense of ' saltant,' the heraldic term, used especially
for vermin ? If so
' salt-fish '=;'
ing louse,'
the leap-
with a
quibble on ' salt ' as
opposed to ' fresh fish.'
There is further allu-
sion to the proverbial
predilection of vermin
for ' old coats,' used
quibblingly in the
sense of ' coat-of-arms.'
The foUow^ing passage
from Holinshed's con-
tinuationof the chroni-
cles of Ireland (quoted
by Rushton), seems to
bear out this explana-
tion ; — "Having lent
the king his signet to
seal a letter, who hav-
ing powdered erinuts
ingrailed in the seal;
why how now Wise
(quoth the King),
what hast thou lice
here? And if it like
your Majesty, quoth
Sir William, a louse is
From the Annalia Dubrensia (1636), a collection of poems
laudatory of the Cotswold Games and their patron,
Robert Dover.
a rich coat, for by giving the louse I part arms
with the French King in that he giveth the flower de lice, whereat the
king heartily laughed," &c.
Notes MERRY WIVES
I. i. 46. ' George Page.' Ff, Q,. ' Thomas Page,' retained by Camb.
Ed. though Master Page is elsewliere called 'George'; "the mistaive
may have been Shakespeare's own," or ' Geo.' may have been misread
as 'The'
I. i. 91. ' Outrun on Cotstili,' i.e. on the Cotsw^old liills (in Gloucester-
shire) ; probably an allusion to the famous Cotswold Games, which were
revived by Captain Robert Dover at the beginning of the seventeenth
century, though evidently instituted earlier; the allusion does not occur
in the first and second Quartos.
I. i. 171. 'Scarlet and John'; Robin Hood's boon-companions; an
allusion to Bardolph's red face.
I. iii. 28. 'A minute's rest'; '"a minim's rest" is the ingenious sug-
gestion of Bennet Langton ; cp. Romeo and Juliet, II. iv. zi, " rests me
his minim rest."
I. iii. 46. ' Carves ' ; probably used here in the sense of ' to show favour
by expressive gestures ;' c/>. " A carver : chironomus . . . one that useth^
apish motions with his hands." — Littleton's Latin-English Dictionary (^iS-j^).
1. iii. 51. ' Studied her ivilV ; so {^q.-g: Ff, ' will ' retained by Camb. Ed.
I. iii. 73. ' Region of Guiana.' Sir Walter Raleigh returned from his ex-
pedition to So. America in 1596, and published his book 'The Discovery
of the large, rich, and beautiful Empire of Guiana' in the same year.
I. iii. 99. ' Bij ivelkin and her star.' This is no doubt the correct read-
ing of the line, and there is no need to read stars, as has been suggested ;
' star' is obviously used here for ' the sun ' ; the Quartos read ' fairies.'
I. iii. 109. ' The revolt of mine,' i.e. my revolt : Camb. Ed. suggest in
Note ' mine anger,' but no change seems necessary.
II. i. 5. ' Though Love use Reason for his physician.' The folios read
' precisian ' ; the emendation adopted in the text was first suggested by
Theobald, and has been generally accepted; cp. Sonnet cxlvii : "My
reason the physician to my love."
II. i. 220, 223. In the folios the name 'Broome' is given instead of
'Brooke'; but Falstaff's pun, "Such Brooks are welcome to me, that
overflow with liquor," removes all doubt as to the correct reading, which
is actually found in the Quartos.
II. i. 224. ' Will you go, min-heers ?' The Folios and Quartos, ' An-heires,''
retained by Camb. Ed. ; Theobald, ' mynheers.' Other suggestions are
"on, here;" "on, hearts;" "on, heroes;" " cavaleires ; " &c. In
support of change, cp. 'mine host' in reply.
II. ii. 155. ' O'erfoivs,' so F.F. ; Camb. Ed., ' o'erflow.'
II. iii. 34. ' Castalion, King Urinal': Fl. ' castalion-king-Vrinall.' re-
tained by Camb. Ed. but the first hyplien is prob. an error for comma
OF WINDSOR Notes
— a fairly common mistake in this particular play, cp. nightly-meadow-
fairies, v.v. 68, &c.
II. iii. 88. ' Cried I dim .■* ' The Folios and Quartos read " cried game; "
the ingenious emendation, due to Douce, was first adopted by Dyce.
III. i. 17, etc. Sir Hugh oddly confuses Marlowe's famous ditty,
' Come live with me and be my love,' and the old version of the 137th
Psalm, 'When we did sit in Babylon.'
III. i. 95. ' Gallia and GauT ; so the Folios ; the first and second Quartos
read " Gawle and Gawlia ; " Farmer's conjecture " Guallia and Gaul"
was adopted by Malone and other editors. Gallia = Wales.
III. ii. 73. ' He shall not knit a knot in his fortunes ' (which are now as it
were unravelled).
III. iii. 42. '■ Hwue I caught thee'; probably the reading of the Quarto
which omits ' thee ' is the more correct ; Falstaff quotes from the second
song in Sydney's Astrophel and Stella .- —
" Have I caught my heav'nly jewel!,
Teaching sleep most faire to be?
Now will I teach her that she
When she wakes is too-too cruell."
III. iii. 6. ' Fortune thy foe zuere not, Nature thy friend,' SO Fp F3 F4 ; " foe,
were not Nature," Fj Q3 : perhaps better, ' foe were not. Nature is thy
friend ' ; so Cap ell.
III. V. 4. The reading of the Quartos is seemingly preferable : — " Have
1 lived to be carried in a basket, and thrown into the Thames like a
a barrow of butcher's offal."
III. V. 5. ' The rogues slighted me into the river,' i.e. " Threw me in con-
temptuously ; " the Quartos read " slided me in."
IV. i. 4g. ' Hang-hog is Latin for bacon ' ; probably suggested by the famous
story told of Sir Nicholas Bacon. A prisoner named Hog, who had been
condemned to death, prayed for mercy on the score of kindred. " Ay but,"
replied the judge, " you and I cannot be of kindred unless you are hanged ;
for Hog is not Bacon till it be well hanged " (Bacon's Apophthegms).
IV. ii. 20. ' Old lunes ' ; the Folios and third Quarto read ' lines ; ' the
first and second Quartos ' vaine ; ' the correction is Theobald's ; the same
error occurs in Troilus and Cressida, II. iii. 139.
IV. ii. 97. ' The luitch of Brentford' ; an actual personage of the sixteenth
century. A tract is extant entitled " Jyl of Breyntford's Testament,"
whence it appears that the witch kept a tavern at Brentford ; in Dekker
& Webster's IVestivard Ho the following allusion is found : — " I doubt that
old hag Gillian of Brainford has bewitched me."
IV. ii. 185. 'Rag,' so Fi Fp ; F3 F4 ' hag,' adopted by Camb. Ed.
Notes MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
IV. iv. 43. ' That Fahtaffat that oak shall meet ivith us.'' After this line the
following words from the Quartos have been added in many editions: —
" We'll send him word to meet us in the field,
Disguised like Home with huge horns on his head."
IV. iv. 58. ' To pinch ' ; probably the correct reading should be ' to-pinch,'
where ' to ' is the intensitive prefix so common in old English, though it
is possible to explain it as the ordinary infinitive prefix, omitted in the
case of the former verb in the sentence.
IV. iv. 84. ' Send qtiid'/y to Sir John.' Theobald ingeniously suggested
" Quickly " for " quickly."
IV. V. 78. ' Cozen-germans ' ; the first Quarto reads : —
" For there is three sorts of cosen garmotnbles,
Is cosen all the Host of Maidenhead and Readings,"
where 'garmombles* is very possibly a perversion of Mompelgard ;
Count Frederick of Mompelgard visited Windsor in 1592 ; free post-
horses were granted him by a passport of Lord Howard.
The Count became a " Duke of Jamany " (Wirtemberg) in 1593 ; con-
siderable interest must have been taken in the Duke about 1598. A letter
to the Queen, dated August 14, 1598, is extant, in which the following
passage occurs: — "I have heard with extreme regret that some of my
enemies endeavour to calumniate me and prejudice your majesty against
me. I have given them no occasion for this. I hope that when your
majesty has discovered this report to be false, you will have greater
reason to continue your affection towards me, and give neither faith nor
credit to such vipers." In the year 1602 appeared "An Account of the
Duke's Bathing Excursion to the far-famed Kingdom of England " (f/Vi;
Rye's England as seen by Foreigners^.
V. v. 26. ' Bribed buck' so the Folios ; Theobald, " bribe bauk," adopted
by Camb. Ed. : ' a bribed buck ' was a buck cut up into portions
(Old French ^r//^fj-= ' portions of meat to be given away').
V. V. 42. ' Orphan heirs.' Theobald suggested " ouphen " (elvish) for
"orphan," and he has been followed by many editors', but the change is
unnecessary. Cp. " unfather'd heirs" II. Henry IV. IV. iv. 122.
V. v. 45, 47. ^Toyes': Ff. Camb. Ed., toys^ evidently to be read
" toyes," rhyming with " O-yes " in the previous line; similarly " un-
swept" should probably be " unswep," suggesting rhyme with "leap."
V. V. 94-96. Cp. Song of the Fairies in Lyly's Endymion.
V. V. III. ' These fair yokes' ; the first Folio reads " yoakes," the second
" okes." " Yokes " must refer to the resemblance of the buck's horns to
a yoke ; a sort of sense can be got out of ' oaks,' the antlers resembling
the branches of oaks, but the first Folio reading seems preferable.
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MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Preface.
The First Edition. Measure for Measure was first printed in the
First Folio, where it occupies pp. 61-84, ^'^d holds the fourth place
among the ' Comedies.' No direct reference to the play has been found
anterior to its publication in 1623, nor is there any record of its per-
formance before the Restoration, when Davenant produced his Laiv
against Lovers, a wretched attempt to fuse Measure for Measure and Much
Ado About Nothing into one play.
The Date of Composition. All arguments for the date of com-
position of Measure for Measure must be drawn from general considerations
of style, and from alleged allusions. As regards the latter, it has been
maintained that two passages (Act I. i. 68-71, and Act II. iv. 27-30),
offer " a courtly apology for King James I.'s stately and ungracious
demeanour on his entry into England," and various points of likeness in
the character of the Duke and James have been detected.* This evidence
by itself would be of little value, but it certainly corroborates the
zsthetic and metrical tests, which fix the date of composition about the
year 1603-4. Further, in 1607, William Barksted, an admirer of our
poet, published a poem, entitled Myrrha, the Mother of Adonis, wherein
occurs an obvious reminiscence of a passage in Measure for Measure : —
" And like as when some sudden extasie
Seizeth the nature of a sickHe man ;
When he's discerned to swoon, straight by and by
Folke to his helpe confusedly have ran ;
And seeking with their art to fetch hira backe,
So many throng, that he the ayre doth lacke."
{cp. Measure for Measure, II. iv. 24-27).
* The entry usually cited from the accounts of the Revels at Court from Oct. 1604 to
Oct. 1605 is now known to be a forgery. " By his Mat's Plaiers on Stivens night in the
Hall, a Play called ' Mesur for Mesur '" : probably, however, the forgery was based
on authentic information.
Preface MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Mr Stokes has advanced the ingenious conjecture that Barksted, as one
of the children of the Revels, may have been the original actor of the
part of Isabella.*
The strongest argument for the date 1603, generally adopted by
critics, is derived from the many links between this play and Hamlet-^
they both contain similar reflections on Life and Death, though Measure
for Measure " deals, not like Hamlet with the problems which beset one
of exceptional temperament, but with mere human nature" (W. Pater,
Appreciations, p. 179). There are, moreover, striking parallelisms of
expression in the two plays. Similarly, incidents in Measure for Measure
recall All's Well that Ends Well; Isabella and Helena seem almost twin-
sisters ; but the questions at issue concerning the latter play are too
intricate to warrant us in drawing conclusions as regards the date of the
former play.
Source of the Play. The plot of Measure for Measure was ulti-
mately derived from the Hecatommithi of Giraldi Cinthiof (Decad. 8,
Nov. 5): the direct source, however, was a dramatisation of the story
by George Whetstone, whose Prumos and Cassandra, never acted, w^as
printed in 1578. The title of this tedious production is noteworthy as
indicating the rough outline of Shakespeare's original: —
The Ri^^ht Excellent and Famous j Histori/j of Promos and Cassandra ;/ divided
into iiuo Comical Discourses, j In the frst part is shoivn,j tlie unsufferahle abuse of
a leivd Magistrate,! the virtuous behaviour of a chaste Ladij:j the uncontrolled
leivdness of a favoured Courtesan, j and the undeserved estimation of a pernicious
Parasite. I In the second part is discoursed,! ''''"' p^'f'-'^^ magnanimity of a noble
King I in checking Vice and favouring Virtue:! Wherein is shozvn! the Ruin and
Overthroiv of dishonest practices,! ivith the advancement of upright dealing,! {Cp.
Hazlitt's Shakespeare Library ; Part II. Vol. ii.)
In 1582 Whetstone included a prose version of the same story in his
Heptameron of Civil Discourses, — a version probably known to Shakespeare ;
it has even been inferred that " in this narrative he may well have caught
the first glimpse of a composition with nobler proportions."
The old play of Promos and Cassandra may claim the distinction of hav-
ing provided the rough material for Me.isure for Measure; the earlier
production should be read in order to understand, somewhat at least,
* Cp. The Chronological Order of Shakespeare's Plays; H.P.Stokes; 106-109.
t Concerning the historical basis of the story, cp. Notes and Queries, July 29th 1893 ;
in 1547 a Hungarian student in Vienna narrated the occurrence in a letter to a friend
in Sarvar : (fp. also Goulast's Histoires adntirables et inintorablcs aiivennes de Nostre
Temps, 1607). It would seem that the .suliject had already been dramatized by Claude
Rouillet in his I'hilamire, published in 1563, two years before Cinthio's Hecatommithi.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Preface
how Shakespeare has transformed his crude original ; how he has infused
into it a loftier motive ; how he has ennobled its heroine, and created
new episodes and new characters. The picture of the wronged, dejected
mistress of the moated grange is wholly Shakespeare's.
Duration of Action. The time of action consists of four days : —
Day I. Act I. Scene i. may be taken as a kind of prelude, after which
some little interval must be supposed in order to permit the new governors
of the city to settle to their work. The rest of the play is comprised in
three consecutive days.
Day 2 commences with Act I. Scene ii. and ends with Act IV. Scene ii.
Day 3 commences with Act IV. Scene ii. and ends with Act IV.
Scene iv.
Day 4 includes Act IV. Scenes v. and vi., and the whole of Act V
which is one scene only (P. A. Daniel ; On the Tlmn in Shakespeare's Plays ;
N^ezu Shakespeare Soc, 1877-79),
DRAMATIS PERSONtE.
ViNCENTio, the Duke.
AngeLO, Deputy.
EsCALUS, an ancient Lord.
Claudio, a young gentleman.
Lucio, a fantastic.
Two other gentlemen.
Provost.
Thomas, 'j
„ > tivo friars.
Peter, J "^
A Justice.
Varrius.
Elbow, a simple constable.
Froth, a foolish gentleman.
PoMPEY, servant to Mistress Overdone.
AbhorSON, an executioner.
Barnardine, a dissolute prisoner.
Isabella, sister to Claudio.
Mariana, betrothed to Angelo.
Juliet, beloved of Claudio.
FrANCISCA, a nun.
Mistress Overdone, a ba-wd.
Lords, Officers, Citizens, Boy, and Attendants.
Scene: F^ienna.
Measure for Measure.
ACT FIRST.
Scene I.
An apartment in the Duhes palace.
Enter Duke, Escalus, Lords and Attendants.
Duke. Escalus.
Escal. My lord.
Duke. Of government the properties to unfold,
Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse ;
Since I am put to know that your own science
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
My strength can give you : then no more remains,
But that to your sufficiency [you add
Due diligency] as your worth is able.
And let them work. The nature of our people, lo
Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you're as pregnant in
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember. There is our commission.
From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,
I say, bid come before us Angelo. [^Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear ?
For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply ;
Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love, 20
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power : what think you of it ?
Act I. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is Lord Angelo.
Duke. Look where he comes.
Enter Angelo.
Ang. Always obedient to your Grace's will,
I come to know your pleasure.
Duke. Angelo,
There-is a kind of character in thy life.
That to th' observer doth thy history
Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings go
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
Not light them for themselves ; for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike
As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd
But to fine issues ; nor Nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor, ^o
Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise ;
Hold therefore, Angelo : —
In our remove be thou at full ourself ;
Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Live in thy tongue and heart : old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary.
Take thy commission.
Ang. Now, good my lord.
Let there be some more test made of my metal,
MEASURE FOR MEASURE ^ct I. Sc. i.
Before so noble and so great a figure 5°
Be stamp'd upon it.
Duke. No more evasion :
We have with a Jeaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you ; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you.
As time and our concernings shall importune,
How it goes with us ; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well :
To the hopeful execution do I leave you 60
Of your commissions.
Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord,
That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it ;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple ; your scope is as mine own.
So to enforce or qualify the laws
As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand :
I'll privily away. I love the people.
But do not like to stage me to their eyes :
Though it do well, I do not relish well 70
Their loud applause and Aves vehement •,
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes !
Escal. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness !
Duke. I thank you. Fare you well. \^Exit.
Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you ; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place :
Act I. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
A power I have, but of what strength and nature 80
I am not yet instructed.
Aug. 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
And we may soon our satisfaction have
Touching that point.
Escal. I'll wait upon your honour.
\_Exeiint.
Scene II.
A street.
Enter Lticio and ttuo Gentlemen.
Lucio. If the Duke, with the other dukes, come not to
composition with the King of Hungary, why then
all the dukes fall upon the king.
First Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the
King of Hungary's !
^ec. Gent. Amen.
Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate,
that went to sea with the Ten Commandments,
but scraped one out of the table.
Sec. Gent. ' Thou shalt not steal ' } lO
Lucio. Ay, that he razed.
First Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command
the captain and all the rest from their functions :
they put forth to steal. There 's not a soldier
of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before
meat, do relish the petition well that prays for
peace.
Sec. Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it.
Lucio. I believe thee ; for I think thou never wast
where grace was said. 20
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act I. Sc. ii.
Sec. Gent. No ? a dozen times at least.
First Gent. What, in metre ?
Lucio. In any proportion or in any language.
First Gent. I think, or in any religion.
Lticio. Ay, why not ^ Grace is grace, despite of all
controversy : as, for example, thou thyself art a
wicked villain, despite of all grace.
First Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears
between us.
Lucio. I grant ; as there may between the lists and the 30
velvet. Thou art the list.
First Gent. And thou the velvet : thou art good
velvet ; thou 'rt a three-piled piece, I warrant
thee : I had as lief be a list of an English
kersey, as be piled, as thou art piled, for a
French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now .''
Lucio. I think thou dost ; and, indeed, with most
painful feeling of thy speech : I will, out of
thine own confession, learn to begin thy health ;
but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee. 40
First Gent. I think I have done myself wrong, have
I not ?
Sec. Gent. Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art
tainted or free.
Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation
comes ! I have purchased as many diseases
under her roof as come to — •
Sec. Gent. To what, I pray ?
Lucio. Judge.
Sec. Gent. To three thousand dolours a year. 50
First Gent. Ay, and more.
Lucio. A French crown more.
Act I. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
First Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me ;
but thou art full of error ; I am sound.
