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Before PAGE's House. Enter Justice SHALLOW, SLENDER, and a Sir HUGH EVANS.

Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and coram.

Slen. All his successors, gone before him, hath done't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may: they may give the dozen white luces in their

coat.

Shal. It is an old coat.

Eva. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.

Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz?

Shal. You may, by marrying.

Eva. It is marring, indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and b cust-alorum. Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, armi-ple conjectures. But that is all one: if sir John

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Eva. Yes, per-lady: if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my sim

Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you.

Shal. The council shall hear it: it is a riot.

"Passant," i. e., by the way. The court of Star-chamber,

Eva. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot. The council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot: take your a vizaments in that.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again the sword should end it.

Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions with it. There is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity.

Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small, like a woman.

Eva. It is that fery person for all the orld; as just as you will desire, and seven hundred pounds of monies, and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, upon his death's-bed (Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!) give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old. It were a goot motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between master Abraham, and mistress Anne Page.

Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound?

Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter

penny.

Slen. I know the young gentlewoman: she has good gifts.

Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts.

Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page. Is Falstaff there?

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar, as I do despise one that is false; or, as I despise one that is not true. The knight, sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for master Page. [ Knocks.] What, hoa! Got pless your house here.1

Page. Who's there? 2[Above at the window. Eva. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and justice Shallow; and here young master Slender, that, peradventures, shall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings.

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Page. A cur, sir.

Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; can there be more said? he is good, and fair. Is sir John Falstaff here?

Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you.

Eva. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak.
Shal. He hath wrong'd me, master Page.
Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it.
Shal. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd: is not

that so, master Page? He hath wrong'd me; indeed, he hath at a word, he hath ;-believe me :Robert Shallow, esquire, saith he is wrong'd. Page. Here comes sir John.

Enter Sir JOHN FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM, and PISTOL.

Fal. Now, master Shallow; you'll complain of me to the king?

Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge.

Fal. But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter. Shal. Tut, a pin! this shall be answered. Fal. I will answer it straight:-I have done all this.-That is now answered.

Shal. The council shall know this.

Fal. "Twere better for you, if it were known in counsel: you'll be laughed at.

Eva. Pauca verba, sir John; good worts. Fal. Goodworts? good cabbage.-Slender, I broke your head; what matter have you against me? Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against your coney-catching rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket.

Bard. You Banbury & cheese!
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pist. How now, h Mephostophilus?
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

i

Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca; slice! that's my humor.

Slen. Where's Simple, my man?-can you tell, cousin?

Eva. Peace! I pray you. Now let us understand: there is three umpires in this matter, as I understand; that is-master Page, fidelicet, master Page; and there is myself, fidelicet, myself; and the three party is, lastly and finally, mine host of the Garter. Page. We three, to hear it, and end it between them.

Eva. Fery goot: I will make a prief of it in my note-book; and we will afterwards 'ork upon the cause, with as great discreetly as we can. Fal. Pistol!

Pist. He hears with ears.

Eva. The tevil and his tam! what phrase is this? "He hears with ear?" Why, it is affectations. Fal. Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse? Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he, (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again else) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward shovel-boards, that cost me two shilling and twopence a-piece of Yed Miller, by these gloves. Fal. Is this true, Pistol?

Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse.
Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!-Sir John
and master mine,

I combat challenge of this latten bilbo:
Word of denial in thy "labras here;
Word of denial: froth and scum, thou liest.

Slen. By these gloves, then 'twas he.

Nym. Be advised, sir, and pass good humors. I will say, "marry trap," with you, if you run the nuthook's humor on me; that is the very note of it.

Worts was the ancient term for all the cabbage kind. fi. e.. Cheats; sharpers.- An allusion to the thin carcass of Slender. The name of a familiar spirit in the old story. book of Faustus. Few words. "Mill-sixpences" were used as counters to cast up money. The broad shillings of Edward the Sixth, used in the game of shuffle-board."Latten bilbo," i. e., brass sword-blade.- "Word of de

Advisement. Soft-e "Possibilities," i. e., expectations, nial in thy labras," i. e., the lie in thy teeth. "If you run the

-d Cotswold Hills, in Gloucestershire.

nuthook's humor on me," i, e., if you try to bring me to justice.

