will enfconfe your rags, your cat-a-mountain looks, your Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you. Quic. Give your worship good-morrow. Quic. Not fo, an't please your worship. Quic. I'll be fworn, as my mother was the firft hour I was born. Fal. I do believe the fwearer: what with me? Quic. Shall I vouchfafe your worship a word or two? Fal. Two thousand, fair woman, and I'll vouchfafe thee the hearing. Quic. There is one miftrefs Ford, Sir: I pray, come a little nearer this ways: I my felf dwell with Mr. Doctor Caius. Fal. Well, on: miftrefs Ford, you fay. Quic. Your worship fays very true: I pray your worship, come a little nearer this ways. Fal. I warrant thee no body hears: mine own people, mine own people. Quic. Are they fo? heav'n blefs them, and make them his fervants! Fal. Well: miftrefs Ford, what of her? Quic. Why, Sir, fhe's a good creature, Lord, lord, your worship's a wanton; well, heav'n forgive you, and all of us, I pray - 4 bold beating Fal. Fal. Miftrefs Ford, come, miftrefs Ford--Quic. Marry, this is the fhort and the long of it; you have brought her into fuch a canaries as 'tis wonderful: the best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windfor, could never have brought her to fuch a canary. Yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I warrant you, coach after coach, letter after letter, gift after gift, smelling fo fweetly; all musk, and fo rufsling, I warrant you, in filk and gold, and in fuch alligant terms, and fuch` wine and fugar of the best, and the faireft, that would have won any woman's heart; and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her. I had my felf twenty angels given me this morning; but I defie all angels, in any fuch fort as they fay, but in the way of honefty; and I warrant you, they could never get her fo much as fip on a cup with the proudeft of them all; and yet there has been Earls, nay, which is more, Penfioners; but, I warrant you, all is one with her. Fal. But what fays fhe to me? be brief, my good theMercury. Quic. Marry, fhe hath receiv'd your letter, for the which The thanks you a thousand times; and fhe gives you to notifie that her husband will be abfence from his houfe between ten and eleven. Fal. Ten and eleven.' Quic. Ay, forfooth; and then you may come and fee the picture, the fays, that you wot of: mafter Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the fweet woman leads an ill life with him, he's a very jealoufie-man; fhe leads a very frampold life with him, good heart. Fal. Ten and eleven: woman, commend me to her, will not fail her. Quic. Why, you fay well: But I have another meffenger to your worship; miftrefs Page has her hearty commendations to you too; and let me tell you in your car, fhe's as fartuous a civil modeft wife, and one (I tell you) that will not mifs you morning and evening prayer, as any 5 and in fuch is in Windfor, whoe'er be the other; and fhe bad me tell your worship that her husband is feldom from home, but The hopes there will come a time. I never knew a woman fo doat upon a man; furely I think you have charms, la; yes in truth. Fal. Not I, I affure thee; fetting the attraction of my good parts afide, I have no other charms. Quic. Bleffing on your heart for't! Fal. But I pray thee, tell me this; has Ford's wife and Page's wife acquainted each other how they love me? Quic. That were a jeft indeed; they have not fo little grace, I hope; that were a trick indeed! but mistress Page would defire you to fend her your little page, of all loves her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page; and truly mafter Page is an honest man. Never a wife in Windfor leads a better life than fhe does; do what fhe will, fay what fhe will, take all, pay all, go to bed when the lift, rife when fhe lift, all is as fhe will; and truly fhe deferves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windfor, truly fhe is one. You must send her your page; no remedy. Fal. Why, I will. Quic. Nay, but do fo then; and look you, he may come and go between you both, and in any cafe have a nay-word, that you may know one another's mind; and the boy never need to understand any thing; for 'tis not good that children should know any wickednefs: old folks, you know, have difcretion, as they fay, and know the world. Fal. Fare thee well; commend me to them both: there's my purse, I am yet thy debtor. Boy, go along with this woman. This news diftracts me. [Exeunt Quickly and Robin. Pift. This punk is one of Cupid's carriers: Clap on more fails; purfue; up with " 'yond' frigat;` [Exit Piftol. Fal. 6 your fights; old edit. Warb. emend, - Fal. Say'ft thou fo, old Jack? go thy ways; I'll make more of thy old body than I have done; will they yet look after thee? wilt thou, after the expence of fo much mony, be now a gainer? good body, I thank thee; let them fay 'tis grofly done, fo it be fairly done, no matter. SCENE Enter Bardolph. IX. Bard. Sir John, there's one mafter Brook below would fain speak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath fent your worship a morning's draught of fack. Fal. Brook is his name? Bard. Ay, Sir. Fal. Call him in; fucha Brooks are welcome to me that o'erflow with fuch liquor. Ah! ah! mistress Ford and mistress Page, have I'encompafs'd you? go to, via! Enter Ford difguifed. Ford. 'Blefs you, Sir! Fal. And you, Sir; would you speak with me? upon you. Fal. You're welcome; what's your will? give us leave,' drawer. [Exit Bard. Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much; my name is Brook. Fal. Good mafter Brook, I defire more acquaintance of you. Ford. Good Sir John, I fue for yours; not to charge you; for I must let you understand, I think my felf in better plight for a lender than you are, the which hath fomething embolden'd me to this unfeafon'd intrufion; for they fay, if mony go before, all ways do lye open. Fal. (a) Edit. of 1619. In all the fucceeding editions this name of Brook is alter'd to Broom: whereas it is manifeft from this conceit upon the name, that it should be Brook. Pope. Fal. Mony is a good foldier, Sir, and will on. Ford. Troth, and I have a bag of mony here troubles. me; if you will help to bear it, Sir John, take all, or half, for eafing me of the carriage. Fal. Sir, I know not how I may deserve to be your porter. Ford. I will tell you, Sir, if you will give me the hearing. Fal. Speak, good mafter Brook, I fhall be glad to be your fervant. Ford. Sir, I hear you are a scholar, I will be brief with you, and you have been a man long known to me, tho' I had never fo good means as defire to make my felf ac-' quainted with you: I fhall discover a thing to you wherein I muft very much lay open mine own imperfections; but, good Sir John, as you have one eye upon my follies, as you hear them unfolded, turn another into the register of your own, that I may pass with a reproof the eafier, fith you your felf know how eafie it is to be fuch an offender. Fal. Very well: Sir, proceed. Ford. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her husband's name is Ford. Fal. Well, Sir. Ford. I have long lov'd 'her, and, I proteft to you, bestow'd much on her, follow'd her with a doating obfervance, ingrofs'd opportunities to meet her, fee'd every flight occafion that could but niggardly give me fight of her; not only bought many prefents to give her, but have given largely to many to know what he would have given: briefly, I have purfu'd her as love hath purfu'd ine, which hath been on the wing of all occafions. But whatfoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means, meed I am fure I have received none, unless experience be a jewel; That I have purchas'd at an infinite rate, and that hath taught me to say this; Love like a fhadow flies, when fubftance love purfues; Fal. |