morrow, good sir Hugh. Keep a gamester
from the dice, and a good student from his
book, and it is wonderful.

Slen. Ah, sweet Anne Page!
Page. Save you, good sir Hugh!-
Eva. 'Pless you from his mercy sake, all
of you!

Shal. What! the sword and the word! you study them both, master parson?

Caius. Ay, dat is very good! excellent! Host. Peace, I say; hear mine host of the Garter, Am I politic? am I subtle? am I a Machiavel? Shall I lose my doctor? no; he gives me the potions, and the motions. Shall I lose my parson? my priest? my sir Hugh? no; he gives me the proverbs and the no-verbs. do-Give me thy hand, terrestrial; so :-Give me thy hand, celestial; so:-Boys of art, I have deceived you both; I have directed you to wrong places: your hearts are mighty, your skins are whole, and det burnt sack be the issue. —Come, lay their swords to pawn: Follow me, lad of peace; follow, follow, follow. Shal. Trust me, a mad host:-Follow, gen..

Page. And youthful still, in your doublet and hose, this raw rheumatic day?

Eva. There is reasons and causes for it. Page. We are come to you, to do a good office, master parson.

Eva. Fery well: What is it? Page. Yonder is a most reverend gentleman,tlemen, follow. who belike, having received wrong by some person, is at most odds with his own gravity. and patience, that ever you saw.

Slen. O, sweet Anne Page!

[Exeunt SHAL. SLEN. PAGE, and Host. Cuius. Ha! do I perceive dat?! have you up-make-a de sot* of us? ha, haf

Shal. I have lived fourscore years and ward; I never heard a inan of his place, gravity, and learning, so wide of his own respect. Eva. What is he?

Page. I think you know him; master doctor Caius, the renowned French physician. Eva. Got's will, and his passion of my heart! I had as lief you would tell me of a mess of porridge. Model Page. Why?

Eva. He has no more knowledge in Hibo crates and Galen,—and he is a knave besides; a cowardly knave, as you would desires to be acquainted withal.

Page. I warrant you, he's the man should fight with him.

Slen. O, sweet Anne Page! Shal. It appears so, by his weapons:-Keep them asunder;-here comes doctor Caius.

Eva. This is well; he has made us his vlouting-stogt.-I desire you, that we may be friends; and let us knog our prains together, to be revenge on this same scall, scurvy, cogging companion, the host of the Garter.

Caius. By gar, vit all my beart; he promise to bring me vere is Anne Page: by gar, be deceive me tooth teeny, vid Eva. Well, I will smite his noddles :-Pray you, follow...B Live [Exeunt SCENE II. The Street in Windsor.

176

Enter Mrs. PAGE and ROBIN.

Mrs. Page. Nay, keep your way, little gal lant; you were wont to be a follower, but now you are a leader: Whether had you rather, lead mine eyes, or eye your master's heels?

Rob, I had rather; forsooth, go before you like a man, than follow him like a dwarfed Mrs. Page. O you are a flattening boy; now, I see, you'll be a courtier...6 plant vottar 3! "Enter FORD. Ford. Well met, mistress Page: Whither go you?

Enter Host, Carts, and RUGBY." Page. Nay, good master parson, keep in your weapon. Titzing, roub-2'-g Shal. So do you, good master doctor-o'k Host. Disarm them, and let them question; let them keep their limbs whole, and hack our English. Caius. I pray you, let-a me speak a word vit your ear: Verefore vill you not meet a-meg Eva. Pray you, use your patience: In good time.

B

14

Caius. By gar, you are de coward, de Jack dog, John ape.. Eva. Pray you, let us not be laughing-stogs to other men's humours; I desire you in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends: I will knog your urinals about your kaave's cogscomb, for missing your meetings and appointments,

Catus. Diable!-Jack Rugby,mine Host de Jarterre, have I not stay for him, to kill him? have I not, at de place I did appoint?.

Mrs. Page. Truly, sir, to see your wife: Is she at home?

Ford. Ay, and as idle as she may hang together, for want of company: I think, if your husbands were dead, you two would marry. Mrs. Page. Be sure of that, two other husbands. Ford. Where had you this pretty weather. cock and

Mrs. Page. I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of: What do you call your knight's name, sirrah ? orten On Rob. Sir John Falstaff.

Ford. Sir John Falstaff! ..

Mrs. Page. He, he; I can never hit on's name. There is such a league between my good man and he!-Is your wife at home, indeed?

Eva. As I am a christians soul, now, look you, this is the place appointed; I'll be judg-Ford. Indeed, she is. ment by mine host of the Garter, W

Ms. Page. By your leave, sir; I am sick, Host. Peace, I say, Guallia and Gaul, French till I see her. [Exeunt Mrs. PAGE und ROBING and Welsh; soul-curer and body-curer.

Ford. Has Page any brains? hath he any an os ad to 0% 19.1890s Irda + „a olaq? Flouting. stock.a guro y AP

him.

