SCENE, before Page's Houfe in Windfor. Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans. S SHALLOW. IR Hugh, perfuade me not; I will make a Starchamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Faiftaffs, he thall not abuse Robert Shallow, Efq; Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace, and Coram. (1) The Merry Wives of Windfor.] Queen Elizabeth was fo well pleas'd with the admirable character of Falfaff in the Two Parts of Henry IV, that, as Mr. Rowe informs us, the commanded Shakespeare to continue it for one play more, and to fhew him in love. To this command we owe this comedy of the Merry Wives of Windfor: which, Mr. Gildon fays, he was very well affur'd our Author finish'd in a fortnight. But this must be meant only, as Mr. Pope has obferv'd, of the first imperfect fketch of this comedy, printed in 1619. The notice of a play, publish'd feventeen years after Qucen Elizabeth's death, does no ways come in fupport of the tradition, that it was perform'd for that Princefs's entertainment. But I have another old quarto edition of this comedy, (which I prefume Mr. Pope never faw ;) printed in 1602; which fays in the title pageAs it bath been diverfe times acted both before her Majesty and elfe where. The reader will find the title of this old play at length, in my cata. logue of editions prefix'd to this work. L 2 Shal. Shal. Ay, coufin Slender, and Custalorum. Slen. Ay, and Rato-lcrum too; and a gentleman born, mafter parfon, who writes himself Armigero in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, Armigero. Shal. Ay, that I do, and have done any time these three hundred years.. Slen. All his fucceffors, gone before him, have don'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 lowfes do become an old coat well; it agrees well, paffant; it is a familiar beast to man, and fignifies love. Shal. The luce is the fresh-fifh, the falt-fifh is an old coat. Shal. You may by marrying. Eva. It is marring, indeed, if he quarter it. Eva. Yes, per-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three fkirts for yourself, in my fimple conjectures; but that is all one: if Sir John Falstaf have committed difparagements upon you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you. Shal. The council fhall hear it; it is a riot. Eva. It is not meet, the council hear of a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, fhall defire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your viza-ments in that. Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the fword fhould end it. Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it; and there is alfo another device in my prain, which, peradventute, prings good difcretions with it: there is Ann Page, (2) which is daughter to mafter George Page, which is pretty virginity. (2) which is daughter to mafter Thomas Page.] The whole fet of editions have negligently blunder'd one after another in Page's chriftian name in this place; tho' Mrs. Page calls him George afterwards in at least fix feveral paffages. Slen. Slen. Miftrefs Ann Page? fhe has brown hair, and fpeaks fmall like a woman. Eva. It is that ferry perfon for all the orld, as juk as you will defire; and feven hundred pounds of monies, and gold and filver, is her grandfire upon his death's-bed (Got deliver to a joyful refurrections) give, when he is able to overtake feventeen years old: it were a good motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and defire a marriage between matter Abraham and mistress Ann Page. Slen.Did her grand-fire leave her feven hundred pounds? 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 poffibilities, is good gifts. Shal. Well; letus fee honeft Mr. Pago, is Falfaf here? Eva. Shall I tell you a lye? I do defpite a liar, as I do defpife one that is falfe; or as I defpife one that is not true. The Knight, Sir John, is there; and, I befeech you, be ruled by your well-wishers. I will peat the door [Knocks.] for maiter Page. What, hoa? Got blefs your house here. Enter Mr. Page. Page. Who's there? Eva. Here is Got's pleffing, and your friend, and Juftice Shallow; and here's young matter Slender; that, peradventures, fhall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings. Page. I am glad to fee your worships well. I thank you for my venison, master Shallow. Shal. Mafter Page, I am glad to fee you; much good do it your good heart: I wifh'd your venifon better; it was ill kill'd. How doth good mistress Page? and I thank you always with my heart, la; with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you. Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do. Slen. How do's your fallow greyhound, Sir? I heard fay, he was out-run on Cotfale. Page. It could not be judg'd, Sir. Slen. You'll not confefs, you'll not confefs. Shal. That he will not, 'tis your fault, 'tis your fault; 'tis a good dog. Page. A cur, Sir. Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; can there be more faid? 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 fpoke, as a chriftians ought to speak. Page. Sir, he doth in some fort confefs it. Shal. If it be confefs'd, it is not redress'd; is not that fo, mafter Page? he hath wrong'd me; indeed, he bath; at a word, he hath; believe me, Robert Shallows Efquire faith, he is wrong'd. Page. Here comes Sir John. Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nym and Piftol. Fal. Now, mafter Shallow, you'll complain of me to the King? Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, kill'd my deer, and broke open my lodge. Fal. But not kifs'd your keeper's daughter. Shal. Tut, a pin; this fhall be answered. Fal. I will anfwer it ftrait: I have done all this. That is now answer'd. Shal. The council fhall know this. Fal. "Twere better for you, if 'twere not known in council; you'll be laugh'd at. Eva. Pauca verba, Sir John, good worts. Fal. Good worts? 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 cony-catching rafcals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. Bar Bar. You Banbury cheese! Slen. Ay, it is no matter! Nym. Slice, I fay; pauca, pauca : slice, that's my humour. Slen. Where's Simple, my man? can you tell, coufin ? Eva. Peace: I pray you: now let us understand; there is three umpires in this matter, as I understand; that is, mafter Page; fidelicet, mafter Page; and there is myself; fidelicet, myfelf; and the three party is, laftly and finally, mine hoft of the garter. Page. We three to hear it, and end it between them. Eva. Ferry goot? I will make a prief of it in my note-book, and we will afterwards ork upon the caule with as great difcreetly as we can. Fal. Piftol, Pift. He hears with ears. Eva. The tevil and his tam! what phrafe is this, he hears with ears? why, it is affectations. Fal. Piftol, did you pick mafter Slender's purfe? Slen. Ay, by thefe gloves, did he; (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again elfe,) of feven groats in mill-fixpences, and two Edward fhovel boards, that coft me two fhillings and two-pence a-piece, of Yead Miller, by thefe gloves. Fal. Is this true, Piftol? Eva. No; it is falfe, if it is a pick-purfe. Pift. Ha, thou mountain foreigner! - Sir John, and mafter mine, I combat challenge of this latten bilboe: (3) Word (3) I combat challenge of this Latin bilboe.] Our modern Editors have diftinguish'd this word, Latin, in Italic characters, as if it was addrefs'd to Sir Hugh, and meant to call him pedantic blade, on account of his being a schoolmafter, and teaching Latin. But I'll be bold to fay, in this they do not take the Poet's conceit. Pifol barely calls Sir Hugh mountain foreigner, because he had interpofed in the difpute: but then immediately demands the combat of Slerd r, for having charg'd him with picking his pocket. The old quartos wrote it latter, as it should be, in the common characters: And as a proof that the author defign'd this fhould be addrefs'd to Slender, Sir Hugh does not there interpofe one word in the quarrel. But what then L 4 fignifies |