Liiclo. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so
sound as things that are hollow : thy bones are
hollow ; impiety has made a feast of thee.
Enter Mistress Overdone.
First Gent. How now ! which of your hips has the
most profound sciatica ?
Mrs Ov. Well, well ; there 's one yonder arrested 60
and carried to prison was worth five thousand
of you all.
Sec. Gent. Who 's that, I pray thee ?
Mrs Ov. Marry, sir, that 's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
First Gent. Claudio to prison ? 'tis not so.
Mrs Ov. Nay, but I know 'tis so : I saw him arrested ;
saw him carried away ; and, which is more, within
these three days his head to be chopped off.
Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have
it so. Art thou sure of this ? 70
Mrs Ov. I am too sure of it : and it is for getting
Madam Julietta with child.
Lucio. Believe me, this may be : he promi'^ed to meet
me two hours since, and he was ever precise in
promise-keeping.
Sec. Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something
near to the speech we had to such a purpose.
First Gent. But, most of all, agreeing with the pro-
clamation.
Lucio. Away ! let's go learn the truth of it. 80
\_Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen.
Mrs Ov. Thus, what with the war, what with the
MEASURE FOR MEASURE ^^^ ^- ^c n.
sweat, what with the gallows, and what with
poverty, I am custom-shrunk.
Enter Pompey.
How now ! what 's the news with you ?
Pom. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Mrs Ov. Well ; what has he done ?
Pom. A woman.
Mrs Ov. But what 's his offence ?
Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
Mrs Ov. What, is there a maid with child by him ? 90
Pom. No, but there 's a woman with maid by him.
You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?
Mrs Ov. What proclamation, man ?
Po7n. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be
plucked down.
Mrs Ov. And what shall become of those in the city .''
Pom. They shall stand for seed : they had gone down
too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.
Mrs Ov. But shall all our houses of resort in the
suburbs be pulled down ? lOO
Pom. To the ground, mistress.
Mrs Ov. Why, here's a change indeed in the com-
monwealth ! What shall become of me ?
Pom. Come ; fear not you : good counsellors lack no
clients : though you change your place, you need
not change your trade ; I '11 be your tapster still.
Courage ! there will be pity taken on you : you
that have worn your eyes almost out in the
service, you will be considered.
Mrs Ov. What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's no
withdraw.
Act I. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Pom. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost
to prison ; and there 's Madam Juliet. [Exeunt.
Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet and Officers.
Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world ?
Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud. Thus can the demigod Authority
Make us pay down for our offence by weight
The words of heaven ; — on whom it will, it will ; 120
On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.
Re-enter Lucio and tivo Gentlemen.
Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio ! whence comes this re-
straint ?
Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty :
As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue.
Like rats that ravin down their proper banc,
A thirsty evil ; and when we drink we die.
Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I 130
would send for certain of my creditors : and yet,
to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery
of freedom as the morality of imprisonment.
What 's thy offence, Claudio ?
Claud. What but to speak of would offend again.
Lucio. What, is 't murder ?
Claud. No.
Lucio. Lechery ?
Claud. Call it so.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act I. Sc. ii.
Prov. Away, sir ! you must go. 140
Claud. One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you.
Lucio. A hundred, if they '11 do you any good.
Is lechery so look'd after ?
Claud. Thus stands it with me : upon a true contract
I got possession of Julietta's bed :
You know the lady ; she is fast my wife.
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order : this we came not to.
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends ; 150
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
Till time had made them for us. But it chances
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment
With character too gross is writ on Juliet.
Lucio With child, perhaps ?
Claud. Unhappily, even so.
And the new Deputy now for the Duke, —
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness.
Or whether that the body public be
A horse whereon the governor doth ride.
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know 160
He can command, lets it straight feel the spur j
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in : — but this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties
Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn ; and, for a name.
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me : 'tis surely for a name. 1 70
Act I. Sc. iii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle
on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in
love, may sigh it off. Send after the Duke, and
appeal to him,
Claud. I have done so, but he 's not to be found.
I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service :
This day my sister should the cloister enter
And there receive her approbation :
Acquaint her with the danger of my state ;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends i8o
To the strict deputy ; bid herself assay him :
I have great hope in that ; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as move men; besides, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse.
And well she can persuade.
Lucio. I pray she may ; as well for the encourage-
ment of the like, which else would stand under
grievous imposition, as for the enjoying of thy
life, who I would be sorry should be thus fool- 190
ishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I '11 to her.
Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours.
Claud. Come, officer, away ! [Exeunt.
Scene III.
A monastery.
Enter Duke and Friar Thomas.
Duke. No, holy father ; throw away that thought ;
Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act I. Sc. iii.
Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.
Fri. T. May your grace speak of it r
Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you
How I have ever loved the life removed,
And held in idle price to haunt assemblies
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps. lo
I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo,
A man of stricture and firm abstinence.
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland ;
For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is received. Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me why I do this.
Fri. T. Gladly, my lord.
Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting laws,
The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds, 20
Which for this fourteen years we have let slip ;
Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave.
That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers.
Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch.
Only to stick it in their children's sight
For terror, not to use, in time the rod
Becomes more mock'd than fear'd ; so our decrees.
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead ;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart 30
Goes all decorum.
Fri. T. It rested in your Grace
To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased :
Act I. Sc. iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd
Than in Lord Angelo.
Duke. I do fear, too dreadful :
Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them
For what I bid them do : for we bid this be done,
When evil deeds have their permissive pass,
And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my
father,
I have on Angelo imposed the office ; 40
Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home.
And yet my nature never in the fight
To do in slander. And to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
Visit both prince and people : therefore, I prithee,
Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in person bear me
Like a true friar. Moe reasons for this action
At our more leisure shall I render you ;
Only, this one : 1-ord Angelo is precise ; 50
Stands at a guard with envy ; scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone : hence shall we see,
If power change purpose, what our seemers be.
\_Exeunt.
Scene IV.
A tiufinery.
Enter Isabella and Francisca.
Isab. And have you nuns no farther privileges .?
Fran. Are not these large enough ?
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act I. Sc. iv.
Isab. Yes, truly : I speak not as desiring more ;
But rather wishing a more strict restraint
Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare.
Lucio. \_with'nt\ Ho ! Peace be in this place !
Isab. Who 's that which calls ?
Fran. It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella,
Turn you the key, and know his business of him ;
You may, I may not ; you are yet unsworn.
When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men
But in the presence of the prioress : 1 1
Then, if you speak, you must not show your face ;
Or, if you show your face, you must not speak.
He calls again j I pray you, answer him. [Exit.
Isab. Peace and prosperity ! Who is 't that calls .?
Enter Lucio.
Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek-roses
Proclaim you are no less ! Can you so stead me
As bring me to the sight of Isabella,
A novice of this place, and the fair sister
To her unhappy brother Claudio ? 20
Isab. Why, ' her unhappy brother ' ? let me ask
The rather, for I now must make you know
I am that Isabella and his sister.
Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you :
Not to be weary with you, he 's in prison.
Isab. Woe me ! for what ?
Lucio. For that which, if myself might be his judge,
He should receive his punishment in thanks :
He hath got his friend with child.
Isab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio. It is true. 30
Act I. Sc. iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
I would not — though 'tis my familiar sin
With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest,
Tongue far from heart — play with all virgins so :
I hold you as a thing ensky'd and sainted ;
By your renouncement, an immortal spirit ;
And to be talk'd with in sincerity,
As with a saint.
Isab. You do blaspheme the good in mocking me.
Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus : —
Your brother and his lover have embraced : 40
As those that feed grow full, — as blossoming time,
That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
To teeming foison, — even so her plenteous womb
Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry.
Isab. Some one with child by him .? — My cousin Juliet .''
Lucio. Is she your cousin ?
Isab. Adoptedly j as school-maids change their names
By vain, though apt, affection.
Lucio. She it is.
Isab. O, let him marry her.
Lucio. This is the point.
The duke is very strangely gone from hence ; 5°
Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,
In hand, and hope of action : but we do learn
By those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings-out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs Lord Angelo ; a man whose blood
Is very snow-broth ; one who never feels
The wanton stings and motions of the sense.
But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge 60
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act I. Sc. iv.
With profits of the mind, study and fast.
He — to give fear to use and liberty,
Which have for long run by the hideous law,
As mice by lions — hath pick'd out an act,
Under whose heavy sense your brother's life
Falls into forfeit : he arrests him on it ;
And follows close the rigour of the statute.
To make him an example. All hope is gone,
Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer
To soften Angelo : and that 's my pith of business
'Twixt you and your poor brother. 7 1
Isab. Doth he so seek his life .'*
Lucio. Has censured him
Already ; and, as I hear, the provost hath
A warrant for his execution.
Isab. Alas ! what poor ability 's in me
To do him good ?
Lucio. Assay the power you have.
Isab. My power ? Alas, I doubt, —
Lucio. Our doubts are traitors.
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo,
And let him learn to know, when maidens sue, 80
Men give like gods ; but when they weep and
kneel,
All their petitions are as freely theirs
As they themselves would owe them.
Isab. I '11 see what I can do.
Lucio. But speedily.
Isab. I will about it straight ;
No longer staying but to give the Mother
Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you :
Act II. Sc i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Commend me to my brother : soon at night
I '11 send him certain word of my success.
Lucio. I take my leave of you.
Isab. Good sir, adieu. 90
\_Exeimt.
ACT SECOND.
Scene I.
A hall hi Angela^ s house.
Enter Angela, Escalus, afjd a Justice^ Provost, Officers, and
other Attendants, behind.
Ang. We must not make a scarecrow of the law,
Setting it up to fear the birds of prey.
And let it keep one shape, till custom make it
Their perch, and not their terror.
Escal. Ay, but yet
Let us be keen, and rather cut a little.
Than fall, and bruise to death. Alas, this gentleman.
Whom I would save, had a most noble father !
Let but your honour know,
Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,
That, in the working of your own affections, lo
Had time cohered with place or place with wishing.
Or that the resolute acting of your blood
Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose,
Whether you had not sometime in your life
Err'd in this point which now you censure him.
And puU'd the law upon you.
Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall. I not deny.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. i.
The jury, passing on the prisoner's life,
May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two 20
Guiltier than him they try. What 's open made to
justice,
That justice seizes : what know the laws
That thieves do pass on thieves ? 'Tis very pregnant.
The jewel that we find, we stoop and take 't.
Because we see it ; but what we do not see
We tread upon, and never think of it.
You may not so extenuate his offence
For I have had such faults ; but rather tell me,
When I, that censure him, do so offend,
Let mine own judgement pattern out my death, 30
And nothing come in partial. Sir, he must die.
Escal. Be it as your wisdom will.
Ang. Where is the provost ?
Prov. Here, if it like your honour.
Ang. See that Claudio
Be executed by nine to-morrow morning :
Bring him his confessor, let him be prepared ;
For that 's the utmost of his pilgrimage.
\F.xit Provost.
Escal. [Aside] Well, heaven forgive him ! and forgive us all!
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall :
Some run from brakes of vice, and answer none j
And some condemned for a fault alone. 40
Etiter Elboiu, atid Officers 'with Froth and Pompey.
Elb. Come, bring them away : if these be good
people in a commonweal that do nothing but use
their abuses in common houses, I know no law :
bring them away.
Act II. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Ang. How now, sir ! What 's your name ? and
what 's the matter ?
Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor Duke's
constable, and my name is Elbow : I do lean
upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before
your good honour two notorious benefactors. 50
Ang. Benefactors ? Well ; what benefactors are
they ? are they not malefactors ?
Elb. If it please your honour, I know not well what
they are : but precise villains they are, that I am
sure of; and void of all profanation in the world
that good Christians ought to have.
Escal. This comes ofF well ; here 's a wise officer.
Aug. Go to : what quality are they of ? Elbow is
your name ? why dost thou not speak, Elbow .''
Pom. He cannot, sir ; he 's out at elbow. 60
Ang. What are you, sir ?
Elb. He, sir ! a tapster, sir ; parcel-bawd -, one that
serves a bad woman ; whose house, sir, was, as
they say, plucked down in the suburbs ; and
now she professes a hot-house, which, I think, is
a very ill house too.
Escal. How know you that ?
Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest before heaven and
your honour, —
Escal. How ? thy wife ? 7°
Elb. Ay, sir ; — whom, I thank heaven, is an honest
woman, —
Escal. Dost thou detest her therefore ?
Elb. I say, sir, I will detest myself also, as well as
she, that this house, if it be not a bawd's house,
it is pity of her life, for it is a naughty house.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. i.
Escal. How dost thou know that, constable ?
Elb. Marry, sir, by my wife ; who, if she had been
a woman cardinally given, might have been
accused in fornication, adultery, and all unclean- 80
liness there.
Escal. By the woman's means ?
Elb. Ay, sir, by Mistress Overdone's means : but as
she spit in his face, so she defied him.
Pom. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so.
Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honour-
able man j prove it.
Escal. Do you hear how he misplaces ?
Pom. Sir, she came in great with child ; and long-
ing, saving your honour's reverence, for stewed 90
prunes ; sir, we had but two in the house, which
at that very distant time stood, as it were, in a
fruit-dish, a dish of some three-pence ; your
honours have seen such dishes ; they are not
China dishes, but very good dishes, —
Escal. Go to, go to : no matter for the dish, sir.
Pom. No, indeed, sir, not of a pin ; you are therein
in the right : but to the point. As I say, this
Mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and
being great-bellied, and longing, as I said, for 100
prunes ; and having but two in the dish, as I
said. Master Froth here, this very man, having
eaten the rest, as I said, and, as I say, paying
for them very honestly ; for, as you know.
Master Froth, I could not give you three-pence
again.
Froth. No, indeed.
Pom. Very well ; — you being then, if you be re-
Act II. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
membered, cracking the stones of the foresaid
prunes, — HO
Froth. Ay, so I did indeed.
Pom. Why, very well ; I telling you then, if you be
remembered, that such a one and such a one were
past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they
kept very good diet, as I told you, —
Froth. All this is true.
Pom. Why, very well, then, —
Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool : to the purpose.
What was done to Elbow's wife, that he hath
cause to complain of? Come me to what was 1 20
done to her.
Pom. Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet.
Escal. No, sir, nor I mean it not.
Pom. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your honour's
leave. And, I beseech you, look into Master
Froth here, sir ; a man of fourscore pound a
year ; whose father died at Hallowmas : — was 't
not at Hallowmas, Master Froth ? —
Froth. AU-hallond eve.
Pom. Why, very well; I hope here be truths. He, I go
sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, sir j 'twas
in the Bunch of Grapes, where, indeed, you
have a delight to sit, have you not ?
Froth. I have so ; because it is an open room, and
good for winter.
Pom. Why, very well, then ; I hope here be truths.
Ang. This will last out a night in Russia,
When nights are longest there : I '11 take my leave,
And leave you to the hearing of the cause ;
Hoping you '11 find good cause to whip them all. 140
MEASURE FOR MEASURE ^ct II. Sc. i.
Escal. I think no less. Good morrow to your lordship.
[Exit Angela.
Now, sir, come on : what was done to Elbow's
wife, once more .''
Pom. Once, sir ? there was nothing done to her once.
Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man did to
my wife.
Povi. I beseech your honour, ask me.
Escal. Well, sir j what did this gentleman to her ?
Pom. I beseech you, sir, look in this gentleman's face.
Good Master Froth, look upon his honour; 'tis 150
for a good purpose. Doth your honour mark
his face ?
Escal. Ay, sir, very well.
Pom. Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.
Escal. Well, I do so.
Pom. Doth your honour see any harm in his face }
Escal. Why, no.
Pom. I'll be supposed upon a book, his face is the
worst thing about him. Good, then j if his face
be the worst thing about him, how could Master 160
Froth do the constable's wife any harm? I would
know that of your honour.
Escal. He's in the right. Constable, what say you to it?
Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a respected
house ; next, this is a respected fellow ; and his
mistress is a respected woman.
Pom. By this hand, sir, his wife is a more respected
person than any of us all.
Elb. Varlet, thou liest; thou liest, wicked varlet ! the
time is yet to come that she was ever respected 170
with man, woman, or child.
Act II. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Potn. Sir, she was respected with him before he
married with her.
Escal. Which is the wiser here ? Justice or Iniquity }
Is this true ?
Elh. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet ! O thou wicked
Hannibal ! I respected with her before I was
married to her ! If ever I was respected with
her, or she with me, let not your worship think
me the poor Duke's officer. Prove this, thou l8o
wicked Hannibal, or I '11 have mine action of
battery on thee.
Escal. If he took you a box o' th' ear, you might have
your action of slander too.
Elh. Marry, I thank your good worship for it. "What
is 't your worship's pleasure I shall do with this
wicked caitiff?
Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some offences
in him that thou wouldst discover if thou couldst,
let him continue in his courses till thou knowest 190
what they are.
Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it. Thou seest,
thou wicked varlet, now, what's come upon thee:
thou art to continue now, thou varlet j thou art
to continue.
Escal. Where were you born, friend .''
Froth. Here in Vienna, sir.
Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year }
Froth. Yes, an 't please you, sir.
Escal. So. What trade are you of, sir } 200
Pom. A tapster ; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal. Your mistress' name .''
Pom. Mistress Overdone.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. i.
Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband ?
Pom. Nine, sir; Overdone by the last.
Escal. Nine ! Come hither to me, Master Froth.
Master Froth, I would not have you acquainted
with tapsters: they will draw you. Master Froth,
and you will hang them. Get you gone, and let
me hear no more of you. 210
Froth. I thank your worship. For mine own part, I
never come into any room in a taphouse, but I am
drawn in.
Escal. Well, no more of it, Master Froth: farewell.
[Exit Froth.'\ Come you hither to me, Master
tapster. What 's your name. Master tapster ?
Pom. Pompey.
Escal. What else ?
Potn. Bum, sir.
Escal. Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing 220
about you ; so that, in the beastliest sense, you
are Pompey the Great. Pompey, you are partly
a bawd, Pompey, howsoever you colour it in
being a tapster, are you not ? come, tell me
true : it shall be the better for you.
Pom. Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that would
live.
Escal. How would you live, Pompey .'* by being a
bawd ? What do you think of the trade,
Pompey ? is it a lawful trade .? 22o
Pom. If the law would allow it, sir.
Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey ; nor
it shall not be allowed in Vienna.
Pom, Does your worship mean to geld and splay all
the youth of the city ?
' Y
Act II. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Escal. No, Pompey.
Pom. Truly, sir, in my poor opinion, they will to't,
then. If your worship will take order for the drabs
and the knaves, you need not to fear the bawds.
Escal. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell 240
you : it is but heading and hanging.
Pom. If you head and hang all that offend that way
but for ten year together, you '11 be glad to give
out a commission for more heads : if this law
hold in Vienna ten year, I '11 rent the fairest
house in it after three-pence a bay : if you live to
see this come to pass, say Pompey told you so.
Escal. Thank you, good Pompey ; and, in requital
of your prophecy, hark you : I advise you, let
me not find you before me again upon any com- 250
plaint whatsoever ; no, not for dwelling where
you do : if I do, Pompey, I shall beat you to
your tent, and prove a shrewd Casar to you ; in
plain dealing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt :
so, for this time, Pompey, fare you well.
Pom. I thank your worship for your good counsel :
[^side] but I shall follow it as the flesh and
fortune shall better determine.
Whip me .'' No, no ; let carman whip his jade :
The valiant heart 's not whipt out of his trade. [Exit.
