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comes the fhip-tire, the tire-vailant, or any 'tire of Venetian admittance.

Mrs. Ford. A plain kerchief, Sir John: my brows become nothing else, nor that well neither.

Fal. Thou art a traitor to say fo; thou would'st make an abfolute Courtier; and the firm fixure of thy foot would give an excellent motion to thy gate, in a femi-circled farthingale. I fee what thou wert; if fortune thy foe were not, nature is thy friend: come, thou canft not hide it.

Mrs. Ford. Believe me, there's no fuch thing in me. Fal. What made me love thee? let that perfuade thee, there's something extraordinary in thee. Come, I cannot cog, and fay, thou art this and that, like a-many of thefe lifping haw-thorn buds, that come like women in men's apparel, and smell like BucklersBury in fimpling time; I cannot: but I love thee, none but thee; and thou deservest it.

Mrs. Ford. Do not betray me, Sir; I fear you love mistress Page.

Fal. Thou might'ft as well fay, I love to walk by the Counter-gate, which is as hateful to me as the reek of a lime-kiln.

Mrs. Ford. Well, heav'n knows how I love you, and you fhall one day find it.

Fal. Keep in that mind; I'll aeserve it.

Mrs. Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or elfe I could not be in that mind.

Rob. [within.] Mistress Ford, mistress Ford, here's miftrefs Page at the door, fweating, and blowing, and looking wildly, and would needs speak with you presently.

Fal. She fhall not fee me; I will enfconce me behind the arras.

Mrs. Ford. Pray you, do fo; fhe's a very tattling

woman.

[Falstaff hides himself.

SCENE

SCENE IX.

Enter Mistress Page.

What's the matter? how now?

Mrs. Page. O mistress Ford, what have you done? you're fham'd, y'are overthrown, you are undone for ever.

Mrs. Ford. What's the matter, good mistress Page? Mrs. Page. O well-a-day, mistress Ford, having an honeft man to your husband, to give him fuch cause of suspicion!

Mrs. Ford. What cause of fufpicion?

Mrs. Page. What cause of fufpicion? out upon you! how am I mistook in you?

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

Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windsor, to fearch for a gentleman, that, he says, is here now in the house, by your confent, to take an ill advantage of his abfence. You are undone.

Mrs. Ford. Speak louder―[Afide] 'Tis not so, I hope.

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

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

Mr. Page. For fhame, never ftand you had rather,

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and you had rather; your husband's here at hand; bethink you of fome conveyance, in the house you cannot hide him. Oh, how have deceiv'd me? you 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, fend him by your two men to Datchetmead.

Mrs. Ford. He's too big to go in there: what fhall 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. Mrs. Page. What! Sir John Falstaff? are these your letters, Knight?

Fal. I love thee, help me away; let me creep in here: I'll never

[He goes into the basket, they cover him with foul linen. Mrs. Page. Help to cover your master, boy: call your men, mistress Ford. You diffembling Knight! Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John, go take up these clothes here, quickly. Where's the cowlftaff? look, how you drumble: carry them to the laundrefs in Datchet-mead; quickly, come.

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Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Evans.

Ford. PRAY you, come near, if I suspect without

caufe, why then make fport at me, then let me be your jeft, I deferve 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 best meddle with buckwashing.

Ford.

Ford. Buck? I would, I could, wash myself of the buck: buck, buck, buck? ay, buck: I warrant you, buck, and of the feafon too, it fhall appear. [Exeunt Servants with the bafket.] 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 firft. So, now uncape.

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

Ford. True, mafter Page. Up, gentlemen, you fhall fee sport anon; follow me, gentlemen.

Eva. This is ferry fantastical humours and jealoufies.

Caius. By gar, 'tis no the fashion of France; it is not jealous in France-

Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen, see the issue of his fearch.

Exeunt

SCENE

XI.

Manent Miftrefs Page and Mistress Ford.

Mrs. Page.

I

Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleafes S there not a double excellency in this? me better, that my husband is deceiv'd, or Sir John.. Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in, when your hufband afk'd who was in the basket!

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Mrs. Ford. I am half afraid he will have need of wafhing; fo throwing him into the water will do him a benefit.

Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rafcal; 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 faw 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 Falftaff: his diffolute difcafe will scarce obey this medicine.

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Mrs.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we send that foolish carrion, mistrefs Quickly, to him, and excufe 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 tomorrow by eight a clock, to have amends.

Re-enter Ford, Page, &c.

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

Mrs. Page. Heard you that?

Mrs. Ford. I, I; peace:-You ufe me well, master Ford, do you?

Ford. Ay, ay, I do fo.

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

Ford. Amen.

Mrs. Page. You do yourfelf mighty wrong, Mr. Ford.

Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it.

Eva. If there be any pódy in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses, heav'n forgive my fins!

Caius. By gar, nor I too; there is no bodies.

Page. Fie, fie, Mr. Ford, are you not asham'd? what spirit, what devil fuggefts this imagination? I would not ha' your diftemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windfor Castle.

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

Eva. You fuffer for a pad confcience; your wife is as honeft a 'omans, as I will defires among five thoufand, and five hundred too.

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

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

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