Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my ,pain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions

n.ster George Page, which is pretty virginity.

SIR Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Ste hit: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Sten. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace,

and corsa.

. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair and peaks small like a woman.

Ev. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as just as "cu will desire; and seven buni. ed pounds Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-alorum. Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman upon his death's bed (Got deliver to a joyful resur of mon.s and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; rections!) ie, when she is able to overtake seven. m any biil, warrant, quittance, or obligation, ar-teen years old: 1 migero.

Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

Slen. All his successors, gone before him, have done't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may: they may give the dozen white luces in their

coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz?
Shal. You may, by marrying.

Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Eva. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your
coat, there is but thre; skirts for yourself, in my
simple conjectures: but that is all one: if Sir Johni
Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you,
I am of the church, and will be glad to do my be
nevolence, to make atonements and compromises
between you.

Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot.

A title formerly appropriated to chaplains.
Custos rotulorum.

between mase four pribbles

Page. pound?

Shal. Did he

were a goot motion, if we leave Abraham, and mistress Anne rabbles, and desire a marriage

rucsire leave her seven hundred

Eva. Ay, and herfleris make her a petter penny. Shal. I know the vorg gentlewoman; the has good gifts.

Eva. Seven hundred wounds, and possibilities, 1 goot gifts.

I

Falstaff there?
Shal. Well, let us see Lonest master Page. is

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar,
as I do despise one that is false; or, as I despise
one that is not true. The knight, sir John, is there;
and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers.
What, hoa! Got pless your house here!
will peat the door [knocks] for master Page.

SCENE I-Windsor. Before Page's
Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir

Hugh

Evans.

Shallow.

Eva. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments' in that.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it.

Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions SIR Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Steth it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to

chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and corda.

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-alorum.2 Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any biil, warrant, quittance, or obligation, migero.

Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any these three hundred years.

n.ster George Page, which is pretty virginity. S. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair and peaks small like a woman.

Ev. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as just as "cu will desire; and seven buni.ed pounds of mon.s and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, upon his death's bed (Got deliver to a joyful resur rections!) ie, when she is able to over fake seven. ar-teen years ol: 1 were a goot motion, if we leave lour pribbles rabbles, and desire a Larriage between mase Abraham, and mistress Anne Page. Shal. Did he

time

Slen. All his successors, gone before him, have done't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may: they may give the dozen white luces in their

coat.

Shal. It is an old coat.

Eva. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar beast to man, and significs-love.

Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz?

Shal. You may, by marrying.
Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Eva. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your
coat, there is but thre; skirts for yourself, in my
simple conjectures: but that is all one: if Sir Johni
Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you,
I am of the church, and will be glad to do my be-
nevolence, to make atonements and compromises

between you.

Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot.

A title formerly appropriated to chaplains.
Custos rolulorum.

rud'sire leave her seven hundred

pound?
Eva. Ay, and her
Shal. I know the

good gifts.

heris make her a petter penny. vorg gentlewoman; the has

Eva. Seven hundred wounds, and possibilities, 1 goot gifts.

Shal. Well, let us see Lonest master Page. is Falstaff there?

I

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar, as I do despise one that is false; or, as I despise one that is not true. The knight, sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. What, hoa! Got pless your house here!

der; that, peradventures, shall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings.

Page. I am glad to see your worships well: thank you for my venison, master Shallow.

understand: that is, master Page, fidelicet, master Page; and there is myself, fidelicet, myself; and the three party is, lastly and finally, mine host of

the Garter.

Page. We three, to hear it, and end it between them.

Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you; much god do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill killed:-how doth good mistress Page?-and I love you always with my heart, la;note-book; and we will afterwards 'ork upon the with my heart.

Page. Sir, I thank you.

Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do. Page. I am glad to see you, good master Slender.

Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say, he was outrun on Cotsale.'

Page. It could not be judg'd, sir.

Sten. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. Shal. That he will not ;-tis your fault, 'tis your fault:-'tis a good dog.

Page. A cur, sir.

Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; can there be more said? he is good, and fair.-Is sir John Falstaff here?

Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you.

Eva. Fery goot: I will make a prief of it in my

cause, with as great discreetly as we can.
Fal. Pistol,-

Pist. He hears with ears.

Eva. The tevil and his tam! what phrase is this, He hears with ear? Why, it is affectatious.

Fal. Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse? Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again else,) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward shovel-boards," that cost me two shilling and two pence apiece of Yead Miller, by these gloves.

I

Eva. It is spoke as a christians ought to speak.
Shal. He hath wrong'd me, master Page.
Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it.
Shal. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd; is not
that so, master Page? he hath wrong'd me; in-1
deed, he hath ;-at a word, he hath;-believe me ;-
Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wrong'd.
Page. Here comes Sir John.

Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nym, and
Pistol.

Fal. Now, master Shallow; you'll complain of me to the king?

Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed! my deer, and broke open my lodge.

Fal. But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter.
Shal. Tut, a pin! this shall be answer'd.
Fal. I will answer it straight;-I have done all
this-that is now answer'd.

Shal. The council shall know this.

Fal. 'Twere better for you, if it were known in counsel: you'll be laugh'd at.

Fal. Is this true, Pistol?

Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse.
Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!-Sir John,
and master mine,

combat challenge of this latten bilbo :*
Word of denial in thy labras here;
Word of denial; froth and scum, thou liest.
Slen. By these gloves, then 'twas he.

