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*T HE

MERRY WIVES of WINDSOR,

ACT I. SCENE I.

Before Page's Houfe in Windfor.

Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans. SHALLOW.

IR Hugh, perfuade me not; I will make a Star

Falstaffs, he fhall not abuse Robert Shallow, Efq; Slen. In the county of Gloucefter, juftice of peace, and Coram.

Shal. Ay, coufin Slender, and Cuftalorum.

Slen. Ay, and Rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, master parfon, 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 fucceffors, gone before him, have don't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may; they may give the dozen white luces in their Coat.

This Play was written in the Author's beft and ripeft Years, after Henry the Fourth, by the command of Queen Elizabeth. There is a tradition that it was compofed at a Fortnight's Warning: But that must be meant only of the firft imperfe& Sketch of this Comedy, which is yet extant in an old Quarto Edition printed in 1619. This which we have here was altered and improved by the Author almost in every Speech.

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Mr. Pope.

Shal.

Shal. It is an old Coat.

Eva. The dozen white lowfes do become an old coat well; it agrees well, paffaut; it is a familiar beaft to man, and fignifies love.

Shal. The luce is the fresh-fifh, the falt-fish is an old Coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz.

Shal. You may by marrying.

Eva. It is marring, indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Eva. Yes, per-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my fimple conjectures; but that is all one: if Sir John Faltaff have committed difparagements upon you, I am of the Church, and would be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromifes between you.

Shal. The Council fhall hear it; it is a riot.

Eva. It is not meet, the Council hear of a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot; the Council, look you, fhall defire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your viza-ments in that.

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Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the fword fhould end it.

Eva. It is petter that friends is the fword, and end it; and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings good difcretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity.

Slen. Miftrefs Anne Page? fhe has brown hair, and fpeaks fmall like a woman.

Eva. It is that ferry perfon for all the orld, as juft as you will defire; and feven hundred pounds of monies, and gold and filver, is her grandfire upon his death's-bed (Got deliver to a joyful refurrections) give, when fhe is able to overtake feventeen years old: it were a good motion, if we leave our pribbles

and

and prabbles, and defire a marriage between master Abraham and miftress Anne Page.

Slen. Did her grand-fire leave her feven hundred pounds?

Eva. Ay, and her father is make her,a petter penny. Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; fhe has good gifts.

Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts.

Shal. Well; let us fee honeft Mr. Page: is Falstaff there?

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do defpife, a liar, as I do despise one that is falfe; or as I despise one that is not true. The Knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-wishers. I will peat the door [Knocks] for master Page. What, hoa? Got bless your house here.

Page.

SCENE II.

Enter Mr. Page.

HO's there?

W Eva. Here is Got's pleffing, and your

friend, and Juftice Shallow; and here's young mafter Slender; that, peradventures, fhall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings.

Page. I am glad to fee your worships well. I thank you for my venifon, mafter Shallow.

Shal. Mafter Page, I am glad to fee you; much good do it your good heart: I wifh'd your venifon better; it was ill kill'd. 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 fee you, good master Slender. Slen. How do's your fallow greyhound, Sir? I heard fay, he was out-run on Cotfale..

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Page.

Page. It could not be judg'd, Sir.

Slen. You'll not confefs, you'll not confefs. 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 faid? he is good and fair. Is Sir John Falstaff here?

Page. Sir he is within; and I would, I could do a good office between you.

Eva. It is fpoke, as a chriftians ought to speak. Shal. He hath wrong'd me, mafter Page.

Page. Sir, he doth in fome fort confess it.

Shal. If it be confefs'd, it is not redrefs'd; is not that fo, mafter Page? he hath wrong'd me; indeed, he hath; at a word, he hath; believe me, Robert Shallow Efquire faith, he is wrong'd.

Page. Here comes Sir John.

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Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nym and Piftol. Fal. NOW, matter Shallow, you'll complain of me

Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, kill'd my deer, and broke open my lodge.

Fal. But not kifs'd your keeper's daughter.
Shal. Tut, a pin; this fhall be anfwer'd.

Fal. I will anfwer it ftrait; I have done all this. That is now anfwer'd.

Shal. The Council fhall know this.

Fal. 'Twere better for you, if 'twere not known in Council; you'll be laugh'd at.

Eva. Pauca verba, Sir John, good worts.

Fal. Good worts? good cabbage. Slender, I broke your head; what matter have you against me?

Slen. Marry, Sir, I have matter in my head against

you,

you, and against your cony-catching-rafcals Bardolph,

Nym, and Piftol.

Bar. You Banbury cheese!
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.
Pift. How now, Mephoftophilus?
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Nym. Slice, I fay; pauca, pauca: flice, that's my humour.

Slen. Where's Simple, my man? can you tell, coufin?

Eva. Peace: I pray you: now let us understand there is three umpires in this matter, as I understand; that is, mafter Page; fidelicet, mafter Page; and there is myself: fidelicet, myfelf; and the three party is, laftly and finally, mine Hoft of the Garter.

Page. We three to hear it, and end it between. them.

Eva. Ferry goot; I will make a prief of it in my note-book, and we will afterwards ork upon the cause with as great difcreetly as we can.

Fal. Piftol.

Pift. He hears with ears.

Eva. The tevil and his tam! what phrafe is this, he hears with ear? why, it is affectations.

Fal. Piftol, did you pick master Slender's purfe? Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he; (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again elfe,) of feven groats in mill-fixpences, and two Edward fhovel-boards, that coft me two fhillings and two pence a-piece of Yead Miller, by these gloves.

Fal. Is this true, Piftol?

Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse.
Pift. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!

and mafter mine.

I Combat challenge of this latten bilboe:

Word of denial in thy Labra's here;

Word of denial; froth and fcum, thou ly'ft.
Slen. By thefe gloves, then 'twas he.
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Sir John

Nym.

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