Fal. Money is a good soldier, sir, and will on. Ford. Troth, and I have a bag or money here troubles me: if you will help me to bear it, sir John. take all, or half, for easing me of the carriage. Ful. Sir, I know not how I may descrve to be your porter. Ford I will tell you, sir, if you will give me the hearing. Fal. Speak, good master Brook; I shall be glad to be your servant. Ford. Sir, I hear you are a scholar,-I will be brief with you; --and you have been a man long known to me, though I had never so good means, as desire, to make myself acquainted with you. I shall discover a thing to you, wherein I must very much lay open mine own imperfection; 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 easier, sith you yourself know, how easy it is to be such 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 loved her, and, I protest to you, bestowed much on her; followed her with a doting observance; engrossed opportunities to meet her; fee'd every slight occasion, that could but niggardly give me sight of her; not only bought many presents to give her, but have given largely to many, to know what she would have given: briefly, I have pursued her, as love hath pursued me; which hath been on the wing of all occasions. But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means, meed, I am sure, 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: Ford. Never. Fal. Have you importun'd her to such a purpose? Ford. Never. Fal. Of what quality was your love then? Ford. Like a fair house, built upon another man's ground; so that I have lost my edifice, by mistaking the place where I erected it. Fal. To what purpose have you unfolded this to me? Ford. When I have told you that, I have told you all. Some say, that, though she appear honest to me, yet, in other places, she enlargeth her mirth so far, that there is shrewd construction made of her. Now, sir John, here is the heart of my purpose: You are a gentleman of excellent breeding, admirable discourse, of great admittance, authentic in your place and person, generally allowed for your many warlike, courtlike, and learned prepar ations. Fal. O sir! Ford. Believe it, for you know it. There is money; spend it, spend it; spend more; spend all I have only give me so much of your time in exchange of it, as to lay an amiable seige to the honesty of this Ford's wife; use your art of wooing, win her to consent to you; if any man may, you may as soon as any. Fal. Would it apply well to the vehemency of your affection, that I should win what you would enjoy? Methinks you prescribe to yourself very preposterously. Ford. 0, understand my drift! she dwells so securely on the excellency of her honor, that the folly of my soul dares not present itself; she is too bright to be looked against. Now, could I come to her with any detection in my hand, my desires had instance and argument to commend themselves; I could drive her then from the ward of her purity, her reputation, her marriage-vow, and a thousand other her defences, which now are too strongly em battled against me: What say you to't, sir John? Fal. Master Brook, I will first make bold with your money; next, give me your hand; and last, as 1 Since. In the greatest companies. * Approved. I am a gentleman, you shall, if you will, enƒy Ford's wife. Ford. O good sir! Fal. Master Brook, I say you shall. Ford. Want no money, sir John, you shall wa:1 none.. Fal. Want no mistress Ford, master Brook, you shall want none. I shall be with her (1 may tel you) by her own appointment; even as you can in to me, her assistant, or go-between, parted fren. me: I say, I shall be with her between ten and eleven; for at that time the jealous, rascally knave her husband, will be forth. Come you to me at night; you shall know how I speed. Ford. I am blest in your acquaintance. Do y know Ford, sir? Fal. Hang him, poor cuckoldly knave. I know him not-yet I wrong him to call him poor; they say, the jealous wittolly knave hath masses of mon ey; for the which his wife seems to be well-favored I will use her as the key of the cuckoldly rogue s coffer; and there's my harvest-home. Ford. I would you knew Ford, sir; that y might avoid him, if you saw him. Fal. Hang him, mechanical salt butter rogue!] will stare him out of his wits; I will awe him wit my cudgel: it shall hang like a meteor o'er 1:4 cuckold's horns: master Brook, thou shalt know will predominate o'er the peasant, and thou sha lie with his wife.