Nym. Be advised, sir, and pass good humours
will say, marry trap, with you, if you run the
nuthook's humour on me; that is the very note of it.
Slen. By this hat, then he in the red face had it :
for though I cannot remember what I did when you
made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an ass.
Fal. What say you, Scarlet and John?
Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say, the gentle-
man had drunk himself out of his five sentences.
Eva. It is his five senses: fie, what the ignorance
is?

Bard. And being fap" sir, was as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd the careires."

Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter: I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, but in honest, civil, godly company, for this trick: if I be drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the fear of God, and not with drunken knaves.

Eva. So Got 'udge me, that is a virtuous mind. Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentle men; you hear it.

Eva. Pauca verba, Sir John, good worts. Fal. Good worts! good cabbage.-Slender, I broke your head; what matter have you against Enter Mistress Anne Page with wine; Mistress

me?

Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against your coney-catching rascals, Bardolph, Ným, and Pistol. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket.

Bar. You Banbury cheese!
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pist. How now, Mephostophilus ?'

Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca; slice! that's iny humour.

Ford and Mistress Page following.

Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink within. [Exit Anne Page. Slen. O heaven! this is mistress Anne Page. Page. How now, mistress Ford? Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well met: by your leave, good mistress.

[kissing her.

Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome :Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner; come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkind. ness. [Exeunt all but Shal. Slend, and Evans, Eva. Peace, pray you! Now let us under- Slen. I had rather than forty shillings, I had my stand: there is three umpires in this matter, as I book of songs and sonnets here

Slen. Where's Simple, my man?-can you tell, cousin?

(1) Cotswold in Gloucestershire.

(2) Worts was the ancient name of all the cab-of shuffle-board. Dage kind.

73) Sharpers.

(4) Nothing but paring.

'5) The name of an ugly spirit. 6 Few words.

(7) King Edward's shillings, used in the game

(S) Blade as thin as a lath.

(10) If you say I am a thief.

(9) Lips. (11) Drunk.

(12) The bounds of good behaviour.

Enter Simple. How now, Simple! where have you been? I must wait on myself, must I? You have not The Book of Riddles about you, have you?

Sim. Book of Riddles! why, did you not lend t to Alice Shortcake, upon Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas ?1

Shal. Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you.
A word with you, coz: marry, this, coz there is,
is 'twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar off
Jy sir Hugh here;-do you understand me?
Slen. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable; if
it be so, I shall do that that is reason.

Shal. Nay, but understand me.
Slen. So I'do, sir.

Era. Give ear to his motions, master Slender: I will description the matter to you, if you be capacity of it.

Slen. Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow says: I pray you, pardon me; he's a justice of peace in his country, simple though I stand here.

Era. But that is not the question; the question is concerning your marriage.

Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir.

Eva. Marry, is it; the very point of it; to mistress Anne Page.

Slen. Why, if it be so, I will marry her, upon any reasonable demands.

Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us command to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for divers philosophers hold, that the lips is parcel of the mouth;-therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid?

Shal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her? Slen. I hope, sir,-I will do, as it shall become one that would do reason.

Eva. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies, you must speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires towards her.

Shal. That you must: will you, upon good dowry, marry her?

Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your request, cousin, in any reason.

Sha!. Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz what I do, is to pleasure you, coz; Can you love the maid?

;

Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but if there be no great love in the beginning, yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are married, and have more occasion to know one another: I hope, upon familiarity will grow more contempt: but if you say, marry her, I will marry her, that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely.

Eva. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the faul' is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according to our meaning, resolutely;-his meaning is good. Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well. Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la.

Re-enter Anne Page.

Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne:-Would
I were young, for your sake, mistress Anne!
Anne. The dinner is on the table; my father
desires your worships' company.

Shal. I will wait on him, fair mistress Anne. Eva. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at the grace.

Exeunt Shal. and Sir H. Evans.

(1) An intended blunder.
2) Three set-to's, bouts or hits.

Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir Sten. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well.

Anne. The dinner attends you, sir.

Slen. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth: Go, sirrah, for all you are my man, go, wait upon my cousin Shallow: [Exit Simple. A justice o. peace sometime may be beholden to his friend for a man:-I keep but three men and a boy yet, till my mother be dead: but what though? yet I live like a poor gentleman born.

Anne. I may not go in without your worship: they will not sit, till you come.

Slen. I'faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did.

Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.

Slen. I had rather walk here, I thank you: I bruised my shin the other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence, three veneys for a dish of stewed prunes; and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? be there bears i' the town?

Anne. I think there are, sir; I heard them talked of.

Slen. I love the sport well; but I shall as soon quarrel at it, as any man in England:-you are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not? Anne. Ay, indeed, sir.

Slen. That's meat and drink to me now: I have seen Sackerson' loose, twenty times; and have taken him by the chain: but, I warrant you, the women have so cried and shriek'd at it, that it pass'd:4-but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em ; they are very ill-favoured rough things.

Sim. Well, sir.

Eva. Nay, it is petter yet:-give her this let ter; for it is a 'oman that altogether's acquain tance with mistress Anne Page; and the letter is, to desire and require her to solicit your master's desires to mistress Ann Page: I pray you, be gone; I will make an end of my dinner: there's pippins and cheese to come. [Exeunt.

(3. The name of a bear exhibited at Paris-Gar den, in Southwark.

(4) Surpassed all expression.
G