Quic. In truth, fir, and fhe is pretty, and honeft, and gentle; and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by the way, I praise heaven for it. Fent. Shall I do any good, thinkest thou? shall throt in de park; and I vill teach a scurvy jack- Quic. Troth, fir, all is in his hands above; but Guias. It is no matter-a for dat :—do you not notwithstanding, master Fenton, I'll be fworn on a tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself ?-book, the loves you:- -Have not your worship by gar, I vill kill de jack prieft; and I have ap- a wart about your eye? panted mine hoft of de Jarterre to measure our weapon;-by gar, I vill myfelf have Anne Page. . Sir, the maid loves you, and all fhall be veli: we must give folks leave to prate: What, the goujere1. Grix. Rugby, come to the court vit me :By gar, if I have not Anne Page, I fhall turn your head out of door :-Follow my heels, Rugby. [Ex. Caius and Rugby. Q. You shall have An fools-head of your own. No, I know Anne's mind for that: never a woman in Windfor knows more of Anne's mind than Ido; nor can do more than I do with her, I thank heaven. Fest. [Within.] Who's within there, ho? Q. Who's there, I trow? come near the houte, I pray you. Enter Mr. Fenton. Fest. How now, good woman; how doft thou? Fent. Yes, marry, have I; what of that? Quic. Well, thereby hangs a tale :--good faith, it is fuch another Nan ;--but 1 deteit, an honest maid as ever broke bread :-We had an hour's talk of that wart ;-I shall never laugh but in that maid's company!- -But indeed fhe is given too much to allicholly and mufing: But for you-Well go to. Fent. Well, I fhall fee her to-day: Hold, there's money for thee; let me have thy voice in my behalf: if thou feeft her before me, commend me Quic. Will I? ay, faith, that we will: and I will tell your worship more of the wart, the next time we have confidence; and of other wooers. Fent. Well, farewell; I am in great haste now. [Exit. Quic. Farewell to your worship.-Truly, an honeft gentleman; but Anne loves him not; I know Anne's mind as well as another does: Out upon't! what have I forgot? [Exit. Enter Miftrefs Page with a letter. What a Herod of Jewry is this? -O wicked, wicked world!-one that is well nigh worn to pieces with age, to fhew himself a young gallant! Lafref, Page. WHAT, have I 'cap'd love- What an unweigh'd behaviour has this Flemish letters in the holy-day-time drunkard pick'd (with the devil's name) out of my of my beauty, and am I now a subject for them? | converfation, that he dares in this manner afsay Let me fee: 4k me no reason why I love you; for 2 though loos afe reason for bis precifian, be admits him not for confellar: You are not young, no more am I; go to ton, there's fympathy: you are merry, fo am I; Ha! ba' then there's more fympathy: you love fack, and do 1: Would you defire better fympathy? let it p5a thee, mifirefs Page, (at the leaft, if the love of a fuser can suffice) that I love thee. I will not 'tis not a foldier-like phrafe; but I say, By me, By day or night 3, Or any kind of light, That is, morbus Gollicus. me? Why, he hath not been thrice in my company!-What fhould I fay to him?-I was then frugal of my mirth:-heaven forgive me!—Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men. How shall I be reveng'd on him? for reveng'd I will be, as fure as his guts are made of puddings. Enter Miftrefs Ford, Mrs. Ford. Mistress Page! truft me, I was going to your house. Mrs. Page. And, trust me, I was coming to you. You look very ill. Mrs. Ford. Nay, I'll ne'er believe that; I have to fhew to the contrary. John Falstaff. Mrs. Page. 'Faith, but you do, in my mind. 2 The meaning is, though love permit reafon to tell what is fit to be done, de fidem follows its advice. By precifian, is meant one who pretends to a more than ordinary degree fhew you to the contrary: O, miftreis Page, give a fine baited delay, till he hath pawn'd his horfes to me fome counfel! Mrs. Page. What's the matter, woman? Mrs. Ford. Owoman, if it were not for one trifling refpect, I could come to fuch honour! mine Holt of the Garter. Mrs. Fl. Nay, I will confent to act any villainy against him that may not fully the charinefs 5 of our honefty. Oh, that my husband faw this letter! it Mrs. Page. Hang the trifle, woman; take the ho- would give eternal food to his jealousy. nour: What is it?-dispense with trifles;-what| is it? Mrs. Ford. If I would but go to hell for an eternal moment, or io, I could be knighted. Mrs. Page. What?