Fal. Well, I am your theme; you have the start of me; I am dejected; 7 I am not able to answer the Welch flannel; ignorance itself is a plummet o'er me; ufe me as you will. Ford. Marry, Sir, we'll bring you to Windfor to one Mr. Brook, that you have cozen'd of mony, to whom you fhould have been a pander: over and above that you have fuffer'd, I think, to repay that mony will be a biting affliction. Mrs. Ford. Nay, husband, let That go to make amends: Forgive that Summ, and fo we'll all be Friends. Ford. Well, here's my hand; all's forgiven at last. Page. Yet be cheerful, Knight; thou shalt eat a poffet to night at my houfe, where I will defire thee to laugh at my wife, that now laughs at thee. Tell her, Mr. Slender hath marry'd her daughter. Mrs. Page. Doctors doubt that; if Anne Page be my daughter, fhe is, by this, Doctor Caius's wife. SCENE VI. [Afide. Enter Slender. Slen. What hoe! hoe! father Page. Page. Son, how now? how now, fon, have you patch'd? dif Slen. Difpatch'd? I'll make the best in Gloucesterfhire known on't; would I were hang'd la, else. Page. Of what, fon? 7 I am not able to answer the Welch FLANNEL.] Shakespear poffibly wrote Welch FLAMEN. As Sir Hugh was a choloric Prieft, and apt to take fire, FLAMEN was a very proper name, it being given to that order of Latin priefts from the flame-coloured habit. By the fame kind of humour the fcullion, in The Comedy of Errors, is called the Kitchen-Veftal, it being her business to keep the fire in repair. Slen. Slen. I came yonder at Eaton to marry mistress Anne Page, and fhe's a great lubberly boy. If it had not been i'th church, I would have fwing'd him, or he fhould have fwing'd me. If I did not think it had been Anne Page, would I might never stir, and 'tis a post-mafter's boy. Page. Upon my life, then you took the wrong. Slen. What need you tell me that? I think fo, when I took a boy for a girl: if I had been marry'd to him, for all he was in woman's apparel, I would not have had him. Page. Why, this is your own folly. Did not I tell you, how you fhould know my daughter by her garments? Slen. I went to her in white and cry'd mum, and fhe cry'd budget, as Anne and I had appointed; and yet it was not Anne, but a post-master's-boy. Eva. Jefhu! Mafter Slender, cannot you fee but marry boys? Page. O, I am vext at heart. What shall I do? Mrs. Page. Good George, be not angry; I knew of your purpose, turn'd my daughter into green, and, indeed, the is now with the Doctor at the Deanry, and there married. SCENE Enter Caius. VII. Caius. Ver is miftrefs Page? by gar, I am cozen'd; I ha' marry'd one garfoon, a boy; one peasant, by gar; a boy; it is not Anne Page; by gar, I am cozen'd. Mrs. Page. Why? did you not take her in green ? Caius. Ay, be gar, and 'tis a boy; be gar, I'll raise all Windfor. Ford. This is ftrange! who hath got the right Anne? Page. My heart mifgives me; here comes Mr. Fenton. Enter Enter Fenton, and Anne Page. How now, Mr. Fenton ? Anne. Pardon, good father; good my mother, pardon. Page. Now, miftress, how chance you went not with Mr. Slender? Mrs. Page. Why went you not with Mr. Doctor, maid? Fent. You do amaze her: Hear the truth of it. Which forced marriage would have brought upon her. Fal. I am glad, tho' you have ta'en a special Stand to ftrike at me, that your arrow hath glanc'd. Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, heav'n give thee joy! What cannot be efchew'd, must be embrac❜d. › Eva. I will alfo dance and eat plums at your Wedding. Fal. When night-dogs run, all forts of deer are chac’d. Mrs. Page. Well, I will mufe no further. Mr. Fenton, Heav'n give you many, many merry days! 8 This speech is taken from the edition of 1619. Mr. Pope. Good |