buck : buck, buck, buck ? ay, buck: I warrant you, buck, and of the season too, it shall appear. [Exeunt Servants zvith the basket.] Gentlemen, I have dream'd to-night, I'll tell you my dream : here, here, here be my keys : ascend my chambers, search, seek, find out. I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox. Let me stop this way first. So, now uncape.

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

Ford. True, matter Page. Up, Gentlemen, you shall see sport anon ; follow me, Gentlemen.

Eva. This is ferry fantastical humours and jealousies.

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 search.

(Exeunt. Manent Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this?

Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that my husband is deceiv’d, or Sir John.

Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in, when your husband ask'd who was in the basket ?

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

Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rascal; I would all of the same strain were in the same distress.

Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath some special suspicion of Falstaff's being here ! I never saw bim so grofs in his jealouly till now.

Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that, and we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff : his dissolute disease will scarce obey this medicine.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we send that foolish carrion, Mistress Quickly, to him, and excuse 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 sent for to-morrow by eight a clock, to have amends.

Recenter

Re-enter Ford, Page, &r. Ford. I cannot find him; may be, the knave bragg'd of that he could not compass.

Mrs. Page. Heard you that ?

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

Ford. Ay, ay, I do so.

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

Ford. Amen.
Mrs. Page. You do yourself mighty wrong, Mr. Ford,
Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it.

Eva. If there be any pody in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses, heav'n forgive my fins at the day of judgment.

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

Page. Fy, fy, Mr. Ford, are you not alham'd ? what spirit, what devil suggests this imagination? I would not ha' your distemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windsor Castle.

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

Eva You suffer for a pad conscience ; your wife is as honest a o'mans, as I will desires among five thousand, and five hundred too.

Caius. By gar, I fee 'is 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. Let's go in, Gentlemen ; but trust me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning to my house to breakfast; after, we'll a birding together; I bave a fine hawk for the bulk. Shall it be for

Ford. Any thing.

Eva. If there is one, I shall make two in che company.

Caius. If there be one or two, I shall make-a the turd.
Eva. In your teeth, for shame.

Forii.

N2

Ford. Pray you go, Mr. Page.

Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow or the lousy knave, mine hoft.

Caius. Dat is good, by gar, with all my heart.

Eva. A lousy knave, to have his gibes, and his mockeries.

[Exeunt. SCENE changes to Page's House.

Enter Fenton and Mistress Ann Page. Lent. See, I cannot get thy father's love ;

Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
Ann. Alas! -how then ?

Fent. Why, thou must be thyself.
He doth object, I am too great of birth ;
And that my fate being gall’d with my expence,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth.
Besides these, other bars he lays before me,
My riots past, my wild societies :
And tells me, 'is a thing impossible
I hould love thee, but as a property.

Ann. May be, he tells you true.

Fent. No, heav'n fo fpeed me in my time to come!
Albeit, I will confess, thy father's wealth
Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Ann :
Yet wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than ftamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags;
And ’is the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.

Ann. Gentle Mr. Fenton,
Yet seek my father's love: ftill seek it, Sir;
If opportunity and humbleft fuit (19)
Cannot attain it, why then hark you hither.

[Fenton and Mrs. Ann go apart. (10) If oppo: tunity and bumblis fuit] Dr. Thirlby imagines, that our Author with more propriety wrote;

If importunity and humblert suit I have not veutur'd to disturb the text, because, tho' an equal exactness be not maintain'd in the expression, it may mean, “ If the fre" quent opportunities you find of folliciting my father, and your he absequiousness to him, cannot get him over to your party, &c.

Enter

with you.

Enter Shallow, Slender, and Mistress Quickly. Shal. Break their talk, Mistress Quickly; my kinsman fhall speak for himself.

Slen. I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't ; 'd'slid, 'tis but venturing.

Shal. Be not dismay'd.

Slen. No, the shall not dismay me: I care not for:
that, but that I am affeard.
Quick. Hark ye, Mr. Slender, would speak a word

Ann. I come to him.-This is my father's choice.
O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults
Look bandrone in three hundred pounds a year!

Quic. And how does good master Fenton ? pray you,
word with you.

Shal. She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadit a father!

Slen. I had a father, Mrs. Ann; my uncle can tell you good jefts of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mrs. Ann the jest, how my father stoie two geese out of a pen, good uncle.

Shal. Mistress. Ann, my cousin loves you.
Slen. Ay, that I do, as well as I love

any woman in Gloucestershire.

Shal. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.

Slen. Ay, that I will; come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire.

Shal. He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.

Ann. Good master Shallow, let him woo for him. felf.

Shal. Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that. Good comfort; the calls you, coz: I'll leave you.

Ann. Now, master Slender.
Slen. Now, good mistress Ann.
Ann. What is your will?
Slen. My will od's-heart-lings, that's a pretty jeft,

indeed,

N 3

indeed, I ne'er made my will yet, I thank heav'n; F a in not such a sickly creature, I give heav'n praise.

Ann. I mean, Mr. Slender, what would you with me :

Slen. Truly, for my own part, I would little or nothing with you; your father and my uncle have made motions; if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole! they can tell you how things go, better than I can; you may ask your father ; here he comes.

Enter Page, and Mistress Page.
Page. Now, master Slender : love him, daughter Ann.
-Why how now? what does master Fenton here:
You wrong me, Sir, thus till to haunt my

house : I told you, Sir, my daughter is disposed of,

Fent. Nay, master Page, be not impatient.
Mrs. Page. Good master Fenton, come not to my child.,
Page. She is no match for you.
Fent. Sir, will you hear me?

Page. No, good master Fenton.
Come, master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.
Knowing my mind, you wrong me, master Fenton.

(Exeunt Page, Shallow, and Slender. Quic. Speak to mistress Page.

Fent. Good mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
In such a righteous fashion as I do,
Perforce, against all checks, rebukes, and manners,
I must advance the colours of my love,
And not retire. Let me have your good will.
Ann. Good mother; do not marry me to yon

fool. Mrs. Page. I mean it not, I seek you a better hufa band.

Quic. That's my master, master Doctor

Ann. Alas, I had rather be ser quick i'th' earth,
And bowi'd to death with turneps.
Mrs. Page. Come, trouble not yourself, good mafter

Fenton.
I will not be your friend nor enemy :
My daughter will I question how the loves you,

And