the Counter-gate, which is as hateful to me as the reek of a lime-kiln.

Mrs. Ford. Well, heav'n knows how I love you, and you shall one day find it.

Fal. Keep in that mind; I'll deserve it.

Mrs. Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or else I could not be in that mind.

Rob. [within.] Miftrefs Ford, Miftrefs Ford, here's Miftrefs Page at the door, fweating, and blowing, and looking wildly, and would needs fpeak with you prefently. Fal. She fhall not fee me; I will enfconce me behind the arras.

Mrs. Ford. Pray you, do fo; fhe's a very tattling [Falftaff bides himself.

woman.

Enter Mrs. Page.

What's the matter? how now?

Mrs. Page. O Miftrefs Ford, what have you done? you're fham'd, y'are overthrown, you are undone for

ever.

Mrs. Ford. What's the matter, good Miftrefs Page? Mrs. Page. O well-a day, Miftrefs Ford, having an honest man to your husband, to give him fuch cause of fufpicion.

Mrs. Ford. What caufe of fufpicion ?

Mrs. Page. What caufe of fufpicion? out upon you! how am I mistook in you?

Mrs. Ford. Why, alas! what's the matter?

Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windfor, to fearch for a Gentleman, that, he says, is here now in the houfe, by your confent, to take an ill advantage of his abfence. You are undone.

Mrs. Ford. Speak louder-[Afide.] 'Tis not fo, I hope. Mrs. Page. Pray heav'n it be not fo, that you have fuch a man here; but 'tis moft certain, your husband's coming with half Windsor at his heels, to fearch for fuch a one. I come before to tell you: if you know yourself clear, why, I am glad of it; but if you have a friend here, convey, convey him out. Be not amaz'd,

call all your fenfes to you, defend your reputation, or bid farewel to your good life for ever.

Mrs. Ford. What fhall I do? there is a Gentleman, my dear friend; and I fear not mine own fhame, fo much as his peril. I had rather than a thoufand pound, he were out of the houfe.

Mrs. Page. For fhame, never ftand you had rather, and you had rather; your husband's here at hand; bethink you of fome conveyance, in the house you cannot hide him. Oh, how have you deceiv'd me? look, here is a basket, if he be of any reasonable ftature, he may creep in here, and throw foul linnen upon him, as if it were going to bucking or it is whiting time, fend him by your two men to Datchet-mead.

Mrs. Ford. He's too big to go in there: what shall I do?

Re-enter Falstaff.

Fal. Let me fee't, let me fee't, O let me fee't; I'll in, I'll in; follow your friend's counsel; I'll in.

Mrs. Page. What! Sir John Falstaff? are these your letters, Knight?

Fal. I love thee, help me away, let me creep in here: I'll never

[He goes into the basket, they cover him with foul linnen. Mrs. Page. Help to cover your Mafter, boy: call your men, Miftrefs Ford. You diffembling Knight!

Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John, go take up thefe cloaths here, quickly. Where's the cowl-itaff? look, how you drumble: carry them to the landrefs in Datchet-mead; quickly, come.

Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Evans.

Ford. Pray you, come near; if I fufpect without cause, why then make sport at me, then let me be your jest, I deferve it. How now? whither bear you this?

Serv. To the landrefs, forfooth.

Mrs. Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? You were best meddle with buck-washing. Ford. Buck? I would I could wash myself of the VOL. I.

N

buck:

buck: buck, buck, buck? ay, buck: I warrant you, buck, and of the season to, it fhall 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, fearch, feek, find out. I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox. Let me stop this way firft. So, now uncape.

Page. Good mafter Ford, be contented: you wrong yourfelf too much.

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

Eva. This is ferry fantastical 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 Miftrefs Page and Mrs. 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 hufband 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 jealoufy till now.

Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that, and we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff: his diffolute disease will scarce 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 o'clock, to have amends.

Re-enter

Re-enter Ford, Page, &c.

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 ufe me well, mafter Ford, do you?

Ford. Ay, ay, I do fo.

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 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 Windfor Caftle.

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

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

Caius. By gar, I fee 'tis an honeft 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, Mrs. 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 houfe to breakfaft; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bufh. Shall it be fo?

Ford. Any thing.

Eva. If there is one, I fhall 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 of the loufy knave, mine hoft.

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

Fent.

I

SCENE changes to Page's House.

Enter Fenton and Miftrefs Ann Page.

See, I cannot get thy father's love;

[Exeunt.

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 state being gall'd with my expence,

I feek to heal it only by his wealth.

Befides thefe, other bars he lays before me,
My ricts palt, my wild focieties:

And tells me, 'tis a thing impoffible
I should love thee, but as a property.
Ann. May be, he tells you true.

Fent. No, heav'n fo speed 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 tealed 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

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

If importunity and humbleft fuit

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

Enter