should not come; methinks, his flesh is punished, he shall have no desires.

PAGE. So think I too.

MRS. FORD. Devise but how you 'll use him when he comes,

And let us two devise to bring him thither.

MRS. PAGE. There is an old tale goes, that Herne the hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest,

Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,

Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle;

And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain
In a most hideous and dreadful manner:

You have heard of such a spirit; and well you know,
The superstitious idle-headed eld

Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,

This tale of Herne the hunter for a truth.

PAGE. Why, yet there want not many that do fear
In deep of night to walk by this Herne's oak:
But what of this?

MRS. FORD. Marry, this is our device;

That Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us,

[Disguis'd like Herne, with huge horns on his head."]

PAGE. Well, let it not be doubted but he 'll come,

And in this shape: When you have brought him thither,
What shall be done with him? what is your plot?

MRS. PAGE. That likewise have we thought upon, and thus:
Nan Page my daughter, and my little son,

And three or four more of their growth, we 'll dress
Like urchins, ouphes, and fairies, green and white,

a Takes-seizes with disease. As in Lear,'

"Strike her young bones,

Ye taking airs."

This line is not in the folio; but it is certainly wanting. The passage in the quarto in which this line occurs is a remarkable example of the care with which the first sketch has been improved:

Ouphes-goblins.

"Hear my device.

Oft have you heard since Horne the hunter died,

That women to affright their little children
Say that he walks in shape of a great stag.
Now, for that Falstaff hath been so deceiv'd
As that he dares not venture to the house,
We'll send him word to meet us in the field,
Disguis'd like Horne, with huge horns on his head.
The hour shall be just between twelve and one,
And at that time we will meet him both:
Then would I have you present there at hand,
With little boys disguis'd and dress'd like fairies,
For to affright fat Falstaff in the woods."

With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads,
And rattles in their hands; upon a sudden,
As Falstaff, she, and I, are newly met,
Let them from forth a saw-pit rush at once
With some diffuseda song; upon their sight,
We two in great amazedness will fly:
Then let them all encircle him about,
And fairy-like, to-pinch the unclean knight;
And ask him, why, that hour of fairy revel,
In their so sacred paths he dares to tread,
In shape profane.

MRS. FORD.

And till he tell the truth, Let the supposed fairies pinch him sound,,

And burn him with their tapers.

MRS. PAGE.

The truth being known,

We'll all present ourselves; dis-horn the spirit,
And mock him home to Windsor.

FORD.

The children must

Be practis'd well to this, or they'll ne'er do 't.

EVA. I will teach the children their behaviours; and I will be like a jack-anapes also, to burn the knight with my taber.

FORD. That will be excellent. I'll go buy them vizards.

MRS. PAGE. My Nan shall be the queen of all the fairies,
Finely attired in a robe of white.

PAGE. That silk will I go buy!-and in that time

Shall master Slender steal my Nan away,

[Aside.

And marry her at Eton.-Go, send to Falstaff straight.

FORD. Nay, I'll to him again, in name of Brook;

He'll tell me all his purpose: Sure, he 'll come.

MRS. PAGE. Fear not you that: Go, get us properties,

And tricking for our fairies.

EVA. Let us about it: It is admirable pleasures, and fery honest knaveries.

"MRS. PAGE. Go, mistress Ford,

[Exeunt PAGE, FORD, and EVANS.

Send Quickly to sir John, to know his mind.
I'll to the doctor; he hath my good will,
And none but he, to marry with Nan Page.
That Slender, though well landed, is an idiot;

And he my husband best of all affects:
The doctor is well money'd, and his friends

• Diffused-wild.

To-pinch; to as a prefix to a verb is frequent in Spenser: as
"With locks all loose, and raiment all to-tore."

[Exit Mrs. FORD.

"Were all to-ruffled and sometimes impair'd."

Potent at court; he, none but he, shall have her,

Though twenty thousand worthier come to crave her.

[Exit.

SCENE V.-A Room in the Garter Inn.

Enter Host and SIMPLE.

HOST. What wouldst thou have, boor? what, thick-skin? speak, breathe, dis

cuss; brief, short, quick, snap.

SIM. Marry, sir, I come to speak with sir John Falstaff from master Slender.. HOST. There's his chamber, his house, his castle, his standing-bed, and trucklebed; 't is painted about with the story of the prodigal, fresh and new: Go, knock and call; he'll speak like an Anthropophaginian unto thee: Knock, I say. SIM. There's an old woman, a fat woman, gone up into his chamber: I'll be so bold as stay, sir, till she come down; I come to speak with her, indeed. HOST. Ha! a fat woman! the knight may be robbed: I'll call.-Bully knight! Bully sir John! speak from thy lungs military: Art thou there? it is thine host, thine Ephesian, calls.

FAL. [above.] How now, mine host?

HOST. Here's a Bohemian-Tartar tarries the coming down of thy fat woman. Let her descend, bully, let her descend; my chambers are honourable: Fie! privacy? fie!