-thou lieft!--Sir Alice Ford! -Thefe knights will hack; and fo thou shouldst not alter the article of thy gentry 1. Mrs. Page. Why, look, where he comes; and my good man too: he's as far from jealoufy, as I am from giving him caufe; and that, I hope, is an unmeafurable diftance. Mrs. Ford. You are the happier woman. Mrs. Ford. We burn day-light 2:--here, read, read;-perceive how I might be knighted.—I shall think the worfe of fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of men's liking: And yet he would not fwear; prais'd women's modefty; and Ford. Why, fir, my wife is not young. gave fuch orderly and well-behav'd reproof to all Pift. He wooes both high and low, both rich and uncomelinefs, that I would have fworn his difpofi-Both young and old, one with another, Ford; tion would have gone to the truth of his words: but they do no more adhere, and keep place together, than the hundredth pfalm to the tune of Green Sleeves 3. What tempeft, I trow, threw this whale, with fo many tuns of oil in his belly, afhore at Windfor? How fhall I be reveng'd on him? I think, the best way were to entertain him with hope, till the wicked fire of luft have melted him in his own grease.Did you ever hear the like? He loves thy gally-maw fry 7; Ford, perpend. [poor, Pift. With liver burning hot: Prevent, or go thou, Like Sir Acteon he, with Ringwood at thy heels:— O, odious is the name! Ford. What name, fir? Piff. The horn, I fay: Farewell. Take heed; have open eye; for thieves do foot by night: fing. Mrs. Page. Letter for letter; but that the name Take heed, ere fummer comes, or cuckoo-birds do of Page and Ford differs!-To thy great comfort in this mystery of ill opinions, here's the twin-brother of thy letter: but let thine inherit first; for, 1 proteft, mine never fhall. I warrant, he hath a thousand of thefe letters, writ with blank fpace for different names, (fure more) and thefe are of the fecond edition: He will print them out of doubt; for he cares not what he puts into the 4 prefs, when he would put us two. I had rather be a giantefs, and lie under mount Pelion. Well, I will find you twenty lafcivious turtles, ere one chafte man. Mrs. Ford. Why, this is the very fame; the very hand, the very words: What doth he think of us? Mrs. Page. Nay, I know not: It makes me almoft ready to wrangle with mine own honeity. I'l entertain myfelf like one that I am not acquainted withal; for, fure, unlefs he knew fome strain in! me, that I know not myfelf, he would never have boarded me in this fury. Mrs. Ford. Boarding, call you it? I'll be fure to keep him above deck. Mrs. Page. So will I; if he come under my hatches, I'll never to fea again. Let's be reveng'd on him: let's appoint him a meeting; give him at fhow of comfort in his fuit; and lead him on with! Away, fir corporal Nym.————— Page. The humour of it, quoth a'! here's a fellow frights humour out of its wits. Ford. I will feek out Falftaff. Page. I never heard fuch a drawling, affecting rogue. Ford. If I do find it, well. Page. I will not believe fuch a Cataian 9, though the priest o' the town commended him for a true man. Ford. 'Twas a good fenfible follow: Well. 1 To hack, is an expreffion ufed in another fcene of this play, to fignify to do mifchief. The fenfe of this pallage may therefore be, Thefe knights are a riotous, diffolute fort of people, and on that account thou fhouldit not wish to be of the number. 2 That is, we have more proof than we want. 3 A popular ballad of thofe times. + Prefs is ufed here ambiguously, for a prefs to print, and a prefs to luceze 5 That is, the caution which ought to attend on it. 6 A curtail-dog was a dog witof tail, by the laws of the foreft, was cut off, from his belonging to an unqualified perfon. 7 A medley. By a Catalun, fome kind of harper was probably meant. Mrs. Mrs. Page. Whither go you, George?-Hark you. | fir Hugh the Welch priest, and Caius the French Mrs. Ford. How now, fweet Frank? why art doctor. theu melancholy? Ford. Good mine hoft o' the Garter, a word with For I melancholy! I am not melancholy-Get you. you home, go. Mrs. Ford. Faith, thou haft fome crotchets in thy bead now-Will you go, miftrefs Page?. Mr. Page. Have with you.