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Rug. He is wise, sir; he knew, your worship would kill him, if he came.

Caius. By gar, de herring is no dead, so as I vill kill him. Take you: rapier, Jack; I vill tell| you how I vill kill him.

Rug. Alas, sir, I cannot fence.
Carus. Villan-a, take your rapier.
Rug. Forbear; here's company.

Enter Host, Shallow, Slender, and Page.
Host. 'Bless thee, bully doctor.
Shal. 'Save you, master doctor Caius.
Page. Now, good master doctor.
Slen. Give you good-morrow, sir.

Caius. Vat be all you, one, two, tree, four,

come tor?

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a wise and patient churchman: you must go with me, master doctor.

Host. Pardon, guest justice:-A word, monsieur mock-water'.

Caius. Mock-vater! vat is dat?

Host. Mock-water, in our English tongue, is valour, bully.

Caius. By gar, then I have as much mock-vater as de Englishman:-Scurvy-jack-dog-priest! by 10gar, me vill cut his ears.

Host. He will clapper-claw thee tightly, bully.
Caius. Clapper-de-claw! vat is dat?

Host. That is, he will make thee amends. Caius. By gar, me do look he shall clapper-de15claw me; for, by gar, me vill have it.

Host. To see thee fight, to see thee foin', to see thee traverse, to see thee here, to see thee there; to see thee pass thy punto, thy stock,thy reverse, thy distance, thy montant. Is he dead, my Ethiopian? is he dead, my Francisco ha, bully! What says 20 my Esculapius? my Galen? my heart of elder ha! is he dead, bully Stale? is he dead?

Caius. By gar, he is de coward Jack priest of de vorld; he is not shew his face.

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Host. And I will provoke him to 't, or let him

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Page. Sir Hugh is there, is he? Host. He is there: see what humour he is in; 25 and I will bring the doctor about the fields: will lit do well?

Shal. He is the wiser man, master doctor: he 30 is a curer of souls, and you a curer of bodies; if you should fight, you go against the hair of your professions: is it not true, master Page?

Page. Master Shallow, you have yourself been a great fighter, though now a man of peace.

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Shal. Body-kins, master Page, though I now be old, and of the peace, if I see a sword out, my finger itches to make one: though we are justices, and doctors, and churchmen, master Page, we have some salt of our youth in us; we are the 40 sons of women, master Page.

Page. 'Tis true, master Shallow.

Shal. It will be found so, master Page. Master doctor Caius, I am come to fetch you home. am sworn of the peace: you have shew'd yourself 45 a wise physician, and sir Hugh hath shewn himself

Shall. We will do it.

All. Adieu, good master doctor.

[Exeunt Page, Shallow, and Slender. Caius. By gar, me vill kill de priest; for he speak for a jack-a-nape to Anne Page.

Host. Let him die: but, first, sheath thy impatience; throw cold water on thy choler: go about the fields with me through Frogmore; I will bring thee where Mrs. Anne Page is, at a farm-house a feasting; and thou shalt woo her: Cry'd game, said I well?

Caius. By gar, me tank you for dat: by gar, I love you; and I shall procure-a you de good guest, de earl, de knight, de lords, de gentlemen, my patients.

Host. For the which, I will be thy adversary toward Anne Page, said I well?

Caius. By gar, 'tis good; vel said.
Host. Leg us wag then.

Caius. Come at my heels, Jack Rugby. [Exeunt.

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To foin, was the ancient term for making a thrust in fencing, or tilting. Stock is a corruption of stocata, Ital. from which language the technical terms that follow, are also adopted. We must remember, to make this joke relish, that the elder tree has no heart. Probably this expression was made use of in opposition to the common one, heart of oak. The reason for calling Caius bully Stale, and afterwards Urinal, must be sufficiently obvious to every reader. Castilian and Ethiopian, like Catalan, appear in our author's time to have been cant terms. This is a proverbial phrase, and is taken from stroking the hair of animals a contrary way to that in which it grows, and is of similar import with that now in use, against the grain. Perhaps by mock-water, is meant counterfeit. The water of a gem is a technical term. Dr. Warburton thinks it should be read thus, CRY AIM, said I well? i. e. consent to it, approve of it. Have not I made a good proposal? for to cry aim sig nifies to consent to, or approve of any thing. The phrase was taken originally from archery. Mr. Steevens defends, however, the present reading, and conjectures, that cry'd game might mean in those days-a profess'd buck, one who was as well known by the report of his gallantry, as he could have been by proclamation.

