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Mrs. Quick. I'll provide you a chain; and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns.

Fal. Away, I say; time wears: hold up your head, and mince.1 [Exit Mrs. Quickly.

Enter FORD.

How now, master Brook? Master Brook, the matter will be known to-night, or never. Be you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's oak, and you shall see wonders.

Ford. Went you not to her yesterday, sir, as you told me you had appointed?

Fal. I went to her, master Brook, as you see, like a poor old man; but I came from her, master Brook, like a poor old woman. That same knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him, master Brook, that ever governed frenzy. I will tell you. He beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman; for in the shape of man, master Brook, I fear not Goliath with a weaver's beam; because I know also, life is a shuttle. in haste; go along with me; I'll tell you all. master Brook. Since I plucked geese, played truant, and whipped top, I knew not what it was to be beaten, till lately. Follow me: I'll tell you strange things of this knave Ford; on whom tonight I will be revenged, and I will deliver his wife

To mince' is to walk with affected delicacy.

2

I am

2 To strip a living goose of his feathers was formerly an act of puerile barbarity.

into your hand.-Follow: strange things in hand, master Brook! follow.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Windsor Park.

and SLENDER.

Enter PAGE, SHALLOW,

Page. Come, come; we'll couch i' the castleditch, till we see the light of our fairies.-Remember, son Slender, my daughter.

Slen. Ay, forsooth; I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word,1 how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry, 'mum;' she 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 struck ten o'clock.

Page. The night is dark; light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let's away; follow me. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The street in Windsor.

Enter MRS. Page, mrs. foRD, and CAIUS.

Mrs. Page. Master doctor, my daughter is in

SHAK.

1 Watch-word.

II.

H

Mrs. Quick. I'll provide you a chain; and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns.

Fal. Away, I say; time wears : hold up your head, and mince.1 [Exit Mrs. Quickly.

Enter FORD.

How now, master Brook? Master Brook, the matter will be known to-night, or never. Be you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's oak, and you shall see wonders.

Ford. Went you not to her yesterday, sir, as you told me you had appointed?

Fal. I went to her, master Brook, as you see, like a poor old man; but I came from her, master Brook, like a poor old woman. That same knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him, master Brook, that ever governed frenzy. I will tell you. He beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman; for in the shape of man, master Brook, I fear not Goliath with a weaver's beam; because I know also, life is a shuttle. I am in haste; go along with me; I'll tell you all. master Brook. Since I plucked geese, played truant, and whipped top, I knew not what it was to be beaten, till lately. Follow me: I'll tell you strange things of this knave Ford; on whom tonight I will be revenged, and I will deliver his wife

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To mince' is to walk with affected delicacy.

2

2 To strip a living goose of his feathers was formerly an act of puerile barbarity.

into your hand-Follow: strange Lang master Brook! follow.

SCENE 11.

Windsor Far:

Enter PAGE, SHALLOV, 126 ELEN BEL

Page. Come, come WE Cunt.. ditch, till we see the light of our la son Slender, my daughter.

Slen. Ay, forsooth nav spow

we have a nay-word- how to come to her in white and er

budget; and that we know ole au m

Shal. That's good to:

your mum,' or her

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cipher her well enough—it mal etme

Page. The night is ar

become it well. heave poor or m means evil but the devant

l'

his horns.

Let & away

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green when you see your time, take her by the hand, away with her to the deanery, and despatch it quickly. Go before into the park;

together.

we two must go

Adieu.

Caius. I know vat I have to do. Mrs. Page. Fare you well, sir. [Exit Caius. My husband will not rejoice so much at the abuse 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 troop of fairies, and the Welsh devil, Hugh?

Mrs. Page. They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights; which, at the very instant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once display to the night.

Mrs. Ford. That cannot choose but amaze him.

Mrs. Page. If he be not amazed, he will be mocked; if he be amazed, he will every way be mocked.

Mrs. Ford. We'll betray him finely.

Mrs. Page. Against such lewdsters, and their lechery,

Those that betray them do no treachery.

Mrs. Ford. The hour draws on. To the oak! to the oak!

[Exeunt.

Profligates.

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