-Come to me soon at night: Ford's a knave, and I will aggravate his stile ;• then master Brook, shalt know him for a knave and cuckold: come to me soon at night. [Exu Ford. What a damned Epicurean rascal is thi My heart is ready to crack with impatience Who says is improvident jealousy! My wi hath sent to him, the hour is fixed, the match → made. Would any man have thought this? the hell of having a false woman! my bed shall at; and I shall not only receive this villano abused, my coffers ransacked, my reputation gnaws ble terms, and by him that does me this wrong wrong, but stand under the adoption of abomina Terms! names! Amaimon sounds well; Luci fer, well; Barbason, well; yet they are devil's ad ditions, the names of fiends: but cuckold! wittor cuckold! the devil himself hath not such a name Page is an ass, a secure ass; he will trust his wife he will not be jealous: I will rather trust a Flem ing with my butter, parson Hugh the Welchman with my cheese, an Irishman with my aqua-vi * bottle, or a thief to walk my ambling gelding, that my wife with herself: then she plots, then sh ruminates, then she devises: and what they think in their hearts they may effect, they will break the " hearts but they will effect. Heaven be praised to my jealousy! -Eleven o'clock the hour;-Iw prevent this, detect my wife, be revenged on Fa staff, and laugh at Page. I will about it; bette three hours too soon, than a minute too late. F fie, fie! cuckold! cuckold! cuckold! SCENE III.- Windsor Park. Enter CAIUS and RUGBY. Caius. Jack Rugby! Rug. Sir. Caius. Vat is de clock, Jack? [Ear Rug. 'Tis past the hour, sir, that sir Hugh p mised to meet. Caius. By gar, he has save his soul, dat he is come; he has pray his Pible vell, dat he is la come by gar, Jack Rugby, he is dead already,! he be come. Rug. He is wise. sir; he knew your worsh would kill him, if he came. Caius. By gar, de herring is no dead. so as 1 v kill him. Take your rapier, Jack; I vill tell you how I vill kill him. Rug. Alas, sir, I cannot fence. Enter Host, SHALLOW, SLENDER, and PAGE Slen. Give you good morrow, sir. Host. To see thee fight, to see thee foin, to see thee traverse, to see thee here, to see thee there; to see thee pass thy puntc, thy stock, thy reverse, thy stance, thy montant. Is he dead, my Ethiopian? is he dead, my Francisco? ha, bully! What says my Esculapius! my Galen my heart of elder! ba! is he dead, bully Stale? is he dead? Caius. By gar, he is de coward Jack priest of the world: he is not show his face. Host. Thou art a Castilian king, Urinal! Hector of Greece, my boy! Caius. I pray you, bear vitness that me have stay six or seven, two, tree hours for him, and he is no come. Shal. He is the wiser man, master doctor: he is a curer of souls, and you a curer of bodies; if you should fight, you go against the hair of your professions: is it not true, master Page? Pag. Master Shallow, you have yourself been a great fighter, though now a man of peace. Shal. Bodykins, master Page, though I now be old, and of the peace, if I see a sword out, my finget itches to make one: though we are justices, and doctors, and churchinen, master Page, we have Home salt of our youth in us; we are the sons of women, master Page. Page. 'Tis true, master Shallow. Shat. It will be found so, master Page. Master Doctor Caius, I am come to fetch you home. I am sworn of the peace; you have showed yourself a wise physician, and sir Hugh hath shown himself a wise and patient churchman: you must go with me, master doctor. Host. Pardon, guest justice:- A word, monsieur Muck-water ? Caius. Muck-vater! vat is dat? Host. Muck-water, in our English tongue, is valor, bully. Caius. By gar, then I have as much muck-vater as de Englishman: -Scurvy Jack-dog priest! by gar, me vill cut his ears. Host. He will clapper-claw thee tightly, bully. Host. And I will provoke him to 't, or let him wag. Host. And moreover, bully,-But first, master Page. Sir Hugh is there, is he? Page, Shal., and Slen. Adieu, good master doctor. [Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER. Caius. By gar, me vill kill de priest; for he speak for a jack-an-ape to Anne Page. Host. Let him die: but, first, sheath thy impatience; throw cold water on thy choler: go about the fields with me through Frogmore: I will bring thee where Mrs. Anne Page is, at a farm-house, a feasting; and thou shalt woo her: Cry'd game, said I well? Caius. By gar, me tank you for dat; by gar, 1 love you; and I shall procure-a you de good guest, de earl, de knight, de lords, de gentlemen, my patients. Host. For the which, I will be thy adversary towards Anne Page; said I well? Caius. By gar, 'tis good; vell said. Caius. Come at my heels, Jack Rugby. