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With trial-fire touch me his finger-end

Mistress Quickly, as Fairy Queen, to Sir Hugh
With trial-fire touch me his finger-end.
If he be chaste, the flame will back descend
And turn him to no pain. But if he start,
It is the flesh of a corrupted heart.
Pistol, as Hobgoblin
A trial, come!
Sir Hugh, as a fairy
Come, will this wood take fire?
Sir Hugh puts a taper to Falstaff's finger, and he starts.
Falstaff
O, O, O!
Mistress Quickly, as Fairy Queen  
Corrupt, corrupt, and tainted in desire!
About him, fairies. Sing a scornful rhyme,
And, as you trip, still pinch him to your time.

Here they pinch him and sing about him, and Doctor
Caius comes one way and steals away a boy in white.
And Slender comes another way; he takes a boy in
green. And Fenton steals Mistress Anne Page.

Fairies sing

Fie on sinful fantasy!
Fie on lust and luxury!
Lust is but a bloody fire
Kindled with unchaste desire,
Fed in heart whose flames aspire
As thoughts do blow them higher and higher.
Pinch him, fairies, mutually;
Pinch him for his villainy.

Pinch him and burn him and turn him about,
Till candles and starlight and moonshine be out.

Source:
Act 5
Scene 5
Line 89

Source Type:
,

Spoken by:

Themes:
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