ACT

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By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals;
There will we make our peds of roses,
And a thousand cragrant posies.

By shallow

'Mercy on me! I have a great dispositions to cry.

Melodious birds sing madriga's;

When as I sat in Babylon--
And a thousand vragrant posies.
By shallow-

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[Hugh. 30

Simp. Yonder he is coming, this way, sir
Eva. He's welcome:

By shallow rivers, to whose falls—~
Heaven prosper the right!--What weapons is he?!
Simp. No weapons, sir: There comes my mas-35
ter, master Shallow, and another gentleman from
Frogmore, over the stile, this way.

Eva. Pray you, give me my gown; or else keep it in your arms.

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.
Shal. How now, master parson? Good-mor
row, good sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the
dice, and a good student from his book, and it
wonderful.

Slen. Ah sweet Anne Page!
Page. Save you, good sir Hugh!

is

Era. 'Pless you from his mercy sake, all of you!
Shal. What! the sword and the word! do y

study them both, master parson?

o you

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Puge. I think you know him; master doctor Caius, the renowned French physician.

Eva. Got's will, and his passion o' my heart! I had as lief you would tell me of a mess of porridge. Page. Why?

Eca. He has no more knowledge in Hibocrates and Galen,—and he is a knave besides; a cowardly knave, as you would desires to be acquainted withal.

Page. I warrant you, he's the man should fight with him.

Slen. O, sweet Anne Page!

Enter Host, Caius, and Rugby. Shal. It appears so, by his weapons:-Keep them asunder;-here comes doctor Caius.

Page. Nay, good master parson, keep in your

weapon.

Shal. So do you, good master doctor. Host. Disarm them, and let them question; let them keep their limbs whole, and hack our English, Caius. I pray you, let-a me speak a word vit your ear: Verefore vill you not meet-a me? Eva. Pray you, use your patience: In good time. Caius. By gar, you are de coward, de Jack dog, John ape.

Eva. Pray you, let us not be laughing-stogs to other men's humours; I desire you in friendship, and will one way or other make you amends:-I will knog your urinals about your knave's cogscombs, for missing your meetings and appointments.

Caius. Diable!-Jack Rugby,-mine Host de Jarterre, have I not stay for him, to kill him? 40 have I not, at de place I did appoint?

Era. As I am a christians soul, now, look you, this is the place appointed; I'll be judgment by mine host of the Garter.

Host. Peace, I say, Gallia and Gaul, French 45 and Welch, soul-curer and body-curer. Caius. Ay, dat is very good! excellent! Host. Peace, I say; hear mine host of the GarAm I politick? am I subtle? am I a Machiavel? Shall I lose my doctor? no; he gives me

ter.

Page. And youthful still, in your doublet and 50 the potions, and the motions. Shall I lose my parhose, this raw rheumatick day?

Eva. There is reasons and causes for it. Page. We are come to you, to do a good office, master parson.

Eca. Fery well: What is it?

Puge. Yonder is a most reverend gentleman, who, belike, having receiv'd wrong by some per

son? my priest? my sir Hugh? no; he gives me the pro-verbs, and the no-verbs. Give me thy hand,terrestrial; so:-Give me thy hand, celestial: 0.--Boys of art, I have deceiv'd you both; I have 55 directed you to wrong places: your hearts are mighty, your skins are whole, and let burnt sack be the issue.-Come, lay their swords to pawn:

1 The old editions read. the Pittie-ward, the modern editors, the Pitty-wary. There are now no places answering to either of these names at Windsor.

Follow

Follow me, lad of peace; follow, follow, follow. Shal. Trust me, a mad host.—Follow, gentlemen, follow.

Slen. O, sweet Anne Page!

[Exeunt Shil. Sten. Page, and Host. Caius. Ha! do I perceive dat? have you make-a de sot of us? ha! ha!

Eva. This is weil: he has made us his vloutingstog. I desire you, that we may be friends; and let us knog our prains together to be revenge on this same scald, scurvy, cogging companion, the host of the Garter.

Ca us. By gar, vit all my heart; he promise to bring me vere is Anne Page: by gar, he deceive

me too.

Era. Well, I will smite his noddles:-Pray you follow.

SCENE II.

The street in Windsor.

