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Of fuch contents, as you

will wonder at;

The mirth whereof's fo larded with my matter,
That neither fingly can be manifefted,

Without the fhew of both. Fat Sir John Falstaff
Hath a great Scene; the image of the jeft

I'll fhew you here at large. Hark, good mine Hoft;
To night at Herne's Oak, juft 'twixt twelve and one,
Muft my sweet Nan prefent the Fairy Queen;
The purpose why, is here; in which disguise,
While other jefts are something rank on foot,
Her father hath commanded her to flip
Away with Slender, and with him at Eaton
Immediately to marry; she hath confented.--Now,
Sir,

Her mother, ever ftrong against that match,
And firm for Doctor Caius, hath appointed
That he fhall likewife fhuffle her away,
(While other fports are talking of their minds ;)
And at the Deanry, where a priest attends,
Straight marry her: To this her mother's Plot
She, feemingly obedient, likewise hath

Made promife to the Doctor.Now, thus it refts;
Her father means she shall be all in white,
And in that dress when Slender fees his time
To take her by the hand, and bid her go,

She shall go with him. Her mother hath intended,
The better to devote her to the Doctor,
(For they must all be mask'd and vizarded)
That, quaint in green, fhe fhall be loofe enrob'd,
With ribbands-pendant, flaring 'bout her head;
And when the Doctor fpies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and on that token,
The maid hath given confent to go with him.
Hoft. Which means fhe to deceive? father or mo-
ther?

Fent. Both, my good Hoft, to go along with me;
And here it refts, that you'll procure the Vicar
To ftay for me at church, 'twixt twelve and one,

And

And in the lawful name of marrying,
To give our hearts united ceremony.

Hoft. Well, husband your device; I'll to the Vicar.. Bring you the maid, you fhall not lack a prieft. Fent. So fhall I evermore be bound to thee ; Befide, I'll make a prefent recompence..

SCENE XII.

Re-enter Falstaff and Mistress Quickly.

[Exeunt.

Fal. This is the third time; I hope, good luck DRYTHEE, no more pratling; go, I'll hold. lies in odd numbers; away, go; they fay, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance or death; away.

Quic. I'll provide you a chain, and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns. Fal. Away, I say, time wears

and mince.

:

[Exit Mrs. Quickly. hold up your head

Enter Ford.

How now, mafter Brook? mafter Brook, the matter will be known to night, or never. Be you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's Oak, and you shall fee wonders.

Ford. Went you not to her yesterday, Sir, as you told me you had appointed?

Fal. I went to her, master Brook, as you fee, like a poor old man; but I came from her, master Brook, like a poor old woman. That fame knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him, mafter Brook, that ever govern'd frenzy. I will tell you; he beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman; for in the fhape of a man, master Brook, I fear not Goliah with a weaver's beam; because I know also, life is a fhuttle; I am in hafte; go along with me, I'll tell you all, master Brook.

05

Since I pluckt

pluckt geese, play'd truant, and whipt top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten, 'till lately. Follow me, I'll tell you ftrange things of this knave Ford, on whom to night I will be reveng`d, and I will deliver his wife into your hand. Follow; ftrange things in hand, master Brook! follow.— Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I.

Windfor Park.

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.

PAGE.

OME, come; we'll couch i'th' caftle-ditch, 'till we fee the light of our fairies. Remember, fon Slender, my daughter.

Slen. Ay, forfooth, I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry, mum; fhe cries, budget; and by that we know one another.

Shal. That's good too; but what needs either your mum, or her budget? the white will decipher her well enough. It hath ftruck ten o'clock.

Page. The night is dark, light and spirits will become it well; heav'n profper our sport! no one means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let's away; follow me, [Exeunt.

SCENE

II.

Enter Miftrefs Page, Miftrefs Ford and Caius.

Mrs. Page. MR.

[R. Doctor, my daughter is in green; when you fee your time, take her by

the hand, away with her to the Deanry, and dif

patch

patch it quickly; go before into the Park; we two muft go together.

Caius. I know vat I have to do ; adieu. [Exit. Mrs. Page. Fare you well, Sir. My husband will not rejoice fo much at the abuse of Falstaff, as he will chafe at the Doctor's marrying my daughter; but 'tis no matter; better, a little chiding, than a great deal of heart-break.

Mrs. Ford. Where is Nan now, and her troop of fairies, and the Welch devil Evans ?

Mrs. Page. They are all couch'd in a pit hard by Herne's Oak, with obfcur'd lights; which, at the very inftant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once display to the night.

Mrs. Ford. That cannot chufe but amaze him.

Mrs. Page. If he be not amaz'd, he will be mock'd; if he be amaz'd, he will every way be mock'd. Mrs. Ford. We'll betray him finely.

Mrs. Page. Against such lewdsters, and their lechery, Those, that betray them, do no treachery.

Mrs. Ford. The hour draws on; to the Oak, to the Oak.

Enter Evans and Fairies.

[Exeunt.

Eva. Trib, trib, fairies; come, and remember your parts: be pold, I pray you; follow me into the pit; and when I give the watch-'ords, do as I pid you; come, come; trib, trib. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Enter Falftaff, with a Buck's head on.

Fal.Tnute draws on; now the hot-blooded Gods Fal.HE Windfor bell hath ftruck twelve, the miaffift me! Remember, Jove, thou waft a bull for thy Europa; love fet on thy horns. Oh powerful love! that, in some respects, makes a beast a man ; in some

other,

other, a man a beaft: You were alfo, Jupiter, a swan, for the love of Leda: Oh, omnipotent love! how near the God drew to the complexion of a goofe? A fault done first in the form of a beast,- O Jove, a beaftly fault; and then another fault in the femblance of a fowl:-think on't, Jove, a foul fault. When Gods have hot backs, what fhall poor men do? for me, I am here a Windsor stag, and the fatteft, I think, i'th' foreft. Send me a cool rut-time, Jove, or who can blame me to piss my tallow? who comes here? my Doe?

Enter Miftrefs Ford and Mistress Page.

Mrs. Ford. Sir John? art thou there, my deer? my male-deer?

Fal. My doe with the black fcut? let the sky rain. potatoes: let it thunder to the tune of Green-Śleeves ; hail kiffing-comfits, and fnow eringoes; let there come a tempeft of provocation, I will fhelter me here. Mrs. Ford. Miftrefs Page is come with me, sweet heart.

Fal. Divide me like a bribe-buck, each a haunch; I will keep my fides to myself, my fhoulders for the fellow of this walk, and my horns I bequeath your husbands. Am I a woodman, ha? Speak I like Herne the hunter? why, now is Cupid a child of con-fcience, he makes reftitution. As I am a true spirit, welcome! [Noife within..

Mrs. Page. Alas! what noife?
Mrs. Ford. Heav'n forgive our fins!

Fal. What fhould this be?

[blocks in formation]

[The women run out.

Fal. I think the devil will not have me damn'd, left the oil that is in me fhould fet hell on fire; he never

would elfe cross me thus.

SCENE

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