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Hoft. My hand, bully. Thou fhalt have egrefs and regrefs; faid I well? and thy name fhall be Brook. It is a merry Knight. Will you go an-heirs? Shal. Have with you, mine hoft.

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Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier.

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Shal. Tut, Sir, I could have told you more. these times you stand on distance, your paffes, ftoccado's, and I know not what. 'Tis the heart, master Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have feen the time with my long fword, I would have made you four tall fellows skip like rats.

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Hoft. Here, boys, here, here: fhall we wag ? Page. Have with you; I had rather hear them fcold than fight. [Exeunt Hoft, Shallow, and Page. Ford. Tho' Page be a fecure fool, and stand fo firmly

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once have done with his long word, and ridicules the terms and rules of the rapier.

And fand fo firmly on his Wife's Frailty.] No furely; Page ftood tightly to the opinion of her Honesty, and would not entertain a Thought of her being frail. I have therefore ventured to substitute a Word correfpondent to the Sense requir'd ; and one, which our Poet frequently uses, to fignify conjugal faith. THEOBALD.

fand fo firmly on his wife's frailty.] Thus all the copies. But Mr. Theobald has no conception how any man could stand firmly on his wife's frailty. And why? Because he had no conception how he could stand upon it, without knowing what it was. But if I tell a ftranger, that the bridge he is about to cross is rotten, and he believes it not, but

firmly on his wife's fealty, yet I cannot put off my opinion fo easily. She was in his company at Page's house; and what they made there, I know not. Well, I will look further into't; and I have a difguife to found Falstaff: if I find her honeft, I lose not my labour; if the be otherwise, 'tis labour well bestow'd.

[Exit.

SCENE

VII.

Fal.

I

Changes to the Garter-Inn.

Enter Falstaff and Pistol.

Will not lend thee a penny.

Pift. Why then the world's mine oyster, which I with fword will open.-I will retort the fum in Equipage.

Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, Sir, you fhould lay my countenance to pawn; I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you, and your couch-fellow, Nym; or elfe you had look'd through the grate, like a geminy of baboons. I am damn'd in hell for fwearing to gentlemen, my friends, you were good foldiers, and tall fellows. And when Mrs. Bridget loft the handle of her fan, I took't upon mine honour thou hadft it not.

Pift. Didft thou not fhare? hadft thou not fifteen pence?

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Fal. Reason, you rogue, reafon: think'ft thou, I'll endanger my foul gratis? At a word, hang no more about me, I am no gibbet for you.-Go.-A 9 fhort knifé and a throng to your manor of Pickt-batch.-Go. You'll not bear a letter for me, you rogue!-you stand upon your honour!-why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much as I can do to keep the term of my honour precife. I, I, I myself fometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in my neceffity, am fain to fhuffle, to hedge and to lurch; and yet you rogue will enfconce your rags, your cat-a-mountain looks, your red lettice phrases, and your 3 bold-beating oaths, under the shelter of your honour! You will not do it, you!

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Pist. I do relent: what wouldst thou more of man?

Enter Robin.

Rob. Sir, here's a woman would fpeak with you. Fal. Let her approach.

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Enter Mrs. Quickly.

Quic. Give your worship good-morrow.
Fal. Good morrow, good wife.

Quic. Not fo, and't please your worship.

Fal. Good maid, then.

Quic. I'll be fworn, as my mother was, the first hour

I was born.

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Fal. I do believe the fwearer; what with me? Quic. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two?

Fal. Two thousand, fair woman, and I'll vouchfafe thee the hearing.

Quic. There is one miftrefs Ford, Sir-I pray, come a little nearer this ways-I myself dwell with Mr. Doctor Caius.

Fal. Well, on: mistress Ford, you say

Quic. Your worship fays very true : I pray your worship, come a little nearer this ways.

Fal. I warrant thee, nobody hears-mine own people, mine own people.

Quic. Are they fo? heav'n bless them, and make them his fervants!

Fal. Well: miftrefs Ford,what of her?

Quic. Why, Sir, fhe's a good creature. Lord, lord, your worship's a wanton: well, heav'n forgive you, and all of us, I pray-

Fal. Miftrefs Ford,- -come, miftrefs Ford,

Quic. Marry, this is the fhort and the long of it; you have brought her into fuch a canaries +, as 'tis wonderful. The best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windfor, could never have brought her to fuch a canary. Yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I warrant you, coach after coach, letter after letter, gift after gift, fmelling fo fweetly; all musk; and so rufling, I warrant you, in filk and gold, and in fuch alligant terms, and in fuch wine and sugar of the best, and the fairest, that would have won any woman's heart: and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her.-I had myself twenty angels given me this morning; but I defy all angels in any fuch fort as they fay, but in the

4 Canary,] This is the name in low language for any hurry of a brifk light dance, and is or perturbation.

therefore properly enough used

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way of honefty. And I warrant you, they could never get her fo much as fip on a cup with the proudeft of them all. And yet there has been earls, nay, which is more, penfioners; but, I warrant you, all is one with her.

Fal. But what fays fhe to me? be brief, my good She Mercury.

Quic. Marry, fhe hath receiv'd your letter, for the which the thanks you a thousand times; and she gives you to notify, that her husband will be abfence from his houfe between ten and eleven.

Fal. Ten and eleven.

Quic. Ay, forfooth; and then you may come and fee the picture, the fays, that you wot of-master Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the sweet woman leads an ill life with him, he's a very jealoufy man; fhe leads a very frampold life with him, good heart.

Fal. Ten and eleven: woman, commend me to her, I will not fail her.

Quic. Why, you fay well. But I have another meffenger to your worship; mistress Page has her hearty commendations to you too; and let me tell you in your ear, she is as fartuous a civil modest wife, and one (I tell you) that will not mifs you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windfor, whoe'er be the other; and the bad me tell your worship, that her husband is feldom from home, but, fhe hopes, there will come a time. I never knew a woman so doat upon a man; furely, I think you have charms, la; yes, in truth.

Fal. Not I, I affure thee; fetting the attraction of my good parts afide, I have no other charms. Quic. Bleffing on your heart for't!

Fal. But I pray thee, tell me this; has Ford's wife,

5 Frampold.] This word I Archbishop Williams, where a have never feen elsewhere ex- frampul man fignifies a peevish cept in Dr. Hacket's life of troublesome fellow.

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