66 THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Evans. Seese is not good to give putter; your belly 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 you think, though 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? 160 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? 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'll bring you to Windsor, to one Master Brook, that you have cozened of money, to whom you should have been a pander: over and above that you have suffered. I think to repay that money will be a biting affliction. 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' wife. If 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, or he should have swinged me. 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. 201 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 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. Mrs 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. Caius. Vere is Mistress Page? By gar, I am cozened: I ha' married un garçon, a boy; un paysan, by gar, a boy; it is not Anne Page: by gar, I am cozened. 220 Mrs Page. Why, did you take her in green? Caius. Ay, by gar, and 'tis a boy: by gar, [Exit. I'll raise all Windsor. Ford. This is strange. Who hath got the right Anne? Page. My heart misgives me: here comes Enter FENTON and ANNE PAGE, Anne. Pardon, good father! good my mother, Page. Now, mistress, how chance you went not with Master Slender? 231 Mrs Page. Why went you not with master Fent. You do amaze her: hear the truth of it. 240 Ford. Stand not amazed; here is no remedy: In love the heavens themselves do guide the Money buys lands, and wives are sold by fate. state; Fal. I am glad, though you have ta'en a special stand to strike at me, that your arrow hath glanced. Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, heaven give thee joy! 250 What cannot be eschew'd must be embraced. Mrs Page. Well, I will muse no further. Heaven give you many, many merry days! say, bid come Call (Exit an Attendant. Look where he comes. Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will, I come to know your pleasure. Duke. 21 POMPEY, servant to Mistress Overdone. ABHORSON, an executioner. BARNARDINE, a dissolute prisoner. ISABELLA, sister to Claudio. MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo. JULIET, beloved of Claudio. MISTRESS OVERDONE, a bawd. Lords, Officers, Citizens, Boy, and Attendants. SCENE: Vienna. 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 40 Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech In our remove be thou at full ourself; Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus, Ang. Duke. No more evasion: 50 We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice Ang Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do 60 As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand: 70 Enter LUCIO and two 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! Sec. 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'? 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 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. Lucio. 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 velvet. Thou art the list. 31 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. First Gent. I think I have done myself wrong, have I not? 40 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? 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. 70 Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this? Mrs Ov. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised 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 proclamation. Lucio. Away! let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Mrs Ov. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. Enter POMPEY. How now! what's the news with you? 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? 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? Pom. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down. Mrs Ov. And what shall become of those in the city? ΤΟΥ 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? Pom. To the ground, mistress. Mrs Ov. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth! 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'll 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 withdraw. Pom. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's Madam Juliet. [Exeunt. Enter PROVOST, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and 170 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. 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 Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus and appeal to him. 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. 120 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; On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just. Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen. Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: As surfeit is the father of much fast, 130 Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I 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? 140 One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. Is lechery so look 'd after? Claud. Thus stands it with me: upon a contract I got possession of Julietta's bed: You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Of outward order: this we came not to, true 150 But it chances From whom we thought it meet to hide our love Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. 180 I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service: 191 Lucio. I pray she may; as well for the enCouragement 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 foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll 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 Fri. T. May your grace speak of it: A man of stricture and firm abstinence, My absolute power and place here in Vienna, And he supposes me travell'd to Poland; Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting Unhappily, even so. 160 The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds, newness, And the new deputy now for the duke- Or in his eminence that fills it up, stagger in:-but this new governor That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers, For terror, not to use, in time the rod And to behold his sway, I will, as 'twere a brother of your order, SCENE IV. A nunnery. 50 [Exeunt. Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. Isab. And have you nuns no farther privileges? Fran. Are not these large enough? 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. [Within] 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 It is true. 30 I would not-though 'tis my familiar sin 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 Isab. Some one with child by him? My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names By vain though apt affection. Isab. O, let him marry her. She it is. This is the point. The duke is very strangely gone from hence; 50 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 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. Ευ 71 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. Alas, I doubt Isab. My power? Lucio. Our doubts are traitors All their petitions are as freely theirs But speedily. I will about it straight; |