Enter Mistress Page and Robin.

Mrs. Page. Nay, keep your way, little gallant: you were wont to be a follower, but now you are a leader: Whether had you rather lead mine eyes, or eye your master's heels?

Rob. I had rather, forsooth, go before you like
a man, than follow him like a dwarf.
Mrs. Page. O, you are a flattering boy; now
I see, you'll be a courtier.
Enter Ford.

F rd. Well met, mistress Page: Whither go

you?

Airs. Page. Truly, sir, to see your wife; is she at home?

The gives her folly motion, and advantage: and now she's going to my wife, and Falstaff's boy with her. A man may hear this shower sing in the wind!— and Falstaff's boy with her!- -Good plots!5 they are laid; and our revolted wives share damnation together. Well; I will take him, then torture my wife, pluck the borrow'd veil of modesty from the so seeming mistress Page, divulge Page himself for a secure and wilful Actæon; and to 10 these violent proceedings all my neighbours shallcry aim'. The clock gives me my cue, and my assurance bids me search; there I shall find Falstaff: I shall be rather prais'd for this, than. mock'd; for it is as positive as the earth is firm, 15 that Falstaff is there: I will go.

Enter Page, Shallow, Slender, Host, Evans, and
Caius.

Shal. Page, &c. Well met, master Ford.
Ford. Trust me, a good knot: I have good
20 cheer at home; and, I pray you, all go with me.
Shal. I must excuse myself, master Ford.
Slen. And so must I, sir; we have appointed to
dine with mistress Anne, and I would not break
with her for more money than I'll speak of.

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Shat. We have linger'd about a match between Anne Page and my cousin Slender, and this day we shall have our answer.

Sten. I hope I have your good-will, father Page. Page. You have, master Slender; I stand wholly you:-but my wife, master doctor, is for you altogether.

30 for

Ford. Ay; and as idle as she may hang toge-35 ther, for want of company: I think if your husbands were dead, you two would marry.

Mrs. Page. Be sure of that,-two other husbands.

Ford. Where had you this pretty weather-cock Mrs. Page. I cannot tell what the dickens his narne is my husband had him of: What do you call your knight's name, sirrah?

Rob. Sir John Falstaff.
Ford. Sir John Falstaff!

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Caius. Ay, by gar, and de maid is love-a-me; my nursh-a Quickly tell me so mush.

Host. What say you to young master Fenton? he capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth, he writes verses, he speaks holy-day, he smells April and May: he will carry 't, he will carry 't; tis in his buttons'; he will carry 't.

Page. Not by my consent, I promise you. The gentleman is or no having: he kept company with the wild prince and Poins; he is of too high a region, he knows too much. No, he shall not knit a knot in his fortunes with the finger of my substance: if he take her, let him take her sim45ply; the wealth I have waits on my consent, and my consent goes not that way.

Ford. I beseech you, heartily, some of you go home with me to dinner: besides your cheer, you shall have sport; I will shew you a mon50ster.-Master doctor, you shall go—so shall you, master Page;--and you, sir Hugh.

Mrs. Page. By your leave, sir;-I am sick 'till I see her. [Exeunt Mrs. Page and Robin. Ford. Has Page any brains? hath he any eyes? hath he any thinking? sure they sleep; he hath no use of them. Why, this boy will carry a letter twenty miles, as easy as a cannon will shoot point blank 55 twelve score. He pieces-out his wite's inclination;

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Shal. Well, fare you well::--we shall have the freer wooing at master Page's.

Caius. Go home, John Rugby; I come anon. Host. Farewell, my hearts: I will to my honest knight Falstaff, and drink canary with hin.

2

3 That is,

1 Scall was an old word of reproach, as scab was afterwards. Seeming is specious. shall encourage. * That is, in an high-flown, fustian style. It was called a holz-day style, from the old custom of acting their farces of the mysteries and moralities, which were turgid and bombast, on holy-days. This alludes to an old custom among the country fellows, of trying whether they should succeed with their mistresses, by carrying the batchelor's buttons (a plant whose flowers resemble a coat-button) in their pockets; and they judged of their good or bad success, by their growing, or their not growing there. Having is the same as estate or fortune.

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Ford.

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Fal. Mistress Ford, I cannot cog, I cannot prate, mistress Ford. Now shall I sin in my wish: I would thy husband were dead; I'll speak it before the best lord, I would make thee my lady.

