Enter Miftrefs Page. What's the matter? how now? Mrs. Page. O mistress Ford, what have you done? you're fham'd, y'are overthrown, you are undone for ever. Mrs. Ford. What's the matter, good mistress Page? Mrs. Page. O well-a-day, miftrefs Ford, having an honeft man to your husband, to give him fuch caufe of fufpicion! Mrs. Ford. What cause of fufpicion ? Mrs Page. What cause of fufpicion? 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 I hope. [Afide] 'Tis not fo, Mrs. Page. Pray heav'n it be not so, that you have fuch a man here; but 'tis most 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 Senfes 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. and Mrs. Page. For shame, never ftand you had rather, you bad rather; your husband's here at hand; bethink bethink you of fome conveyance, in the houfe 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 Datchetmead. 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 counsel; I'll in. Mrs. Page. What! Sir John Falstaff? are thefe 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. Page. Help to cover your master, boy: call your men, miftrefs Ford. You diffembling Knight! Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John, go take up these cloaths here, quickly. Where's the cowlftaff? look, how you drumble: carry them to the landrefs in Datchet-mead; quickly, come. S CE EN NE X. Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Evans. Ford. Pray you, come near; if cause, why then make sport at me, I fufpect without then let me be your jeft, I deferve 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 buckwalhing. X 2 Ford. Ford. Buck? I would, I could, wash my felf of the buck: buck, buck, buck? ay, buck: I warrant you, buck, and of the season too, it shall appear. [Exeunt Servants with the basket.] Gentlemen, I have dream'd to night, I'll tell you my dream: here, here, here be my keys; afcend my chambers, fearch, feek, find out. I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox. Let me stop this way first. So, now uncape. Page. Good mafter Ford, be contented: you wrong your felf too much. Ford. True, 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. SCENE XI. [Exeunt. Manent Miftrefs Page and Mistress Ford. 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. 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 wafhing; fo throwing him into the water will do him a benefit. 6 So now uncape. ] So the Folio of 1623 reads, and rightly. It is a term in Fox-hunting, which fignities to dig out the Fox when earth'd. And here is as much as to fay, take out the foul linnen under which the adulterer lies hid. The Oxford Editor reads uncouple, out of pure love to an emendation. Mrs. Page. Mrs. Page. Hang him, difhoneft rafcal; I would, all of the fame ftrain were in the fame distress. Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath fome fpecial 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 scarce obey this medicine. Mrs. Ford. Shall we fend that foolish carrion, mistrefs 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 tomorrow by eight a clock, to have amends. Re-enter Ford, Page, &c. Ford. I cannot find him; may be, the knave brag'd of that he could not compafs. Mrs. Page. Heard you that? Mrs. Ford. I, I; peace: -You use me well, master Ford, do you? Ford. Ay, ay, I do fo. 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! 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 Windsor Castle. Ford. 'Tis my fault, Mr. Page: I fuffer for it. Eva. 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 house to breakfast; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bufh. Shall it be fo? my Ford. Any thing. Eva. If there is one, I fhall make two in the company. Čaius. If there be one or two, I fhall make-a de turd. Eva. In your teeth, for fhame. 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. [Exeunt. S CENE XII. Changes to Page's Houfe. Enter Fenton and Mistress Anne Page. Fent. Therefore no more turn me to him, fweet See, I cannot get thy father's love; Nan. Anne. Alas! how then? Fen. Why, thou must be thy felf. |