The Merry Wives of Windsor The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] · William Shakespeare
NOTES: SCENE XIV
_Fal._ Marry was it Musselshell, what would you? _Sim._ Marry sir my maister _Slender_ sent me to her, To know whether one _Nim_ that hath his chaine, Cousoned him of it, or no. _{F}al._ I talked with the woman about it. 25 _Sim._ And I pray you sir what ses she? _Fal._ Marry she ses the very same man that Beguiled maister _{S}lender_ of his chaine, Cousoned him of it. _Sim._ May I be bolde to tell my maister so sir? 30 _Fal._ _I_ tike, who more bolde. _Sim._ _I_ thanke you sir, I shall make my maister a glad man at these tydings, God be with you sir. _Exit._ _Host._ Thou art clarkly sir _Iohn_, thou art clarkly, Was there a wise woman with thee? 35 _Fal._ Marry was there mine host, one that taught Me more wit then I learned this 7. yeare, And I paid nothing for it, But was paid for my learning. _Enter Bardolfe._ _Bar._ O lord sir cousonage, plaine cousonage. 40 _Host._ Why man, where be my horses? where be the Germanes? _Bar._ Rid away with your horses: After I came beyond Maidenhead, They flung me in a slow of myre, & away they ran. _Enter Doctor._ _Doc._ Where be my Host de gartyre? 45 _Host._ O here sir in perplexitie. _Doc._ I cannot tell vad be dad, But begar I will tell you van ting, Dear be a Garmaine Duke come to de Court, Has cosened all the host of _Branford_, 50 And _Redding_: begar I tell you for good will, Ha, ha, mine Host, am I euen met you? _Exit._
_Enter _Sir_ Hugh._ _{S}ir Hu._ Where is mine host of the gartyr? Now my Host, I would desire you looke you now, To haue a care of your entertainments, 55 For there is three sorts of cosen garmombles, _Is_ cosen all the Host of Maidenhead and Readings, Now you are an honest man, and a scuruy beggerly lowsie knaue beside: And can point wrong places, 60 _I_ tell you for good will, grate why mine Host. _Exit._ _Host._ _I_ am cosened _Hugh_, and coy _Bardolfe_, Sweet knight assist me, _I_ am cosened. _Exit._ _Fal._ Would all the worell were cosened for me, For I am cousoned and beaten too. 65 Well, _I_ neuer prospered since I forswore Myselfe at _Primero_: and my winde Were but long inough to say my prayers, Ide repent, now from whence come you? _Enter {M}istresse Quickly._ _Quic._ From the two parties forsooth. 70 _{F}al._ The diuell take the one partie, And his dam the other, And theyle be both bestowed. _I_ haue endured more for their sakes, Then man is able to endure. 75 _Quic._ O Lord sir, they are the sorowfulst creatures That euer liued: specially mistresse _Ford_, Her husband hath beaten her that she is all Blacke and blew poore soule. _Fal._ What tellest me of blacke and blew, 80 I haue bene beaten all the colours in the Rainbow, And in my escape like to a bene apprehended For a witch of _Brainford_, and set in the stockes. _Quic._ Well sir, she is a sorrowfull woman, And I hope when you heare my errant, 85 Youle be perswaded to the contrarie. _Fal._ Come goe with me into my chamber, Ile heare thee. _Exit omnes._
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