Quic. Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring-knife ?

Sim. No, forsooth; he hath but a little wee-face, with a little yellow beard, a Cain-colour'd beard. Quic. A foftly-fprighted man, is he not?

Sim. Ay, forsooth; but he is as tall a man of his hands, as any is between this and his head: he hath fought with a warrener.

Quic. How say you? oh, I should remember him; does he not hold up his head, as it were? and strut in his gate ?

Sim. Yes, indeed, does he.

Quic. Well, heav'n send Anne Page no worse fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I'll do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish

Enter Rugby.

Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master.

Quic. We shall all be shent; run in here, good young man; go into this closet; [Shuts Simple in the clofet.] He will not stay long. What, John Rugby! John! what, John, I say; go, John, go enquire for my mafter; I doubt, he be not well, that he comes [Sings.

not home: and down, down, a-down-a, &c.

Caius. Vat is you fing? I do not like des toys; pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier verd; a box, a green-a box; do intend vat I speak? a green-a box.

Quic. Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you.. I am glad, he went not in himself; if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad. [Afide. Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe, mai foi, il fait ford chaud, je m'en vaie à la Cour la grande affaire.

Quic. Is it this, Sir?

Caius. Ouy, mettez le au mon pocket; Depéchez,

quickly; ver is dat knave Rugby?

Quic. What, John Rugby! John!

Rug. Here, Sir.

Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby; come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to the Court.

Rug. 'Tis ready, Sir, here in the porch. Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long: od's me! Qu ay j'oublie? dere is some simples in my closet, dat I will not for the varld I shall leave behind.

Quic. Ay-me, he'll find the young man there, and be mad.

Caius. O Diable, Diable! vat is in my closet? vil

laine, Larron! Rugby, my rapier.

[Pulls Simple out of the closet.

Quic. Good master be content.

Caius. Wherefore shall I be content-a?

Quic. The young man is an honest man.

Caius. What shall de honest man do in my closet?

dere is no honest man, dat shall come in my clofet.

Quic. I beseech you, be not fo flegmatick; hear the truth of it. He came of an errand to me from parfon Hugh.

Caius. Vell.

Sim. Ay, forsooth, to defire her to
Quic. Peace, I pray you.

Caius. Peace-a your tongue. Speak-a your tale. Sim. To defire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to fpeak a good word to mistress Anne Page for my

mafter in the way of marriage,

Hh 3

Quic.

Quic. This is all, indeed-la; but I'll never put my finger in the fire, and need not.

Caius. Sir Hugh fend-a-you? Rugby, baillez me fome paper; tarry you a little while.

Quic. I am glad he is so quiet; if he had been thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and fo melancholy. But notwithstanding, man, I'll do for your master what good I can; and the very yea and the no is, the French Doctor my master. (I may call him my master, look you, for I keep his house, and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself.)

Sim. 'Tis a great charge to come under one body's hand.

Quic. Are you a-vis'd o' that? you shall find it a great charge; and to be up early and down late. But notwithstanding, to tell you in your ear, I would have no words of it, my master himself is in love with miftress Anne Page; but, notwithstanding that, I know Anne's mind, that's neither here nor there.

Caius. You jack'nape; give-a this letter to Sir Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I will cut his throat in de parke, and I will teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make- you may be gone; it is not good you tarry here; by gar, I will cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not have a stone to trow at his dog. [Exit Simple.

Quic. Alas, he speaks but for his friend. Caius. It is no matter'a ver dat: do you not tell-a-me, dat I shall have Anne Page for myself? by gar, I vill kill de jack prieft; and I have appointed mine hoft of de Farterre to measure our weapon; by gar, I will myfelf have Anne Page.

Quic. Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well: we must give folks leave to prate; what, the goujere! Caius. Rugby, come to the Court with me; است by gar, if I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your

head out of my door; follow my heels, Rugby.

[Ex. Caius and Rugby.

Quic. You shall have An fools-head of your own. No, I know Anne's mind for that; never a Woman in Windfor knows more of Anne's mind than I do, nor can do more than I do with her, I thank heav'n. Fent. (within.) Who's within there, hoa?

Quic, Who's there, I trow, come near the house I pray you.

SCENE XI.

Enter Mr. Fenton.

Fent. How now, good woman, how dost thou ? Quic. The better, that it pleases your good worship

to afk.

Fent. What news? how does pretty mistress Anne? Quic. In truth, Sir, and she is pretty, and honeft, and gentle; and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by the way, I praise heav'n for it.

Fent. Shall I do any good, think'st thou? shall I not lofe my fuit ?

Quic. Troth, Sir, all is in his hands above; but notwithstanding, master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a book, she loves you-Have not your worship a wart above your eye?

Fent. Yes, marry, have I? and what of that? Quic. Well, thereby hangs a tale; good faith, it is fuch another Nan; but, I deteft, an honest maid as ever broke bread; we had an hour's talk of that wart:I shall never laugh but in that maid's company!-But, indeed, she is given too much to allicholly and musing; but for you Wellgo to

Fent. Well, I shall fee her to day; hold, there's mony for thee: let me have thy voice in my behalf; if thou seest her before me, commend me

Quic. Will I? ay, faith, that we will: and I will tell

Hh 4

tell your worship more of the wart, the next time we have confidence, and of other wooers..

Fen. Well, farewel, I am in great hafte now. [Exit. Quic. Farewel to your worship. Truly, an honest gentleman, but Anne loves him not; I know Anne's mind as well as another does. Out upon't, what have I forgot? [Exit.

ACT II. SCENE I.

W

Before Page's House.

Enter Mrs. Page, with a Letter.

Mrs. PAGE.

HAT, have I scap'd love-letters in the holyday-time of my beauty, and am I now a fub

ject for them? let me fee:

Ask me no reason, why I love you; for the love ufe reason for his precisians, he admits him not far his counfellor: you are not young, no more am I; go to then,

Maine, in his City match,