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The Merry Wives of Windsor

Act III, Scene 1

A field near Frogmore.
 
[Enter SIR HUGH EVANS and SIMPLE]
 
SIR HUGH 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 himself doctor of physic.
 
SIMPLE
Marry sir, the pittie-ward, the park-ward: every way: old Windsor way, and every way but the town way.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
I most fehemently desire you, you will also look that way.
 
SIMPLE
I will sir.
 
[Exit]
 
SIR HUGH 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 good opportunities for the ork: Pless my soul:
 
[Sings]
           ,       ,       ,           ,
      To shal|low riv|ers to | whose^falls:
         ,   2     ,            ,      ,
      Melod|ious birds | sings^mad|rigals:
        ,       2       ,          ,        ,
      There will we | make our | peds of | roses:
       ,        ,         ,          ,
      And a | thousand | fragrant | posies.
 
Mercy on me, I have a great dispositions to cry.
 
[Sings]
         ,   2     ,           ,      ,
      Melod|ious birds | sing mad|rigals--
            ,      ,        ,    ,
      When as | I sat | in Pab|ylon:
       ,        ,         ,        ,
      And a | thousand | vagram | posies.
 
[Enter SIMPLE]
 
SIMPLE
Yonder he is coming, this way, Sir Hugh.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
He's welcome: To shallow rivers, to whose falls-- Heaven prosper the right: What weapons is he?
 
SIMPLE
No weapons, sir: There comes my master, Master Shallow, and another gentleman; from Frogmore, over the stile, this way.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
Pray you give me my gown, or else keep it in your arms.
 
[Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER]
 
SHALLOW
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.
 
SLENDER
Ah sweet Anne Page.
 
PAGE
Save you, good Sir Hugh.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
Bless you from his mercy sake, all of you.
 
SHALLOW
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?
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
There is reasons, and causes for it.
 
PAGE
We are come to you, to do a good office, master parson.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
Fery well: what is it?
 
PAGE
Yonder is a most reverend gentleman; who (belike) having received wrong by some person, is at most odds with his own gravity and patience, that ever you saw.
 
SHALLOW
I have lived fourscore years, and upward: I never heard a man of his place, gravity, and learning, so wide of his own respect.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
What is he?
 
PAGE
I think you know him: Master Doctor Caius the renowned French physician.
 
SIR HUGH 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?
 
SIR HUGH 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 with him.
 
SHALLOW
O sweet Anne Page.
 
SHALLOW
It appears so by his weapons: Keep them asunder: here comes Doctor Caius.
 
[Enter Host, DOCTOR CAIUS, and RUGBY]
 
PAGE
Nay good master parson, keep in your weapon.
 
SHALLOW
So do you, good master doctor.
 
HOST
Disarm them, and let them question: let them keep their limbs whole, and hack our English.
 
DOCTOR CAIUS
I pray you let-a me speak a word with your ear; Vherefore vill you not meet-a me?
 
SIR HUGH EVANS [Aside to DOCTOR CAIUS]
Pray you use your patience in good time.
 
DOCTOR CAIUS
By gar, you are de coward: de Jack dog: John ape.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
Pray you let us not be laughing-stocks to other men's humors: I desire you in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends: I will knog your urinals about your knave's cockscomb.
 
DOCTOR CAIUS
Diable: Jack Rugby: mine host de Jarteer: have I not stay for him, to kill him? have I not at de place I did appoint?
 
SIR HUGH 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.
 
DOCTOR CAIUS
Aye, 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 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 (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, lad of peace, follow, follow, follow.
 
SHALLOW
Trust me, a mad host: Follow gentlemen, follow.
 
SLENDER
O sweet Anne Page.
 
[Exeunt SHALLOW, SLENDER, PAGE, and Host]
 
DOCTOR CAIUS
Ha do I perceive dat? have you make-a de sot of us, ha, ha?
 
SIR HUGH 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.
 
DOCTOR CAIUS
By gar, with all my heart: He promise to bring me where is Anne Page: by gar, he deceive me too.
 
SIR HUGH EVANS
Well, I will smite his noddles: Pray you follow.
 
[Exeunt]

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