--You'll come to dimer, Garge-Look, who comes yonder: the thall be our meifenger to this paltry knight. [Aide to Mrs. Ford. Enter Mifirefs Quickly. Ay, forfooth: And, I pray, how does good mitress Anne? Mr. Page. Go in with us, and fee; we have an hour's talk with you. [Ex. Mrs. Page, Mrs. Ford, and Mrs. Quickly. Far. How now, mafter Ford? F. You heard what this knave told me; did you not? Hoft. What fay'ft thou, bully-rook? [They go a little afde. Shal. [To Page.] Will you 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 fpert fhall be. Hot. Haft thou no fuit against my knight, my gueft-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 Brock, only for a jest. 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 2 ? Shal. Have with you, mine host. Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good Fage. Yes; and you heard what the other told me?fkill in his rapier. Shal. Tut, fir, I could have told you more: In Pg. Hang'em, flaves! I do not think the knight thefe times you ftand on diftance, your paffes, stocAnd offer it: but thefe, that accufe him in his in-cado's, and I know not what : 'tis the heart, mastent towards our wives, are a yoke of his difcarded ter Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have seen the time, B: very rogues, now they be out of fervice. with my long fword 3, I would have made you four Ford. Were they his men ? tall fellows fkip like rats. Page. Marry, were they. Ford. like it never the better for that.-Does be lie at the Garter? Page Ay, marry, does he. If he should intend his voyage towards my wife, I would turn her ife to him; and what he gets more of her than fharp words, let it lie on my head. Fed. I do not mifdoubt my wife; but I would beth to turn them together: A man may be too confident: I would have nothing lie on my head: I canot be thus fatisfied. Page. Look, where my ranting hoft of the Garter comes: there is either liquor in his pate, or money in his purfe, when he looks fo merrily How, now, mine hoft: Hɔst. Here, boys, here, here! fhall we wag? Page. Have with you :-I had rather hear them fcold than fight. [Exeunt Hof, Shallow & Page, Ford. Though Page be a fecure fool, and ftand fo firmly on his wife's frailty 4, yet I cannot put off my opinion fo eafily: She was in his company at Page's houfe; 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 honett, I lofe not my labour; if the be otherwife, 'tis labour well beflow'd. [Exit, Pift. Why, then the world's mine oyfter 5, which I with fword will open. I will retort the fum in equipage. 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 coach-fellow, Nym; or elfe you had look'd through the grate, like a geminy of baboons. I am damn'd in hell, for (wearing to gentlemen, That is, cheats. 2 This paffage is evidently obfcure, Mr. Steevens propofes to read, Will Mage an, hearts ? in confirmation of which conje&ure, he obferves, that the Hoft calls Dr. Caius heart of Eider; and adds, in a fubfequent feene of this play, Farewell, my hearts. 3 Before the introduction of rapiers, the fwords in ufe were of an enormous length. Shallow here cenfures the innovation of lighter weapons. 4 To fland on any thing, fignifies to infift on it. To Ford, who is jealous, all chastity in women appears as frailty. 5 Dr. Gray fuppofes Shakipeare to allude to an vid proverb, "The mayor of Northampton opens afters with his dagger :" that is, to keep them at a ficient distance from his nofe, that town being fourfcore miles from the fea. 6 Dr. Warburton Conectores the meaning of this to be, I will pay you again in ftolen goods; and his opinion is conared by that of Mr. Farmer, my friends, you were good foldiers, and tall fellows :) and when miftrefs Bridget loft the handle of her fan 2, I took 't pon mine honour, thou hadst it not. Pift. Didft thou not share? hadst thou not fifteen pence? Fal. Well: mistress Fordwhat of her? Quic. 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. Miftrefs Ford;-come, miftrefs Ford,Quic. Marry, this is the fhort and the long of it; Fal. Reafon, you rogue, reafon : Think'ft thou, you have brought her into fuch a canaries, as 'tis I'll endanger my foul gratis? At a word, hang no wonderful. The best courtier of them all, when more about me, I am no gibbet for you :-go.- the court lay at Windfor, could never have brought A fhort knife and a thong, to your manor of her to fuch a canary. Yet there has been knights, Pickt-hatch 3, go.-You'll not bear a letter for me, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I you rogue !