Mrs. Page. My Nan fhall be the Queen of all the fairies; Finely attired in a robe of white. Page. That filk will I go buy, and in that time Shall Mr. Slender fteal my Nan away, [Afide. And marry her at Eaton. Go, fend to Falstaff ftraight. Ford. Nay, I'll to him again in the name of Brook; he'll tell me all his purpose. Sure, he'll come. Mrs. Page. Fear not you that; go get us properties and tricking for our fairies. Eva. Let us about it, it is admirable pleasures, and ferry honeft knaveries. [Ex. Page, Ford and Evans. Mrs. Page. Go, Mrs. Ford, Send Quickly to Sir John, to know his mind. [Exit Mrs. Ford. I'll to the doctor; he hath my good will, And none but he, to marry with Nan Page. That Slender, tho' well landed, is an Ideot; And he my husband best of all affects: The doctor is well money'd, and his friends Potent at court; he, none but he shall have her; Tho' twenty thousand worthier came to crave her. [Exit SCENE VIII. Changes to the Garter-Inn. Enter Hoft and Simple, Host. W thick-fkin? fpeak, breathe, difcufs; brief, HAT would'ft thou have, boor? what, fhort, quick, fnap. Simp. Marry, Sir, I come to speak with Sir John Falstaff, from Mr. Slender. Hoft. There's his chamber, his house, his castle, his ftanding-bed and truckle-bed; 'tis painted about with the ftory of the Prodigal, fresh and new; go, knock and call; he'll speak like an anthropophaginian unto thee: knock, I say. O 2 Simp. Simp. There's an old woman, a fat woman gone up into his chamber; I'll be fo bold as stay, Sir, 'till The come down: I come to speak with her, indeed. Hoft. Ha! a fat woman? the Knight may be robb'd: I'll call, bully-Knight! Bully-Sir John! speak from thy lungs military: art thou there? it is thine Hoft, thine Ephefian calls. Falstaff, above. Fal. How now, mine Hoft? Hoft. Here's a Bohemian-Tartar tarries the coming down of thy fat woman: let her descend, bully, let her defcend; my chambers are honourable. Fie, privacy? fie! Enter Falftaff. Fal. There was, mine Hoft, an old fat woman even now with me, but she's gone. Simp. Pray you, Sir, was't not the wife woman of Brainford? Fal. Ay, marry was it, muffel-fhell, what would you with her? Simp. My mafter, Sir, my mafter Slender sent to her, feeing her go thro' the street, to know, Sir, whether one Nym, Sir, that beguil'd him of a chain, had the chain, or no. Fal. I fpake with the old woman about it. Fal. Marry, fhe fays, that the very fame man, that beguil'd master Slender of his chain, cozen'd him ofit. Simp. I would, I could have spoken with the woman herself; I had other things to have spoken with her too, from him. Fal. What are they? let us know. Simp. I may not conceal them, Sir. Fal. Conceal them, or thou dy'ft. Simp. Why, Sir, they were nothing but about mif trefs tress Anne Page; to know, if it were my mafter's for tune to have her or no, Fal. 'Tis, 'tis his fortune. Simp. What, Sir? Fal. To have her, or no: go; fay, the woman told me fo. Simp. May I be fo bold to say so, Sir? Fal. Ay, Sir; like who more bold. Simp. I thank your worship: I fhall make my mafter glad with these tidings. [Exit Simple. Hoft. Thou art clarkly; thou art clarkly, Sir John: was there a wife woman with thee? Fal. Ay, that there was, mine Hoft; one, that hath taught me more wit than ever I learn'd before in my life; and I paid nothing for it neither, but was paid for my learning. Bard. SCENE IX. Enter Bardolph.. OUT, alas, Sir, cozenage!" mere age! cozen Hoft. Where be my horses, speak well of them, varletto. Bard. Run away with the cozeners; for fo foon as I came beyond Eaton, they threw me off from behind one of them in a flough of mire, and set spurs, and away, like three German devils, three Doctor Fauftus's. Hoft. They are gone but to meet the Duke; villain; do not fay, they are fled; Germans are honest men. Enter Evans. Eve. Where is mine Hoft? Hoft. What is the matter, Sir? Eva. Have a care of your entertainments; there is a friend o' mine come to town, tells me, there is three cozen-jermans that has cozen'd all the Hofts of Read Q 3 ing,. ing, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook, of horfes and money. I tell you for good will, look you; you are wife, and full of gibes and vlouting-stocks, and 'tis not convenient you should be cozen'd; fare you well. [Exit. Enter Caius. Caius. Ver' is mine Hoft de Jartere? Hoft. Here, mafter Doctor, in perplexity and doubtful dilemma. Caius. I cannot tell vat is dat; but it is tell-a-me, dat you make a grand preparation for a Duke de Jamany; but my trot, der is no Duke, dat the Court is know, to come: I tell you for good will; adieu. [Exit. Hoft. Hue and cry, villain, go! affift me, Knight, I am undone; fly, run, hue and cry! Villain, I am [Exit. undone ! Fal. I would, all the world might be cozen'd, for I have been cozened and beaten too. If it fhould come to the ear of the Court, how I have been transformed, and how my transformation hath been wash'd and cudgel'd, they would melt me out of my fat, drop by drop, and liquor fishermen's boots with me. I warrant, they would whip me with their fine wits, 'till I were as creft-faln as a dry'd pear. I never profper'd fince I forfwore myself at Primero. Well, if my wind were but long enough to fay my prayers, I would repent. SCENE X. Enter Miftrefs Quickly. Now, whence come you? Quic. From the two Parties, forsooth. Fal. The devil take one party, and his dam the other, and fo they fhall be both bestow'd. I have fuffer'd more for their fakes, more than the vil lainous lainous inconftancy of man's disposition is able to bear. Quic. And have not they fuffer'd? yes, I warrant, fpeciously one of them; mistress Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot fee a white fpot about her. Fal. What tell'ft thou me of black and blue ? I was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow ; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brainford; but that my admirable dexterity of wit, counterfeiting the action of an old woman, deliver'd me, the knave constable had set me i'th' ftocks, i'th' common stocks, for a witch. Quic. Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber; you shall hear how things go, and, I warrant, to your content. Here is a letter will fay fomewhat. Good hearts, what ado is here to bring you together? fure, one of you does not ferve heav'n well, that you are so crofs'd. Fal. Come up into my chamber. SCENE [Exeunt. XI. Enter Fenton and Hoft. Hoft. Mis heavy, ASTER Fenton, talk not to me, my mind I will give over all. Fent. Yet hear me speak; affist me in my purpose, And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee A hundred pound in gold more than your lofs. Hoft. I will hear you, master Fenton; and I will, at the leaft, keep your counsel. Fent. From time to time I have acquainted you With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page; Who, mutually, hath answer'd my affection, (So far forth as herself might be her chufer) Ev'n to my wish. I have a letter from her |