Enter FALSTAFF.

FAL. There was, mine host, an old fat woman even now with me; but she's

gone.

a

SIM. Pray you, sir, was 't not the wise woman of Brentford?

FAL. Ay, marry, was it, muscle-shell: What would you with her?

SIM. My master, sir, my master Slender, sent to her, seeing her go thorough the streets, to know, sir, whether one Nym, sir, that beguiled him of a chain, had the chain, or no.

FAL. I spake with the old woman about it.

SIM. And what says she, I pray, sir?

FAL. Marry, she says, that the very same man that beguiled master Slender of

his chain cozened him of it.

SIM. I would I could have spoken with the woman herself: I had other things to have spoken with her too, from him.

FAL. What are they? let us know.

HOST. Ay, come; quick.

SIM. I may not conceal them, sir.

HOST. Conceal them, or thou diest.

• Wise woman. Scot, in his 'Discovery of Witchcraft,' says "At this day it is indifferent to say in the English tongue, She is a witch, or she is a wise woman.

SIM. Why, sir, they were nothing but about mistress Anne Page; to know if it were my master's fortune to have her, or no.

FAL. 'T is, 't is his fortune.

SIM. What, sir?

FAL. To have her, or no: Go; say, the woman told me so.

.

SIM. May I be bold to say so, sir?

FAL. Ay, sir Tike; who more bold?

SIM. I thank your worship: I shall make my master glad with these tidings.

[Exit SIMPLE. HOST. Thou art clerkly, thou art clerkly, sir John: Was there a wise woman with thee?

FAL. Ay, that there was, mine host; one that hath taught me more wit than ever I learned before in my life; and I paid nothing for it neither, but was paid for my learning.

Enter BARDOLPH.

BARD. Out, alas, sir! cozenage! mere cozenage.

HOST. Where be my horses? speak well of them, varletto.

BARD. Run away with the cozeners: for so soon as I came beyond Eton, they threw me off, from behind one of them, in a slough of mire; and set spurs and away, like three German devils, three doctor Faustuses.

HOST. They are gone but to meet the duke, villain: do not say they be filed; Germans are honest men.

EVA. Where is mine host?

Enter Sir HUGH EVANS.

HOST. What is the matter, sir?

EVA. Have a care of your entertainments: there is a friend of mine come to town, tells me there is three couzin germans, that has cozened all the hosts of Readings, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook, of horses and money. I tell you for good-will, look you: you are wise, and full of gibes and vloutingstogs; and 't is not convenient you should be cozened: Fare you well.

Enter Dr. CAIUS.

CAIUS. Vere is mine host de Jarterre?

HOST. Here, master doctor, in perplexity, and doubtful dilemma.

[Exit.

CAIUS. I cannot tell vat is dat: But it is tell-a-me, dat you make grand preparation for a duke de Jarmany: by my trot, dere is no duke dat de court is know to come: I tell you for good vill: adieu. [Exit.

HOST. Hue and cry, villain, go:-assist me, knight; I am undone: fly, run, hue and cry, villain! I am undone ! [Exeunt Host and BARDOLPH. FAL. I would all the world might be cozened; for I have been cozened and beaten too. If it should come to the ear of the court, how I have been

Tike. The folio has like; but the quarto," I, tike."

transformed, and how my transformation hath been washed and cudgelled, they would melt me out of my fat, drop by drop, and liquor fishermen's boots with me. I warrant, they would whip me with their fine wits, till I were as crest-fallen as a dried pear. I never prospered since I forswore myself at primero. Well, if my wind were but long enough [to say my prayers*], I would repent.

Enter Mistress QUICKLY.

Now! whence come you?

QUICK. From the two parties, forsooth.

FAL. The devil take one party, and his dam the other, and so they shall be both bestowed! I have suffered more for their sakes, more, than the villainous inconstancy of man's disposition is able to bear.

QUICK. And have not they suffered? Yes, I warrant; speciously one of them; mistress Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot see a white spot about her.

FAL. What tell'st thou me of black and blue? I was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brentford; but that my admirable dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of an old woman, delivered me, the knave constable had set me i' the stocks, i' the common stocks, for a witch.

QUICK. Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber: you shall hear how things go; and, I warrant, to your content. Here is a letter will say somewhat. Good hearts, what ado here is to bring you together! Sure, one of you does not serve heaven well that you are so crossed.

FAL. Come up into my chamber.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.Another Room in the Garter Inn.

Enter FENTON and HOST.

HOST. Master Fenton, talk not to me; my mind is heavy, I will give over all. FENT. Yet hear me speak: Assist me in my purpose,

And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee

A hundred pounds in gold, more than your loss.

HOST. I will hear you, master Fenton; and I will, at the least, keep your counsel.

FENT. From time to time I have acquainted you

With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page;

Who, mutually, hath answer'd my affection,

a The words in brackets are only found in the quarto.