Slen. By this hat, then he in the red face had it; for though I cannot remember what I did when you made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an ass.

Fal. What say you, Scarlet and John? Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say, the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five sentences.

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Eva. It is his five senses: fie, what the ignorance is! Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd the caricres. Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter. I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, but in honest, civil, godly company, for this trick: if I be drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the fear of God, and not with drunken knaves.

Eva. So Got 'udge me, that is a virtuous mind. Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you hear it.

Enter ANNE PAGE with Wine; and Mistress FORD

and Mistress PAGE.

Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink within. [Exit ANNE PAGE. Slen. Oh heaven! this is mistress Anne Page. 2[Following and looking after her.

Page. How now, mistress Ford! Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well met by your leave, good mistress. [Kissing her. Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome.-Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner: come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. [Exeunt all but SHALLOW, SLENDER, and EVANS. Slen. I had rather than forty shillings, I had my book of songs and sonnets here.

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Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us 3 demand to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for divers philosophers hold, that the lips is 'parcel of the mouth: therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid?

Shal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her? Slen. I hope, sir, I will do, as it shall become one that would do reason.

a In allusion to Bardolph's red face. Drunk. i. e., Ran the charge-a military phrase.-d Allhallowmas (Nov. 1st) is nearly five weeks after Michaelmas (Sept. 29). This is probably an intentional blunder. Proposals. Part.

Eva. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies, you must speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires towards her.

Shal. That you must. Will you, upon good dowry, marry her?

Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your request, cousin, in any reason.

Shal. Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz: what I do, is to pleasure you, coz. Can you love the maid?

Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but if there be no great love in the beginning, yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are married, and have more occasion to know one another. I hope, upon familiarity will grow more contempt: but if you say, " marry her," I will marry her; that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely. is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according to our Eva. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the fault meaning, resolutely.-His meaning is good. Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well. Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la. Re-enter ANNE PAGE.

Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne.-Would I were young, for your sake, mistress Anne! Anne. The dinner is on the table; my father desires your worship's company.

Shal. I will wait on him, fair mistress Anne. Eva. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at the grace. [Exeunt SHALLOW and EVANS. Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir? Slen. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well.

Anne. The dinner attends you, sir.

sometime

Go, sirrah, for all you are my man, go, wait upon my Slen. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth.cousin Shallow. [Exit SIMPLE.] A justice of peace I keep but three men and a boy yet, till my mother may be beholding to his friend for a man. be dead; but what though? yet I live like a poor gentleman born.

will not sit, till you come. Anne. I may not go in without your worship: they

much as though I did. Slen. I'faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as

Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.

Slen. I had rather walk here, I thank you. I and dagger with a master of fence, (three veneys bruised my shin the other day with playing at sword for a dish of stewed prunes) and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? be there bears i' the town?

[Dogs bark.

Anne. I think, there are, sir; I heard them talked of. Slen. I love the sport well; but I shall as soon quarrel at it as any man in England. You are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not?

Anne. Ay, indeed, sir.

Slen. That's meat and drink to me, now: I have seen Sackerson loose, twenty times, and have taken him by the chain; but, I warrant you, the women women, indeed, cannot abide 'em; they are very illhave so cried and shriek'd at it, that it 'pass'd: but favored rough things.

Re-enter PAGE.

Page. Come, gentle master Slender, come; we stay for you.

Slen. I'll eat nothing, I thank you, sir.

B Positively. A person who had taken his master's degree in the science."Three veneys," i. e., three hits. The name of a bear exhibited in Shakespeare's time, at Paris Garden, in Southwark. Surpassed all expression.

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Slen. Mistress Anne, yourself shall go first.

Anne. Not I, sir; pray you, keep on.

Pist. Young ravens must have food.

Fal. Which of you know Ford of this town?
Pist. I ken the wight: he is of substance good.
Fal. My honest lads, I will tell you what I am about.
Pist. Two yards, and more.

Fal. No quips now, Pistol. Indeed I am in the

Slen. Truly, I will not go first: truly, la, I will not waist two yards about; but I am now about no waste;

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Fal. I sit at ten pounds a-week.

Host. Thou'rt an emperor, Cæsar, Keisar, and Pheazar. I will entertain Bardolph; he shall draw, he shall tap: said I well, bully Hector?

