FORD. Master Page, as I am a man, there was one convey'd out of my house yesterday in this basket. Why may not he be there again? In my house I am sure he is my intelligence is true; my jealousy is reasonable.----Pluck me out all the linen. MRS. FORD. If you find a man there, he shall die a flea's death. PAGE. Here's no man. SHAL. By my fidelity, this is not well, Master Ford; this wrongs1 you. 141 EVANS. Master Ford, you must pray, and not follow the imaginations of your own heart: this is jealousies. FORD. Well, he's not here I seek for. PAGE. No, nor nowhere else, but in your brain. If I FORD. Help to search my house this one time. 151 more search with me. FORD. Old woman! What old woman's that? I not forbid her my house? She comes of errands, 164 MRS. FORD. Nay, good, sweet husband!-Good gentlemen, let him not strike the old woman. Enter FALSTAFF in women's clothes, led by MISTRESS PAGE. MRS. PAGE. Come, Mother Prat, come, give me your hand. FORD. [beating her.] I'll prat3 her. Out of my door, 3 (slang) buttock. ACT IV Sc. II ACT IV you witch! you hag, you baggage, you polecat, you ronyon!1 Out! out! I'll conjure you, I'll fortunetell you! [Exit FALSTAFF. MRS. PAGE. Are you not asham'd? I think you have kill'd the poor woman. 174 MRS. FORD. Nay, he will do it!—'Tis a goodly credit for you. FORD. Hang her, witch! EVANS. By yea and no, I think the 'oman is a witch 180 I beseech you, follow; see but the issue of my jealousy; if I cry out thus upon no trail,2 never trust me when I open3 again. PAGE. Let's obey his humour a little further. gentlemen. Come, [Exeunt PAGE, FORD, SHALLOW, and EVANS. MRS. PAGE. Trust me, he beat him most pitifully. MRS. FORD. Nay, by the Mass that he did not he beat him most unpitifully, methought. 190 MRS. PAGE. I'll have the cudgel hallow'd, and hung o'er MRS. PAGE. The spirit of wantonness is, sure, scar'd out 199 MRS. FORD. Shall we tell our husbands how we have MRS. PAGE. Come, to the forge with it then-shape it : [exeunt. SCENE III. A Room in the Garter. Enter Host and BARDOLPH. BARD. Sir, the Germans desire to have three of your horses: the Duke himself will be to-morrow at Court, and they are going to meet him. HOST. What Duke should that be comes so secretly? I hear not of him in the Court. Let me speak with the gentlemen; they speak English? BARD. Ay, Sir, I'll call them to you. HOST. They shall have my horses; but I'll make them pay, I'll sauce1 them: they have had my house a week at command; I have turn'd away my other guests: they must come off. I'll sauce them. Come. 2 SCENE IV. A Room in FORD's House. [exeunt. Enter PAGE, FORD, MISTRESS PAGE, MISTRESS FORD, EVANS. 'Tis one of the pest discretions of a 'oman as ever PAGE. And did he send you both these letters at an MRS. PAGE. Within a quarter of an hour. FORD. Pardon me, wife. Henceforth do what thou wilt: I rather will suspect the Sun with cold Than thee with wantonness. Now doth thy honour stand In him that was of late an heretic As firm as faith. PAGE. "Tis well, 'tis well; no more. Be not as extreme in submission As in offence, But let our plot go forward: let our wives Where we may take him, and disgrace him for it. ACT IV Sc. III 19 ACT IV PAGE. How! to send him word they'll meet him in the Sc. IV Park at midnight? Fie, fie: he'll never come. EVANS. You say, he has been thrown into the rivers, and has been grievously peaten as an old 'oman. Methinks there should be terrors in him, that he should not come; methinks, his flesh is punish'd, he shall have no desires. PAGE. So think I too. MRS. FORD. Devise but how you'll use him when he comes, And let us two devise to bring him thither. MRS. PAGE. There is an old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter, Sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest, Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns; And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain You have heard of such a Spirit: and well you know, The superstitious, idle-headed eld Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age, This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth. PAGE. Why, yet there want not many that do fear But what of this? MRS. FORD. Marry, this is our device: That Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us, Disguis'd like Herne, with huge horns on his head. And in this shape. thither, 30 40 When you have brought him What shall be done with him? What is your plot? MRS. PAGE. That likewise have we thought upon, and thus: Nan Page my daughter, and my little son, And three or four more of their growth, we'll dress Like Urchins, Ouphes, and Fairies, green and white, 50 And rattles in their hands. Upon a sudden, Be practis'd well to this, or they'll ne'er do 't. FORD. That will be excellent. I'll go buy them vizards. Finely attired in a robe of white. PAGE. That silk will I go buy. And in that trim Shall Master Slender steal my Nan away, 71 And marry her at Eton. [aside.] Go, send to Falstaff straight. FORD. Nay, I'll to him again in name of Brook : He'll tell me all his purpose. MRS. PAGE. Fear not you that! And tricking for our Fairies. Sure, he'll come ! Go, get us properties, EVANS. Let us about it. It is admirable pleasures and fery honest knaveries. 81 [Exeunt PAGE, FORD, and EVANS. MRS. PAGE. Go, Mistress Ford: [Exit MRS. FORD. I'll to the Doctor: he hath my good will, 1 incomprehensible. ACT IV Sc. IV |