[Exit Host. Ford. [Aside. I think, 1 shalt drink in pipewine first with him; I'll make him dance. Will you go, gentles?I All. Have with you, to see this monster. [Exeunt.

!

SCENE III.

A Room in Ford's House.

Enter Mrs. FORD and Mrs. PAGE.

Mrs. Page. Quickly, quickly: Is the back.

Mrs. Ford. I warrant: What, Robin, I say.

eyes? hath he any thinking? Sure, they sleep; Host. Farewell, my hearts: I will to my he hath no use of them. Why, this boy will honest knight Falstaff, and drink canary_with carry a letter twenty miles, as easy as a cannon will shoot point-blank twelve score. He pieces out his wife's inclination; he gives her folly motion and advantage: and now she's going to my wife, and Falstaff's boy with her. A man may hear this shower sing in the wind! -and Falstaff's boy with her!-Good plots! they are laid; and our revolted wives share damnation together. Well; I will take him, then torture my wife, pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming*, mistress be Mrs. Ford. What, John! what, Robert! Page, divulge Page himself for a secure and wilful Actæon; and to these violent proceed-basketings all my neighbours shall cry aimt. [Clock strikes.] The clock gives me my cue, and my assurance bids me search; there I shall find Falstaff: I shall be rather praised for this, than mocked; for it is as positive as the earth is firm, that Falstaff is there: I will go.. Enter PAGE, SHAllow, Slender, Host, Sir HUGH EVANS, CAIUS, and RUGBY.. Shal. Page, &c. Well met, master Ford. Ford. Trust me, a good knot: I have good cheer at home; and, I pray you, all go with me. Shal. I must excuse myself, master Ford. Slen. And so must I, sir; we have appointed to dine with mistress Anne, and I would not break with her for more money than I'll speak of.

Shat. We have lingered abont a match between Anne Page and my cousin Slender, and this day we shall have our answer.

Slen. I hope, bhave your good-will, father Page.

Page. You have, master Slender; I stand wholly for you:-but my wife, master doctor, is for you altogether. O

Caius. Ay, by gar; and de maid is love-a me; my nursh-a Quickly tell me so mush.

Enter Servants with a basket.
Mrs. Page. Come, come, come.
Mrs. Ford. Here, set it down. !
Mrs. Page. Give your men the charge; we
must be brief.

Mrs. Ford. Marry, as I told you before, John, and Robert, be ready here hard by in the brewhouse; and when I suddenly call you, come forth, and (without any pause, or staggering,) take this basket on your shoulders: that done, trudge with it in all haste, and carry it among the whitsters in Datchet mead, and there empty it in the muddy ditch, close by the Thames' side.

Mrs. Page. You will do it? q

Mrs. Ford. I have told them over and over; they lack no direction: Be gone, and come when you are called. [Exeunt Servants. Mrs. Page. Here comes little Robin.

Enter ROBIN.

Mrs. Ford. How now, my eyas-musket ¶? what news with you?

Rob. My master sir John is come in at your back-door, mistress Ford; and requests your 5oper for

Rob. Ay, I'll be sworn: My master knows not of your being here; and hath threatened to put me into everlasting liberty, if I tell you of it; for, he swears, he'll turn me away.

Host. What say you to young master Fenton? he capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth, Mrs Page. You little Jack-a-Lent**, have he writes verses, he speaks holyday, he smells you been true to us? April and May: he will carry't, he will carry't; 'tis in his buttons; he will carry't. 1. i 9 > Page. Not by my consent, I promise you. The gentleman is of no having: he kept company with the wild Prince and Poins; he is of too high a region, he knows too much. No, he shall not knit a knot in his fortunes. with the finger of my substance: if he take hér, let him take her simply; the wealth I have waits on my consent, and my consent goes not that way.

Mrs. Page. Thou'rt a good boy; this secrecy of thine shall be a tailor to thee, and shall make thee a new doublet and hose. F'll go hide me.

|
Mrs. Ford. Do so:-Go tell thy master, I
am alone. Mistress Page, remember you your
cue.
BA[Exit ROBIN.
Mrs. Page. I warrant thee; if I do not act
hiss me.
[Exit Mrs. PAGE.
Mrs. Ford. Go to then; we'll use this un-
wholesome humidity,this gross watry pumpion;
-we'll teach him to know turtles from jays.
Enter FALSTAFF

Ford. 'I beseech you, heartily, some of you go home with me to dinner: besides your cheer, you shall have sport; I will shew you a mon-it, ster. Master doctor, you shall go;-so shall you, master Page; and you, sir Hugh.

Shal. Well, fare you well-we sliall have the freer wooing at master Page's.

[Exeunt SHALLOW and SLENDER. Caius. Go home, John Rugby; I come

anon.