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. A Field near Frogmore. Enter Sir HGH EVANS and SIMPLE. Era. I pray you now, good master Slender's serving man, and friend Simple by your name, which way have you looked for Master Caius, that calls himself Doctor of Physic? Sim. Marry, sir, the city-ward, the park-ward, every way; old Windsor way, and every way but the town way. Era. I most fehemently desire you, you will also look that way. Sim. I will, sir. master Shallow, and another gentleman from Frogmore, over the stile, this way. Era. Pray you, give me my gown; or else keep it in your arms. Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER. Shal. How now, master parson? Good morrow, good sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the dice and a good student from his book, and it is wonderful. Sten. Ah, sweet Anne Page! Page. Save you, good sir Hugh! Eru. 'Pless you from his mercy sake, all of you! Eva. 'Pless my soul! how full of cholers I am, Page. And youthful still, in your doublet and [Sings. To shallow rivers, to whose falls To shallow. Evu. 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, who belike, having received wrong by some person, is at most odds with his own gravity and patience, that ever you saw. Shal. I have lived fourscore years and upwards; I never heard a man 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. Era. Got's will, and his passion of my heart! I had as lief you would tell me of a mess of por ridge. Page. Why? Eva. He has no more knowledge in Hibocrates and Galen,- and he is a knave besides; a cowardly knave, as you would desires to be acquainted withal. 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 Keep he!-- Is your wife at home, indeed! Ford. Indeed, she is. Page. Nay, good master parson, keep in your weapon. Shat. So do you, good master doctor. Host. Disarm them, and let thein 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 me ! Eva. Pray you, use your patience: In good time. 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 humors; I desire you in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends: and I will knog your urinals about your knave's cogscomb, for missing your meetings and appoint ments. Caius. 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! Eva. As I am a Christians soul, now, look you, this is the place appointed; I'll be judgment by mine host of the Garter. Host. Peace, I say, Guallia and Gaul, French and Welsh; soul-curer and body-curer. 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 noverbs.-- 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 let 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, gentlemen, follow. Slen. O, sweet Anne Page! [Exeunt SHAI., SLEN., PAGE, and Host. Caius. Ha! do I perceive dat? have you make-a de sot of us? ha, ha! Eva. This is well; he has made us his vloutingstog. 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 heart: he promise to bring me vere is Anne Page: by gar, he deceive me too. Eva. Well, I will smite his noddles: --- Pray you, [Exeunt. follow. SCENE II.- The Street in Windsor. Enter Mistress PAGE and ROBIN. Mrs. Page. Nay, keep your way, little gallant; 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 dwarf. Mrs. Page. O you are a flattering boy; now, I see, you'll be a courtier. Enter FoRD. Ford. Well met, mistress Page: Whither go you? Mrs. Page. Truly, sir, to see your wife: Is she at home? Ford. Ay; and as idle as she may hang togethe for want of company: 1 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? Mrs. age. I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of: What do you call your knight's name, sirrah! Rob. Sir John Falstaff. Mrs. Puge. By your leave, sir; -- I am sick. till I see her. [Exeunt Mrs. PAGE and ROBIN Ford. Has Page any brains! hath he any eves! hath he any thinking! Sure they sleep; he hath no use of them. Why, this boy will carry a letter twenty miles, as easy as a cannon will shoot pointblank twelve sco e. He pieces-out his wife's clination; he gives her folly motion, and advantage: and now she's going to my wife, and Falstail's boy with her. A man inay 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 hin, then torture my wife, pluck