PAGE. Yes; And you heard what the other told me? FORD. DO you think there is truth in them?

PAGE. Hang 'em, flaves! I do not think the knight would offer it: but thefe that accufe him in his intent towards our wives, are a yoke of his discarded men; very rogues, now they be out of service.

FORD. Were they his men?

PAGE. Marry, were they.

FORD. I like it never the better for that. Does he lie at the Garter?

PAGE. Ay, marry, does he. If he should intend this toyage towards my wife, I would turn her loose to him; and what he gets more of her than fharp words, let it lie on my head.

FORD. I do not misdoubt my wife; but I would be loth to turn them together: A man may be too confident: I would have nothing lie on my head: I cannot be thus fatisfied.

PAGE. Look, where my ranting hoft of the Garter comes: there is either liquor in his pate, or money in his purse, when he looks fo merrily. How now, mine hoft?

Enter HosT and SHALLOW.

HOST. How now, bully-rook? thou'rt a gentleman : cavalero-juftice, I fay.

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

HOST. Tell him, cavalero-justice; tell him, bully-rook. SHAL. Sir, there is a fray to be fought, between Sir Hugh the Welsh priest, and Caius the French doctor. FORD. Good mine hoft o' the Garter, a word with you. HOST. What say'ft thou, bully-rook? [They go afide.

SHAL. Will you [to Page] go with us to behold it? My merry hoft hath had the measuring of their weapons; and, I think, he hath appointed them contrary places : for, believe me, I hear, the parfon is no jefter. Hark, I will tell you what our sport shall be.

HOST. 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 recourfe to him, and tell him, my name is Brook; only for a jeft.

HOST. My hand, bully: thou fhalt have egrefs and regrefs: faid I well? and thy name shall be Brook: It is a merry knight. Will you go on, hearts?

SHAL. Have with you, mine hoft.

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

SHAL. Tut, fir, I could have told you more: In these times you stand on distance, your paffes, ftoccadoes, 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.

HOST. Here, boys, here, here! fhall we wag?

PAGE. Have with you :-I had rather hear them fcold than fight. [Exeunt HOST, SHALLOW, and PAGE. FORD. Though Page be a fecure fool, and ftands fo firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off my opinion so 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 disguise to found Falstaff: If I find her honest, I lose not my labour; if she be otherwise, 'tis labour well bestow'd.

VOL. I.

Ꮓ

[Exit.

SCENE II. A Room in the Garter Inn.
Enter FALSTAFF and PISTOL.

FAL. I will not lend thee a penny.

PIST. 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, fir, you fhould lay my countenance to, pawn: I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you and your coach-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 hadft it not.

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

FAL. Reafon, 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 fhort knife and a throng;-to your manor of Pickthatch, 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 terms 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-amountain locks, your red-lattice phrases, and your boldbeating oaths, under the shelter of your honour! You will not do it, you?

PIST. I da relent; What would'ft thou more of man?

Enter ROBIN.

ROB. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you.

FAL. Let her approach.

Enter Miftrefs QUICKLY.

QUICK. Give your worship good-morrow.
FAL. Good-morrow, good wife.

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

FAL. Good maid, then.

QUICK. I'll be fworn; as my mother was, the first hour I was born.

FAL. I do believe the fwearer: What with me?

QUICK. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two? FAL. Two thoufand, fair woman; and I'll vouchsafe thee the hearing.

QUICK. There is one mistress Ford, fir;-I pray, come a little nearer this ways: I myself dwell with master doctor Caius.

FAL. Well, on: Mistress Ford, you say,

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

FAL. I warrant thee, nobody hears ;-mine own people, mine own people.

QUICK. Are they fo? Heaven bless them, and make them his fervants!

FAL. Well: mistress Ford ;-what of her?

QUICK. Why, fir, fhe's a good creature. Lord, lord! your worship's a wanton: Well, heaven forgive you, and all of us, I pray!

FAL. Mistress Ford;-come, mistress Ford,

QUICK. 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 cana

ry. 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 sweetly, (all musk,) and fo rushling, I warrant you, in filk and gold; and in such alligant terms; and in such wine and fugar of the beft, 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 such sort, as they fay,) but in the way of honesty :—and, I warrant you, they could never get her fo much as sip on a cup with the proudest of them all: and yet there has been earls, nay, which is more, pensioners; but, I warrant you, all is one with her.

FAL. But what fays fhe to me? be brief, my good she Mercury.

QUICK. Marry, fhe hath received your letter; for the which she thanks you a thousand times: and she gives you to notify, that her husband will be abfence from his house between ten and eleven,

FAL. Ten and eleven?

QUICK, Ay, forfooth; and then you may come and fee the picture, she says, 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 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.

QUICK. Why you fay well; But I have another mef senger to your worship: Mistress Page hath her hearty commendations to you too ;-and let me tell you in your ear, she's as fartuous a civil modeft wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you morning nor evening pray