Escal. Come hither to me. Master Elbow ; come 261
hither. Master constable. How long have you
been in this place of constable ?
Ell^. Seven year and a half, sir.
Escal. I thought, by your readiness in the office, you
had continued in it some time. You say, seven
years together ?
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. ii.
Elb. And a half, sir.
Escal. Alas, it hath been great pains to you. They
do you wrong to put you so oft upon't: are 270
there not men in your ward sufficient to serve it ^
Elb. Faith, sir, few of any wit in such matters ; as
they are chosen, they are glad to choose me
for them ; I do it for some piece of money, and
go through with all.
Escal. Look you bring me in the names of some six
or seven, the most sufficient of your parish.
Elb. To your worship's house, sir ?
Escal. To my house. Fare you well. [Exit Elbow. '\
What 's o'clock, think you ? 280
Just. Eleven, sir.
Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me.
Just. I humbly thank you.
Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio ;
But there 's no remedy.
Just. Lord Angelo is severe.
Escal. It is but needful :
Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so ;
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe :
But yet, — poor Claudio ! There is no remedy.
Come, sir. [Exeunt. 300
Scene II.
Another room in the same.
Enter Provost and a Servant.
Serv. He 's hearing of a cause ; he will come straight ;
I '11 tell him of you.
Act II. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Prov. Pray you, do. \_Exit Servant.']
I '11 know
His pleasure ; may be he will relent. Alas,
He hath but as offended in a dream !
All sects, all ages smack of this vice ; and he
To die for 't !
Etiter Afigelo.
Aug. Now, what 's the matter, provost ?
Prov. Is it your will Claudio shall die to-morrow }
Ang. Did not I tell thee yea ? hadst thou not order ?
Why dost thou ask again ?
Prov. Lest I might be too rash :
Under your good correction, I have seen, lo
When, after execution, Judgement hath
Repented o'er his doom.
Ang. Go to ; let that be mine :
Do you your office, or give up your place,
And you shall well be spared.
Prov. I crave your honour's pardon.
What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet ?
She 's very near her hour.
Ang. Dispose of her
To some more fitter place, and that with speed.
Re-enter Servant.
Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd
Desires access to you.
Ang. Hath he a sister ?
Prov. Ay, my good lord ; a very virtuous maid, 20
And to be shortly of a sisterhood.
If not already.
Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [_Exit Servant.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. ii.
See you the fornicatress be removed :
Let her have needful, but not lavish, means ;
There shall be order for 't.
Enter Isabella a fid Luc'io.
Prov. God save your honour !
Aug. Stay a little while. \To IsaL] You 're welcome :
what 's your will ?
Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your honour,
Please but your honour hear me.
A7!g. Well ; what 's your suit ?
Isak There is a vice that most I do abhor.
And most desire should meet the blow of justice ;
For which I would not plead, but that I must ; 21
For which I must not plead, but that I am
At war 'twixt will and will not.
A/ig. Well ; the matter ?
Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die :
I do beseech you, let it be his fault,
And not my brother.
Prov. [Aside] Heaven give thee moving graces !
Af!g. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it .''
Why, every fault 's condemn'd ere it be done :
Mine were the very cipher of a function,
To fine the faults whose fine stands in record, 40
And let go by the actor.
Isab. O just but severe law !
I had a brother, then. — Heaven keep your honour !
Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Give 't not o'er so : to him again,
entreat him ;
Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown :
You are too cold ; if you should need a pin,
Act II. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
You could not with more tame a tongue desire it :
To him, I say !
Isab. Must he needs die ?
Ang. Maiden, no remedy.
Isab. Yes ; I do think that you might pardon him,
And neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy. 5*^
Ang. I will not do't.
Isab. But can you, if you would ?
Atig. Look, what I ^vill not, that I cannot do.
Isab. But might you do't, and do the world no wrong,
If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse
As mine is to him ?
Ang. He 's sentenced ; 'tis too late.
Lticio. \Aside to Isab^ You are too cold.
Isab. Too late ? why, no j I, that do speak a word,
May call it back again. Well, believe this,
No ceremony that to great ones 'longs.
Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, 60
The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does.
If he had been as you, and you as he.
You would have slipt like him; but he, like you,
Would not have been so stern.
Ang. Pray you, be gone.
Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency.
And you were Isabel ! should it then be thus ?
No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge,
And what a prisoner.
Lucio. [Aside to Isnh?^ Ay, touch him ; there 's the vein.
Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law, 71
And you but waste your words.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. ii.
Isab. Alas, alas !
"Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once ;
And He that might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be,
If He, which is the top of judgement, should
But judge you as you are ? O, think on that ;
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.
Ang. Be you content, fair maid ;
It is the law, not I condemn your brother : 80
Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son.
It should be thus with him : he must die to-morrow.
Isab. To-morrow ! O, that 's sudden ! Spare him, spare
him !
He 's not prepared for death. Even for our kitchens
We kill the fowl of season : shall we serve heaven
With less respect than we do minister
To our gross selves.'' Good, good my lord, bethink
you ;
Who is it that hath died for this offence ?
There 's many have committed it.
Liicio. \Aside to Isab^ Ay, well said.
Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept :
Those many had not dared to do that evil, 91
If the first that did the edict infringe
Had answer'd for his deed : now 'tis awake.
Takes note of what is done ; and, like a prophet.
Looks in a glass, that shows what future evils.
Either now, or by remissness new-conceived,
And so in progress to be hatch'd and born.
Are now to have no successive degrees.
But, ere they live, to end.
Act II. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Isab. Yet show some pity.
Aug. I show it most of all when I show justice ; loo
For then I pity those I do not know,
Which a dismiss'd ofFence would after gall ;
And do him right that, answering one foul wrong.
Lives not to act another. Be satisfied ;
Your brother dies to-morrow ; be content.
Isab. So you must be the first that gives this sentence,
And he, that suffers. O, it is excellent
To have a giant's strength ; but it is tyrannous
To use it like a giant.
Liicio. [Aside to Isab.~\ That 's well said.
Isab. Could great men thunder lio
As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet,
For every pelting, petty officer
Would use his heaven for thunder.
Nothing but thunder ! Merciful Heaven,
Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt
Split'st the unwcdgcable and gnarled oak
Than the soft myrtle : but man, proud man,
Drest in a little brief authority.
Most ignorant of what he 's most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape, 120
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As make the angels weep ; who, with our spleens,
Would all themselves laugh mortal.
Lucio. \_Aside to Isab.'] 0,tohim, tohim, wench! he will relent;
He's coming; I perceive 't.
Prov. [Aside] Pray heaven she win him !
Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself :
Great men may jest with saints ; 'tis wit in them,
But in the less foul profanation.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. ii.
Ludo. Thou 'rt i' the right, girl ; more o' that.
Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric word, 130
Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy,
Ltic'io. [Aside to Isab.'] Art avised o' that ? more on 't.
Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me ?
Isab. Because authority, though it err like others,
Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself,
That skins the vice o' the top. Go to your bosom ;
Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know
That 's like my brother's fault : if it confess
A natural guiltiness such as is his,
Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue 140
Against my brother's life,
-^ng- [Aside] She speaks, and 'tis
Such sense, that my sense breeds with it. Fare
you well.
Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back.
Afig. I will bethink me ; come again to-morrow.
Isab. Hark how I'll bribe you : good my lord, turn back.
Ang. How ? bribe me ?
Isab. Ay, with such gifts that heaven shall share with you.
Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] You had marr'd all else.
Isab. Not with fond sides of the tested gold.
Or stones whose rates are either rich or poor 150
As fancy values them ; but with true prayers
That shall be up at heaven and enter there
Ere sun-rise, prayers from preserved souls.
From fasting maids whose minds are dedicate
To nothing temporal.
^"g- Well ; come to me to-morrow.
Lucio. [Aside to Isab.] Go to ; 'tis well ; away !
Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe !
Act II. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Ang. [^Asicle] Amen :
For I am that way going to temptation,
Where prayers cross.
Lab. At what hour to-morrow
Shall I attend your worship ?
Aug. At any time 'fore noon. i6o
Isab. 'Save your honour !
\^Exeunt Isabella, Lucio, and Provost.
Ang. From thee, — even from thy virtue !
What's this, what's this ? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter or the tempted, who sins most }
Ha!
Not she ; nor doth she tempt : but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman's lightness .'' Having waste ground
enough, 170
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary.
And pitch our evils there ? O, fie, fie, fie !
What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo ?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good } O, let her brother live :
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her.
That I desire to hear her speak again.
And feast upon her eyes ? What is 't I dream on ?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, 180
With saints dost bait thy hook ! Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To sin in loving virtue : never could the strumpet,
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. iii.
With all her double vigour, art and nature,
Once stir my temper ; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Ever till now,
When men were fond, I smiled, and wonder'd how.
[Exit.
Scene III.
^ room in a prison.
Enter, severally, Duke disguised as a friar, and Provost.
Duke. Hail to you, provost ! so I think you are.
Prov. I am the provost. What's your will, good friar?
Duke. Bound by my charity and my blest order,
I come to visit the afflicted spirits
Here in the prison. Do me the common right
To let me see them, and to make me know
The nature of their crimes, that I may minister
To them accordingly.
Prov. I would do more than that, if more were needful.
Enter Juliet.
Look, here comes one : a gentlewoman of mine, lo
Who, falling in the flaws of her own youth.
Hath blister'd her report : she is with child ;
And he that got it, sentenced ; a young man
More fit to do another such offence
Than die for this.
Duke. When must he die?
Prov. As I do think, to-morrow.
I have provided for you : stay awhile, \To Juliet.
And you shall be conducted.
Duke. Repent you, fair one, of the sin you carry ?
Jul. I do ; and bear the shame most patiently. 20
Act II. Sc. iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duke. I'll teach you how you shall arraign your conscience,
And try your penitence, if it be sound,
Or hollowly put on.
Jul. I'll gladly learn.
Duke. Love you the man that wrong'd you .''
Jul. Yes, as I love the woman that wrong'd him.
Duke. So, then, it seems your most ofFenceful act
Was mutually committed.''
,////. Mutually.
Duke. Then was your sin of heavier kind than his.
Jul. I do confess it, and repent it, father.
Duke. 'Tis meet so, daughter: but lest you do repent, 30
As that the sin hath brought you to this shame,
Which sorrow is always toward ourselves, not heaven,
Showing we would not spare heaven as we love it.
But as we stand in fear, —
Jul. I do repent me, as it is an evil,
And take the shame with joy.
Duke. There rest.
Your partner, as I hear, must die to-morrow,
And I am going with instruction to him.
Grace go with you, Beiiediclte ! \_Exit.
Jul. Must die to-morrow ! O injurious love, 40
That respites me a life, whose very comfort
Is still a dying horror !
Prov. 'Tis pity of him. [Exeunt.
Scene IV.
A room in Angela s house.
Enter Angela.
Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. iv.
To several subjects. Heaven hath my empty words -,
Whilst my invention, hearing not my tongue,
Anchors on Isabel : Heaven in my mouth,
As if I did but only chew his name ;
And in my heart the strong and swelling evil
Of my conception. The state, whereon I studied.
Is like a good thing, being often read.
Grown fear'd and tedious ; yea, my gravity,
Wherein — let no man hear me — I take pride, ro
Could I with boot change for an idle plume.
Which the air beats for vain. O place, O form.
How often dost thou with thy case, thy habit,
Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wiser souls
To thy false seeming ! Blood, thou art blood :
Let's write good angel on the devil's horn ;
'Tis not the devil's crest.
Enter a Servant.
How now ! who 's there ?
Serv. One Isabel, a sister, desires access to you.
^fig. Teach her the way. O heavens !
Why does my blood thus muster to my heart, 20
Making both it unable for itself.
And dispossessing all my other parts
Of necessary fitness ?
So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons ;
Come all to help him, and so stop the air
By which he should revive : and even so
The general subject to a well-wish'd king
Quit their own part, and in obsequious fondness
Crowd to his presence, where their untaught love
Must needs appear offence.
Act II. Sc, iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Enter Isabella.
How now, fair maid ? 30
Isab. I am come to know your pleasure.
Ang. That you might know it, would much better please me
Than to demand what 'tis. Your brother cannot live.
Isab. Even so. — Heaven keep your honour !
Ang. Yet may he live awhile ; and, it may be,
As long as you or I : yet he must die.
Isab. Under your sentence .?
Ang. Yea.
Isab. When, I beseech you ? that in his reprieve,
Longer or shorter, he may be so fitted 40
That his soul sicken not.
Ang. Ha ! fie, these filthy vices ! It were as good
To pardon him that hath from nature stolen
A man already made, as to remit
Their saucy sweetness that do coin heaven's image
In stamps that are forbid : 'tis all as easy
Falsely to take away a life true made.
As to put metal in restrained means
To make a false one.
Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. 50
Ang. Say you so ? then I shall pose you quickly.
Which had you rather, — that the most just law
Now took your brother's life ; or, to redeem him,
Give up your body to such sweet uncleanness
As she that he hath stain'd !
Isab. Sir, believe this,
I had rather give my body than my soul.
Ang. I talk not of your soul : our compell'd sins
Stand more for number than for accompt.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. iv.
Isab. How say you ?
Ang. Nay, I '11 not warrant that ; for I can speak
Against the thing I say. Answer to this : — 6o
I, now the voice of the recorded law,
Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life :
Might there not be a charity in sin
To save this brother's life ?
Isab. Please you to do't,
I '11 take it as a peril to my soul,
It is no sin at all, but charity.
Ang. Pleased you to do 't at peril of your soul,
Were equal poise of sin and charity.
Isab. That I do beg his life, if it be sin.
Heaven let me bear it ! you granting of my suit, 70
If that be sin, I '11 make it my morn prayer
To have it added to the faults of mine.
And nothing of your answer.
Ang. Nay, but hear me.
Your sense pursues not mine : either you are ignorant.
Or seem so, craftily ; and that 's not good.
Isab. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good.
But graciously to know I am no better.
Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright
When it doth tax itself; as these black masks
Pi-oclaim an enshield beauty ten times louder 80
Than beauty could, display'd. But mark me;
To be received plain, I '11 speak more gross :
Your brother is to die.
Isab. So.
Ang. And his offence is so, as it appears.
Accountant to the law upon that pain.
Isab. True.
Act II. Sc. iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, —
As I subscribe not that, nor any other,
But in the loss of question, — that you, his sister, 90
Finding yourself desired of such a person,
Whose credit with the judge, or own great place.
Could fetch your brother from the manacles
Of the all-building law ; and that there were
No earthly mean to save him, but that either
You must lay down the treasures of your body
To this supposed, or else to let him suffer ;
What would you do ?
Isnb. As much for my poor brother as myself:
That is, were I under the terms of death, loo
The impression of keen whips I 'Id wear as rubies,
And strip myself to death, as to a bed
That longing have been sick for, ere I 'Id yield
My body up to shame.
At7g. Then must your brother die.
Isab. And 'twere the cheaper way :
Better it were a brother died at once,
Than that a sister, by redeeming him,
Should die for ever.
Ang. Were not you, then, as cruel as the sentence
That you have slander'd so .'* 1 10
Isab. Ignomy in ransom and free pardon
Are of two houses : lawful mercy
Is nothing kin to foul redemption.
Atig. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant ;
And rather proved the sliding of your brother
A merriment than a vice.
Isab. O, pardon me, my lord ; it oft falls out.
To have what we wou Id have, we speak not what we mean:
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act II. Sc. iv.
I something do excuse the thing I hate,
For his advantage that I dearly love. 120
Ang. We are all frail.
Lab. Else let my brother die,
If not a feodary, but only he
Owe and succeed thy weakness.
Ang. Nay, women are frail too.
Isab. Ay, as the glasses where they view themselves ;
Which are as easy broke as they make forms.
Women ! — Help Heaven ! men their creation mar
In profiting by them. Nay, call us ten times frail ;
For we are soft as our complexions are,
And credulous to false prints.
Aug. I think it well : 1 30
And from this testimony of your own sex, —
Since, I suppose, we are made to be no stronger
Than faults may shake our frames, — let me be
bold ;—
I do arrest your words. Be that you are,
That is, a woman ; if you be more, you 're none ;
If you be one, — as you are well express'd
By all external warrants, — show it now,
By putting on the destined livery.
Isab. I have no tongue but one : gentle my lord,
Let me entreat you speak the former language. 140
Ang. Plainly conceive, I love you.
Isab. My brother did love Juliet,
And you tell me that he shall die for it.
Ang. He shall not, Isabel, if you give me love.
Isab. I know your virtue hath a license in 't,
Which seems a little fouler than it is.
To pluck on others.
Act II. Sc. iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Aug. Believe me, on mine honour,
My words express my purpose.
Isab. Ha ! little honour to be much believed,
And most pernicious purpose ! — Seeming, seeming ! —
I will proclaim thee, Angelo ; look for 't : 151
Sign me a present pardon for my brother.
Or with an outstretch'd throat 1 '11 tell the world aloud
What man thou art.
Atig. Who will believe thee, Isabel }
My unsoil'd name, the austereness of my life,
My vouch against you, and my place i' the state,
Will so your accusation overweigh.
That you shall stifle in your own report,
And smell of calumny. I have begun ;
And now I give my sensual race the rein : 160
Fit thy consent to my sharp appetite ;
Lay by all nicety and prolixious blushes.
That banish what they sue for j redeem thy brother
By yielding up thy body to my will ;
Or else he must not only die the death,
But thy unkindness shall his death draw out
To lingering sufferance. Answer me to-morrow.
Or, by the affection that now guides me most,
I'll prove a tyrant to him. As for you.
Say what you can, my false o'erwcighs your true, i 70
[^Exit.
Isab. To whom should I complain ? Did I tell this.
Who would believe me ? O perilous mouths.
That bear in them one and the self-same tongue,
Either of condemnation or approof;
Bidding the law make court'sy to their will :
Hooking both right and wrong to the appetite.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. i.
To follow as it draws ! I '11 to my brother :
Though he hath fall'n by prompture of the blood,
Yet hath he in him such a mind of honour,
That, had he twenty heads to tender down 1 80
On twenty bloody blocks, he 'Id yield them up,
Before his sister should her body stoop
To such abhorr'd pollution.
Then, Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die :
More than our brother is our chastity.
I'll tell him yet of Angelo's request.
And fit his mind to death, for his soul's rest. [Exit.
ACT THIRD.
Scene I.
j4 room in the prison.
Enter Duke disguised as before, Claudio, and Provost.
Duke. So, then, you hope of pardon from Lord Angelo ?
Claud. The miserable have no other medicine
But only hope :
I 've hope to live, and am prepared to die.
Duke. Be absolute for death ; either death or life
Shall thereby be the sweeter. Reason thus with life :
If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing
That none but fools would keep : a breath thou art,
Servile to all the skyey influences.
That dost this habitation, where thou keep'st, 10
Hourly afflict : merely, thou art death's fool ;
For him thou labour'st by thy flight to shun,
And yet runn'st toward him still. Thou art not noble;
For all the accommodations that thou bear'st
Act III. Sc. f. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Are nursed by baseness. Thou 'rt by no means valiant;
For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork
Of a poor worm. Thy best of rest is sleep.
And that thou oft provokest ; yet grossly fear'st
Thy death, which is no more. Thou art not thyself;
For thou exist'st on many a thousand grains 20
That issue out of dust. Happy thou art not ;
For what thou hast not, still thou strivest to get,
And what thou hast, forget'st. Thou art not certain ;
For thy complexion shifts to strange effects,
After the moon. If thou art rich, thou 'rt poor ;
For, like an ass whose back with ingots bows.
Thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey.
And death unloads thee. Friend hast thou none ;
For thine own bowels, which do call thee sire,
The mere effusion of thy proper loins, 30
Do curse the gout, serpigo, and the rheum,
For ending thee no sooner. Thou hast nor youth nor age,
But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep,
Dreaming on both ; for all thy blessed youth
Becomes as aged, and doth beg the alms
Of palsied eld ; and when thou art old and rich,
Thou hast neither heat, affection, limb, nor beauty,
To make thy riches pleasant. What 's yet in this
That bears the name of life ? Yet in this life
Lie hid moe thousand deaths : yet death we fear, 40
That makes these odds all even.
Claud. I humbly thank you.
To sue to live, I find I seek to die ;
And, seeking death, find life : let it come on.
Lab. [within] What, ho ! Peace here ; grace and good
company !
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. i.
Prov. Who 's there ? come in : the wish deserves a
welcome.
Duke. Dear sir, ere long, I'll visit you again.
Claud. Most holy sir, I thank you.
Enter Isabella.
Lab. My business is a word or two with Claudio.
Prov. And very welcome. Look, signior, here's your sister.
Duke. Provost, a word with you. 50
Prov. As many as you please.
Duke. Bring me to hear them speak, where I may be
concealed. [Exeu/it Duke and Provost.
Claud. Now, sister, what 's the comfort ?
Isab. Why,
As all comforts are ; most good, most good indeed.
Lord Angelo, having affairs to heaven,
Intends you for his swift ambassador.
Where you shall be an everlasting leiger :
Therefore your best appointment make with speed ;
To-morrow you set on.
Claud. Is there no remedy ? 61
Isab. None, but such remedy as, to save a head.
To cleave a heart in twain.
Claud. But is there any ?
Isab. Yes, brother, you may live :
There is a devilish mercy in the judge,
If you '11 implore it, that will free your life,
But fetter you till death.
Claud. Perpetual durance ?
Isab. Ay, just ; perpetual durance, a restraint,
Though all the world's vastidity you had,
To a determined scope.
Act III. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Claud. But in what nature ? 70
Lab. In such a one as, you consenting to 't,
"Would bark your honour from that trunk you bear,
And leave you naked.
Claud. Let me know the point.
Isab. O, I do fear thee, Claudio ; and I quake,
Lest thou a feverous life shouldst entertain,
And six or seven winters more respect
Than a perpetual honour. Barest thou die ?
The sense of death is most in apprehension j
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great 80
As when a giant dies.
Claud. Why give you me this shame ?
Think you I can a resolution fetch
From flowery tenderness .'' If I must die,
I will encounter darkness as a bride,
And hug it in mine arms.
Isab. There spake my brother ; there my father's grave
Did utter forth a voice. Yes, thou must die :
Thou art too noble to conserve a life
In base appliances. This outward-sainted deputy.
Whose settled visage and deliberate word 90
Nips youth i' the head, and follies doth emmew
As falcon doth the fowl, is yet a devil ;
His filth within being cast, he would appear
A pond as deep as hell.
Claud. The prenzie Angelo !
Isab. O, 'tis the cunning livery of hell,
The damned'st body to invest and cover
In prenzie guards ? Dost thou think, Claudio? —
If I would yield him my virginity,
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. i.
Thou mightst be freed.
Claud. O heavens ! it cannot be.
Isab. Yes, he would give 't thee, from this rank offence,
So to offend him still. This night's the time loi
That I should do what I abhor to name.
Or else thou diest to-morrow.
Claud. Thou shalt not do't.
Isab. O, were it but my life,
I 'Id throw it down for your deliverance
As frankly as a pin.
Claud. Thanks, dear Isabel.
Isab. Be ready, Claudio, for your death to-morrow.
Claud. Yes. Has he affections in him.
That thus can make him bite the law by the nose,
When he would force it ? Sure, it is no sin ; i lo
Or of the deadly seven it is the least.
Isab. Which is the least ?
Claud. If it were damnable, he being so wise.
Why would he for the momentary trick
Be perdurably fined ? — O Isabel !
Isab. What says my brother ?
Claud. Death is a fearful thing.
Isab. And shamed life a hateful.
Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where ;
To lie in cold obstruction and to rot ;
This sensible warm motion to become 120
A kneaded clod ; and the delighted spirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside
In thrilling region of thick-ribbed ice ;
To be imprison'd in the viewless winds,
And blown with restless violence round about
The pendent world j or to be worse than worst
Act III. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Of those that lawless and incertain thought
Imagine howling : — 'tis too horrible !
The weariest and most loathed worldly life
That age, ache, penury, and imprisonment 130
Can lay on nature is a paradise
To what we fear of death.
Isab. Alas, alas !
Claud. Sweet sister, let me live :
What sin you do to save a brother's life,
Nature dispenses with the deed so far
That it becomes a virtue.
Isab. O you beast !
O faithless coward ! O dishonest wretch !
Wilt thou be made a man out of my vice ^
Is 't not a kind of incest, to take life
From thine own sister's shame ? What should I think ?
Heaven shield my mother play'd my father fair ! 141
For such a warped slip of wilderness
Ne'er issued from his blood. Take my defiance !
Die, perish ! Might but my bending down
Reprieve thee from thy fate, it should proceed :
I'll pray a thousand prayers for thy death,
No word to save thee.
Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel.
Isab. O, fie, fie, fie !
Thy sin 's not accidental, but a trade.
Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd : 150
'Tis best that thou diest quickly.
Claud. O, hear me, Isabella !
Re-enter Duke.
Duke. Vouchsafe a word, young sister, but one word.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. i.
Isab. What is your will ?
Duke. Might you dispense with your leisure, I would
by and by have some speech with you : the
satisfaction I would require is likewise your
own benefit.
Isab. I have no superfluous leisure -, my stay must
be stolen out of other affairs ; but I will attend
you awhile. \Walks apart. 1 60
Duke. Son, I have overheard what hath passed be-
tween you and your sister. Angelo had never
the purpose to corrupt her ; only he hath made
an assay of her virtue to practise his judgement
with the disposition of natures : she, having the
truth of honour in her, hath made him that
gracious denial which he is most glad to receive.
I am confessor to Angelo, and I know this to
be true ; therefore prepare yourself to death : do
not satisfy your resolution with hopes that are 1 70
fallible : to-morrow you must die ; go to your
knees, and make ready.
Claud. Let me ask my sister pardon. I am so out of
love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it.
Duke. Hold you there : farewell. [^Exit C/audio.']
Provost, a word with you !
Re-enter Provost.
Prov. What 's your will, father .?
Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone. Leave
me awhile with the maid : my mind promises with
my habit no loss shall touch her by my company. 180
Prov. In good time.
[Exit Provost. Isabella comes for ivard.
Act III. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duke. The hand that hath made you fair hath made
you good : the goodness that is cheap in beauty
makes beauty brief in goodness ; but grace, being
the soul of your complexion, shall keep the
body of it ever fair. The assault that Angelo
hath made to you, fortune hath conveyed to my
understanding ; and, but that frailty hath ex-
amples for his falling, I should wonder at
Angelo. How will you do to content this 190
substitute, and to save your brother ?
Isab. I am now going to resolve him : I had rather
my brother die by the law than my son should
be unlawfully born. But, O, how much is the
good Duke deceived in Angelo ! If ever he
return and I can speak to him, I will open my
lips in vain, or discover his government.
Duke. That shall not be much amiss : yet, as the
matter now stands, he will avoid your accusa-
tion ; he made trial of you only. Therefore 200
fasten your ear on my advisings : to the love I
have in doing good a remedy presents itself. I
do make myself believe that you may most up-
righteously do a poor wronged lady a merited
benefit ; redeem your brother from the angry
law ; do no stain to your own gracious person ;
and much please the absent Duke, if peradven-
ture he shall ever return to have hearing of this
business.
Isab. Let me hear you speak farther. I have spirit 210
to do any thing that appears not foul in the
truth of my spirit.
Duke. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. i.
Have you not heard speak of Mariana, the
sister of Frederick the great soldier who mis-
carried at sea ?
Lab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went
with her name.
Duke. She should this Angelo have married ; was
affianced to her by oath, and the nuptial ap- 220
pointed : between which time of the contract
and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick
was wrecked at sea, having in that perished
vessel the dowry of his sister. But mark how
heavily this befell to the poor gentlewoman :
there she lost a noble and renowned brother, in
his love toward her ever most kind and natural ;
with him, the portion and sinew of her fortune,
her marriage-dowry; with both, her combinate
husband, this well-seeming Angelo. 230
Isab. Can this be so ? did Angelo so leave her ?
Duke. Left her in her tears, and dried not one of them
with his comfort; swallowed his vows whole, pre-
tending in her discoveries of dishonour: in few,
bestowed her on her own lamentation, which she
yet wears for his sake ; and he, a marble to her
tears, is washed with them, but relents not.
Isab. What a merit were it in death to take this
poor maid from the world ! What corruption
in this life, that it will let this man live ! But 240
how out of this can she avail ?
Duke. It is a rupture that you may easily heal : and
the cure of it not only saves your brother, but
keeps you from dishonour in doing it.
Isab. Show me how, good father.
Act III. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duh'. This forenamed maid hath yet in her the con-
tinuance of her first affection : his unjust unkind-
ness, that in all reason should have quenched her
love, hath, like an impediment in the current,
made it more violent and unruly. Go you to 250
Angelo ; answer his requiring with a plausible
obedience ; agree with his demands to the point ;
only refer yourself to this advantage, first, that
your stay with him may not be long ; that the
time may have all shadow and silence in it ; and
the place answer to convenience. This being
granted in course, — and now follows all, — we
shall advise this wronged maid to stead up your
appointment, go in your place ; if the encounter
acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him 260
to her recompence : and here, by this, is your
brother saved, your honour untainted, the poor
Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt Deputy
scaled. The maid will I frame and make fit for
his attempt. If you think well to carry this as
you may, the doubleness of the benefit defends
the deceit from reproof. What think you of it }
Isab. The image of it gives me content already •, and
I trust it will grow to a most prosperous per-
fection. 270
Duke. It lies much in your holding up. Haste you
speedily to Angelo : if for this night he entreat
you to his bed, give him promise of satisfaction.
I will presently to Saint Luke's : there, at the
moated grange, resides this dejected Mariana.
At that place call upon me ; and dispatch with
Angelo, that it may be quickly.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. ii.
Lab. I thank you for this comfort. Fare you well,
good father. \Exeunt severally.
Scene II.
The street before the prison.
Enter, on one side, Duke disguised as before ; on the
other. Elbow, and Officers with Pompey.
Elb. Nay, if there be no remedy for it, but that you
will needs buy and sell men and women hke
beasts, we shall have all the world drink brown
and white bastard.
Duke. O heavens ! what stuff is here ?
Pom. 'Twas never merry world since, of two usuries,
the merriest was put down, and the worser
allowed by order of law a furred gown to keep
him warm ; and furred with fox and lamb-skins
too, to signify, that craft, being richer than inno- lo
cency, stands for the facing.
Elb. Come your way, sir. 'Bless you, good father
friar.
Duke. And you, good brother father. What offence
hath this man made you, sir ?
Elb. Marry, sir, he hath offended the law : and, sir,
we take him to be a thief too, sir ; for we have
found upon him, sir, a strange picklock, which
we have sent to the Deputy
Duke. Fie, sirrah ! a bawd, a wicked bawd ! 20
The evil that thou causest to be done.
That is thy means to live. Do thou but think
Act III. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
What 'tis to cram a maw or clothe a back
From such a filthy vice : say to thyself,
From their abominable and beastly touches
I drink, I eat, array myself, and live.
Canst thou believe thy living is a life.
So stinkingly depending ? Go mend, go mend.
Pom. Indeed, it does stink in some sort, sir; but yet,
sir, I would prove — 30
Dtihe. Nay, if the devil have given thee proofs for sin.
Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prison, officer :
Correction and instruction must both work
Ere this rude beast will profit.
Elb. He must before the Deputy, sir ; he has given
him warning : the Deputy cannot abide a whore-
master : if he be a whoremonger, and comes
before him, he were as good go a mile on his
errand.
Dtihe. That we were all, as some would seem to be, 40
Free from our faults, as faults from seeming free !
Elb. His neck will come to your waist, — a cord, sir.
Pom. I spy comfort ; I cry bail. Here 's a gentleman
and a friend of mine.
Enter Liicio.
Luc'io. How now, noble Pompey ! What, at the
wheels of Caesar ? art thou led in triumph "i
What, is there none of Pygmalion's images,
newly made woman, to be had now, for putting
the hand in the pocket and extracting it clutched ?
What reply, ha? What sayest thou to this tune, 50
matter and method ? Is 't not drowned i' the last
rain, ha ? What sayest thou, Trot r Is the world
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. ii.
as it was, man ? Which is the way ? Is it sad,
and few words ? or how ? The trick of it ?
Duke. Still thus, and thus; still worse!
Lucio. How doth my dear morsel, thy mistress ?
Procures she still, ha ?
Pom. Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and
she is herself in the tub.
Lucio. Why, 'tis good ; it is the right of it ; it must 60
be so: ever your fresh whore and your powdered
bawd : an unshunned consequence j it must be
so. Art going to prison, Pompey .''
Pom. Yes, faith, sir.
Lucio. Why, 'tis not amiss, Pompey. Farewell : go
say I sent thee thither. For debt, Pompey ?
or how ?
Elb. For being a bawd, for being a bawd.
Lucio. Well, then, imprison him : if imprisonment be
the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right : bawd is 70
he doubtless, and of antiquity too ; bawd-born.
Farewell, good Pompey. Commend me to the
prison, Pompey : you will turn good husband
now, Pompey ; you will keep the house.
Pom. I hope, sir, your good worship will be my
bail.
Lucio. No, indeed, will I not, Pompey ; it is not the
wear. I will pray, Pompey, to increase your
bondage : if you take it not patiently, why, your
mettle is the more. Adieu, trusty Pompey. 80
'Bless you, friar.
Duke. And you.
Lucio. Does Bridget paint still, Pompey, ha ?
Elb. Come your ways, sir ; come.
Act III. Sc. a. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Pom. You will not bail me, then, sir ?
Lucio. Then, Pompey, nor now. What news abroad,
friar ? what news .'*
Elb. Come your ways, sir ; come.
Lucio. Go to kennel, Pompey ; go. \Exeunt Elbow,
Pompey a/id Ojfficers.~\ What news, friar, of the 90
Duke ?
Duke. I know none. Can you tell me of any .''
Lucio. Some say he is with the Emperor of Russia ;
other some, he is in Rome : but where is he,
think you ^
Duke. I know not where ; but wheresoever, I wish
him well.
Lucio. It was a mad fantastical trick of him to steal
from the state, and usurp the beggary he was
never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in 100
his absence ; he puts transgression to 't.
Duke. He does well in 't.
Lucio. A little more lenity to lechery would do no
harm in him : something too crabbed that way,
friar.
Duke. It is too general a vice, and severity must cure
it.
Lucio. Yes, in good sooth, the vice is of a great kin-
dred ; it is well allied : but it is impossible to
extirp it quite, friar, till eating and drinking be iio
put down. They say this Angelo was not made
by man and woman after this downright way of
creation : is it true, think you ?
Duke. How should he be made, then ?
Lucio. Some report a sea-maid spawned him ; some,
that he was begot between two stock-fishes. But
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. ii.
it is certain that, when he makes water, his urine
is congealed ice ; that I know to be true : and
he is a motion generative ; that 's infallible.
Duke. You are pleasant, sir, and speak apace. 1 20
Lucio. Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for
the rebellion of a codpiece to take away the life
of a man ! Would the Duke that is absent have
done this ? Ere he would have hanged a man
for the getting a hundred bastards, he would
have paid for the nursing a thousand : he had
some feeling of the sport ; he knew the service,
and that instructed him to mercy.
Duke. I never heard the absent Duke much detected
for women ; he was not inclined that way. 1 30
Lucio. O, sir, you are deceived.
Duke. 'Tis not possible.
Lucio. Who, not the Duke ? yes, your beggar of fifty ;
and his use was to put a ducat in her clack-dish :
the Duke had crotchets in him. He would be
drunk too ; that let me inform you.
Duke. You do him wrong, surely.
Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his. A shy fellow
was the Duke : and I believe I know the cause
of his withdrawing. I40
Duke. What, I prithee, might be the cause ?
Lucio. No, pardon ; 'tis a secret must be locked within
the teeth and the lips : but this I can let you
understand, the greater file of the subject held
the Duke to be wise.
Duke. Wise ! why, no question but he was.
Lucio. A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing
fellow.
' A2
Act III. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking :
the very stream of his life and the business he 150
hath helmed must, upon a warranted need, give
him a better proclamation. Let him be but
testimonied in his own bringings-forth, and he
shall appear to the envious a scholar, a statesman
and a soldier. Therefore you speak unskilfully j
or if your knowledge be more, it is much darkened
in your malice.
Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him.
Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and know-
ledge with dearer love. 160
Lucio. Come, sir, I know what I know.
Duke. I can hardly believe that, since you know not
what you speak. But, if ever the Duke return,
as our prayers are he may, let me desire you to
make your answer before him. If it be honest
you have spoke, you have courage to maintain
it : I am bound to call upon you ; and, I pray
you, your name .''
Lucio. Sir, my name is Lucio ; well known to the
Duke. 170
Duke. He shall know you better, sir, if I may live to
report you.
Lucio. I fear you not.
Duke. O, you hope the Duke will return no more ;
or you imagine me too unhurtful an opposite.
But, indeed, I can do you little harm ; you '11
forswear this again.
Lucio. I '11 be hanged first : thou art deceived in me,
friar. But no more of this. Canst thou tell if
Claudio die to-morrow or no .-' 1 80
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. ii.
Duke. Why should he die, sir ?
Lucio. Why ? For filling a bottle with a tun-dish. I
would the Duke we talk of were returned again :
this ungenitured agent will unpeople the pro-
vince with continency ; sparrows must not build
in his house-eaves, because they are lecherous.
The Duke yet would have dark deeds darkly
answered ; he would never bring them to light :
would he were returned ! Marry, this Claudio is
condemned for untrussing. Farewell, good friar : 190
I prithee, pray for me. The Duke, I say to
thee again, would eat mutton on Fridays. He's
not past it yet, and I say to thee, he would
mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown
bread and garlic : say that I said so. Farewell. [Exit.
Duke. No might nor greatness in mortality
Can censure 'scape ; back-wounding calumny
The whitest virtue strikes. What king so strong
Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue ?
But who comes here ? 200
Enter Escalus, Provost, and Officers ivith Mistress
Overdone.
Escal. Go ; away with her to prison !
Mrs Ov. Good my lord, be good to me ; your
honour is accounted a merciful man ; good my
lord.
Escal. Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit
in the same kind ! This would make mercy
swear and play the tyrant.
Prov. A bawd of eleven years' continuance, may it
please your honour.
Act III. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Mrs Ov. My lord, this is one Lucio's information 210
against me. Mistress Kate Keepdown was with
child by him in the Duke's time; he promised
her marriage : his child is a year and a quarter
old, come Philip and Jacob: I have kept it my-
self; and see how he goes about to abuse
me !
