Original
Modern English
What wouldst thou have, boor? what: thick-skin? speak, breathe, discuss; brief, short, quick, snap.
What do you want, idiot? What: thick-skinned? Speak, breathe, talk; be quick, short, fast, hurry up.
Marry, sir, I come to speak with Sir John Falstaff from Master Slender.
Well, sir, I came to speak with Sir John Falstaff from Master Slender.
There’s his chamber, his house, his castle, his standing-bed and truckle-bed; ’tis painted about with the story of the Prodigal, fresh and new. Go knock and call; hell speak like an Anthropophaginian unto thee: knock, I say.
There’s his room, his house, his castle, his bed and smaller bed; it’s decorated with the story of the Prodigal Son, fresh and new. Go knock and call; he’ll speak like a cannibal to you: knock, I say.
There’s an old woman, a fat woman, gone up into his chamber: I’ll be so bold as stay, sir, till she come down; I come to speak with her, indeed.
There’s an old woman, a fat woman, gone up into his room: I’ll be bold and wait, sir, until she comes down; I came to speak with her, really.
Ha! a fat woman! the knight may be robbed: I’ll call. Bully knight! bully Sir John! speak from thy lungs military: art thou there? it is thine host, thine Ephesian, calls.
Ha! a fat woman! the knight might be robbed: I’ll call. Bully knight! bully Sir John! speak loudly from your lungs: are you there? it’s your host, your Ephesian, calling.
[Above] How now, mine host!
[Above] How’s it going, my host!
Here’s a Bohemian-Tartar tarries the coming down of thy fat woman. Let her descend, bully, let her descend; my chambers are honourable: fie! privacy? fie!
Here’s a Bohemian-Tartar waiting for your fat woman to come down. Let her come down, bully, let her come down; my rooms are respectable: shame! privacy? shame!
There was, mine host, an old fat woman even now with me; but she’s gone.
There was, my host, an old fat woman just now with me; but she’s gone.
Pray you, sir, was’t not the wise woman of Brentford?
Please, sir, wasn’t it the wise woman from Brentford?
Ay, marry, was it, mussel-shell: what would you with her?
Yes, indeed it was, mussel-shell: what do you want with her?
My master, sir, Master Slender, sent to her, seeing her go through the streets, to know, sir, whether one Nym, sir, that beguiled him of a chain, had the chain or no.
My master, sir, Master Slender, sent for her, seeing her walk through the streets, to ask, sir, whether a man named Nym, sir, who tricked him out of a chain, had the chain or not.
I spake with the old woman about it.
I spoke with the old woman about it.
And what says she, I pray, sir?
And what did she say, please, sir?
Marry, she says that the very same man that beguiled Master Slender of his chain cozened him of it.
Well, she says that the very same man who tricked Master Slender out of his chain also cheated him of it.
I would I could have spoken with the woman herself; I had other things to have spoken with her too from him.
I wish I could have spoken with the woman herself; I had other things to ask her from him.
What are they? let us know.
What are they? Let us know.
Ay, come; quick.
Yes, hurry up.
I may not conceal them, sir.
I can’t hide them, sir.
Conceal them, or thou diest.
Hide them, or you’ll die.
Why, sir, they were nothing but about Mistress Anne Page; to know if it were my master’s fortune to have her or no.
Well, sir, it was just about Mistress Anne Page; to see if it was my master’s luck to have her or not.
’Tis, ’tis his fortune.
It is, it is his luck.
What, sir?
What, sir?
To have her, or no. Go; say the woman told me so.
To have her, or not. Go; tell them the woman told me so.
May I be bold to say so, sir?
Can I be bold enough to say that, sir?
Ay, sir; like who more bold.
Yes, sir; who else would be bolder?
I thank your worship: I shall make my master glad with these tidings.
Thank you, sir; I’ll make my master happy with this news.
Thou art clerkly, thou art clerkly, Sir John. Was there a wise woman with thee?
You’re clever, you’re clever, Sir John. Was there a wise woman with you?
Ay, that there was, mine host; one that hath taught me more wit than ever I learned before in my life; and I paid nothing for it neither, but was paid for my learning.
Yes, there was, my host; one who taught me more wisdom than I’ve ever learned in my life; and I didn’t pay anything for it either, but was paid for my learning.
Out, alas, sir! cozenage, mere cozenage!
Oh, alas, sir! Trickery, pure trickery!
Where be my horses? speak well of them, varletto.
Where are my horses? Speak well of them, servant.
