this unseasoned intrusion; for they say, if money go before, all ways do lie open. FAL. Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on. FORD. Troth, and I have a bag of money here troubles me: if you will help me to bear it, sir John, take all, or half, for easing me of the carriage. FAL. Sir, I know not how I may deserve to be your porter. FORD. I will tell you, sir, if you will give me the hearing. FAL. Speak, good master Brook; I shall be glad to be your servant. FORD. Sir, I hear you are a scholar,—I will be brief with you; -and you have been a man long known to me, though I had never so good means, as desire, to make myself acquainted with you. I shall discover a thing to you, wherein I must very much lay open mine own imperfection: but, good sir John, as you have one eye upon my follies, as you hear them unfolded, turn another into the register of your own; that I may pass with a reproof the easier, sith1 you yourself know, how easy it is to be such an offender. FAL. Very well, sir; proceed. FORD. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her husband's name is Ford. FAL. Well, sir. FORD. I have long loved her, and, I protest to you, bestowed much on her; followed her with a doting observance; engrossed opportunities to meet her; fee'd every slight occasion, that could but sith-] i. e. since. STEEvens. FAL. Brook, is his name? BARD. Ay, sir. FAL. Call him in; [Exit BARDOLPH.] Such Brooks are welcome to me, that o'erflow such liquor. Ah! ha! mistress Ford and mistress Page, have I encompassed you? go to; via!3 Re-enter BARDOLPH, with FORD disguised. FORD. Bless you, sir. FAL. And you, sir: Would you speak with me? FORD. I make bold, to press with so little preparation upon you. FAL. You're welcome; What's your will? Give us leave, drawer. Exit BARDOLPH. FORD. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much; my name is Brook. FAL. Good master Brook, I desire more acquaintance of you. 9 FORD. Good sir John, I sue for yours: not to charge you; for I must let you understand, I think myself in better plight for a lender than you are: the which hath something embolden'd me to 8 go to; via!] This cant phrase of exultation or defiance, is common in the old plays. So, in Blurt Master Constable: "Via for fate! Fortune, lo! this is all." STEEVENS. Markham uses this word as one of the vocal helps necessary for reviving a horse's spirits in galloping large rings, when he grows slothful. Hence this cant phrase (perhaps from the Italian, via,) may be used on other occasions to quicken or pluck up courage. TOLLET. 9 not to charge you;] That is, not with a purpose of putting you to expence, or being burthensome. JOHNSON. this unseasoned intrusion; for they say, if money go before, all ways do lie open. FAL. Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on. FORD. Troth, and I have a bag of money here troubles me: if you will help me to bear it, sir John, take all, or half, for easing me of the carriage. FAL. Sir, I know not how I may deserve to be your porter. FORD. I will tell you, sir, if you will give me the hearing. FAL. Speak, good master Brook; I shall be glad to be your servant. FORD. Sir, I hear you are a scholar,—I will be brief with you; -and you have been a man long known to me, though I had never so good means, as desire, to make myself acquainted with you. I shall discover a thing to you, wherein I must very much lay open mine own imperfection: but, good sir John, as you have one eye upon my follies, as you hear them unfolded, turn another into the register of your own; that I may pass with a reproof the easier, sith you yourself know, how easy it is to be such an offender. FAL. Very well, sir; proceed. FORD. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her husband's name is Ford. FAL. Well, sir. FORD. I have long loved her, and, I protest to you, bestowed much on her; followed her with a doting observance; engrossed opportunities to meet her; fee'd every slight occasion, that could but 1 ———— sith —] i, e. since. STEEVENS. niggardly give me sight of her; not only bought many presents to give her, but have given largely to many, to know what she would have given: briefly, I have pursued her, as love hath pursued me; which hath been, on the wing of all occasions. But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means, meed,2 I am sure, I have received none; unless experience be a jewel: that I have purchased at an infinite rate; and that hath taught me to say this: Love like a shadow flies, when substance love pursues; Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.3 FAL. Have you received no promise of satisfaction at her hands? 2 meed,] i. e. reward. So Spenser: "A rosy garland was the victor's meed." Again, in our author's Two Gentlemen of Verona: "Vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look." STEEVENS. 3 Love like a shadow flies, when substance love pursues;› Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.] These lines have much the air of a quotation, but I know not whether they belong to any contemporary writer. In Florio's Second Fruites, 1591, I find the following verses: Again: "Di donne e, et sempre fu natura, "Odiar chi l'ama, e chi non l'ama cura." "Chi per prender l'huomo, piangono, e preso la devorano, "Chile fugge sequono, e chi le seque fuggono." Thus translated by Florio: 66 they are like crocodiles, 66 They weep to winne, and wonne they cause to die, "Follow men flying, and men following fly." MALONE. Thus also in a Sonnet by Queen Elizabeth, preserved in the Ashmole Museum: "My care is like shaddowe in the sunne, my "Follows me fliinge, flies when I pursue it." STEEVENS. FORD. Never. FAL. Have you importuned her to such a purpose? FORD. Never. FAL. Of what quality was your love then? FORD. Like a fair house, built upon another man's ground; so that I have lost my edifice, by mistaking the place where I erected it. FAL. To what purpose have you unfolded this to me? FORD. When I have told you that, I have told you all. Some say, that, though she appear honest to me, yet, in other places, she enlargeth her mirth so far, that there is shrewd construction made of her. Now, sir John, here is the heart of my purpose: You are a gentleman of excellent breeding, admirable discourse, of great admittance, authentick in your place and person, generally allowed" for your many war-like, court-like, and learned preparations. FAL. O, sir! FORD. Believe it, for you know it :-There is money; spend it, spend it; spend more; spend all I have; only give me so much of your time in exchange of it, as to lay an amiable siege to the 6 of great admittance,] i. e. admitted into all, or the greatest companies. STEEVENS. 5 Lear: 6 66 · generally allowed-] Allowed is approved. So, in King if your sweet sway "Allow obedience," &c. STEEvens. to lay an amiable siege-] i. e. a siege of love. So, in Romeo and Juliet: 66 the siege of loving terms." MALONE. |