—you stand upon your honour !warrant you, coach after coach, letter after letter, Why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much as gift after gift; smelling fo fweetly, (all mufk) and I can do, to keep the terms of my honour precife. fo rufling, I warrant you, in filk and gold; and in I, I, I myself fometimes leaving the fear of hea-fuch alligant terms; and in fuch wine and fugar ven on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in of the best, and the faireft, that would have won my neceflity, am fain to fhuffle, to hedge, and to lurch; and yet you, rogue, will enfconce 4 your rags, your cat-a-mountain looks, your red-lattice 5 phrafes, and your bold-beating oaths, under the Thelter of your honour! You will not do it, you? Pift. I do relent: what wouldst thou more of man? Enter Robin. any woman's heart; and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her.--I had myself tv enty angels given me this morning: but I defy all angels, (in any fuch fort as they fay) but in the 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 7; but, I warrant Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you. you, all is one with her. Enter Miftrefs Quickly. Quit. Give your worship good-morrow. Fal. Good-morrow, good wife. Quie. 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. But what fays the to me? be brief, my good the Mercury. Quic. Marry, the hath receiv'd your letter; for the which the thanks you a thousand times: and the 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 Fal. I do believe the swearer: What with me? and fee the picture, the fays, that you wot of; Quic. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or-mafter Ford, her husband, will be from home. two? Alas! the fweet woman leads an ill life with him; Fal. Two thousand, fair woman; and I'll he's a very jealoufy man; fhe leads a very framvouchfafe thee the hearing. pold 9 life with him, good heart. Quic. There is one miftrefs Ford, fir;-I pray, come a little nearer this ways :-I myself dwell with mafter doctor Caius. Fal. Well, on: Mittrefs Ford, you fay,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? Heaven blefs them, and make them his fervants! Fal. Ten and eleven: Woman, commend me to her; I will not fail her. Quic. Why, you fay well: But I have another meflenger to your worthip: Miftrefs Page has her hearty commendations to you too ;--and let me tell you in your ear, fhe's as fartuous a civil modeft wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windfor, whoe'er be the other and the bade me tell your worship, that her husband is feldom from home; 2 Fans, 1 A tall fellow, in the time of our author, meant, a flout, bold, or courageous perfon. in Shak fpeare's time, were more coftly than they are at prefent, as well as of a different conftruction. They confifted of oftrich feathers, (or others of equal length and flexibility) which were ftuck into handles. The richer fort of thefe were compofed of gold, filver, or ivory of curious workmanship. The fum of forty pounds was fometimes given for a fan in the time of queen Elizabeth. 3 A noted place for thieves and pickpockets. Pickt-hatch probably is derived from the pickes placed upon the hatches of the doors of the bawdy-houses of thofe times; a precaution which perhaps the unfeafonable and obftreperous irruptions of the gallants of that age might render necellary. 4 A Sconce is a petty fortification: to enfconce, therefore, is to protect as with a fort. 5 Your ale-houfe converfation. Red lattice at the doors and windows, were formerly the external infignia of an alehoufe. Hence the prefent chequers; and it is very remarkable, that fhops, with the fign of the chequers, were common among the Romans. 6 This is the name of a briik light dance, and not therefore improperly ufed in vulgar language for any hurry or perturbation: perhaps, however, it is not improbable, that canaries is only a mistake of Mrs. Quickly's for quandaries. A penfioner, in thofe times, meant a gentleman always attendant upon the perfon of the prince. 8 To wet is to know. 9 Ray fays, that frampald, or frampard, fignities fretful, peevish, cross, froward. but Ford. I make bold, to prefs with fo little prepa but the hopes, there will come a time. I never Fall Not I, I affure thee; fetting the att action of my good parts afide, I have no other charms. Bleifing on your heart for 't. F But, I pray thee, tell me this: has Ford's wife, and Page's wife, acquainted each other how Lev love me? That were a jest, indeed !