Esca/. That fellow is a fellow of much license : let
him be called before us. Away with her to
prison ! Go to ; no more words. [Exeunt
Officers with Mistress OvJ] Provost, my brother 2 20
Angclo will not be altered ; Claudio must die
to-morrow : let him be furnished with divines,
and have all charitable preparation. If my
brother wrought by my pity, it should not be
so with him.
Prov. So please you, this friar hath been with him,
and advised him for the entertainment of death.
Escal. Good even, good father.
Duke. Bliss and goodness on you !
Escal. Of whence are you ? 230
Duke. Not of this country, though my chance is now
To use it for my time : I am a brother
Of gracious order, late come from the See
In special business from his Holiness.
Escal. What news abroad i' the world ^.
Duke. None, but that there is so great a fever on
goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it :
novelty is only in request ; and it is as danger-
ous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is
virtuous to be constant in any undertaking. 240
There is scarce truth enough alive to make
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act III. Sc. ii.
societies secure ; but security enough to make
fellowships accurst : — much upon this riddle
runs the wisdom of the world. This news is
old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray
you, sir, of what disposition was the Duke ?
Escal. One that, above all other strifes, contended
especially to know himself.
Duke. What pleasure was he given to ?
Escal. Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than 250
merry at any thing which professed to make
him rejoice : a gentleman of all temperance.
But leave we him to his events, with a prayer
they may prove prosperous ; and let me desire
to know how you find Claudio prepared. I am
made to understand that you have lent him
visitation.
Duke. He professes to have received no sinister
measure from his judge, but most willingly
humbles himself to the determination of justice: 260
yet had he framed to himself, by the instruction
of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life ;
which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to
him, and now is he resolved to die.
Escal. You have paid the heavens your function, and
the prisoner the very debt of your caUing. I
have laboured for the poor gentleman to the
extremest shore of my modesty : but my brother
justice have I found so severe, that he hath
forced me to tell him he is indeed Justice. 270
Duke. If his own life answer the straitness of his
proceeding, it shall -become him well; wherein
if he chance to fail, he hath sentenced himself.
Act III. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Escal. I am going to visit the prisoner. Fare you
well.
Duke. Peace be with you ! [Exeunt Escalus and Provost.
He who the sword of heaven will bear
Should be as holy as severe ;
Pattern in himself to know,
Grace to stand, and virtue go; 280
More nor less to others paying
Than by self-offences weighing.
Shame to him whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking !
Twice treble shame on Angelo,
To weed my vice and let his grow !
O, what may man within him hide,
Though angel on the outward side !
How many likeness made in crimes,
Making practice on the times, 290
To draw with idle spiders' strings
Most ponderous and substantial things !
Craft against vice I must apply :
With Angelo to-night shall lie
His old betrothed but despised ;
So disguise shall, by the disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,
And perform an old contracting. [Exit.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. i.
ACT FOURTH.
Scene I.
The moated gratige at St Luke's.
Enter Mariana and a Boy.
Boy sings.
Take, O, take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn ;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn :
But my kisses bring again, bring again ;
Seals of love, but seal'd in vain, seal'd in vain.
Mari. Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away :
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent. [Exit Boy.
Enter Duke disguised as before.
I cry you mercy, sir ; and well could wish 10
You had not found me here so musical :
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,
My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe.
Duke. 'Tis good ; though music hath oft such a charm
To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.
I pray you, tell me, hath anybody inquired for
me here to-day ? much upon this time have I
promised here to meet.
Mari. You have not been inquired after : I have sat
here all day. 20
Enter Isabella.
Duke. I do constantly believe you. The time is
Act IV. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
come even now. I shall crave your forbearance
a little : may be I will call upon you anon, for
some advantage to yourself.
Mart. I am always bound to you. [Exit.
Duke. Very well met, and well come.
What is the news from this good Deputy ?
Isab. He hath a garden circummured with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd ;
And to that vineyard is a planched gate, go
That makes his opening with this bigger key :
This other doth command a little door
AVhich from the vineyard to the garden leads ;
There have I made my promise
Upon the heavy middle of the night
To call upon him.
Duke. But shall you on your knowledge find this
way ?
Isab. I have ta'en a due and wary note upon 't :
With whispering and most guilty diligence.
In action all of precept, he did show me 40
The way twice o'er.
Duke. Are there no other tokens
Between you 'greed concerning her observance .''
Isab. No, none, but only a repair i' the dark ;
And that I have possess'd him my most stay
Can be but brief; for I have made him know
I have a servant comes with me along,
That stays upon me, whose persuasion is
I come about my brother.
Duke. 'Tis well borne up.
I have not yet made known to Mariana
A word of this. What, ho ! within ! come forth !
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. i.
Re-enter Mariana.
I pray you, be acquainted with this maid ; 51
She comes to do you good.
Isab. I do desire the like.
Duke. Do you persuade yourself that I respect you ?
Mart. Good friar, I know you do, and have found it.
Duke. Take, then, this your companion by the hand,
Who hath a story ready for your ear.
I shall attend your leisure : but make haste ;
The vaporous night approaches.
Mari. Will 't please you walk aside ?
[Exeunt Mariana and Isabella.
Duke. O place and greatness, millions of false eyes 60
Are stuck upon thee ! volumes of report
Run with these false and most contrarious quests
Upon thy doings ! thousand escapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dreams.
And rack thee in their fancies !
Re-enter Mariana and Isabella.
Welcome, how agreed ?
Isab. She '11 take the enterprise upon her, father,
If you advise it.
Duke. It is not my consent,
But my entreaty too.
Isab. Little have you to say
When you depart from him, but, soft and low,
' Remember now my brother.'
Mart. Fear me not. 70
Duke. Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all.
He is your husband on a pre-contract :
Act IV. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
To bring yon thus together, 'tis no sin,
Sith that the justice of your title to him
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go :
Our corn 's to reap, for yet our tilth 's to sow.
\^Exeurjt.
Scene II.
A r 007)1 in the prison.
Enter Provost and Pompey.
Prov. Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's
head ?
Pom. If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can ; but if he
be a married man, he 's his wife's head, and I can
never cut off a woman's head.
Prov. Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield
me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to
die Claudio and Barnardine. Here is in our
prison a common executioner, who in his office
lacks a helper : if you will take it on you to lo
assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves ;
if not, you shall have your full time of imprison-
ment, and your deliverance with an unpitied
whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.
Po7n. Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of
mind ; but yet I will be content to be a lawful
hangman. I would be glad to receive some in-
struction from my fellow partner.
Prov. What, ho ! Abhorson ! Where 's Abhorson,
there ? 20
Enter Abhorson.
Abhor. Do you call, sir ?
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. ii.
Pro-v. Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow
in your execution. If you think it meet, com-
pound with him by the year, and let him abide
here with you ; if not, use him for the present,
and dismiss him. He cannot plead his estimation
with you ; he hath been a bawd.
Abhor. A bawd, sir .'' fie upon him ! he will discredit
our mystery.
Prov. Go to, sir ; you weigh equally ; a feather will 30
turn the scale. [Exit.
Pom. Pray, sir, by your good favour, — for surely, sir,
a good favour you have, but that you have a
hanging look, — do you call, sir, your occupation
a mystery ?
Abhor. Ay, sir ; a mystery.
Po7ti. Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery ;
and your whores, sir, being members of my
occupation, using painting, do prove my occupa-
tion a mystery : but what mystery there should 40
be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot
imagine.
Abhor. Sir, it is a mystery.
Pom. Proof.''
Abhor. Every true man's apparel fits your thief: if it
be too little for your thief, your true man thinks
it big enough ; if it be too big for your thief,
your thief thinks it little enough : so every true
man's apparel fits your thief.
Re-enter Provost.
Prov. Are you agreed ^ cq
Pom. Sir, I will serve him ; for I do find your hang-
Act IV. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
man is a more penitent trade than your bawd ; he
doth oftener ask forgiveness.
Prov. You, sirrah, provide your block and your axe
to-morrow four o'clock.
Abhor. Come on, bawd ; I will instruct thee in my
trade ; follow.
Pom. I do desire to learn, sir : and I hope, if you have
occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall
find me yare ; for, truly, sir, for your kindness I 60
owe you a good turn.
Prov. Call hither Barnardine and Claudio :
\_Exeiait Pompey and Abhor son.
The one has my pity ; not a jot the other.
Being a murderer, though he were my brother.
Enter Claudio.
Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death:
'Tis now dead midnight, and by eight to-morrow
Thou must be made immortal. Where 's Barnardine }
Claud. As fast lock'd up in sleep as guiltless labour
When it lies starkly in the traveller's bones :
He will not wake.
Prov. Who can do good on him ^ 70
Well, go, prepare yourself. [Knocking -within.] But,
hark, what noise ?
Heaven give your spirits comfort ! [Exit Claudio.]
By and by. —
I hope it is some pardon or reprieve
For the most gentle Claudio.
Enter Duke disguised as before.
Welcome, father.
Duke. The best and wholesomest spirits of the night
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. ii.
Envelop you, good Provost ! Who call'd here of late ?
Prov. None, since the curfew rung.
Duke. Not Isabel ?
Prov. No.
Duke. They will, then, ere 't be long.
Prov. What comfort is for Claudio.
Duke. There 's some in hope. 80
Prov. It is a bitter deputy.
Duke. Not so, not so ; his life is parallel'd
Even with the stroke and line of his great justice :
He doth with holy abstinence subdue
That in himself which he spurs on his power
To qualify in others : were he meal'd with that
Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous;
But this being so, he 's just. [Knocking within.
Now are they come.
\_Exit Provost.
This is a gentle provost : seldom when
The steeled gaoler is the friend of men. po
\_Kmcking within.
How now ! what noise ? That spirit 's possess'd
with haste
That wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes.
Re-enter Provost.
Prov. There he must stay until the officer
Arise to let him in : he is call'd up.
Duke. Have you no countermand for Claudio yet.
But he must die to-morrow ?
Prov. None, sir, none.
Duke. As near the dawning, provost, as it is.
You shall hear more ere morning.
Act IV. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Prov. Happily
You something know ; yet I believe there comes
No countermand ; no such example have we : loo
Besides, upon the very siege of justice
Lord Angelo hath to the public ear
Profess'd the contrary.
Enter a Messenger.
This is his lordship's man.
Duke. And here comes Claudio's pardon.
Mes. [Giving a paper] My lord hath sent you this
note ; and by me this further charge, that you
swerve not from the smallest article of it, neither
in time, matter, or other circumstance. Good
morrow ; for, as I take it, it is almost day,
Prov. I shall obey him. [Exit Messenger. I lo
Duke. [Aside'] This is his pardon, purchased by such sin
For which the pardoner himself is in.
Hence hath offence his quick celerity.
When it is borne in high authority :
When vice makes mercy, mercy 's so extended,
That for the fault's love is the offender friended.
Now, sir, what news ?
Prov. I told you. Lord Angelo, belike thinking me
remiss in mine office, awakens me with this un-
wonted putting-on ; methinks strangely, for he 120
hath not used it before.
Dulse. Pray you, let 's hear.
Prov. [Reads]
Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, let Claudio
be executed by four of the clock j and in the
afternoon Barnardine : for my better satisfaction,
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. ii.
let me have Claudio's head sent me by five. Let
this be duly performed ; with a thought that
more depends on it than we must yet deliver.
Thus fail not to do your office, as you will
answer it at your peril. I ?o
What say you to this, sir ?
Duke. What is that Barnardine who is to be executed
in the afternoon ?
Prov. A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and
bred ; one that is a prisoner nine years old.
Duke. How came it that the absent Duke had not
either delivered him to his liberty or executed
him .'' I have heard it was ever his manner to
do so.
Prov. His friends still wrought reprieves for him : 140
and, indeed, his fact, till now in the government
of Lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful
proof.
Duke. It is now apparent ?
Prov. Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
Duke. Hath he borne himself penitently in prison ?
how seems he to be touched ?
Prov. A man that apprehends death no more dread-
fully but as a drunken sleep ; careless, reckless,
and fearless of what 's past, present, or to come ; 150
insensible of mortality, and desperately mortal.
Duke. He wants advice.
Prov. He will hear none : he hath evermore had the
liberty of the prison ; give him leave to escape
hence, he would not : drunk many times a day,
if not many days entirely drunk. We have very
oft awaked him, as if to carry him to execution,
Act IV. Sc. ii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
and showed him a seeming warrant for it : it
hath not moved him at all.
Duke. More of him anon. There is written in your l6o
brow, provost, honesty and constancy : if I read
it not truly, my ancient skill beguiles me ; but,
in the boldness of my cunning, I will lay my self
in hazard. Claudio, whom here you have warrant
to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than
Angelo who hath sentenced him. To make you
understand this in a manifested effect, I crave but
four days' respite ; for the which you are to do
me both a present and a dangerous courtesy. 170
Prov. Pray, sir, in what ?
Duke. In the delaying death,
Prov. Alack, how may I do it, having the hour
limited, and an express command, under penalty,
to deliver his head in the view of Angelo ? I
may make my case as Claudio's, to cross this in
the smallest.
Duke. By the vow of mine order I warrant you, if
my instructions may be your guide. Let this
Barnardine be this morning executed, and his
head borne to Angelo. 180
Prov. Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover
the favour.
Duke. O, death 's a great disguiser ; and you may
add to it. Shave the head, and tie the beard ;
and say it was the desire of the penitent to be so
bared before his death : you know the course is
common. If any thing fall to you upon this, more
than thanks and good fortune, by the Saint whom
I profess, I will plead against it with my life.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. ii.
Prov. Pardon me, good father; it is against my oath. 190
Duke. Were you sworn to the Duke, or to the
Deputy ?
Prov. To him, and to his substitutes.
Duke. You will think you have made no offence, if
the Duke avouch the justice of your dealing .''
Prov. But what likelihood is in that ?
Duke. Not a resemblance, but a certainty. Yet since
I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity,
nor persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will
go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out 200
of you. Look you, sir, here is the hand and
seal of the Duke : you know the character, I
doubt not ; and the signet is not strange to you.
Prov. I know them both.
Duke. The contents of this is the return of the
Duke : you shall anon over-read it at your
pleasure ; where you shall find, within these two
days he will be here. This is a thing that
Angelo knows not ; for he this very day receives
letters of strange tenour ; perchance of the 210
Duke's death ; perchance entering into some
monastery ; but, by chance, nothing of what is
writ. Look, the unfolding star calls up the shep-
herd. Put not yourself into amazement how these
things should be: all difficulties are but easy when
they are known. Call your executioner, and off
with Barnardine's head : I will give him a present
shrift and advise him for a better place. Yet you
are amazed ; but this shall absolutely resolve you.
Come away ; it is almost clear dawn. [^Exeunt. 220
B2
Act IV. Sc. iii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Scene III.
Another room in the same.
Enter Pompey.
Pom. I am as well acquainted here as I was in our
house of profession : one would think it were
Mistress Overdone's own house, for here be
many of her old customers. First, here 's young
Master Rash ; he 's in for a commodity of
brown paper and old ginger, nine-score and
seventeen pounds ; of which he made five marks,
ready money : marry, then ginger was not much
in request, for the old women were all dead.
Then is there here one Master Caper, at the suit lo
of Master Three-pile the mercer, for some four
suits of peach-coloured satin, which now peaches
him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizy,
and young Master Deep-vow, and Master Copper-
spur, and Master Starve-lackey the rapier and
dagger man, and young Drop-heir that killed
lusty Pudding, and Master Forthlight the tilter,
and brave Master Shooty the great traveller, and
wild Half-can that stabbed Pots, and, I think,
forty more ; all great doers in our trade, and 20
are now ' for the Lord's sake.'
Enter Abhor son.
Abhor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.
Pom. Master Barnardine ! you must rise and be
hanged. Master Barnardine !
Abhor. What, ho, Barnardine !
MEASURE FOR MEASURE ^^^ ^V- Sc Hi.
Bar. [Withifi] A pox o' your throats ! Who makes
that noise there ? What are you ?
Pon7. Your friends, sir ; the hangman. You must be
so good, sir, to rise and be put to death.
Bar. [Within] Away, you rogue, away ! I am sleepy. 30
Abhor. Tell him he must awake, and that quickly too.
Pom. Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till you are
executed, and sleep afterwards.
Abhor. Go in to him, and fetch him out.
Pom. He is coming, sir, he is coming ; I hear his
straw rustle.
Abhor. Is the axe upon the block, sirrah ?
Po7n. Very ready, sir.
Enter Barnardine.
Bar. How now, Abhorson ? what 's the news with
you ? 40
Abhor. Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into
your prayers ; for, look you, the warrant's come.
Bar. You rogue, I have been drinking all night ; I
am not fitted for 't.
Pom. O, the better, sir ; for he that drinks all night,
and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleep
the sounder all the next day.
Abhor. Look you, sir ; here comes your ghostly
father : do we jest now, think you ?
Enter Duke disguised as before.
Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing how 50
hastily you are to depart, I am come to advise
you, comfort you and pray with you.
Bar. Friar, not I: I have been drinking hard all
Act IV. Sc. iii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
night, and I will have more time to prepare me,
or they shall beat out my brains with billets :
I will not consent to die this day, that's
certain.
Duke. O, sir, you must : and therefore I beseech you
Look forward on the journey you shall go.
Bar. I swear I will not die to-day for any man's 60
persuasion.
Duke. But hear you.
Bar. Not a word : if you have any thing to say to
me, come to my ward ; for thence will not I
to-day. \Exit.
Duke. Unfit to live or die : O gravel heart !
After him, fellows ; bring him to the block.
\_Exeunt Abhor son and Pompey.
Enter Provost.
Prov. Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner ^
Duke. A creature unprepared, unmeet for death ;
And to transport him in the mind he is 70
Were damnable.
Prozi. Here in the prison, father,
There died this morning of a cruel fever
One RagO'zine, a most notorious pirate,
A man of Claudio's years ; his beard and head
Just of his colour. What if we do omit
This reprobate till he were well inclined ;
And satisfy the Deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio }
Duke. O, 'tis an accident that heaven provides !
Dispatch it presently ; the hour draws on 80
Prefix'd by Angelo : see this be done,
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. iii.
And sent according to command ; whiles I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently.
But Barnardine must die this afternoon :
And how shall we continue Claudio,
To save me from the danger that might come
If he were known alive .''
Duke. Let this be done.
Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio:
Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting 90
To the under generation, you shall find
Your safety manifested.
Prov. I am your free dependant.
Duke. Quick, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo.
[Exit Provost.
Now will I write letters to Angelo, —
The provost, he shall bear them, — whose contents
Shall witness to him I am near at home,
And that, by great injunctions, I am bound
To enter publicly : him I '11 desire
To meet me at the consecrated fount, lOO
A league below the city ; and from thence.
By cold gradation and well-balanced form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.
Re-enter Provost.
Prov. Here is the head ; I'll carry it myself.
Duke. Convenient is it. Make a swift return ;
For I would commune with you of such things
That want no ear but yours.
Prov. I '11 make all speed. \_Exit.
Lab. [Withifi] Peace, ho, be here !
Act IV. Sc. iii. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duke. The tongue of Isabel. She 's come to know
If yet her brother's pardon be come hither : no
But I will keep her ignorant of her good,
To make her heavenly comforts of despair,
When it is least expected.
Enter Isabella.
hah. Ho, by your leave !
Duke. Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
hah. The better, given mc by so holy a man.
Hath yet the Deputy sent my brother's pardon .''
Duke. He hath released him, Isabel, from the world :
His head is off, and sent to Angelo.
hah. Nay, but it is not so.
