520Trust me, my lord, I am sorry for your hurt.

Gramercy, madam, but it is not great.

6.3522Only a thrust, pricked with a rapierʼs point.

How grew the quarrel, my lord?

Sweet lady, for thy sake. 525There was this last night two masks, in one company 526myself the foremost, the other strangers were. 527Amongst the which, when the music began to sound the measures, 528each masker made choice of his lady, 529 and one more forward than the rest stepped towards thee, 530which I perceiving, thrust him aside and took thee myself. 531But this was taken in so ill part 532that at my coming out of the court gate, with justling together, 533it was my chance to be thrust into the arm. 534The doer thereof, because he was the original cause of the disorder 535at that inconvenient time, was presently committed 536and is this morning sent for to answer the matter. 537And I think here he comes.

6.5.2What? Sir Robert of Windsor! How now?

Iʼfaith, my lord, a prisoner. But what ails your arm?

Hurt the last night by mischance.

540What, not in the mask at the court gate?

Yes, trust me, there.

Why then, my lord, I thank you for my nightʼs lodging.

And I you for my hurt, if it were so. [To the Jailer] 544Keeper, away, I discharge you of your prisoner.

545Lord Marquis, you offered me disgrace to shoulder me.

Sir, I knew you not, and therefore you must pardon me; 547and the rather it might be alleged to me of 548mere simplicity to see another dance with my mistress 549disguised, and I myself in presence. But seeing it 550was our haps to damnify each other unwillingly, 551let us be content with our harms 552and lay the fault where it was and so become friends.

Iʼfaith, I am content with my nightʼs lodging, 554if you be content with your hurt.

555Not content that I have it, but content 556to forget how I came by it.

My lord, here comes Lady Blanche. Letʼs away.

With good will. [To Mariana] Lady, you will stay?

Madam.

Mariana, as I am grieved with thy presence, 563so am I not offended for thy absence, 564and were it not a breach to modesty, 565thou shouldst know before I left thee.

How near is this humour to madness. 567If you hold on as you begin, you 568are in a pretty way to scolding.

To scolding, huswife?

570Madam, here comes one.

There doth indeed. Fellow, wouldst thou have anything 573with anybody here?

I have a letter to deliver to the Lady Mariana.

575Give it me.

There must none but she have it.

Go to, foolish fellow.

6.27.2579And therefore, to ease the anger I sustain, 580Iʼll be so bold to open it. Whatʼs here? [Reading] 581‘Sir Robert greets you wellʼ? 582You, mistress – his ‘loveʼ, his ‘lifeʼ? Oh, amorous man, 583how he entertains his new mistress! 584And bestows on Lübeck, his odd friend, 585a horn nightcap to keep in his wit.

Madam, though you have discourteously 587read my letter, yet I pray you give it me.

Then take it.

6.29.2There, and there, and there!

590How far doth this differ from modesty! 591Yet will I gather up the pieces, which happily 592may show to me the intent thereof, 593though not the meaning.

6.30.2[Reading] 595‘Your servant and love, Sir Robert of Windsor, 596alias William the Conqueror, wisheth long health and happinessʼ. 597Is this William the Conqueror, shrouded under 598the name of ‘Sir Robert of Windsorʼ? 599Were he the monarch of the world, 600he should not dispossess Lübeck of his love. 601Therefore I will to the court, and there, if I can, 602close to be friends with Lady Blanche, 603and thereby keep Lübeck, my love, for myself, 604and further the Lady Blanche in her suit as much as I may.