DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

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SIR JOHN FALSTAFF.
FENTON, a gentleman.
SHALLOW, a country justice.
SLENDER, cousin to Shallow.
FORD,
Page,

The

Merry Wives of Windsor.

ACT FIRST.

Scene I.

a

Windsor. Before Page's House.
Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans.
Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-

chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir
John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow,

esquire.
Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace and

Coram.'
Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and Custalorum.'
Slen. Ay, and “Rato-lorum'too; and a gentleman born,

master parson; who writes himself ·Armigero,
in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation,

• Armigero.'
Shal. Ay, that I do, and have done any time these

three hundred years.
Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done't;

and all his ancestors that come after him may:
they may give the dozen white luces in their

coat.
Shal. It is an old coat.
Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat

1

If Sir 30

a

well; it agrees well, passant; it is a familiar 20

beast to man, and signifies love.
Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an

old coat.
Slen. I may quarter, coz.
Shal. You may, by marrying.
Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.
Evans. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your

coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my
simple conjectures: but that is all one.
John Falstaff have committed disparagements
unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad
to do my benevolence to make atonements and

compremises between you.
Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot.
Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there

is no fear of Got in a riot : the council, look
you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and

not to hear a riot; take your vizaments in that.
Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the 40

sword should end it.
Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and

end it: and there is also another device in my
prain, which peradventure prings goot dis-
cretions with it :there is Anne Page, which
is daughter to Master George Page, which is

pretty virginity.
Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and

speaks small like a woman. Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, as just 50

as you will desire ; and seven hundred pounds

pound?

of moneys, and gold and silver, is her grandsire
upon his death's-bed (Got deliver to a joyful
resurrections !) give, when she is able to over-
take seventeen years old : it were a goot motion
if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and de-
sire a marriage between Master Abraham and

Mistress Anne Page.
Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred

60 Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter

penny. Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good

gifts. Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is

goot gifts. Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Fal

staff there? Evans. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar

as I do despise one that is false, or as I despise 70 one that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your wellwillers. I will peat the door for Master Page.

[Knocks] What, hoa ! Got pless your house here ! Page. [Within] Who's there?

Enter Page.
Evans. Here is Got’s plessing, and your friend, and

Justice Shallow; and here young Master Slender,
that peradventures shall tell you another tale, if

matters grow to your likings. Page. I am glad to see your worships well. I thank 80

you for my venison, Master Shallow.

Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you : much

good do it your good heart! I wished your
venison better; it was ill killed. How doth
good Mistress Page ?-and I thank you always

with my heart, la ! with my heart.
Page. Sir, I thank you.
Shal. Sir, I thank you ; by yea and no, I do.
Page. I am glad to see you, good Master Slender.
Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard 90

say he was outrun on Cotsall.
Page. It could not be judged, sir.
Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess.
Shal. That he will not. 'Tis your fault, 'tis your

fault; 'tis a good dog.
Page. A cur, sir.
Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog : can there

be more said ? he is good and fair. Is Sir John

Falstaff here?
Page. Sir, he is within ; and I would I could do a 100

good office between you.
Evans. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak.
Shal. He hath wronged me, Master Page.
Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it.
Shal. If it be confessed, it is not redressed: is not

that so, Master Page? He hath wronged me;
indeed he hath ; at a word, he hath, believe me :

Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wronged.
Page. Here comes Sir John.

Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. Fal. Now, Master Shallow, you 'll complain of me to 110

the king ?