Duke. It is no other: show your wisdom, daughter, 120
In your close patience.
hah. O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes !
Duke. You shall not be admitted to his sight.
hah. Unhappy Claudio ! wretched Isabel !
Injurious world ! most damned Angelo !
Duke. This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot :
Forbear it therefore ; give your cause to heaven.
Mark what I say, which you shall find
By every syllable a faithful verity :
The Duke comes home to-morrow ; — nay, dry your
eyes; 130
One of our covent, and his confessor.
Gives me this instance : already he hath carried
Notice to Escalus and Angelo -,
Who do prepare to meet him at the gates.
There to give up their power. If you can, pace your
wisdom
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. iii.
In that good path that I would wish it go ;
And you shall have your bosom on this wretch,
Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart,
And general honour.
Lab. I am directed by you.
Duke. This letter, then, to Friar Peter give : I40
'Tis that he sent me of the Duke's return :
Say, by this token, I desire his company
At Mariana's house to-night. Her cause and yours
I '11 perfect him withal ; and he shall bring you
Before the Duke ; and to the head of Angelo
Accuse him home and home. For my poor self,
I am combined by a sacred vow.
And shall be absent. Wend you with this letter :
Command these fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart ; trust not my holy order, 150
If I pervert your course. — Who 's here .?
Enter Lucio.
Lucio. Good even. Friar, where 's the provost ?
Duke. Not within, sir.
Lucio. O pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart to
see thine eyes so red : thou must be patient. I
am fain to dine and sup with water and bran ;
I dare not for my head fill my belly ; one fruit-
ful meal would set me to't. But they say the
Duke will be here to-morrow. By my troth,
Isabel, I loved thy brother: if the old fantasti- 160
cal Duke of dark corners had been at home, he
had lived. [Exit Isabella.
Duke. Sir, the Duke is marvellous little beholding to
your reports ; but the best is, he lives not in them.
Act IV. Sc. iv. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Lucio. Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so well as
I do : he 's a better woodman than thou takest
him for.
Duke. Well, you'll answer this one day. Fare ye
well.
Lucio. Nay, tarry; I'll go along with thee: I can 170
tell thee pretty tales of the Duke.
Duke. You have told me too many of him already,
sir, if they be true ; if not true, none were
enough.
Lucio. I was once before him for getting a wench
with child.
Duke. Did you such a thing ?
Lucio. Yes, marry, did I : but I was fain to for-
swear it ; they would else have married me to
the rotten medlar. 1 80
Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honest. Rest
you well.
Lucio. By my troth, I'll go with thee to the lane's
end: if bawdy talk offend you, we'll have very
little of it. Nay, friar, I am a kind of burr ; I
shall stick. \Exeunt.
Scene IV.
A room 171 Angelo^s house.
Enter Afigelo and Escalus.
Escal. Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched
other.
Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. His
actions show much like to madness : pray
heaven his wisdom be not tainted ! And why
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV. Sc. iv.
meet him at the gates, and redeliver our authori-
ties there ?
Escal. I guess not.
A?ig. And why should we proclaim it in an hour before
his entering, that if any crave redress of injustice, lo
they should exhibit their petitions in the street .''
Escal. He shows his reason for that : to have a
dispatch of complaints, and to deliver us from
devices hereafter, which shall then have no
power to stand against us.
Atig. Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaimed be-
times i' the morn ; I '11 call you at your house :
give notice to such men of sort and suit as are
to meet him.
Escal. I shall, sir. Fare you well. 2o
Ang. Good night. [Exit Escalus.
This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant,
And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid !
And by an eminent body that enforced
The law against it ! But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
How might she tongue me ! Yet reason dares her no ;
For my authority bears of a credent bulk,
That no particular scandal once can touch
But it confounds the breather. He should have lived,
Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense, 31
Might in the times to come have ta'en revenge,
By so receiving a dishonour'd life
With ransom of such shame. Would yet he had lived !
Alack, when once our grace we have forgot.
Nothing goes right ; we would, and we would not.
[Exit.
Act IV. Sc. v.-vi. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Scene V.
Fields nvithout the toivn.
Enter Duke hi his oivn habit, and Friar Peter.
Duke. These letters at fit time deliver mc : [Giving letters.
The provost knows our purpose and our plot.
The matter being afoot, keep your instruction,
And hold you ever to our special drift -,
Though sometimes you do blench from this to that,
As cause doth minister. Go call at Flavins' house.
And tell him where I stay : give the like notice
To Valentius, Rowland, and to Crassus,
And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate ;
But send me Flavius first.
Fri. P. It shall be speeded well. \_Exit. lo
Enter l^arrius.
Duke. I thank thee, Varrius ; thou hast made good haste :
Come, we will walk. There 's other of our friends
Will greet us here anon, my gentle Varrius.
\_Exeunt.
Scene VI.
Street near the city-gate.
Enter Isabella and Mariana.
Lab. To speak so indirectly I am loath :
I would say the truth ; but to accuse him so,
That is your part : yet I am advised to do it ;
He says, to veil full purpose.
Mari. Be ruled by him.
Isab. Besides, he tells me that, if peradventure
MEASURE FOR MEASURE ^ct V. Sc. i.
He speak against me on the adverse side,
I should not think it strange ; for 'tis a physic
That 's bitter to sweet end.
Mart. I would Friar Peter —
Isab. O, peace ! the friar is come.
Efiter Friar Peter.
Fri. P. Come, I have found you out a stand most fit, lo
Where you may have such vantage on the Duke,
He shall not pass you. Twice have the trumpets
sounded ;
The generous and gravest citizens
Have hent the gates, and very near upon
The Duke is entering : therefore, hence, away !
\_Exeimt.
ACT FIFTH.
Scene I.
The city-gate.
Mariana njeiled, Isabella, and Friar Peter, at their stand.
Enter Duke, Varrius, Lords, Angela, Escalus,
Lucio, Provost, Officers, and Citizens, at several
doors.
Duke. My very worthy cousin, fairly met !
Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you.
^' \ Happy return be to your royal Grace !
Dt4ke. Many and hearty thankings to you both.
We have made inquiry of you ; and we hear
Such goodness of your justice, that our soul
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Cannot but yield you forth to public thanks,
Forerunning more requital.
Atig. You make my bonds still greater.
Duke. O, your desert speaks loud ; and I should wrong it,
To lock it in the wards of covert bosom, lo
When it deserves, with characters of brass,
A forted residence 'gainst the tooth of time
And razure of oblivion. Give me your hand.
And let the subject see, to make them know
That outward courtesies would fain proclaim
Favours that keep within. Come, Escalus ;
You must walk by us on our other hand :
And good supporters are you.
Friar Peter and Isabella come forivard.
Fri. P. Now is your time : speak loud, and kneel before
him.
Lab. Justice, O royal Duke ! Vail your regard 20
Upon a wrong'd, I would fain have said, a maid !
O worthy prince, dishonour not your eye
By throwing it on any other object
Till you have heard me in my true complaint,
And given me justice, justice, justice, justice !
Duke. Relate your wrongs ; in what? by whom? be brief.
Here is Lord Angelo shall give you justice :
Reveal yourself to him.
Isab. O worthy Duke,
You bid me seek redemption of the devil :
Hear me yourself; for that which I must speak go
Must either punish me, not being believed.
Or wring redress from you. Hear me, O hear me,
here !
MEASURE FOR MEASURE ^ct V. Sc. i.
Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm :
She hath been a suitor to me for her brother
Cut off by course of justice, —
Isab. By course of justice !
Ang. And she will speak most bitterly and strange.
Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak :
That Angelo 's forsworn ; is it not strange ?
That Angelo 's a murderer ; is 't not strange ?
That Angelo is an adulterous thief, 40
An hypocrite, a virgin-violator ;
Is it not strange and strange ?
Duke. Nay, it is ten times strange.
Isab. It is not truer he is Angelo
Than this is all as true as it is strange :
Nay, it is ten times true ; for truth is truth
To the end of reckoning.
Duke. Away with her ! — Poor soul,
She speaks this in the infirmity of sense.
Isab. O prince, I conjure thee, as thou believest
There is another comfort than this world.
That thou neglect me not, with that opinion 50
That I am touch'd with madness ! Make not im-
possible
That which but seems unlike : 'tis not impossible
But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground,
May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute
As Angelo j even so may Angelo,
In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms.
Be an arch-villain ; believe it, royal prince :
If he be less, he 's nothing ; but he 's more,
Had I more name for badness.
Duke. By mine honesty,
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
If she be mad, — as I believe no other, — 60
Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense,
Such a dependency of thing on thing.
As e'er I heard in madness.
Isab. O gracious Duke,
Harp not on that ; nor do not banish reason J
For inequality ; but let your reason serve |
To make the truth appear where it seems hid,
And hide the false seems true.
Duke. Many that are not mad
Have, sure, more lack of reason. What would you
say ?
Isab. I am the sister of one Claudio,
Condemn'd upon the act of fornication 70
To lose his head ; condemn'd by Angelo :
I, in probation of a sisterhood.
Was sent to by my brother ; one Lucio
As then the messenger, —
Lucio. That 's I, an 't like your Grace :
I came to her from Claudio, and desired her
To try her gracious fortune with Lord Angelo
For her poor brother's pardon.
Jsah. That's he indeed.
Duke. You were not bid to speak.
Lucio. No, my good lord ;
Nor wish'd to hold my peace.
Duke. I "wish you now, then ;
Pray you, take note of it : and when you have 80
A business for yourself, pray heaven you then
Be perfect.
Lucio. A warrant your honour.
Duke. The warrant 's for yourself ; take heed to 't.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Isab. This gentleman told somewhat of my tale, —
Lucio. Right.
Duke. It may be right ; but you are i' the wrong
To speak before your time. Proceed.
Isab. I went
To this pernicious caitiff Deputy, —
Duke. That 's somewhat madly spoken.
Isab. Pardon it ;
The phrase is to the matter. po
Duke. Mended again. The matter ; — proceed.
Isab. In brief, — to set the needless process by.
How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd.
How he refell'd me, and how I replied, —
For this was of much length, — the vile conclusion
I now begin with grief and shame to utter :
He would not, but by gift of my chaste body
To his concupiscible intemperate lust.
Release my brother ; and, after much debatement.
My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour, loo
And I did yield to him : but the next morn betimes.
His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant
For my poor brother's head.
Duke. This is most likely !
Isab. O, that it were as like as it is true !
Duke. By heaven, fond wretch, thou know'st not what
thou speak'st,
Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour
In hateful practice. First, his integrity
Stands without blemish. Next, it imports no reason
That with such vehemency he should pursue
Faults proper to himself: if he had so offended, no
He would have weigh'd thy brother by himself,
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
And not have cut him off. Some one hath set you on :
Confess the truth, and say by whose advice
Thou camest here to complain.
Isah. And is this all .''
Then, O you blessed ministers above,
Keep me in patience, and with ripen'd time
Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up
In countenance ! — Heaven shield your Grace from woe,
As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go !
Duke. I know you 'id fain be gone. — An officer ! 1 20
To prison with her ! — Shall we thus permit
A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall
On him so near us ? This needs must be a practice.
Who knew of your intent and coming hither ?
Isab. One that I would were here, Friar Lodowick.
Duke. A ghostly father, belike. Who knows that Lodowick?
Lucio. My lord, I know him ; 'tis a meddling friar ;
I do not like the man : had he been lay, my lord.
For certain words he spake against your Grace
In your retirement, I had swinged him soundly. 130
Duke. Words against me ! this 's a good friar belike !
And to set on this wretched woman here
Against our substitute ! Let this friar be found.
Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar,
I saw them at the prison : a saucy friar,
A very scurvy fellow.
Fri. P. Blessed be your royal Grace !
I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abused. First, hath this woman
Most wrongfully accused your substitute, 140
Who is as free from touch or soil with her
As she from one ungot.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Duke. We did believe no less.
Know you that Friar Lodowick that she speaks of?
Fri. P. I know him for a man divine and holy j
Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler,
As he 's reported by this gentleman ;
And, on my trust, a man that never yet
Did, as he vouches, misreport your Grace.
Lticio. My lord, most viilanously ; believe it.
Fri. P. Well, he in time may come to clear himself; 150
But at this instant he is sick, my lord,
Of a strange fever. Upon his mere request, —
Being come to knowledge that there was complaint
Intended 'gainst Lord Angelo, — came I hither.
To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true and false ; and what he with his oath
And all probation will make up full clear.
Whensoever he 's convented. First, for this woman.
To justify this worthy nobleman.
So vulgarly and personally accused, 160
Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes.
Till she herself confess it.
Duke. Good friar, let 's hear it.
\_Isabella is carried off guarded ; and Mariana comes
foriuard.
Do you not smile at this. Lord Angelo ? —
O heaven, the vanity of wretched fools ! —
Give us some seats. Come, cousin Angelo ;
In this I '11 be impartial : be you judge
Of your own cause. Is this the witness, friar .?
First, let her show her face, and after speak.
Mari. Pardon, my lord : I will not show my face
Until my husband bid me. 170
' C2
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Duke. What, are you married ?
Mart. No, my lord.
Duke. Are you a maid ?
Man. No, my lord.
Duke. A widow, then ?
Mart. Neither, my lord.
Duke. Why, you are nothing, then : — neither maid, widow,
nor wife ?
Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk : for many of them
are neither maid, widow, nor wife. l8o
Duke. Silence that fellow : I would he had some cause
To prattle for himself.
Lucio. Well, my lord.
Mart. My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married ;
And I confess, besides, I am no maid :
I have known my husband ; yet my husband
Knows not that ever he knew me.
Lucio. He was drunk, then, my lord : it can be no
better.
Duke. For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so ipo
too!
Lucio. Well, my lord.
Duke. This is no witness for Lord Angelo.
Mori. Now I come to 't, my lord :
She that accuses him of fornication,
In self-same manner doth accuse my husband ;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms
With all the effect of love.
Ang. Charges she moe than me .''
Mart. Not that I know. 200
Duke. No ? you say your husband.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Mart. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo,
Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body,
But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's.
^ng. This is a strange abuse. Let 's see thy face.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask. {Unveiling.
This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which once thou sworest was worth the looking on;
This is the hand which, with a vow'd contract,
Was fast belock'd in thine; this is the body 2IO
That took away the match from Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house
In her imagined person.
Duke. Know you this woman ?
Lucio. Carnally, she says.
Duke. Sirrah, no more !
Lucio. Enough, my lord.
Ang. My lord, I must confess I know this woman :
And five years since there was some speech of marriage
Betwixt myself and her ; which was broke off,
Partly for that her promised proportions
Came short of composition ; but in chief, 220
For that her reputation was disvalued
In levity : since which time of five years
I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her,
Upon my faith and honour.
Man. Noble prince.
As there comes light from heaven and words from
breath.
As there is sense in truth and truth in virtue,
I am affianced this man's wife as strongly
As words could make up vows : and, my good lord,
But Tuesday night last gone in 's garden-house
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
He knew me as a wife. As this is true, 230
Let me in safety raise me from my knees ;
Or else for ever be confixed here,
A marble monument !
At7g. I did but smile till now :
Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice ;
My patience here is touch'd. I do perceive
These poor informal women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier member
That sets them on: let me have way, my lord.
To find this practice out.
Duke. Ay, with my heart ;
And punish them to your height of pleasure. 240
Thou foolish friar ; and thou pernicious woman.
Compact with her that 's gone, think'st thou thy oaths.
Though they would swear down each particular saint,
Were testimonies against his worth and credit.
That 's seal'd in approbation ? You, Lord Escalus,
Sit with my cousin ; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abuse, whence 'tis derived. •
There is another friar that set them on ;
Let him be sent for.
Fri. P. Would he were here, my lord ! for he, indeed, 250
Hath set the women on to this complaint :
Your provost knows the place where he abides.
And he may fetch him.
Duke. Go, do it instantly. [Exit Provost.
And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin.
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,
Do with your injuries as seems you best,
In any chastisement : I for a while will leave you ;
But stir not you till you have well determined
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Upon these slanderers.
Escal. My lord, we '11 do it thoroughly. \Exit Duke.] 260
Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that
Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person ?
Lucio. ' Cucullus non facit monachum : ' honest in
nothing but in his clothes ; and one that hath
spoke most villanous speeches of the Duke.
Escal. We shall entreat you to abide here till he
come, and enforce them against him : we shall
find this friar a notable fellow.
Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.
Escal. Call that same Isabel here once again : I would 270
speak with her. [£x/V an Attendant.] Pray you,
my lord, give me leave to question ; you shall
see how I'll handle her.
Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report.
Escal. Say you .''
Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately,
she would sooner confess : perchance, publicly,
she '11 be ashamed.
Escal. I will go darkly to work with her.
Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at mid- 280
night.
Re-enter Officers ivith Lobelia ; and Provost ivith the
Duke in his friar s habit.
Escal. Come on, mistress : here 's a gentlewoman
denies all that you have said.
Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of j
here with the provost.
Escal. In very good time : speak not you to him till
we call upon you.
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
»
Luc'w. Mum.
Escal. Come, sir : did you set these women on to
slander Lord Angelo ? they have confessed you 290
did.
Duke. 'Tis false.
Escal. How ! know you where you are ?
Duke. Respect to your great place ! and let the devil
Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne !
Where is the Duke } 'tis he should hear me speak.
Escal. The Duke 's in us ; and we will hear you speak.
Look you speak justly.
Duke. Boldly, at least. But, O, poor souls.
Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox ? 300
Good night to your redress ! Is the Duke gone ?
Then is your cause gone too. The Duke's unjust,
Thus to retort your manifest appeal.
And put your trial in the villain's mouth
Which here you come to accuse.
Lucio. This is the rascal ; this is he I spoke of.
Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd friar,
Is 't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women
To accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth.
And in the witness of his proper ear, 310
To call him villain } and then to glance from him
To the Duke himself, to tax him with injustice ?
Take him hence ; to the rack with him ! We '11
touse you
Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose.
What, ' unjust' !
Duke. Be not so hot ; the Duke
Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he
Dare rack his own : his subject am I not.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Nor here provincial. My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,
Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble 320
Till it o'er-run the stew ; laws for all faults,
But faults so countenanced, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop.
As much in mock as mark.
Escal. Slander to the state ! Away with him to prison !
Afig. What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio ?
Is this the man that you did tell us of ?
Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman
baldpate : do you know me ?
Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your 330
voice : I met you at the prison, in the absence
of the Duke.
Lucio. O, did you so ? And do you remember what
you said of the Duke ?
Duke. Most notedly, sir.
Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the Duke a flesh-
monger, a fool, and a coward, as you then
reported him to be ?
Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere
you make that my report : you, indeed, spoke 340
so of him ; and much more, much worse.
Lucio. O thou damnable fellow ! Did not I pluck
thee by the nose for thy speeches .''
Duke. I protest I love the Duke as I love myself.
Ang. Hark, how the villain would close now, after
his treasonable abuses !
Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talked withal.
Away with him to prison ! Where is the
provost ? Away with him to prison ! lay bolts
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
enough upon him : let him speak no more. 350
Away with those giglets too, and with the other
confederate companion !
Duke. [To the Provost\ Stay, sir j stay awhile.
Afjg. What, resists he ? Help him, Lucio.
Lucio. Come, sir ; come, sir ; come, sir ; foh, sir !
Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal, you must be
hooded, must you ? Show your knave's visage,
with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face,
and be hanged an hour ! Will 't not off?
\_Pulls off" the friar's hood, and discovers the Duke.
