The Merry Wives of Windsor (Illustrated) E-Book

William Shakespeare

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to 1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a reference to Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, and though nominally set in the reign of Henry IV, the play makes no pretence to exist outside contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life. It features the character Sir John Falstaff, the fat knight who had previously been featured in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2. It has been adapted for the opera on several occasions.

Leseprobe

William Shakespeare

The Merry Wives of Windsor (Illustrated)

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

SIR JOHN FALSTAFF

FENTON, a young gentleman

SHALLOW, a country justice

SLENDER, cousin to Shallow

FORD, Gentleman dwelling at Windsor

PAGE, Gentleman dwelling at Windsor

WILLIAM PAGE, a boy, son to Page

SIR HUGH EVANS, a Welsh parson

DOCTOR CAIUS, a French physician

HOST of the Garter Inn

BARDOLPH, PISTOL, NYM, Followers of Falstaff

ROBIN, page to Falstaff

SIMPLE, servant to Slender

RUGBY, servant to Doctor Caius

MISTRESS FORD

MISTRESS PAGE

MISTRESS ANNE PAGE, her daughter, in love with Fenton

MISTRESS QUICKLY, servant to Doctor Caius

SERVANTS to Page, Ford, &c.

SCENE: Windsor; and the neighbourhood

The Merry Wives of Windsor

ACT I.

SCENE 1. Windsor. Before PAGE'S house.

[Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR HUGH EVANS.]

SHALLOW.

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.

SLENDER.

In the county of Gloucester, Justice of Peace, and 'coram.'

SHALLOW.

Ay, cousin Slender, and 'cust-alorum.'

SLENDER.

Ay, and 'rato-lorum' too; and a gentleman born, Master Parson,

who writes himself 'armigero' in any bill, warrant, quittance,

or obligation--'armigero.'

SHALLOW.

Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

SLENDER.

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.

SHALLOW.

It is an old coat.

EVANS.

The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well,

passant; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.

SHALLOW.

The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old

coat.

SLENDER.

I may quarter, coz?

SHALLOW.

You may, by marrying.

EVANS.

It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.

SHALLOW.

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 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.

SHALLOW.

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.

SHALLOW.

Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the 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

discretions with it. There is Anne Page, which is daughter to

Master George Page, which is pretty virginity.

SLENDER.

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 as you will desire;

and seven hundred pounds 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 overtake seventeen years

old. It were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabbles,

and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page.

SHALLOW.

Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound?

EVANS.

Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny.

SHALLOW.

I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts.

EVANS.

Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is goot gifts.

SHALLOW.

Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff 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 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.

[Knocks.] What, hoa! Got pless your house here!

PAGE.

[Within.] Who's there?

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.

[Enter PAGE.]

PAGE.

I am glad to see your worships well. I thank you for my venison,

Master Shallow.

SHALLOW.

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.

SHALLOW.

Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do.

PAGE.

I am glad to see you, good Master Slender.

SLENDER.

How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say he was outrun on

Cotsall.

PAGE.

It could not be judged, sir.

SLENDER.

You'll not confess, you'll not confess.

SHALLOW.

That he will not: 'tis your fault; 'tis your fault. 'Tis a good dog.

PAGE.

A cur, sir.

SHALLOW.

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 good office

between you.

EVANS.

It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak.

SHALLOW.

He hath wronged me, Master Page.

PAGE.

Sir, he doth in some sort confess it.

SHALLOW.

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, NYM, and PISTOL.]

FALSTAFF.

Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the King?

SHALLOW.

Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my

lodge.

FALSTAFF.

But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter?

SHALLOW.

Tut, a pin! this shall be answered.

FALSTAFF.

I will answer it straight: I have done all this. That is now answered.

SHALLOW.

The Council shall know this.

FALSTAFF.

'Twere better for you if it were known in counsel: you'll be laughed

at.

EVANS.

Pauca verba, Sir John; goot worts.

FALSTAFF.

Good worts! good cabbage! Slender, I broke your head; what matter

have you against me?

