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Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen, see the iffue of his fearch.

[Exeunt.

SCENE XI.

my

Manent Miftrefs Page and Mistress Ford.

Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this? Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that husband is deceiv'd, or Sir John.

Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in, when your husband asked who was in the basket!

Mrs. Ford. I am half afraid he will have need of wafhing; fo throwing him into the water will do him a benefit.

Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rafcal; I would, all of the fame ftrain were in the fame distress.

Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath fome fpecial fufpicion of Falstaff's being here. I never faw him fo grofs in his jealousy till now.

Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that, and we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff; his diffolute disease will scarce obey this medicine.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we fend that foolish carrion, miftress Quickly, to him, and excufe his throwing into the water, and give him another hope, to betray him to another punishment?

Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be fent for to-morrow by eight o'clock, to have amends.

Re-enter Ford, Page, and the reft at a distance.

Ford. I cannot find him; may be, the knave brag'd of what he could not compass.

Mrs. Page. Heard you that?

Mrs. Ford. I, I; peace:You ufe me well, mafter Ford, do you?

Ford. Ay, ay, I do fo,

Mrs.

Mrs. Ford. Heav'n make you better than your thoughts!

Ford. Amen.

Mrs. Page. You do yourfelf mighty wrong, Mr. Ford.

Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it.

Eva. If there be any pody in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the preffes, heav'n forgive my fins at the day of judgment !

Caius. By gar, nor I too; there is no bodies.

Page. Fie, fie, Mr. Ford, are you not afham'd? what fpirit, what devil, fuggefts this imagination? I would not ha' your diftemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windfor Castle.

Ford. 'Tis my fault, Mr. Page: I fuffer for it.

Eva. You fuffer for a pad confcience; your wife is as honeft a o'mans, as I will defires among five thoufand, and five hundred too.

Caius. By gar, I fee, 'tis an honest woman.

Ford. Well-I promis'd you a dinner-Come,come, walk in the park. I pray you, pardon me; I will hereafter make known to you, why I have done this. Come, wife; come, miftrels Page; I pray you pardon me; pray heartily, pardon me.

Page. Let's go in, gentlemen; but trust me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning to my house to breakfast; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bufh. Shall it be fo?

Ford. Any thing.

Eva. If there is one, I fhall make two in the company.

Caius. If there be one or two, I fhall make-a de turd.

Eva. In your teeth-for fhame.

Ford. Pray you go, Mr. Page.

Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow on the loufy knave, mine Hoft.

Caius. Dat is good, by gar, with all my heart.

VOL. II.

LI

Eva.

Eva. A loufy knave, to have his gibes, and his

mockeries.

SCENE XII.

Changes to Page's Houfe.

Enter Fenton and Mistress Anne Page.

Fent. I SEE, I cannot get thy father's love

[Exeunt.

Therefore no more turn me to him,fweet Nan.

Anne. Alas! how then?

Fent. Why, thou must be thyfelf.

He doth object, I am too great of birth;

And that my state being gall'd with my expence,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth.

Befides thefe, other bars he lays before me,
My riots paft, my wild focieties:
And tells me, 'tis a thing impoffible.
I should love thee, but as a property.
Anne. May be, he tells you true.

Fent. No, heav'n so speed me in my time to come! Albeit, I will confefs, thy father's wealth

*

Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne :
Yet wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than ftamps in gold, or fums in fealing bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyfelf

That now I aim at.

Anne. Gentle Mr. Fenton,

Yet feek my father's love; ftill feek it, Sir;
If opportunity and humbleft fuit '

-father's wealth] Some light may be given to those who fhall endeavour to calculate the encreafe of English wealth, by obferving, that Latymer in the time of Edward VI. mentions it as a proof of his father's profperity, That though but a yeoman, be gave his daughters five pounds each for her portion. At the latter end of Elizabeth, feven hun

Can

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Cannot attain it, why then-hark you hither. [Fenton and Mistress Anne go apart.

SCENE XIII.

Enter Shallow, Slender, and Mistress Quickly.

Shal. Break their talk, miftrefs Quickly; my kinfman shall speak for himself.

Slen. I'll make a fhaft or a bolt on't: 'd'slid, 'tis but venturing.

Shal. Be not difmay'd.

Slen. No, fhe fhall not dismay me: I care not for that, but that I am affeard.

Quic. Hark ye, Mr. Slender would speak a word with you.

Anne. I come to him.-This is my father's choice. O, what a world of vile ill favour'd faults Look handfome in three hundred pounds a year! Quic. And how does good mafter Fenton ? pray you, a word with you.

n?

Shal. She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou

hadft a father!

Slen. I had a father, Mrs. Anne; my uncle can tell you good jefts of him.-Pray you, uncle, tell Mrs. Anne the jeft, how my father ftole two geefe out of a pen, good uncle.

Shal. Miftrefs Anne, my coufin loves you.

Slen. Ay, that I do, as well as I love any woman in Gloucestershire.

Shal. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman. Slen. Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a Squire.

Shal. He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.

that our Author with more Propriety wrote:

If Importunity and bumble Suit. I have not ventur'd to difturb the. Text, because it may mean, "If LI

the frequentOpportunities you "find of folliciting my Father, "and your Obfequioufnefs to "him, cannot get him over to " your Party,." THEOBALD. 2

Anne.

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Anne. Good mafter Shallow, let him woo for himself.

Shal. Marry, I thank you for it, I thank you for that. Good comfort; fhe calls you, coz. I'll leave you. Anne. Now, mafter Slender.

Slen. Now, good mistress Anne.

Anne. What is your will?

Slen. My Will? od's heart-lings, that's a pretty jeft, indeed; I ne'er made my Will yet, I thank heav'n; I am not fuch a fickly creature, I give heav'n praise. Anne. I mean, Mr. Slender, what would you with me? Slen. Truly, for my own part, I would little or nothing with you; your father and my uncle have made motions; if it be my luck, fo; if not, happy man be his dole! they can tell how things go, better than I can; you may ask your father; here he comes.

SCENE XIV.

Enter Page, and Mistress Page.

Page. Now, mafter Slender: love him, daughter Anne.

Why how now? what does mafter Fenton here? You wrong me, Sir, thus ftill to haunt my house: I told you, Sir, my daughter is difpos'd of. Fent. Nay, mafter Page, be not impatient.

Mrs. Page. Good Mafter Fenton, come not to my child.

Page. She is no match for

you.

Fent. Sir, will you hear me?

Page. No, good mafter Fenton.

Come, mafter Shallow; come, fon Slender, in. Knowing my mind, you wrong me, mafter Fenton.

[Exeunt Page, Shallow, and Slender.

Quic. Speak to miftrefs Page.

Fent. Good miftrefs Page, for that I love your daughter

In fuch a righteous fashion as I do,

Perforce, against all checks, rebukes and manners, I muft advance the colours of my love,

And

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