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turn them together; a man may be too confident; I would have nothing lye on my head; I cannot be thus fatisfy'd.

Page. Look, where my ranting host of the garter comes; there is either liquor in his pate, or money in his purfe, when he looks fo merrily. How now, mine host?

SCENE VI.

Enter Hoft and Shallow.

Hoft. How now, bully Rock? thou'rt a gentleman; cavalierojuftice, I fay.

Shal. I follow, mine hoft, I follow. Good even, and twenty, good mafter Page. Master Page, will you go with us? we have sport in hand.

Hoft. Tell him, cavaliero-juftice; tell him, bully Rock.

Shal. Sir, there is a fray to be fought between fir Hugh the Welch priest, and Caius the French doctor.

Ford. Good mine hoft o'th garter, a word with you.
Hoft. What fay'ft thou, bully Rock?

Shal. Will you go with us to behold it? my merry host hath had the measuring of their weapons, and, I think, hath appointed them contrary places; for, believe me, I hear the parfon is no jester. Hark, I will tell you what our sport fhall be.

Hoft. Haft thou no fuit against my knight, my guest-cavalier? Ford. None, I proteft; but I'll give you a pottle of burnt fack to give me recourse to him, and tell him my name is Brook; only for a jeft.

Hoft. My hand, bully; thou fhalt have egress and regrefs; faid I well? and thy name fhall be Brook. It is a merry knight. Will you go, myn-heers ?

Shal. Have with you, mine host.

Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier. Shal. Tut, fir, I could have told you more; in these times stand on distance, your paffes, ftoccado's, and I know not what: 'tis the heart, mafter Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have feen

you

the

the time, with my long fword, I would have made you four tall fellows skip like rats.

Hoft. Here, boys, here, here: fhall we wag?

Page. Have with you; I had rather have them fcold than fight. [Exeunt Hoft, Shallow, and Page.

Ford. Though Page be a fecure fool, and ftand fo firmly on his wife's fealty, yet I cannot put off my opinion fo easily. She was in his company at Page's houfe, and what made them there, I know not. Well, I will look further into't; and I have a difguife to found Falstaff: if I find her honest, I lose not my bour; if the be otherwife, 'tis labour well beftow'd.

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[Exit.

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Fal.

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Will not lend thee a penny.

Pift. Why, then the world's mine oyfter, which I with fword will open.

Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, fir, you should lay my countenance to pawn; I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you, and your couch-fellow Nym; or else 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 mistress Bridget loft the handle of her fan, I took't upon mine honour, thou hadst it

not.

Pift. Didft thou not share? hadft thou not fifteen pence? Fal. Reafon, you rogue, reason: 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 fhort knife, and a thong, to your manor of Pickt-hatch, go; you'll not bear a letter for me, you rogue! you stand upon your honour! why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is

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a A noted harbour for thieves and pick-pockets.

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as much as I can do to keep the term of my honour precife. I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in my neceffity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge, and to lurch; and yet you, rogue, will enfconfe your rags, your cat-o'-mountain looks, your red-lettice phrases, and your bullbaiting oaths, under the shelter of your honour! you will not do it, you!

Pift. I do relent; what wouldst thou more of man?

Enter Robin.

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

SCENE VIII.

Enter mistress Quickly.

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

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

Fal. Good maid, then.

Quic. I'll be fworn, as my mother was the first hour I was born. Fal, I do believe the swearer: what with me?

Quic. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two?

Fal. Two thoufand, fair woman, and I'll vouchsafe thee the hearing.

Quic. There is one mistress Ford, fir: I pray, come a little nearer this ways: I myself dwell with master doctor Caius. Fal. Well, on: miftrefs Ford, you say.

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

Fal. I warrant thee, no body 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, fir, fhe's a good creature. Lord, lord! your wor

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ship's a wanton; well, heav'n forgive you, and all of us, I pray! Fal. Mistress Ford, come, miftrefs Ford

Quic. Marry, this is the short 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, smelling fo fweetly; all musk, and fo ruffling, I warrant you, in filk and gold, and in fuch alligant terms, and fuch wine and fugar of the best, and the faireft, 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 say, but in the way of honefty; and, I warrant you, they could never get her so 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 fhe-Mercury. Quic. Marry, the hath receiv'd your letter, for the which she thanks you a thousand times; and the gives you to notify that her

husband will be absence from his house between ten and eleven. Fal. Ten and eleven.

Quic. Ay, forfooth; and then you may come and see the picture, she says, that you wot of: master Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the fweet woman leads an ill life with him, he's a very jealousy-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; miftrefs Page has her hearty commendations to you too; and let me tell you in your ear, fhe's as fartuous a civil modest wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you morning and 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 the hopes there will come a time. I never knew a

woman

woman so dote 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 and Page's wife acquainted each other how they love me?

Quic. That were a jeft, indeed! they have not fo little grace, I hope; that were a trick, indeed! but miftrefs Page would defire you to fend her your little page, of all loves: her husband has amarvellous infection to the little page; and, truly, mafter Page is an honest man. Never a wife in Windfor leads a better life than she does; do what the will, fay what she will, take all, pay all, go to bed when she lift, rife when she lift, all is as she will; and, truly, fhe deferves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windsor, truly, fhe is one. You must fend her your page; no remedy. Fal. Why, I will.

Quic. Nay, but do fo then; and, look he you, may come and go between you both, and in any cafe have a nay-word, that you may know one another's mind: and the boy never need to understand any thing: for 'tis not good that children fhould know any wickedness: old folks, you know, have difcretion, as they say, and know the world.

Fal. Fare thee well; commend me to them both: there's my purse, I am yet thy debtor. Boy, go along with this woman. This news diftracts me. [Ex. Quic. and Robin. Pift. This punk is one of Cupid's carriers: Clap on more fails; purfue; up with yond' frigat; Give fire; fhe is my prize, or ocean whelm them all! [Exit Pist.

Fal. Say'ft thou fo, old Jack? go thy ways; I'll make more of thy old body than I have done; will they yet look after thee? Wilt thou, after the expence of so much money, be now a gainer? good body, I thank thee; let them fay, 'tis grofly done, fo it be fairly done, no matter.

SCENE

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