Fal. Do so, good mine host.

Host. I have spoke; let him follow.-Let me see thee froth, and lime: I am at a word; follow. [Exit Host. Fal. Bardolph, follow him. A tapster is a good trade: an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered servingman, a fresh tapster. Go; adieu.

Bard. It is a life that I have desired. I will thrive. [Exit BARDOLPH. Pist. O base Gongarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield?

Nym. He was gotten in drink: is not the humor conceited? His mind is not heroic, and there's the humor of it.

Fal. I am glad I am so acquit of this tinder-box: his thefts were too open; his filching was like an unskilful singer, he kept not time.

Nym. The good humor is to steal at a1 minim's rest. Pist. Convey, the wise it call. Steal? foh! a

ffico for the phrase!

Fal. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels.
Pist. Why then, let kibes ensue.
Fal. There is no remedy; I must coney-catch, I

must shift.

h

"By cock and pye," anciently a popular adjuration.Laundress.- Emperor.-d To froth beer and to lime sack were tapster's tricks. The first was done by putting soap in the bottom of the tankard; the other by mixing lime with the wine, to make it sparkle in the glass.-Hungarian.Fig. Chilblains.- Cheat.

I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean to make love to Ford's wife: I spy entertainment in her; she discourses, she craves, she gives the leer of invitation: I can construe the action of her familiar style; and the hardest voice of her behavior, to be Englished rightly, is, "I am sir John Falstaff's."

Pist. He hath studied her will, and translated her 3 well; out of honesty into English.

Nym. The anchor is deep: will that humor pass? Fal. Now, the report goes, she has all the rule of her husband's purse; he hath a legion of langels. Pist. As many devils entertain, and "To her, boy," say I.

Nym. The humor rises; it is good: humor me the angels.

Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her; and here another to Page's wife, who even now gave me good eyes too, examin'd my parts with most judicious mciliads: sometimes the beam of her view gilded my foot, sometimes my portly belly.

Pist. Then did the sun on dunghill shine.
Nym. I thank thee for that humor.

Fal. O she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy "intention, that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning glass. Here's another letter to her: she bears the purse I will be cheater to them both, and they shall be too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and beauty. exchequers to me: they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear thou this letter to mistress Page; and thou this to mistress Ford. We will thrive, lads, we will thrive.

Pist. Shall I sir Pandarus of Troy become, And by my side wear steel? then, Lucifer take all! humor-letter. I will keep the 'havior of reputation. Nym. I will run no base humor: here, take the Fal. Hold, sirrah, [to ROBIN,] bear you these let

ters Ptightly:

Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores.-
Rogues, hence! avaunt! vanish like hailstones, go;
Falstaff will learn the humor of the age.
Trudge, plod away o' the hoof; seek shelter, pack!
French thrift, you rogues: myself, and skirted page.
[Exeunt FALSTAFF and ROBIN.
Pist. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for 'gourd, and
And high and low beguile the rich and poor.
fullam holds,
Tester I'll have in pouch, when thou shalt lack,
Base Phrygian Turk.

3

Nym. I have operations, 7 which be humors of re

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"I ken the wight," i. e., I know the fellow-Taunts.1"Angel" was the name of a coin formerly current in Eng. land, bearing the figure of an angel-Ogles; wanton glances." Attention. Escheator, an officer in the Exche quer.-P Cleverly; adroitly.-" Pinnace," a small vessel attendant on a larger one.-"Gourd" and "fullam" were cant terms for false dice.-"Tester I'll have in pouch," i. e., sixpence I'll have in pocket. Likewise,

His dove will prove, his gold will hold,

And his soft couch defile. Nym. My humor shall not cool: I will incense Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with byellowness, for the revolt of mine is dangerous: that is my true humor.

Pist. Thou art the Mars of malcontents: I second thee; troop on. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.—A Room in Dr. CAIUS's House. Enter Mrs. QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and JOHN RUGBY. Quick. What, John Rugby!-I pray thee, go to the casement, and see if you can see my master, master doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i' faith, and find any body in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English. Rug. I'll go watch.

[Exit RUGBY. Quick. Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire.— An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no telltale, nor no breed-bate: his worst fault is, that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way, but nobody but has his fault; but let that pass. Peter Simple, you say your name is?