the borrowed veil of mo‐ desty from the so seeming mistress Page, divulge Page himself for a secure and wilful Acteon; and to these violent proceedings all my neighbors shall cry aim. [Cuck 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, Sır 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. Shut. I must excuse myself, master Ford. dine with mistress Anne, and I would not break Sten. And so must I, sir; we have appointed to with her for more money than I'll speak of. Shut. We have lingered about a inatch between Anne Page and my cousin Slender, and this day we shall have our answer. Sten. I hope I have your good-will, father Page. Puge. You have, master Slender; i stand wholly for you:-- but my wife, master doctor, is for you altogether. Caius. Ay, by gar; and de maid is love-a-me; my nursh-a Quickly tell me so mush. Host. What say you to young master Fenton? he capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth, he writes verses, he speaks holyday; he smells April and May: he will carry t, he will carry't; 'tis in lis buttons; he will carry't. 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 tinger of my substance: if he take her, let him take her simply; the wealth I have, waits on my consent, and my consent goes not that way. Ford. I beseech you, heartily, some of you go home with me to dinner: besides your cheer, you shall have sport; I will show you a monster.Master doctor, you shall go;-so shall you, master Page; and you, sir Hugh. Shal. Well, fare you well: we shall have the freer wooing at master Page's. [Exeunt SHALLOW and SLENDER. Caius. Go home, John Rugby; I come anon. Exit RUGBY. Host. Farewell, my hearts: I will to my honest knight Falstaff, and drink canary with him. Exit Host Ford. [Aside. I think, I shall drink in pipe-wine first with him; I'll make him dance. Will you go, gentles? All. Have with you, to see this monster. [Exeuni SCENE III-A Room in Ford's House. Enter Mrs. FORD and Mrs. PAGE. Mrs. Ford. What, John? what, Robert! Mrs Page. Quickly, quickly: Is the buck-bas ket-Mrs. Ford. I warrant:- What, Robin, I say. Enter Servants with a basket. Mrs. Page. Come, come, come. 1 Shall encourage. ut of the common styla 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, aud (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 hitch, close by the Thames' side. Mrs. Page. You will do it? Mrs. Ford. I have told them over and over; they ock no direction: Begone, 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 company. Mrs. Page. You little Jack-a-lent, have you been true to us? 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. 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.- I'll go hide me. Mrs. Ford. Do so:-- Go tell thy master, I am alone. Mistress Page, remember you your cue. Exit ROBIN. Mrs. Page. I warrant thee; if I do not act it, [Exit Mrs. PAGE. Mrs. Ford. Go to then; we'll use this unwholesome humidity, this gross watery pumpion; we'll teach him to know turtles from jays. hiss me. Enter FALSTAFF. Fal. Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel! Why, now let me die, for I have lived long enough: this is the period of my ambition: O this blessed hour! Mrs. Ford. O sweet Sir John! I Fal. Mistress Ford, I cannot cog, I cannot prate, mistress Ford. Now shall I sin in my wish: Would thy husband were dead; I'll speak it before the best lord, I would make thee my lady. Mrs. Ford. I your lady, sir John! alas, I should be a pitiful lady. Fal. Let the court of France show me such another: I see how thine eye would emulate the diamond: Thou hast the right arched bent of the brow, that becomes the ship-tire, the tire-valiant, or any tire of Venetian admittance. Mrs. Ford. A plain kerchief, sir John: my brows become nothing else; nor that well neither. Fal. Thou art a traitor to say so: thou wouldst make an absolute courtier: and the firm fixture of thy foot would give an excellent motion to thy gait, in a semi-circled farthingale. I see what thou wert, if fortune thy foe were not; nature is thy friend: Come, thou canst not hide it. me. Mrs. Ford. Believe me, there's no such thing in Fal. What made me love thee? let that persuade thee, there's something extraordinary in thee.