William Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor

ACT I. SCENE 4. A room in DOCTOR CAIUS'S house.

[Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY, and SIMPLE.]

QUICKLY.
What, John Rugby!

[Enter 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.

RUGBY.
I'll go watch.

QUICKLY.
Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in
faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire.

[Exit RUGBY.]

An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall
come in house withal; 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?

SIMPLE.
Ay, for fault of a better.

QUICKLY.
And Master Slender's your master?

SIMPLE.
Ay, forsooth.

QUICKLY.
Does he not wear a great round beard, like a
glover's paring-knife?

SIMPLE.
No, forsooth; he hath but a little whey face, with a
little yellow beard--a cane-coloured beard.

QUICKLY.
A softly-sprighted man, is he not?

SIMPLE.
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.

QUICKLY.
How say you?--O! I should remember him. Does
he not hold up his head, as it were, and strut in his gait?

SIMPLE.
Yes, indeed, does he.

QUICKLY.
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--