Hoft. I will hear you, master Fenton ; and I will, at the least, keep your counsel.

Fen. From time to time I have acquainted you With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page; Who, mutually, hath answer'd my affection (So far forth as herfelf might be her chufer) Ev'n to my wifh. I have a letter from her Of fuch contents, as you will wonder at; The mirth whereof's fo larded with my matter, That neither fingly can be manifefted, Without the fhew of both. Fat Sir John Falstaff Hath a great Scene; the image of the jeft

[Shewing a letter I'll fhew you here at large. Hark, good mine Hoft; To night at Herne's Oak, juft 'twixt twelve and one, Muft my sweet Nan prefent the Fairy Queen ; The purpose why, is here; in which disguise, While other jefts are fomething rank on foot, Her father hath commanded her to flip Away with Slender, and with him at Eaton Immediately to marry; fhe hath consented

Sir,

Her mother, ever strong against that match,
And firm for Doctor Caius, hath appointed
That he fhall likewife fhuffle her away,
While other sports are tasking of their minds
And at the Deanry, where a priest attends,
Straight marry her; To this her mother's Plot
She, feemingly obedient, likewife hath

Now,

Made promise to the Doctor.-Now, thus it refts
Her father means the fhall be all in white,

And in that drefs when Slender fees his time
To take her by the hand, and, bid her go,

She fhall go with him.-Her mother hath intended,
The better to devote her to the Doctor,
(For they must all be mask'd and vizarded)
That, quaint in green, fhe fhall be loose enrob'd,
With ribbands-pendant, flaring 'bout her head;

And

And when the doctor fpies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and on that token,
The maid hath given confent to go with him.
Hoft. Which means fhe to deceive? father or mo-
ther?

Fent. Both, my good Hoft, to go along with me;
And here it refts, that you'll procure the Vicar
To ftay for me at church, 'twixt twelve and one,
And in the lawful name of marrying,

To give our hearts united ceremony.

Heft. Well, hufband your device; I'll to the Vicar. Bring you the maid, you shall not lack a priest. Fent. So fhall I evermore be bound to thee; Befides, I'll make a prefent recompence.

SCENE

XII.

Re-enter Falftaff and Mrs. Quickly.

[Exeunt.

Fal. Pr'ythee, no more prattling. Go. I'll hold. This is the third time; I hope, good luck lies in odd numbers. Away, go; they fay, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance, or death.Away.

Quic. I'll provide you a chain, and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns. [Exit Mrs. Quickly. Fal. Away, I fay; time wears: hold up your head and mince.

Enter Ford.

How now, master Brook ? mafter Brook, the matter will be known to-night, or never. Be you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's Oak, and you fhalt fee wonders.

Ford. Went you not to her yefterday, Sir, as you told me you had appointed?

Fal

Fal. I went to her, mafter Brook, as you fee, like a poor old man; but I came from her, mafter Brook, like a poor old woman. That fame knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him, master Brook, that ever govern'd frenzy. I will tell you; he beat me grievously, in the fshape of a woman; for in the shape of a man, master Brook, I fear not Goliab with a weaver's beam; because I know alfo, life is a fhuttle; I am in hafte; go along with me; I'll tell you all, mafter Brook. Since I pluckt geefe, play'd truant, and whipt top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten, 'till lately. Follow me, I'll tell you ftrange things of this knave Ford, on whom to night I will be reveng'd, and I will deliver his wife into your hand-Follow; strange things in hand, master Brook! follow.[Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE I.

COM

Windfor Park.

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.

PAGE.

COME, come; we'll couch i'th' castle-ditch, 'till we fee the light of our fairies. Remember, fon Slender, my daughter.

Slen. Ay, forfooth, I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry, mum; fhe cries, budget; and by that we know one another.

Shal. That's good too; but what needs either your mum, or her budget? the white will decipher her well enough. It hath ftruck ten o'clock.

Page.

Page. The night is dark, light and fpirits will become it well; heav'n profper our fport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let's away;

follow me.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter Miftrefs Page, Miftrefs Ford and Caius.

[Exit.

Mrs. Page. Mr. Doctor, my daughter is in green; when you fee your time, take her by the hand, away with her to the Deanery, and difpatch it quickly; go before into the Park; we two must go together. Caius. I know vat I have to do; adieu. Mrs. Page. Fare you well, Sir. My husband will not rejoice fo much at the abufe of Falstaff, as he will chafe at the Doctor's marrying my daughter; but 'tis no matter; better, a little chiding, than a great deal of heart-break.

Mrs. Ford. Where is Nan now, and her fairies, and the Welch devil Evans' ?

troop of

Mrs. Page. They are all couch'd in a pit hard by Herne's Oak, with obfcur'd lights; which, at the very inftant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once difplay to the night.

Mrs. Ford. That cannot chufe but amaze him. Mrs. Page. If he be not amaz'd, he will be mock'd; if he be amaz'd, he will every way be mock'd. Mrs. Ford. We'll betray him finely.

Mrs. Page. Against fuch lewdfters, and their lechery, Thofe, that betray them, do no treachery.

Mrs. Ford. The hour draws on; to the Oak, to the Oak.

Enter Evans and Fairies.

[Exeunt.

Eva. Trib, trib, fairies; come, and remember your parts; be pold, I pray you; follow me into the pit; and when I give the watch-'ords, do as I pid you come, come; trib, trib. [Exeunt.

SCENE

IIL

Enter Falstaff, with a Buck's head on.

Fal. The Windfor bell hath ftruck twelve, the minute draws on; now, the hot-blooded Gods affift me! Remember, Jove, thou waft a bull for thy Europa; love fet on thy horns. Oh powerful love! that, in some respects, makes a beast a man; in fome other, a man a beast: You were alfo, Jupiter, a fwan, for the Love of Leda: Oh, omnipotent love! how near the God drew to the complexion of a goofe? A fault done first in the form of a beast !. -O Jove, a beastly fault in the semblance of a fowl:on't, Jove, a foul fault. When Gods have hot backs, what shall poor men do? for me, I am here a Windsor ftag, and the fatteft, I think, i'th' foreft. Send me a cool rut-time, Jove, or who can blame me to piss my tallow? who comes here? my Doe?

Enter Mistress Ford and Miftrefs Page.

-think

Mrs. Ford. Sir John? art thou there, my deer? my male-deer?

Fal. My doe with the black scut? let the fky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green-Sleeves;

hail