P. Henry. I do, I will.
[Knocking; and Hostess and Bardolph go out.]
Re-enter Bardolph, running.
Bardolph. O, my lord, my lord; the sheriff, with a most monstrous
watch, is at the door.
Falstaff. Out, you rogue! play out the play: I have much to say in
the behalf of that Falstaff.
One of the most characteristic descriptions of Sir John is that
which Mrs. Quickly gives of him when he asks her, 'What is the gross
sum that I owe thee?'
Hostess. Marry, if thou wert an honest man, thyself, and the money
too. Thou didst swear to me upon a parcel-gilt goblet, sitting in my
Dolphin-chamber, at the round table, by a sea-coal fire on Wednesday
in Whitsunweek, when the prince broke thy head for likening his
father to a singing man of Windsor; thou didst swear to me then, as
I was washing thy wound, to marry me, and make me my lady thy wife.
Canst thou deny it? Did not goodwife Keech, the butcher's wife, come
in then, and call me gossip Quickly? coming in to borrow a mess of
vinegar; telling us, she had a good dish of prawns; whereby thou
didst desire to eat some; whereby I told thee, they were ill for a
green wound? And didst thou not, when she was gone down stairs,
desire me to be no more so familiarity with such poor people;
saying, that ere long they should call me madam? And didst thou not
kiss me, and bid me fetch thee thirty shillings? I put thee now to
thy book-oath; deny it, if thou canst.
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