—they have not fo kale grace, I hope that were a trick, indeed! Bu matrets Page would defire you to fend her your little page, of all loves 1; her husband has a vellous infection to the little page; and, truly, mater Page is an honeft man. Never a wife in Win For leads a better life than fhe does; do what the will, fay what the will, take all, pay all, go to bed when the lift, rife when the lift, all is as fhe will; and, truly, the deferves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windfor, fhe is one. You matt fend her your page; no remedy. Fal. Why, I will. Fal. You're welcome: What's ur will? Give us leave, drawer. Xxit Bardolph. Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman tha have spent much; my name is Brook. Fal. Good master Brook, I defi more acquaintance of you. Ford. Good fir John, I fue for yours: mo charge you; for I must let you understand, I think myself in better plight for a lender than you are: the which hath fomething embolden'd me to this unfeafon'd intrufion; for they say, if money go before, all ways do lie open. Fal. Money is a good foldier, fir, and will on. Ford. Troth, and I have a bag of money here troubles me: if you will help me to bear it, fir John, take all, or half, for eafing me of the carriage. Fal. Sir, I know not how I may deferve to be your porter. Ford. I will tell you, fir, if you will give me the hearing. Fal. Speak, good master Brook; Ishall be glad to be your fervant. . Nay, but do so then: and, look you, he may come and go between you both; and, in any cre, have a nay-word, that you may know one Ford. Sir, I hear you are a scholar,—I will be anther's mind, and the boy never need to under- brief with you;-and you have been a man long find any thing; for 'tis not good that children known to me, though I had never fo good means, fhould know any wickedness: old folks, you know, as defire, to make myself acquainted with you. I have difcretion, as they fay, and know the world. fhall difcover a thing to you, wherein I muit very Fal. Fare thee well: commend me to them much lay open mine own imperfection; but, good beth: there's my purfe; I am yet thy debtor.-fir John, as you have one eye upon my follies, as Boy, go along with this woman. This news you hear them unfolded, turn another into the redetracts me! [Exeunt Quickly and Robin. gitter of your own; that I may pafs with a reproof Pe. This pink 3 is one of Cupid's carriers :- the eafier, fith 7 you yourself know, how eafy it is Cap on more fails; purfue; up with your fights 4; to be fuch an offender. Give fire; the is my prize, or ocean whelm them all! [Exit Pipol. Fal Say it 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 groffly done, fo it be fairly done, no matter. Enter Bardolph. Bard. Sir John, there's one mafter Brook below would fain fpeak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath fent your worship a morning's draught of fack. Fal. Brook, is his name? Fal. Call him in: [Exit Bardolph.] Such Brooks are welcome to me, that o'erflow fuch liquor. Ah! ! mistress Ford and miftrefs Page, have I encompas'd you? go to; via5! Re-enter Bardolph with Ford difguis'd. Ford Blefs you, fir. Fal. And you, fir; Would you speak with me? Fal. Very well, fir; proceed. Ford. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her hufband's name is Ford, Fal. Well, fir. Ford. I have long lov'd her, and, I protest to you, bestow'd much on her; follow'd her with a doting obfervance; engrofs'd opportunities to meet her; fee'd every flight occasion, that could but niggardly give me fight of her; not only bought many prefents what the would have given: briefly, I have purfued to give her, but have given largely to many, to know her, as love hath purfued me; which hath been, on the wing of all occafions. But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means, meed 8, I am fure, I have received none; unless experience and that hath taught me to fay this: be a jewel; that I have purchas'd at an infinite rate; Love like a fhadow flies, when fubftance love purfues, Pursuing that that_flics, and flying what purfaes. Fal. Have you receiv'd no promife of fatisfaction at her hands? Ford. Never. Fal. Have you importun'd her to fuch a purpofe? 2 That is, a watch-word. 3 A Of all loves, fignifies no more than to fend him by all means. pal is a veficl of the fmall craft, employed as a carrier for merchants. 4 Fights are cloaths hung round the ship to conceal the men from the enemy, and close-fights are bulk-heads, or any other shelter that the fabrick of a fhip affords, 5 A cant phrafe of exultation common in the old plays. ♦ Meaning, not with a view of putting you to expence, 7 That is, fince, 8 That is, reward, enjoy ? E 4 |