-Come, I cannot cog, and say, thou art this and that, ike a many of these lisping haw-thorn buds, that come like women in men's apparel, and smell like Bucklers-bury in simple-time; I cannot: but I love thee; none but thee; and thou deservest it. Mrs. Ford. Do not betray me, sir; I fear, you jove mistress Page. Fal. Thou mightest as well say, I love to walk by the Counter-gate; which is as hateful to me as the reek of a lime-kiln. Mrs. Ford. Well heaven knows, how I love you; and you shall one day find it. Fal Keep in that mind; I'll deserve it. Mrs. Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or se I could not be in that mind. Rob within.] Mistress Ford, mistress Ford! A puppet thrown at in Lent, like shrove-cocks. are undone for ever. Mrs. Puge. O mistress Ford, what have you done? You're shamed, you are overthrown, you Mrs. Ford. What's the matter, good mistress Page? Mrs. Page. O well-a-day, mistress Ford! having an honest man to your husband, to give him such cause of suspicion! Mrs. Ford. What cause of suspicion? Mrs. Page. What cause of suspicion!-Out upon you! how am I mistook in you! Mrs. Ford. Why, alas! what's the matter! Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windsor, to search or a gentleman, that, he says, is here, now in the house, by your consent, to take an ill advantage of his absence: you are undone. Mrs. Ford. Speak louder. [Aside.]-- 'Tis not so, I hope. Mrs. Page. Pray heaven it be not so, that you have such a man here; but 'tis most certain your husband's coming with half Windsor at his heels, to search for such a one. I come before to tell you: If you know yourself clear, why I am glad of it: but if you have a friend here, convey, convey him Be not amazed: call all your senses to you: defend your reputation, or bid farewell to your good life for ever. out. Mrs. Ford. What shall I do? -- There is a gentleman, my dear friend: and I fear not mine own shame, so much as his peril: I had rather than a thousand pound, he were out of the house. Mrs. Page. For shame, never stand you had rather, and you had rather; your husband's here at hand, bethink you of some conveyance: in the house you cannot hide him.-- O, how have you deceived me!-- Look, here is a basket: if he be of any reasonable stature, he may creep in here; and throw foul linen upon him, as if it were going to bucking: Or, it is whiting-time,' send him by your two men to Datchet-mead. Mrs. Ford. He's too big to go in there: What shall I do? Re-enter FALSTAFF. Fal. Let me see't! let me see't! Q let me see't! I'll in, I'll in; -- follow your friend's counsel; I'll in. Mrs. Page. What! sir John Falstaff! Are these your letters, knight? Ful. I love thee, and none but thee; help me away: let me creep in here; I'll never - He goes into the basket; they cover him with foul linen. Mrs. Page. Help to cover your master, boy: Call knight your men, mistress Ford: --- You dissembling Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John! [Exit ROBIN; Re-enter Servants.] Go, ake up these clothes here, quickly. Where's the cowi-stat? look, how you drumble; carry them to the laundress in Datchet-mead; quickly, come. Enter FORD, PAGE, CAIUS, and Sir HUGH EVANS Ford. Pray you, come near: if I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me, then let me be your jest; I deserve it. How now? whither bear you this? Serv. To the laundress, forsooth. Mrs. Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? You were best meddle with buckwashing. Ford. Buck? I would I could wash myself of the buck! Buck, buck, buck? Ay, buck; 1 warrant you, buck; and of the season too, it shall appear. [Exeunt Servants with the basket.] Gentlemen, [Exeunt. I have dreamed to-night: I'll tell you my dream. Eva. A lousy knave; to have his gibes and his Here, here, here be my keys: ascend my chambers, mockeries. search, seek. find out: I'll warrant we'll unkennel - Let me stop this way first:-So now the fox uncape. Page. Good master Ford, be contented: you wrong yourself too much. Ford. True, master Page-Up, gentlemen; you shall see sport anon: follow me, gentlemen. [Exit. Era. This is fery fantastical humors, and jea lousies. Cains. By gar, 'tis no de fashion of France: it is Hot jealous in France. Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen; see the issue of his search. [Exeunt EVANS, PAGE and CAIUS. Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this? Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that my husband is deceived, or sir John. Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in, when your husband asked who was in the basket? Mrs. Ford. I am half afraid he will have need of washing; so throwing him into the water will do him a benefit. Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rascal! I would, all of the same strain were in the same distress. Mrs. Ford. I think my husband hath some special suspicion of Falstaff's being here: for I never saw him so gross in his jealousy till now. Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that: And we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff: his dissolute disease will scarce obey this medicine. Mrs. Ford. Shall we send that foolish carrion, mistress Quickly, to him, and excuse his throwing into the water; and give him another hope, to betray him into another punishment? Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be sent for tomorrow eight o'clock, to have amends. SCENE IV A Room in Page's House. Enter FENTON and Mistress ANNE PAGE. Anne. Alas! how then? Fent. Fent. I see, I cannot get thy father's love: Therefore, no more turn me to him, sweet Nan. He doth object, I am too great of birth; Why, thou must be thyself. And that, my state being gall'd with my expense, I seek to heal it only by his wealth: Besides these, other bars he lays before me,My riots past, my wild societies; And tells me, 'tis a thing impossible I should love thee, but as a property. Anne. May be, he tells you true. Fent. No, heaven so speed me in my time to Albeit, I will confess, thy father's wealth come! Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne: Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value Than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags; And 'tis the very riches of thyself That now I aim at. Anne. Yet seek my father's love: still seek it, sir: Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER, and Mrs. QUICKLY. man shall speak for himself. Shal. Break their talk, Mrs. Quickly; my kins Slen. I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't: slid, 'tis but venturing. Shal. Be not dismay'd. Sten. No, she shall not dismay me: I care not Re-enter FORD, PAGE, CAIUS, and Sir HUGH for that.-but that I am afeard. EVANS. Ford. I cannot find him: may be the knave bragged of that he could not compass. Mrs. Page. Heard you that?! Quick. Hark ye; master Slender would speak a word with you. Anne. I come to him.-This is my father's choice. O, what a world of vile ill-favor'd faults Mrs. Ford. Ay, ay, peace:-you use me well, Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year! master Ford, do you! Ford. Ay, I do so. [Aside Quick. And how does good master Fenton! Mrs. Ford. Heaven make you better than your Pray you, a word with you. thoughts! Ford. Amen. Mrs. Page. You do yourself mighty wrong, master Ford. Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it. Eva. If there be any pody in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses, heaven forgive my sins at the day of judgment! Caius. By, gar, nor I too; dere is no bodies. Page. Fie, fie, master Ford! are you not ashamed? What spirit, what devil suggests this imagination? I would not have your distemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windsor Castle. Ford. 'Tis my fault, master Page: I suffer for it. Eva. You suffer for a pad conscience; your wife is as honest a 'omans, as I will desires among five thousand, and five hundred too. Caius. By gar, I see 'tis an honest woman. Ford. Well;-I promised you a dinner: Come, come, walk in the park: I pray you, pardon me; I will hefeafter make known to you, why I have done this. Come, wife;-come mistress Page: I pray you pardon me; pray heartily, pardon me. Page. Let's go in, gentlemen; but trust me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning to my house to breakfast; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bush: Shall it be so? Shal. She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father. Sten. I had a father, mistress Anne;-my uncle can tell you good jests of him:-Pray you, uncle, tell mistress Anne the jest, how my father stole two geese out of a pen, good uncle. Shal. Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you. Slen. Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in Gloucestershire. Shal. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman. Slen. Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, 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. 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 l ́AGE. Page. Now, master Slender:- Love him, daugh ter Anne. A proverb-a shaft was a long arrow and a bolt a .Lot. thick short one. |