Mrs. Ford. What cause of fufpicion?

Mrs. Page. What cause of suspicion? out upon you! how am I miftook in you?

Mrs. Ford. Why, alas! what's the matter?

Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windfor, to fearch for a gentleman, that, he says, is here now in the house, by your confent, to take an ill advantage of his abfence. You are undone.

Mrs. Ford. Speak louder-[Afide] 'Tis not fo, I hope. Mrs. Page. Pray heav'n it be not fo, that you have fuch a man here; but 'tis moft certain, your husband's coming with half Windfor at his heels, to fearch for fuch a one. I come before to tell you: if you know your felf clear, why, I am glad of it; but if you have a friend here, convey, convey him out. Be not amaz'd, call all your fenfes to you, defend your reputation, or bid farewel to your good life for ever.

Mrs. Ford. What fhall I do? there is a gentleman, my dear friend; and I fear not mine own fhame, fo much as his peril. I had rather than a thousand pound, he were out of the house.

Mrs. Page. For fhame, never ftand you had rather, and you had rather; your husband's here at hand; bethink you of fome conveyance, in the house you cannot hide him. Oh, how have you deceiv'd me? look, here is a basket, if he be of any reasonable ftature, he may creep in here, and throw foul linnen upon him, as if it were going to bucking: or it is whiting time, fend 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 fee't, let me fee't, O let me fee't; I'll in, I'll in; follow your friend's counfel; I'll in.

Mrs. Page. What! Sir John Falstaff? are these your letters, Knight?

Fal. I love thee, help me away; let me creep in here: I'll never

[He goes into the basket, they cover him with foul linnen.

Mrs.

Mrs. Page. Help to cover your mafter, boy: call your men, mistress Ford. You diffembling Knight!

Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John, go take up these cloaths here, quickly. Where's the cowl-ftaff? look, how you drumble: carry them to the landress in Datchet-mead; quickly, come.

Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Evans.

Ford. Pray you, come near; if I fufpect without caufe, why then make sport at me, then let me be your jeft, I deserve it. How now? whither bear you

this?

Serv. To the landrefs, forfooth.

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

Ford. Buck? I would I could wash my felf of the buck: buck, buck, buck? ay, buck: I warrant you, buck, and of the feafon too, it fhall appear. [Exeunt Servants with the basket.] Gentlemen, I have dream'd to night, I'll tell you my drcam: here, here, here be my keys; afcend my chambers, search, seek, find out. I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox. Let me ftop this way firft. So, now uncape.

Page. Good mafter Ford, be contented: you wrong your felf too much.

Ford. Truc, mafter Page. Up, gentlemen, you fhall fee fport anon; follow me, gentlemen.

Eva. This is ferry fantastical humours and jealoufies.

Caius. By gar, 'tis no the fashion of France; it is not jealous in France

Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen, fee the iffue of his fearch,

Manent Miftrefs Page and Miftrefs Ford.

[Exeunt.

Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this? Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that my husband is deceiv'd, or Sir John.

Mrs.

Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in, when your husband ask'd who was in the basket?

Mrs. Ford. I am half afraid, he will have need of washing; fo throwing him into the water will do him a benefit.

Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rafcal; I would all of the fame ftrain were in the fame diftrefs.

Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath some special fufpicion of Falstaff's being here! I never faw him fo grofs in his jealoufie till now.

Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that, and we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff: his diffolute disease will fcarce obey this medicine.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we fend that foolish carrion, miftrefs Quickly, to him, and excufe his throwing into the water, and give him another hope, to betray him to another punishment?

Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be fent for to morrow by eight a clock, to have amends.

Re-enter Ford, Page, &c.

Ford. I cannot find him; may be, the knave bragg'd of that he could not compafs.

Mrs. Page. Heard you that?

Mrs. Ford. I, I; peace: You ufe me well, mafter Ford, do you?

Ford. Ay, ay, I do so.

Mrs. Ford. Heav'n make you better than your thoughts!

Ford. Amen.

Mrs. Page. You do your felf mighty wrong, Mr. 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 preffes, heav'n forgive my fins at the day of Judgment.

Caius. By gar, nor I too; there is no bodies.

Page. Fie, fie, Mr. Ford, are you not asham'd? what fpirit, what devil fuggefts this imagination? I would not ha' your diftemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windfor Castle.

Ford.

Ford. 'Tis my fault, Mr. Page: I fuffer for it. Eva. You fuffer for a pad confcience; your wife is as honeft a o'mans, as I will defires among five thoufand, and five hundred too.

Caius. By gar, I fee 'tis an honest woman.

Ford. Well, I promis'd you a dinner; come, come, walk in the park. I pray you, pardon me; I will hereafter make known to you, why I have done this. Come, wife; come, miftrefs 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 breakfaft; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bufh. Shall it be fo?

Ford. Any thing.

Eva. If there is one, I fhall make two in the company.

Gaius. If there be one or two, I fhall make-a the turd.

Sir Hugh. In your Teeth, for Shame.

Ford. Pray you go, Mr. Page.

Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to morrow on the loufie knave, mine Hoft.

Caius. Dat is good, by gar, with all my heart. Eva. A loufie knave, to have his gibes, and his mockeries.

SCENE changes to Page's House.

Enter Fenton and Mistress Anne Page.

Fent I See, I cannot get thy father's love;

Nan.

[Exeunt:

Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet

Anne. Alas! how then?

Fent. Why, thou must be thy felf.

He doth object, I am too great of birth;

And that my state being gall'd with my expence,
I feek to heal it only by his wealth.

Befides thefe, other bars he lays before me,

My

My riots paft, my wild focieties:
And tells me, 'tis a thing impoffible
I fhould love thee, but as a property.
Anne. May be, he tells you true.

Fent. No, heav'n fo fpeed me in my time to come! Albeit, I will confefs, thy father's wealth

Was the firft motive that I woo'd thee, Anne:
Yet wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than ftamps in gold, or fums in fealed bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thy felf
That now I aim at.

Anne. Gentle Mr. Fenton,

Yet feek my father's love: ftill seek it, Sir;
If opportunity and humbleft fuit (19)
Cannot attain it, why then

-hark you hither.
[Fenton and Mrs. Anne go apart.

Enter Shallow, Slender, and Mistress Quickly.

Sal. Break their talk, mistress Quickly; my kinfmari fhall speak for himself.

Slen. I'll make a fhaft or a bolt on't: 'd'slid, 'tis but venturing.

Shal. Be not difmay'd.

Slen. No, the fhall not dismay me: I care not for that, but that I am affeard.

Quic. Hark ye, Mr. Slender would speak a word with you.

Anne. I come to him. This is my father's choice. Ọ, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults Look handfome in three hundred pounds a year ! Quic. And how does good mafter Fenton? pray you a word with you.

Shal. She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst

á father!

(19) If opportunity and bumbleft Suit] Dr. Thirlby imagines, that our Author with more Propriety wrote;

If Importunity and bumblest Suit

I have not ventur'd to difturb the Text, because, tho' an 'equal Exactness be not maintain'd in the Expreffion, it may mean, "If the frequent Opportunities you find of folliciting my Father, and your Obiequi "oufness to him, cannot get him over to your Party, &t.

VOL. I.

T

Slen.