ftog. I defire you, that we may be friends; and let us knog our prains together to be revenge on this fame fcald-fcurvy-cogging companion, the Hoft of the Garter.

Caius. By gar, with all my heart; he promise to bring me where is Anne Page; by gar, he deceive me

too.

Eva. Well, I will fmite his noddles; pray you, follow.

SCENE IV.

The Street, in Windfor."

Enter Mifrefs Page, and Robin.

[Exeunt.

Mrs. Page. NAY, keep your way, little gallant;

you were wont to be a follower, but now you are a leader. Whether had you rather lead mine eyes, or eye your master's heels?

Rob. I had rather, forfooth, go before you like a man, than follow him like a dwarf.

Mrs. Page. O, you are a flattering boy; now, I fee you'll be a Courtier.

Enter Ford.

Ford. Well met, miftrefs Page; whither go you? Mrs. Page. Truly, Sir, to fee your wife; is the at home?

Ford. Ay; and as idle as fhe may hang together, for want of company; I think, if your hulbands were dead, you two would

marry.

Mrs. Page. Be fure of that, two other husbands. Ford. Where had you this pretty weather-cock? Mrs. Page. I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of: what do you call your Knight's name, firrah?

Rob. Sir John Falstaff.

Ford.

Ford. Sir John Falstaff?

Mrs. Page. He, he; I can never hit on's name ; there is fuch a league between my good man and he. Is your wife at home, indeed ?

Ford. Indeed, fhe is..

Mrs. Page. By your leave, Sir; I am fick, till I fee her.

Exeunt Mrs. Page and Robin.

Ford.TAS Page any brains? hath he any eyes?

:

Hastage any thinking? fure, they fleep; he hath no use of them. Why, this boy will carry a letter twenty mile, as eafy as a cannon will shoot point-blank twelve-fcore; he pieces out his wife's inclination; he gives her folly motion and advantage; and now he's going to my wife, and FalStaff's boy with her. A man may hear this fhower fing in the wind and Falstaff's boy with her! good plots; they are laid, and our revolted wives hare damnation together. Well, I will take him, then torture my wife; pluck the borrow'd veil of modesty from the fo feeming miftrefs. Page, divulge Page himself for a fecure and wilful Acteon, and to these violent proceedings all my neighbours fhall cry aim. The clock gives me my cue, and my affurance bids me fearch; there I fhall find Falstaff: I shall be rather praised for this, than mocked; for it is as pofitive as the earth is firm, that Falftaff is there: I will go.

To him, Enter Page, Shallow, Slender, Hoft, Evans, and Caius,

ELL

met, Mr. Ford.

Shal. Page,&c. Ford. Trust me, a good knot: I

have good cheer at home, and, I pray you, all go with me.

Shal.

Shal. I muft excuse myself, Mr. Ford.

Slen. And fo muft I, Sir; we have appointed to dine with Mrs. Arne, and I would not break with her for more money than I'll speak of.

Shal. We have linger'd about a match between Anne Page and my coufin Slender, and this day we fhall have our anfwer.

Slen. I hope I have your good will, father Page.

Page. You have, Mr. Slender; I ftand wholly for you; but my wife, mafter Doctor is for you, altogether.

Caius. Ay, by gar, and de maid is love-a-me: my nurfh-a-Quickly tell me fo mufh.

Hoft. What say you to young Mr. Fenton? he capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth, he writes verfes, he speaks holy-day, he smells April and May; he will carry`t, he will carry't; 'tis in his buttons, he will carry't.

Page. Not by my confent, I promise you the Gentleman is of no Having, he kept company with the wild Prince and Poinz: he is of too high a region, he knows too much; no, he shall not knit a knot in his fortunes with the finger of my substance. If he take her, let him take her fimply; the wealth I have waits on my confent, and my confent goes not that way.

Ford. I befeech you, heartily, fome of you go home with me to dinner; befides your cheer you fhall have sport; I will fhew you a monfter. Mr. Doctor, you fhall go; fo fhall you, Mr. Page; and you, Sir Hugh.

Shal. Well, fare you well, we shall have the freer wooing at Mr. Page's.

Caius. Go home, John Rugby, I come anon.

Hoft. Farewel, my hearts; I will to mine honeft Knight Falstaff, and drink Canary with him.

Ford. I think, I shall drink in Pipe-wine first with

him: I'll make him dance. Will you go, gen

tles ?

All. Have with you to fee this monster.

SCENE

Exeunt.

VII.

Changes to Ford's House.

Enter Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Page, and Servants
with a basket.

Mrs. Ford. WHAT. Page. Quickly, quickly: is

Ford./HAT John! what, Robert!

the buck-basket

Mrs. Ford. I warrant-What, Robin, I say.
Mrs. Page. Come, come, come:

Mrs. Ford. Here, fet it down.

Mrs. Page. Give your men the charge, we must be brief.

Mrs. Ford. Marry, as I told you before, John and Robert, be ready here hard-by in the brew-house, and when I fuddenly call on you, come forth, and without any pause or ftaggering take this basket on your fhoulders; that done, trudge with it in all hafte, and carry it among the whitfters in DatchetMead, and there empty it in the muddy ditch clofe by the Thames fide.

Mrs. Page. You will do it?

Mrs. Ford. I ha' told them over and over; they lack no direction. Be gone, and come when you arecall'd. Mrs. Page. Here comes little Robin.

Mrs. Ford. news with you ?

Enter Robin.

How now, my Eyas-mufket, what

How now, my Eyas-musket.] Eyas is a yonng unfledg'd Hawk. 'Tis fuppofed from the Italian Niafo, which originally fignfied any young Bird taken from the Nelt unflcdg'd, afterwards, a young

Hawk.

Rob.

Rob. My mafter Sir John is come in at your backdoor, mistress Ford, and requests your company.

Mrs. Page. You little Jack-a-lent, have you been true to us?

Rob. Ay, I'll be fworn; my mafter knows not of your being here, and hath threaten'd to put me into everlasting liberty, if I tell you of it; for he fwears, he'll turn me away.

Mrs. Page. Thou'rt a good boy; this fecrefy of thine fhall be a taylor to thee, and shall make thee a new doublet and hose. I'll go hide me.

Mrs. Ford. Do fo; go tell thy mafter, I am alone; mistress Page, remember you your cue.

me.

[Exit Robin. Mrs. Page. I warrant thee; if I do not act it, hifs [Exit Mrs. Page. Mrs. Ford. Go to then; we'll use this unwholfome humidity, this grofs watry pumpion-we'll teach him to know turtles from jays.

Fal.

Enter Falstaff.

AVE I caught thee, my heav'nly jewel?

H why, now let me die; for I have liv'd long

enough this is the period of my ambition: Ọ this bleffed hour!

Mrs. Ford. O fweet Sir John?

Fal. Mrs. Ford, I cannot cog; I cannot prate, miftrefs Ford: now fhall I fin in my wifh. I would, thy husband were dead; I'll speak it before the best lord, I would make thee my lady.

!

Mrs. Ford. I your lady, Sir John? alas, I should be a pitiful lady.

Fal. Let the court of France fhew me fuch another; I see how thine eye would emulate the diamond; thou haft the right arched bent of the brow, that beVOL. I.

N

comes