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

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

Ford. True, matter Page. Up, Gentlemen, you fhall fee fport anon; follow me, Gentlemen.

Eva. This is ferry fantaftical humours and jealoufies. Caius. By gar, 'tis no the fashion of France; it is not jealous in France.

Page. Nay, follow him, Gentlemen, fee the iffue of his fearch.

Manent Mifirefs Page and Miftrefs Ford.

[Exeunt.

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 afk'd who was in the basket?

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

Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishoneft rafcal; I would all of the fame ftrain were in the fame diftrefs.

Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath fome fpecial 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 Falstaff: his diffolute difeafe will fearce obey this medicine.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we fend that foolish carrion, Miftrefs 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 to-morrow by eight a clock, to have amends.

Re-enter

Re-enter Ford, Page, &r.

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

Mrs. Page. Heard you that?

Mrs. Ford. 1, I; peace :-You ufe me well, mafter 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 yourfelf mighty wrong, Mr. Ferd.
Ford. Ay, ay; I muft bear it.

Eva. If there be any pody in the houfe, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the preffes, 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 asham'd? what fpirit, what devil fuggefts this imagination? I would not ha' your diftemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windsor Castle.

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

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

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

Fard. 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, Miftrefs 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 breakfaft; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bush. Shall it be fo?

Ford. Any thing.

Eva. If there is one, I thall make two in the company. Caius. If there be one or two, I fhall make-a the turd. Eva. In your teeth, for fhame. N 2

Ford.

Ford. Pray you go, Mr. Page.

Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow on the loufy knave, mine hoft.

Caius. Dat is good, by gar, with all my heart. Eva. A loufy knave, to have his gibes, and his mockeries. [Exeunt.

Fent. I

SCENE changes to Page's House.

Enter Fenton and Mistress Ann Page.

See, I cannot get thy father's love;

Therefore no more turn me to him, fweet Nan.

Ann. Alas! how then?

Fent. Why, thou must be thyfelf.

He doth object, I am too great of birth ;

And that my fate being gall'd with my expence,

I feek to heal it only by his wealth.

Befides thefe, other bars he lays before me,
My riots paft, my wild focieties:

And tells me, 'tis a thing impoffible

I fhould 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 confefs, 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 fums in fealed bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyfelf

That now I aim at.

Ann. Gentle Mr. Fenton,

Yet feek my father's love: ftill feek it, Sir;

If opportunity and humbleft fuit (19)

Cannot attain it, why then-hark you hither.

[Fenton and Mrs. Ann go apart.

(10) If opportunity and bumbleft fuit] Dr. Thirlby imagines, that our Author with more propriety wrote;

If importunity and humbleft fuit

I have not veutur'd to diflurb the text, because, tho' an equal exactnefs be not maintain'd in the expreffion, it may mean, "If the frequent opportunities you find of folliciting my father, and your obfequicufnels to him, cannot get him over to your party, &c.

Enter

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

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

Shal. Be not dismay'd.

Slen. No, fhe fhall not difmay me: I care not for that, but that I am affeard.

Quick. Hark ye, Mr. Slender, would fpeak a word with you.

Ann. I come to him.-This is my father's choice. O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults

Look handfome 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 jeft, how my father ftole two geefe out of a pen, good uncle.

Shal. Miftrefs Ann, my coufin 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 fquire.

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

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

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

Ann. Now, mafter Slender.

Slen. Now, good mistress Ann.

Ann. What is your will?

Slen. My will?od's-heart-lings, that's a pretty jeft,

N 3

indeed,

indeed, I ne'er made my will yet, I thank heav'n; F am not fuch a fickly 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, fo; 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, mafter Slender: love him, daughter Ann.. -Why how now? what does mafter Fenton here? You wrong me, Sir, thus ftill to haunt my houfe: 1 told you, Sir, my daughter is difpofed of. Fent. Nay, mafter Page, be not impatient.

Mrs. Page. Good mafter Fenton, come not to my child. Page. She is no match for you.

Fent. Sir, will you hear me?

Page. No, good mafter Fenton.

Come, master Shallow; come, fon Slender, in.

Knowing my mind, you wrong me, mafter Fenton.

[Exeunt Page, Shallow, and Slender.

Quic. Speak to miftrefs Page.

Fent. Good miftrefs Page, for that I love your daughter In fuch 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 feek you a better hufband.

Quic. That's my mafter, mafter Doctor

Ann. Alas, I had rather be fet quick i'th' earth,

And bowl'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