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Mrs. Ford. Why, alas! what's the matter?

Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windfor, to fearch 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. 'Tis not fo, I hope.

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

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

Mrs. Page. For fhame! never stand you had rather, and you had rather; your husband's here at hand, bethink you of fome conveyance: in the house you cannot hide him. O, how have you deceiv'd me! look, here is a basket; if he be of any reasonable ftature, he may creep in here; 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 fee't, let me fee't, o let me fee't! I'll in, I'll in; follow your friend's counfel; I'll in.

never

Mrs. Page. What, fir John Falstaff? are these your letters,knight? Fal. I love thee; help me away; let me creep in here: I'll [He goes into the basket, they cover him with foul linen. Mrs. Page. Help to cover your mafter, boy: call your men, mistress Ford. You diffembling knight!

Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John! go, take up these cloths here, quickly. Where's the cowl-staff? look how you drumble: carry them to the laundress in Datchet-mead; quickly, come.

SCENE

SCENE X.

Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Evans.

Ford. Pray you, come near; if I fufpect without caufe, why then make sport at me, then let me be your jeft, I deserve it. How now? whither bear you this ?

Serv. To the laundrefs, forfooth.

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

Ford. Buck? I would, I could wash myself of the buck! buck, buck, buck? ay, buck; I warrant you, buck: and of the season too, it shall appear. [Exeunt fervants with the basket.] Gentlemen, I have dream'd to-night; I'll tell you my dream: here, here, here be my keys; afcend my chambers, fearch, feek, find out. I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox. Let me ftop this way first; fo, now uncouple.

Page. Good mafter Ford, be contented: you wrong yourself

too much.

Ford. True, mafter Page. Up, gentlemen, you shall see sport anon; follow me, gentlemen.

Eva. This is ferry fantastical humours, and jealoufies. Caius. By gar, 'tis no de fashion of France; it is not jealous in France.

Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen, see the iffue of his search. [Exeunt.

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Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this? Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that my ufband is deceiv'd, or fir 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.

VOL. I.

K k

VILLE DE LYON
Biblioth. du Palais des Arts

Mrs.

Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rascal! I would, all of the fame ftrain were in the fame diftrefs.

Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath some special fufpicion of Falstaff's being here: I never saw him fo grofs 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 diffolute disease will scarce obey

this medicine.

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

Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be fent for to-morrow by eight o'clock, to have amends.

Re-enter Ford, Page, &c.

Ford. I cannot find him; may be, the knave bragg'd of that he could not compass,

Mrs. Page. Heard you that?

Mrs. Ford. You ufe me well, mafter Ford, do you?
Ford. Ay, ay, I do fo.

Mrs. Page. Heav'n make you better than your thoughts!
Ford. Amen.

Mrs. Page. You do yourself mighty wrong, master Ford.
Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it.

Eva. If there be any pody in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the preffes, heav'n forgive my fins! Caius. By gar, nor I too; dere is no bodies.

Page. Fie, fie, mafter Ford! are you not afham'd? what spirit, what devil suggests this imagination? I would not ha’your diftemper in this kind for the wealth of Windsor caftle.

Ford. 'Tis my fault, mafter Page: I fuffer for it.

Eva. You suffer for a pad confcience; your wife is as honest a'omans as I will defires among five thousand, and five hundred

too.

Caius. By gar, I fee 'tis an honeft woman.

Ford. Well, I promis'd you a dinner; come, come, walk in

the

the park. I pray you, pardon me; I will hereafter make known to you why I have done this. Come, wife; come, mistress Page; I pray you, pardon me: pray heartily, pardon me.

Page. Let's go in, gentlemen; but, trust me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning to my house to breakfast; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bush. Shall it be fo?

Ford. Any thing.

Eva. If there is one, I fhall make two in the company.

Caius. If dere be one or two, I fhall make-a de turd.

Ford. Pray you go, mafter Page.

Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow on the lousy knave mine hoft.

Caius. Dat is good, by gar, vith all my heart.

Eva. A loufy knave, to have his gibes, and his mockeries.

[Exeunt.

Fent.

I

SCENE XII.

Changes to Page's house.

Enter Fenton, and mistress Anne Page.

fee, I cannot get thy father's love;

Therefore no more turn me to him, fweet Nan.

Anne. Alas! how then?

Fent. Why, thou must be thyself.

He doth object, I am too great of birth;

And that, my state being gall'd with my expence,

feek to heal it only by his wealth.

Befides thefe, other bars he lays before me,
My riots paft, my wild focieties:

And tells me, 'tis a thing impoffible

I fhould love thee, but as a property.
Anne. May be, he tells you true.

Fent. No, heav'n so speed me in my time to come!

Kk 2

Albeit

1

Albeit, I will confefs, thy father's wealth
Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne :
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than ftamps in gold, or fums in sealed bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyself

That now I aim at.

Anne. Gentle mafter Fenton,

Yet feek my father's love, still seek it, fir:
If importunity and humbleft fuit

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Cannot attain it, why then-hark you hither. [They go apart.

SCENE XIII.

Enter Shallow, Slender, and mistress Quickly.

Shal. Break their talk, mistrefs Quickly; my kinsman shall fpeak for himself.

Slen. I'll make a fhaft or a bolt on't: 'd' slid 'tis but venturing. Shal. Be not dismay'd.

Slen. No, fhe fhall not dismay me: I care not for that, but I am affeard.

Quic. Hark ye; mafter Slender would speak a word with you. Anne. I come to him. This my father's choice.

O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults

Look handsome in three hundred pounds a year!

Quic. And how does good mafter. Fenton? pray you, a word with you.

Shal. She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father! Slen. I had a father, mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you good jefts of him. Pray you, uncle, tell mistress Anne the jeft, my father ftole two geefe out of a pen, good uncle. Shal. Miftrefs Anne, my coufin loves you.

how

Slen. Ay, that I do, as well as I love any woman in Glocefter

fhire.

Shal. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.

Slen. Ay, that I will; come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a fquire.

Shal.

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