SLENDER.

Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against your

cony-catching rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me

to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket.

BARDOLPH.

You Banbury cheese!

SLENDER.

Ay, it is no matter.

PISTOL.

How now, Mephostophilus!

SLENDER.

Ay, it is no matter.

NYM.

Slice, I say! pauca, pauca; slice! That's my humour.

SLENDER.

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.

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.

FALSTAFF.

Pistol!

PISTOL.

He hears with ears.

EVANS.

The tevil and his tam! what phrase is this, 'He hears with ear'?

Why, it is affectations.

FALSTAFF.

Pistol, did you pick Master Slender's purse?

SLENDER.

Ay, by these gloves, did he--or I would I might never come in mine

own great chamber again 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.

FALSTAFF.

Is this true, Pistol?

EVANS.

No, it is false, if it is a pick-purse.

PISTOL.

Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!--Sir John and master mine,

I combat challenge of this latten bilbo.

Word of denial in thy labras here!

Word of denial! Froth and scum, thou liest.

SLENDER.

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; that is the very note

of it.

SLENDER.

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.

FALSTAFF.

What say you, Scarlet and John?

BARDOLPH.

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!

BARDOLPH.

And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions

passed the careires.

SLENDER.

Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter; I'll ne'er be

drunk whilst I live again, but in honest, civil, godly company, for

this trick; if I be drunk, I'll 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.

FALSTAFF.

You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you hear it.

[Enter ANNE PAGE with wine; MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS PAGE.]

PAGE.

Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink within.

[Exit ANNE PAGE.]

SLENDER.

O heaven! this is Mistress Anne Page.

PAGE.

How now, Mistress Ford!

FALSTAFF.

Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well met; by your leave,

good mistress. [Kissing 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 unkindness.

[Exeunt all but SHALLOW, SLENDER, and EVANS.]

SLENDER.

I had rather than forty shillings I had my Book of Songs and Sonnets

here.

[Enter SIMPLE.]

How, Simple! Where have you been? I must wait on myself, must I? You

have not the Book of Riddles about you, have you?

SIMPLE.

Book of Riddles! why, did you not lend it to Alice Shortcake upon

Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas?

SHALLOW.

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?

SLENDER.

Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable; if it be so, I shall do that

that is reason.

SHALLOW.

Nay, but understand me.

SLENDER.

So I do, sir.

EVANS.

Give ear to his motions, Master Slender: I will description the

matter to you, if you pe capacity of it.

SLENDER.

Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow says; I 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 concerning your marriage.

SHALLOW.

Ay, there's the point, sir.

EVANS.

Marry is it; the very point of it; to Mistress Anne Page.

SLENDER.

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 you carry your good

will to the maid?

SHALLOW.

Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her?

SLENDER.

I hope, sir, I will do as it shall become one that would do reason.

EVANS.

Nay, Got's lords and his ladies! you must speak possitable, if you can

carry her your desires towards her.

SHALLOW.

That you must. Will you, upon good dowry, marry her?

SLENDER.

I will do a greater thing than that upon your request, cousin, in any

reason.

SHALLOW.

Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz; what I do is to pleasure

you, coz. Can you love the maid?

SLENDER.

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 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.

SHALLOW.

Ay, I think my cousin meant well.

SLENDER.

Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la!

SHALLOW.

Here comes fair Mistress Anne.

[Re-enter ANNE PAGE.]

Would I were young for your sake, Mistress Anne!

ANNE.

The dinner is on the table; my father desires your worships' company.

SHALLOW.

I will wait on him, fair Mistress Anne!

EVANS.

Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at the grace.

[Exeunt SHALLOW and EVANS.]

ANNE.

Will't please your worship to come in, sir?

SLENDER.

No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well.

ANNE.

The dinner attends you, sir.

SLENDER.

I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. Go, sirrah, for all you are

my man, go wait upon my cousin Shallow.

[Exit SIMPLE.]

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.

SLENDER.

I' faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did.

ANNE.

I pray you, sir, walk in.

SLENDER.

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