Sim. Ay, for fault of a better.

Quick. And master Slender's your master?
Sim. Ay, forsooth.

Quick. Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring-knife?

Sim. No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard; a Cain-colored beard.

Quick. A softly-sprighted man, is he not? Sim. Ay, forsooth; but he is as tall a man of his hands, as any is between this and his head: he hath fought with a warrener.

h

Quick. How say you?-O! I should remember him: does he not hold up his head, as it were, and strut in his gait?

Sim. Yes, indeed, does he.

Quick. Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wishRe-enter RUGBY, 1running.

Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. Quick. We shall all be shent. Run in here, good young man; go into this closet. [Shuts SIMPLE in the closet.] He will not stay long.-What, John Rugby! John, what, John, I say!-Go, John, go inquire for my master; [Exit RUGBY.] I doubt, he be not well, that he comes not home:" and down, down, adown-a," &c. [Sings.

Enter Doctor CAIUS.

Caius. Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys. Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier verd; a box, a green-a box; do intend vat I speak? a green-a box.

Quick. Ay, forsooth; I'll fetch it you. [Aside.] I am glad he went not in himself: if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad.

Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vais à la cour,-la grande affaire. Quick. Is it this, sir?

Caius. Oui; mette le au mon pocket; dépêche, quickly.-Vere is dat knave Rugby?

Quick. What, John Rugby! John!

Instigate. Jealousy. Breed-strife. Silly; childish. -It is said that Cain and Judas were constantly represented in old pictures with yellow beards.- Mild-tempered.8" As tall a man of his hands," i, e., as brave a man of valor. The keeper of a warren. Roughly handled.

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Rug. Here, sir. [Enter RUGBY. Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby: come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to de court.

Rug. 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long.-Od's me! Qu'ai j'oublié ? dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind. 3 [Going to it. Quick. [Aside.] Ah me! he'll find the young man there, and be mad.

Caius. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet? — Villainy! larron! [ Dragging SIMPLE out.] Rugby, my rapier!

Quick. Good master, be content. Caius. Verefore shall I be content-a? Quick. The young man is an honest man. Caius. Vat shall the honest man do in my closet? dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet. Quick. I beseech you, be not so phlegmatic. Hear the truth of it: he came of an errand to me from parson Hugh.

Caius. Vell.

Sim. Ay, forsooth, to desire her to-
Quick. Peace, I pray you.

Caius. Peace-a your tongue!-Speak-a your tale. Sim. To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a good word to mistress Anne Page for my master, in the way of marriage.

Quick. This is all, indeed, la; but I'll ne'er put my finger in the fire, and need not.

Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you?-Rugby, baillez me some paper: tarry you a littel-a while. [Writes.

Quick. I am glad he is so quiet: if he had been thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so melancholy.-But notwithstanding, man, I'll do you your master what good I can: and the very yea and the no is, the French doctor, my master,— I may call him my master, look you, for I keep his house; and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself.Sim. 'Tis a great charge, to come under one body's hand.

Quick. Are you avis'd o' that? you shall find it a great charge: and to be up early and down late ;but notwithstanding, to tell you in your ear, (I would have no words of it) my master himself is in love with mistress Anne Page: but notwithstanding that, I know Anne's mind; that's neither here nor there.

Caius. You jack'nape, give-a dis letter to sir Hugh. By gar, it is a shallenge: I vill cut his troat in de park; and I vill teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make.-You may be gone; it is not good you tarry here:-by gar, I vill cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not have a stone to trow at his dog. [Exit SIMPLE.

Quick. Alas! he speaks but for his friend. Caius. It is no matter-a for dat :-do not you tell-a me, dat I shall have Anne Page for myself?-By gar, I vill kill de Jack priest; and I have appointed mine Host of de Jarretière to measure our weapon. -By gar, I vill myself have Anne Page.

Quick. Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well. We must give folks leave to prate: what, the a good year!

Caius. Rugby, come to the court vit me.-By gar, if I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your head out of my door.-Follow my heels, Rugby.

[Exeunt CAIUS and RUGBY. Quick. You shall have An fool's-head of your No, I know Anne's mind for that: never a

own.

"What, the good year !" an exclamation of the time.

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