Run away with the cozeners; for so soon as I came beyond Eton, they threw me off from behind one of them, in a slough of mire; and set spurs and away, like three German devils, three Doctor Faustuses.
They ran off with the cheats; as soon as I got past Eton, they threw me off one of their horses into a muddy bog; then they kicked their horses into action and rode off, like three German devils, three Doctor Faustuses.
They are gone but to meet the duke, villain: do not say they be fled; Germans are honest men.
They’ve just gone to meet the duke, you fool. Don’t say they’ve run away; Germans are honest men.
Where is mine host?
Where is my host?
What is the matter, sir?
What’s the matter, sir?
Have a care of your entertainments: there is a friend of mine come to town tells me there is three cozen-germans that has cozened all the hosts of Readins, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook, of horses and money. I tell you for good will, look you: you are wise and full of gibes and vlouting-stocks, and ’tis not convenient you should be cozened. Fare you well.
Be careful with your hospitality: a friend of mine has come to town and told me that there are three German cheats who’ve swindled all the innkeepers in Reading, Maidenhead, Colebrook, with horses and money. I’m telling you this for your own good: you are clever and full of tricks, and it’s not right for you to be tricked. Goodbye.
Vere is mine host de Jarteer?
Where is my host, the landlord?
Here, master doctor, in perplexity and doubtful dilemma.
Here, master doctor, in a state of confusion and uncertainty.
I cannot tell vat is dat: but it is tell-a me dat you make grand preparation for a duke de Jamany: by my trot, dere is no duke dat the court is know to come. I tell you for good vill: adieu.
I can’t say what that is, but I’ve been told that you’re making big preparations for a Duke of Germany: by my faith, there’s no duke that anyone at court knows is coming. I’m telling you this for your own good: goodbye.
Hue and cry, villain, go! Assist me, knight. I am undone! Fly, run, hue and cry, villain! I am undone!
Shout for help, you villain, go! Help me, knight. I’m finished! Run, shout, help me, villain! I’m finished!
I would all the world might be cozened; for I have been cozened and beaten too. If it should come to the ear of the court, how I have been transformed and how my transformation hath been washed and cudgelled, they would melt me out of my fat drop by drop and liquor fishermen’s boots with me; I warrant they would whip me with their fine wits till I were as crest-fallen as a dried pear. I never prospered since I forswore myself at primero. Well, if my wind were but long enough to say my prayers, I would repent.
I wish everyone in the world could be tricked, because I’ve been tricked and beaten too. If the court ever hears about how I’ve been transformed, and how my transformation has been scrubbed and beaten out of me, they’d melt me down, drop by drop, to fill fishermen’s boots; I bet they’d whip me with their sharp wit until I’m as deflated as a dried pear. I haven’t had any success since I swore falsely in a card game. Well, if I had just enough time to say my prayers, I would repent.
Now, whence come you?
Now, where are you coming from?
From the two parties, forsooth.
From both of the parties, truly.
The devil take one party and his dam the other! and so they shall be both bestowed. I have suffered more for their sakes, more than the villanous inconstancy of man’s disposition is able to bear.
The devil take one party and their mother the other! And they’ll both get what’s coming to them. I’ve suffered more because of them, more than any man could stand, because of how fickle people’s natures are.
And have not they suffered? Yes, I warrant; speciously one of them; Mistress Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot see a white spot about her.
And haven’t they suffered too? Yes, I swear; one of them, for sure. Mistress Ford, good woman, has been beaten black and blue, so much so that you can’t see a spot of her original skin.
What tellest thou me of black and blue? I was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brentford: but that my admirable dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of an old woman, delivered me, the knave constable had set me i’ the stocks, i’ the common stocks, for a witch.
What do you mean, black and blue? I was beaten myself, turned every color in the rainbow; and they almost arrested me as the witch of Brentford. But my brilliant wit saved me, my pretending to be an old woman, got me out of it. The foolish constable almost put me in the stocks, in the public stocks, as a witch.
Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber: you shall hear how things go; and, I warrant, to your content. Here is a letter will say somewhat. Good hearts, what ado here is to bring you together! Sure, one of you does not serve heaven well, that you are so crossed.
Sir, let me speak with you in your room: you will hear how things are going; and I promise, you’ll be satisfied. Here’s a letter that will explain some things. Goodness, what a fuss there is trying to bring you together! Surely, one of you is not doing right by heaven, if you’re being kept apart like this.
Come up into my chamber.
Come up to my room.