Page 2473 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

ACT II IT

Scene I IT

Enter Mistress Page, with a letter.

MISTRESS PAGE
What, have I scaped love-letters in the holiday-time of my beauty, and am I
now a subject for them? Let me see.
[Reads.]

‘Ask me no reason why I love you, for though Love use Reason for his
precisian, he admits him not for his [5] counsellor. You are not young, no
more am I; go to, then, there’s sympathy. You are merry, so am I; ha, ha,
then, there’s more sympathy. You love sack, and so do I; would you desire
better sympathy? Let it suffice thee, Mistress Page − at the least, if the love

of soldier can suffice − that [10] I love thee. I will not say pity me − ’tis not a
soldier-like phrase − but I say, love me. By me,
Thine own true knight,

By day or night,
Or any kind of light, [15]
With all his might
For thee to fight,
JOHN FALSTAFF.’

What a Herod of Jewry is this? O wicked, wicked world: one that is well-nigh
worn to pieces with age to show [20] himself a young gallant! What an
unweighed behaviour hath this Flemish drunkard picked − with the devil’s

name − out of my conversation, that he dares in this manner assay me? Why,
he hath not been thrice in my company! What should I say to him? I was then
frugal of my [25] mirth. Heaven forgive me! Why, I’ll exhibit a bill in the
parliament for the putting down of men. How shall I be revenged on him? For
revenged I will be, as sure as his guts are made of puddings.

Enter Mistress Ford.