"

Fal. Have I caught thee, my heavenly [Exit RUGBY. jewel? Why, now let me die, for I have lived

• Specious. + Shall encourage. A young small hawk.

motion to thy gait, in a semi-circled farthingale gentlemaFord, What shall I do ?-There is a

Mrs. Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you these your letters, knight but thee; help

Fal. She shall not see me; I will ensconce§ me behind the arras vn 1 abofly inakdissembling knight! Mrs. Ford. Pray you, do so; she's a very tattling woman. [FALSTAFF hides himself.

• Venetian fashions. + Formerly chiefly nihabited by druggists. Prison. Hide.** Tapestry. ¶ Bleaching time. ** A staff for carrying, large tub or basket. # Drone.

Mrs. Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? You were best meddle' with buck-washing.

Ford. Buck? I would I could wash myself of the buck! Back, buck, buck?" Ay, buck; I warrant you, buck; and of the season too, it shall appear. [Exeunt Servants with the

basket.] Gentlemen, I have dreamed to-night;

I'H tell you my dream. Here, here, here be
my keys: ascend my chambers, search, seek,
find out I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox:sor Castle.
-Let me stop this way first:-So, now
now un-
cape*.

Page, Good master Ford, be contented: you wrong yourself too much!

Ford. True, master Page -Up, gentlemen; you shall see sport anon: follow me, gentle[Exit. Eva. This is fery fantastical humours, and jealousies.

Mrs. Ford. Heaven make you better than Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne :

Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more valne
Than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags;

Mrs. Puge. You do yourself mighty wrong, And 'tis the very riches of thyself"

Anne.
Gentle master Fenton,
Yet seek my father's love: still seek it, sir:
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why then.-Hark you hither.
[They converse apart.

Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER, and Mrs.
QUICKLY.

Shal. Break their talk, mistress Quickly; my kinsman shall speak for himself,

Sten. I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't*: slid, 'tis but venturing.

Shal. Be not dismay'd.

Slen. No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that, but that I am afeard.

Quick. Hark ye; master Slender would speak a word with you.

Anne. I come to him.-This is my father's

woman.

Slen. Ay, that I will, come cut and long tailt, under the degree of a 'squire.

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

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

Shal. Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that good comfort. She calls you, coz: I'll leave you.

Anne. Now, master Slender,
Slen. Now, good mistress Anne.
Anne. What is your will?'

Slen. My will? od's heartlings, that's a pretty jest, indeed! I ne'er made my will yet, I thank heaven; I am not such a sickly creature, I give heaven praise.

Anne. I mean, master Slender, what would you with me?

Slen. Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing with you. Your father, and my uncle, have made motions: if it be my luck, so if not, happy man be his dole ! They can tell you how things go, better than I can: You may ask your father; here he

comes.

Enter PAGE, and Mistress PAGE. Page. Now, master Slender:-Love him, daughter Anne.

Why, how now! what does master Fenton
here?
[house :
You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my
I told you, sir, my daughter is dispos'd of.
Fent. Nay, master Page, be not impatient.
Mrs. Page. Good master Fenton, come not
to my child.

Page. She is no match for you.
Fent. Sir, will you hear me?
Page.
No, good master Fenton.
Come, master Shallow: come, son Slender;
in:-
[Fenton.
Knowing my mind, you wrong me, master
[Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDer.
Quick. Speak to mistress Page.

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

In such a righteous fashion as I do,
Perforce, against all checks, rebukes, and
manners,

I must advance the colours of my love,
And not retire: Let me have your good will.
Anne. Good mother, do not marry me to
yond' fool.

Mrs. Page. I mean it not; I seek you a

better husband.

Quick. That's my master, master doctor. Anne. Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth,

And bowl'd to death with turnips.
Mrs. Page. Come, trouble not yourself:
Good master Fenton,

I will not be your friend, nor enemy:
My daughter will I question how she loves you,
And as I find her, so am I affected;
Till then, farewell,sir :-She must needs go in ;
Her father will be angry.

[Exeunt Mrs. PAGE and ANNE. Fent. Farewell, gentle mistress; farewell, Nan.

Quick. This is my doing now;-Nay, said I, will you cast away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on, master Fenton:this is my doing.

Fent. I thank thee; and I pray thee, once
to-night

Give my sweet Nan this ring: There's for thy
pains.
[Exit.

Quick. Now heaven send thee good fortune!
A kind heart he hath: a woman would run
through fire and water for such a kind heart.
But yet, I would my master had mistress
Anne; or I would master Slender had her; or,
in sooth, I would master Fenton had her: I
will do what I can for them all three; for so
I have promised, and I'll be as good as my
word; but speciously for master Fenton.
Well, I must of another errand to sir John
Falstaff from my two mistresses: What a beast
am I to slack | it!
[Exit.

SCENE V.

A Room in the Garter Inn.
Enter FALSTAFF and BARDOLPH.
Fal. Bardolph, I say,—

* A proverb-a shaft was a long arrow, and a bolt, a thick short one.
+ Come, poor or rich.

+ Lot.

§ Specially.

G

Neglect."