Duke. Thou art the first knave that e'er madest a Duke. 360
First, provost, let me bail these gentle three.
\To Lucio'] Sneak not away, sir j for the friar and you
Must have a word anon. Lay hold on him.
Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.
Duke. [To Escalus'] What you have spoke I pardon : sit
you down.
We '11 borrow place of him. [To Angelo] Sir, by your
leave.
Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence.
That yet can do thee office ? If thou hast.
Rely upon it till my tale be heard,
And hold no longer out.
Aug. O my dread lord, 370
I should be guiltier than my guiltiness.
To think I can be undiscernible,
When I perceive your Grace, like power divine.
Hath look'd upon my passes. Then, good prince,
No longer session hold upon my shame.
But let my trial be mine own confession :
Immediate sentence then, and sequent death.
i
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc i.
Is all the grace I beg.
Duke. Come hither, Mariana.
Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman ?
^ng. I was, my lord. 980
Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly.
Do you the office, friar ; which consummate.
Return him here again. Go with him, provost.
[^Exeunt Angela, Mariana, Friar Peter and Provost.
Escal. My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonour
Than at the strangeness of it.
Duke. Come hither, Isabel.
Your friar is now your prince : as I was then
Advertising and holy to your business,
Not changing heart with habit, I am still
Attorney'd at your service.
Isah. O, give me pardon,
That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd 390
Your unknown sovereignty !
Duke. You are pardon'd, Isabel :
And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.
Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart ;
And you may marvel why I obscured myself,
Labouring to save his hfe, and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power
Than let him so be lost. O most kind maid.
It was the swift celerity of his death.
Which I did think with slower foot came on.
That brain'd my purpose. But, peace be with him !
That life is better life, past fearing death, 40T
Than that which lives to fear : make it your comfort,
So happy is your brother.
hah. I do, my lord.
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Re-enter Angela, Mariana, Friar Peter, and Provost.
Dtihe. For this new-married man, approaching here,
Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd
Your well-defended honour, you must pardon
For Mariana's sake : but as he adjudged your brother, —
Being criminal, in double violation
Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach
Thereon dependent, for your brother's life, — 4I0
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
' An Angelo for Claudio, death for death ! '
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;
Like doth quit like, and measure still for measure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault 's thus manifested ;
Which, though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.
We do condemn thee to the very block
Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste.
Away with him !
Mari. O my most gracious lord, 420
I hope you will not mock me with a husband.
Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with a husband.
Consenting to the safeguard of your honour,
I thought your marriage fit ; else imputation.
For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choke your good to come : for his possessions.
Although by confiscation they are ours,
We do instate and widow you withal.
To buy you a better husband.
Mari. O my dear lord,
I crave no other, nor no better man. 430
Duke. Never crave him j we are definitive.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Man. Gentle my liege, — [Kneeling.
Duke. You do but lose your labour.
Away with him to death ! [To Lucio] Now, sir, to you.
Man. O my good lord ! Sweet Isabel, take my part ;
Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
I '11 lend you all my life to do you service.
Duke. Against all sense you do importune her :
Should she kneel down in mercy of this fact,
Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.
Man. Isabel, 440
Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me ;
Hold up your hands, say nothing, I '11 speak all.
They say, best men are moulded out of faults ;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad : so may my husband.
O Isabel, will you not lend a knee }
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Lab. Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.
Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if my brother lived : I partly think
A due sincerity govern'd his deeds, 450
Till he did look on me : since it is so.
Let him not die. My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died :
For Angelo,
His act did not o'ertake his bad intent ;
And must be buried but as an intent
That perish'd by the way : thoughts are no subjects ;
Intents, but merely thoughts.
Man. Merely, my lord.
Duke. Your suit 's unprofitable j stand up, I say.
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
I have bethought me of another fault. 460
Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded
At an unusual hour ?
Prov. It was commanded so.
Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed ?
Prov. No, my good lord ; it was by private message.
Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office :
Give up your keys.
Prov. Pardon me, noble lord :
I thought it was a fault, but knew it not ;
Yet did repent me, after more advice :
For testimony whereof, one in the prison,
That should by private order else have died, 470
I have reserved alive.
Duke. What 's he ?
Prov. His name is Barnardine.
Duke. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio.
Go fetch him hither ; let me look upon him.
\_Exit Provost.
Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise
As you, Lord Angelo, have still appear'd,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgement afterward.
Ang. I am sorry that such sorrow I procure :
And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart.
That I crave death more willingly than mercy ; 480
'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.
Re-enter Provost, nvith Barnardine, Claudio muffled, and
Juliet.
Duke. Which is that Barnardine ?
Prov. This, my lord.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act V. Sc. i.
Duke. There was a friar told me of this man.
Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul,
That apprehends no further than this world,
And squarest thy life according. Thou 'rt condemn'd :
But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all ;
And pray thee take this mercy to provide
For better times to come. Friar, advise him j
I leave him to your hand. What muffled fellow's that?
Prov. This is another prisoner that I saved, 491
Who should have died when Claudio lost his head ;
As like almost to Claudio as himself. \Unmiiffles Claudio.
Duke. \To Isabella] If he be like your brother, for his sake
Is he pardon'd ; and, for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine,
He is my brother too : but fitter time for that.
By this Lord Angelo perceives he 's safe ;
Methinks I see a quickening in his eye.
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well : 500
Look that you love your wife •, her worth worth yours.
I find an apt remission in myself;
And yet here 's one in place I cannot pardon.
\To Lucio] You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool, a
coward,
One all of luxury, an ass, a madman ;
Wherein have I so deserved of you.
That you extol me thus ?
Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the
trick. If you will hang me for it, you may ; but I
had rather it would please you I might be whipt. 510
Duke. Whipt first, sir, and hang'd after.
Proclaim it, provost, round about the city,
If any woman wrong'd by this lewd fellow, —
Act V. Sc. i. MEASURE FOR MEASURE
As I have heard him swear himself there 's one
Whom he begot with child, let her appear,
And he shall marry her : the nuptial finish'd,
Let him be whipt and hang'd.
Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to
a whore. Your highness said even now, I made
you a Duke: good my lord, do not recompense 520
me in making me a cuckold.
Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her.
Thy slanders I forgive ; and therewithal
Remit thy other forfeits. — Take him to prison ;
And see our pleasure herein executed.
Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death,
whipping, and hanging.
Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it.
[Exeunt Officers ivith Lucio.
She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.
Joy to you, Mariana! Love her, Angelo: 530
I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness :
There's more behind that is more gratulate.
Thanks, provost, for thy care and secrecy :
We shall employ thee in a worthier place.
Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
The head of Ragozine for Claudio 's :
The offence pardons itself. Dear Isabel,
I have a motion much imports your good ;
Whereto if you '11 a willing ear incline, 540
What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine.
So, bring us to our palace ; where we '11 show
What 's yet behind, that 's meet you all should know.
[_jExeunt.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Glossary.
Absolute, decided; "be abs.," i.e.
" make up your mind " ; III. i. 5 ;
perfect, V. i. 54.
Abuse, delusion ; V. i. 205.
Accommodations , comforts ; III. i. 14.
Advertise, instruct ; I. i. 42.
Advertising, instructing ; V. i. 387.
Advice, consideration ; V. i. 468.
Affection, feeling; II. iv. 168.
Affections, passions ; III. i. 108.
After, at the rate of; II. i. 246.
All-building, being the ground and
foundation of all ; II. iv. 94 (other
suggested emendations : all-bind-
ing ; all-holding).
Appliances, vemed\e.s, means; III. i. 89.
Appointment, equipment ; III. i. 60.
Approbation; "receive her ap.," i.e.
enter upon her probation ; I. ii.
178.
As, though indeed ; II. iv. 89.
Avised, advised, aware; II. ii. 132.
Bark, peel away ; III. i. 72.
Bastard (used equivocally), a kind
of sweet wine ; III. ii. 4.
Bay, an architectural term for a
division of a building, marked by
the single windows or other open-
ings ; II. i. 246.
Beholding, beholden ; IV. iii. 163.
Belongings, endowments ; I. i. 30.
Billets, small logs of wood ; IV. iii. 55.
Bite by the nose, to treat with con-
tempt ; III. i. 109.
Blench, start away; IV. v. 5.
Boldness, confidence; IV. ii. 163.
Bonds, obligations ; V. i. 8.
Boot, advantage, profit; II. iv. 11.
Bore in hand, kept in expectation ; I.
iv. 51-2.
Borne up, devised ; IV. i. 48.
Bosom, heart's desire ; IV. iii.
137-
Bottom, " to look into the b. of my
place," i.e. "to know it thorough-
ly"; I. i. 79.
Brakes, instruments of torture. (See
Notes.)
From an engraving in Steevens.
Bravery, finery ; I. iii. 10.
Breeds, "my sense b. with it,"/.,;.
"many new thoughts are
awakened by it in me " ; II. ii. 142.
Bum, alluding to Bumbast, cotton
used to stuff out garments; II. i.
220.
From Bulwer's Pedigree of the English
Gallant (1653).
Glossary
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Bunch of grapes, name of a room ;
it was tlie custom to name the
several rooms in taverns ; II. i. 1 32.
Censure, to pass judgment, or sen-
tence, upon ; I. iv. 72 ; II. i. 29.
Character, writing, outward mark ;
I. i. 28 ; handwriting, IV. ii. 202.
Characts, characters ; V. i. 56.
C/i(w/>, of small value ; III. i. 183.
Circummurcd, walled round; IV. i. 28.
Clack-dhh, a wooden dish or box
carried by beggars; III. ii. 134.
From an old French painting in the
Ashmolean Museum.
C/o^, to begin without delay ; IV. iii.
41-
Close, to make peace, come to an
agreement ; V. i. 345.
Close, silent, secret; IV. iii. 121.
Cold, cool, deliberate ; IV. iii. 102.
Combinate, betrothed ; III. i. 229
Combined, bound ; IV. iii. 147
Comes off ivell, is well told ; II. i. 57.
Commodity, quantity of wares, par-
cel ; IV. iii. 5.
Compact, leagued ; V. i. 242.
Composition, compact ; V. i. 220.
Concerning, " c. her observance," i.e.
"which it concerns her to ob-
serve" ; IV. i. 42.
Concupiscible, concupiscent; V. i. 98.
Conjlxed, fixed; V. i. 232.
Conserve, preserve; III. i. 88.
Constantli/, firmly; IV. i. 21.
Consummate, being consummated ; V.
i. 382.
Continue, blunderingly misunder-
stood by Elbow to refer to some
penalty or other; II. i. 195 ; to
let live, IV. iii. 86.
Contrarious , contradictory ; IV. i. 62.
Con-venient, fitting; IV. iii. 105.
Convented, summoned; V. i. 158.
Countenance, hypocrisy; V. i. 118.
Coiient, convent; IV. iii. 131.
Creation- "their cr.," i.e. "their
(men's) nature"; II. iv. 127.
Credent bull:, weight of credit ; IV.
iv. 28.
Credulous, readily yielding; II. iv.i3o.
" Cucullus non facit monachum," i.e.
"All hoods make not monks " ;
V. i. 263.
Cunning, sagacity; IV. ii. 163.
Defiance, rejection, refusal; III. i.
143.
Definitive, resolved ; V. i, 431.
Delighted, accustomed to ease and
delight; III. i. 121.
Denunciation, declaration ; I. ii. 147,
Z)^^«/i2//o«, deputyship ; I. i. 21.
Desperately; " d. mortal," /.£■. "ter-
ribly near death" ; others, "des-
perate in his incurring of death " ;
" destined to die without hope of
salvation"; IV. ii. 151.
Detected, charged, accused ; III. ii.
129.
Z)e'/crw/;W/,limi ted, bounded; III. i. 70.
Determines, assigns ; I. i. 39
Detest, Elbow's blunder for " pro-
test " ; II. i. 68.
Discover, recognise; IV. ii. 181.
Discover, expose ; III. i. 197.
Dispenses ivith, excuses; III. i. 135.
Dissolution, death ; III. ii. 237.
Disvalucd, depreciated; V. i. 221.
Disvouched, contradicted ; IV. iv. i.
Dolours, used quibblingly with play
upon "dollar"; I. ii. 50.
Draiv, "as it refers to the tapster it
signifies to drain, to empty " ; as
it is related to " hang" it means
" to be conveyed to execution on
a hurdle," in Froth's answer it is
the same as " to bring along by
some motive or power"; II. i.
208.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Glossary
Draivn in, taken in, swindled ; II. i.
Dressings, habiliments ; V. i. 56.
Dribbling, weak ; I. iii, 2.
Effects, expressions ; III. i. 24.
Emmeiv, to coop up, " to force to lie
in cover without daring to show
themselves " ; III. i. 91.
Enshield, concealed, enclosed ; II. iv.
80.
Enskyd, placed in heaven ; I. iv. 34.
Entertain, desire to keep ; III. i. 75.
Escapes, sallies; IV. i. 63.
Estimation, reputation ; IV. ii. 28.
Evasion, excuse; I. i. 51.
Evils, privies; II. ii. 172.
Fact, crime; IV. ii. 141.
False, illegal ; II. iv. 49.
Falselij, dishonestly, illegally ; II. iv.
47-
Fault; "fault and glimpse," i.e. the
faulty glimpse ; a fault arising
from the mind being dazzled by
a novel authority ; I. ii. 157.
Favour, used equivocally with a play
upon "favour"= "countenance";
IV. ii. 32; face, IV. ii. 182.
Fear, affright; II. i. 2.
Fear, "to give fear," = "to intimi-
date " ; I. iv. 62.
Feodary, (so Folios 2, 3, 4; Fol. i
fedarie), originally one who
holds an estate by suit or service
to a superior lord, hence one
who acts under the direction of
another; here, "one of the
human fraternity " ; II. iv. 122.
Ftivness and truth, briefly and truly;
I. iv. 39.
File, multitude ; III. ii. 144.
Fine, punish ; II. ii. 40 ; III. i. 1 15.
Fine, punishment ; II. ii. 40.
Flourish, adorn ; IV. i. 75.
Floivery tenderness, i.e. a tender woman
"whose action is no stronger
than a flower " {cp. Sonnet lxv.
4); in. i 83.
^ D2
Foison, plenty ; I. iv. 43.
Fond, foolish ; II. ii. 187 ; V. i. 105 ;
foolishly overprized ; II. ii. 149.
Foppery, folly; I. ii. 132.
Forfeit, liable to penalty ; III. ii. 205.
'■^ For the Lurd's sake," the supjilica-
tion of imprisoned debtors to the
passers-by; IV. iii. 21.
For the Lord's sake.
From Braithwait's Honest Ghost, or A
Voice from the Vault (1658).
Free, liberal ; V. i. 392.
French croivn, a bald head produced
by a certain disease ; used equi-
vocally ; I. ii. 52.
Garden-house jiwmmer-ViOMSt; V.i.212.
General, populace ; II. iv. 27.
Generation, race; IV. iii. 91.
Generative, (?) begot; "a motion
g." ; "a puppet born of a female
being" (but probably Theobald's
emendation is correct — " un-
generative ") ; III. ii. 119.
Glossary
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Generous and gravest, i.e. most gener-
ous and most grave ; IV. vi. 13.
Ghostlij, spiritual ; IV. iii. 48.
Giglets, giglots, wantons ; V. i.
Glassy essence, " that essential nature
of man which is like glass, from
its faculty to reflect the image of
others in its own, and from its
fragility, its liability to injury or
destruction " ; II. ii. 120.
Grace, good fortune, happiness ; I.
iv. 69.
Gradation, regular advance from step
to step ; IV. iii. 102.
Grange, a solitary farmhouse ; III.
i. 275.
Gratulate, gratifying; V. i. 533.
Gravel, flinty; IV. iii. 66.
Guard, "stands at a guard with,"
i.e. "is on his guard against";
I. iii. 51.
Guards, facings, trimmings ; III. i.
97-
Hannibal, Elbow's error for "can-
nibal"; II. i. 181.
Happily, haply ; IV. ii. 98.
Heavy, drowsy, sleepy ; IV. i. 35.
Helmed, directed; III. ii. 151.
Hent, seized, taken possession of;
IV. vi. 14.
Hide, suppress; V. i. 67.
His, its ; IV. i. 31.
Home and home, to the quick ; IV.
iii. 146.
Hot-house, bathing-house ; II. i. 65.
Ignomy, (so Folio i) = ignominy
(which word suits the metre
better); II. iv. iii.
Impartial, taking no part ; V. i. 166.
Imports, carries with it ; V. i. 108.
Importune, urge ; I. i. 57.
Incertain, unsettled, vague; III. i.
127.
Informal, insane ; V. i. 236.
In good time, SO be it, very well ; III.
i. 181.
Iniquity, see Justice.
Insensible of, indifferent to ; IV. ii.
151-
Instance, intimation; IV. iii. 132.
Invention, imagination ; II. iv. 3.
Inivard, intimate friend ; III. ii. 138.
Issues, purposes; I. i. 37.
Journal, diurnal ; IV. iii. 90.
Justice or Iniquity, " that is the con-
stable or the fool ; Escalus calls
the latter Iniquity in allusion to
the old Vice, a familiar character
in the ancient morulites and
dumb shows " ; II. i. 174.
Keeps, dwells; I. iii. 10.
Lap-wing ("the bird diverts atten-
tion from its nest by flying to
a distance and attracting the
sportsman there by fluttering");
I. iv. 32.
Leavened, well fermented, ripened ;
I. i. 52.
Leiger, a resident ambassador at a
foreign court; III. i. 59.
Like, likely to be believed ; V. i.
104.
Limit, appointed time ; III. i. 222.
Limited, appointed; IV. ii. 174.
Lists, bounds, limits ; I. i. 6.
Loss of question, absence of any better
argument ; II. iv. 90.
Loiver chair, an easy chair ; II, i.
131- ,
Luxury, lust ; V. i. 505.
Meal'd, sprinkled ; IV. ii. 86.
Medlar, used wantonly for
"woman"; IV. iii. 180.
Mere, particular; V. i. 152.
Metre (refers probably to the
ancient metrical graces arranged
to be said or sung); I. ii. 22.
Moe, more; " moe thousand
deaths," i.e. "a thousand more
deaths" ; III. i. 40.
Mortality, death; I. i. 45.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Glossary
Mother, abbess ; I. iv. 86.
Motion, a thing endowed with
movement ; III. i. 120.
Mystery, trade ; IV. ii. 29.
Nature, life ; II. iv. 43.
No; "reason dares her no," i.e.
"admonishes her not to do it";
IV. iv. 27.
Obstruction, Stagnation of the blood ;
III. i. 119.
Office, service ; V. i. 368.
Omit, pass by; IV. iii. 75.
Opposite, opponent; III. ii. 175.
Oive, possess, have ; I. iv. 83 ; II.
iv. 123.
Pace, to make to go (lit. to teach
a horse to move according to the
will of the rider); IV. iii. 135.
Pain, penalty ; II. iv. 86.
Paind, put to trouble ; V. i. 390.
Parcel-baivd, part bawd ; II. i. 62.
Part; "my p. in him," i.e. "my
office delegated to him " ; I. i. 42.
Partial; "nothing come in p." /.<?.
"no partiality be allowed"; II.
i. 31.
Particular, private ; IV. iv. 29.
Passes, proceedings ; V. i. 374.
Passing on, i.e. passing sentence on ;
II. i. 19.
Peaches, impeaches; IV. iii. 12.