Mrs. Ford. I your lady, sir John! alas, I should be a pitiful lady.

Fal. Let the court of France shew me such another: I see how thine eye would emulate the diamond: Thou hast the right arched bent of the 10brow, that becomes the ship-tire, the tire-valiant, or any tire of Venetian admittance*.

Mrs. Ford. Aplain kerchief, sir John: my brows become nothing else; nor that well neither.

Fal. Thou art a traitor' to say so; thou would'st 15 make an absolute courtier; and the firm fixture of thy foot would give an excellent motion to thy gait, in a semi-circled farthingale. I see what thou wert, if fortune thy foe were not; nature is thy friend: Come, thou can'st not hide it.

Mrs. Ford. Marry, as I told you before, John, and Robert, be ready here hard by in the brewhouse; and when I suddenly call on you, come 20 forth, and (without any pause, or staggering) take this basket on your shoulders: that done, trudge with it in all haste, and carry it among the whitsters in Datchet mead, and there empty it in the muddy ditch, close by the Thames side.

Mrs. Page. You will do it?

Mrs. Ford. I have told them over and over; they lack no direction: Be gone, and come when you are call'd. [Exeunt Servants. Mrs. Page. Here comes little Robin. Enter Robin.

Mrs. Ford. How now, my eyas-musket?? what news with you?

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Rob. My master sir John is come in at your backdoor, mistress Ford; and requests your company. 35 Mrs. Page. You little Jack-a-lent', have you been true to us?

Rob. Ay, I'll be sworn: My master knows not of your being here; and hath threaten'd to put me into everlasting liberty, if I tell you of it; 40 for, he swears, he'll turn me away.

Mrs. Page. Thou'rt a good boy; this secrecy of thine shall be a tailor to thee, and shall make thee a new doublet and hose.—I'll go hide me. Mrs. Ford. Doso: Go tell thy master, I am alone. 45 Mistress Page, remember you your cue. [Exit Rob. Mrs. Page. I warrant thee; if I do not act it, hiss me. [Exit Mrs. Page. Mrs. Ford. Go to, then-we'll use this unwholesome humidity, this gross watry pumpion ; 50 -we'll teach you to know turtles from jays. Enter Falstaff.

Fal. Have I caught thee, "my heavenly jewel? Why, now let me die, for I have liv'd long enough; this is the period of my ambition: 055 this blessed hour!

Mrs. Ford. O sweet sir John!

Mrs. Ford. Believe me, there's no such thing in me.

Fal. What made me love thee? let that persuade thee, there's something extraordinary in thee. Come, I cannot cog, and say, thou art this and that, like a many of these lisping haw-thorn buds, that come like women in men's apparel, and smell like Buckler's-bury in simple-time; I cannot: but I love thee; none but thee; and Ithou deservest it.

Mrs. Ford. Do not betray me, sir; I fear you love mistress Page,

Fal. Thou might'st as well say I love to walk by the Counter-gate; which is as hateful to me as the reek of a lime-kiln.

A'rs. Ford. Well, heaven knows how I love you; and you shall one day find it.

Fal. Keep in that mind; I'll deserve it. Mrs. Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or else I could not be in that mind.

Rob. [Within.] Mistress Ford, mistress Ford! here's mistress Page at the door, sweating, and blowing, and looking wildly, and would needs speak with you presently.

Ful. She shall not see me; I will ensconce me behind the arras.

Mrs. Ford. Pray you do so; she's a very tattling woman. [Talsta hides himself. Enter Mrs. Page.

What's the matter? how now?

Mrs. Page. O mistress Ford, what have vou done? you're sham'd, you are overthrown, you are undone for ever.

Mrs. Ford. What's the matter, good mistress Page?

Mrs. Page. O well-a-day, mistress Ford! having an honest man to your husband, to give him such cause of suspicion!

2

Pipe is known to be a vessel of wine, now containing two hogsheads. Pipe wine is therefore wine, not from the bottle, but the pipe; and the jest consists in the ambiguity of the word, which signifies both a cask of wine, and a musical instrument. Evas-musket is the same as infant Lilliputian. A Jack o' lent was a puppet thrown at in Lent, like shrove-cocks. The speaker here tells his mistress, she had a face that would become all the head-dresses in fashion. That is, to thy own merit. Buckler's-bury, in the time of Shakspeare, was chiefly inhabited by druggists, who sold all kinds of herbs, green as well as dry.

