down of thy fat woman : let her descend, bully, let her defcend; my chambers are honourable. Fie, privacy? fie! Fal. There was, mine Host, an old fat woman even now with me, but she's gone. Simp. Pray you, Sir, was't not the wife woman of Brainford? Fal. Ay, marry was it, mussel-shell', what would you with her? Simp. My master, Sir, my master Slender, fent to her, seeing her go thro' the street, to know, Sir, whether one Nym, Sir, that beguil'd him of a chain, had the chain, or no. : 7 Fal. I spake with the old woman about it. なお、こい Simp. And what says she, I pray, Sirhind Fal. Marry, she says, that the very fame man, that beguil'd master Slender of his chain, cozen'd him of it. Simp. I would, I could have spoken with the wo man herself; I had other things to have spoken with her too, from him.......... a Fal. What are they? let us know. Hoft. Ay, come; quick. Simp. I may not conceal them, Sir. Fal. Conceal them, or thou dy'st. Simp. Why, Sir, they were nothing but about miftress Anne Page; to know, if it were my master's fortune to have her or no. Fal. 'Tis, 'tis his fortune. Simp. What, Sir? Fal. To have her, or no: go; say, the woman told me fo. Simp. May I be so bold to fay so, Sir? Fal. Ay, Sir; like who more bold. Musel-shell.] He calls poor Simple mussel-shell, because he ftands with his mouth open. A Simp. Thank your worship: I shall make my master glad with these tidings. 21. [Exit Simple. Hoft. Thou art clarkly; thou art clarkly, Sir John: was there a wife woman with thee? Fal. Ay, that there was, mine Host; one, that hath taught me more wit than ever I learned before in my life; and I paid nothing for it neither, but was paid for my learning... Bard. Out, alas, Sir, cozenage! meer cozenage! Hoft. Where be my horses, speak well of them, varletto. Bard. Run away with the cozeners; for fo foon as I came beyond Eaton, they threw me off from behind one of them in a flough of mire, and fet fpurs, and away, like three German devils, three Doctor FauStus's. Hoft. They are gone but to meet the Duke, villain; do not say, they are fled; Germans are honeft men. Enter Evans, Eva. Where is mine Host? Hoft. What is the matter, Sir? Eva. Have a care of your entertainments; there is a friend o'mine come to town, tells me, there is three cozen-jermans that has cozen'd all the Hosts of Reading, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook, of horses and mony. I tell you for good will, look you; you are wife, and full of gibes and vlouting-stocks, and 'tis not convenient you should be cozen'd; fare you well. [Exit. Enter Caius. Caius. Ver' is mine Hoft de farterre? Hoft. Hoft. Here, master Doctor, in perplexity and doubtful dilemma, Cajus. I cannot tell wat is dat; but it is tell-a-me, dat you make a grand preparation for a Duke de Famany; by my trot, der is no Duke, dat the Court is know, to come. I tell you for good will; adieu. 1 [Exit. Hoft. Hue and cry, villain, go! assist me, Knight, I am undone; fly, run, hue and cry! Villain, I am undone! [Exit. Fal. I would, all the world might be cozen'd, for I have been cozened and beaten too. If it should come to the ear of the Court, how I have been tranfformed, and how my transformation hath been wash'd and cudgel'd, they would melt me out of my fat, drop by drop, and liquor fishermen's boats with me. I warrant, they would whip me with their fine wits, 'till I were as crest-fall'n as a dry'd pear. I never profper'd fince I forswore myself at Primera2. Well, if my wind were but long enough to fay my prayers, I would repent. : SCENEX. Enter Mistress Quickly, Now, whence come you? Quic. From the two parties, forfooth. : Fal. The devil take one party, and his dam the other, and fo they shall be both bestow'd. I have fuffer'd more for their fakes, more than the villainous inconstancy of man's disposition is able to bear. Quic. And have not they suffer'd? yes, I warrant, fpecioufly one of them; mistress Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot fee a white spot about her. 2 Primero.] A game at cards. Fal. Fal. What tell'st thou me of black and blue? I was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brainford; but that my admirable dexterity of wit, counterfeiting the action of an old woman, deliver'd me, the knave constable had fet me i'th' stocks, i'th' common stocks, for a witch. 1 Quic. Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber; you thall hear how things go, and, I warrant, to your content. Here is a letter will fay fomewhat. Good hearts, what ado is here to bring you together? fure, one of you does not serve heav'n well, that you are fo crofs'd. Fal. Come up into my chamber. ; [Exeunt. Enter Fenton and Hoft. Hoft. Master Fenton, talk not to me; my mind is heavy, I will give over all. Fent. Yet hear me speak; assist me in my purpose, And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee A hundred pounds in gold more than your lofs. 3 Action of an old Woman.] What! was it any Dexterity of Wit in Sir John Falstaff, to counterfeit the Action of an old Woman, in order to escape being apprehended for a Witch? Surely, one would imagine, This was the readiest Means to bring him into fuch a Scrape: for none but Old Women have ever been suspected of being Witches. The Text must certainly be restor'd, a wood Woman, a crazy, frantick Woman; one too wild, and filly, and unmeaning, to have either the Malice or mischievous Subtlety of a Witch in her, THEOBALD. This emendation is received by Sir Thomas Hanmer, but rejected by Dr. Warburton. To me it appears reasonable enough. + The great fault of this play is the frequency of expressions so profane, that no neceffity of preserving character can justify them. There are laws of higher authority than those of criticism. Hoft. * Hoft. I will hear you, master Fenton; and I will, at the least, keep your counsel. า Fen. From time to time I have acquainted you With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page; Who, mutually, hath answer'd my affection (So far forth as herself might be her chuser) Ev'n to my wish. I have a letter from her Of fuch contents, as you will wonder at; The mirth whereof's so larded with my matter, That neither fingly can be manifested, Without the shew of both. Fat Sir John Falstaff Hath a great Scene; the image of the jest [Shewing a letter. I'll shew you here at large. Hark, good mine Host; To night at Herne's Oak, just 'twixt twelve and one, Must my sweet Nan present the Fairy Queen; The purpose why, is here; in which disguife, While other jests are something rank on foot, Her father hath commanded her to flip Away with Slender, and with him at Eaton Immediately to marry; she hath confented Now, Sir, Her mother, ever strong against that match, 1 With ribbands-pendant, flaring 'bout her head; And |