Pelting, paltry; II. ii. 112.
Perdurably, everlastingly ; III. i.
115.
Philip and Jacob, i.e. the feast of St.
P. and St. J. (May ist); III. ii.
214.
Piled, " a quibble between piled,
peeled, stripped of hair, bald
(from the French disease), and
piled as applied to velvet ; three-
piled velvet meaning the finest
and costliest" ; I. ii. 35.
Planched, planked ; IV. i. 30.
Pluck on, draw on ; II. iv. 147.
Possess'' d, informed ; IV. i. 44.
I D2*
Practice, plot; V. i. 107, 123.
Precept, instruction ; "in action all
of p." = "with actions intended
to instruct me " {i.e. shewing the
several turnings of the way with
his hand) ; IV. i. 40.
Prefers itself, places itself before
everything else; I. i. 55.
Prc^nan/, expert ; I. i. 12; evident;
II. i. 23.
Prenzie, prim ; III. i. 94, 97.
Present, "p. shrift,"/.^, "immediate
absolution"; IV. ii. 217.
Presently, immediately; IV. iii.
80.
Preserved, kept pure; II. ii. 153.
/"r/n/j, impressions ; II. iv. 130.
Probation, proof; V. i. 157.
Profanation, Elbow's blunder for
"profession"; II. i. 55.
Profession, business ; IV. iii. 2.
Profiting, taking advantage; II. iv.
128.
Prolixious, tiresome and hindering ;
II. iv. 162.
Prone and speechless, probably to
be considered as equivalent to
" speechlessly prone," i.e. speak-
ing fervently and eagerly with-
out words (or perhaps " prone"
= deferential ) ; I. ii. 183.
Proper, own; III. i. 30; V. i. 412;
personally, peculiarly; I. i. 31.
Proper to, belonging to ; V. i,
110.
Proportion, measure; I. ii. 23.
Proportions, portion, fortune ; V. i.
219.
Provincial; " here p."=" under the
jurisdiction of this ecclesiastical
province "; V. i. 318.
Provohest, invokest ; III. i. 18.
Put, compelled; I. i. 5.
Putting-on, incitement; IV. ii. 120.
Qualify, check ; IV. ii. 86.
Question, consideration ; I. i. 47,
Quests, spyings ; IV. i. 62.
Quit, acquitj forgive; V. i. 487.
Glossary
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Race, natural disposition ; II. iv. 160.
Raci, distort; IV. i. 65.
Ravin Jozvn, ravenously devour; I.
ii. 128.
Rebate, maice dull ; I. iv. 60.
Received, understood ; II. iv. 82.
RefelPd, refuted ; V. i. 94.
Remission ; "apt r."r=a ready pardon,
readiness to forgive; V. i. 502.
Remonstrance, demonstration ; V. i.
396.
Remorse, pity ; II. ii. 54; V. i. 100.
Remove, absence; I. i. 44.
Renouncement, renunciation of the
world ; I. iv. 35.
Resolve, inform; III. i. 192.
Respected, misapplied by Elbow and
Pompey (=: suspected) ; II. i. 164,
167.
Restrained, forbidden ; II. iv. 48.
Retort, "to refer back (to Angelo
the cause in which you appealed
from Angelo to the Duke)"; V.
i. 303.
Salt, lustful ; V. i. 405.
Satisfy your resolution, sustain your
courage ; III. i. 170.
Saucy, wanton ; II. iv. 45.
Scaled, weighed (or perhaps " strip-
ped " as of scales, unmasked ;
"foiled" has been suggested as
an emendation) ; III. i. 264.
Scope, power ; I. i. 65 ; licence ; I.
ii. 126 ; I. iii. 35.
Scruple, very small quantity ; I. i.
38 ; doubtful perplexity ; I. i. 65.
Secondary, subordinate; I. i. 47.
Sects, classes, ranks; II. ii. 5.
5«=Rome; III. ii. 233.
Seeming, hypocrisy; II. iv. 150.
Seldom -when, i.e. 'tis seldom that ;
IV. ii. 89.
Serpigo, a dry eruption on the skin ;
III. i. 31.
Several, different ; II. iv. 2.
Shears ; " there went liut a pair of
shears between us," i.e. " we are
both of the same piece"; I. ii. 28.
Sheep-biting, thievish; V. i. 358.
Shield, forefend ; " Heaven s. my
mother play'd my father fair,"
i.e. " God grant that thou wert
not my father's true son " ; III.
i. 141.
Shretvd, evil, mischievous ; II. i.
253.
Sides ( tiie Folios "sickles"),
shekels ; II. ii. 149.
Siege, seat; IV. ii. loi.
Sith, since ; I. iii. 35.
Smack, have a taste, savour ; II. ii.
5-
Snatches, repartees ; IV. ii. 6.
Sort and suit, rank and service {i.e.
suit-service, due to a superior
lord); IV. iv. 18.
Soul, " with special s.," i.e. with
special liking ; I. i. 18.
Spare, forbear to offend ; II. iii. 33.
Splay ( so first Folio ; Steevens
" spay "), to castrate ; II. i.
234.
Stage, to make a show of; I. i. 69.
Stagger, waver, hesitate ; I. ii.
164.
Starkly, Stiffly, as if dead ; IV. ii.
69.
Stays upon, waits for ; IV. i. 47.
Stead, be of service to; I. iv. 17.
Stead up, to supply; III. i. 258.
Stezv, cauldron ; V. i. 321.
Story, subject of mirth ; I. iv. 30.
Straitness, strictness; III. ii. 271.
Stricture, strictness ; I. iii. 12.
Succeed, inherit ; II. iv. 123.
Sufferance, suffering ; III. i. 80.
Siveat ; the plague was popularly
known as " the sweating sick-
ness " ; I. ii. 82.
Siveetness, self-indulgence ; II. iv.
45-
Swinged, whipped; V. i. 130.
Tax, accuse ; II. iv. 79.
Temporary meddler, one who meddles
with temporal matters ; V. i.
145.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Glossary
Tick-Tack. From a picture by Teniers.
Terms ; " the technical language of
the courts. An old book called
Les Termes de la Ley was in Shake-
speare's days, and is now, the
accidence of young students in
the law" (Blackstone) ; I. i. ii.
Tickle, unstable ; I. ii. 171.
Tick-tack, a sort of backgammon
(used equivocally) ; I. ii. 191.
Tilth, tillage ; I. iv. 44.
Tithe, seed to be sown ; tenth of the
harvest (probably an error for
"tilth," i.e. land to be sown);
IV. i. 76.
Touches, vices ; III. ii. 25.
Touse, pull, tear; V. i. 313.
Trade, custom, established habit ;
III. i. 149.
Transport, remove from one world
to another ; IV. iii. 70.
Trick, fashion ; V. i. 509.
Trot, a contemptuous name, applied
properlytoan oldwoman; III.ii.52.
Trumpets (<' t. to the gate ; "), trum-
peters ; IV. V. 9.
From'Latryumphante . . . entree faicte sur
le...advenementde. . .prince. .Charles
des Hespaignes {i.e. Emperor Charles
V.) . . . en sa ville de Bruges' (1515).
Glossary
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Tub, the sweating-tub, used as a
cure for certain diseases ; III. ii.
59-
Tun-dish, funnel ; III. ii. 182.
From Holme's Academy of Armory
(i688).
Unfolding, releasing from the fold or
pen ; IV. ii. 213.
Un^enitured (?), impotent (perhaps
" unbegotten "j ; III. ii. 184.
Ungot, not begotten ; V. i. 142.
Unpititd, unmerciful; IV. ii. 13.
Unpregnant, unready, inapt ; IV. iv.
22.
Unshunned, inevitable ; III. ii. 62.
Unsisting, probably a misprint (in
Folios I, 2, 3) for "insisting"
(the reading of Fol. 4), i.e. " per-
sistent " ; IV. ii. 92.
Untrussing, " untying the points or
tagged laces which attached the
hose or breeches to the doublet ";
III. ii. 190.
Uniueighing, injudicious ; III. ii. 14-7.
Use, practices long countenanced by
custom ; I. iv. 62.
Use, interest, probably with a second-
ary sense of " exertion " ; I. i. 41 .
yail your regard, lower your look ;
V. i. 20.
Fain, "for v." = in vain, to no pur-
pose ; II. iv. 12.
Vantage, " denies thee v. ," i.e. "will
avail thee nothing"; V. i. 417.
Vastidity, vastness ; III. i. 69.
Veil full purpose, to cover his full p.;
IV. vi, 4.
Vieivless, invisible; III. i. 124.
Virtuous, beneficial; II. ii. 168.
Voice, "in my v."
I. ii. 180.
Vouch, affirmation ; II. iv. 156
Vulgarly, publicly; V. i. 160.
in my name ;
i>.
^lir/i, deviate ; I. i. 15.
Warped, Crooked, wry, unnatural ;
III. i. 142.
Wear, fashion ; III. ii. yg.
Weeds, '■'■iveed is a term still common-
ly applied to an ill-conditioned
horse " (Collier) ; emendations
proposed; "steeds," "wills";
I. iii. 20.
Who = vi\\\c\\ ; I. ii. 190.
Wido-w, to give as jointure; V. i.
428.
Wilderness, wildness ; III. i. 142.
Woodman, one who hunts female
game; IV. iii. 166.
Wrong, " done myself w.,"/.f. "put
myself in the wrong"; I. ii.
41.
Tare, ready ; IV. ii. 60.
Yield, " y. you forth to public
thanks," /.<•. " yield public thanks
to you " ; V. i. 7.
Zodiacs, circuits of the sun, years •
I. ii. 167.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Notes.
I. i. 8, 9. There is no gap between ^ sufficiency' zx\A ' oj ' in the Folios.
Theobald first advanced the plausible theory that the obscurity of the
passage was due to some careless omission on the part of the printers.
The Camb. Ed., accepting Theobald's theory, indicates the omission by
means of dots. Various attempts have been made to explain the lines,
e.g. " But that to your sufficiences your ivorth is abled'''' (Johnson) ; " But your
sufficiency as ivorth is able" (Farmer); Theobald's suggestion has been
adopted in the present edition.
I. i. 43. ' Hold therefore, Angelo ; ' the Duke probably says these words
on tendering commission to Angelo.
I. ii. 28. ' There zvent but a pair of shears betiveen us ; ' i.e. ' we are of one
piece.'
I. ii. 119. 'by -weight the luoi'ds,' SO Ff., ^ by lueight ; 1' the -words'
Hanmer; perhaps, as Johnson conjectured, a line has dropped out.
I. ii. 120. Cp. St. Paul to the Romans ix. 15, 18: "For He saith to
Moses, I will have mercy on -whom I -will have mercy," and again, "There-
fore hath He mercy on -whom He -will have mercy, and -whom He •will He
hardeneth."
I. ii. 133. '■Morality-' the Folios misprint ^mortality.'
I. ii. 149. ^Propagation;' Folio I veTids propagation, corrected in Folio 2;
prorogation, procuration, preservation, have been suggested by various editors,
but the text as it stands is probably correct, though not altogether
clear; ' propagation' = ' incTea.se.' ; perhaps the word implies 'increase of
interest,' and 'for propagation' = ' th.a.t she might continue to receive the
interest, which was to be hers while she remained unmarried.'
I. iii. 10. 'and -witless,' Fj F3 F4 ; Fj ' -luitless' ; Nicholson conj. 'a
witless.'
I. iii. 27. ' Becomes,' added by Pope (after Davenant) ; Ff. omit the verb.
I. iii. 43. 'To do in slander;' so the Folios; 'OTf'and 'it' have been suggested
for ' in,' but no change seems necessary ; ' do in '—' bring in, bring upon
me.'
I. iv. 54. ' gi-vings-out ' Kowe ; Ff. ' giving-out.'
I. iv. 78. 'maie'; Ff. 'makes.'
Notes MEASURE FOR MEASURE
II. i. 39. ^ Some run from brakes of -vice and ansivcr none ; ^ the line as it
Stands in the Folios — ^brakes of ice' — which is iicpt by the Camb. ed., is
obviously corrupt, and has occasioned much discussion. Shakespeare
probably wrote '■brakes of -vice' ; brakes = '■ tortures, instruments of torture'
(see Glossary); ' o/" ^1:^' = resulting from, or due to, vice; ^brakes of -uice^
is antithetical to ^ a fault alone,' cp. Henry VIII. I. ii. 75 —
" the rough brake
That virtue must go through''
The passage seems to mean : ' some escape scot-free from the penalties of
vice — the rough brakes that vice ought to go through, while others are
condemned for a mere fault.'
II. i. 135. ' An open room ; ' Schmidt, " public room " ; perhaps it means
'open to sun, light, cheerful.'
II. ii. 79. ' Like man neiv made ; ' commentators are strongly tempted to
refer the words to ' nexv made man,' i.e. Adam; Holt White paraphrased
thus: — "And you Angelo, will breathe new life into Claudio, as the
Creator animated Adam, by breathing into his nostrils the breath of life."
Malone explains: — "You will then appear as tender-hearted and merci-
ful as the first man was in his days of innocence, immediately after his
creation." Schmidt and others, "like man redeemed and regenerated by
divine grace." The lines are perhaps capable of this interpretation: —
And mercy will breathe within your lips, even as Mercy (/.<r, God) breathed
within the lips of new made man.
II. ii. 90. " Dormiunt aliquanilo leges, moriuntur nunquam," is a Well-known
maxim in law (Holt White).
II. ii. 159. ' Where prayers cross,'' i.e. where his prayer to possess Isabella
crosses with hers, " Heaven keep your honour safe ! "
II. iii. II. '■ The Jlaivs of her otjun youth ; ' possibly Warburton's correction
'■^ fames " should be adopted ; cp.
' To /laming youth let virtue be as wax,
And melt in her own /ire.' — Hamlet, III. iv. 84.
II. iii. 40. '0 injurious love' (Folios 'loue''); Hanmer's suggestion,
'laiv' for '■ loue,' has been generally accepted; the law respited her 'a
life whose very comfort' was 'a dying horror.'
II. iv. 9. Feared; probably a misprints 'y"(-ar«/' i.e. ^seared.'
II. iv. 103. ^ That longing have been sick for ;' Rowe suggested, 'I've been
sick for ;' for the omission of pronoun, cp. ' Has censured him,' I. iv. 72.
II. iv. 172. ' 0 perilous mouths;' the line is defective as it stands. (?)
' 0 pernicious mouths ' (Walker), or ' these perilous ' (Seymour).
III. i. II. ' Tliou art death's fool ;' the phrase was possibly suggested by
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Notes
the introduction of the ybo/ into most of the old dances of death, one of
which was the original source of the accompanying initial from Stowe's
Survey of London (i6i8).
III. i. 94, 97. Prenzie ; the source
of this strange word has baffled
students ; it seems identical with
the Scottish frimsie, 'demure, pre-
cise,' which in its turn is connected
with. prim (in Old Yrtnch. prin pren):
under any circumstances there is no
reason why the word should be
changed, as has been proposed, to
' princely,' the readers of the 2nd
Folio, or ' priestly,' ' pensive,' &c.
III. i. 123.
''^ or to reside
hi tliriUii'.g- region 0/ thick-ribbed ice ;"
p. the following tut from Pynson's edition of the Kalender of Shepherdes
(1506).
Notes MEASURE FOR MEASURE
III. ii. 9. "The passage seems to us to imply, furred (that is, lined
with lamb-sl<in fur inside, and trimmed with fox-skin fur outside) with
both kinds of fur, to show that craft (fox-skin), being richer than
innocency (lamb-skin), is used for decoration " (Clarke).
III. ii. 12-14. ^ Good father friar^ . . . '■ good brother father ;^ the joke, as
Tyrwhitt pointed out, would be clearer in French, '■ mon pere frire'' . . .
' mon frire pere.'
III. ii. 41. ^ Free from our faults, as faults from seemintr free,' so Fj F, (with
comma after seeming); Fi '■from our faults' \^c., retained by Camb. Ed.,
but the reading adopted commends itself from metrical and other con-
siderations, i.e., "Would that we were as free from faults, as our faults
are from seeming (hypocrisy)." Hanmer proposed, '■from our faults as
from faults seeming free.' If any correction is really necessary, one feels
inclined to hazard —
' Free from our faults, as from false seeming, free.'
{Cp. <■ thy false seeming,' II. iv. 15.)
III. ii. 242. ' Security enough to make fellotvships accurst;' cp. Prov. xi. 1 5.
III. ii. 276-298. These lines are in all probability not Shakespeare's.
III. ii. 280. ' Grace to stand, and -virtue go;' i.e. 'To have grace to
stand firm, and virtue to go forward.'
III. ii. 289-292. ' H01V may likeness made in crimes,' etc. ; these lines do
not readily admit of interpretation, and some corruption has probably
crept into the text; Malone suggested ivade for made, i.e. "How may
hypocrisy wade in crimes ; " Hanmer, ' that likeness shading crimes,' etc.
None of the suggestions seem very satisfactory. Perhaps to dra-w = 'to —
draiv,' i.e. ' pull to pieces ' (?)
IV. i. I. This song appears in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bloody Brother,
with the addition of the following stanza, assuredly not Shakespeare's,
though found in the spurious edition of his poems, (1640) —
" Hide, O hii/f those hills of snoiu
Which thy frozen bosotn bears.
On Tvhose tops the pinks that gro-iu
Are of those that April 7vears ;
But first set my poor heart free,
liound by those icy chains by thee."
IV. i. 13. "Though the music soothed my sorrows, it had no tendency
to product- light merriment" TJohnson).
IV. i. 76. ' tilth ' ; Theobald's emendation, for ' tithe,' the reading of Ff.
retained by Camb. Ed.
IV. ii. 45-49. Jf it be too little — thief; the Folios give this to Clo.
(Pompey) ; Capell first transferred it to Abhorson, and he has been
I
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Notes
followed by most editors. Cowden Clarke defends the Folio arrange-
ment; among other arguments he maintains that "the speech is much
more in character with the clown's snip-snap style of chop-logic than
with Abhorson's manner, which is remarlcably curt and bluff."
IV. iv. 6. 'redeliver;' Folio i, <■ re-liuer ;' Folio 2, 'deliuer;' Capell
first suggested ' redeliver.'
IV. iv. 28. ' bears of a credent bulk ; ' so Folios i, 2, 3 ; many emendations
have been proposed ; the reading of F^ seems the most plausible — ' bears
off a credent bulk ; ' ' credent bulk ' = ' weight of credit. '
V. i. 64. ' Do not banish reason, For inequality ; ' ;'.,-. because of ' im-
probability,' ' incongruity,' or, according to some, ' partiality.'
V. I. 323. "These shops,"' according to Nares, "were places of great
resort, for passing away time in an idle manner. By way of enforcing
some icind of regularity, and perhaps at least as much to promote
drinking, certain laws were usually hung up, the transgression of which
was to be punished by specific yo//<;/«r«. It is not to be wondered, that
laws of that nature were as often laughed at as obeyed."
V. i. 359. ' be hanged an hour ' seems to have been a cant phrase, meaning
little more than ' be hanged ! '
V. i. 360. 'OTai/wi,' monosyllabic ; Ff. 'mad'st;' Capell 'made.'
V. i. 496. ' Give me your hand ; ' i.e. ' if you give me your hand.'
V. i. 526. ''pressing to death," =<■' peine forte et dure": illustrated by the
accompanying drawing.
From ' The Life and Death of Griffin Hood . . .' (1623).
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