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Mrs. Ford.

Mrs. Ford. What cause of suspicion ? Mrs. Page. What cause of suspicion?-Out upon you!-how am I mistook in you!

Mrs. Ford. Why, alas! what's the matter? Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, wo- 5 man, with all the officers in Windsor, to search for a gentleman, that, he says, is here now in the house, by your consent, to take an ill advantage of his absence: You are undone.

Mrs. Ford. Speak louder.-[Aside.] 'Tis not 10 so, I hope.

Mrs. Page. Pray heaven it be not so, that you have such a man here; but 'tis most certain your husband's coming with half Windsor at his heels, to search for such a one. I come before to tell 15 you: If you know yourself clear, why I am glad of it: but if you have a friend here, convey him, convey him out. Be not amaz'd; call all your senses to you; defend your reputation, or bid farewell to your good life for ever.

Mrs. Ford. What shall I do?-There is a gentleman, my dear friend; and I fear not mine own shame, so much as his peril: I had rather than a thousand pound, he were out of the house.

Ford. Buck? I would I could wash myself of the buck! Buck, buck, buck? Ay, buck; I war rant 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: ascend my chambers, search, seek, find out: I'll warrant we'll unkennel the fox:-Let me stop this way first:-So, now, uncape2.

Page. Good master Ford, be contented: you wrong yourself too much.

Ford. True, master Page.-Up, gentlemen; you shall see sport anon: follow me, gentlemen. [Exit.

Eva. This is fery fantastical humours, and jealousies.

Caius. By gar, 'tis no de fashion of France: it is not jealous in France.

Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen; see the 20 issue of his search. [Exeunt. Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this?

Mrs. Page. For shame, never stand you had 25| rather, and you had rather; your husband's here at hand, bethink you of some conveyance: in the house you cannot hide him.-Oh, how have you deceived me!-Look, here is a basket; if he be of any reasonable stature, he may creep in here; 30 and throw foul linen upon him, as if it were going to bucking: Or, it is whiting-time, send him by your two men to Datchet mead.

Mrs. Ford. He's too big to go in there: What shall I do?

Re-enter Falstaff.

Fal. Let me see't, let me see "t! O let me see't! I'll in, I'll in;-follow your friend's counsel;I'll in.

Mrs. Page. What! sir John Falstaff? Are these your letters, knight?

Fal. I love thee,-help me away: let me creep in here; I'll never

[linen.

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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 washing; so throwing him into the water will do him a benefit.

Mrs. Puge. Hang him, dishonest rascal! I would all of the same strain were in the same distress. Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath some special suspicion of Falstaff's being here; for I never saw him so gross in his jealousy till now.

Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that: And we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff: his dissolute disease will scarce obey this medicine.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we send that foolish carrion, mistress Quickly, to him, and excuse his throw40ing into the water; and give him another hope, to betray him to another punishment?

[He goes into the basket, they cover him with foul Mrs. Page. Help to cover your master, boy:45 Call your men, mistress Ford :-You dissembling knight!

Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John! Go, take up these clothes here, quickly; Where's the cowlstaff? look, how you drumble': : carry them to the 50 laundress in Datchet mead; quickly, come. Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Sir Hugh Evans.

Ford. Pray you, come near: If I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me, then let me be your jest, I deserve it.-How now? whi-55 ther bear you this?

Serv. To the laundress, forsooth.

Mrs. Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? you were best meddle with buck-washing.

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Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be sent for to-morrow, eight o'clock, to have amends. Re-enter Ford, Page, and the rest at a distance. Ford. I cannot find him: may be the knave brag'd of that he could not compass. Mrs. Page. Heard you that? Mrs. Ford. I, 1; peace: well, master Ford, do you? Ford. Ay, I do so.

-You use me

Mrs. Ford. Heaven make you better than your thoughts!

Ford. Amen.

Mrs. Page. You do yourself mighty wrong, master Ford.

Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it.

Eca. If there be any pody in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses, heaven forgive my sins at the day of judgment! Caius. By gar, nor I too; there is no bodies.

'Look, how you drumble, means, how confused you are. In the North, drumbled ale, means, muddy, disturb'd ale. 2 This alludes to the stopping every hole at which a fox could enter, before they uncape or turn himout of the bag in which he was brought. Every one has heard of a bag-fox.

Puge.

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